McLane Stadium Waco: The Complete Guide for Baylor Students and Visitors
McLane Stadium sits right on the Brazos River at the edge of Baylor's campus — and if you've never been to a game there, you're in for a genuinely impressive experience. Opened in 2014, it holds 50,223 fans and has quickly become one of the most visually distinctive stadiums in college football. The river views from the upper deck are worth the ticket price alone.
Whether you're a student trying to figure out where to sit, a parent flying in for a game weekend, or a Baylor newcomer trying to understand what game days are actually like in Waco, this guide covers everything you need to know about McLane Stadium.
The Basics: What McLane Stadium Actually Is
Capacity: 50,223 (designed to expand to 55,000)
Address: 1001 S Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Waco, TX 76704
Opened: August 31, 2014 (Baylor defeated SMU 45-0 in the first game)
Named after: Drayton McLane Jr., a Baylor alumnus and business leader who provided the lead gift for construction
The stadium replaced Floyd Casey Stadium, which Baylor had outgrown both physically and aesthetically. McLane Stadium was designed by architecture firm Populous and cost roughly $266 million to build. It sits on a 40-acre site along the Brazos River — you can see the water from inside the stadium, which is genuinely unusual in college football.
In 2024, Baylor announced a major renovation that included new LED video boards, a new production control room, and the addition of the Brazos Suites (three premium field-view suites beneath the main video board, each accommodating up to 50 guests).
McLane Stadium Seating: Where to Sit
The stadium has three main seating levels:
100-level (field level): Closest to the action, most expensive for non-student tickets. The atmosphere is great for big games.
200-level (club level / Bear Heights Club): Climate-controlled 18,000-square-foot premium club lounge with all-inclusive food and beverages, extra-wide padded seats, and private restrooms. This is the premium experience — requires a Bear Foundation membership or ticket add-on.
300-level (upper deck): Best views of the river and Waco skyline. Good value for visitors. The upper deck fills up in sections depending on the opponent.
Student seating: Baylor students sit in the student section (the "Bear Pit" in the north end zone), which is standing room, high energy, and included with your Baylor ID for most home games. The student section holds 6,700, with 3,000 specifically reserved for the Baylor Line. If you're bringing parents, they'll need regular tickets — student tickets are non-transferable.
For seating charts, TicketIQ and SeatGeek both have interactive McLane Stadium seating maps that show specific section numbers and views.
2026 Baylor Bears Home Games at McLane Stadium
The 2026 Baylor football home schedule:
- September 12 — Prairie View A&M
- September 19 — Louisiana Tech
- September 26 — Colorado (Big 12 opener)
- October 17 — TCU
- November 7 — Iowa State
- November 21 — Texas Tech
Six home games means six chances to experience McLane Stadium. The Colorado, TCU, and Texas Tech games are typically the highest-demand tickets — plan for those to sell out or near-sell-out.
For the most current ticket availability and student ticket information, check baylorbears.com or the Baylor Line website.
McLane Stadium Parking: Your Best Options
Parking is the most stressful part of any McLane game day. Here's what you need to know:
Stadium lots open: 3 hours before kickoff
Campus streets close: 4 hours before kickoff
Recommendation: Arrive 2–3 hours before kickoff minimum for big games
On-site parking: Over 2,000 spaces across Lots 1–4 directly at the stadium. Most Bear Foundation reserved lots are fully allocated to season ticket holders, so these are hard to access without a reservation.
Downtown Waco parking (recommended for visitors): There are 1,800+ free parking spaces within a 5-mile radius of McLane, mostly concentrated in downtown Waco. Many of these are a 10–15 minute walk from the stadium.
The Tailgater shuttle: Baylor runs a free shuttle service — "The Tailgater" — from 3rd Street & Franklin Avenue in downtown Waco. It runs starting 3 hours before kickoff and continues until 1 hour after the game ends. If you park downtown and take the shuttle, you avoid both the lot fees and the post-game gridlock.
Neighborhood parking: Paid lots between 7th Street and Orchard Lane charge up to $20/car. Arrive early if you want street parking within walking distance.
