Stanford softball breaks NCAA attendance record at historic 'The Big Swing' game against Cal

Stanford softball made history on Saturday, drawing a record-breaking crowd of 13,207 fans to “The Big Swing” game against rival Cal at Stanford Stadium. The attendance set a new NCAA single-game record for college softball, surpassing both postseason and regular-season marks.

Although the Cardinal fell to Cal 10-8 in a thrilling, home-run-filled matchup, the moment was about more than the final score.
“It was like a mini-World Series experience,” said Stanford junior outfielder Kyra Chan. “That was the last time we had that many fans, so it was nice to have people rooting for Stanford.”

What made this record unique was the venue. With their new $50 million softball stadium under construction, Stanford temporarily moved its home games to Stanford Stadium, the school’s iconic football venue. Installing a playable softball field on natural grass came at a high cost, but it allowed the team to stay on campus and created a one-of-a-kind experience for players and fans alike.
“There’s no place I’d rather be playing,” said graduate outfielder Caelan Koch. “It’s just an awesome experience.”
The stadium, which normally holds around 50,000 for football games, had its capacity temporarily expanded for this event from the team’s usual 3,500-seat facility.
The new record topped both the 2024 Women’s College World Series Session 2 crowd and the regular-season mark of 9,259 set by Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State earlier this month.

Stanford’s opponent, California, played a key role in the event’s success. The Golden Bears embraced the moment, promoting the game heavily to fans across the Bay Area. And Cal made the most of the spotlight with a big upset win, highlighted by three home runs from each team.
“We’re Bay Area proud and strong, and this just means so much in front of 13,000 people,” said Cal senior captain Kaylee Pond after the game.

The game was part of Stanford’s spring sports festival, “Cardinalpalooza,” a fan-focused experience outside and inside the stadium. Activities included food trucks, carnival games, bounce houses, batting cages, a 360-degree photo booth, and even a guest appearance by Andrew Luck, former NFL quarterback and current Stanford football general manager, who threw the ceremonial first pitch.
“We don’t get to play in a stadium with this large of a capacity often and may never again,” said Stanford assistant director of communications Kevin Bass. “We owe it to both our student-athletes and fans to pull out all the stops.”
Fans were also treated to free commemorative “Big Swing” T-shirts, live music from the Stanford band, and a game-day atmosphere rarely seen in women’s college softball.

Stanford’s record-setting event joins a growing list of major women’s collegiate sports moments held in football stadiums. Nebraska volleyball set a U.S. women’s sports attendance record in August 2023, followed by Iowa basketball’s “Crossover at Kinnick” in October.
Stanford head coach Jessica Allister hopes Saturday’s game serves as another signal that women’s sports deserve—and can fill—big stages.
“There aren’t big enough venues for women’s sports to be able to draw the fans that they can draw,” said Allister. “Hopefully, a lot of people who showed up for the first time will come back and see us in our beautiful stadium once it’s done.”