It’s officially baseball season here in Baton Rouge.
Heading into the preseason, D1 Baseball has LSU ranked No. 3, sparking a continued wave of anticipation among the thousands of fans here in the Boot. It’s a promising start that gives the Tigers a comfortable spot in the NCAA rankings and a chance to return to Omaha this spring to clinch another World Series win.
This Friday’s home opener will be a testament to the dedication of the LSU fan base. Although home opener numbers aren’t necessarily monitored, Tigers’ faithful pack Alex Box Stadium year after year.
LSU fans are regarded as some of the most passionate supporters in college sports, but baseball holds a special place, with a dynasty-sized reputation before it.
The Tigers consistently lead the nation in college baseball attendance. In 2023, it set a school single-game attendance record with 13,068 fans attending a game against Tennessee. In 2024, LSU had 447,527 in paid attendance over 40 home games, averaging 11,188 fans per game.
Since 1996, the Tigers have led the nation in attendance 25 times, a streak that showcases the program’s dominance not just on the field with top recruiting classes but with fans’ support. It’s a source of pride for the LSU community and a testament to the team’s enduring legacy.
One of the notable elements of LSU’s home opener is the pre-game festivities. Fans gather outside Alex Box to tailgate, fire up the grills, share stories, and soak in the moments before they watch the first pitch thrown. The atmosphere is electric, with music, food, and pride filling the air.
A cherished tradition that unites Tiger fans is the legendary ‘Rally Possum,’ a superstition that gained popularity after LSU’s dramatic comeback win against Arkansas in 2016. The Tigers were down 4-9 to the Razorbacks in the seventh inning when a possum scurried onto the field.
The purple and gold grounds crew captured the creature shortly after it snuck onto the field. After that, LSU made a ferocious comeback to score four runs and go into three extra innings to win. The Tigers were victorious in the tenth inning due to an Arkansas error, as LSU went on to win 10-9.
After such a crazy turn of events in 2016, fans rushed to make merchandise and even brought stuffed possums to games as a sign of luck for the team. Sometimes, one even hangs up in the dugout; the possum’s impact on the program is still apparent almost a decade later.
The anticipation is quickly growing, and with the first game to highlight the new talent that the Tigers have recruited, fans will be ready to pack the stands for opening day once again as LSU prepares to take on Purdue Fort Wayne this Friday.
