Tiger Stadium holds 102,321 and has never announced a crowd above that number, which makes it one of the few stadiums in the sport whose record attendance is its capacity. It has hit that figure sixteen times. It is also the only major stadium that was expanded by building dormitories into the stands, an idea attributable to Huey Long.
| Official capacity | 102,321, since 2014 |
| Record attendance | 102,321, most recently November 11, 2023 vs Florida |
| Rank | Fifth largest in college football, second in the SEC behind Kyle Field |
| Opened | November 25, 1924, capacity 12,000, vs Tulane |
| First night game | October 3, 1931, LSU 35 to 0 over Spring Hill |
| Home record in the stadium | 444 wins, 156 losses, 18 ties through 2023 |
| Surface | Natural Bermuda grass |
How the Capacity Changed
| Year | Capacity | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | 12,000 | Opened with two sideline stands |
| 1931 | 22,000 | Sidelines raised, with dormitories built underneath |
| 1936 | 46,000 | North end enclosed, horseshoe formed, more dormitories |
| 1953 | 67,720 | South end enclosed, full bowl |
| 1978 | 78,000 | West upper deck |
| 2000 | 91,600 | East upper deck, 11,600 seats |
| 2006 | 92,400 | West side rebuilt with suites and press box |
| 2014 | 102,321 | South end zone upper deck, $80 million |
The Dormitories
The 1931 and 1936 expansions were paid for in part by classifying them as student housing. Governor Huey Long, who could not get money for stadium seats through the legislature but could get money for dormitories, had rooms built into the structure under the new stands and put the seats on top. The rooms housed students until the early 1990s and are now offices. It is the reason the sidelines and north end rose when they did.
Saturday Night in Death Valley
LSU has played night games since 1931, originally because the Louisiana heat made afternoon football unpleasant and because night kickoffs did not compete with Tulane’s afternoon games in New Orleans for crowds. The result is the stadium’s identity. Visiting coaches have worn earplugs, opposing quarterbacks have called timeouts before their first snap, and the 1988 Auburn game, won 7 to 6 on a last minute touchdown pass, registered on a seismograph in the geology building and is known as the Earthquake Game.
The Sellouts
Because LSU does not sell standing room beyond capacity, the stadium’s record is its listed capacity, reached sixteen times since 2014. The 2019 season, when the national champions went unbeaten at home and outscored opponents by an average of 48 to 14, drew a school record average of 101,723. Under Brian Kelly the Tigers went 23 and 3 in the stadium and 20 and 2 at night. Our LSU vs Alabama page covers the game that has sold it out most often.
The 2026 Schedule
Lane Kiffin’s first season brings Clemson, Alabama, Texas and Texas A&M to Baton Rouge, a slate LSU described as the most attractive home schedule in the stadium’s history. Texas has not played in Tiger Stadium since 1953. Our 2026 schedule page has the dates.
The Bottom Line
Tiger Stadium holds 102,321 and has never announced more, reaching that figure sixteen times. It opened in 1924 with 12,000 seats, grew by building dormitories under the stands, and became a full bowl in 1953. Night games since 1931 gave it its reputation, and the 1988 Auburn game gave it a seismograph reading. Our LSU all time record page covers what has happened on the field.