Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Williams-Brice Stadium 1125 George Rogers Blvd Columbia, SC 29201
Year Opened: 1934 Capacity: 77,559
Spurs Up
For many throughout the south, college football fandom is more a way of life than simply supporting the local college or university and hoping for a good season – the South Carolina Gamecocks are no different.
While South Carolina is hardly a pushover in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), they have yet to capture a conference title; the Gamecocks lone conference championship came in 1968 when they were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (1953-1970). South Carolina has also spent time in the Southern Conference (1922-1952), as well as had two separate stints as an independent program (1892-1921 and 1971-1991).
Since becoming members of the SEC, South Carolina has been a program that has faced inconsistencies in sustaining winning, but has typically been competitive enough and able to pull off occasional upsets of top ranked teams, enough so to give Gamecock fans hope, and to create an extraordinary game day experience.
Food & Beverage 5
During pregame, Gamecock Village, the ‘Official Tailgate of the South Carolina Gamecocks’, has an extensive collection of food trucks including South American arepas, Carolina BBQ, Mexican foods featuring grilled street corn, elotes, and traditional midway foods.
Inside Williams-Brice Stadium you can also find a wide selection of concession offerings, including both traditional concession stands, specialized options, and local vendors. The typical stands serve hot dogs, pizza from Little Caesar’s, and multiple styles of burgers, including a Beyond Burger for those looking for a meatless option. Chicken finger baskets with fries are also available.
Billy G’s Carolina BBQ, as well as specialized nachos at Crunch, are also popular options. Williams-Brice Stadium also has a touch of international flavors, with a Thai-inspired menu from T.K.O. Kitchen, plus SOCA’s Caribbean Kitchen’s traditional tropical dishes.
Beverages include selections from the Coca-Cola line of soft drinks, including Powerade, along with Budweiser beers, craft brews from Columbia’s Peak Drift and their hefeweizen, hazy IPA, and blonde ale, Columbia Craft’s Carolina American style ale, and Athens, Georgia-based Terrapin Brewing Co. Also available is Beat Box, which are single serving boxed hard punches offered in pink lemonade and blue razzberry, in addition to Happy Thursday spiked refreshment, Hoop Tea hard iced tea, and Topo-Chico hard seltzer.
Williams-Brice Stadium does a good job at providing a well-rounded menu that goes beyond just hot dogs, nachos, and pizza, providing fans with some of the local tastes of Columbia and the surrounding area.
Atmosphere 5
Game day festivities start well before kickoff. Tailgating is a big part of the South Carolina football experience, with parking lots in all directions around the stadium open beginning five hours prior to kickoff – these lots are filled with fans grilling, tossing footballs, watching the day’s early games, or finding an altered state of mind before heading into the stadium.
Gamecock Village, just steps from the Loadholt Family Gate on the southeastern edge of Williams-Brice Stadium, hosts an athletic department-sponsored tailgate. This area features the Gamecocks pregame radio show, live bands, and a big screen videoboard showing the day’s games of interest. Several inflatables, player appearances from the Gamecocks other sports programs, and several food trucks also populate Gamecock Village.
Alternatively, a more refined pregame tailgate can be found at the southern end of the stadium in the ‘Cockabooses’, which are retired cabooses that have been converted to high end tailgating suites – these cabooses rent out for well into six-figures. All that said, to say tailgating at South Carolina is a big part of the game day experience would be an understatement.
In addition, there is no let down as the tailgating moves into the pregame festivities. In what has become much more than simply bringing out the team with the school fight song, South Carolina has one of the most exciting pregame atmospheres in all of college football. The fun starts when a special guest steps off the back of the replica Cockaboose, and leads the crowd in a volley of “GAME”, “COCKS” between each side of the stadium.
Sparks then begin to spew from the Gamecock-themed caboose, as the them from 2001: A Space Odyssey plays, and mascot Cocky is launched into the air through sparks and smoke atop the Cockaboose, sending the crowd into a frenzy. All this excitement leads to one of the elite pregame experiences, as 80,000 fans bob up-and-down to the techno beats of Sandstorm – this legitimately gets the upper decks and corkscrew ramps bouncing.
Throughout the game, the use of the Purge-like siren, followed by the crow of the gamecock, helps get every ounce of noise out of the Gamecock faithful.
The in-game entertainment at Williams-Brice Stadium is as good as will be found anywhere else in the country – the use of the stadium’s LED lighting, and the ability to sync it to the music played during stoppages in play, goes a long way in keeping fans engaged, and their frenzied state high until the ball is put back into play. On top of it all, the ability to turn the whole stadium red during night games is a very cool experience. The great part in all of this is that South Carolina has been able to hold onto the traditions of college football, while still creating a fun, current experience.
When looking for optimal seating, any of the areas in the upper levels of the south end of the stadium offer a terrific view of downtown Columbia. However, if seeking relief from the South Carolina sun is more the goal, there is not a lot of cover, but the west stands do get shaded first. Also, the upper most reaches do slide under the press box, providing some relief from the elements. As a result of this lack of shade, the corkscrew ramps in each of the stadium’s corners are a popular place for fans to congregate to watch the game from, similar to Auburn’s Jordan Hare Stadium.
As would be expected from any SEC program, South Carolina gives fans a high-quality game experience that is certainly enhanced by the unique traditions of the Gamecocks.
Neighborhood 3
The core concentration of the University of South Carolina’s athletic facilities is roughly two miles south of the downtown campus in Columbia. This area is also home to the South Carolina State Fairgrounds, which during football season doubles as a large tailgating area. There are a handful of eateries around, but these are a bit sparse in comparison to the size of the city.
