Know Your Stadiums – Hancock Whitney Stadium
This history of Hancock Whitney Stadium begins today.
It is a blank slate.
As a lifelong fan of college football, I have a deep respect for the traditions and the history of each institution.
As historical as the schools and the football programs are the stadiums. Which is why I have written a number of posts in the series of ‘Know Your Stadiums.’ Stadiums like Neyland Stadium, Vaught Hemingway Stadium, Davis Wade Stadium, Carter-Finley Stadium, and the Kibbie Dome each have their own, unique story.
For the previous 10 seasons, that has been Ladd-Peebles Stadium for South Alabama. Opening in 1948, it debuted with the University of Alabama versus the Vanderbilt Commodores (in a 14-14 tie). It’s been home to the Senior Bowl from 1951-2020. It’s been the home of the Mobile Alabama Bowl since 1999.
Last year I wrote “A Long Goodbye To Ladd-Peebles.” Without Ladd-Peebles, the South Alabama football probably wouldn’t be in the same position that it is today. They were able to focus on practice facilities and their field house without having to build a stadium.
But now they have the field house and a grass and field turf practice facility.
They recently added a covered practice facility. Because if you know Mobile, you know it’s propensity to rain and thunderstorms. Now they are no longer relegated to the basketball gym on stormy days.
And beginning today, they have Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Every game will add to the story of HWS Stadium. Every touchdown. Every field goal. Every turnover. Every win and every loss will continue to add that history.
When the stadium was announced, everyone envisioned a packed house to officially open the stadium. A crowd of 25,000 fans clad in red cheering the team at the brand new facility.
Then Covid-19 struck.
Now about 6,000 will be there, spread out around the stadium, to officially introduce the stadium to the world on national TV.
It’s not the grand opening we envisioned. But it’s the hand we’ve been dealt.
The Jags are a 10.5 point underdog to the Tulane Green Wave. What will the first chapter of this story hold for the history of Hancock Whitney Stadium?
If you don’t have tickets to the game, tune in to ESPN2 beginning at 6:30pm CDT and find out.
Go Jags!