Photos by Joseph Oakes, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
Lane Stadium 185 Beamer Way Blacksburg, VA 24060
Year Opened: 1965
Capacity: 65,632
Enter Sandman
Lane Stadium, home to Virginia Tech Hokies football, opened in 1965 with a capacity of 35,000 as Virginia Tech beat William and Mary 9-7. Many additions have come through the years including the south end zone expansion with 11,000 additional seats in 2002, and the luxury suites/press tower in 2006. Many publications have billed Lane Stadium as one of the finest places to watch a game and one of the toughest for an opposing team.
Food & Beverage 4
Lane Stadium offers a wide variety of food choices as there are several concession stands located around the stadium. Some of the more popular items include Lane’s Leg- a fried Turkey leg, which is a play of the Hokie mascot and Benny’s Pizza. Benny’s is a local chain that offers huge pizza slices at Lane Stadium. Another Virginia favorite, Smithfield Foods, has several stands around the stadium and offers bacon slices, pulled pork sandwiches, and pulled pork Mac and cheese. As Virginia is the birthplace of peanuts in the US, Whitley’s Virginia peanuts are sold throughout the stadium. Other options include Big Dipper’s Chicken and Subway.
Turkey Legs Concessions at Lane Stadium
Coke products are sold in two sizes with the larger being a souvenir cup. A variety of alcoholic beverages are sold as well as coffee and hot chocolate.
Atmosphere 5
Lane Stadium is the epitome of a college football on-campus stadium. It is a massive facility from the exterior as it is built mostly above ground and is very steep. It also matches the Virginia Tech campus buildings as the exterior of the stadium is donned with the famous Hokie Stone.
Lane Stadium has single-level stands on either sideline with the east side being quite a bit higher than the other. The west side is anchored by the press tower and suites. The south end zone has a small section of stands that is a dedicated student section, while the north end zone is a large triple-level structure, with a club level between levels two and three. The stadium stands are very steep, which offers great sightlines throughout the stadium. The playing surface at Lane Stadium is natural grass. A large video board towers above the south end zone, and there are several ribbon boards around the stadium.
Lane Stadium Interior, Photo by Joseph Oakes, Stadium Journey
Lane Stadium is best known for its Enter Sandman entrance, as the Metallica song is played as the team runs out onto the field. Everyone “starts jumping” and they can at times register on the Richter Scale as the stadium shakes. Virginia Tech has two marching bands. The Marching Virginians sit in the north end zone and only play at halftime and not pregame. The Highty-Tighties are the Regimental Band in the Corp of Cadets, sit in the south end zone, and play pre-game.
The majority of seating at Lane Stadium is bench seating except for the second level in the south end zone and the first couple of rows of the upper deck. Chairbacks are available for rent for $10 per game and are available at the gate to rent and take to your seat. The sun sets between the south end zone and west stands, so if you want to be in the sun for a colder game, you will need to sit in the west stands.
Neighborhood 4
Since it is in the middle of campus there is not much to do within walking distance of the ballpark before or after a game. However, Virginia Tech’s campus is gorgeous with the rolling hills, sidewalks, and Hokie stone.
Lane Stadium is right next door to Cassell Coliseum. If it is your first time on the campus, try to spend some time walking around campus. Be sure to stop by the April 16th Memorial near the Drillfield dedicated to the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting.
If you take a stroll down Main Street Blacksburg, you will find several food options including local eateries as well as chain restaurants such as the Maroon Door, Mellow Mushroom, Five Guys, and Jimmy Johns. If you like the outdoors, this is the place for you as there are many activities in the surrounding mountains like hiking and canoeing.
Home2Suites is less than a mile from campus and is a great place to stay if you are in town overnight, but may be pricy on game weekends. If you are looking to save on lodging, stay about 30 miles away in Roanoke.
Fans 5
Fan support at Virginia Tech is unmatched in many locations as the Hokies sold out five games in 2023 at 66,000 strong. This is quite a feat as Blacksburg, VA is literally in the middle of nowhere, and many fans drive from the more populated areas of the state 2-3 hours away.
Even though the Hokies have endured several lean years on the field, the fan support is still strong. Fans arrive early for Enter Sandman to “Start Jumping.” The stadium shakes and often registers on the Richter scale when the Hokies enter the field. Fans are loud throughout the game creating an intimidating atmosphere for opposing teams.
Access 4
Virginia Tech’s campus is easily accessible from I-81, about 10 miles away on US 460. Take the Southgate Dr. exit off of US 460, then turn left onto Beamer Way. Lane Stadium will be on your right.
The best parking for those without a parking pass is Margaret Beeks Elementary School, about 1 mile away from Lane Stadium. It is about a 20-minute walk to the stadium and is $10 to park there.
Be aware that a clear bag policy is in place, and it is well enforced. If you do not have one, they are available for sale at the CVS Pharmacy next to campus and at the Walmart in Christiansburg.
Once inside, there is a single concourse that wraps underneath the seating bowl, except the south end zone where steps or an elevator will take you to an upper concourse for upper-level seating. The restroom and concession areas are all very clean, and easily accessible on the concourse. Handicapped accessible seating is located in several seating sections as you enter the seating bowl.
Return on Investment 3
Major college football is not cheap, but the price is well worth it for the experience. Expect to pay close to $80 per ticket for most conference games, as well as the cost of food, parking, hotel, etc.
Extras 5
An extra point for Hokie Village directly across the street for the west stands, which has pre-game music, food trucks, vendors, games, etc.
An extra point for Enter Sandman and the team entrance.
An extra point for the mountain backdrop surrounding Lane Stadium.
An extra point for the great job that the game operations/video board staff does at getting the crowd fired up on third down and big plays, etc.
If you are not in town on game day but still want to visit Lane Stadium, you can visit the Virginia Tech Hall of Fame museum from 9 am-3 pm Monday through Friday on the west side of the stadium
Final Thoughts
Lane Stadium has a great sight line no matter where you sit within the stadium and can be one of the loudest stadiums in the country at times. We wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Lane Stadium to watch the Hokies, especially a night game.
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