On football Saturdays in Auburn, Jordan-Hare Stadium becomes Alabama’s fifth-largest city. More than 75,000 season tickets were sold to Auburn home games in each of the last nine years.

Named for Ralph "Shug" Jordan, Auburn’s all-time winningest football coach, and Clifford Leroy Hare, a member of Auburn’s first football team, president of the old Southern Conference and longtime chairman of Auburn’s Faculty Athletic Committee, Jordan-Hare Stadium has a capacity of 86,063.

What is now Jordan-Hare Stadium was first opened and dedicated on Nov. 30, 1939, at the Auburn-Florida game. Babe McGehee, now an Auburn resident, scored the first touchdown in what was then called "Auburn Stadium," catching a pass from Dick McGowen. McGowen, who later coached at Auburn for Jordan, kicked the extra point and Auburn tied Florida, 7-7.

That first stadium held 7,500 seats and consisted of what is now the bottom part of the lower west stands. When the stadium was renamed "Cliff Hare Stadium" in 1949, 14,000 seats—the present lower east stands—had been added, raising capacity to 21,500.

Jordan became head coach in 1951 and the stadium that was to bear his name underwent three major expansions in 15 years. More than 40,000 seats, virtually half of the stadium’s present capacity, were added while Jordan was the coach.

Cliff Hare Stadium became Jordan-Hare Stadium in 1973. It was the first stadium in the country to be named for an active coach.

The history of Auburn Football can be seen by standing in the middle of the playing field and looking at various additions. The original stadium consisted of the bottom half of the lower west stands and later the east stands. Jordan teams added the top half of the lower west stands and the north and south end zone seats.

Players such as William Andrews, Joe Cribbs and James Brooks brought about the west side upper deck in 1980 and the success of Pat Dye-coached teams led the addition of the east side upper deck and luxury suites in 1987.

A football attendance record for the state of Alabama was set in the very first game of the "new" stadium when 80,000 fans came to see Auburn defeat Texas 31-3 in the season opener. Two more 80,000-plus crowds came to Auburn that season and within two seasons Jordan-Hare Stadium — and Auburn — held every major football attendance record in the state of Alabama.

Overall, Auburn has played 282 games in Jordan-Hare Stadium, winning 221, losing 53 and tying seven for a winning percentage of .799 against some of the nation’s best teams in college football. Auburn’s longest home winning streak is 30 games covering a period of nine years. It began with a 3-0 win over Clemson in 1952 and ended with a 14-12 upset loss to Kentucky in 1961.

Special Features of Jordan-Hare

Jordan-Hare Stadium Locker Rooms

Prior to the 2000 season, the locker rooms at Jordan-Hare Stadium were rebuilt, making them some of the finest game-day locker rooms in college football. Auburn’s locker room encompasses the entire South end zone, utilizing the space that was once both the Auburn and visitors’ dressing areas.

Auburn’s locker room increased in size from 1,300 square feet to 3,232 square feet. It houses oak lockers in an open area that is carpeted. The carpet includes a large AU logo in the center of the dressing room which according to tradition started by the 2000 senior class, can not be stepped on by a player or coach. A matching AU hangs from the ceiling. The room is connected to the stadium’s CCTV system and has four monitors for viewing.

Adjacent to the main locker room is a renovated and enlarged ceramic tile shower and restroom facilities, an overflow locker room for non-conference games, equipment room and a room that will be used for X-ray equipment in the future.

In addition to the main dressing area, the locker room also contains a state-of-the-art training room, media room, and photographer’s dark room.

The Tigers enter the field from the center of the south endzone. While "Eye of the Tiger" is played on the stadium sound system, Auburn takes the field through a cloud of smoke and thunderous cheers from over 86,000 fans.

The visitor’s locker room is now in the north endzone and contains a dressing room,coach’s locker room, media room and training room. The visiting team enters the field through the northeast corner of the endzone.

Jordan-Hare Stadium Recruiting Lounge and Tiger Walk Plaza

The Tiger Walk Plaza was completed in the summer of 2001. The courtyard will serve as the conclusion of Tiger Walk and as the entrance to home locker rooms and a recruit assembly room. The enclosed courtyard is paved with approximately 6,000 inscribed brick pavers purchased by Auburn alumni and friends.

The recruit assembly area is 3,065 SF and serves as a reception area. This room provides a comfortable atmosphere with direct connections to the field and the stadium. The room houses graphics of past Auburn games and two large screen projection TV’s which provide closed circuit televised action of the game. A prep kitchen and restroom facilities also support the functions for this area. During the off-season, the room will support other events tied to athletics.

Jordan-Hare Stadium Murals

Prior to the 1998 season, 10 large murals were placed on the east side exterior of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Artist Michael Taylor created the murals which include pictures of early Auburn football teams and coaches, Heisman winners Pat Sullivan and Bo Jackson and more recent history including pictures from Auburn’s 1993 undefeated season. Each mural is 11x29 and Auburn’s football history is displayed in chronological order from south to north.