Nippert Stadium Review
By Tyler Smith 10/1/2015 Find me on Twitter @arenafanatic
Nippert Stadium Nippert stadium home of the UC Bearcats
Game Attended: vs. Miami 10/1/15, vs. Houston, 12/4/2022
Stadium Capacity: 40,101 Date Opened: Nov. 8, 1924 Miles Traveled: 8 miles Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
School: University of Cincinnati Athletics Site: www.gobearcats.com Tickets: www.gobearcats.com Forums: Bearcatinsider.com csnbbs.com/cincinnati Nippert Stadium Seating Chart: 
Nippert Stadium seating Chart via Gobearcats.com
Nippert Stadium FeaturesNippert Stadium sits in the middle of the University of Cincinnati's campus. The Bearcats have played in the same spot since 1901 and is the third oldest FBS stadium in the country having started construction in 1915. The stadium was dedicated in 1924 and named Nippert Stadium. Since 1924 Nippert has undergone many renovations with the biggest one being completed in 2015.
The South end zone from section 111-115 is where the student sections is. In the middle of section 114 you will see the C-Paw in Black made out in the stands. Behind the students is a memorial for former player Jimmy Nippert. Nippert was Bearcat football player who past away due to injuries playing for the Bearcat Football team. Further past the Memorial sits Dieterle Vocal Art Center. Along with the student section, the band can be found in the South endzone in the lower half of section 110. The East side of the stadium has two levels of seating. The lower level features red bleacher seating throughout. Some sections have black chairback seating which starts ten rows up from the field. The chairbacks are cushioned chairs with the C-Paw on the top part of the chair. The stands start to have a steeper incline about half way up in every section of the lower horseshoe. The upper half of the East side has it's own mini concourse called Skywalks which doesn't feature any concessions or restrooms but frees up all the traffic coming from the lower concourse. This section features some chairback seats, but are primary light grey bleacher seats. The North side of the stadium has the smallest seating capacity and is elevated much higher from the playing surface. Behind sections 131-135 is the scoreboard. The scoreboard measures 150 feet wide and 35 feet high. The video board in the scoreboard is 19 feet by 35 feet. Behind the seating and scoreboard sits the Rec Center which houses the Stadium Zone Cafe. The West side has undergone the most change. The lower level is very similar to the East Sides. They have the chairback black padded seats in several sections and have red bleacher seats throughout. Where Nippert is gaining the most attention is the the West Side Pavilion that was built in 2015. The pavilion includes new press box and premium seating. The new building has many suites, patio suites (loge boxes), and scholarship club seating. The Founders suite is the top notch luxury seating option with all the bells and whistles. This suite features retractable windows, TV's, lounge area and more. All of the suites have the option for catering which will be ready upon arrival to your suite. The Founders Club has similar features to the Founders Suites. Located on the third floor are the Loge Patio Suites. They have four to eight seat options. You will have padded chairback seating and your own personal TV. The Scholarship Seating gives you access to the club level and open air seating in the pavilion. The pavilion includes a couple bars for patrons of the club levels. They have plenty of space, seating and tables to get together with friends before the game starts. The decor matches the modern theme of the structure. The project was built with the idea to use the space for more then just football. It can be used for business meetings, wedding receptions and many other occasions. The concourse underwent serious renovation which included the Skywalk that was mentioned earlier in this piece. The skywalks provide the stadium with better flow and connect O'Varisty Way to the East Side Pavilion. the concourse has a clean look it features an open concept to the field. The new bathrooms and concessions are an added plus with the concession stands housing TVs for fans. The concourse serves as a walkway to get through campus when it is not hosting an event. |
Exterior of the University of Cincinnati's Rec Center
Views from the West Side Pavilion at Nippert Stadium
Swift Hall University of Cincinnati
Bearcats in the red zone
West Side Pavilion at Nippert Stadium common ground
Upper Level on the East Side of Nippert Stadium
View of Main Street on UC's campus from Nippert Stadium
Bar inside the West Pavilion Nippert Stadium
Near Sigma Sigma Commons
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What To Do On Game Days
Calhoun Street on UC Campus
#1 Go to nearby Over The Rhine to grab a drink or something to eat!
#2 Check out the scene around the campus between Calhoun and McMillan Street.
#3 Take a walk around campus and check out the great architecture UC has to offer!
#4 Make sure to stop by Sigma Sigma Commons to see the Cat Walk two hours and 15 minutes before the game.
#5 Head to Nippert Stadium!
