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Greene Stadium
2400 6th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20059
202-806-7141
Home to the Bison football, men's and women's soccer and women's lacrosse teams, Greene Stadium is a 7,086-seat (10,000 for football), multi-purpose stadium that opened in 1926. Originally called Howard Stadium, it was renamed Greene Stadium in 1986 in honor of William H. "Stud" Greene, M.D. (1900-1983), a Washington, D.C., physician and Howard University benefactor.Â
Dr. Greene was a consummate supporter of Howard University who had a personal relationship with Dr. Mordccai W.Johnson, the first black President of Howard University. Dr. Greene served as a member of the Board of Trustees and was highly active as a Trustee Emeritus following his retirement in 1973. In 1982, the University acknowledged his contributions by conferring a Doctor of Humanities degree upon him. In 1984, The Bison Foundation, Inc., named Dr. Greene an inaugural member of the Bison Hall of Fame. He was also installed as the Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity in 1953 and bestowed the Laurel Wreath, the highest honor of the Fraternity.
The first football game was played at the stadium on Oct. 16, 1926, against Morehouse College. The 2,000-seat Howard Stadium was too small for football games so the University played most of its games at nearby Griffith Stadium where crowds of 17,000 to 20,000 people were common from the 1920's into the 1960's. However, Griffith Stadium was demolished in 1965 and Howard played most of its home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, also known as RFK Stadium.
By 1977, Howard Stadium had been renovated and expanded to seat 9,000. That year, University officials proposed constructing a 20,000-set stadium to replace the aging facility. Friday night football games did not draw large crowds and the University could not get many Saturday games at RFK Stadium which was also home to the Washington Redskins. The Redskins rented RFK Stadium and a clause in their contract prohibited the playing of any game in the stadium 24 hours before a Redskins game.
In 1979, president James E. Cheek announced a plan to build a $14 million, 20,000-seat stadium and parking garage to replace Howard Stadium, but nothing came of this plan.
In 1986, Howard officials proposed a 30,000-seat domed stadium complete with an office building, retail space and more than 1,200 apartments as part of a "Howard Plaza" project on 20 acres next to campus. The poposed stadium was designed to host football and basketball games, but although the plan had the support of city officials, critics and residents of nearby LeDroit Park opposed the plan.
Instead, Greene Stadium was renovated in early 1987 when new bleachers and a new artificial turf surface were installed.Â
In 1990, Howard University officials proposed to expand Greene Stadium by 6,000 seats for the 1991 season. The plans called for enclosing the north end of the stadium and moving the scoreboard to the south end. This would provide the stadium with a total of 14,000 seats, enabling the university to sell season tickets because it could guarantee preferential seating.
However, the stadium has not been renovated since 1987.
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