If you're a student living near campus — say, at 19Eleven on S 8th Street — you're about a 15–25 minute walk from McLane Stadium depending on your exact route. Many students walk over for late-afternoon or evening games. If you're driving, check the Baylor Athletics parking guide for real-time updates on lot availability.
McLane Stadium Bag Policy
Baylor follows the standard college football clear bag policy:
Allowed:
- Clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bags no larger than 12" × 6" × 12"
- One-gallon clear plastic freezer bags (like a Ziploc)
- One small non-clear clutch bag (approximately hand-sized) per person, in addition to one clear bag
- Clear, empty water bottles (1L max; refill at water fountains inside)
Medical exceptions: Medically necessary items are allowed after inspection at a designated gate.
Important: McLane Stadium is cashless. Concessions and merchandise accept only credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Bring your cards, not cash.
McLane Stadium Food & Concessions
The food at McLane has improved significantly over the last few seasons. Here's what's available:
- Rudy's Country Store & Bar-B-Q — brisket sandwiches, pulled pork, sausage wraps (Waco's favorite chain makes the stadium circuit)
- Chick-fil-A — chicken tenders, sandwiches; expect lines during halftime
- Pizza Hut — pizza slices and wings
- Pop's Lemonade — fresh lemonade, Baylor-themed drinks
- Traditional concessions — hot dogs, burgers, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, soft drinks throughout
Beverages: soft drinks are available throughout. Alcohol is sold to 21+ with valid ID.
All concessions are cashless — credit/debit/mobile only.
McLane Stadium Tours
If you want to see the stadium on a non-game day — which is worth doing at least once — Destination Waco offers 90-minute guided tours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The tours cover the field level, press box, club areas, and behind-the-scenes spaces. Wear comfortable shoes since you'll be doing a lot of walking.
Book in advance, especially during the fall semester — tours fill up on football weekends. Check destinationwaco.org for current availability and pricing.
Game Day Timeline: How to Plan Your Visit
Here's a practical timeline for first-timers:
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 4 hours before kickoff | Campus streets begin closing |
| 3 hours before kickoff | Parking lots open; downtown shuttle starts running |
| 2–3 hours before kickoff | Arrive for best parking, start tailgating |
| 90 minutes before kickoff | Stadium gates open |
| 60 minutes before kickoff | Student section starts filling up for big games |
| Kickoff | Game starts |
| 1 hour after final whistle | Shuttle service ends |
For evening games (7 PM kickoff), the pre-game energy on campus is hard to beat. The walk from the main campus area down to McLane along University Parks Drive is packed with fans.
Staying Near McLane Stadium: The Game Weekend Option
If you're a parent visiting for a game weekend, Waco hotel rooms near McLane Stadium often go for 2–3x their normal rate on home game weekends, especially for TCU or Texas Tech.
One option families use is staying with their student rather than booking a hotel. 19Eleven's 2-bedroom and 4-bedroom floor plans have living rooms large enough to host overnight guests comfortably — and we're a 15–20 minute walk from the stadium. Our gated community means your car is secure while you're at the game.
It's not a hotel, but if your student has the space, it can save families $200–$400 on hotel rooms for a game weekend.
What Makes McLane Stadium Different
A few things stand out about McLane compared to other college stadiums:
The setting. The Brazos River runs right behind the stadium, visible from multiple seating areas. The pedestrian bridge across the river connects the stadium to the downtown area and has become a signature piece of Waco's urban landscape.
The noise. McLane Stadium is loud for its size. The horseshoe-style design concentrates crowd noise well, and close games against Big 12 opponents get genuinely deafening.
The game-day atmosphere. Waco shuts down for Baylor home games in a way that small college towns do. Restaurant wait times double. Traffic on I-35 backs up. If you want to experience Waco at its most alive, a home game weekend is when it happens.
Ready to Experience Your First Game?
Whether you're coming to McLane for the first time as a new student or hosting family for a game weekend, the experience is worth the planning effort. Schedule a tour of 19Eleven to see how close we are to Baylor's campus — and how much easier game days are when you live within walking distance of the action.
Also check our Baylor Football Student Tickets guide and Baylor Game Day Guide for everything you need before your first home game weekend.
