DATCU Stadium
DATCU Stadium (formerly Apogee Stadium) is a college football stadium located at the north junction of Interstate 35E and Interstate 35W in Denton, Texas. Opened in 2011, it is home to the University of North Texas (UNT) Mean Green football team, which competes in the American Athletic Conference. The facility replaced Fouts Field, where the school's football program had been based since 1952.
The Green Brigade Marching Band performing at DATCU Stadium before the Safeway Bowl | |
DATCU Stadium Location in Texas DATCU Stadium Location in the United States | |
| Former names | Mean Green Stadium (planning) Apogee Stadium (2011–2023) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1251 S. Bonnie Brae Street Denton, Texas 76207 |
| Coordinates | 33°12′13″N 97°9′34″W |
| Public transit | Downtown Denton Transit Center (shuttle to stadium) |
| Owner | University of North Texas System |
| Operator | University of North Texas Athletic Department |
| Executive suites | 21 |
| Capacity | 30,850 |
| Record attendance | 30,123 vs. University of Houston September 28, 2019 |
| Field size | 360 feet (110 m) x 160 feet (49 m) |
| Acreage | 46 acres (19 ha) |
| Surface | PowerBlade HP + artificial turf |
| Scoreboard | 47 ft × 27 ft (14.3 m × 8.2 m) (primary) 27 ft × 15 ft (8.2 m × 4.6 m) (secondary) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | November 21, 2009 |
| Built | 2009–2011 |
| Opened | September 10, 2011 |
| Construction cost | $78 million ($111 million in 2023 dollars) |
| Architect | HKS, Inc. |
| Project manager | Greg Whittemore |
| Structural engineer | Rogers Moore Engineers Walter P Moore Engineers and Consultants |
| Services engineer | Henneman Engineering |
| General contractor | Manhattan Construction Company |
| Tenants | |
| North Texas Mean Green football (2011–present) | |
| Website | |
| www | |
The stadium was proposed by the University of North Texas System Board of Regents after the 2002 New Orleans Bowl. Designed by HKS, Inc., it was constructed at a cost of $78 million after a student body election in 2008. It was tentatively named "Mean Green Stadium" prior to ResNet provider Apogee purchasing the naming rights in 2011. DATCU Credit Union (DATCU. formerly Denton Area Teachers Credit Union) subsequently purchased naming rights to the facility prior to the 2023 season. The stadium hosted its first major event on September 10, 2011 when the Mean Green lost 48–23 against the University of Houston Cougars. Official home attendance figures for the team's first six seasons at DATCU Stadium averaged 18,563 per game, which is 60% of its capacity of 30,850.
The facility includes various amenities, including a press box, luxury boxes, and an alumni pavilion. It also uses environmental technology; it is the first newly built stadium to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification. It can be reached by road, but because of limited parking and traffic congestion on game days, many attendees park on the northeast side of Interstate 35E and cross a pedestrian bridge to reach the stadium. Others use public transportation to reach the facility on game days.