Cougar Stadium – University Cougars
Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Cougar Stadium 2450 Cougar Way Orlando, FL 32817
Year Opened: 1990
Capacity: 4,685
Big Band Cougars
University High School in Orlando, Florida, plays their home football games at Cougar Stadium, on the school’s campus. The field opened in 1990 along with the rest of the high school, and has a capacity of 4,683.
The Cougars are a pretty dominant program of late; this season they have already gone 9-1 and are now competing in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) playoffs. But equally impressive is the school’s band – they put on elaborate performances using huge props that the band members have to physically carry onto the field. In fact, their performances are so elaborate that during my most recent visit, they forced the refs to extend halftime by 5 or 6 minutes so they could finish.
Food & Beverage 3
Concessions at Cougar Stadium are pretty basic, but more than you will find at many high school stadiums. Options include burgers, hot dogs, nachos, chicken nuggets, and pizza, as well as snacks such as French fries, ice cream, packaged candy, and chips. Drinks include Gatorade, soda, and bottled water.
The most expensive items on the menu are the cheeseburger and the chicken nuggets, each of which costs $6. Lines are extraordinarily long, especially during halftime, so if you want anything, be sure to go early, such as in the middle of the first quarter.
Atmosphere 4
The Cougars offer a great atmosphere for football, with a great fan base that brings a lot of energy and crowd noise. The stands are decorated with streamers, which is a plus, and the school even has a mascot, which you don’t often see at the high school level.
The band is also top-notch; some of the props are constructed metal frame towers that allow band members to stand inside or on top of them, and are so heavy that it takes at least 6 band members to carry each one onto the field. During my most recent visit, they did an elaborate performance celebrating America 250, complete with three different sets of flags being twirled. The metal frame towers also had different panels on each side; the towers were rotated during the performance as they moved through their set of songs.
Neighborhood 3
Orlando is a great city to visit – of course it has Disney World, but it also has a bunch of other attractions, as well as some great restaurants. Unfortunately, University High School is not in Orlando proper, even though it has an Orlando address, so some of these attractions may not be close by. However, I would recommend the Catfish Place in St. Cloud, recommended by one of the employees at Gatorland. Gatorland is also worth a visit, basically a gigantic alligator preserve that also serves as a zoo/aquarium for many other animals such as crocodiles, turtles, cougars, bobcats, snakes, and more.
Another restaurant I would recommend is Burger Vault, which offers a $30 burger that is topped with edible gold – yes, you read that right; the juicy 8 oz burger is topped with thin gold leaf, and their burgers are so juicy they have boxes of plastic gloves on every table.
In addition, if you want to double up on your football, take in a game at Acrisure Bounce House on Saturday after the high school game Friday. Originally called Bright House Networks Stadium, the facility was nicknamed the bounce house b/c the fans tend to jump up and down in unison, causing the structure to literally shake during key moments of the game, such as when either team kicks off, during third downs, and at the beginning of the fourth quarter. This nickname has become such a part of the school’s culture that it was actually officially incorporated into the stadium name when Acrisure purchased the naming rights. Acrisure is a great, fun football stadium, and you will have a wonderful time if you make the trip.
Fans 4
The fans at Cougar Stadium are solid, and even though the facility may not fill up all the way, it will feel like it, based on how long it takes to park and how crowded the concourse will seem. The fans here really love their team, and that love has been rewarded with multiple playoff appearances by the Cougars in recent years.
Access 2
The lines are very long to park your car, even though there is plenty of space, due to how they route all the cars into one gate to have their parking pass scanned or purchased. The concession lines are also very long, so you may not even be able to get anything to eat or drink. It also takes a long time to get through the gate, due to the security wanding they do on each patron.
All three of these areas would benefit from different set-ups and/or additional staff – for example, more windows, lanes, and gates opened to get people in and out faster.
Return on Investment 4
If you like high school football, seeing the University Cougars at Cougar Stadium may be worth it. They are likely to win almost every game they play, so you shouldn’t leave disappointed, and they have a lot going on that makes the experience fun. However, this is still only high school football, so it will not have all the bells and whistles of college and pro football stadiums and teams that you may be used to.
Admission tickets for football cost around $10 plus fees, so you can’t expect too much. Parking costs $5 per car, plus. For that low a cost, I consider this a great return on investment.
Extras 4
I already mentioned the band performance, as well as the mascot and the streamers decorating the railings. There are also cougar paw prints on the cement, which is a nice touch- this is more elaborate decor than you would probably expect from a high school program.
Final Thoughts
If you like high school football, or have never seen it, Cougar Stadium would be a great stadium to visit. You won’t have to spend a lot so it could be a good option for the family, and there is enough going on that you ought to have a great time.
