Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Improvements to Razorback Gamedays coming soon
You can ask a hundred people in the Northwest Arkansas area what their favorite days of the year are, and a vast majority of them will say, “Razorback gamedays.” It is the whole experience of gamedays, not just from opening kick off to when the clock hits zero. But, from the before hand tailgating to whatever happens after, fall Saturdays, are the best kind of days. The University of Arkansas football team has called Donald W Reynolds Razorback Stadium home for decades. The on-campus stadium has filled up every game each fall, with fans and students from across the country to enjoy their Razorbacks take the field. The fans have always given love and support to the Hogs, now the Hogs are giving back.
Since the end of the 2016 season, construction has taken place at the home of the Razorbacks, and will continue all the way through the 2017 season to be finished before the home opener in 2018. Some of the new projects that have been in the works since December will be able to be seen this year though. Including the first south endzone video board as well as one back in the north endzone; being the first time that there will be two large video boards in Donald W Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The new screens are just the beginning of a much larger project that will be completed prior to next season.
Beginning in 2018, Donald W Reynolds Razorback Stadium will look brand new to the Hog faithful. Building seats in the north endzone will add 4,800+ seats for more Razorback fans to enjoy the gameday experience. Other additions for more fans to be at the stadium are ‘standing room only spaces,’ as well as North and South endzone luxury suits, new clubs and loge boxes. These clubs and boxes will be a brand new seating opportunity to give a unique seat for more of a social setting.
Don’t you worry Razorback fans, the renovation doesn’t mean a facelift of the historic stadium. Traditions such as the signature spot where you can look into the stadium in the northeast corner as well as the ‘Hog Walk’ for fans to see their favorite players enter the Frank Broyles Athletic Center before each game, are not going anywhere. Arkansas fans don’t just support their football team; they are one of the most faithful fan bases for all sports in the country. From the gridiron, to the court, to the diamond, if the team has Arkansas written across their chest, you can count on a large crowd cheering them on, and multiple ‘Wooo-Pig-Sooie’ calls.
Some of the new projects that have been in the works since December will be ready this year.
Other renovations have gone on throughout the athletic department to help recruit the top student-athletes in the country to play in front of the best fans.
In 2015, a 66,000 square-foot basketball performance center opened for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The center has two full practice courts, locker rooms, weight room, athletic training room, coaches’ offices, meeting room, and study room. As well as the incredible Bud Walton Arena for fans to enjoy their Hogs ball out on the court.
A couple of years before that, the Fowler Family Baseball and Track Training Center was built which is truly one of the best indoor facilities in the nation. Such facility was even mentioned by ESPN College Baseball analyst, Kyle Peterson, saying that when talking about top facilities in the nation, “you have to start in Fayetteville, Arkansas.” To go with that, Baum Stadium, is known as one of the premiere college baseball stadiums to watch a game.
The athletic department at the University of Arkansas knows how amazing their fans are. The fans are loyal, loud and love their Razorbacks. That loyalty is being rewarded by the new stadium and other renovations to improve the quality of athletes coming to Fayetteville.
The 2017 Fayetteville home football schedule begins when the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University (TCU), make their way into Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium to take on the Razorbacks on September 9.