Dix Stadium has served as the home field for Kent State Golden Flashes football since it opened in September 1969, built as an expansion and relocation of the university’s earlier Memorial Stadium. The venue incorporated roughly 17,000 seats carried over from that original facility and originally held just over 30,000 fans.
Located at 2227 Summit Road in Kent, Ohio, the stadium was renamed in 1973 in honor of Robert C. Dix, a longtime university trustee and former publisher of the Record-Courier newspaper. Beyond football, it has also hosted Kent State women’s soccer, women’s lacrosse, and past field hockey seasons, including the 2001 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Kent State Golden Flashes football, women’s soccer, women’s lacrosse
- Location: Kent, Ohio
- Opened: September 13, 1969
- Capacity: About 25,319 (originally about 30,520)
- Surface: FieldTurf (installed 2005)
- Notable fact: Record attendance of about 27,363 set in October 1973 vs. Miami (OH)
A Stadium Shaped by Renovation
Dix Stadium’s footprint has changed more than once since 1969. The facility was originally built to absorb seating from the old Memorial Stadium, giving it an unusually large capacity of about 30,500 in its early years. A major 2007–2008 renovation removed the south end zone bleachers and added a new HD scoreboard, trimming capacity down to its current figure of roughly 25,319 while modernizing the fan experience.
The playing surface has evolved too, moving from grass to AstroTurf in the 1990s before the installation of FieldTurf in 2005, a change that also supported the stadium’s run of hosting field hockey and, later, women’s soccer and lacrosse.
More Than Just Football
While football has always been the stadium’s primary tenant, Dix Stadium has carried a broader athletic and cultural role for Kent State. It hosted the 2001 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship and later became the home turf for the university’s women’s soccer and lacrosse programs. The venue has also drawn attention outside athletics, serving as a filming location for the football movie Draft Day.
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For upper-deck seats. Watch line play at the stadium, or the far side of the park from the top of a lift hill.
Dix Stadium FAQs
What is the capacity of Dix Stadium?
Dix Stadium holds about 25,319 fans, down from an original capacity of roughly 30,520 before a 2007–2008 renovation removed the south end zone bleachers.
Who plays at Dix Stadium?
Dix Stadium is the home venue for Kent State Golden Flashes football, as well as the university’s women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams.
Why is it called Dix Stadium?
The stadium opened in 1969 as Memorial Stadium and was renamed in 1973 to honor Robert C. Dix, a longtime Kent State trustee and former newspaper publisher.
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Photo: JonRidinger / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.