Knight-Newbrough Field at University Stadium - Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
- Dave Cottenie
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Knight-Newbrough Field @ University Stadium
81 Seagram Drive
Waterloo, ON N2L 3B7
Year Opened: 1958
Capacity: ~3,000
Seagram Revival
In the post-COVID era, the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks found themselves relatively homeless. The grandstands at their home, University Stadium, had been condemned, and immediate planning for the future was required. The Seagram Project was born, reimagining the home for the USports football team. University Stadium was originally known as Seagram Stadium when it was built in 1958 and named after the once local distillery.
The broader Seagram Project would see the replacement of the turf, installation of a new videoboard, rebuilding of the grandstand, including a set of stands on the south side, infrastructure for a winter dome over the field, and a rebuilding of the gymnasium. As of this writing in 2025, the north side grandstand has been completed along with the turf and videoboard, and the dome is expected to be in place for the winter of 2025-26. From the 2021 season to 2025, the Golden Hawks have played at University Stadium in various configurations, a couple of years with temporary stands.
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks began as Waterloo College before becoming Waterloo Lutheran University in 1960. With the provincial funding of only secular post-secondary institutions, the name Wilfrid Laurier University was adopted in 1973. The football team has been playing since 1924 and enjoyed a modicum of success for a small school, culminating in Vanier Cup victories as National Champions in 1991 and 2005. University Stadium has been home to the Golden Hawks since 1958. Originally called Seagram Stadium and owned by the University of Waterloo, University Stadium was purchased by Wilfrid Laurier University from the City of Waterloo in 1992. In 2007, the field was renamed Knight-Newbrough Field after Laurier coaching legends Dave “Tuffy” Knight and Rich Newbrough.
Food & Beverage 3
Concessions at University Stadium are pretty good for an OUA football facility. The main concession stand under the grandstand offers regular stadium fare, including popcorn, cotton candy, nachos, chips, and Domino’s Pizza. Coffee and Coca-Cola beverages are also available. In the west endzone, there is normally a BBQ going on that offers sausage, hot dogs, and burgers. Also, for those of age, alcoholic beverages are available in the east endzone from Sleeman Brewing.
Atmosphere 3
The face of University Stadium has changed significantly in the 2025 season. The exterior of the stadium is attractive enough from the north side, which includes a gymnasium used for various school recreation activities, as well as a nice ticketing office. The field is west-east oriented, with the main grandstand found on the north side.
The old, wooden grandstand was removed in 2023, and the 2025 season began with temporary bleachers on the south side, with north side bleachers having been used in the previous season. The first game of the season saw no north side bleachers. In preparation for Homecoming, the third home game of the season, the Golden Hawks played a home game at neighbouring Warrior Field on the campus of the University of Waterloo. The unveiling of the new north side stands happened at Homecoming. The new grandstand is quite a bit different from the old one. Now made of aluminum, the grandstand stretches from goal line to goal line, longer than the previous one.
It also has around 12 rows of seating, far fewer than the previous grandstand. Molded plastic purple or yellow stadium seats now make up the bulk of the seating, with bleacher benches at both ends of the north side seating. The Homecoming game had temporary bleachers on the southside, but for the final home game of the season, the bleachers had been moved, and it was clear that permanent, southside bleachers were coming soon. Temporary bleachers have been set up in the east and west endzones this season as well.
The main structure, north of the grandstand, houses the gymnasium, ticketing office, concessions, washrooms, and locker rooms. There are a few posters on the walls, and east of the concession is a pop-up swag shop. The brand-new scoreboard with videoboard is found at the west end. Underneath the scoreboard, there is a sign with the name of the field and a notation of the 1991 and 2005 National Championships.
However, there are no banners or signs at the moment signifying the 9 Yates Cup Championships as Conference Champions. Hopefully, after the infrastructure has been completed, there will be the opportunity for Laurier to display and honour the accomplishments of many of the teams over the years and significant player achievements, including the two Hec Crighton Trophy winners. Traditionally, there has been more space beyond the endzones for a beer garden and kids club. It remains to be seen if this is part of the plans once the infrastructure has been completed.
The gameday atmosphere is about what one would expect from an OUA event. The requisite promotions are part of the fun, and the host finds fans in the stands to take part in short competitions or to be Wilf's Fan of the Game. The cheerleading team leads the fans in standard football cheers and performs many gymnastic stunts. The Laurier mascot, Midas, can be found around the stadium interacting with fans and posing for pictures. Midas starts the game entering on a motorized cart and firing up the fans with a siren reel. The Laurier anthem, “Country Roads,” can still be heard at each game. The 2024 and 2025 seasons have seen the introduction of the Hawkline, a drumline that has been a welcome addition to the Laurier family.
Neighbourhood 4
Wilfrid Laurier is an urban university located just up the street from another urban university. As a result there are a ton of great options for pre- and post-game meals. University and King streets are where one would find most of the options. There are a ton of great spots to get something to eat before or after the game. Some places one might consider checking out include Crabby Joe’s, Smoke’s Poutinerie, and Ethel’s Lounge.
