View source for Michie Stadium

{{short description|Outdoor football stadium at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Michie Stadium
| nickname = 
| fullname = Blaik Field at Michie Stadium
| logo_image = Army_West_Point_logo.svg
| logo_size = 50
| image = Michie Stadium West.jpg
| image_size = 250
| caption = Aerial view during an Army football game in November 2008
| location = 700 Mills Road<br>[[West Point, New York]], U.S.<!-- 10996-->
| coordinates = {{coord|41|23|15|N|73|57|51|W|type:landmark|display=it}}
| pushpin_map = New York#USA
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the [[New York (state)|State of New York]]##Location within the United States
| broke_ground = 1924
| opened = 1924, {{time ago|1924}}
| closed = 
| demolished = 
| renovated = 2026: east grandstand (Michie Stadium Preservation Project)
| expanded = 1962: east grandstand<br>1969: west upper deck<br>2003: press box
| owner = [[United States Military Academy|U.S. Military Academy]]
| operator = U.S. Military Academy
| surface = [[FieldTurf]] (2008–present)<br>[[AstroPlay]] (2001–2007)<br>[[AstroTurf]] (1977–2000)<br>Grass (1924–1976)
| construction_cost = [[United States dollar|$]]300,000
| architect = 
| former_names = 
| tenants = [[Army Black Knights football|Army Black Knights]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) (1924&ndash;present)
| seating_capacity = 30,000 (2024&ndash;present)<br>38,000 (2023)<br>39,929 ({{circa}} 1997)<ref>{{cite news |title=At West Point, Football Like It Oughtta Be Army Opens Its Season With Punts, Pomp and Circumstance |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/1997/09/05/at-west-point-football-like-it-oughtta-be-army-opens-its-season-with-punts-pomp-and-circumstance/ |access-date=11 December 2024 |work=[[New York Daily News]] |date=5 September 1997}}</ref><br>41,684 (1969&ndash;{{circa}} 1997)<ref>{{cite web |title=Blaik Field at Michie Stadium |url=https://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2006/6/30/Blaik_Field_at_Michie_Stadium |publisher=[[Army Black Knights]] |access-date=11 December 2024 |language=en}}</ref><br>29,425 (1962&ndash;1968)<br>16,000 (1924&ndash;1961)<ref name="brief">{{cite web |title=A Brief History of Michie Stadium at West Point |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/usma-media/inline-images/2035/pdfs/Michie_Stadium_History.pdf |access-date=11 December 2024}}</ref>
| record_attendance = 
| website = {{URL|https://www.michiestadium.com/|michiestadium.com}}
}}
'''Michie Stadium''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|aɪ|k|i}} is an outdoor [[American football|football]] stadium on the campus of the [[United States Military Academy|U.S. Military Academy]] in [[West Point, New York]]. The home field for the [[Army Black Knights football|Army Black Knights]], it opened in 1924 and has a [[seating capacity]] of 30,000 for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.<ref name=preserv>{{cite web |url=https://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2024/4/8/football-construction-underway-on-the-michie-stadium-preservation-project-changes-to-the-fan-experience-expected-in-2024-and-2025 |title=Construction Set for April 15 on the Michie Stadium Preservation Project; Changes to the Fan Experience Expected in 2024 and 2025 |date=April 8, 2024 |website=goarmywestpoint.com |access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref>

The stadium sits at the upper portion of campus, directly west of [[Lusk Reservoir]]. The field is at an [[elevation]] of {{convert|335|ft|0}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]] and runs in the traditional north–south configuration, with the press box above the west sideline.  Due to the view offered by its location overlooking the [[Hudson River]] and the [[Neo-Gothic]] architecture of the campus below, it was rated as ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''{{'}}s #3 sports venue of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/06/07/our-favorite-venues-certain-ground-rules-prevail-when-it-comes-to-picking-the-best-places-in-the-world-to-watch-sports-no-domes-no-condemned-buildings-no-hooters |title=Our Favorite Venues – Certain ground rules prevail when it comes to picking the best places in the world to watch sports: no domes, no condemned buildings, no Hooters |date=June 7, 1999 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=February 14, 2024}}</ref>

==Overview==
[[File:Dennis michie army cadet.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Michie Stadium is named for [[Dennis Michie]], who was instrumental in starting the [[Army Black Knights football]] program in 1890.]]
Michie Stadium is dedicated to the memory of [[Dennis Michie]] (1870–1898), who was instrumental in starting the football program while a cadet at the Academy. A member of the Class of 1892, Michie organized, managed, and coached the first football team at West Point in 1890. Six years after graduation, he was killed in [[Cuba]] during the [[Spanish–American War]]. There have been several renovations since the stadium's first game in October 1924, when Army defeated [[Saint Louis Billikens football|Saint Louis]], 17&ndash;0.

