Nottingham field was erected 30 years ago in 1995 in order to relieve the aging facilities at Jackson Field. UNC won consecutive Division II national football titles in 1996 and 1997, their second and third seasons at Nottingham Field. The Bears moved up to Division I-AA (now FCS) in 2004 and joined the Big Sky Conference in 2006.
The stadium's initial capacity was 6,500 and it is named for Victor R. Nottingham, a former Colorado State College of Education (UNC) student body president who spearheaded the effort to raise private funds for the entire $4 million project.[3]
The natural grass field is aligned north-northeast to south-southwest at an approximate elevation of 4,780 feet (1,455 m) above sea level.
Renovations
Prior to the 2005 season, the stadium's seating capacity was expanded to over 8,500 with an additional 1,500 possible in the endzone and the natural grass hill in the northwest corner of the stadium, by expanding the east stands.
In 2015 a scoreboard structure including a Daktronics video board, Bear Vision, was erected beyond the south endzone of the field.
In 2021 the field's surface was updated to IRONTURF. The donor-funded project was completed by Academy Sports Turf, Inc. and premiered in the Bears home opener against Lamar.[4]
