Lynn Family Stadium - Louisville City FC (2023)

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey

Stadium InfoFANFARE Score: 4.00

Lynn Family Stadium350 Adams StLousiville, KY 40206

Louisville City FC websiteLynn Family Stadium website

Year Opened: 2020Capacity: 11,700

Lou City's Brand New Home for Soccer

Lynn Family Stadium opened in 2020 as the home for Louisville City FC of the United Soccer League Championship. The 11,700-seat stadium was designed by HOK for $65 million and can expand to 15,304 spectators. The venue is one of a handful of soccer-specific venues in the league and provides fans with an up-close and personal view of the action on the field.

Before the opening of the new venue, the club operated a few miles down the road at Louisville Slugger Field, dubbed Slugger Field for soccer matches. The Triple-A ballpark is intended for the Louisville Bats minor league club, and the club averaged close to 8,000 fans per game; it was the objective to build its venue and avoid certain situations during the playoffs.

The stadium features seating on all three sides of the pitch, with the open end facing the interstate and the Ohio River. A 40-by-72.5-foot video board greets motorists from the outside and fans on the inside. When the sunset for evening games, the beautiful red hues sparkled up above as the sunset in the west.

Louisville fans have been lucky since the club established a winning tradition from day one. The club advanced to two conference finals in its first two seasons and then hosted the next three USL Championship Finals. The team was displaced for the past two years due to the Festival of Trees and Lights taking place at the ballpark. Lou City opted for the University of Louisville soccer field, which sat about half the amount of people. Those days are now over if the club does indeed continue its winning ways.

Before opening their 2020 season, the play was suspended due to COVID-19, and the aspect of playing before 11,000-plus fans was voided. When play resumed later that year, attendance was capped and social distancing measures were enforced during matches. Still, as the season progressed and the Boys in Purple captured their division crown, it was almost business as usual at the stadium.

“Having 4,850 fans at our games since the USL restart has us eager to hear just how much louder it can get once we can reach above about 30% capacity,” Senior Director, PR, & Communications, Jonathan Linter stated. “Even with limited numbers, the supporters have been loud. It doesn’t have the feel of an empty stadium by any means.”

Food & Beverage 4

There are plenty of options to choose from during the match that include basic sports food choices and plenty of bourbon and beer from the various kiosks throughout the concourse. The pricing is reasonable. There isn’t one particular item that is over the top, like what you find at a minor league ballpark, but the food is hot and fresh.

The Hometown Pizza stands offer slices of cheese and pepperoni pizza for $7 and whole pies for $35. The aroma alone may earn a point, and plenty of fans line up to purchase a slice or two, along with a drink. The Butchertown BBQ stand on the east side of the stadium is another tempting find. The pulled pork and sliced brisket sandwiches cost $10 and $12, respectively.

Visitors will also find hot dogs, brats, nachos, fried chicken sandwiches, chicken tender baskets, burgers, fries, pretzels, and Caesar salads at the Shelbygrille Stand. The Frankfurt Franks kiosk near the south end sells a Korean cheesesteak with aioli and sticky sauce to give it a different flavor for $10. The Kroger Marketplace menu has vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

There are plenty of bars that spread out along the concourse serving bourbons from Maker’s Mark, Four Roses, and Cooper’s Craft–each brand also creates its signature cocktail. The highlight is the Modelo Scoreboard Bar on the south end of the stadium.

The 72-foot Modelo bar is located under the video board and features several tables where people can stand around. For pregame festivities in the future, we’re excited about the adjoining 1020 beer garden. Fans can purchase Fall City Beer, Yuengling, and Miller are among the brews to choose from while you watch the action.

“All our concessions are open and operating under some new safety protocols due to COVID-19. That includes marked spots to stand in line promoting distancing, plexiglass barriers between cashiers and customers at points of sale, and cashless operations to limit touchpoints. All concessions are individually packaged,” added Linter.

Atmosphere 4

Despite the capacity limit, there were 4,900 fans at the game, the atmosphere is electric during the match. The Coopers, the official supporter group of Lou City, made its presence with drums, costumes, banners, and plenty of purple smoke, and on the opposite side of the stadium, a few more fans let off some smoke of their own after the two goals scored on the night. The stadium lights flash vividly before and after the game, and also when a goal is scored by the home team.

