Photo courtesy of Tulane Athletics
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium
6400 S. Claiborne Ave
New Orleans, LA 70125
Year Opened: 1991
Capacity: 5,000
A “HULLABALOO” of a Ballpark
Originally opened in 1991, Greer Field at Turchin Stadium serves as home field to the Tulane Green Wave baseball program. The ballpark received a massive facelift in 2008 at a cost of about $10.5 million which increased the total capacity to 5,000 with an impressive 2,700+ chair back seats. The ballpark is also equipped with private suites in the upper tier along the first baseline. In a growing trend, Greer Field at Turchin Stadium sports a Field Turf synthetic surface throughout the entire playing field. As a member of NCAA Division I college baseball, the Green Wave recently moved from Conference USA affiliation to the new American Conference.
In addition to grabbing a chair back seat in a beautiful college baseball stadium, a game at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium also brings memorable time spent in the New Orleans area. On the beautiful campus of Tulane University in the comfortable confines of the Uptown area, Audubon Park, the Audubon Zoo, the Garden District, and the St. Charles streetcar line are closely located around the university area.
Food & Beverage 4
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium offers a good variety of quality options at concession venues inside the ballpark.
At the primary concession booth under the main seating area, you’ll find hot dogs ($5), nachos ($5),and foot long corn dogs ($6) as primary entree items. Snack options include assorted candy ($3), Zapp’s potato chips ($3), peanuts ($3), popcorn (small $3, regular $5), pretzels ($5), and sunflower seeds ($4), among other items.
Down the first baseline concourse you’ll find the Taste of New Orleans tent. Here you’ll find a few more unique ballpark items and also some local flavors including a cheeseburgers hamburgers ($7), grilled chicken breast sandwich ($6), alligator sausage poboy ($7), and Cajun jambalaya ($7).
Your soda options include Coca-Cola products ($4-$5.50), bottled Dasani water ($3-$5), and Monster drinks ($5). The Taste of New Orleans stand offers bottled sodas for $4. The concession stands as well as various beverage stands offer alcoholic beverages including domestic and local craft beers like the popular Abita Strawberry. Beer is available for $6 for domestic brews and increases for craft. While there are a few tasty items to choose from, out-of-towners can get a unique and delicious taste of local cuisine with the alligator sausage poboy.
Atmosphere 4
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium is one of the premier college baseball facilities in America and this no doubt makes catching a Tulane Green Wave baseball game something special. The comfort provided by over 2,700 chair back seats with cup holders is pretty unique. The ballpark is simply a great place to watch Division I baseball.
Due to receiving a recent facelift in 2008, the stadium is very modern, clean, and visually pleasing. Entering through the main gate, fans will certainly be pleased with the stadium exterior and Goldring Plaza. Three large decorative panels sit above the entrance, two of which show Tulane baseball players in action and the center panel features the Tulane logo. The entrance floor of the Plaza contains bricks with the names of Green Wave supporters who helped make the facelift financially possible. Tulane does a great job creating a team spirit environment in the concourse area immediately inside the main gate with pictures of Tulane baseball game action featured on the wall.
As you make your way into the stadium seating area, you’ll enter a walkway which separates two levels of chair backs in the main seating area. A brick wall lines this walkway and matches the brick wall which lines the playing field from first base to behind home plate and around to third base.
Looking back at the multi-tiered pressbox, you’ll find five panels which list Green Wave accomplishments including two College World Series appearances, three Super Regionals, 19 Regional appearances, six conference championships, and eight conference tournament championships. Just to the right of these panels are three circle shaped tributes to the retired numbers of Cary Livingston (12), Milt Retif (27), and Joe Brockhoff (25). To the left of the panels and down the first baseline rests a strip of suites and box seating on top of the seating areas. Beyond the chair back seating down both the right and left field lines are an additional set of bleacher style seating areas. An impressive 35′ x 19′ video scoreboard sits above the left field wall. Viewing from the left field seating is a sight of the New Orleans skyline beyond the first baseline.
Just about anywhere you sit in the stadium offers a great view. The bleacher seats are a great deal, but it’s also hard to beat the chair backs along the foul lines.
Neighborhood 5
Regardless of what happens at the ballpark, you’re in New Orleans and that’s a plus. There’s no doubt that great times and food are just a few miles east in the French Quarter. However, the Uptown area is an experience in itself.
