Largest Stadium

BlueDevil1996

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Who has the largest stadium in NC - As I was looking Thur CarolinaPreps Stadium Project - There some school that stood out to me and Most have Metal Bleacher Stands but I’m curious who has biggest capacity/largest stadiums

In Western Nc I would assume places like East Burke , McDowell , Statesville are among the biggest
 

Vik-Val 86

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I’m not sure which one is the biggest. But I think AL Brown, if you take the hill along with the stands on both sides you probably could get close to 15,000.
 
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BlueDevil1996

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Statesville is 12,000 I believe

Mooresville roughly 8,000 but we hold around 10,000 with grass - LN is right around the same give or take
 
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CatholicCougs14

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Statesville is 12,000 I believe

Mooresville roughly 8,000 but we hold around 10,000 with grass - LN is right around the same give or take
Mooresville 8000? What? I’ve been in that stadium. Not sure it’s that much, I think 6000-7000. Think Hughes has them at 7000
 

The Patriot

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Chris Hughes once said E. Burke was the biggest in a thread over at the old Carolina Preps. I’ve been to games at Freedom, McDowell and Asheville and I’ve seen the stadium at Grimsley in person and none are as large as what you will find in Icard.
 

84k

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Statesville is 12,000 I believe

Mooresville roughly 8,000 but we hold around 10,000 with grass - LN is right around the same give or take
If it hasn’t changed the last I was at Statesville there is no way it holds 12,000.
 

BlueDevil1996

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If it hasn’t changed the last I was at Statesville there is no way it holds 12,000.
That’s total cap - 10,000 home side n I’m sure probably fit 1,000 in away n prolly another 500-1,000 in grasses/standing area tbh - Statesville is has a lot standing/grass area so

12,000 prolly correct
 

CatholicCougs14

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That’s total cap - 10,000 home side n I’m sure probably fit 1,000 in away n prolly another 500-1,000 in grasses/standing area tbh - Statesville is has a lot standing/grass area so

12,000 prolly correct
No way it holds 10,000 on the homeside, unless they hid seats when we played there.
 

ocdavis31

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No way it holds 10,000 on the homeside, unless they hid seats when we played there.
112 rows of seats on the home side. It would take 80 seats per row to get near 10,000. Normal seating would be about thirty per row with that configuration. Do the math.
To compare capacities, there are measurements of width per seat. Not sure about that calculation. Doesn’t mean you can’t spread them out onto grassy areas or pack them in like sardines. Every stadium probably has a capacity as determined by the fire marshall. Is that violated at times? Absolutely.
Can 10,000 get into Thomasville’s Cushwa Stadium? Yes, but the seating capacity is about 5600. I believe a lot of these numbers are using the largest crowd, not capacity to make comparisons.
 

drop_tables

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If we are talking about grassy areas, standing room, and packing student sections in like sardines, then Jamieson Stadium holds about 18k-20k people. easily.
 
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The Patriot

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Chris Hughes compiled the “stadium project” so we can all take a look for ourselves. Here’s East Burke: https://carolinapreps.smugmug.com/StadiumProject/East-Burke/
Jamison, Cushwa, Asheville and McDowell are all on there. It looks to me like East Burke has five more rows than Grimsley and the same “bowl” layout (though I think there’s more room in Icard). It doesn’t seem to me that there are any other serious contenders. Tuscola and Freedom have huge home sides, but the visitor’s bleachers at both places are just average. I don’t think Statesville quite measures up either.
 

Vik-Val 86

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I know Chris Hughes has AL Brown stadium under CP with a capacity of 12,000. If you look in the forum The biggest crowd at 4A game, he shows a photo of AL Brown vs South Rowan with an estimated crowd 14,000+. You can see they were packed like sardines around the field. At that time they were 3A.
 
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drop_tables

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I think A.J. Simeon Stadium can hold more than East Burke.

From what I'm reading the stadium's seating capacity is 15,000. That isn't including the grassy areas.

32 rows of seating, from the 10 yardline to the 10 yardline
 
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drop_tables

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Looks like East Burke is 26 rows, 15 yard line to 15 yard line.
Seems like the away side at EB is bigger than the home side.
You also have to keep in mind EB has 5 rows of stairs compared to 4 at AJ Simeon.. that does make a considerable difference.

Also Jamieson is larger than EB, Jamieson is 25 rows, Goal line to Goal line.

If we are going off Stadium seating capacity only, and not including grass / standing room.
I think we are looking at

1. A.J. Simeon
2. Jamieson
3. East Burke
4. A.L. Brown?
5. McDowell?

It really is hard to say definitively.
 
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drop_tables

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Funny you guys should mention the ole CP Stadium Project. I drove around with Chris many years ago, snapping pictures of many stadiums around the state, when he was only around half done with the project. Ahhh the memories. How many BBQ places did we stop along on the way around the state? Too many to remember. :)
 

BlueDevil1996

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ON CP its has 10,000 and I know Iredell co and Been in that stadium a TON! but i guess Chris Hughes is wrong then bc thats where I get my info usually - I mis spoke on the Mooresville it is 7,000 but BIG game its roughly 10,000 if u add everything in grass and away side n such

https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/184
Those same pages had Burns and Crest at 10k and Kings Mountain at 7k and I'm pretty sure KM capacity is bigger than both of those schools. So those numbers on the old page can be off in the 1000s range.
 
