Reser Stadium is the on-campus home of Oregon State Beavers football, a mid-century venue in Corvallis that has been rebuilt piece by piece into a modern facility without ever leaving its original footprint on the OSU campus.
This guide covers everything a fan actually needs: current capacity and seating layout, where to park, how tickets and the gate bag policy work, and the history and traditions that make a Beavers game day in Corvallis distinct.
Quick Answer
Reser Stadium seats about 35,548 fans and sits at 2600 SW Western Blvd on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis, Oregon. It opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium, was renamed in 1999 for donors Al and Pat Reser, and seating is reserved throughout the bowl for Oregon State Beavers football games, with one exception: the student section, which is general admission.
Capacity, Seating & Stadium Facts
Reser Stadium’s capacity has shifted repeatedly over seven decades of construction. It opened in 1953 holding about 25,000, grew to roughly 35,362 by the 1990s, jumped to around 43,300 after a 2005 renovation and then to about 45,674 between 2007 and 2015 following further expansion. A 2017-2021 configuration held near 43,363 before the 2021-2023 rebuild of the southwest grandstand brought capacity down to its current figure of about 35,548 in exchange for wider concourses, better sightlines, and premium seating.
Seating throughout most of the bowl is reserved. The one exception is the student section, known as the Beaver Dam, which is general admission and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The east side houses the stadium’s premium inventory, including Club and Loge seating added during earlier renovations, plus the Terrace area introduced in 2016 for food-and-beverage-forward fans. The west side, finished in 2023, added one of the larger videoboards on the West Coast along with new club and suite space. The single-game attendance record is 47,249, set on November 24, 2012 against a nationally ranked Oregon team, back when the stadium’s capacity was considerably higher than it is today.
Parking at Reser Stadium
Nearly all spaces in the Reser Stadium parking lots and the adjacent parking structure are reserved on a season basis for donors and season-ticket holders, so day-of-game parking close to the stadium is limited. Accessible (ADA) parking is sold on game day in both the Reser Stadium lot and the parking structure, with sales starting six hours before kickoff but never earlier than 7 a.m.; Dial-a-Bus also runs wheelchair-accessible shuttle service to the stadium from a lot near 27th Street and Arnold Avenue.
Fans without a reserved pass typically rely on OSU Athletics’ game-day shuttles, which run three paid routes (Fairgrounds, 9th Street, and Downtown) starting about three hours before kickoff, or on downtown Corvallis parking. Downtown offers metered spaces plus a couple of free public lots, including on 1st Street north of Van Buren Avenue and the city-owned lot at B Avenue and 2nd Street, both a short walk or shuttle ride from the stadium. Tailgating in the stadium lots generally opens six hours before kickoff (not before 7 a.m.), with tailgate pods accessible starting at 8 a.m. on weekend games.
Tickets & Bag Policy
Single-game and season tickets are sold through the OSU Ticket Office (Gill Coliseum, Room 143), by phone at 1-800-GOBEAVS, or online at beavertickets.com. Pricing is tiered by section and opponent rather than a flat rate: sideline and lower-bowl seats cost more than end-zone seats, and premium Club, Loge, and Terrace inventory sits above general reserved pricing. Because prices, specific gate times, and promotions change by season and matchup, check the official Oregon State Athletics facility page for Reser Stadium for the current schedule and rates.
Reser Stadium uses a clear-bag policy at all gates. Permitted bags are clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags no larger than 12″ x 6″ x 12″, a one-gallon clear freezer bag, or a small clutch purse up to 4.5″ x 8″ with or without a strap. Backpacks, totes, mesh bags, tinted or printed plastic bags, luggage, and camera or binocular cases are not permitted unless clear, so fans are best off leaving larger bags at home or in the car.
From Parker Stadium to Reser Stadium
The stadium opened on November 14, 1953 as Parker Stadium, named for Charles T. Parker, a Portland businessman and OSU alumnus whose fundraising drive and personal gifts paid for its construction. The Beavers christened it with a 7-0 homecoming win over Washington State, and the venue spent its early decades as a modest campus facility before expansions in later years pushed its seating bowl well past 40,000 at various points.
In 1999, a major gift from Al and Pat Reser of Reser’s Fine Foods earned the stadium its current name. A string of 21st-century projects followed: an $80 million renovation completed in 2005 added the northeast grandstand, the 2016 “Victory Through Valley” project expanded the Valley Football Center’s football operations and offices before the 2021-2023 rebuild of the west side brought the stadium to its current look and capacity.
Traditions and Stadium Lore
Game days at Reser Stadium lean heavily on Beaver history. A giant chainsaw sculpture nods to Oregon’s logging heritage, and references to the 1933 “Iron Men” team run throughout the stadium’s lore — that squad famously played USC to a scoreless tie using the same eleven men for the entire game, without substitution. Terry Baker’s No. 11 is the only jersey number ever retired by Oregon State football, honoring the 1962 Heisman Trophy winner, and it’s displayed prominently for fans entering the bowl.
At 135 feet tall, Reser Stadium remains the tallest structure in Corvallis and all of Benton County, a detail that still surprises visitors given how much of the stadium’s recent growth has gone toward amenities and sightlines rather than sheer size.
Photos
Sized to the NFL's 12x6x12 clear-bag rule. Fits snacks, a jacket and a rally towel.
A see-through purse that looks like a purse. Works for most stadium, arena and concert bag policies.
Bleachers for three hours, but with back support. Folds flat and clips to the bench.
Reser Stadium capacity, parking and tickets FAQs
What was Reser Stadium called before?
It opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium, named for Charles T. Parker, the Portland businessman and OSU alumnus who led the fundraising to build it, before being renamed Reser Stadium in 1999 to honor donors Al and Pat Reser.
How many people does Reser Stadium hold?
Reser Stadium holds about 35,548 fans, a capacity set by the 2021-2023 renovation that rebuilt the stadium’s west side. Earlier versions of the stadium held as many as roughly 45,674 before that rebuild traded some seats for wider concourses and premium space.
Who plays home games at Reser Stadium?
The Oregon State Beavers football team plays its home games at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, as a member of NCAA Division I football.
Is there parking at Reser Stadium?
Most stadium-lot parking is reserved for season-ticket and donor passes, but Oregon State runs paid game-day shuttle routes from several locations, offers day-of-game ADA parking near the stadium, and downtown Corvallis has metered and free public lots within walking or shuttle distance.
What is the bag policy at Reser Stadium?
Reser Stadium enforces a clear-bag policy: clear plastic or vinyl bags up to 12″ x 6″ x 12″, one-gallon clear freezer bags, or small clutch purses up to 4.5″ x 8″ are allowed, while backpacks, totes, and non-clear bags are not.
Where do I buy Oregon State football tickets?
Tickets are sold through the OSU Ticket Office at Gill Coliseum, by phone at 1-800-GOBEAVS, or online at beavertickets.com. Most seating at Reser Stadium is reserved, though the student section is general admission and filled first-come, first-served.
Get More from Reser Stadium capacity, parking and tickets
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Reser Stadium capacity, parking and tickets, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.