Goodman Stadium

Murray H. Goodman Stadium
Goodman Stadium in November 2006
LocationGoodman Campus, Lehigh University, Lower Saucon Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OwnerLehigh University
OperatorLehigh University
Capacity16,000 (1989–present)
14,000 (1988)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Broke ground1987
OpenedOctober 1, 1988
Construction cost$5.25 million
($13.5 million in 2023 dollars[1])
ArchitectSpillman Farmer Architects
General contractorAlvin H. Butz Inc.[2]
Tenants
Lehigh Mountain Hawks (NCAA) (1988–present)
Bethlehem Steel FC (USL) (2016–2018)

Goodman Stadium is Lehigh University's 16,000-seat stadium located on its Goodman Campus in Lower Saucon Township, Pennsylvania. It opened in 1988, replacing Taylor Stadium, which stood in the main academic campus from 1914 until 1987. The former Taylor Stadium site now holds the Rauch Business Center, the Zoellner Arts Center, and a parking garage.

The Murray H. Goodman Stadium is named after real estate developer Murray H. Goodman, a Lehigh alumnus, who donated 550 acres in Saucon Valley in 1983 to build a sports complex.[3][4]

The stadium is the home of the Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team, who compete in the Patriot League at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (or FCS) level, formerly known as I-AA.[5] Located in a rural valley surrounded by wooded hills, its ample nearby parking makes tailgating before games very popular. Concession stands protected from the weather and large indoor restrooms are provided on both sides of the stadium. It also features a two-tiered press box/skybox overlooking the west grandstand, limited chair back seating and locker rooms for home and visiting teams. Prior to the 2019 football season, a new press box was constructed behind the east grandstand and the previous media facility was converted into additional suites.[6]

The Goodman Campus was the preseason training camp location for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles from 1996 to 2012.[7] Eagles' training camps often draw as many as 10,000 fans, ranking at the top of NFL training camp attendance. The Eagles' twice-daily practices were held from mid-July to mid-August.

Starting in 2016, Goodman Stadium hosts the home matches of Bethlehem Steel FC, the official affiliate of Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union.[8] Lack of lights resulted in the Steel moving its home matches to Talen Energy Stadium after the 2018 season.[9] It hosted one United States men's national soccer team match, a 0–1 loss to Ukraine on October 23, 1993.

In 2021, Goodman Stadium hosted the 157th playing of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry. The rivalry is both college football's most-played and longest uninterrupted series. Lehigh won the game 17–10, bringing the overall record to Lafayette 80 games to Lehigh 72.

Gallery

  • Marching 97 performing at the stadium in 2019 with the John J. Harmon '59 Sky Box in the background
    Marching 97 performing at the stadium in 2019 with the John J. Harmon '59 Sky Box in the background
  • Northern end of the stadium and the scoreboard
    Northern end of the stadium and the scoreboard
  • Entrance gates to the stadium
    Entrance gates to the stadium

See also

References

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ Assad, Matt (June 9, 1995). "Builder Picked For Ballyard Butz Of Allentown Gets Nod". The Morning Call. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  3. ^ "Lehigh - Murray H. Goodman". history.lehighsports.com.
  4. ^ "Murray H. Goodman Stadium | Driving Directions | About Lehigh | Lehigh University". Archived from the original on 2017-04-14. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
  5. ^ "Venues - Goodman Stadium". Lehigh University.
  6. ^ "Goodman Stadium receives upgrades for 2019 season," Lehigh University Athletics, Wednesday, August 28, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019
  7. ^ "Eagles move training camp from Lehigh". Fox News. 25 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Philadelphia Union Announce 2016 USL Expansion Team". Retrieved 2015-08-19.
  9. ^ "Bethlehem Steel FC leaving the Lehigh Valley," The Morning Call (Allentown, PA), Monday, November 12, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2019

External links

40°35′20″N 75°21′19″W / 40.58889°N 75.35528°W / 40.58889; -75.35528