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The stadium's an equal attraction this year for Texas Tech football | Don Williams
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- The stadium's an equal attraction this year for Texas Tech football | Don Williams
Most any other season, on the Monday before a Texas Tech football season opener, the subject matter in this space would stem from whatever the head coach said at the weekly press luncheon.
That's been the drill for me for 39 seasons now, from David McWilliams' year with the Red Raiders through the ones of Spike Dykes, Mike Leach, Tommy Tuberville, Kliff Kingsbury, Matt Wells and Joey McGuire . On Monday, though, the thing that stuck with me most after the drive over to 4th and University wasn't anything in particular McGuire said.
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The new south end zone building stole the show. Texas Tech opened the facility on Friday in a private event for the largest donors to the $242 million project, one that also involves the Dustin R. Womble Football Center across the way and the new visiting team locker room.
Though we've seen the south end zone and shot it from the exterior, front side and back side, all spring and summer, Monday was the first time inside the Gary Petersen Field Club. It's bright and open and shiny. It's heavy on scarlet, thank goodness. (Thank goodness because, in this day of teams suiting up in uniforms that may or may not have school colors, you can't take color scheme for granted. Here you have a color scheme that's spot on.)
It's a match with the north end zone club and loge seating that opened in 2016, but better.
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Related: What's inside Texas Tech football's new end zone building at Jones AT&T Stadium
Come game day, those in the stadium club will flank the Red Raiders as the players pass through onto the field, right behind the goal post on the south end.
Which we've known for a couple of years. That was one of the first features Tech promoted after it announced plans for project in July 2022.
The entrance to the Gary Petersen Field Club at Jones AT&T Stadium is shown on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. The Texas Tech football team will enter the field through the passageway, flanked by Red Raiders fans on either side.
That makes seeing it and experiencing it for the first time no less impressive.
I think it'll be the same on Saturday for all the folks coming into the stadium. Even if you don't have a pass for the field club, seeing the south end zone building up close, from anywhere in the stadium, ought to be captivating.
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We've done our best to chronicle that through photos and videos for the past several months. As others have said, though, even the visual medium might not deliver the full grandeur. Standing near the south end zone and gazing upward, you get the sense low-flying aircraft had better keep an eye out for the new Double T scoreboard.
You need to see it for yourself.
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A look inside the Gary Petersen Field Club in the Jones AT&T Stadium south end zone building. Texas Tech opens the season at home Saturday against Abilene Christian.
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I wondered aloud the other night to Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec if the university would be starting a sports-facilities project of this magnitude in 2024, at a time when so many dollars are about to be redirected to the players. After all, Tech fundraised a little less than half of this $242 million project, and Kirby Hocutt is cautious about committing to the scholarship increases.
Schovanec pointed out that spending is not only about this team, this year.
In regard to the new stuff in and around Jones AT&T Stadium, it's about investing in something that will be an advantage for coaches, players and fans, and a source of pride, for decades to come.
In that regard, the new building fills the bill.
The Gary Petersen Field Club, located in the new Jones AT&T Stadium south end zone building, will debut when the Texas Tech football team opens the season Saturday against Abilene Christian.
The Jones AT&T Stadium south end zone building is shown on Monday, Aug. 26, 2024. The Red Raiders host Abilene Christian in the season opener on Saturday.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Stadium part of appeal this year for Texas Tech football | Don Williams
