If you stayed for all of LSU football’s Saturday win over UCLA, you might’ve felt like you lost because of the blistering heat.
At 2:53 p.m.–eight minutes after kickoff–the heat index was 100 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service. The ABC broadcast for the game said the temperature of the turf field was around 130 degrees.
That prompted many fans to leave early, and it was noticeable: the east side of the stadium where the sun was shining was nearly empty by halftime.
Many fans also experienced varying degrees of heat exhaustion. LSU told The Reveille that there were 58 heat-related medical assists made in and around the stadium on Saturday, which a spokesperson described as a “moderate uptick” from the normal number on a game day.
“Everyone definitely was struggling in the student section,” said mass communications freshman Mia Hattaway.
Hattaway, like dozens of other students, had to leave during the first quarter of the game because of how dangerously hot it was in Tiger Stadium. Being in the stuffy environment of the student section added onto the threat of the situation.
Retreating into the interior of the stadium provided little relief for fans, as most sections have no fans or ventilation.
“There being nowhere to sit and experience any sort of cool-off unless you’re in a club seat or something is a little ridiculous,” said mathematics junior Hailey Sisung.
During the course of the game, students swarmed the concourse en masse in search of water and any spot to cool down. Sisung said this made for a very “overwhelming” environment, one where she saw students on the ground, unable to get up and in desperate need of water.
In addition, ailing students being tended to by medics blocked exits in the concourse. In one instance, medics struggled to get an unconscious student back inside the stadium under the shade because of the mass of students trying to leave.
The football team wasn’t immune to Saturday’s conditions, either.
“I think we started letting our energy slip with the heat,” junior tight end Mason Taylor said after the game. “The crowd, I don’t blame them for leaving. It’s hot out.”
Saturday’s troubles prompted some fans to wonder why LSU doesn’t just play night games, but it’s not up to the university: it’s a decision made by television networks.
“We would always prefer to play those games at night,” said senior associate AD and chief communications officer Zach Greenwell. “We’re not the only one with the same preference.”
Greenwell encouraged fans to do their best to be conscious of hydration before the game, especially given the unpredictability of the weather in the hot earlier months of the football season.
He also added that LSU has made efforts in recent years to accommodate fans by allowing them to bring an unopened water bottle (32 ounces or smaller) into the venue.
In addition, LSU’s Fan Zone in front of the Pete Maravich Center has a free Powerade station and a cooling tent. Tiger Stadium also has water-filling stations, and water bottles are sold at concession stands for up to $7.
However, students reported that the water-filling station nearest the student section was out of order on Saturday.
Greenwell recommends that fans take advantage of LSU’s accommodations, but says it’s also up to fans to be prepared for the extreme game day heat.
Sometimes, though, it’s nearly impossible for fans to endure the heat despite doing all the right things.
“Throughout the day, I had had food, plenty of water, but then started feeling nauseous,” Hattaway said. “That didn’t help.”
As for how it affects crowd sizes as the game goes on, Greenwell says that’s the least of LSU’s concerns.
“We would always encourage fans to take care of themselves first and foremost.”
While students struggled to make it through this game under the heat, they’re not opposed to returning to Tiger Stadium for another football game, so long as it takes place in cooler temperatures.
