Stadium Size, Football Droppers, and Deemphasizers: Long Beach State

Cal State Long Beach, commonly known as Long Beach State, was among the handful of California state schools that grew or were founded to handle the educational needs of a state whose population exploded after WWII. Over time, several of those schools faced two questions some Division I programs face today: What is the role of football and the athletic department in our institution? How much money and effort do we sink into football before giving up?

Founded in 1949, the school spent a few years getting its sea legs before playing its first football game in 1955. Their first-year schedule consisted of small private colleges and a military team or two, which remained the case for a bit before taking on a schedule of schools that looked more like them.

The 1955 Long Beach State football team rushes onto the practice field. (1956 Long Beach State yearbook)

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