11 hours ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Standard allowance for bench seating is 18" per person. or 2 persons per yard. So if for instance your bleachers on the home side go from the 25 to the 25 (50 yards) that would be a listed capacity of 100 people per row. So if the bleachers go up 25 rows while stretching from the 25 yd line on one end to the 25 on the other end, the listed capacity for the home bleachers would be 2500. The same measurement is standard in gyms as well.

I'm sure most of the capacity numbers claimed are based on that number. Even though we all know bleachers are never packed that tightly. Some newer construction uses 24" per seat instead of 18" which would give an even lower capacity number for stadiums.

My shoulders are 28-1/2 inches wide, and I'm not gonna measure how wide my butt is ? but I'm pretty comfortable stating that I don't want to ever be in a position where I've only got 18" of space to occupy.

I just did a little rough estimating about Covington Catholic's stadium based on the 18" per seat figure. I'm just going from stadium pictures, so it's not exact, but I'm coming up with this:

Visitor Stands:
- (1) bank of stands, 10 rows deep, extends from the north 33 yard line to the south 23 yard line (44 yards/132 feet) and there are (3) walkways up through the stands, 6-feet wide, each.
- 132 feet total length minus 18 feet for means 114 feet per row, or 76 seats per row.
- 10 rows at 76 seats per row means 760 total capacity in the visitor side stands.

Home Stands:
- (2) banks of stands, 17 row deep, 25 yards long, and there are (3) walkways up through the stands, 6-feet wide, each.
- (1) center bank of stands, 17 rows deep, 18 yards long, and there are (2) walkways up through the stands, 6-feet wide, each
- 204 feet total length minus 30 feet means 174 feet per row, or 116 seats per row.
- 17 rows at 116 seats per row means 1,972 total capacity in the home side stands.

1,972 home side + 760 visitor side = 2,732 total seats at 18 inches wide per seat. So even though I didn't include a few small sections of ADA seats plus a few rows of reserved seats that are plastic-backed seats like you'd encounter at a baseball stadium, which would reduce the overall count by a little, that comes pretty darn close the 2,800 seat capacity that I've been told (unofficially) is the capacity for Griffin Stadium at Cov Cath.

12 hours ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Standard allowance for bench seating is 18" per person. or 2 persons per yard. So if for instance your bleachers on the home side go from the 25 to the 25 (50 yards) that would be a listed capacity of 100 people per row. So if the bleachers go up 25 rows while stretching from the 25 yd line on one end to the 25 on the other end, the listed capacity for the home bleachers would be 2500. The same measurement is standard in gyms as well.

I'm sure most of the capacity numbers claimed are based on that number. Even though we all know bleachers are never packed that tightly. Some newer construction uses 24" per seat instead of 18" which would give an even lower capacity number for stadiums.

Thanks, I figured there was some sort of standard.  

 

However, I have been to places that have numbers painted on the seats and they are nowhere close to this wide.  Rupp Arena's bleacher seats come to mind, where I swear the numbers are about 10 inches apart.

Our new Shackle Island Stadium (Beech High School, Hendersonville TN) is about 4,500. Like Colonel said, at my size I don’t want to have 18” of seating area. We have 220 chair backs, all in the home side. I’m in the pressbox, so I have more than 18” of seating area! ? Kentucky has some huge stadiums. I’ve been to the new Bowling Green stadium a few times. Their home side is massive. 

Rash might not be the biggest but I guarantee you that it's the loudest. The atmosphere in the playoffs and probably our Catholic game has been LOUD!!!! 

I am biased in saying this one, but Ludlow's James Rigney Stadium has to be one of my favorite atmospheres. I'm not 100% sure on the capacity, but being a coach for many visiting teams that have played there, it gets loud and the fans let you know that you're in the panther's backyard. Being a player and getting to play there, was an amazing experience.

My favorite stadium to play at. 

On 12/15/2025 at 9:37 AM, TimeWillTell said:

Rash might not be the biggest but I guarantee you that it's the loudest. The atmosphere in the playoffs and probably our Catholic game has been LOUD!!!! 

Rash is definitely one the best HS venues in the State of KY.  Fans right on top of you...downtown atmosphere around the stadium...It's a really cool set up.

On 12/16/2025 at 12:19 PM, okie1 said:

Rash is definitely one the best HS venues in the State of KY.  Fans right on top of you...downtown atmosphere around the stadium...It's a really cool set up.

I agree one of the best for viewing  Never a bad seat.

Edited December 18, 2025Dec 18 by theguru