Stadiums, arenas, and audiences

The present-day stadium or arena is typically an amenity-filled retailing theme park. Although contemporary spectator sport is largely team-based and highly organized at both the professional and collegiate levels, the earliest sports venues in North America were not constructed for team sports. Horse racing led to the construction of early outdoor facilities, while prizefighting contributed to the use of indoor venues. The concrete and steel era began when Harvard University constructed the first fully fireproof stadium. As American universities committed to more lavish construction to attract fans and expand the donor base, major league baseball improved its physical plant. The first electronic transmission of football in real time occurred in 1912 at the University of Minnesota’s experimental radio station. As pro football emerged as a popular form of entertainment, some team owners regarded television as a threat to game day revenues. Home viewership provides an ongoing challenge to live attendance.