The neighborhood that surrounds Williams-Brice Stadium has a rather industrial feel to it, but does transition well on game days to a festive pregame college football atmosphere.
Signs of the mills and factories of the area that once bustled with activity now sit abandoned, while a handful have been repurposed into gyms and cross fit studios; the core of the university nightlife is more concentrated in the neighborhoods to the southeast and northwest of campus. The Vista, about three miles north of Williams-Brice Stadium, is a focal point of USC’s off-campus entertainment and higher end restaurant offerings, while another option is the Five Points neighborhood to the northeast of the stadium.
Columbia has plenty of entertainment options both pre and post game, but other than tailgating in the lots around Williams-Brice Stadium, most of what Columbia has to offer for food, entertainment, and lodging can be found just under three miles away.
Fans 5
It is difficult to find a football program in the SEC that does not come with a large backing of fan support, and South Carolina is no exception. Despite the inconsistencies of sustained success on the field, the Gamecock faithful still come out in droves, and fill Williams-Brice Stadium on a regular basis.
The fans are active participants in setting the tone for the overall game experience, from the Gamecock Walk prior to gates opening, to the frenzied excitement of fans bouncing to Darude’s Sandstorm prior to each Gamecock kickoff.
Recent forward progress has seemingly rejuvenated the excitement of the South Carolina fan base – the feel has shifted recently from an expectation of winning a fair number of games each season to the expectation of winning each week, which has injected a once familiar confidence back into the atmosphere here.
Access 2
Even though there are several access points to Williams-Brice Stadium, the roads getting there are at a near standstill in the time leading to gates opening for the tailgating lots, five hours prior to kickoff. It is advised that fans use I-77, which is accessible from I-26 and I-20 – the fact of the matter is, though, that regardless of the route taken, be prepared to wait, as the streets become extremely crowded during both pre and post game.
There are a few ways to avoid the traffic backup, but it involves patience or a willingness to walk up to a mile. Metered parking maxes out at five hours, so if you are willing to park at a meter and walk, it can definitely eliminate the wait to access the tailgating lots. There are also several golf cart services for hire that can bring fans to and from the area around Williams-Brice Stadium, and out of the congestion relatively quickly.
Once inside the stadium, fans have roomy concourses which keep congestion to a minimum. This is very much welcome, as renovations to add more amenities would tend to take away some of the comfort of wide-open concourses.
However, what is given with wide walkways under the stadium does seem to be taken back in the seating bowl. Rows here are pretty tight, so getting up during play is nearly impossible without agitating more than a handful of those in the area. On top of it all, the seating rows are fairly long, so if seated toward the middle of a row it just adds another obstacle to navigate.
Following the game, the roads are equally at as much of a standstill as they were during pregame. Needless to say, getting in and out of Williams-Brice Stadium will test even the most patient of fans.
Return on Investment 3
Whenever considering football in the SEC, there will always be a premium price for tickets.
South Carolina boasts having nearly 65,000 season ticket holders, which helps create a one-of-a-kind atmosphere, but it does make getting tickets directly from the athletic department at the most affordable rates difficult. The most affordable seats start at just $20 before fees, but unless you plan well ahead of time they are typically not available. The secondary market is the most reliable place to buy tickets, but at this point even the seats in the highest reaches of the upper level are selling for nearly triple digits after factoring in fees.
For those choosing to park at the furthest most reaches of the stadium lots, there are shuttles available for $10, which is a bit disappointing considering that several similarly sized college football programs offer free shuttles. Parking directly around the stadium will start around $40, though some independent lots at the far end of Rosewood Drive go for $20 per car.
Inside Williams-Brice Stadium, concessions do seem to be a touch high, but considering the higher quality items and availability of local foods, it does not come as a big surprise.
Overall, if you plan well in advance and are willing to make some sacrifices, there is value to be had in a South Carolina football experience, but it definitely does take some planning ahead.
Extras 5
Popular photo ops can be found just outside the northwestern corner of the stadium, just steps from the corner of George Rogers Boulevard and Bluff Road. Here, a large gamecock sculpture and a statue of 1980 Heisman Trophy Award winner George Rogers are popular stops.
There are several permanent restroom facilities around the southern perimeter of the stadium, which provide a bit more comfort than the typical porta-potties.
For those wanting to get up close and personal with the team as they enter the stadium, the Gamecock Walk passes through Gamecock Village 2 1/2 hours prior to kickoff. The walk includes not just players and coaches, but is led by mascot Cocky and the Carolina Band.
There is not a ton at Williams-Brice Stadium to recognize the history of South Carolina football, but the facing of the corkscrew ramps do pay tribute to program record holders and award winners, while the ring of honor is displayed on the front of the press box.
Outside the stadium is also a display recognizing the history of the Jack Springs Tailoring Traveling Blazer.
Following the game, the team comes to stand in front of the band to sing the school’s alma mater; it is always nice to see a moment where the team can come together with its fans to pay tribute to the school they love and represent.
Final Thoughts
Each year hope springs eternal, and despite the historical inconsistencies of South Carolina football, the fans have continued to come out to support the Gamecocks.
The actual gameday experience at Williams-Brice Stadium is as fun as most you would find in the nation, but the drawback is there just seems to be a lot of obstacles in the way, which may prevent you from getting the most out of that enjoyment. From the accessibility of the area pre and post game to the costs of tickets and other related expenses, it just seems to put a bit of a damper on what truly is an exceptional college football experience.
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