Just across from Greer Field at Turchin Stadium are two good restaurant options. Frostop might not look like much from the outside, but the burgers and fries are great, and don’t even get me started on the amazing Frostop Root Beer served in mugs. Naked Pizza is next door and dishes up pizza made with all natural, whole food ingredients. Also near the campus is Dat Dog. This is the perfect place to grab a variety of gourmet hot dogs before or after the ball game.
Just next to the Tulane campus is spacious Audubon Park. Within the park is also the family favorite Audubon Zoo. Whether it’s relaxing in the park or taking a stroll through the zoo, you’re likely to enjoy the visit. Nearby is City Park and the family friendly options of Storyland and the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park. The younger kids will enjoy Storyland and all kids will have a great time in Carousel Gardens. Be sure to catch a ride on the train which brings you throughout the park. If you’re into the college bar scene, check out the campus favorite “The Boot Bar & Grill” on Broadway.
Just down St. Charles is the Best Western – St. Charles Inn. Located in the Garden District, this hotel offers easy access to the St. Charles streetcar line which can bring you into the Central Business District near the French Quarter or drop you off between Tulane and Audubon Park.
Fans 4
Tulane Green Wave baseball fans are very loyal, knowledgeable and engaged. Since 1991, Tulane fans have consistently packed Greer Field at Turchin Stadium with an average attendance near or inside the top 25 in the nation. However, the Green Wave baseball team has been in a bit of slump since their last regional in 2008. This has certainly affected the size of the crowds. When the in-state rival LSU Tigers come to visit, expect the place to be completely sold out.
For select games, you’ll notice the Tulane cheerleaders on-hand to lead the fight song after the third inning. One of the truly unique fan traditions in college athletics is the chanting of the Hullabaloo after Green Wave runs scored. Here are the words to the unique song:
(A one, a two, a hellava HULLABALOO)
HULLABALOO, ‘Ray, ‘Ray
HULLABALOO, ‘Ray, ‘Ray
Hooray-Hooray
Vars-uh, vars-uh Tee-ay!
Tee-ay! Tee-ay! Vars-uh, vars-uh Tee-ay!
Tee-ay! Tee-ay! Tulane!!
Access 2
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium isn’t the easiest to reach. While located outside of the CBD where much of the major headaches are in New Orleans, many of the streets around the Uptown area are under construction. The parking situation around the stadium isn’t the best either.
If you’re flying in, you’ll do so through the Louis Armstrong International Airport. From there, it’s a quick drive down I-10 to South Carrollton and then South Claiborne. Parking can be a bit of a headache as the lot just next to the stadium is now blocked off to season passes and staff. You’ll need to look for street parking in the immediate area along South Claiborne or at the Diboll Parking Garage located on Ben Weiner Drive.
As you head towards the stadium, you’ll enter into Goldring Plaza. The ticket window is on the outside of the athletics building right next to the entrance and inside the plaza. The line moves pretty quickly but prepared for a potential wait for capacity attendance games. You’ll swiftly move through the ticket gate and into the main concourse. Aisles and walkways are spacious enough to get around without any trouble. Restroom facilities are clean and accessible.
Return on Investment 4
Ticket prices for Tulane baseball are an absolute steal for midweek games with general admissions as low as $5. For weekend series matchups, chair backs are $15 and bleacher seating runs at $10. There are discounts for seniors and children. Considering that there’s only bleacher seating at the outer edges down the outfield lines, $15 is the price for the good seating areas. Tickets are available on the Tulane website and the Tulane Ticket Exchange where fans can buy and sell tickets to Tulane athletics events. That’s a little high, but worth it for the overall experience. Overall, there’s a pretty high ROI for Tulane baseball at Turchin Stadium.
Extras 4
Greer Field at Turchin Stadium offers a few ‘extras’ which enhance the overall atmosphere inside the ballpark.
The chair back seating really is impressive. 2,700+ seats with cup holders makes for a very comfortable spectator experience.
The large outfield video board significantly adds to the overall experience (though there seemed to be a few technical difficulties with the board during the 2015 season).
The Goldring Plaza and Turchin Stadium exterior really are a pretty neat sight.
Tulane does a great job of memorializing big moments of the past by pasting poster sized pictures throughout the concourse.
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