Galaxy Stadium - Texas Tech Red Raiders
Updated: 2 days ago
Photos by Terry McCutchen, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43
Galaxy Stadium 2526 Mac Davis Lane Lubbock, TX 79407
Year Opened: 1947
Capacity: 60,454
Football at Texas Tech
Galaxy Stadium originally opened in 1947 as Jones Stadium, in honor of university benefactors Clifford B. and Audrey Jones. Seating was added on the west side to expand seating to 44,000 in 1959. After replacing the grass with state-of-the-art Astroturf in 1971, seating was added, and upgrades were made incrementally through 2003, when Tech added the $52M Spanish Renaissance building on the west side of “The Jones” to house luxury suites and club-level seating.
Field turf replaced the Astroturf in 2006, and the university continued to upgrade the stadium by adding club level and end zone suites through the 2010s. In 2023, Tech began a massive investment in its program, pledging nearly $250M into the south end zone to develop the Dustin R. Womble Player Development Center, a multi-level facility that houses football operations, party decks, field-level club spaces, and luxury suites; new entry gates were added during the history-making project as well.
With construction completed in 2025, combined with a 15-year naming rights agreement with Galaxy and a rabid fanbase, Texas Tech has created one of the biggest home field advantages in the Big 12 Conference.
Food & Beverage 4
If you crave it, the concessions at Galaxy Stadium more than likely offer it. Located on both the ground and second level of the concourse, there are 17 permanent concession stands plus five portable concession kiosks and five self-serve grab-n-go locations. Touchdown Tavern, one of these self-serve marketplaces located in the south end zone, offers smashburgers, nachos, flatbreads, hot sandwiches, and chicken strips in addition to drinks and candy.
There is little wasted space under the stadium structure that is not assigned to concessions, souvenirs, or stadium support, which helps to alleviate long lines. Most of the stands serve the same basic items, including drinks, hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, peanuts, pickles, and candy, while also having their own specialty item or two. Some of the more appealing specialties available at the facility are barbecue, roast beef sandwiches, sausage wraps, and burgers.
Coca-Cola is the soft drink provider, which means Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Dasani water, and Powerade are among the offerings. Regular concession stands serve two sizes of fountain drinks in cups (no souvenir cups are available), while bottled drinks are available in the grab-n-go locations. HTeaO is a sponsor of the Red Raiders, so they offer two sizes of regular, coconut, and Georgia peach sweet and unsweet tea.
Alcohol is available in all concession areas, including the self-serve spots, with options that should please any palate. Beer choices are nearly unlimited here, including nearly all popular brands plus local craft favorite Two Docs. Other alcohol options range from multiple brands of seltzer water, buzz balls, hard iced tea, canned margaritas, and VGM’s gin and juice.
Atmosphere 5
The gameday atmosphere in Lubbock is top-notch. The Red Raiders have averaged more than 55.000 fans per game since at least 2015, ranking in the top 30 nationally and consistently playing games at well above 90% capacity. Fans can get loosened up and game-ready by visiting one of two tailgating areas: Raider Alley, the primary spot for pregame activities, is located in the Engineering Key on the south/southwest side of Galaxy Stadium, while RaiderGate, a student-centered tailgate area open to students and their guests, is located in the R-3 parking lot. Tech fans generally take full advantage of pregame activities and bring their heightened energy into the stadium before kickoff.
The 400-strong Goin’ Band from Raiderland and 10,000 animated students help to make up the basis of a rowdy crowd. With nearly 60,000 black-and-red-clad rabid supporters, the Texas Tech Red Raiders play in one of the best home field environments that the NCAA offers. Even during a non-conference game that kicked off prior to noon, the excitement of the crowd was extremely high.
Neighborhood 4
Texas Tech University is located in the northeastern quadrant of Lubbock, adjacent to an older residential neighborhood that reflects decades of wear and change. As Lubbock’s modern growth expanded primarily toward the southwest, Texas Tech was able to increase its campus footprint by purchasing houses and lots as they became available. At the same time, the State of Texas’ construction of the Marsha Sharp Freeway, which runs just north of campus and Galaxy Stadium, further reshaped the area. By the early 2000s, the neighborhood surrounding the university had become a striking mix of new hotels and restaurants, small midcentury homes, and aging or deteriorating businesses – a landscape reflecting both the rapid growth of Texas Tech and the changing character of Lubbock.
