November 18, 2006
Fisher Stadium (Capacity: 13,132)
Easton, PA
Lafayette Leopards vs Lehigh Mountain Hawks
Final Score: 49 – 27
* The stadium was re-visited for a game on September 16, 2023
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On a seasonably chilly November day, we took in the most-played rivalry in college football: Lehigh vs Lafayette. This was the 142nd meeting between the two rivals separated by just 16 miles and on this day, the winner would get a birth in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs as a Patriot League title was on the line. This game certainly gets the area going and we saw evidence of that by accidently stumbling upon a raucous frat row. Since the Lehigh game doesn’t feature a normal atmosphere, I wanted to see an average game-day at Lafayette and finally made a return for a game against Columbia in 2023. Lafayette College is located in Easton, a city of 26,800 located on the eastern edge of the Lehigh Valley, along the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. The private school may be quite small with just 2,500 undergraduates, but it is highly regarded. Their football team has won seven conference titles and they have made the NCAA Tournament four times (losing in the First Round for each appearances). As of late, it’s been a struggle as the Leopards have not had a winning record since 2009. Lafayette has been at Fisher Field since 1926, however the stadium underwent major renovations in the 21st century thanks to contributions from a different person also named Fisher, who got the stadium named after him as well.
Prestige Ranking: 2.5 out of 5
Location
Easton is not all that desirable a place to live and there’s plenty of spots across the city that you’ll just want to keep driving. However, downtown does have some interest and the center of it at 3rd Street features both character and attractions. Most notably is the Crayola Experience, a place certainly geared for kids, yet still endearing for adults. Right nearby in the heart of the city is the Civil War Memorial tower. It is a beautiful memorial and close to Christmas, you will see it decorated as a peace candle. Lafayette College isn’t far away as the school overlooks the city up top College Hill. It’s a steep climb to get there and the small nice campus has the football stadium set in the back, close to a tight residential neighborhood. There are few eating options up here, so you’ll have to go downtown for better choices.
Location Ranking: 6 out of 10
Accessibility / Parking
Driving around Easton is funky as the way Route 22 cuts through north of the city, it leads to quick turns and lane changes. I-78 is the other arrival method and you’ll still need to drive through Easton. To get to Lafayette, you will drive up a hill and the stadium has a parking garage attached to it. However, this is for season ticket holders. The public has a couple options: the Bushkill Parking Lot or the Sullivan Garage. Neither are ideal as they require a lengthy walk, most of which is hilly. We opted for the Sullivan Garage during our second visit and traffic before/after the game was nothing different than a normal Saturday in the area. You can also try for street parking outside of campus. When we first came in 2006, the Lehigh game meant all parking options were exhausted and we parked downtown, leading to a long and tiring hike to the game.
Accessibility / Parking Ranking: 5 out of 8
Exterior
Fisher Stadium actually does not have any outside architecture as the main seating is built into a hill. Kind of strange when you don’t walk through or inside anything to get to the stadium. There is a gate before the stairs in the southeast corner and another gate at street-level way behind the end zone.
Exterior Ranking: 0 out of 10
Concourse
Two concourses were located in the vicinity of the main area of seating and it was surprising to see that for a stadium this size. It also helped with entry points inside the Home stands. The first concourse is behind the main seating bowl with openings out towards the middle of the stadium. This section is very dark as it is covered by the skeleton of the seats above. You can truly see how this was built into a hill by all the rocks that lead upward on the side. In fact, a barrier aims to protect in case some break off and fall (a little disconcerting). That leads to an area that can be small and cramped. It was practically deserted for our second game as concession stands were closed. Curiously, only the Women’s bathroom are labelled with a sign as you have to check the door to see if it is a Men’s one. A bit more spacious was the upper concourse at the top of the stadium, where a walkway led to a partially covered section that included entrances to the press box and a concession stand. As you climb down to the East End Zone, outdoor walking space is plentiful and you can even access the Kirby Sports Center in the corner. The Athletic Complex / Student Center is a nice spot if you need a break from the elements or prefer a nice bathroom.
Concourse Ranking: 3 out of 5
Food
Food stands are few and far between as the couple on the home side feature generic stadium items. For a Pulled Pork or a Sausage with Peppers and Onions, head to the opposite side near the arena. There is no beer sold at Fisher Stadium.
