Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium - Columbia Lions
- Aaron S. Terry
- Nov 9
- 4 min read
Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium
5101 Broadway
New York, NY 10034
Year Opened: 1923
Capacity: 17,000
Manhattan’s Lions
Columbia University has the third-oldest college football program in the country, behind Rutgers and Princeton – the Lions began play in 1870. Columbia participated in the first interstate college football game ever played, versus Rutgers, on November 12, 1870. That game was the fourth college football game ever held.
The Lions compete in the Ivy League of the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and currently play their home games at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium, about 5 or 6 miles north of Columbia’s campus in Manhattan. The facility opened in 1923 and currently seats 17,000, down from 32,000 when it originally opened.
Food & Beverage 2
Wien Stadium offers very basic concessions – there is not a lot of variety, but it will get you through a few hours. Being in New York City the prices are also on the high side. The menu consists of hot dogs, nachos with cheese sauce, pretzels, popcorn, packaged candy, and chips, ranging in price from $4 to $8. You can also get bottled water, bottled soda, coffee, and hot cocoa – drinks are all $5.
Atmosphere 2
Wien Stadium has grandstands on both sides, as well as a videoboard behind one end zone. They have a band, cheerleaders, and a costumed Lion mascot named Roar-ee, although I didn’t notice the mascot at the most recent game I attended. The concourse is quite spacious, and the venue boasts a two-story press box, with the President’s box taking up the lower level. There is a running track around the football field.
Neighborhood 4
There are plenty of restaurants and shopping in Manhattan, as you might expect, and much more in the wider area that is New York City. The closest major attractions to the stadium, which is on the very north end of the Isle of Manhattan, are the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Gardens, only a couple of miles from Wien Stadium – further away attractions include Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and many more. The state of New Jersey is right across the Hudson River from Manhattan.
Brown Sugar is a great restaurant only a few blocks from the facility, which offers happy hour specials between 4 and 8 pm. One of the most interesting and tasty selections Brown Sugar has is shrimp stuffed plantains, which is a savory pastry crust filled with the two items. Another item to be sure and try when in town is New York style pizza, or Sicilian pizza, which are two different things (Sicilian is closer to deep dish, but not as moist – the crust is fluffy, more like focaccia). Take it from me; real New York style pizza tastes better than copycat pizzas claiming to be New York style, and Sicilian is even better.
Another interesting feature local to the area are black squirrels, which you may not have ever seen if you are from the south or western United States.
Fans 2
Hardly any fans attend Columbia Lions games, except for students, who sit around the 50-yard line close to the field. Given that the stadium is 5 or 6 miles from campus, it is not surprising the students don’t have a bigger showing, although I was impressed by the number which were there.
The visiting fan base is practically non-existent; there are large banners covering several of the seating sections on that side, in fact, due to the small crowd size.
Access 5
You probably already know that New York City has a LOT of traffic, but the great thing about Wien Stadium is that it is only a couple of blocks from the 215th Street subway station (which is actually above ground – I learned recently only the ones closer to city center are underground). The 215th Street Station is on Line 1, which is one of three “red” lines; the 1 will take you to Columbia University at 116th Street, and past that to midtown/Times Square.
If you don’t want to take the subway, you should be able to get a taxi to the game depending on where you are staying, or you can try a rideshare like Uber. The train is nice because it only costs $3 one way, and is probably faster than taking a cab or Uber, since you don’t have to stop at traffic lights on the city streets. Most people in NYC don’t drive.
Return on Investment 3
Tickets to Lions football games start at $18, or you can spend up to $32 for the nicer chairbacks. Spending the extra money is probably not worthwhile, however, since the stadium won’t be full, so you can probably sit in those better seats anyway.
The cost is average for this level, and is fine if you really enjoy college football. Just don’t expect too much in the way of amenities, here.
Extras 2
Wien Stadium mostly uses a pleasant light blue in its color scheme, and there is lots of greenery in the background that hides the fact you are in the city. There is a team gear stand on the concourse, or you can visit the much larger team gear store on campus, which of course has a larger selections.
Final Thoughts
Columbia football does not offer an over-the-top experience at present, and the team is also not doing so well on the field of late, which is surprising considering they won the Ivy League just last season. The prices are pretty reasonable considering you are in New York City, however, and on the plus side you can get really close to the action, and enjoy an intimate setting where football is the focus. You also won’t have to fight large crowds and wait in long lines during the game.
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