History
Tulane opened its third on-campus stadium in 1926. Expansions over the next two decades more than doubled its capacity, and it took its nickname from the Sugar Bowl game, first played there on New Year's Day 1935.
When the NFL came to New Orleans in 1967, the Saints played here, and the stadium hosted Super Bowls IV, VI and IX. Tom Dempsey's record 63-yard field goal in 1970 is its best-known single play.
The Louisiana Superdome opened in 1975, and Tulane, the Saints and the Sugar Bowl all moved there. The old stadium was used only for occasional high school games until the university announced its demolition in November 1979. The land now holds student housing and recreation buildings.
Why it matters: It hosted the first Sugar Bowl and New Orleans' first three Super Bowls, and was the Saints' first home.
Timeline
- October 23, 1926
Tulane's third campus stadium opened with seating for 35,000.
- January 1, 1935
Tulane played Temple in the first Sugar Bowl, which led to the stadium's nickname.
- September 17, 1967
The expansion Saints played their first home game here, a loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
- November 8, 1970Tom Dempsey's 63-yard field goal[1]
Dempsey's kick beat Detroit and set the NFL record at the time.
- January 12, 1975
The stadium's third Super Bowl was the last professional game played there.
- November 2, 1979
Tulane's president announced that the stadium would be torn down.
- June 1980
Teardown, begun in November 1979, finished in June 1980.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2,3] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Tulane campus buildings: Aron and Willow student housing, Diboll parking structure, Reily Student Recreation Center and Brown Quad[1,2] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Tulane Green Wave | NCAA · 1926–1974 |
|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | NFL · 1967–1974 |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Sugar Bowl Stadium; Third Tulane Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | Willow Street and Ben Weiner Drive, Tulane University uptown campus, New Orleans, Louisiana[1] |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football |
| Level | NCAA, NFL |
| Opened | October 23, 1926[1,2,3] |
| Last used for sports | November 1979[1,2] |
| Demolished | 1979–1980[1,2,3] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 35,000[1,2] |
| Final capacity | 80,985[1,2] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia gives 35,000 in 1926 and 80,985 for 1956–1975. Tulane Athletics says about 81,000 after expansions and a record crowd of 86,598 in 1973. |
| Construction cost | $295,968 (Wikipedia); about $300,000 (Tulane Athletics) |
| Surface | Natural grass (1926–1970), Poly-Turf (1971–1979) |
| Owner / operator | Tulane University |
| Closure | Its main tenants moved to the Louisiana Superdome in 1975, and Tulane later judged the aging stadium not worth keeping. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Tulane Stadium, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, opened, teams
- Old Tulane Stadium History, Tulane University Athletics. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, current land use, demolished, opened, teams
- Blake Pontchartrain: Tulane Stadium, Gambit / The Advocate. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: demolished, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (3)
- The last game before demolition, a high school game, is dated Nov 3, 1979 by Wikipedia and Nov 1, 1979 by Tulane Athletics. Closure is recorded at month precision.
- Wikipedia says demolition began Nov 18, 1979. The Advocate puts the farewell event on Nov 18 and the start of demolition the night after.
- The Advocate says the 1926 opener was against Auburn. Wikipedia gives only the date. The opponent is not recorded.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.