The Big Chill: world record hockey crowd at Michigan State-Michigan game today

[Guynemer]

Over 100,000 hockey fans are in Ann Arbor today, enjoying the rivalry between the Spartans and the Wolverines, taking place today at Michigan stadium.

Michigan up 1-0 midway through the first period. You can watch it on the Big Ten Network, if you get that channel.

[H Tower]

are they playing hockey or swimming right now? The temperature is above freezing right now in Ann Arbor. I hope the game finishes before it starts raining tonight

[Guynemer]

The ice is fine at 34 degrees. Or was, rather; game's over, Michigan won 5-0 in front of over 113,000 fans, shattering the old record.

[Lord Avalon]

113,411 to be exact.

[Guynemer]

[notyoueither]

113K? Did they fit two to a seat?

[Asher]

[Lord Avalon]

113K? Did they fit two to a seat?

Not really. Listed capacity of Michigan Stadium is 109,901.

[Guynemer]

It did break the all-time stadium record as well, outdrawing their best football game by a few hundred.

[notyoueither]

Not really. Listed capacity of Michigan Stadium is 109,901.

Are the seats made for anorexics?

[notyoueither]

It did break the all-time stadium record as well, outdrawing their best football game by a few hundred.

That is interesting.

How would that come about? I'd hazard a guess that it is not because hockey is about to eclipse football as America's sport in that area.

[Lord Avalon]

Are the seats made for anorexics?

Most of the seating is actually benches. And since the whole field wasn't being used, there was more room for non-spectators?

That is interesting.

How would that come about? I'd hazard a guess that it is not because hockey is about to eclipse football as America's sport in that area.

The previous record of 113,090 was set in the first game of this season against Connecticut. If U-M's defense wasn't so horrifically awful, there might have been a better turnout for other games.

The Big Chill was against our in-state rival Michigan State, plus it was an event - including the opportunity to have the largest crowd to see an outdoor hockey game.

[Lord Avalon]

According to AnnArbor.com, the Guinness World Record count will be lower.

Michigan’s announced total at the Big Chill at the Big House was 113,411. That's still unofficial according to Guinness World Records standards. But when the organization announces the official number in the future, it’ll still smash the previous record of 77,803 set in May at Veletnis Stadium in Germany.

It also set a record for the biggest crowd to witness a sporting event inside the 83-year-old Big House.

The reason for the discrepancy comes because of Guinness counts differently than Michigan counts. The school counts players, media and others at the game to work. Guinness doesn’t count any of those people.

"It's a combination of scans with the barcodes on tickets," Janela said, explaining how Guinness reaches its number. "It's not for tickets sold but for people who actually show up. People who weren’t ticketed, marching band for instance, or people who were given special passes."

Media and players, he said, do not count in the numbers because they are not actually spectators of the game.

[Guynemer]

That is interesting.

How would that come about? I'd hazard a guess that it is not because hockey is about to eclipse football as America's sport in that area.

While true, it's not nearly as far-fetched as you might think. Granted, my time in Ann Arbor is rapidly vanishing in the distance, but when I lived there, hockey was the clear #2 most popular sport, easily ahead of basketball and baseball.

Michigan, in general, is crazy about hockey; it's practically Lesser Ontario in that respect.

[Asher]

That is interesting.

How would that come about? I'd hazard a guess that it is not because hockey is about to eclipse football as America's sport in that area.

It's because they can fit more seats in the stadium for hockey games.

[Lord Avalon]

Final attendance per Guinness: 104,073.

...the enormous difference in figures had to do with a problem in scanning tickets at the game.

So Michigan took the ticket scanning numbers and camera footage to CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos to determine a more accurate figure. The information was presented to Guinness, they gave it the thumbs up, and the final numbers were released.