Joe Burrow Stadium - Athens High School Bulldogs
- Jude Hannahs
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Photos by Jude Hannahs, Stadium Journey.
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Joe Burrow Stadium
1 High School Rd
The Plains, OH 45780
Year Opened: 2010 Capacity: 3,500
Old Athens High will win over all…
Upon learning more about where Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow grew up and what the culture was around him, one quote in particular has always stuck with me regarding sensational athletes and how they came to become professionals.
It’s a quote from Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air” (2009), a comedy/romance film starring actors George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, and other notable faces. Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a man who specializes in employment-termination assistance for a human resources consultancy firm.
In a scene where Clooney’s Bingham and Kendrick’s Natalie Keener inform a man named Bob (played by J. K. Simmons) that he has been fired from the company he works for. Understandably, Bob is infuriated at the thought of Bingham and Keener trying to console him after losing his job. Bingham then asks Bob a question: “You know why kids love athletes?
Bob responds with a sarcastic answer, but then Bingham reassures him of the real answer. He says, “Kids love athletes because they follow their dreams.” I believe this same sentiment can be applied to the effect Burrow had on the students around him as he went through and eventually graduated from Athens High School in 2015. I also believe that it can still be applied even today with the various student athletes that attend Athens High School.
When someone like Burrow comes from a small town like Athens with the illustrious high school and collegiate career he’s had so far, it’s almost like a wondrous fairy tale. But it’s reality, and it’s a reality that many devoted fans of the Athens Bulldogs are proud to have experienced when he was there. In December 2019, the Athens City School District Board announced it would rename its football stadium following Burrow’s Heisman trophy win.
All these years later, the Bulldogs have been rebuilding a team and winning culture in Burrow’s absence. They proudly take the field knowing that one of their recent alums was able to make it to the big leagues, and even if they cannot accomplish that, they play as if they can.
Food & Beverage 4
Right off the bat, the concessions provided for fans who watch the football games do not have a wide or interesting list of choices. For some people, that’s a negative, and for others, that can be a positive.
Hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, nachos, the regular assortment of candy, the regular assortment of soda, bottles of water, and hot chocolate are what visitors can typically order when they are looking for something to either eat or drink while watching Athens play.
Sometimes basic concessions like that are all someone needs. They may not be the peak of food and drink quality, but they serve their purpose.
Atmosphere 4
Any team, regardless of sport and size, with a wide fanbase will almost guarantee a good atmosphere. Joe Burrow Stadium is no different, and the advancements in improving every aspect of the stadium make for a better viewing experience.
Whether a game is played during the day or at night, one can still feel the enthusiasm and energy expressed by the players, coaching staff, and fans watching in the stands.
Neighborhood 2
Joe Burrow Stadium can be found in The Plains, Ohio, which is a census-designated place in Athens County. It’s only about a fifteen-minute drive from Athens, Ohio, and Ohio University, and as of the 2020 census, the population was 3,140 people.
From an outsider’s perspective, there’s not a lot about The Plains that is particularly interesting or fosters excitement. The stadium and its presence make up for an area that is rather, well, plain in what it provides to its residents and those passing through.
Fans 3
Athens High School competes in the Tri-Valley Conference (TVC) along with six other local school districts. Without a doubt, they have the best fanbase in their entire conference. Their regular fans and the students who participate in the school’s student section are top-notch.
However, one thing that should be taken note of is when the Bulldogs are in range of losing a game. Fans, whether they are regulars or students, have had a tendency to leave the game when they see that their team isn’t doing well.
This isn’t something exclusive to the Athens Bulldogs only, as there are a lot of high schools, colleges, and professional fanbases that commit this act as well. Fans should stay till the end if their team is either winning or losing, in my opinion. Athens’ fans are still great, but this does reflect poorly on them.
Access 3
Getting to and finding parking at Joe Burrow Stadium is tricky, to say the least. For a high school football stadium, it’s actually pretty good with how many vehicles it can park and have on its property. The tricky part is trying to leave the stadium after the game is over.
Last year, when I was reporting on a game the Bulldogs had won, I found it extremely difficult to leave the area and get back home at a reasonable time. I couldn’t imagine when the people behind me got back to their homes, respectively.
For anyone who may want to watch the Bulldogs in person at Joe Burrow Stadium, they need to be aware of this after a game has concluded.
Return on Investment 5
Compared to other schools, the prices for tickets for a football game at Joe Burrow Stadium are actually quite generous. For one adult ticket, it only costs $7. Of course, children and senior citizens get tickets that are priced lower, as they should be.
Extras 5
Before it was renamed to Joe Burrow Stadium, it was called Scott Riggs and Family Stadium. The full name of the complex before the change was Scott Riggs and Family Stadium R. Basil Rutter Field.
The former part of the title was named in honor of a major donor who contributed to the rebuilding of the stadium after an EF2 tornado damaged it in 2010.
Final Thoughts
There isn’t much else I have to say about Joe Burrow Stadium that hasn’t been said at the beginning of this piece. It was a pleasure to report on the Bulldogs the previous two seasons, and getting to watch them perform in the facility like that made the covering experience increased my enjoyable.
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