Lane Stadium

Lane Stadium
General information
Status	Active
Type	Football Stadium
Architectural style	Modern
Town or city	Blacksburg
Completed	1965 (1965)
Renovated	2006 (2006),
Owner	Virginia Tech
Technical details
Material	Hokie Stone and Concrete
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Carneal and Johnston Smithey and Boynton

Lane Stadium seats 65,632. Lane Stadium/Worsham Field has gone through numerous changes, renovations, and additions. But through it all, it has always been regarded as one of the finest places to watch – and toughest places for opponents to play – a college football game. Lane Stadium memorializes Edward Hudson Lane Sr., a student here in the early 1900s and later a member of the board of visitors. He co-founded the Lane Company, the world's largest producer of cedar chests; served on four major corporation boards; and sat on the national Business Council. The playing area was named Worsham Field in 1991 in honor of longtime Hokie supporter Wes Worsham, who pledged $1 million to the university's Second Century Campaign.

Construction on a stadium to seat 35,000 started in 1964 and by 1969 most major construction had been completed. The work cost $2,113,047. It was first used on Sept. 24, 1965, for a freshman football game between Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland, which ended in 8-8 tie. The first varsity game was Virginia Tech vs. the College of William and Mary on Oct. 2, 1965, with Tech winning 9-7.

In 1971 an area underneath the cantilevered press box was glassed into seat members of the Golden Hokie Club. An additional 26,768-square-foot bathroom area and concourse on the east side were completed in 1977. An additional 12,500 seats (new tier on one side) were installed in 1981 at a cost of $3.17 million.

A modern lighting system was added in 1982 and then replaced in 2005. The first night game was played on Nov. 25, 1982. A new scoreboard was installed in 1991 and then replaced with a Jumbotron in 2005. The auxiliary scoreboard on the north end was added in 1994.

Permanent bleachers were added in 1999. The expansion of the south end zone, adding 11,120 seats and enclosing the south end zone, came in 2002 and cost $37 million. The old press box was removed in 2004.

The west end stands addition was completed in 2006. It brought another 11,000 seats -- including 1,160 bleacher seats with backs, 1,200 club seats, and 15 luxury suites -- plus an improved visitors’ locker room, a high-tech media center, and a new press area added for $52.5 million.

Traditions

Corps of Cadets

• Virginia Tech's Corps of Cadets march into Lane Stadium and stand in formation on the field during the National Anthem and Rendering of Colors.
• The Corps of Cadets sit together in the lower level of the South end zone stands during every home game.
• Freshman cadets do push-ups on the shoulders of their classmates equal to the point total after each score.
• Skipper: The world's largest game cannon, "Skipper" is present at every home game. It was built in 1963 by a group of cadets, led by Homer Hickam, author of the book, Rocket Boys. "Skipper" was created in an effort to silence the chant of: "Where's your cannon?" by the students of then arch-rival, VMI during the annual Thanksgiving Day game. The cannon was named "Skipper" to honor John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated at the same time the cannon was built. As the captain of a PT boat in WWII, JFK was commonly known as "Skipper". In 2015, a custom display space in the new cadet dormitory, Pearson Hall, became the permanent home for Skipper, presenting the cannon in a highly visible location for students, alumni, and visitors to admire when not in use.
• The Highty-Tighties: Virginia Tech's regimental band, the Highty-Tighties was founded in 1892 and is the oldest collegiate band in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is composed completely of members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets.
• Growley II': The Corps of Cadets welcomed a new canine ambassador among its ranks in the fall of 2016, a yellow Labrador Retriever, named "Growley II" (call sign “Tank”). According to folklore, the name, "Growley" originated in the 1930s with the name of the commandant's dog. Cadets would regularly feed "Growley" with portions of their breakfast since food was scarce. Cadets then began referring to breakfast as "Growley", and the morning formation was typically announced as “minutes to Growley”. Today, "Growley II" resides at Pearson Hall with his two cadet handlers and accompanies the Corps of Cadets to home football games.
• Homecoming Game Traditions:
  • Game Ball Run: Started in 1977, the VT Corps of Cadets' Ranger Company run the game ball for 100 miles (160 km) around campus, ending at the Homecoming Game Spirit Rally on Friday evening.
  • Flaming VT: Originating the mid 1960s, During the Homecoming Game Spirit Rally, the Corps of Cadets' Hotel Company lights a flaming VT with a torch. When it first began, cadets would thread rolls of toilet paper soaked in kerosene onto a metal VT shaped frame and run the flaming VT through campus, urging students to join the crowd.

