Stadium renovation is a major undertaking that may span years, leaving schools with the challenge of hosting games in a venue under construction.
As reported by the Columbia Missourian, fans entering Memorial Stadium for the sold-out University of Missouri football game Thursday night faced lengthy delays and crowded walkways amid continuing construction on the north end of the stadium.
"Without a north concourse, foot traffic poured into the other areas of the stadium, which clogged the entrances and appeared to cause considerable frustration," wrote David Aldrich for the Missourian.
“It was a little challenging to navigate,” student Maddy Harden told the Missourian. “We were trying to get to the other side, and we couldn’t figure it out. It was just really crowded.”
Mizzou Athletics department acknowledged the crowd’s exasperation in an email to fans Friday afternoon and vowed to address the situation, stating, “This does not meet our standards, and we know that it was not a safe or enjoyable experience.
“Please know that we are working diligently to explore additional ways to alleviate south interior walkway foot traffic, and we will provide an update next week before the Kansas game.”
Skyler Clark, a spokesperson with the Columbia Fire Department, told the Missourian that safety is a legitimate concern. “If something were to happen, it could lead to panic, which would then cause kind of a herd mentality and chaos where everybody starts funneling toward the exit. It would also make it harder for first responders to find and assist those in need within the crowd.”
Missouri has experience with gameday construction challenges, having opened Memorial Stadium to fans during the 2018 season while the south end zone underwent renovation. At the time, Scott Radecic of architecture firm Populous provided AB readers with insights on how to best handle such situations.
In an email Friday to the Missourian, Mizzou Athletics spokesperson Michael Schroeder said fans are encouraged to enter the stadium on the side where their seats are located so they can avoid the south walkway.
Four of the Tigers' next five games are at home.
