Tiger Stadium

The view from the stands at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge shows seating that seems to rise directly from the earth.

The ground itself is a patch of Celebration Bermuda grass, kept in condition through annual renewal. The playing surface is natural, a choice that remains in an era where many venues have switched to artificial turf. The pitch is run by the LSU Tigers football team, a side that plays in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Visitors often refer to the place as "Death Valley," a name that speaks to the hostility felt by opposing teams when they travel here. The locals do not shy away from the intensity. The stadium opened in 1924, and while it has seen several expansions since then, the core structure that holds the crowds remains largely unchanged.

When the New Orleans Saints played their away games here during the 2005 National Football League (NFL) season following Hurricane Katrina, the stadium proved it could host a level of football far beyond the college game.

The field is marked with white lines that cut across the green. The history of the place is written in the concrete around it, but the real story is told in the noise when the team takes the field.