Stadium

INDIAN STADIUM

HISTORY

Texas is king of high school football, and home of numerous historic venues. But few have the atmosphere of Indian Stadium in Port Neches, Texas.

Home of PN-G football since 1951, Indian Stadium has hosted many classic gridiron battles between the Indians and Southeast Texas opponents as well as numerous playoff games. Port Neches won its first state championship title in 1953 at home.

Indian Stadium is a modernized, turf covered field where today’s games are played on the the same ground that PN-G legends Gordon LeBoeuf, Wade Phillips, Jeff Bergeron, Mike Simpson, Robert Giblin, Dustin Long, and other area legends like Joe Washington, Todd Dodge impressed fans.

Port Neches High School first played their games on a field situated on the south bank of the Neches River. The Indians later played in their first stadium located next to the original high school campus on Main Street in Port Neches.

The current stadium was built in 1951 with an original capacity of 6,500, followed by several expansions over the decades increasing capacity to 13,000 by the mid-70s.

An 18,000 square foot field house was completed in 1999. Featuring a 3,000 square foot weight room, meeting rooms, coaches offices, and training facilities, it is one of the top high school facilities of its kind in the state.

A $10.2 million renovation was approved as part of a school bond issue in 2007. The renovation, which began in February 2008, added a new drainage system and Field Turf playing surface, all new home seating, a new two-tier press box that can host dozens of media and VIPs, a state-of-the-art, high definition video display and scoreboard, and all new concessions and restrooms on both sides of the stadium.

A 2009 gift in honor of former player Steve Nolen added solid oak lockers to the locker room. The ‘Steve Nolen Locker Room’ provides a top quality atmosphere for Indian players.

In 2012 the artificial turf was replaced to resolve manufacturing issues with the previous playing surface.

In 2021 improved field drainage was completed along with new Hellas Matrix Ecoturf, a new track and new 44’x21′ scoreboard video display.

Winner of the Dave Campbell Texas Football Magazine’s Stadium Showdown, it has long been a stadium respected by opponents. With a home side capacity of 8,500, regular season crowds often exceed 11,000. Games with the Nederland Bulldogs, long time Mid-County rival, bring capacity crowds making it one of the most prolific high school game atmospheres in the state.

As an area sports writer aptly stated, “PN-G football is an event, not a game. Generations of PN-G graduates faithfully pack Indian Stadium, affectionately known as the Reservation, to watch the new generation protect the school’s ideals.”

DETAILS

Total seating capacity: 13,000 (SturdiSteel)
Playing Surface: Hellas Matrix® Turf (same as Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium)
All-time attendance record: 16,000 (1982 vs PA Thomas Jefferson)
Two-tier, 7,500 SF, state-of-the-art press box
18,000 square foot field house
Special features: 44’x21′ high definition video board

Address: 1401 Merriman Port Neches, TX 77651

Port Neches and Groves Restaurants

Parking

Concessions

Gallery

Stadium Accolades

“The atmosphere at Indian Stadium rivals anywhere else in the state of Texas. Not only does the stadium have a larger capacity than any other in Southeast Texas, the crowd noise from the purple and white fans create a true home field advantage. Ask any coach in the area and they’ll tell you its one of their favorite and least favorite places to play. The school’s fight song “Cherokee” is as iconic as it is maddening for opposing fans. ” — Beaumont Enterprise

“There isn’t a doubt the best place we’ve ever played has been over at Port Neches. Hell, they fire you up with their fans. I think that’s the highlight of any kid’s career — playing there.”— Newton Head Coach Curtis Barbay

“To be in an environment like that once a year, I have never been in a state championship game, but it has to be like that. The only other thing I have been in like it is the year we beat [Pearland] Dawson in the regional semifinals at NRG. It still wasn’t the same. I remember how I felt that night and it was unbelievable. But, it wasn’t the same.” — Nederland Head Coach Larry Neumann

“It’s a different place to play,” said Crouch, who often accompanied Hooks and West Orange-Stark into memorable games at Indian Stadium prior to its lavish renovation. “I hope our kids can settle in with all the pageantry, and the music and the big stadium. You can get caught up in all of that. And if you do, you can get behind quick.”— LC-M Head Coach Randy Crouch

“You stop and think of all the great coaches and the championships that have taken place on that field. It is a magical place and PN-G is what Texas football is all about.” —Vidor Head Coach Jeff Matthews

“We do go to PN-G once every two years. Everyone in Texas knows of the great tradition there and it is good for our fans to see the great support and atmosphere that is at PN-G. We want to be like them.”— Crosby ISD Superintendent Michael Joseph

“PN-G has always been a special place in mind because I’ve always known about their great tradition.” — Livingston head coach Randy Rowe

“This is what high school football is all about. We get to go into one of the best atmospheres in the state. PN-G takes a lot of pride in what they do so our kids should enjoy the intensity and play hard for 48 minutes. You can’t take even a minute off when going into The Reservation.”— LC-M Head Coach Randy Crouch

“It took until the fourth round of the playoffs at Reliant Stadium to feel an atmosphere like we felt earlier in the year at PN-G. That is amazing.” — Nederland Head Coach Larry Neumann

“It’s a playoff type atmosphere when you go to their stadium,” Thompson said. “Their fans are fanatical just like ours. We bleed blue and they bleed purple. They grow up wanting to be Indians and our kids grow up wanting to be Mustangs. One thing is for certain, if you hear their band playing “Cherokee” all night, then you’re probably getting the snot beat out of you.” — West Orange-Stark Head Coach Cornel Thompson

“Last year was the first year I coached a game at PN-G. I think we had under a 100 fans and they had about 9,000 to 10,000 on their side. That was awesome…PN-G does it like it should be done. That is huge and it is cool to see. I appreciate what they do and it is fun to play against a team and fan base that does it right.” –Baytown Lee Head Coach David Wilkinson

““I was telling the PNG coaches who were scouting the Ozen-Nederland game the other day, ‘Cherokee’ is my favorite fight song. It’s a good environment. PNG fans, West Orange-Stark and Newton in the area are probably, rich tradition-wise, the most fanatical fans, and they’re smart fans. They understand when to be loud and when to be quiet.” — Beaumont Central Head Coach Toby Foreman

“That’s a storied-tradition football program,” College Station Head Coach Steve Huff said of Port Neches-Groves.”

“Since I’ve been here, I never got to play PNG in high school,” said Vidor Head Coach Mathews, a 1985 Bridge City graduate. “When I came here, that was the team Vidor wanted to play. PNG has been a quality team year in, year out.”

“I’d much rather never play over there.” –Port Arthur Memorial Head Coach Brian Morgan

“That’s a great football team, and they showed it.” — Texas City coach Shone Evans