The on-campus pub is Wilf’s and offers a great atmosphere and food while being student-run and managed. The place you probably should settle on, however, is Morty’s Pub. Home of arguably the best chicken wings in the city, Morty’s always satisfies your post-game craving. Their chicken wings are legendary in the city.
As far as entertainment goes, there are a few options in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Fans planning on catching a Laurier game around Canadian Thanksgiving could be able to catch Oktoberfest. This is the signature festival of Kitchener-Waterloo and the largest Bavarian festival outside of Germany. There are a number of great events that take place over the 10-day festival at a variety of locations, including the numerous Fest Halls.
Heading south on King Street toward Uptown Waterloo, fans will find a great spot for some evening entertainment in the Huether Hotel Jazz Room. One of the top jazz venues in the province, The Jazz Room offers weekend performances at a great price. There are also a number of pubs in Uptown Waterloo that feature live music.
If fans are interested in enhancing their sporting weekend, then there are also a few other options. Wilfrid Laurier also fields other athletic teams, specifically basketball at the WLU Athletic Complex and hockey at the Sun Life Financial Arena. Just up the road, the University of Waterloo also fields USports athletic programs. Fans will find football at Warrior Field, basketball at the Physical Activities Complex , and hockey at the Columbia IceField. If willing to drive across town, then fans can catch the phenomenal experience of the Kitchener Rangers at the legendary Aud.
For fans who are planning on staying the night, the Delta is just a short drive from the Laurier campus and is a pretty decent place to stay.
Fans 3
Fan support for Golden Hawks football is a bit of a roller coaster affair. Weather, time of year, and number of students on campus are all major factors for football attendance. The post-pandemic era, combined with stadium issues, has not made University Stadium the most popular place. However, improvements to the facility, along with a 2024 run to the Vanier Cup and a strong 2025 season, have seen the attendance steadily increase.
Annually, the Homecoming game previously packed well over 8,000 fans into University Stadium. Capacity for the last two Homecoming Games has been capped at 5,000 fans. A late-season game against a weak opponent can bring in less than 1,000. As with most USports programs, Laurier needs to continue efforts to engage students and get them out to the games, regardless of the date. There is no true student section at USports football games like there are at their American counterparts. Building a better relationship with current students and finding a way to make Laurier football part of their lives after graduation will go a long way to improving fan attendance overall.
Access 4
Getting to University Stadium and around is not very difficult. University Stadium is located on Seagram Drive, which runs between University and Albert Streets. Fans who are coming from out of town will have a decent drive through the city, as the university campus is a fair trek southwest of Highway 85. Traffic on University Ave moves fairly quickly, so getting to the stadium should not be too much of an issue.
There are a number of bus routes that travel along King St and University Ave. The Ion Light Rail also has a stop at Waterloo Park, a few steps from the stadium. Check the Grand River Transit website for fares, maps, and schedules.
Parking can be for sale in the stadium lot, however, most spaces are reserved for season ticket holders and media. There is some parking available west of the stadium in the Granite Club parking lot, but be mindful of the signs, as ticketing often happens for violators. Parking can also be found on campus or in some of the University of Waterloo lots that are close to Seagram Drive.
The ticketing office is located in the permanent building under the grandstand. Other than that, there is no specific, grand entry gate. Security is present at 2 or 3 gates for entry, which is more than ample for this facility, and entry into the stadium is very quick.
Moving around University Stadium for the 2025 season has changed from game to game. In the final regular-season home game, the south side was completely closed, which was better than the first game, where the north side was closed. Permanent washrooms are decent; however, a large crowd necessitates the use of portable toilets, which are also on site.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Golden Hawks have come down in recent years. Regular adult tickets are $12 if purchased in advance. Staff, alumni, students, and seniors are all $9.50, and Laurier students are $5, while kids are $6. Each ticket category is more expensive when walking up. The concession prices are decent and parking can be found for free. The product on the field is significantly under-rated, and fans will no doubt enjoy their afternoon.
Extras 4
An extra mark for the continued nod back to West Virginia. The heart of the Laurier athletics program came north from West Virginia. Over the years, the Hawks have embraced John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” as their anthem. When the Hawks won the Vanier Cup in 2005, it was John Denver who blasted over the PA. The Laurier anthem has found a home during each game, an improvement from previous seasons when it was only played at Homecoming.
An extra mark for Laurier announcer Chris Povey, who has done a fantastic job as the public address announcer for Laurier football and hockey for many years. Chris brings energy and enthusiasm to the game every time and does his best to entertain and inform the crowd, even if the game is not so interesting.
An extra mark for the interesting history of the Golden Hawks mascot.
An extra mark for the program that Tuffy Knight and Rich Newbrough put together, and the honor of having the field named after these Laurier Legends.
Final Thoughts
Knight-Newbrough Field @ University Stadium continues to be a work in progress. Significant improvements have been made to the facility. It looks like Laurier Golden Hawk fans will be rewarded with a great facility after enduring the growing pains of a number of years of construction. It remains to be seen just how good the final product will be when the dust is cleared and the Seagram Project is finally complete.
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