Nippert Stadium and University of Cincinnati Photos
Nippert Stadium Overview
Nippert Stadium: I will start off by saying I love what UC has done with Nippert Stadium. Incorporating the campuses rich architecture in with the stadium is a perfect idea. Being the focal part of the campus it makes sense to give it new life. The stadium is surrounded by great architecture and it plays right into the concourse which is something you do not see at many stadiums across the country. Having the stadiums concourse serve as a walkway for students is awesome. Most stadiums aren't even in a spot where it would matter to students if it were open or not. Their is not a bad seat in the house which is a positive for a stadium that has multiple levels. The new bleacher seats throughout the stadium look great. Having seating in all sections of the stadium is always a plus for me. If you are an athletic director, you have a stadium sitting around 40-50 thousand and you wanted to know how to improve a stadium, look no further than Nippert Stadium.
I had the opportunity to tour the stadium with Jon Horton the Assistant AD/Game Presentation at UC. Big thanks to him for giving me that opportunity! On the tour I was able to see every level of the West Pavilion. UC really did an amazing job with this and is one of the best boxes (though this one is far from a box) that I have seen. I love the design, the premium seating options are phenomenal. The deck to the far side of the pavilion is a great idea. Each floor was very spacious and provided fans plenty of spots to interact. The menus for each day provided fans with options from the opponents home town cuisine which is a cool idea. Throughout the pavilion you will see TV's everywhere so you won't miss a minute of the action. Overall UC did a great job with the pavilion and I was blown away.
Upgrades: As for the upgrades to the stadium, the concourse while it is new and improved could use some more color. Highlighting past and current players on empty walls would be a nice touch. They currently have some banners but not enough to make a dent. Also a section about the UC Football history on a wall or in a plaza would be a cool touch. I didn't really see anything involving the American Conference or the teams in the conference (I could have missed this). In the future I would like to see the stadium feature permanent chairback seating throughout and really give this stadium an even more new/modern feel. Something along the lines of what Minnesota did in their new stadium. The scoreboard upgrades are mentioned in the below segment, scoreboard.
UC Campus: UC has one of the more architecturally sound campuses in the country. With over 40,000 students attending the university they now have a campus to be proud of. The campus was largely a commuter school before the big wave of architectural greatness started around the early 90's as the university felt they needed a change. Some of the best and most nationally recognized buildings on campus are the Campus Recreation Center, Albert H. Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, Steger Student Life Center and Engineering Research Center. These buildings have taken the campus to another level and really give the campus a great vibe. When you take a walk down "Main Street" which is in the middle of the campus with several of the buildings mentioned above are featured and Nippert Stadium's West Pavilion now adding another dynamic it is a must see. Nippert Stadium is located in the middle of campus and serves as a walkway throughout campus not just a big roadblock for students. Some other things to see on campus are the Bearcat Statue on the East Side of Fifth Third Arena. Nearby is the Oscar Robertson Statue as well. The "Belief" is located outside the Vontz center and you can find former president William Howard Taft's statue outside of the College of Law. If you are by Braunstein Hall check out the Echo Corner. Here, while standing in the center of it you can hear it echo back at you. Another part of the campus that I love is the Varsity Village. The University of Cincinnati paved the way for this popular setup of having all their athletic facilities in the same area. The campus has so many things to see make sure you give yourself enough time to walk around!
Scoreboard: The Bearcats have one scoreboard that sits in the North End Zone. The scoreboard looks really dated compared to the rest of the stadium now. This is one spot where Nippert Stadium could use an upgrade and from what I am hearing it has been discussed. Really looking forward to the design that they go with since UC is very into their architecture. If they are looking to add another scoreboard I would suggest putting one above sections 214-215 this gives fans that are unable to see the scoreboard in the north end a view another option to see stats and video. The ribbon scoreboards are a nice addition and I hope to see them take the ribbon boards all across the stadium in the future.
Update: Nippert Stadium was upgraded in 2018. The 31 foot high by 114 foot wide HD display is four times larger than the previous board, which was much needed.
Atmosphere: With the largest crowd to ever be at the Historic Nippert Stadium you know the stadium was on fire! The first half brought plenty of excitement with a quick start by the Bearcats. The student had a black out and they were very rowdy the whole game. The DJ gave the game plenty of energy throughout all four quarters. Really enjoyed having the DJ and enjoyed that aspect of the atmosphere. The band entrance from the top of the stadium to the bottom was a nice touch and something that I haven't seen before. Overall Nippert and the fans that are inside provide a solid atmosphere.
Cincinnati, Ohio: Located on the Ohio River, Cincinnati is home to the first professional baseball team the Cincinnati Reds, one of the largest OktoberFest in the world, and lots of local beer. There are plenty of things to do in Cincinnati from great food to the new casino.
