Historic Raabe Stadium – Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors
Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Historic Raabe Stadium 1401 N Swan Blvd Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Year Opened: 2004
Capacity: 1,700
Warriors in Wauwatosa
Wisconsin Lutheran College plays its home football games at Historic Raabe Stadium in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The school began playing football in the year 2000, and currently competes in the NCAA’s Division III Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC). The facility opened in 2004, and holds about 1,700 fans in stands on opposite sides of the field – wooden bleachers without chairbacks on the visitor’s side, and metal bleachers without chairbacks on the home side.
During the Homecoming game in 2026, the field itself was named after Coach Dennis Miller, who built the football program here from scratch. Miller was hired in 1998, and spent the next two years recruiting players and mapping out the Warriors’ inaugural schedules. He was also instrumental in securing funding to build Raabe Stadium.
Food & Beverage 4
Raabe Stadium has surprisingly comprehensive concessions for such a small stadium. There are two food trucks on the visitor’s side, offering Mexican and Mediterranean options such as street tacos, horchata, spanakopita, gyros, and honey puffs. There is also a tent selling packaged candy on that side, as well as a small table selling bottled Pepsi products, although these last two options may close early if there aren’t enough customers.
Underneath the home stands fans will find more traditional concession options, such as slices of pizza, Chick-fil-A sandwiches, and hot dogs, as well as bottled Pepsi products. The prices here are middle of the road, with drinks selling for $3.50, pizza and hot dogs for $4, and Chick-fil-A sandwiches for $7.
Atmosphere 3
There aren’t many amenities at Raabe Stadium beyond the game itself, and the fans here don’t necessarily seem that engaged (more on this later). There are a bunch of activities for kids though, including a bouncy house, a connect 4-type basketball game, and lots of giveaways such as cowbells and mini footballs.
While there is no mascot that I saw, and only a small drumline instead of a full band, the staff here puts on a massive fireworks show after the game. It is worth staying after the game for, and goes on for a really long time – there were several points where they shot off a bunch of fireworks at the same time, making us think it was the grand finale, only to keep the show going for several more minutes. This fireworks show was absolutely the highlight of the evening.
Neighborhood 3
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin is a small town located a few miles west of Milwaukee, and boasts several local parks, mixed in with corporate research complexes that are the draw here in terms of employment. The most popular pre- or post-game hangout may be Ferch’s Crafthouse Grille, famous for its German pretzels, burgers, and selection of over 500 global beers, only a 3-minute drive from Raabe Stadium. Or, if sandwiches and coffee are more your scene, Ally’s Powerhouse Cafe inside a massive former industrial building offers lattes, paninis, and salads, as well as an all-day brunch feature on Saturdays.
If you plan to be in town for the weekend or overnight, there are several chain hotels near Raabe Stadium, and if you are interested in driving over to Milwaukee, you can also take in the sights or water activities on Lake Michigan.
Fans 2
The fans at Wisconsin Lutheran football games are very polite, but perhaps almost too polite. They seem perfectly content to just enjoy whatever is happening on the field, and don’t seem too bothered if the game doesn’t go their way. The atmosphere here is much more that of a family-friendly activity than a competitive sports contest, so you won’t hear any yelling at the refs, and not much booing or cheering.
There may be an alumni event going on behind one end zone, complete with tents, picnic tables, and food being served, so you might see kids running around on the turf, just enjoying themselves. You also might see some of the fans leave early, especially during night games when perhaps they need to get the kids home and into bed.
Access 3
Getting to Raabe Stadium is very easy; the facility is close enough to Milwaukee that there are major highways bringing you in from the east, west, or north. I-41 is the closest freeway to the facility, taking you right past the venue if you look out the window at the right moment. The only possibly confusing part is that the stadium is 2-3 miles from Wisconsin Lutheran’s main campus, located inside the school’s athletic village complex, so make sure you put the actual football field into your GPS, instead of the college’s main address.
Once you get to the field itself, there is free parking right in front of the facility, although it is best to get there early so you can park closer to the stadium. Unfortunately the visitor stands are right next to the main entrance, so most fans will have to walk around the track to get to their seats on the home side.
As mentioned above, the food trucks are on one side of Raabe Stadium while the main concessions are on the other, meaning you might have to walk between them during the game to get what you want. The stadium is very small, however, so this is easily doable. Note that on the visitor’s side the men’s bathrooms are on the far side, while the women’s bathrooms are closer to the food trucks, so the guys will have to either walk across the track or through the stands when they need a pit stop.
Return on Investment 3
The cost to attend a football game at Raabe Stadium is $7 for adults and $5 for kids, and there are no tickets or hand stamps – just pay and walk in. Parking is also free, and concessions are reasonable.
That said, I am not sure I would recommend seeing a game here unless your team of choice is involved in the matchup. The fireworks are great, but unfortunately the atmosphere is a trifle ho hum, with not too much passion from the fans and not much in the way of amenities except a few contests during breaks in the action.
Extras 2
There is a decent tailgating setup in the parking area next to the facility; note that the closer parking lot does not allow tailgating, so if you want to tailgate you will have to park a little further away. But the two parking lots are so close together I doubt you will even notice the few extra steps you have to take.
Final Thoughts
If you are in the area and are looking for a family-friendly activity, a football game at Wisconsin Lutheran is a great choice. You may not find the excitement and over-the-top football atmosphere you may have seen elsewhere, but you will have a pleasant day with no hassles, in a quaint stadium that is easy to move around.
