Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field 2302 Phil George Drive San Angelo, TX 76909
Year Opened: 2014
Capacity: 5,670
Angelo State Rams – LeGrand Stadium
Nestled on the banks of the flowing Concho River lies the West Texas city of San Angelo. The city, originally founded as a military town when the U.S. Army founded Fort Concho in the 1860s, is also home to Angelo State University and its athletics team, the Rams.
Angelo State first fielded a football team in time for the 1964 season and competed for several years at the NAIA level before gradually moving up to their current level of Division II. Throughout their history, the Rams have found quite a bit of success, claiming the NAIA National Championship in 1978 as well as three conference titles.
Since 2014 the Rams have called LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field their home. Built right on campus with the field sunk low below the bleachers, the stadium is state-of-the-art, with new field turf, a new press box, and new visitor bleachers.
As the proverbial only game in town, the Rams have cultivated a pretty rabid fan base that shows out at LeGrand Stadium. Read on to learn what makes the stadium special.
Food & Beverage 3
There are two main concession stands for fans at LeGrand Stadium. Both offer a sampling of your traditional game day fare including hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, candy, bottled soft drinks, water, and energy drinks.
What makes these true Texas concessions – and raises them above-average in my opinion – is the selling of Frito pies and hot links. I can think of nothing better to chow down on during a football game on a Saturday than either one, or both, of these favorites. You might need a helping of antacids afterward depending on your gastrointestinal fortitude, but I would recommend trying these for yourself if you’ve never partaken.
Other offerings include a Bahama Buck’s shaved ice and snow-cones truck parked near the home team stands. These hit the spot during those early Saturdays on the schedule, where temps hover near triple digits. They are also perennial favorites for younger fans, while for older fans there are also two beer tents, one on each side of the stadium.
Atmosphere 4
I’m a fan of the style of the stadium they have at Angelo State – there is something special to me about walking down into a stadium. Fans can watch the West Texas sunset and the moon rise from their seats. It’s a great environment and I think a great setting for football.
Other areas of interest to take in include the statue of Dominic the Ram, the school’s first live mascot, which sits behind the end zone near the Angelo State athletics center. It is a mighty impressive sight to take in and, quite frankly, a great photo op for fans/visitors to the stadium.
The ram seems to stand watch over the other special atmospheric feature, a battery of Civil War-era re-enactors from the nearby Fort Concho National Historic Landmark and their era-appropriate cannon. This massive beast fires off after every Rams score and it is a sight to behold – and to hear.
Another spot to be on the lookout for is the team merchandise tent, adjacent to the home-side concessions stand. It offers all manner of Angelo State Rams memorabilia and apparel for fans. I will touch more on the fans in that section, but their involvement the entire time made the most recent game I attended a real treat.
Neighborhood 3
The city of San Angelo is, as mentioned, one rich in history. As such there are quite a few points of interest for fans of Texas/Western/American/Military history. With that in mind, for history buffs, the remnants of the previously mentioned Fort Concho, Fort McKavett, and Fort Chadbourne are all within driving distance of downtown San Angelo.
Other points of interest nearby include the International Waterlily Collection, which is the top tourist spot in the city. This vast collection of every known variety of waterlily is housed in a beautiful setting and is a great way to spend an afternoon walking, taking photos, or just learning about this exotic flora. Also, not to be missed is the San Angelo Riverwalk; this beautiful stretch along the banks of the Concho River is a place where residents come to exercise, listen to concerts, fish, and even play golf at the nine-hole Santa Fe Golf Course.
For dining and hotel options there are quite a few to choose from, with many within a short drive of the Angelo State campus. In terms of grub, I cannot recommend the Western Sky Steakhouse enough – it quickly became my favorite restaurant in San Angelo. Serving up steaks (naturally), salads, and Tex-Mex, it is a go-to spot for locals and I completely get why. Alternatively, closer to campus is the Cork & Pig Tavern, a gastropub serving craft beer and wood-fired oven pizzas.
For hotels, there are plenty of mid-level chain options to choose from, as well as quite a few vacation rental options. Near the stadium is the Wingate by Wyndham San Angelo and the Staybridge Suites San Angelo, an IHG Hotel; both are a 12- to 13-minute walk or five-minute car ride to LeGrand Stadium.
Fans 4
The Angelo State Rams averaged over 3,500 fans per home game in 2022. With a facility the size of LeGrand Stadium, that is virtually full, I would hazard a guess that the home team stands are generally always full.
I was fortunate to attend Angelo State’s most recent homecoming game, and anecdotally this looked like a sellout to me. The stands were packed and there were also a lot of fans standing for the entire game along the railing behind the south end zone.
From my perspective, the vast majority of fans on that night came decked out in Rams gear and were vocal and engaged the entire time. In short, it was pretty much the perfect atmosphere for a college football game.
Access 3
As mentioned, San Angelo is tucked out in West Texas, which is arguably the most remote part of the state. Getting there is going to be a bit of a chore. Driving-wise, the closest big city to try and tackle it from is San Antonio, which is three hours away. The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is four hours, Austin is three and a half hours away, and Houston and El Paso are both six hours from San Angelo.
The one shorter way to get there is via the San Angelo Regional Airport. American Airlines runs a daily flight to and from San Angelo from DFW International Airport; this would considerably cut down on your travel time if you go this route.
Once on-site, there isn’t much in the way of public transportation to speak of, but ridesharing is available. If you are driving, parking is plentiful and – best of all – free in and around unmarked spots on the Angelo State campus.
Return on Investment 4
Single-game tickets for Angelo State Rams games at LeGrand Stadium start at $12 per for general admission seating and $15 for reserved seats; the difference between bleachers and individual seat backs.
I can also say from experience that the cost of concessions is remarkably affordable. I have been to many college – and even high school – games where the cost for the same items on sale is exponentially higher in cost. You’ll get a good bargain here, especially when you consider the free parking and the caliber of opponents that Angelo State regularly plays.
Extras 4
Angelo State brings out all the pageantry of college football to their games, big time. First off the Ram Band, which is one of the largest small-school marching bands I’ve ever seen, performs before games, at halftime, and, to their credit, plays throughout the game and at the right times (e.g., when the opposing team is on offense).
Also on hand are the Angelo State Cheerleaders and the Angelettes, the school’s dance team. The cheerleaders do their bit throughout the game on the sidelines, while the dance team performs during intermissions and at halftime.
Last are the mascots, which I have to admit is my favorite tradition in all of sports. As mentioned above, Angelo State has a live ram as its mascot. Dominic the Ram is a pretty impressive sight to behold on the sidelines during Angelo State games – I am a fan of any team that has a live mascot, and a Ram is always a pretty awesome sight to see.
On the other end of the spectrum are the Angelo State costumed mascots, Roscoe D. Ram and Bella D. Ram. Both man the sidelines during games and are around for photo ops.
Final Thoughts
I wasn’t sure what to expect on my visit to Angelo State, but I came away mighty impressed with the whole operation. The stadium looked good, the atmosphere was electric, and the costs were shockingly low. I’ve been to far bigger stadiums that were far less fun. I wouldn’t put LeGrand Stadium on any bucket list (unless you’ve got one like mine), but I think you could do a whole lot worse on a Saturday in West Texas than taking in an Angelo State Rams game.
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Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.
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