Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium

Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
Rowdy Dowdy
Dowdy–Ficklen stadium in 2009
Full name Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium
Former names Ficklen Memorial Stadium (1963–1994)
Location Blackbeard's Alley, Greenville, North Carolina 27858
Coordinates 35°35′47″N 77°21′55″W / 35.59639°N 77.36528°W / 35.59639; -77.36528Coordinates: 35°35′47″N 77°21′55″W / 35.59639°N 77.36528°W / 35.59639; -77.36528
Owner East Carolina University
Operator East Carolina University
Capacity 50,000
Surface Tifton 419 Hybrid Bermuda
Construction
Broke ground 1962
Built 1962-1963
Opened September 21, 1963
Renovated 1991 - $1.6 million in repairs and renovations, 2002, 2009-2010
Expanded 1967–1968 - increased seating capacity to 20,000
1977–1978 - increased seating capacity to 35,000
1996–1998 - increased seating capacity to 43,000
2010 - increased seating capacity to 50,000
Construction cost $283,387 ($2,234,553.41 in 2016 dollars)
Architect Dudley & Shoe
Tenants
East Carolina Pirates (NCAA) (1963–present)

Bagwell Field at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium is the on-campus football facility for the East Carolina Pirates in Greenville, North Carolina. The official capacity of the stadium is 50,000, making it the third largest college stadium in North Carolina. The record attendance for the stadium was on September 20, 2014 against the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with 51,082 in attendance. The stadium is also the site of Spring Commencement exercises for the University.[1]

History

Original construction

The initiative to build a new stadium was announced on October 7, 1961. On that day, President Leo Jenkins announced to a meeting of boosters, that a new stadium will be built to replace College Stadium. By 1962, over $280,000 was raised and Ficklen Memorial Stadium was built.[2] The stadium was named for James Skinner Ficklen, the owner of Greenville's E.B. Skinner Tobacco Company. Skinner was a booster of the college, and established a scholarship fund in his name.[3] The original stadium included permanent stands on the south side, a press box, and a lighting system.[4] Ficklen Memorial Stadium opened on September 21, 1963 with a win against Wake Forest.[2] The original seating capacity was 10,000.[3]

Early expansions

The north side permanent seating was constructed in 1967 and 1968, increasing the capacity of the stadium to 20,000.[4] The seats were designed by W.M. Freeman Associates from High Point, North Carolina. The exterior of the stadium was painted in 1970 by F.A. Miller Company.[3] The lighting system was the next item that changed. The original lighting system was replaced with six towers outside of the stadium in 1975. The cost of the new lighting system was $450,000.[2] L.E. Wooten company built the lighting system.[3]

The next addition occurred two years later. The university added seats to the four corners increased the seating capacity to 35,000. This addition made Ficklen Memorial Stadium the third largest stadium in North Carolina.[4] The expansion was funded by a $2.5 million drive in the spring of 1977. The three-story press box which is currently in use was built during that expansion. The press box had space for 92 writers and an entire floor for electronic media. Lastly, scoreboard with a lightbank message center was placed on the east end of the stadium. The playing surface was redone in 1983. A new drainage system, new base of gravel and sand, new treated topsoil, and a new grass—Tifton 419 Hybrid Bermuda were all installed.[2] A new sound system was built in 1988.[3]

1990s expansions

Dowdy–Ficklen press box side in 2008

In 1991, $1.6 million in renovations and repairs were accomplished on the stadium.[3]

Ronald and Mary Ellen Dowdy of Orlando, Florida, donated one million dollars during a fund-raising drive in 1994. Because of this donation, Ficklen Memorial Stadium was renamed Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium.[2] Also that year the roads were improved around the stadium.[3] A year later, Al and Debbie Bagwell of Lake Gaston, Virginia donated to the East Carolina Educational Foundation. Because of this donation, the field inside the stadium was named Bagwell Field.[2]

The upper deck on the north side was completed in 1998. It increased the capacity to 40,000. This was the first seating capacity increase since 1977. A year later the club level on the north side was completed. It added 3,000 seats to the total capacity.[4] During the expansion of the upper deck and club level, the press box received improvements.[3] In 1999, a $2 million scoreboard was built in the east endzone.[2] Also that year a Pirate sculpture was dedicated in the southeast area of the stadium. The three-ton bronze sculpture is over 20 feet (6.1 m) tall. Irwin Belk gave the sculpture to the school. Jodi Hollnagel, a faculty member of the School of Art created the sculpture.[3][5]

Murphy Center construction

The Murphy Center in the west endzone.

The $13 million Murphy Center was dedicated on September 13, 2002. It was built in the west endzone of the stadium. It connects the stadium to Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. The 52,475-square-foot (4,875.1 m2) strength and conditioning, banquet rooms, sport memorabilia, and an academic enhancement center building was named for Pete and Lynn Murphy of Rose Hill, North Carolina.[6]

2009–2010 expansion

The next expansion began in December 2009. The expansion included removing the scoreboard located in the east end zone. 7,000 seats were built in its place. The seats connect the north and south sides in a horseshoe pattern. Those seats increased the capacity to 50,000. Restroom and concession stands were built under the new section. Above the east end zone, a new scoreboard was built. The high-definition scoreboard is 88 feet (27 m) wide and a little over 28 feet (8.5 m) tall. The LED portion is 84 feet (26 m) wide.[4] This makes the new scoreboard the 22nd largest scoreboard in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. On the north and south sides of the stadium, 10,200 chair-back seats were installed. Lastly, another scoreboard was built on the west end zone in front of the Murphy Center.[4] The total cost of the expansion was $20 million.[7]

Dowdy-Ficklen in 2011

2018 renovation project

In May 2016, East Carolina revealed a $55 million renovation project for Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium, which is a portion of its athletic facilities master plan.

