Cal removes stadium tarps to increase capacity for upcoming football season

The University of California, Berkeley is removing tarps from the south end zone seats at Memorial Stadium to accommodate increased demand for the upcoming football season. The decision, highlighted by first-year head coach Tosh Lupoi, aims to expand capacity and capitalize on rising interest in the program.

Removing the tarps increases the stadium's capacity from 52,428 to approximately 62,467, with general manager Ron Rivera noting that capacity could approach 70,000 if standing-room admission is utilized. The move comes ahead of the season opener against UCLA on September 5, which officials expect to be a sellout.

This marks a significant shift for the program, which averaged fewer than 35,000 fans per home game last season. The last time the tarps were removed for a season opener was in 2015. The school is looking to replicate previous high-attendance eras, such as 2012, to boost both live attendance and television viewership metrics.