If you're looking for food start with local favorites like Skyline Chili, LaRosa's Pizza, Montgomery Inn and Graeter's Ice Cream. I'm a huge fan of Cincinnati Chili. A few other places to grab the local chili are Gold Star, Chili Time and Camp Washington. The chili is famous for its use of chocolate and cinnamon. Grab a coney or a three-way (chili, cheese and spaghetti) and you will have a true Cincinnati experience. If you don't have time to go to Montgomery Inn at least grab some BBQ sauce at a grocery store. It is one of my favorite BBQ sauces that I have ever had. Top things off with ice cream from Graeter's. With over 145 years of expereince you know they have to have great ice cream.
As for things to do in the city. Fountain Square has several hotels, restaurants and shops around it. Also, grab a picture in front of the Tyler Davidson Fountain. One of the newest additions to the city, the Horseshoe Casino, will keep you entertained with an array of gambling options inside.
A cool section of the city is the OTR Brewery district. The district boasts plenty of beer from local breweries. One of my favorites to visit is Rhinegeist. They have a very large taproom that features cornhole and ping pong. The district also has the oldest farmers markets in the state called Findlay Market. Over the Rhine has really become one of the go to spots in downtown Cincinnati. Once a place where no one wanted to go now features some of the most popular restaurants and bars in the city. One of my favorite in OTR is the Eagle. If you love southern comfort food and beer this is your spot. I had the sloppy Joe on my visit and man, was it good! It also features several shops including one of my favorites Homage. If you haven't been to Homage check it out, they have a ton of cool, comfortable clothing.
Close to the University of Cincinnati you will find plenty of shops, bars and restaurants around Calhoun and McMillian Street. A lot of Bearcat fans suggested Adriatico's. If you are into New York Pizza this should be your stop for a meal. They have plenty of TV's as well to see all the games. On Vine Street near campus you can check out Island Friday's where they serve up Caribbean cuisine. The owner of the restaurant is former Bearcat Leo Morgan.
Across the river is Newport, Kentucky. This is a hot spot for many tourists. The two most popular spots are the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee. The aquarium cost 23 dollars for anyone 13 and older, 15 dollars for ages 2-12 and under 2 is free. One cool animal you can see at the aquarium is the shark ray, they have four of them. Right next to the aquarium is Newport on the Levee. The levee is packed with plenty of entertainment.
I had the opportunity to tour the stadium with Jon Horton the Assistant AD/Game Presentation at UC. Big thanks to him for giving me that opportunity! On the tour I was able to see every level of the West Pavilion. UC really did an amazing job with this and is one of the best boxes (though this one is far from a box) that I have seen. I love the design, the premium seating options are phenomenal. The deck to the far side of the pavilion is a great idea. Each floor was very spacious and provided fans plenty of spots to interact. The menus for each day provided fans with options from the opponents home town cuisine which is a cool idea. Throughout the pavilion you will see TV's everywhere so you won't miss a minute of the action. Overall UC did a great job with the pavilion and I was blown away.
Upgrades: As for the upgrades to the stadium, the concourse while it is new and improved could use some more color. Highlighting past and current players on empty walls would be a nice touch. They currently have some banners but not enough to make a dent. Also a section about the UC Football history on a wall or in a plaza would be a cool touch. I didn't really see anything involving the American Conference or the teams in the conference (I could have missed this). In the future I would like to see the stadium feature permanent chairback seating throughout and really give this stadium an even more new/modern feel. Something along the lines of what Minnesota did in their new stadium. The scoreboard upgrades are mentioned in the below segment, scoreboard.
UC Campus: UC has one of the more architecturally sound campuses in the country. With over 40,000 students attending the university they now have a campus to be proud of. The campus was largely a commuter school before the big wave of architectural greatness started around the early 90's as the university felt they needed a change. Some of the best and most nationally recognized buildings on campus are the Campus Recreation Center, Albert H. Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, Steger Student Life Center and Engineering Research Center. These buildings have taken the campus to another level and really give the campus a great vibe. When you take a walk down "Main Street" which is in the middle of the campus with several of the buildings mentioned above are featured and Nippert Stadium's West Pavilion now adding another dynamic it is a must see. Nippert Stadium is located in the middle of campus and serves as a walkway throughout campus not just a big roadblock for students. Some other things to see on campus are the Bearcat Statue on the East Side of Fifth Third Arena. Nearby is the Oscar Robertson Statue as well. The "Belief" is located outside the Vontz center and you can find former president William Howard Taft's statue outside of the College of Law. If you are by Braunstein Hall check out the Echo Corner. Here, while standing in the center of it you can hear it echo back at you. Another part of the campus that I love is the Varsity Village. The University of Cincinnati paved the way for this popular setup of having all their athletic facilities in the same area. The campus has so many things to see make sure you give yourself enough time to walk around!
