Sometimes the worlds of politics and sports intersect. Like the recent effort to keep college athletics fair by regulating name, image, likeness (NIL), Congress is getting in the game with a new caucus to preserve and improve stadiums across the country.
Four SEC universities are on the list of 18 historic stadiums: Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium, LSU’s Tiger Stadium, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Ole Miss, and Davis Wade Stadium at Mississippi State.
The Historic Stadium Caucus will bring together a bipartisan team of officials to work on preserving the legacy of these venues while enhancing their capabilities so they’re able to continue to host world-class sporting events and concerts for generations to come.
“When Tiger fans walk into Death Valley on Saturday nights, they do more than watch a football game – they walk into a 99-year-old local icon that supports our regional economy. Every bowl of jambalaya scooped and Tiger Dog served injects jobs and resources into our community,” said Rep. Garret Graves, whose congressional district includes LSU.
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The caucus will bring much-needed attention to historic stadiums that were among the first major athletic venues in the United States and continue to host some of sport and entertainment’s most marquee events each year.
Stadiums are economic catalysts for local economies as well as emergency preparedness centers for local, county and state agencies.
Built in 1939, along with five major expansion projects throughout the 20th century, the stadium on the Plains now seats over 87,000 – making it the 10th-largest on-campus stadium in the NCAA.
LSU’s Tiger Stadium has seen multiple NFL superstars jumpstart their careers, from quarterbacks Y.A. Tittle in the 1940s to Joe Burrow in the 2010s.
LSU Athletic Director Scott Woodward said, “Historic stadiums, such as Tiger Stadium at LSU, play an important role in the environment that makes college athletics special. The game day traditions in iconic venues around the country are unique and are worthy of discussion.”
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The 18 stadiums are:
- Beaver Stadium (Penn State University)
- Camp Randall Stadium (University of Wisconsin)
- Cotton Bowl
- Davis Wade Stadium (Mississippi State University)
- Franklin Field (University of Pennsylvania)
- Husky Stadium (University of Washington)
- Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn University)
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (University of Southern California)
- Memorial Stadium (University of California)
- Memorial Stadium (University of Illinois)
- Memorial Stadium (Clemson University)
- Nippert Stadium (University of Cincinnati)
- Rose Bowl Stadium
- SJSU Spartan Stadium (San Jose State University)
- Tiger Stadium (Louisiana State University)
- Vaught–Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field (University of Mississippi)
- Wallace Wade Stadium (Duke University)
- Yale Bowl (Yale University)
The co-chairs of the Historic Stadium Caucus, Reps. Graves and Pocan (D-Wisconsin), are gearing up to rally more members of Congress to back the initiative.
Forthcoming enhancements to the stadiums will include security and safety measures, technology upgrades and infrastructural improvements.
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
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