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BlueDevil1996

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Those same pages had Burns and Crest at 10k and Kings Mountain at 7k and I'm pretty sure KM capacity is bigger than both of those schools. So those numbers on the old page can be off in the 1000s range.
I trust Chris Hughes judgement so weather they are right or wrong, that what I go by
 

Vik-Val 86

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This is a good topic. I remember being on CP. I put out what was the highest HS elevation. If I remember correctly. Avery, Watauga, Mitchell Co were your top 3 highest. I couldn’t remember the 4th one unless it was Mt Heritage. Anyway these type topics are interesting to read.
 
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The Patriot

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Looks like East Burke is 26 rows, 15 yard line to 15 yard line.
Seems like the away side at EB is bigger than the home side.
You also have to keep in mind EB has 5 rows of stairs compared to 4 at AJ Simeon.. that does make a considerable difference.

Also Jamieson is larger than EB, Jamieson is 25 rows, Goal line to Goal line.

If we are going off Stadium seating capacity only, and not including grass / standing room.
I think we are looking at

1. A.J. Simeon
2. Jamieson
3. East Burke
4. A.L. Brown?
5. McDowell?

It really is hard to say definitively.
I count 22 rows at Jamieson. Anyone who wants to look for themselves can see the picture I used here: https://carolinapreps.smugmug.com/StadiumProject/Grimsley/i-s9wRwtX/A
You can zoom in on the picture to make it easier to count.
It looks like there are 30 rows at Simeon, but only four "complete" sections (three that are the same size and two that appear to be about half the size of the others, one on either end). Jamieson has 8 sections (7 full and 2 halves) on both sides, while East Burke has 27 rows with 5 complete on one side and 7 on the other (4 and 2 and 6 and 2 as defined before). At East Burke there is also room to sit or stand on the top above the stands as there is no wall up behind the seating area as at Simeon and Jamieson.
But the only objective estimate I know of is what Chris compiled on his travels. He lists an estimated capacity for each on the "team pages" for the schools on his website. Here's what he has for each school listed:
East Burke 15,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/244
Simeon (High Point Central and Andrews) 15,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/196
Jamieson (Grimsley) 14,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/258
A,L Brown 12,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/181
McDowell 13,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/243
For what it's worth he also has Asheville at 12,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/158
I happen to think that Asheville has the "nicest" stadium in the state due to the setting, with Asheville High School being a beautiful place with architecture that more modern schools can't match, but that's just personal opinion.
Chris might be off on these estimates, but he's probably seen the most venues of anyone around and he stated on a thread once (gone now that the old Carolina Preps boards have vanished) that his opinion was that East Burke was the largest.
 
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The Patriot

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This is a good topic. I remember being on CP. I put out what was the highest HS elevation. If I remember correctly. Avery, Watauga, Mitchell Co were your top 3 highest. I couldn’t remember the 4th one unless it was Mt Heritage. Anyway these type topics are interesting to read.
Ashe might also be in the running.
 
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drop_tables

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I count 22 rows at Jamieson. Anyone who wants to look for themselves can see the picture I used here: https://carolinapreps.smugmug.com/StadiumProject/Grimsley/i-s9wRwtX/A
You can zoom in on the picture to make it easier to count.
It looks like there are 30 rows at Simeon, but only four "complete" sections (three that are the same size and two that appear to be about half the size of the others, one on either end). Jamieson has 8 sections (7 full and 2 halves) on both sides, while East Burke has 27 rows with 5 complete on one side and 7 on the other (4 and 2 and 6 and 2 as defined before). At East Burke there is also room to sit or stand on the top above the stands as there is no wall up behind the seating area as at Simeon and Jamieson.
But the only objective estimate I know of is what Chris compiled on his travels. He lists an estimated capacity for each on the "team pages" for the schools on his website. Here's what he has for each school listed:
East Burke 15,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/244
Simeon (High Point Central and Andrews) 15,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/196
Jamieson (Grimsley) 14,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/258
A,L Brown 12,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/181
McDowell 13,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/243
For what it's worth he also has Asheville at 12,000 https://carolinapreps.com/teams/teams/frontend/teampage/teamDetails/158
I happen to think that Asheville has the "nicest" stadium in the state due to the setting, with Asheville High School being a beautiful place with architecture that more modern schools can't match, but that's just personal opinion.
Chris might be off on these estimates, but he's probably seen the most venues of anyone around and he stated on a thread once (gone now that the old Carolina Preps boards have vanished) that his opinion was that East Burke was the largest.
Chris would be the first one to tell you that those numbers were just estimates and not an accurate or official number.

What he won't mention was how he would give hot takes on the boards and say something or get someone else to say something just to drive traffic and get more people talking.

