Trying to settle a debate with a friend.
When did we install lights at Davis Wade Stadium?
Thanks!
When did we install lights at Davis Wade Stadium?
Thanks!
Need Help - RE: Davis Wade Stadium
- Thread starter TXDawg.sixpack
- Start date
According to Wikipedia, permanent lighting was installed in 1986. That seems to imply that there was temporary lighting before that, perhaps for only certain games.
First game under the lights was against LSU in 82 I think. They brought in temporary lights for that one.
First game I saw under the lights at DW
was against LSU, in the early 80's, we won.
The lights were brought in for that TV game.
was against LSU, in the early 80's, we won.
The lights were brought in for that TV game.
Yep, the 82 LSU game had temporary lights. I think that game was on ABC.
The current lights were installed with the expansion of the west side in 1985.
The current lights were installed with the expansion of the west side in 1985.
Dang. That's a lot later than I thought it would've been. I guess that's why we played so many games in Jackson.
The stadium in Jackson
Was bigger than the stadiums in Vegas, or Oxford.
And the Universities agreed to play games there, ….and so they expanded Miss Memorial to...
what 60/62 thousand.
Stayed that was more or less...till JWS arrived and says we are playing in Vegas.
Was bigger than the stadiums in Vegas, or Oxford.
And the Universities agreed to play games there, ….and so they expanded Miss Memorial to...
what 60/62 thousand.
Stayed that was more or less...till JWS arrived and says we are playing in Vegas.
Not really....we didn't need lights because there were hardly ever night games on TV.
ABC had the college football television rights. They could only show a couple games per week, and no school could be televised more than twice per year. If we ever were on TV, it was the middle of the afternoon (until 1982, obviously, as discussed above). When I was in school almost all of our games were at 1:00, even if they were in Jackson.
The SEC got its own contract with TBS and then Jefferson Pilot, so an SEC game was televised at 11:00 a.m., but obviously no lights were needed for that. Eventually, Oklahoma and Georgia (and maybe a couple other schools) sued the NCAA over the television monopoly, and that's when ESPN was able to start televising games. Then we needed lights.
ABC had the college football television rights. They could only show a couple games per week, and no school could be televised more than twice per year. If we ever were on TV, it was the middle of the afternoon (until 1982, obviously, as discussed above). When I was in school almost all of our games were at 1:00, even if they were in Jackson.
The SEC got its own contract with TBS and then Jefferson Pilot, so an SEC game was televised at 11:00 a.m., but obviously no lights were needed for that. Eventually, Oklahoma and Georgia (and maybe a couple other schools) sued the NCAA over the television monopoly, and that's when ESPN was able to start televising games. Then we needed lights.
The 1984 Supreme Court ruling in favor of GA and Oklahoma against the NCAA for a college football open TV market had big impact on college football across the country. Prior to the ruling there weren't many games on TV and even fewer in prime time. If you wanted to play on TV in prime time on the cable TV you had to have a lighted stadium.
The story I heard was that the city of Starkville floated the bonds for the 85 expansion because the state could not or would not float them & The University/Athletic Department agreed to move most of the SEC games from Jackson to campus as part of the bond deal. The games in Jackson were contracted with Memorial Stadium thru the late 80's or 90's, so the move to campus happened after JWS arrived but it was happening regardless of his arrival.
I went to games in Jackson from 1980-86....
The only night game I recall is maybe Navy? May have been another one or two but the option to play under the lights was definitely not why we played there.
The only night game I recall is maybe Navy? May have been another one or two but the option to play under the lights was definitely not why we played there.
That was the last double header in Jackson. Um played Tennessee that morning in front of about 25k. Had UM won that game they would have gone to the Sugar Bowl. They lost. We had about 45K for the night gamne, roughly half were LSU fans. I went to both games.
TBS brought in the Lights--LSU was orange Bowl bound--they threw oranges on the field--Dana Moore kicked the game winning field goal. I had to tap an arrogant LSU idiots who was pissed. Then the cops drug his *** away.
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