Pre-game

• "Hokie Walk": A tradition where the team arrives in buses and walks to the locker room among the fans, and led by the Highty-Tighties and the Hokie Bird.
• Hokie Village: A game-day celebration near Lane Stadium that started in 2014. It's a family oriented, carnival atmosphere, featuring games, music, and appearances by cheerleaders, the Hokie Bird, and "Skipper".
• Pre-Game Field Show: At every home game, the Highty-Tighties perform the pre-game field show. At least once a year, the Marching Virginians perform their pre-game show, which begins with the band forming the shape of the Commonwealth of Virginia and features the MV's forming several recognizable shapes such as spelling out "VT," "HOKIES," and "TECH."
• Virginia Tech's Corps of Cadets march into Lane Stadium and stand in formation on the field during the National Anthem and Rendering of Colors."Skipper" is fired inside Lane Stadium in the south end zone at the completion of the anthem.
• Fireworks: Fireworks are set-off during and after the singing of the National anthem at night games.

Team entrance

• Prior to the team entrance, the cheerleaders start an alternating chant of "Let's Go" and "Hokies" with the east and west stands before the game.
• Enter Sandman: Beginning in 2000, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" is played as the football team enters the field through the tunnel behind the North end zone. As the music begins, The Marching Virginians lead the stadium in jumping in place, which has become known as the "Blacksburg Bounce".
• Hokie Stone: As the team runs out of the tunnel during Sandman, each player reaches up and touches a slab of Hokie Stone, then runs between two phalanxes, consisting of the Highty-Tighties, Marching Virginians, and freshman cadets. On the last home game of the season, senior cadets take the place of freshmen during the entrance as part of the corps of cadet's "Senior Day".

In-game

• Orange Effect: Since 2002, the students have designated one game where all fans are asked to wear orange. The Orange Effect game is always played against a team that does not use orange as a team color (e.g., Syracuse, Miami, UVA, or Clemson).
• Maroon Effect: Added in 2005, The Maroon Effect game is always played against a team that does not use maroon/crimson as a team color (includes regular opponents such as: Boston College or Florida State). The very first (unofficial) Maroon Effect game was in 2002 against the University of Virginia.
• White Out: Added in 2008. The White Out game is typically done for an early season game, usually against an FCS opponent, where all fans wear white.
• Marching Virginians: The Marching Virginians occupy the field level bleachers, in front of the student section behind the North end zone during the game, and play songs throughout.
• Turkey Gobble: A turkey gobble sound is periodically played over the PA system to rile up the crowd during lulls, most commonly on opponent's third down plays. The turkey gobble is in memory of Floyd H. "Hard Times" Meade, a local boy who was adopted by the corps and became the school's first "mascot" in the late 19th century. Floyd later brought live trained turkeys to games to walk the sidelines during games and gobble on command.
• Key Play: A tradition started in the late 1980s: Virginia Tech fans shake their keys as a distraction during opponent's third down plays, signifying a "key play".
• Growley II: Since the beginning of the 2016 season, the Corps of Cadets' canine ambassador, Growley II ('Tank'), can be seen along the sidelines, in front of the cadet seating section, often chewing on a doll of the opposing team's mascot.
• Halftime Field Show: The Marching Virginians perform the half-time field show at every game. At every field show, the band usually performs up to three songs followed by "Tech Triumph" as they march off the field. The Highty-Tighties perform the halftime show at least once a year.
• Hokie Pokie: The tuba section of The Marching Virginians lines up on the goal line of the north end zone to play and dance the Hokie Pokie ("Hokey Pokey"). This is performed during halftime at select games during the season. Prior to 2017, the "Hokie Pokie" was performed between the 3rd and 4th quarters of every home game.

Scoring plays

• Student Toss: Groups of students, most of whom are seated in the student section in the north end zone, lift up a student (usually female) to toss in the air for every point scored.
• Bench Press: The school mascot, the Hokie Bird does one bench press for every point the Hokies score on a weight bench in the end zone.
• Push-Ups: Freshman cadets complete push-ups on the shoulders of their cadets seated in front of them, completing one push-up for every point scored by the Hokies.
• Flags: Following every touchdown, members of the cheer squad run onto the field carrying six large flags, each with a single letter, spelling: "H-O-K-I-E-S"
• Tech Triumph: After a scoring play, the Marching Virginians will play the fight song, Tech Triumph. During a touchdown, the band will reduce their sound while the team attempts the extra point, returning to normal following the kick.
• Skipper: During the game, Skipper, the cannon is fired behind the north end zone stands of Lane Stadium after every score by Virginia Tech.
• Fireworks: Fireworks are set-off on scoring plays at night games.

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External Links

• General information about Lane Staduim