The project, which is slated to begin construction after the 2017 football season and was to be completed in time for the 2018 football season, has been extended to a 16-18 month construction period.[8] The renovation includes:

  • A four-story tower above the south general admission seats which will add than 1,000 premium seats through the addition of a new Club Level, Loge Boxes, and Suites.
  • A new field-level Club Section at the Murphy Center
  • A modern press box with additional space for media, including amended radio and television broadcast and production locations.
  • Improvements to the Ward Sports Medicine Building and Scales Field House to provide needed functional space for student-athletes.[9]

Marshall University plane crash

On November 14, 1970, the visiting Marshall University Thundering Herd lost a game 17-14 to the Pirates at Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium, which ended with Marshall quarterback Ted Shoebridge controversially being called for intentional grounding on the last play of the game. Later that evening, while on approach to Huntington Tri-State Airport, the Marshall football team's plane, which had been chartered to transport the Thundering Herd to and from Greenville, crashed, killing all 75 people on board.

On December 11, 2006, a plaque was erected at the visitors' entrance to Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium. It depicts the memorial fountain on the Marshall University campus.

Attendance

List of average attendance

YearTotal attendanceAverage attendanceRankReference
2016264,68044,11355[10]
2015259,64543,27460[10]
2014268,71344,78658[10]
2013263,91043,98554[10]
2012282,07647,01345[11]
2011300,06950,01240[12]
2010297,98749,66544[13]
2009292,19141,74257[14]
2008210,08042,01656[15]
2007249,21941,53756[16]
2006223,00637,16863[17]
2005165,23033,04670[18]
2004153,41830,68471[19]
2003198,07333,01268[20]
2002148,14429,62967[21]
2001186,87537,37558[22]
2000217,74236,29061[23]
1999294,25542,03649[24]
1998158,71631,74364[25]
1997164,37532,875-[26]
1996146,32429,265-
1995151,88930,378-
1994159,80531,961-
1993134,48226,896-
1992164,06832,814-
1991160,10832,022-
1990143,28528,657-

Top 15 attended games

AttendanceOpponentDateScoreReference
151,082North CarolinaSeptember 20, 2014W, 70-41[27]
250,719NC StateSeptember 10, 2016W, 33-30
350,610North CarolinaOctober 1, 2011L, 20-35
450,514Virginia TechSeptember 26, 2015W, 35–28
550,410NC StateOctober 16, 2010W, 33-27OT
650,345Southern MissNovember 5, 2011L, 28-48
750,277UCFNovember 19, 2011W, 38-31
850,191NavyNovember 6, 2010L, 35-76
950,145MarshallOctober 23, 2010W, 37-10
1050,096Virginia TechSeptember 14, 2013L, 15-10
1150,092†NC StateNovember 20, 1999W, 23-6
1250,023UABSeptember 24, 2011W, 28-23
1350,010TulsaSeptember 5, 2010W, 51-49
1449,410TulaneOctober 29, 2011W 34-13
1549,404Virginia TechSeptember 10, 2011L, 10-17

Photographs of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium". East Carolina Official Athletic Site. East Carolina University. 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium". Facilities. East Carolina Pirates. 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium". Building Histories. Joyner Library. October 1, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Growing Season - Football Stadium Expansion". Web Features. East Carolina University. June 2, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Minges Coliseum/Williams Arena". Building Histories. Joyner Library. October 1, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  6. ↑ ECU Pirates Official Athletic Site. "Murphy Center". ecupirates.com. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  7. ↑ Gibson, Todd (August 3, 2010). "ECU Set To Unveil $20M Stadium Expansion". NBC17. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  8. ↑ ECU Pirates Official Athletic Site. "Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation Timeline Extended". ecupirates.com. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  9. ↑ ECU Pirates Official Athletic Site. "Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation Project Plans Released". ecupirates.com. Retrieved 2017-09-13.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "NCAA Statistics". stats.ncaa.org.
  11. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2012/Internet/attendance/FBS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf
  12. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2011/Internet/attendance/FBS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf
  13. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2010/Internet/attendance/FBS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf
  14. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2009/Internet/attendance/FBS_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf
  15. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/Attendance/2008.pdf
  16. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/2007/Internet/attendance/IA_AVGATTENDANCE.pdf
  17. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/Attendance/2006.pdf
  18. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/Attendance/2005.pdf
  19. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2005/2005RB.pdf
  20. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/Attendance/2003.pdf
  21. ↑ "Hamrick secures East Carolina blessing to pursue UNLV post". Bonesville.net. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  22. ↑ "2001 Division I-A Home Football Attendance". NCAA.org. 2002-11-11. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  23. ↑ "2000 Division I-A Home Football Attendance". NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  24. ↑ "1999 Division I-A Home Football Attendance". NCAA.org. 2002-05-15. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  25. ↑ "1998 NCAA Division I-A Football Home Attendance". NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  26. ↑ http://www.pageturnpro.com/Provations-Group/7902-2009-ECU-Football-Guide/index.html#194
  27. ↑ "Top Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Crowds". East Carolina University. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
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