Outside the gates of the north end and the Modelo Scoreboard Bar is where pregame festivities will take place once the sports world is back to normal. The area includes a miniature-sized soccer pitch and a giant “LOU CITY” sculpture where fans can pose for photos in place of the missing “I”.

The roof of the seating area is colored and shaped like the sides of a bourbon barrel. The lights are slanted and can be adjusted for color, depending on the match. The concourse aisles are somewhat narrow, its walls decorated with Lou City art and players’ photos on the west side of the stadium. The opposite side is much more open and features a small table of merchandise. Also embedded inside the stadium are 18 luxury boxes and 250 Premier Club seats.

The gift shop has that brand-new smell and plenty of team merchandise from official jerseys, scarves, caps, t-shirts, and women's and children's gear. Racing Louisville also has a section of shirts that feature the club’s colors of deep purple and mint green. Several TV monitors are on display, and so are the team’s USL Championship trophies from 2017 and 2018.

Neighborhood 4

The stadium is located in the Butchertown section of town and within walking distance from the main plaza and Copper & Kings American Brandy Company. The up-and-coming neighborhood has renovated many of its meatpacking warehouses into shops, bars, and restaurants and provides an ideal spot before or after a match. Unfortunately, during our visit during the pandemic, only the distiller was open and included tours and food and drink on the upper level.

However, less than a mile away from the stadium is the affluent East Market District, also known as NuLu. You will find everything from vintage clothing stores, gourmet eateries, and restored furniture shops. A few recommendations would include La Bodeguita for Cuban cuisine, Royals Hot Chicken, Grind Burger Kitchen, and Feast BBQ for a bite to eat.

A few spots for a drink include the Old 502 Winery, Akasha Brewing Company, and the West Sixth NuLu which offers live music tucked away off the main street and surrounded by other shops and balcony seating. The Louisville Beer Store offers bottle service and drafts, but sadly they are closing by the end of October 2020. The Rabbit Hole Distillery and Garage Bar are other recommendations, but they were temporarily closed during our visit.

Fans 5

Despite the reduced capacity, there was plenty of raucousness during the match that hid the fact that there was a pandemic taking place. The Coopers were down a few supporters but made up with plenty of banging and chanting–although the singing was somewhat muted. There was also the sound of cheers and jeers from other faithful from the other end of the venue as Lou City came close to scoring a few more goals in the first half of play.

The fans were decked out in team colors of purple and gold; many kept their eyes on the action of pitch throughout the nailbiter that culminated in a 2-0 playoff victory for the home side. True, many were there for the night out of drinks and food with friends but were also aware of the action on the field. A nice collection of die-hards and casual fans.

Access 4

Lynn Family Stadium is located off of I-64 and is easily visible to motorists on the interstate. There are three lots for parking and must be pre-paid for $10. There is additional parking, when available, along the Louisville Waterfront Park and west of the stadium on Witherspoon Street.

Return on Investment 3

Tickets are available through SeatGeek and can sell around the $40 price tag for regular season and playoff matches. The limited tickets have created a high demand for ducats and perhaps will go down in pricing once the seating capacity is near 11,000 in future seasons. Tickets also can sell out quickly, and it is advisable to get them in advance of the game.

Parking prices are reasonable at $10, and there are options to park for less or even for free near the stadium if you want to do a little searching and don’t mind the light walk. Food and beverage pricing is also fair with the best deals coming from the Butchertown BBQ — $12 for a brisket sandwich and the outdoor bar where domestic cans are around $7.

Extras 4

There are a lot of bonus points for Lynn Family Stadium. The Modelo Scoreboard Bar is a popular place to grab a beer, talk to a few friends, and enjoy the game. The area also offers wonderful views of the game from behind the goal. The Coopers earn a point for being among the most boisterous groups in the league. The design of the stadium is also key; unlike the old ballpark, the visitors know first-hand that they’re at the home of Lou City.

Final Thoughts

Lynn Family Stadium is a wonderful addition to the league and a harbinger for the future of soccer-specific venues in the country. The bright and bold venue is what soccer stadiums should look like and what they could be to both team and fan. Lou City fans have been spoiled with the success on the pitch from their club and now they have an excellent venue to enjoy for many years to come.

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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com