Martin Stadium

Martin Stadium is at 1775 NE Stadium Way in Pullman. Most visitors drive from Spokane on US 195, from Lewiston-Clarkston on US 195, or from Moscow on Washington 270. Congestion concentrates on Grand Avenue, Main Street, Davis Way and Stadium Way.

Driving & Parking

• Arrive in Pullman early
  The 75-mile drive from Spokane expands on football weekends. Fuel early and use WSU's alternate route if downtown congestion is heavy.
• General parking
  WSU Transportation sells general permits for designated east-campus lots, most recently for $20. Permissions are tied to the entered license plate, so confirm the plate and current map before travel.
• CAF parking
  Close-in Cougar Athletic Fund lots require the matching mobile permit. Download it before reaching campus and follow the assigned approach rather than crossing the restricted Stadium Way corridor.
• Road closure
  Stadium Way becomes a restricted traffic zone near the venue before kickoff; for weeknight games the university has used a three-hour closure. Police and transportation notices for the specific game control.
• Accessible parking
  A valid game-day permit from any lot plus a state placard or plate allows use of marked accessible inventory on a space-available basis. Reserve accessible seating separately through the ticket office.
• RV weekends
  Self-contained RVs use six reserved regions, with arrival windows beginning Thursday and Friday evenings. There are no hookups or public dumping facilities, and standard vehicle permits do not authorize RV space.

Public Transit

• Free Park and Ride
  Pullman Transit and WSU operate free football shuttles from designated lots. All routes drop near Martin Stadium, making this the most reliable option for visitors without close-in permits.
• Postgame pickup
  Buses stage on the closed portion of Stadium Way near the east end zone. Follow the event signs because the pickup point differs from normal city stops.
• Regular Pullman Transit
  The city system is fare-free and serves campus and residential Pullman. Football detours change ordinary routes, so use live bus tracking rather than a saved weekday schedule.
• Spokane connection
  Seasonal charter shuttles connect Pullman with Spokane International Airport. Reserve early; they are intercity services, not on-demand game shuttles.
• Park-and-ride rules
  Remote lots prohibit tailgating, picnicking, fires, grilling and public alcohol. Wet grass areas can close because of weather.

Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)

• Pullman has a smaller rideshare supply than a major city, and WSU does not identify a permanent stadium-gate pickup in its standing guide. Choose the current event-designated point outside the Stadium Way closure.
• After the game, walk toward an accessible campus edge or downtown only on authorized paths. Reserve a taxi or shuttle in advance if a timed airport or hotel connection is essential.

Pullman turns crimson for the full weekend. Friday socials and downtown events may precede Saturday football, while the CUB, Cougville, RV lots and College Hill fill the hours immediately before kickoff.

Tailgating

• Kickoff at the CUB
  The Senior Ballroom in the Compton Union Building opens three hours before kickoff with food, beer, wine, soda, cocktails, multiple televisions and a Cougar Marching Band appearance. It is open to the public and does not require a game ticket.
• Cougville
  Rogers Field opens two hours before kickoff with family entertainment and a kids zone. It became part of the ticketed stadium footprint under the active alcohol plan, so scan carefully and follow the current rule on halftime access.
• Parking-lot limits
  WSU prohibits tents, tables and chairs in vehicle spaces and on sidewalks. Tables and chairs may sit beneath an RV awning inside the permitted RV footprint.
• Cooking
  Fires must remain inside purpose-built grills or containers in a location approved by the fire marshal. Extinguish them completely and never place charcoal in trash receptacles.
• Public alcohol
  Pullman prohibits open containers and alcohol consumption in public parking areas. Purchase and consume alcohol only in licensed or authorized spaces.
• Hollingbery Fieldhouse
  The former public Food Fair moved out for the 2025 season, and the Fieldhouse became a private corporate venue. Use the CUB or Cougville unless WSU announces a new 2026 arrangement.

Pregame Bars & Restaurants

• The Coug
  The Cougar Cottage on Colorado Street is the classic College Hill bar for burgers, drinks and walls covered in WSU history. It is small and fills early; patrons must be 21 during bar-controlled hours.
• Ferdinand's Ice Cream Shoppe
  The WSU Creamery at 2035 NE Ferdinand's Lane serves campus-made ice cream and Cougar Gold cheese. Visit Friday or confirm special Saturday hours because regular operations do not always align with kickoff.
• South Fork Public House
  On Pullman's north side, South Fork offers pub food and a broader sit-down setting than College Hill. It works best before parking on campus rather than after entering the traffic perimeter.
• Downtown Pullman
  Restaurants, breweries and Friday street programming spread along Main and Grand. The district is downhill from campus, so allow time for the climb or use fare-free transit.
• CUB dining
  The student union beside the stadium offers food, restrooms, merchandise and indoor shelter, making it the most practical family base on poor-weather days.