Food Ranking: 3 out of 8
Interior
The hill makes this a nice place for a stadium as the home stands and their slight curvature have a natural fit. This is enhanced by the maroon color for the seats, even if they are bleachers (except the two sections of chairbacks at upper midfield). Set on a concrete base, there is enough room between rows and the metal bleachers are what you would expect. Sightlines are decent as there is no track and there is a good pitch to each row. A wide walkway at the front and back of the bowl are convenient and not much of an obstruction as the stands are empty enough to sit where you want (except the Lehigh game). The small press box sits above the upper walkway. Beyond the field is a pleasant look as there are many trees in the distance and you can see peeks of the College Hill Neighborhood. The Bourger Varsity Football House is located in the west end zone, while the Kirby Sports Center dominates the view in the other corner. Visitor stands have a healthy number of metal bleachered rows and they face into the sun for most of the season during afternoon games.
Interior Ranking: 9 out of 14
Scoreboard
The corner scoreboard is pretty good as they devote most of the screen to video. Replays are frequent and the top line has the pertinent information. The clarity and size is average and decent enough. A great school logo sits on top of the board. What is a little odd is that this is the only scoreboard in the stadium, so if you are on the visitor sideline, you have to strain to see the clock.
Scoreboard Ranking: 3 out of 4
Displays
The Leopard statue donated by the Class of 1958 is close enough to the stadium that most people should see it. That starts a decent array of visuals, highlighted by ground-level info boards that honor former coaches and the Fisher Field renovation. Along the interior walls of the walkway that runs along the top of the home seating, there are a few old plaques that dedicate aspects of the stadium to people that date back nearly 100 years. It’s a neat old touch that was retained by a facility that has been modernized. Make sure to go into Kirby Field House, where if you walk towards the back you’ll see Leopards football trophies and memorabilia.
Displays Ranking: 3.5 out of 6
Cost
Parking is free and a walk-up ticket for the 2023 game cost $18. With the exception of Fordham, this costs a bit more than the rest of the Patriot League. Food costs are reasonable as a Hot Dog was $4, a Burger/Fries combo $10 and a Soda $4.
Cost Ranking: 7 out of 8
Fan Support
The Lehigh game is always sold out and that was the case when we went in 2006. While that is great, it isn’t exactly a gauge of overall support for Lafayette football. My return for the home opener in 2023 came on a gorgeous afternoon. The place wasn’t hopping though as the announced number of 4,523 looked more like 2,500. A mix of alumni, families and students made up the crowd and it sounded like this was the first football game for many of the kids that began their year at Lafayette. At the lower end of FCS in terms of fan support, the team is at least generally second in the 7-team Patriot League. Also, media coverage is good and games are shown on local cable. In fact, the broadcast from LSN (Lafayette Sports Network) is decent and a drone provides some pretty overhead shots.
Fan Support Ranking: 4 out of 8
Atmosphere
Lafayette-Lehigh is certainly an event and there is a festive/passionate feel throughout the stadium. Add in the visitors that also come and you’ll hear several chants to go with a ton of bickering. The other games on the home slate feature an atmosphere much more subdued, but still better than most others in the Patriot League. A small pep band and both a cheer and dance team keep the energy up and the crowd responds well to the play on the field. Some of the alumni get on their feet after a touchdown.
Atmosphere Ranking: 7.5 out of 14
Other Stuff
More on The Rivalry between Lafayette and Lehigh: The reason why they have the most games is because the two teams played each other twice (even thrice) in a season several times during the early 1900s…..One of the fiercest high school rivalries in the country (Easton vs. Phillipsburg) occasionally is played to a sold-out crowd at Fisher Field…..After each play, music is played over the PA, making for a strange background. It is forced and unnatural and I wished they stopped as this isn’t Minor League Baseball……Roll Pards? That is the relatively new battle cry for Lafayette. Very strange, can’t it just be Roll Leopards?
Game (Initial Visit)
The game was interesting with a lot of action. Lehigh jumped out to a 7-0 lead with an impressive opening drive. Lafayette then answered with 28 straight points. A big turning point came when the Leopards fumbled while driving and Lehigh recovered, eventually scoring to cut the lead to 14. The momentum shift carried into the second half when the Mountain Hawks scored two touchdowns to nearly complete the comeback. However, an extra point off the upright denied a tie score and Lafayette’s offense then moved the ball impressively, contributing to several scores and eventually, a 49-27 win. The win gave Lafayette the Patriot League title, an NCAA Playoff berth and a victory over Lehigh, which all led to the students storming the field. Leopards RB Jonathan Hurt was fantastic with 173 yards rushing and 2 TD. Quarterback Brad Maurer was 20 for 24 with 273 yards.
Stadium and Arena Visits 
