Hirsch Memorial Coliseum opened in 1954 as the largest arena in the American South — a distinction it held for years before bigger markets caught up. That piece of trivia surfaces quickly when locals talk about the place, usually followed by a shrug and something like, “It’s not fancy, but it’s ours.” That combination of civic pride and unvarnished honesty pretty well captures an evening watching the Shreveport Mudbugs play hockey there.
The Mudbugs compete in the North American Hockey League, a Tier II junior league that draws players from across the country and Canada — most of them 16 to 21 years old with professional aspirations and something to prove. The hockey is fast, physical, and legitimately entertaining, even for people who’ve never watched the sport before. Hirsch seats around 6,500 for hockey configuration, and on a good weekend night the lower bowl fills up, the crowd gets loud, and the old building earns its keep.
Coliseum seats are the kind of no-nonsense arena benches that remind visitors this structure predates modern sports amenities by several decades. There’s no premium club level or stadium-grade food court. What there is: cold beer, a zamboni that the crowd watches with disproportionate enthusiasm, and a general admission floor area behind both nets where younger fans stand and yell. Tickets run $12 to $22 depending on seat location and the night of the week — family four-packs and group discounts are available and easy to find on the Mudbugs’ site.
Hirsch sits on Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway along the Red River, about two miles north of downtown, with parking lots that are free and large enough that arrival even 20 minutes before puck drop rarely creates problems. The building’s exterior looks exactly as it did in 1954, in the best possible way: a broad, low-slung concrete bowl with a marquee sign that belongs in a photograph.
The Mudbugs season runs from October through late March, with roughly 30 home games spread across weekends and the occasional Friday. Scout the schedule in November and February for theme nights — past seasons have included Mardi Gras nights with beads thrown into the crowd, military appreciation evenings, and fan appreciation games that include post-game skate sessions on the ice. Checking the team’s Facebook page before buying tickets is worth the 90 seconds it takes.
For a first visit, Saturday games work best. Crowds are largest, the atmosphere tightest, and there’s enough pregame activity outside the main doors — small vendors, kids getting photos with the mascot — to extend the outing. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early, grab a beer and a hot dog from one of the interior concession stands, and find a seat in sections 10 through 14 along the side boards. That’s where the sightlines are cleanest and the action most readable for anyone learning the game.
There are bigger arenas in Louisiana and sharper hockey leagues. But Hirsch on a Mudbugs game night delivers something those venues can’t easily replicate: a crowd that actually knows the players by name, a building with genuine history, and a ticket price that doesn’t require a second thought. For a mid-winter Saturday in Shreveport, it’s about as good as local sports gets.