In [[1999 Army Black Knights football team|1999]], the football field at Michie Stadium was named "Blaik Field" on September 25, in honor of [[Earl Blaik|Earl "Red" Blaik]], West Point's all-time leader in wins during a 17-year tenure from [[1941 Army Cadets football team|1941]] to [[1958 Army Cadets football team|1958]]. Blaik led Army to three consecutive [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|national titles]] from [[1944 Army Cadets football team|1944]] to [[1946 Army Cadets football team|1946]].

Since [[2008 Army Black Knights football team|2008]], the playing surface has been [[FieldTurf]].  This replaced [[AstroPlay]], which had been used since [[2001 Army Black Knights football team|2001]].  The stadium's playing field was natural grass until [[AstroTurf]] was installed in [[1977 Army Cadets football team|1977]].

Michie Stadium first hosted the [[Army–Navy Game]] in [[1943 Army Cadets football team|1943]] during [[World War II]], after it was played at [[Thompson Stadium]] at [[United States Naval Academy|Annapolis]] the [[1942 Army Cadets football team|year before]]. Neither Army nor Navy had played at an on-campus facility since very early in the rivalry, since teams' home stadiums are not nearly large enough to accommodate the crowds and media that usually attend the rivalry games. Their rivalry game is normally played at a neutral site between the campuses on the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]], usually in [[Philadelphia]] in early December. In 2020, the Army–Navy Game was moved from Philadelphia to Michie Stadium due to state-imposed attendance limits on outdoor events as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Army-Navy game in December moves from Philadelphia to West Point|publisher=WPVI-TV|location=Philadelphia, PA|date=October 23, 2020|url=https://6abc.com/sports/army-navy-game-in-december-moves-from-philly-to-west-point/7280015/|access-date=October 23, 2020}}</ref>

Construction on the Michie Stadium Preservation Project began on April 15, 2024. The project aimed to replace the eastern stands and all amenities, including walkways, bathrooms, and concessions. The stadium's capacity is capped at 30,000 during construction. The new eastern stands were scheduled to be ready just before the 2026 football season, and were intended to increase the stadium's capacity to 36,000.<ref name=preserv/>

==Attendance records==

{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Highest attendance at Michie Stadium<ref>{{cite web|url=https://goarmywestpoint.com/sports/2021/10/7/football-media-center.aspx|title=2021 Army Football Media Guide|access-date=December 2, 2021}}</ref>'''
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Army Black Knights|color=white}};" |Rank!! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Army Black Knights|color=white}};" |Attendance !! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Army Black Knights|color=white}};" |Date !! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Army Black Knights|color=white}};" |Game result
|-
! 1
| 42,765 || Oct. 2, 1971 || '''Army 22''', Missouri 6
|-
! 2
| 42,503 || Oct. 20, 1973 || Army 3, '''Notre Dame 62'''
|-
! 3
| 42,399 || Oct. 14, 1972 || Army 0, '''Penn State 45'''
|-
! 4
| 42,382 || Sept. 23, 1972 || Army 7, '''Nebraska 77'''
|-
! 5
| 42,249 || Nov. 4, 1972 || '''Army 17''', Air Force 14
|-
! 6
| 42,139 || Nov. 9, 1974 || '''Army 17''', Air Force 16
|-
! 7
| 42,123 || Oct. 27, 1973 || Army 10, '''Holy Cross 17'''
|-
! 8
| 42,085 || Nov. 1, 1969 || Army 6, '''Air Force 13'''
|-
! 9
| 41,952 || Oct. 23, 1971 || '''Army 14''', Virginia 9
|-
! 10
| 41,903 || Oct. 28, 1972 || Army 7, '''Miami (FL) 28'''
|}

==Gallery==
{{gallery
| height = 120
| align = 
| header =
| mode = packed
|File:Michie stadium pressbox 2004.JPG|Press box, 2004
|File:MichieStadiumTeamEntrance.jpg|Football team entrance on game day, 2005
|File:Michie Stadium South.jpg|View looking south into the [[Hudson Valley]], 2008
|File:Michie_Stadium_North.jpg|View looking north into the [[Hudson Valley]], 2008
|File:Michie Stadium at night.jpg|Michie Stadium from across the reservoir, 2011
|File:Johns Hopkins Takes Down Army In Physical Season Finale (8711299520).jpg|Ceremonies before a [[Army Black Knights men's lacrosse|men's lacrosse]] game, 2013
|File:210522-D-XI929-1061 (51195246252).jpg|The USMA graduation ceremony, 2021
|File:Army Football vs Air Force (54119194099).jpg|View of a temporary construction barrier in place of the removed eastern stands, 2024
|File:Michie Stadium Sign, West Point, NY.jpg|Plaque honoring Dennis Michie
}}

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/new_york/west_point_michie.shtml World Stadiums.com] - photos - Michie Stadium

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[[Category:Army Black Knights football]]
[[Category:Army Black Knights men's lacrosse]]
[[Category:College football venues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:College lacrosse venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Lacrosse venues in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Orange County, New York]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1924]]
[[Category:1924 establishments in New York (state)]]