Goodman Stadium

Murray H. Goodman Stadium
Location Goodman Campus, Lehigh University, Saucon Valley, PA
Owner Lehigh University
Operator Lehigh University
Capacity 16,000 (1989–present)
14,000 (1988)
Surface Grass
Construction
Broke ground 1987
Opened October 1, 1988
Construction cost $5.25 million
($10.9 million in 2017 dollars[1] )
Architect Spillman Farmer Architects
General contractor Alvin H. Butz Inc.[2]
Tenants
Lehigh Mountain Hawks (NCAA) (1988–present)
Bethlehem Steel FC (USL) (2016–present)

Goodman Stadium is Lehigh University's 16,000-seat stadium located on its Goodman Campus in Bethlehem, 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 three-tiered press box and limited chair back seating, and locker rooms for home and visiting teams.

In 2011, Goodman Stadium hosted the 147th playing of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry. The Rivalry is both college football's most-played and longest uninterrupted series. Lehigh won the game 37-13, bringing the overall record to Lafayette 76 games to Lehigh 66.

The Goodman Campus was the preseason training camp location for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles from 1996-2012.[6] 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.[7] It hosted one United States men's national soccer team match, a 0-1 loss to Ukraine on October 23, 1993.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  2. ↑ Assad, Matt (June 9, 1995). "Builder Picked For Ballyard Butz Of Allentown Gets Nod". The Morning Call. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  3. ↑ http://history.lehighsports.com/playerstats/display/3/1948/342
  4. ↑ https://www1.lehigh.edu/about/maps/drivingdirections/murray-h.-goodman-stadium
  5. ↑ http://lehighsports.com/sports/2013/6/4/GEN_0604131958.aspx?id=161
  6. ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2013/03/15/eagles-move-training-camp-from-lehigh.html
  7. ↑ "Philadelphia Union Announce 2016 USL Expansion Team". Retrieved 2015-08-19.

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

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