Kyle Field - Texas A&M Aggies
Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.86
Kyle Field 756 Houston Street College Station, TX 77843
Year Opened: 1927
Capacity: 102,733
Home of the 12th Man
Kyle Field, home of the Texas A&M Aggies’ football team, opened in 1905 and has a capacity of 102,733. The facility is the largest football stadium in the state of Texas and currently sits fifth largest in the FBS. A $485 million renovation from 2013 to 2015 lowered the field by about seven feet, allowing six more rows of premium seating at the bottom of the lower bowl, which pulled the stands right up to the sidelines. In addition, the field was moved 18 feet to the south, improving sightlines by centering the gridiron exactly between the seating sections. A cantilevered roof was added to increase the decibel level inside the venue, and additional premium seating was put in as well.
Kyle Field is the original home of the 12th Man. Texas A&M has owned the trademark since 1990, but the tradition dates back to 1922. That year, Texas A&M played Centre College, the number 1-ranked team in the country. The Aggies suffered so many injuries during the game that Coach Bible feared he wouldn’t have enough players to finish the contest, so he called former player E. King Gill down to the sideline. Dressed in the uniform of an injured player, Gill didn’t end up having to play after all, but his willingness to serve inspired the Aggies to an upset victory. That 12th Man tradition continues today in several ways, including fans waving 12th Man towels during games, a deserving walk-on player being awarded the No. 12 jersey each year, and an average of 38,000 students standing for the entire game to symbolize their own willingness to take the field if needed.
Food & Beverage 5
Kyle Field has all kinds of different food and beverage options on hand during football games here, and though the price of many items is on the high side, the university has done a great job trying to lower costs for fans. For example, a recent initiative dropped the price of core items such as hot dogs, nachos, and candy by $1 each, and a $6 popcorn option was also introduced. In addition, you can buy bottled water starting at $2 for 20 ounces.
In terms of variety, the concessions here offer almost anything you can think of, ranging from Double Dave’s pizza and soft pretzels to chicken tenders and Slovacek sausage. You can also find barbecue and Tex-Mex offerings from several different local chains, and don’t forget to check out the Coors Light Beer Garden located on the east lawn; the beer garden is open to all regardless of what section you’re sitting in, and it opens four hours before kickoff.
All that sounds great, but what is a football stadium without a few signature concessions? Well, Kyle Field has those too. The most impressive is undoubtedly the BTHO Dog – BTHO stands for “Beat the hell out of [this week’s opponent].” It includes not one but two footlong hot dogs covered with brisket, chile queso, pickled and fried onions, fried jalapeno chips, and pico de gallo. It costs a bit, but you won’t have to eat another thing all day. The venue also offers other big-as-Texas options, including mozzarella logs. Sure, you’ve heard of mozzarella sticks, but each of these logs is the size of a normal hot dog. They come in packs of five, and one person likely won’t be able to handle that much melty goodness.
Atmosphere 5
Kyle Field’s atmosphere is second to none – you will see fans waving their 12th Man towels all game long, and there is a massive fireworks display after every Aggie score, as well as after an Aggie victory. You will also see flyovers by military planes and plenty of American flags waving in the breeze. Texas A&M has always been a patriotic school, but I don’t think I have ever been to a football stadium with this many flags on display, celebrating our nation.
Adding to this wonderful atmosphere are two signature items you won’t find anywhere else on the college football landscape. The first of these is the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band with its precision military marching, and perhaps tighter formations than you will see at the United States military academies (pay attention to the corners when the band reverses direction). Most fans stay in their seats during halftime to watch the Aggies form their signature Block T, switching direction to display it proudly toward both end zones. If you get there early you can even watch the Corps of Cadets march into the stadium before the game.
The second unique feature at Texas A&M football games at Kyle Field happens only twice: once just before kickoff and once at the end of the third quarter. This is the moment when over 100,000 proud Aggies put their arms around each other’s shoulders and sway side to side in unison while singing the Aggie War Hymn, an ode to defeating their hated rivals from “texas university” (also known to Aggies as teasips). First-time visitors in the press box have even been known to panic when this happens, fearing that an actual earthquake is causing the stands to move from side to side.
Neighborhood 4
There are plenty of restaurants and other attractions around Kyle Field, but as you might expect with a stadium holding over 100K fans, the immediate vicinity is mostly packed with parking lots. Except for some fast-food type eateries located inside the Memorial Student Center right across the street from the football stadium, it will be about a 10-minute walk to find any other options.
The Northgate district in College Station is the place to be before or after an Aggies football game. Restaurants such as Fuego Tortilla Grill and The Sport on Northgate are great options, but the one place you must visit if you truly want to experience Aggieland is The Dixie Chicken. This legendary watering hole still claims to serve more beer per square foot than any other bar in the country, and is famous for a couple of Aggie traditions. One of the most well-known is the Aggie ring dunk, where you drop your Aggie ring into a 32-ounce pitcher of beer and must chug the whole thing before you can get the ring back. Another famous tradition is known as the Chicken Challenge, where you must stay inside the restaurant drinking beer, and maybe playing dominoes, from open until close (generally 11 am to midnight or later depending on the day of the week).
