Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14
Rice Stadium 6100 Main Street Houston, TX 77005
Year Opened: 1950 Capacity: 37,000
Rice Owls – Rice Stadium
Rice University first fielded a football team way back in 1912. As members of the Southwest Conference back in its heyday, the Rice Owls became a regional powerhouse through the 1960s, winning conference titles in 1934, 1937, 1946, 1949, 1953, and 1957. Along the way, all-time greats such as Weldon Humble, Tommy Kramer, and Bill Wallace suited up for the Owls and helped lead them to glory.
Since 1950, historic Rice Stadium has been the home field for the Owls. Built right on campus, the venerable venue has been the home of Rice football and the Houston Cougars, the NFL’s Houston Oilers, and was the site of the Bluebonnet Bowl from 1959-1967 and again from 1985-1986.
It was also the venue for Super Bowl VIII, which saw the Miami Dolphins repeat as champions in a victory over the Minnesota Vikings. In 1962, Rice Stadium was the host for one of President John F. Kennedy’s most famous speeches, one which would kick off the United States’ mission to land a man on the moon.
Rice Stadium has maintained much of its classic look and feel for the past 70-plus years. Read on to learn what continues to make Rice Stadium one of the great venues in Texas college football.
Food & Beverage 3
Rice Stadium has gone to a full grab-and-go operation for their two main concession stands this season. Fans can pick up their burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, bottled sodas, etc., at these stands – one each on the home and visitor sides of the stadium.
Chick-fil-A provides a pared-down menu of its offerings at these stands; you can get chicken sandwiches, chips, and lemonade there. I’m a fan, so this is a real bonus for me. Other amenities include a Kona Ice truck parked on the concourse, near an entrance on the home team’s side. You can also find a Dippin’ Dots stand as well as one for Doc Popcorn, which offers up what I feel is the best popcorn you can find.
There are also freestanding beer kiosks throughout the stadium. Everything offered up is good; it’s not flashy, but it’s good. My one complaint is that, by halftime, the grab-and-go stands on the visitor’s side were virtually picked clean. So, consider that on your visit.
Atmosphere 2
Rice has done a few things over the years to upgrade the atmosphere at Rice Stadium. The team’s training facility, the Brian Patterson Center, is a great backdrop for the action in the south end zone. Rice also upgraded its team store, located on the home team side concourse, so that fans can purchase even more merchandise than in the past.
Across the upper bowl of the stadium, you’ll find the names of some of Rice’s all-time great players and coaches, such as Jess Neely, King Hill, Jarett Dillard, and John Heisman – yes, that Heisman. The ring also highlights their Bowl game appearances, while the team’s conference championships are highlighted on the press box above the home team stands.
The stadium still looks like one built in the 1950s, however – the vast majority of seats are either metal bleachers (you can rent a folding seatback chair for $10 apiece) or concrete bleachers, such as in the general admission stands in each end zone. If you’re into nostalgia, that’s fun; if you’re not, it can get uncomfortable after a while.
Neighborhood 5
Rice University and Rice Stadium are set in the picturesque and eponymously named Rice Village neighborhood. Quite frankly, this is my favorite area in Houston; it feels separated and self-contained, away from the rest of the busyness of Space City. Rice Stadium is on the university campus and is near both Tudor Fieldhouse, home of Rice basketball, and Reckling Park, home of Rice baseball. If you plan your visit right, you might be able to catch another game during your visit.
As Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth largest in the country, it comes as no surprise that it’s a haven for sports fans. The NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS all have franchises in the city, as well as the NWSL, MiLB, UFL, and no less than four other Division I college programs in the University of Houston, Houston Christian University, Prairie View A&M University, and Texas Southern University. As I said, if you’re a sports fan, Houston is going to be a playground for you.
If you’re looking for other things to do besides sports, Houston has you covered. If you’re coming with a family, I would highly recommend taking a tour of NASA’s Space Center Houston – this is where America’s space program was ostensibly born, and the tours are full of activities for the entire family. I would also recommend Houston Zoo, which is annually recognized as one of the best in the nation.
