Malone Stadium
 | |
| Former names | Malone Stadium (1978-2013) |
|---|---|
| Location |
514 Warhawk Way Monroe, Louisiana 71203 |
| Coordinates | 32°31′51″N 92°3′57″W / 32.53083°N 92.06583°WCoordinates: 32°31′51″N 92°3′57″W / 32.53083°N 92.06583°W |
| Owner | University of Louisiana at Monroe |
| Operator | University of Louisiana at Monroe |
| Capacity | 30,427 |
| Record attendance |
31,175 September 21st, 2012 (vs Baylor) |
| Surface | FieldTurf |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1977 |
| Opened | September 16, 1978 |
| Renovated | 2008, 2014 |
| Construction cost | $2.5 million |
| Architect | Hugh G. Parker, Jr. Architects (renovations) |
| Tenants | |
| Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football (1978–present) | |
Malone Stadium is a stadium in Monroe, Louisiana, United States, on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the ULM Warhawks. A record crowd of 31,175 was reached on September 21, 2012 against the Baylor Bears at the 2012 home opener.
Malone Stadium was named for James L. Malone, the coach who has won the most games in school history. It opened on September 16, 1978, with a capacity of 20,000, with the then-Northeast Louisiana Indians beat Arkansas State, 21–13. It is located across Bayou Desiard from the main campus, the center of the school's athletic facilities. The field runs roughly north-northeast, with an imbalanced grandstand, the west stands being the larger stands. The lower west level is a solid enclosed structure, with the ULM Athletic Training Center enclosed, and the upper level extends much higher, with the press box and luxury boxes located on top. The east side is also decked, with a short first deck wrapping around almost from goalpost to goalpost and another short steel-supported upper deck running the length of the field.
Both sides of seating were extended into each end zone in 1983, increasing the capacity to 23,277. The press box was enlarged in 1991, and capacity decreased to 22,077. In 1993, 8,350 seats were added to the stadium, increasing capacity to its current figure of 30,427.
Malone Stadium features a ProPlay monofiliment fiber "grass" with a shock and drain pad and Envirofill clear coated sand infill. In addition to looking more like natural grass, ULM's new playing surface installed in 2007 has measures in place to help prevent injuries and drain water at a rate of 10 inches per hour. The clear-coated sand used has obvious benefits over its predecessor (ground-up black rubber) in that it does not absorb as much heat, does not compact over time, and does not migrate during use.[1]
The late Mayor W. L. "Jack" Howard pushed for construction of the new stadium, along with a new City Hall, Civic Center, and expanded Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo. Attendance at the football games by those from rural areas and small towns served too as an economic boost to Monroe-area merchants and promoted regional unity.[2]
In 2011, the university bought a new high definition scoreboard. It is the second largest on-campus HD video board in Louisiana measuring over 1,600 square feet (150 m2) and includes a state-of-the-art video display and sound system.
Attendance Records
The largest crowd to see a Warhawk football game in Malone Stadium was 31,175 on September 21, 2012, when the Warhawks hosted Baylor University.
| Rank | Date | Attendance | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 21, 2012 | 31,175 | Baylor | L, 42-47 |
| 2 | November 20, 2007 | 30,101 | Grambling | W, 28-14 |
| 3 | October 10, 1998 | 28,725 | Louisiana Tech | L, 14-44 |
| 4 | September 10, 2011 | 26,532 | Grambling | W, 35-7 |
| 5 | September 7, 1996 | 24,842 | Minnesota | L, 3-30 |
| 6 | November 3, 1984 | 23,900 | Louisiana Tech | |
References
- ↑ "Work begins on field at Malone Stadium". April 30, 2007. Retrieved on October 12, 2009.
- ↑ "John Underwood, "New Boys On The Block: From the day he's hired, a college football coach has two things in common with his predecessor—a belief he can do the job, a good chance he won't. Meet four fresh optimists," September 6, 1976". si.com. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
External links
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Brown Stadium |
Home of the Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football 1978-present |
Succeeded by current |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Malone Stadium. |
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