10 high school football stadiums to see before you die

*Editor's note: This story originally ran Aug. 7, 2012 and has been re-dated for July 27, 2014. No content was changed.

High school football is a spectacular spectacle, regardless of where the contest is played.

But 10 particular places stand out in our minds, some because of the fan experience, some because of the history and some because of the natural scenery that provides a background to the athletic contest.

Come along and see our slideshow of 10 high school football stadiums to see before you die. Life is short, so if you get the chance to trek to one of these fields, take it!


Allen (Texas) will open the nation's newest - and probably most expensive - high school football stadium in the country on Aug. 31 when it plays host to perennial powerhouse Carroll (Southlake, Texas) in a classic that is expected to overflow its 18,000-seating capacity.

View slideshow of Allen Eagle Stadium

Everything seems to be bigger than life in Texas, so it's not too surprising that taxpayers did not put up a major fuss over the $59.6 million price tag. That's probably because Collin County residents have the highest medium income in the state and Collin County is one of the 25 wealthiest in the country.

Approximately 7,500 reserved, chair-back seats will be sold on a season basis each year. Officials also are reserving 5,000 seats for fans of the visiting team, 4,000 for Allen students and 1,000 for the school's band. That leaves a mere 500 for general admission each week.

Though it will be only the fifth-largest stadium in Texas, it will be the largest used by only one high school.

The stadium also includes locker rooms for the golf team and facilities to hold wrestling meets.