There are numerous hotels at all price levels less than a mile from the gates of Galaxy Stadium. Some of these include Hampton Inn & Suites University, The Overton Hotel, Residence Inn, and Courtyard by Marriott, among others. Availability is limited during football weekends, so reservations should be made as early as possible.
Culinary choices are wide-ranging near campus as well; there are choices that range from national fast-food chains and casual dining restaurants to local burger joints, hangouts, and dive bars. In addition, just a few of many drive-thru options include Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, Raising Cane’s, and Firehouse Subs, while local favorites include Spanky’s, Wrecked Burgers and Brews, Torchy’s Tacos, Logie’s, Cheveland, and Ground Zero Sports Bar.
The possibility of staying within walking distance of restaurants, nightlife, and Galaxy Stadium creates a wonderful situation for out-of-town visitors.
Fans 5
Red Raider fans are loyal and generally bleed red and black. Texas Tech is also usually considered the third or fourth most popular university in the state of Texas. As such, and with Lubbock being located on the South Plains at the base of the Texas Panhandle, many miles away from the larger metropolitan centers of the state, Red Raiders often have an underdog mentality. Regionally, however, Texas Tech has a stranglehold on fandom as a powerhouse where most citizens have at least a passing knowledge of Red Raider sports. The average Tech fan hails from a smaller West Texas city or town, with blue-collar roots and tending to be loyal and hard-working. These fans gather on Saturdays in the fall to root for their favorite college team as hard as they work.
Access 5
Located on the northwestern corner of the Texas Tech campus, just south of the Marsha Sharp Expressway (Highways 62/82), Galaxy Stadium is easily accessible. Most campus lots near the stadium are designated for season ticket holders, but single-game and free parking options are available across the freeway from the stadium along 4th and 5th streets. These lower-priced lots have game day shuttle service for only $6, or fans can walk to the facility – these lots are located approximately a mile from the northwest corner of the venue (Gate 3). Texas Tech also has quality maps and game day information posted on their website.
Return On Investment 4
Fans attending Texas Tech football games should feel they are getting their money's worth. Ticket prices for Power 4 football have risen dramatically in the past several years, but Red Raider ticket prices remain near the average for most seating options. With dynamic pricing based on the opponent and the selected seat, some early season non-conference games are accessible for as little as $40. Conference game ticket prices, on the other hand, range from around $70 to $250 depending on the opponent, which is similar to most other NCAA Division I schools in the Big 12 and Southwest region.
Concession prices are not outrageous when it comes to major sporting events: bottled water costs $3.50, Cokes are $5.50, beers cost $9.85, snacks run $5 to $8, and entrees cost between $10 and $15. After you consider that free parking is an option (with a walk or $6 shuttle ride to the stadium), a fall Saturday in Raiderland is a fairly affordable entertainment option.
Extras 4
Grab-n-go markets that offer entrees as well as snack options deserve extra recognition. At halftime during an early fall Saturday game with temperatures soaring into the high 90s, many fans retreated to the concourse for relief, but waiting time for concessions remained only a couple of minutes across the board thanks to these quick-moving areas.
Even with a crowd of nearly 60,000, both foot and car traffic flowed quickly and smoothly. Parking was plentiful in and around campus, with free parking options available a short $6 shuttle ride away. A map that is clear and easy to understand is available on the university website to assist with game-day parking, which also warrants an extra point.
Despite its size, Lubbock is a college town. The entire South Plains of Texas bleeds red and black, as most of these citizens consider themselves Red Raider fans (unless they are alumni of another major university). This fanaticism is evident when driving through some of the small towns nearby, or when visiting local stores and seeing numerous people and businesses adorned in Texas Tech garb – this writer thinks that level of enthusiasm deserves added recognition as well.
Final Thoughts
Texas Tech, as a member of the Big 12, competes at the highest level of NCAA athletics. Galaxy Stadium and the surrounding area match this level as far as amenities and opportunities to spend time before and after ball games. Visitors will also find that navigation in and around the Texas Tech campus is not difficult, and most fans you encounter are friendly, even if they bleed red and black. Even though Lubbock and Texas Tech may not be listed among top-level bucket list items to visit, fans are sure to be pleasantly surprised with their time in the Hub City.
