Nippert Stadium - Cincinnati Bearcats
- Lloyd Brown
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Nippert Stadium 2700 Bearcats Way Cincinnati, OH 45221
Year Opened: 1915 Capacity: 38,088
The Bearcat's Lair
The University of Cincinnati was founded in 1819 and today is a thriving urban university of more than 53,000 students. The athletic teams at the University of Cincinnati are known as the Bearcats, and they play their games on campus in an area known as Varsity Village. This section of the campus is also home to the basketball, baseball, and track facilities for the University.
The home of the Bearcats is Nippert Memorial Stadium. Football has been played on the site of the stadium since 1901. However, the stadium structure was not built until 1915. This makes it the fourth-oldest playing site and the third-oldest college football stadium in the country, trailing only Bobby Dodd Stadium at Georgia Tech and Davis-Wade Stadium at Mississippi State University. It has been a tough place for visitors to win at, as the Bearcats have a .640 winning percentage in home games.
The stadium is named in memory of James Nippert, a Bearcat football player who died after a football injury was complicated by blood poisoning. His grandfather, James N Gamble of Cincinnati-based Procter and Gamble, donated the funds to build the stadium in his memory. There is a memorial monument for Nippert atop the student section behind the south end zone.
The stadium has gone through numerous renovations over the years, but still retains much of its character, with lots of the brick structure and wrought iron gates intact. The field at the stadium is named Carson Field for Arch Carson, who played a huge role in bringing football to the university in 1885 and in the creation of its first playing location in 1901.
The stadium has made more than $86 million in improvements to the stadium in recent years. More than 1000 feet of ribbon boards have been installed on the facing surfaces to provide information throughout the game. A large videoboard is located atop the north end zone. It is a very busy setup, as it features sponsor names, game statistics, and out-of-town scores… leaving very little room for the replay screen.
Food & Beverage 4
There are 75 points of sale locations within Nippert Stadium. The concession stands are primarily located along the east and west sides of the stadium, with a lesser number located behind the end zones. The east concourse (visitor’s side of the stadium) is served under the heading of the Nippert Market title.
These stands include food from popular local vendors, including Donato’s Pizza, Skyline Chili, Bibibop, Milton’s Donuts, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Rhinegeist Brewing. The west stands (home side of the stadium) offer the same vendors, plus the Rhine Room and Garage Brewing. The south end zone serves as the student seating area (known as the Ruckus) for the stadium and features some of these same vendors.
The premium seating areas are serviced separately from the general concession stands. Alcohol is served in Nippert Stadium. The legal drinking age is twenty-one in Ohio. There is a two-drink limit per purchase. All purchases inside Nippert Stadium are cashless.
Atmosphere 4
There are several areas on the University of Cincinnati campus for fans to enjoy pregame activities. The Bearcat Family Zone is located on the Sheakley Lawn and opens three hours before the kickoff. It offers games, entertainment, food trucks, and a large screen TV. A beer hall will be located nearby for the adults to enjoy. The Grid Tailgate is located on the Campus Green and features food trucks, musical entertainment, and team merchandise. The Bearcat team does its pregame Catwalk through this area 2.5 hours before kickoff.
One of the unique activities at Bearcats games is the entry of the Bearcat Band for their pregame show. The band descends from the top of the end zone stands to the field to begin its pregame performance.
Neighborhood 3
The University of Cincinnati is in an area of Cincinnati known as the Heights. The Heights neighborhood is located two miles north of downtown Cincinnati.
Nippert Stadium is in the center of the University campus in an area known as Varsity Village, due to all the athletic facilities surrounding it, including Fifth Third Arena, UC Baseball Stadium, Tangeman University Center, and the Lindner Center. In fact, the exterior of the stadium is barely visible due to the proximity of these other buildings.
The neighborhood surrounding the university is an urban mix of commercial and residential properties. Hotels within walking distance of the campus include the Fairfield Inn and Suites Cincinnati Uptown and the Hampton Inn and Suites Cincinnati Uptown. Restaurants in the area include Adriaco’s, Mio’s Pizzeria, the Good Plates Eatery, and Murphy’s Pub. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens is about 1.5 miles away from campus.
Fans 4
Fans arrive early on gameday Saturdays to begin setting up in one of the multiple tailgating areas on the University of Cincinnati campus. The tailgates feature food trucks, performances by the Bearcat Band, cheerleading squad, and dance team.
The West Stands form the backbone of supporters of the Bearcat athletics. The stands are heavily populated by alumni and major supporters. The stands feature red and black seating, the school’s colors. Seating features seatbacks as well as bench seating. Premium seating is located inside a spectacular glassed-in seating area atop the West Stands.
The fanbase at the University of Cincinnati is very supportive of the program, and games sell out frequently. In recent years, the Bearcats have been very successful on the field and in the Big XII Conference. The 2021 season was especially memorable, as the Bearcats went undefeated during the regular season and participated in the four-team national college playoffs.
Access 4
Getting to Bearcats home games is relatively easy via either I-71 or I-75. Take the Martin Luther King Drive exit off the expressway onto Eden Avenue. Gameday parking is available at the Eden Parking Garage located at 3223 Eden Avenue. The parking garage is a 20-minute walk from the stadium, but there are free shuttles running constantly between the two before and after the game.
Stadium gates open two hours before kickoff. Fans can use their digital tickets to get early access to Nippert Stadium. They can scan their tickets at the Fifth Third Arena ticket office, the Tangeman Ticket office, or at the Grid and receive a wristband for fast entry via the special Fast Pass gates of the stadium.
Return on Investment 3
Single-game parking is available at the Eden Garage for $25 on the day of the game (credit/debit card only). Other parking garages surrounding the stadium are for season ticket holders only.
Concession, prices vary by vendor. Skyline Chili offers its menu at everyday prices, including Coneys ($7), nachos ($8), loaded fries ($15), sodas ($5.50), and draft beers ($17). Fan Favorites offers the popular Hemplers brand hot dogs ($7) and double-smoked sausages ($10) as well as Grippo’s Chips ($5).
There are several 513 concession stands along the concourses. They offer a value menu of items priced at $5, $1, and $3.00. Selections include $5 hot dogs, candy and chips, $3.00 sodas, pretzels, nachos and popcorn, and $1.00 candy.
Tickets range from $25-$50 for non-premium seating. Expect to pay higher prices for games against Big XII Conference opponents.
Extras 3
Nippert Stadium has also served as the home of the Cincinnati Bengals (1968-1969) and FC Cincinnati (2016-2020) while those teams were building their own stadiums.
Nippert Stadium has hosted several concerts over the years. Performers have included Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, N'SYNC and The Roots.
A great place to take a pregame photo is the Bearcat Bench statue located near the Campus Green.
Final Thoughts
Nippert Stadium is one of the oldest and most unique college football stadiums in the country. Its location in the middle of the University of Cincinnati campus is encircled by academic buildings, making its exterior nearly invisible. Recent renovations have ensured that it will be the home den of the Bearcats for years to come.
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