• Cougar Prowl
  The team walk most recently began two hours and 40 minutes before kickoff at the Taylor Sports Complex, continued through RV1, passed the Cougar Pride statue and entered at the northeast. Confirm the 2026 time and route.
• Ol' Crimson
  The WSU flag became a national symbol after appearing at every ESPN College GameDay broadcast beginning in 2003. Pullman's first hosting in 2018 turned that traveling tradition into an emotional homecoming.
• Butch T. Cougar
  The costumed mascot continues a line that began with a live cougar cub in 1927. Butch works the sideline with the cheer squad and band.
• Win the Day for Crimson and Gray
  The Cougar Marching Band leads Washington State's fight song before kickoff and after scores. The final “W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N S-T-A-T-E” spelling is easy for visitors to join.
• The student section
  Roughly 8,500 general-admission seats occupy lower Sections 26-32, upper 27-31 and the west-end CRIMZONE. In 2026 the visiting sideline moved directly in front of the north students.
• Apple Cup
  Washington State's rivalry with Washington supplies many of the stadium's defining memories, including the 2012 overtime comeback. The trophy game's schedule and site now vary, but the imagery remains central in Pullman.

• Cougar Pride statue
  Mike Fields' monument near the northeast approach depicts a cougar on a basalt base. The Cougar Prowl passes it, making the sculpture part of pregame rather than merely a photo stop.
• Campus-core footprint
  Few FBS stadiums sit so tightly among academic buildings. The CUB touches the southwest corner, and normal student paths become game-day concourses.
• Lowered field
  In 1979 Washington State excavated the playing surface 16 feet, removed the track and extended seating downward, creating today's intimate lower bowl.
• Cougar Football Complex
  The five-story west-end building contains locker, strength, training, meeting, recruiting and heritage spaces, forming a modern backdrop behind the end zone.
• 2026 technology
  A new video board, audio system, LED lighting and AstroTurf modernized the presentation while leaving the historic bowl and south premium structure intact.

History & Notable Moments

• First game on the site (1895)
  Washington State defeated Idaho 10-4 at Soldier Field, beginning more than a century of football in the campus core.
• Fire and rebuilding (1970-72)
  Fire destroyed the south stands and press box. A $1 million drive, including Dan Martin's gift honoring his father, produced Martin Stadium and a September 30, 1972 return against Utah.
• Track removal (1979)
  The enlarged bowl opened with a 17-13 Homecoming victory over UCLA.
• Attendance record (1997)
  A crowd of 40,306 watched Washington State defeat Stanford 38-28 in a configuration larger than today's stadium.
• Apple Cup comeback (2012)
  The Cougars erased an 18-point deficit and beat Washington 31-28 in overtime.
• College GameDay (2018)
  ESPN finally visited Pullman before No. 25 WSU defeated No. 12 Oregon 34-20, one of the program's signature modern nights.

The south side carries the press box, suites and club products; the north holds the large student section; the Cougar Football Complex closes the west end; and conventional seating wraps the east. The 2026 sideline swap puts WSU on the south and visitors on the north.

• South premium structure
  Suites, 48 covered loge boxes and indoor and outdoor club seats pair central views with hospitality and weather protection.
• Alger Family Club Room
  The 10,000-square-foot club supports catering, concessions and televisions for eligible premium patrons.
• North student side
  Students sit in lower 26-32 and upper 27-31, directly behind the visiting bench in 2026. The area is general admission and alcohol-free.
• CRIMZONE
  West-end student seating behind the band adds another general-admission pocket near the football complex.
• Accessible seating
  Reserved locations are in Sections 5, 10, 22, 26 and the east end zone; accessible student spaces are in Section 27 or behind the band in the west end. Arrange exchanges early.
• General reserved seats
  The steep lower bowl offers the best immersion, while higher south and north rows reveal formations and the surrounding campus. Pullman weather makes covered premium inventory especially valuable late in the year.

Aramark-operated stands are distributed around the south, east and north concourses. The stable guide does not provide a complete brand map, so confirm game-specific menus after the 2026 renovation opens.

• Football standards
  Hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, candy and soft drinks form the reliable base at general stands.
• Beer and wine
  Active policy allows sales at general concessions from the two-hour gate opening through the end of the third quarter, except in the student section. Guests need ID and may possess no more than two drinks.
• South concourse
  The largest concentration of alcohol points and general concessions sits beneath the premium structure.
• East and north concourses
  Both have food and beverage stands; alcohol points exclude the student-section service area.
• Cougville and the CUB
  These pregame spaces broaden food choices beyond the stadium stands. Cougville follows ticketed-footprint rules, while Kickoff at the CUB remains outside the scan.
• Water
  Empty transparent plastic bottles up to 1.5 liters and empty reusable Nalgene-style bottles are permitted for filling. Outside vendor food and drinks are not.

• The current WSU football guide permits clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags no larger than 14 by 8 by 14 inches, or a one-gallon clear resealable storage bag.
• A non-clear clutch no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches may have a handle or strap. Personal possessions must fit beneath the designated seat.
• Larger purses, coolers, briefcases, backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, luggage, computer or camera bags and binocular cases are prohibited. Medically necessary items receive an exception after inspection.
• Baby supplies should be carried in an approved clear bag; baby food and drinks are permitted when the child is present. Soft-sided seat cushions without pockets or zippers are allowed.
• Gates open two hours before kickoff, entry includes a visual bag inspection and tickets are mobile-only. Download both game and parking passes before reaching campus.
• Re-entry is prohibited once a ticket is scanned. Cougville's position inside the ticketed footprint makes it important to distinguish an internal movement from leaving the venue entirely.