Purple Haze

Official Review by Paul Derrick, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

Originally built in 1929, Amon G. Carter stadium is in need of a facelift and that is exactly what it is getting. Originally built to hold 22,000 people back in 1929 the stadium has had small renovations over the years and can now hold 44,358. After the renovations the stadium will be able to hold around 50,000. All this is necessary as TCU has placed itself right in the national spotlight again coming off a 2010-2011 undefeated season that saw them get a Rose Bowl berth and win over Wisconsin. TCU has also agreed to move to the Big 12 which will not only bring some more powerhouse programs to Amon Carter Stadium it will also bring a lot bigger crowds.

TCU fans and students already make Amon Carter Stadium an atmosphere envied by plenty of big colleges across the country and I'm sure the additional people that will come when the stadium renovations are through will make this place even better. As TCU continues to win and place itself in the limelight, this place becomes more and more of a must see location. Texas is known for great colleges like Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor. With great fans, a great team and a beautiful campus TCU definitely deserves to be in that mix.

Food & Beverage    3

Even though Amon Carter Stadium is going through renovations it still supplies the fan with a more than ample choice of food & beverages. With a variety of the normal stadium options such as pretzels, popcorn, peanuts and hot dogs to a variety of lesser seen options like gourmet hot dogs and sausage wraps.

A couple of options that I found to be quite filling were Railhead Smokehouse BBQ which offered chopped beef and turkey sandwiches, and the Gallygaskins Subs vendor which had cheeseburgers, hot dogs and hot and cold subs all at decent prices. Amon Carter Stadium is alcohol free but does offer a variety of Pepsi products as well as water in a bottle. If you're looking for something to snack on during the game you should definitely find plenty of options to please your palate.

Atmosphere    4

As TCU has slowly started to return to the national prominence they had in the 30s, 40s and 50s the atmosphere has come alive. This has coincided with the return of TCU's faithful fans and students. TCU has great alumni and great students that provide the great college football atmosphere that many have come to love on Saturdays.

TCU also does a wonderful job of showing appreciation of great former athletes and teams that have made their mark on TCU over the years. Some of these memorials can be seen through the stadium with the banners of TCU greats like Davey O'Brien, Bob Lilly and LaDainian Tomlinson hanging on the outside facade of the stadium. There are also plaques of former TCU bowl game teams located at the south end zone. TCU alumni not only see themselves as graduates of a great school, they see each and every other TCU alum as family.

Neighborhood    4

Fort Worth is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and is known for providing plenty of great entertainment and food. This is also the case near the TCU campus where you will find just about anything you might be looking for to do pre and post game. A couple of nice spots that I found were the Silver Fox, the Ol' South Pancake House, and Potbelly.

The Ol' South Pancake House on University Drive is a definite must for breakfast before going out to watch the game. Known to have the best breakfast in Texas, the Ol' South Pancake House has plenty of options including their prize winning pancakes which can be had either buttermilk, buckwheat or corn cake. They truly have a wide variety of options from waffles to chicken fried steak - it's a definite must if in the area.

Another great option I found was the Silver Fox Restaurant which is an outstanding option if you have a huge appetite and an equally huge wallet. Offering everything from Filet Mignon to Lobster Tail, the Silver Fox has a little bit of everything. It is a great place to take your significant other for an after game meal, if the more than $100 tab doesn't get you brownie points, I'm not exactly sure what will.

The last great option I found near the stadium was Potbelly Sandwich Shop which offers a great variety of sandwiches from Turkey breast, Italian and meatball to the one I like the most known as "A Wreck" which is salami, roast beef, turkey and ham with Swiss cheese. It's a chain yes, but a good one. All the sandwiches are very affordable and the employees are very courteous.

Overall you will find plenty of options for great food and entertainment in the area, which makes the TCU football experience even better.

Fans    4

As you look around and outside Amon Carter Stadium you will see nothing but a sea of purple as people make their way in and around the stadium. These fans are dedicated and follow their Horned Frogs throughout any game they play in Texas. When I saw a game earlier in the year at Baylor against TCU I was surprised to see a great many had made the trek from Fort Worth down to Waco. TCU's fan club continues to grow and I am pretty sure I will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of fans in attendance next year when the stadium expansion has been completed and Amon Carter offers room for even more Horned Frogs fans.

Access    3

Access to the stadium isn't horribly bad as long as you make it on to University Drive at a decent time. Of course the closer you get to game time the worse the access gets. Parking is not readily available right around the stadium except for some street parking, but you better be quick and early.

Most of the parking lots around the stadium are parking pass lots, so you will need a pass to get into any of these. There are some cash lots on University Drive that you can park in for anywhere from $10-$25, depending on the proximity to the stadium.

There are a limited number of bathrooms inside the stadium due to the ongoing renovations, but plenty of clean port-a-johns are set up in case you are in dire need and can't wait. Access overall is not bad but I expect it to be a lot better once the renovations are complete.

Return on Investment    3

With tickets ranging anywhere from $30-$40, depending on where you want to sit, it is definitely not a bad investment. I will say however that parking is a tad bit expensive from my point of view. Once the reconstruction is done I hope that ticket prices will continue to stay the way they are and that the parking might come a little bit cheaper. Food can luckily be had for decent stadium prices which are what keeps TCU's score up in this category.

The sky is the limit for Amon Carter Stadium and this place really being able to turn into one of college football's hostile environments.

Extras    5

First two points I have to give out to the fans of TCU and their alumni. They were more than generous to me during my visit to Amon Carter Stadium making sure to show me around the stadium and fill me in on some good old TCU traditions.

My next point goes out to the Horned Frog mascot and team name. I find this to be one of the most interesting mascots in the country.

Another point goes out to TCU and how they show great respect for their former Horned Frog players and teams. It is always great to see a school show some pride in their former players, teams and coaches.

My last point goes to the school for the recent renovations that are taking place on the stadium as the school moves more into the spotlight and now the Big 12 this year the school is definitely getting ready for expansion.

Final Thoughts

I see exciting things in TCU's future and can't wait to check out the stadium next year after the renovations are complete.