Ohio State Stadium Renovations: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Ohio Stadium is one of the most legendary venues in college football, but even the most ardent Ohio State Buckeyes fan will admit the stadium doesn't necessarily provide the most comfortable game-day experience.

The school will be looking to change that somewhat after athletic director Gene Smith announced renovations for Ohio Stadium that begin in 2017 and end in 2020, per the school's official athletic website:

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We are committed to providing our fans, players and coaches with one of the best facilities in the nation. We knew we had to get some of this done in order to avoid future degradation of the cement on C-deck. At the same time, we have fans requesting upgraded seating options. We see this as a great opportunity to accomplish both projects. It's an important investment in the stadium that is beloved by so many.

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In addition to work on luxury boxes, the university will restore the upper ring of seats around the stadium, which includes recoating the concrete foundation. The overall capacity of Ohio Stadium will decrease from 104,944 to 102,854 with the start of the 2018 season. Most of the seats removed will have had an obstructed view.

Smith said the school expects a $1.8 million loss in revenue from the removal of the seats, per Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch. However, the addition of 35 loge boxes and 12 luxury suites will more than offset that cost.

And the school isn't having any trouble finding possible suitors to fill the Horseshoe's most expensive seats, per Jerod Smalley of NBC 4 in Columbus:

Ohio State will also be in a better position to cash in beyond just football season, per Rabinowitz:

The Buckeyes already had one of the most profitable athletic departments in the country. According to USA Today's most recent data, the school brought in $145,232,681 against $113,937,001 in expenses. That represents a roughly $15 million rise in revenue compared to 10 years ago, per Will Hobson and Steven Rich of the Washington Post.

Ohio Stadium is the biggest revenue generator on the Columbus campus with regard to the athletic department. The Lantern's Jeremy Savitz reported in September 2014 the school made roughly $5.75 million in net income for every home game.

Despite the decreased capacity, those profits should only climb once the renovations are completed.

The OSU board of trustees still needs to sign off on the improvements before the plans will go into effect.

The school last gave the Horseshoe a makeover in 2014, which included an increased capacity and permanent lighting on the east and west sides of the stadium. The total cost of the changes came to $13.7 million, whereas the new renovations will carry a price tag of $42 million.