That picture of Jamieson you're looking at isn't the best one. I count 25 using this one. https://carolinapreps.smugmug.com/StadiumProject/Grimsley/i-mxPN7XJ/A
 
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drop_tables

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You cannot base off seating capacity from "sections"
lets keep this in mind

Basing off what I know first hand of how Chris would estimate these stadiums (like I said I used to ride around with him to a lot of these schools).
and basing off of purely numbers of rows and how large, in yards, that each stadiums home and away sides are. It's VERY clear to see

NOT including standing room or grass.. this is SEATING CAPACITY
1. AJ Simeon -- Both sides: 32 rows (10 to 10) -- About 15k
2. Jamieson -- Both sides: 25 rows (goal to goal) -- About 14k
3 East Burke -- Away Side: 26 rows (goal to goal) Home Side: 26 rows (15 to 15) -- About 13k
 

The Patriot

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Chris would be the first one to tell you that those numbers were just estimates and not an accurate or official number.

What he won't mention was how he would give hot takes on the boards and say something or get someone else to say something just to drive traffic and get more people talking.

That picture of Jamieson you're looking at isn't the best one. I count 25 using this one. https://carolinapreps.smugmug.com/StadiumProject/Grimsley/i-mxPN7XJ/A
Official or not there doesn't seem to be any other database listing the size of high school stadiums in NC and those are his estimates. BlueDevil1996, who started the thread, never specified "seating" capacity, he said "capacity/largest". Unless we can get 15,000 people to show up at each of these places we are all estimating. I know that the local newspaper estimated over 12k at a "Fat Friday" game at East Burke once, but I don't know if that is based on ticket sales or not, I'm sure there are similar estimates for games in High Point and Greensboro. I think East Burke easily wins the title "largest" and that we could cram the most people in there if necessary, say if Taylor Swift were to need a place for a concert and the only concern was where you could sell the most tickets.
 
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WF is said to hold 10K which makes sense as the old WF U stadium. Grimsley is way bigger so 14/15K sounds about right.
 

AhsCougar1

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Asheville high officially seats around 10,000 but due to the bowl effect, it could easily seat 30,000 if need be. This is from when Obama spoke there In 2008.

ASHEVILLE — Sen. Barack Obama spoke about the country’s health care system and the economy while launching attacks at rival Sen. John McCain during a rally in front of an estimated 28,000 people at Asheville High School’s Memorial Stadium Sunday
 
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btango

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I have always found that crowd size is over estimated. Remember a game being announced at 15,000 but the gate was a bit over 10,000 and may be 1,000 passes. Easy to do when there are not assigned actual seats. People will take up a seat and a half or they will put their personal items beside them.

Was at Notre Dame twenty plus years ago. Tickets were faculty and athletic department. It was beyond extremely crowded and a guy came up with a ticket and there was absoutely no room. The guy beside me motioned down the row, "I have been in this seat over twenty years and every year it gets a little tighter and they (motioning to a group of nuns) get a little bigger. Go figure." At a larger venue people have a tendency to spread out and take up more than a single seat space if at all possible.
 

smashmouth5

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Those same pages had Burns and Crest at 10k and Kings Mountain at 7k and I'm pretty sure KM capacity is bigger than both of those schools. So those numbers on the old page can be off in the 1000s range.
I believe He's including the horseshoe shape of the stadium which KM doesn't have. The stands themselves at KM are bigger but Burns and Crest provide more areas for additional seating.
 
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I believe He's including the horseshoe shape of the stadium which KM doesn't have. The stands themselves at KM are bigger but Burns and Crest provide more areas for additional seating.
Maybe. One person had mentioned it was actual seating capacity but maybe it's standing room also. The largest crowd at KM I believe was 99 when Gaffney came. Pretty sure I read there was 15k tickets sold for that game back then.
 
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btango

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Maybe. One person had mentioned it was actual seating capacity but maybe it's standing room also. The largest crowd at KM I believe was 99 when Gaffney came. Pretty sure I read there was 15k tickets sold for that game back then.
I would think it would a stretch to get 15,000 but who knows.

Every school knows what they sold and how many season ticket holders they have. Pretty easy to put those numbers out but no one does. You would some passes but not a huge amount on a Friday night game. Playoff games do not have season tix but there is a thorough county for payout. No one ever provides the number. I think it should be mandatory.
 
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I would think it would a stretch to get 15,000 but who knows.

Every school knows what they sold and how many season ticket holders they have. Pretty easy to put those numbers out but no one does. You would some passes but not a huge amount on a Friday night game. Playoff games do not have season tix but there is a thorough county for payout. No one ever provides the number. I think it should be mandatory.
Yeah. I can't remember the exact number but at the time, it was a write up in the local newspaper about the pre-sale tickets and it was close to 14k then(paper came out 1 time a week on Thursdays), and was expecting more to push it over 15k.
 

btango

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Yeah. I can't remember the exact number but at the time, it was a write up in the local newspaper about the pre-sale tickets and it was close to 14k then(paper came out 1 time a week on Thursdays), and was expecting more to push it over 15k.
I know a newspaper reporting an estimated 15k but the gate count was 4k less. Not saying KM did not have that many but it seems to be a bit of a “norm” for the numbers to grow.