Hancock Stadium

Hancock Stadium

Location	N Main St & W Locust St Normal, IL 61761
Coordinates	40.510580, -88.999050
Owner	Illinois State University
Type	Multi-Purpose Stadium
Capacity	15,000
Construction
Opened	1963
Expanded	1969(added turf)
Website
http://goredbirds.cstv.com/facilities/hancock-stadium.html

Hancock Stadium is a 15,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Normal, Illinois. It opened in 1963.[1] It is home to the Illinois State University Redbirds football team.

History

Opened in 1963 and named after former Illinois State's athletic director Dr Howard Hancock. In 1969, Hancock Stadium became Illinois's first college stadium that featured artificial turf as its playing surface.[2] The artificial turf was replaced and a new scoreboard was installed, [3] but these are the only noteworthy upgrades in the nearly forty-five year history of the facility.

For many years, Hancock Stadium was the home of the Illinois High School football championships.

Renovations

In 2000 the Kaufman Football Building was opened.[4] This facility is now the home to the players and coaches. In recent years, Redbird football has enjoyed a resurgence of spirit and success, all bringing attention to the ailing facility. Under the leadership of athletic director (Dr. Sheahon Zenger) and university president (Dr. Al Bowman), plans detailing the facility's renovations were unveiled in 2006. The plans boast upgrades to the stadium's seating areas, press box, restrooms, concession venues, and playing surface. New turf (FieldTurf), drainage tile, and video scoreboards were installed and ready to go on June 13, 2007. [5] A re-design of Hancock Stadium will feature new seating on the East and South sides, expanded student section, new state of the art press box with elevators, and indoor luxury donor suites. The first phase will feature 14,000 seats and the second and final phase will bring seating up to 25,000

Phase 1

The current thought is to “dress up” the 5,000-seat west side of Hancock while launching a major reconstruction of the east side. [6] Major renovation of the west side, which is attached to Horton Field House, would be extremely costly. The seating on Hancock’s west side would be replaced and the brownstone currently featured on the Kaufman Football Building and on a new retaining wall in the northeast corner of the stadium would be extended. The wall would become the base of all the stands that surround the east, west and south sides of the stadium, with the north end looking like it does extending from Kaufman east to west. At some points it would be free standing, and some points it would be the front part of the stands. The renovation already has begun with the new retaining wall in front of Kaufman.

East side construction would see the removal of the current metal bleachers and the building of a new, single-level structure that would seat 7,000 to 10,000 and feature concessions and restrooms. The new east side also would house donor suites and a press box.

One potential pitfall of moving the home side of Hancock to the east is that fans, media and suites would be looking into various stages of sunlight. Seating after completion of the initial phase would be about 15,000, not counting the approximately 3,000 in the "Zoo" student section in the south end zone. The estimated cost of the first phase is at $10 to $15 million.

Phase 2

In its current form, phase two would mean replacing the "Zoo" with a horseshoe of seating that would connect the east and west sides. Other options would be adding a second level to the east or west stands. At a cost of $10–15 million in today’s dollars, that would bring seating into the 24,000 to 25,000 range.[7]

A need to get to 15,000 legitimate seatsis the ultimate goal. The "Zoo" would be for overflow seating. It would be covered up with a big bird head logo. If there is a sellout, it would be rolled back and allow people to move in the "Zoo". Should there not be a need for that over time, the "Zoo" would be tore down and berm would be built there. It would then resemble a quaint, Ivy League-looking stadium.

Phase 2 would not be implemented unless the football team consistently draws a capacity crowd following the phase one expansion and improvements.

According to officials, building a new stadium on university property near the golf course on Gregory Street is not being considered.

Big Red Marching Machine

Hancock Stadium is the home of the Big Red Marching Machine. The BRMM was once one of the largest marching bands in the nation and still earns national notoriety. [8]

Each October, the stadium hosts the Illinois Invitational High School Band Championship where scores of high school marching bands compete for the state title.

It is also home to the Twin City Storm of the MLFA.

References

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