Scoreboard: The Bearcats have one scoreboard that sits in the North End Zone. The scoreboard looks really dated compared to the rest of the stadium now. This is one spot where Nippert Stadium could use an upgrade and from what I am hearing it has been discussed. Really looking forward to the design that they go with since UC is very into their architecture. If they are looking to add another scoreboard I would suggest putting one above sections 214-215 this gives fans that are unable to see the scoreboard in the north end a view another option to see stats and video. The ribbon scoreboards are a nice addition and I hope to see them take the ribbon boards all across the stadium in the future.
Update: Nippert Stadium was upgraded in 2018. The 31 foot high by 114 foot wide HD display is four times larger than the previous board, which was much needed.
Atmosphere: With the largest crowd to ever be at the Historic Nippert Stadium you know the stadium was on fire! The first half brought plenty of excitement with a quick start by the Bearcats. The student had a black out and they were very rowdy the whole game. The DJ gave the game plenty of energy throughout all four quarters. Really enjoyed having the DJ and enjoyed that aspect of the atmosphere. The band entrance from the top of the stadium to the bottom was a nice touch and something that I haven't seen before. Overall Nippert and the fans that are inside provide a solid atmosphere.
Cincinnati, Ohio: Located on the Ohio River, Cincinnati is home to the first professional baseball team the Cincinnati Reds, one of the largest OktoberFest in the world, and lots of local beer. There are plenty of things to do in Cincinnati from great food to the new casino.
If you're looking for food start with local favorites like Skyline Chili, LaRosa's Pizza, Montgomery Inn and Graeter's Ice Cream. I'm a huge fan of Cincinnati Chili. A few other places to grab the local chili are Gold Star, Chili Time and Camp Washington. The chili is famous for its use of chocolate and cinnamon. Grab a coney or a three-way (chili, cheese and spaghetti) and you will have a true Cincinnati experience. If you don't have time to go to Montgomery Inn at least grab some BBQ sauce at a grocery store. It is one of my favorite BBQ sauces that I have ever had. Top things off with ice cream from Graeter's. With over 145 years of expereince you know they have to have great ice cream.
As for things to do in the city. Fountain Square has several hotels, restaurants and shops around it. Also, grab a picture in front of the Tyler Davidson Fountain. One of the newest additions to the city, the Horseshoe Casino, will keep you entertained with an array of gambling options inside.
A cool section of the city is the OTR Brewery district. The district boasts plenty of beer from local breweries. One of my favorites to visit is Rhinegeist. They have a very large taproom that features cornhole and ping pong. The district also has the oldest farmers markets in the state called Findlay Market. Over the Rhine has really become one of the go to spots in downtown Cincinnati. Once a place where no one wanted to go now features some of the most popular restaurants and bars in the city. One of my favorite in OTR is the Eagle. If you love southern comfort food and beer this is your spot. I had the sloppy Joe on my visit and man, was it good! It also features several shops including one of my favorites Homage. If you haven't been to Homage check it out, they have a ton of cool, comfortable clothing.
Close to the University of Cincinnati you will find plenty of shops, bars and restaurants around Calhoun and McMillian Street. A lot of Bearcat fans suggested Adriatico's. If you are into New York Pizza this should be your stop for a meal. They have plenty of TV's as well to see all the games. On Vine Street near campus you can check out Island Friday's where they serve up Caribbean cuisine. The owner of the restaurant is former Bearcat Leo Morgan.
Across the river is Newport, Kentucky. This is a hot spot for many tourists. The two most popular spots are the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee. The aquarium cost 23 dollars for anyone 13 and older, 15 dollars for ages 2-12 and under 2 is free. One cool animal you can see at the aquarium is the shark ray, they have four of them. Right next to the aquarium is Newport on the Levee. The levee is packed with plenty of entertainment.
Ratings For Nippert Stadium
Inside the West Side Pavilion at Nippert Stadium.
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Stadium 7/10
Scoreboard 6.5/10 Atmosphere 7.5/10 Cincinnati (Campus) 7.25/10 X-Factor (New Press Box/Suites) +3 Total 31.25/40 Cincinnati, Ohio 7.75/10 The Eagle 8.5/10 |
Nippert and UC Campus from the parking garage.
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West Side Pavilion at the University of Cincinnati
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