For dining options, Houston has an abundance; it all depends on what you’re in the mood for. High-end steakhouses, old-school barbecue joints, authentic Chinese, and legitimate Tex-Mex are all on the menu. A few of my Houston favorites include Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen, which is exactly how you would imagine it to be. It’s a restaurant pulled straight from central casting, complete with over-the-top deli sandwiches, matza ball soup, and black and white cookies. I also highly recommend a visit to Lankford’s Grocery & Market – this former corner store serves up Guy Fieri-approved burgers and sandwiches, and it is legit.
Lodging options follow the same advice as dining; options abound, and you’re only limited by your budget. There aren’t any hotels within walking distance of Rice Stadium (unless you’re going with the vacation rental option); however, not too far from the stadium are Houston Hilton Plaza/Medical Center and Hyatt Place Houston Medical Center.
Fans 2
Attendance figures will show that Rice averages around 19,000 fans per game, and the ones who do show up regularly sport the Owls blue and gray. This level of attendance places Rice third among the Group of 5 teams in Texas. However, because of how vast Rice Stadium is, even 20,000 fans make it feel like closer to around 9,000 or 10,000.
The visiting side stands are routinely filled in the lower bowl – this has something to do with a combination of Rice’s performance over the years, its overall size as a university, and the number of other things there are to do in Houston. I’m not sure if anything other than a return to its pre-World War II era level of success would change things, but that seems unlikely in the current college landscape.
Access 3
The Rice campus and its athletics facilities are located near the Museum District of Houston, which is near downtown and is one of the highest-trafficked areas in Space City. The Rice Village neighborhood and the campus are sandwiched between two of the major highways that run through the city, Highways 69 and 610, respectively. The exit off Highway 69 for Rice University is marked, and the stadium is off University Blvd and Rice Blvd, so it is easy to find.
I have written a lot over the years about the traffic situation in Houston, so I won’t belabor the point here, but I will just emphasize that it is bad, and you will be stuck in it. As an example, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which is a major hub, is 24 miles away from Rice Stadium, but you can plan on a drive from there taking upwards of an hour. As always, plan accordingly.
Once onsite, parking for Rice Stadium is plentiful and affordable; more on that next.
Return on Investment 4
Single-game tickets for Rice Owls home games start at $25 per person, which is still a bargain for an FBS-level program. Playing in the American, which is arguably the best Group of 5 conference, the Owls bring in some quality conference opponents for their home games and will traditionally bring in a good opponent or two for their non-conference games. Quite frankly, you’ll probably be able to adjust your seats at some point.
Parking at Rice Stadium is also on the affordable side, as most lots – even those close to the stadium – will set you back just $10, and there are even more affordable spots if you choose to park farther away from the campus. The one issue that keeps this ROI score from being higher is the concession costs. They were a little steeper than I was expecting; however, the lower costs for everything else balance this out for the most part.
Extras 3
Rice brings out a lot of the traditional pageantry that is expected with college football. The Rice Dance Owls Team performs during breaks in the action, and the Rice Cheerleaders perform on the sidelines throughout the game. The main draw, however, is the Marching Owl Band, aka the MOB. Dressed like extras from The Blues Brothers, the MOB is known for its irreverent performances and unique halftime shows.
The Owls also fire off fireworks over the roof of the Patterson Center for every Rice score, which is always fun. I know Rice also has a mascot, Sammy the Owl, but he has been conspicuously absent in recent years from football games.
Final Thoughts
I have been to a ton of games at Rice Stadium over the years. For me, it’s a nostalgic trip every time I head there – the venue has so much history to it, which is the draw. For what it lacks in modern-day amenities, it more than makes up for in gravitas.
On the surface, Rice Stadium shows its age. However, if you want to see a game at the field where Earl Campbell and Mike Singletary played, this is the place. It’s the same field where the Miami Dolphins last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy and where America entered the Space Race. History abounds here, so go see a game at Rice Stadium when you can, but rent one of their seatbacks; you won’t regret it.
Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.
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