Harder Stadium, Soccer stadium at University of California campus, Santa Barbara, United States
Harder Stadium is a multi-purpose outdoor facility on the University of California Santa Barbara campus with seating for approximately 17,000 people. The venue sits near the Santa Ynez Mountains along California's coast and serves primarily as the home ground for the university's soccer teams.
The facility opened in 1966 and was named after Theodore 'Spud' Harder, a major supporter of the university. In 1967, it briefly served as a training ground for the Green Bay Packers before their first Super Bowl appearance.
The facility houses eighteen art studios beneath the seating areas, where graduate students and faculty members create and display their works. These creative spaces are woven into the campus life and show how sports venues can support artistic expression.
The stadium sits on the campus grounds and is easiest to reach via campus pathways. On game days, the surrounding area fills with soccer fans, so planning your timing around events makes for a better visit.
In September 2010, the stadium set an NCAA soccer attendance record with nearly 16,000 spectators during a match between the home team and UCLA. This event shows the deep support these teams receive from fans in the region.
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