Bobcat Ballpark – Texas State Bobcats

Eric Moreno
May 22
6 min read

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86

Bobcat Ballpark

225 Charles Austin Dr

San Marcos, TX 78666

Texas State Bobcats website

Bobcat Ballpark website

Year Opened: 2009

Capacity: 2,000

Texas State Bobcats – Bobcat Ballpark

The 2025 season marked the 40th anniversary of the Texas State Bobcats baseball program. In 1985, the then Southwest Texas State University launched their nascent baseball program; the Bobcats began to take off as a program as members of the Southland Conference, capturing the first of their four conference tournament championships in 1997, with others following in 1999, 2000, and 2011.

In all the Bobcats have made six trips to the NCAA Tournament – in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2009, 2011, and 2022. The program has also sent numerous players to the Major Leagues, the most notable being multi-time All-Star and 2022 National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt.

Texas State would move to the Sun Belt Conference in 2014, and has continued a run of success under current Head Coach Steven Trout. Since 2009 the squad has called Bobcat Ballpark its home park. Built on the grounds of Texas State’s athletics complex, the ballpark has consistently provided a great homefield advantage for Texas State.

Food & Beverage 3

Bobcat Ballpark has three concession stands for fans, one on each side of the field (third, home, and first), and each one is a little different. For example, on the third base side you can a hot dog or a corn dog (this was honestly one of the best corn dogs I’ve eaten in a long time), while behind home plate you can get a burger and fries, or on the third base side, chicken fingers.

The third and first baseline stands also offer a barbecue station, where you can get sausage wraps, brisket sandwiches, and even brisket mac and cheese.

In addition, every stand offers all your traditional gameday fare, like popcorn, nachos, soft pretzels, sunflower seeds, candy, etc. You can also find bottled sodas, water, and sports drinks, as well as souvenir cups for lemonade and iced tea. Beer and alcoholic seltzers are also on the menu.

Overall, this is a pretty good menu for a ballpark of this size.

Atmosphere 2

The atmosphere at Bobcat Ballpark is pretty straightforward. There is a nice, shaded seating area outside the concession area on the third baseline, which is a great option during the unseasonably warm spring that South and Central Texas often have.

The main concourse area features flags touting the Bobcats numerous championships; these are also emblazoned on the outfield walls on each side of the field. You can also see Goldschmidt’s retired jersey number on the outfield wall in right field.

You can also find a small merchandise store inside the main entrance gate behind the ticket booth. One interesting quirk of the park you can see is a train caboose that has been converted to a luxury box; it sits near the visiting team’s dugout. This pays homage to the railroad industry’s history in San Marcos, and to the still existing and operational train tracks that run through the school’s athletics complex.

Neighborhood 4

San Marcos is frequently recognized as one of the top college towns in the state of Texas – the city was founded on the banks of the eponymous San Marcos River, and is also home to the Blanco and Guadalupe Rivers.

When the weather warms ups, thousands of people from all across the state flock to the area to take part in river sports; tubing is a massive deal in San Marcos, and is one of its main draws. If you enjoy the outdoors even slightly, you’d be hard pressed to find a better pre- or post-game activity for when you catch at Texas State game at Bobcats Ballpark.

If you want to avoid the weather all together before or after games, a visit to the LBJ Museum could be just the ticket – this museum chronicles the history of our nation’s 36th President, Lyndon B. Johnson, and his history as a student and teacher in San Marcos.

In terms of dining and lodging, it’s important to remember the “college town” aspect of the city. Many of the places to eat in and around the campus are going to be geared towards college students. However, a few options include Buddy’s Burger and Spud Ranch. Buddy’s Burger is an Austin, Texas-based chain that offers up some really tasty burgers (as the name implies) – think of it as a slightly more upscale fast-food spot. Alternatively, Spud Ranch features a line of loaded baked potatoes on its menu (enchilada spud? Yes, please), and they will fill you up!

While you won’t be able to find many lodging options in the immediate vicinity of the ballpark, you can find a plethora of choices all up and down nearby Interstate 35. A few options include Fairfield Inn & Suites Austin San Marcos and Hampton Inn & Suites San Marcos.

Lastly, if you’re reading this review in the summer of 2026, congratulations on being able to stop at one of the newest Buc-ees in the country.

Fans 3

This season, reports have shown that Texas State is averaging about 1,300 fans per game, putting them at about the middle of the pack in the Sun Belt Conference. The Bobcats do tend to bring in “big time” opponents each season, however, and those games tend to be sellouts.

The game I most recently attended was very late in the season, around when students were done for the semester, and it was also one of those unseasonably warm May afternoons I mentioned earlier. Still, my eyeball test showed this game had right around their average attendance, and maybe a bit over. The Texas State fans also all showed up in Bobcat gear, and were loud and engaged throughout the game.

My one knock here is that the visitor section was equally as loud, energetic, and engaged – that could’ve just been that specific opponent, though.

Access 4

Interstate 35 will lead you north from San Antonio (about 45 minutes) or south from Austin (about 30 minutes) right to the city of San Marcos. From there, signage on the highway directs you to the Texas State campus, and you can’t miss the athletics complex. If you’re driving, this is about as easy as it gets.

Once on-site, parking is plentiful across the street from Strahan Arena, and best of all, it is free. There is also parking directly across the street from the ballpark near the main entrance, but a fee is charged for that.

If you choose not to drive, San Marcos does offer a public transportation option that has routes that will take you to Texas State’s campus.

Return on Investment 3

General admission tickets for Texas State baseball games at Bobcat Ballpark are just $10 per person. This is a good bargain, as the Sun Belt Conference does boast some pretty good teams each season, and the Bobcats themselves have performed really well in recent seasons.

In games when bigger opponents come to San Marcos, the tickets run a little higher, but that’s to be expected. Those games also tend to sell out rather quickly, so keep that in mind.

The concessions here are pretty much on par with other college teams of the same level – there is no item that would run you more than $9, which is a good bargain. The same is true for the parking; free is always better, but the paid parking (around $15) is not too bad.

Extras 1

There is not much at all to speak of in the way of Extras at Bobcat Ballpark; it might have just been the game I attended, but other than some trivia contests for fans and the singing of “Deep in the Heart of Texas” (always a crowd pleaser) in between the fifth inning frames, and during the seventh inning stretch, not much else went on.

Final Thoughts

I have been to games at Bobcat Ballpark a few times over the years, and by and large I’ve enjoyed my visits. The ballpark still feels fresh even being more than 15 years old and the sightlines are all good. The food is also good, and the city is always fun to visit.