If you are trying to avoid the college student scene, there are also a slew of restaurants just to the east of campus along Texas Highway 6, including Chuy’s, Chicken Express, and Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que.
In terms of attractions, the best option near Kyle Field is the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which houses the famous Union Pacific 4141 locomotive, painted in the old Air Force One white and baby blue color scheme. The museum is within sight of Kyle Field on Texas A&M’s campus, and the exhibits include a full-size Marine One helicopter, as well as a replica of the torpedo bomber President Bush flew during World War II. The Museum of the American GI, about 10 miles south of College Station, is also a wonderful place to visit; its collection includes over a dozen period tanks from World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and other conflicts.
Fans 5
Texas A&M fans are second to none; the crowd is loud and seethes with energy. In addition to 38K students standing for the entire game, and the whole stadium waving their 12th Man towels in unison, especially during kickoffs and third downs, almost everyone you see will be sporting some form of Aggie gear, and sometimes from head to toe.
In addition, you should expect every game to be a sellout – even for games against FCS opponents such as McNeese State, attendance at Kyle Field will top 105K, which is several thousand fans over capacity. Games against SEC rivals will draw even more.
The key thing about the Aggie fanbase is its passion – there is nothing like joining 100K of your closest friends, all yelling your heads off to propel your team to victory. And at Kyle Field fans have to be engaged – it is almost a rule, because unlike at other schools where they have cheerleaders, at Texas A&M there are five Yell Leaders instead. The Yell Leaders use hand signals to tell fans what yell (Aggies don’t cheer, they only yell) will be done next, and fans in the front rows of each section must pass that hand signal to fans in the back. Each yell is then performed by everyone in the stadium at the same time. In fact, yelling in unison is so important to Aggie fans that the Yell Leaders hold Yell Practice the night before each game, even on the road, to make sure fans know what to do. And after any game when the Aggies are outscored (Aggies never lose, though they sometimes get outscored), the Yell Leaders hold an extra Yell Practice right after the game.
Access 5
I was thoroughly impressed during my last visit to Kyle Field with how easy it was to get in and out of the stadium. First off, there are plenty of places to park, and there are also shuttle buses to take fans from the furthest parking lots to the field itself. The parking lots at other Texas A&M athletic facilities, such as Blue Bell Park (Aggie baseball) and Reed Arena (Aggie basketball), are also used for football, or you can park further out if you are willing to walk a little. I would not recommend riding the shuttle buses unless it is raining, as you can probably get there faster just by walking, since you wouldn’t have to wait through all the bus stops.
Once you get to Kyle Field there are plenty of entrances around the facility, making it easy to get in and out, and there are also plenty of concession stands and bathrooms on every level. Be sure to pay attention to what seat you’re sitting in, so you can enter the correct gate.
The most impressive part of the access was getting out after the game – the staff here does a fabulous job directing traffic in one direction, away from Kyle Field, so you can be on your way within minutes of getting into your car. This is not something I have always experienced at other football stadiums, so it was extremely welcome.
Return on Investment 5
Attending a game at Kyle Field to see the Aggies is without a doubt worth every penny. Expect the game to be sold out months in advance, so the secondary ticket market will be your friend. Pro tip: wait until a few days before the game to buy your seats, as prices will tend to fall as the season goes on, based on the team’s record and what time the game ends up being held (the game time will likely not be announced until 1-2 weeks in advance). You should be able to find tickets for less than $100, perhaps even under $50 if you sit in the cheap seats.
I would recommend sitting in sections such as AC or FB, which give you access to an indoor lounge in case of rain or hot weather. Also try to look for seats in the back of certain sections – while most of the seats at Kyle Field are out in the open, a few sections have covered seating in the last 5 to 10 rows.
For parking, expect it to set you back at least $20 if you park further away. For example, you can park at the Bush library within sight of Kyle Field for $25 (no advance purchase required). Or for around $50 you could park someplace near Reed Arena and ride the shuttle bus to the football field if desired. Most of the parking closer to Kyle Field is owned by season ticket holders, so again the secondary ticket market is your best bet to find a parking pass.
Extras 5
Other great traditions at Texas A&M include the Corps of Cadets “capturing” the Yell Leaders after an Aggie victory and carrying them across campus to toss them into the Fish Pond. There are also statues and banners galore around the stadium, showing the history and successes of Texas A&M football over the years.
When the Aggies come onto the field before the game, they run through cones of fire just like at other big-time football programs. The team also sports different uniforms throughout the season, with matching paint décor on the field itself, such as for Military Appreciation Day.
Final Thoughts
Attending a football game at Kyle Field is one of those bucket list experiences every college football fan should have at least once in their lifetime, right up there with seeing Ralphie run around the stadium at Colorado, or seeing the Sooner Schooner at Oklahoma. You will never forget seeing the Aggies sway from side to side as they sing the Aggie War Hymn, and you will never forget the sight of all those 12th Man towels being waved furiously.
The staff has done a fabulous job improving the access since the massive renovation, making it easy to get in and out and providing plenty of parking. There are also tons of different seating options, including a few that protect you from that volatile Texas weather, as well as some price cuts for some of the concessions that should make your wallet happy. Kyle Field isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean you should sit on your haunches when it comes to visiting Aggieland – there is nothing like the spirit you will find here.
