It was once known as the “Queen of Southern Stadiums”, rising high above the homes in Uptown New Orleans and the surrounding Tulane University campus.
Built at a time in which Tulane football was king in not only the Pelican State but also the Crescent City, for 49 years Green Wave football was played at Tulane Stadium, once located in the area was bounded by Ben Weiner Drive on the east, Willow Street on the south, McAlister Place to the west, and what would become Yulman Stadium to the north.
After the undefeated 1925 season, New Orleans residents pulled together to help raise money for the stadium’s construction after learning the university at large didn’t have the wherewithal to raise funds of its own. Scores of media members, social clubs, and locals raised $300,000 in a week’s time, with $42,000 of it in the first day of a weeklong drive to build the stadium. By December 7th of that year, the amount needed for the stadium was raised and on October 23, 1926, Tulane Stadium opened with a 2-0 loss to the Auburn Tigers.
Originally seating 35,000, Tulane Stadium continued to grow as football fortunes at the school improved. Two years after the first Sugar Bowl was played at the stadium, a 20-14 victory by the Green Wave over the Temple Owls, 14,000 seats were added to the stadium, pushing the stadium’s capacity to 49,000. More expansions would follow in 1939, 1947, and 1956, making the final capacity 80,985.
In 1957, Tulane Stadium would be equipped with permanent light fixtures two years after playing their first ever night game in the stadium, a 20-7 victory against VMI. By that time, the school, which enjoyed periods of success during the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, was relegated to also ran status after the adminstration decided to curtail emphasis on athletics. In addition to that, future expansion to the stadium was curtailed due in part to zoning laws that were created three years after the stadium opened.
When the NFL placed a team in the Crescent City in 1967, it marked the beginning of the end for Tulane Stadium.
“The stadium needed repairs,” recalled former Tulane athletic director Rix Yard said years later, “The Sugar Bowl and the school was not about to put money into the stadium.”
After 49 years on Willow Street, Tulane played its final game at Tulane Stadium when they lost to Ole Miss 26-10 on November 30, 1974. The stadium would close for good when Catholic League rivals De La Salle and Archbishop Rummel played on November 2, 1979. Weeks later, on November 18th, demolition began and continued until June of 1980.
Today, the Willow Street side of Tulane Stadium is now the Avon Residence Complex while buildings such as the Reilly Student Center take up most of the footprint of the old stadium.
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