I Need More Cowbell!

Official Review by Andrew Kulyk, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

Located in Starkville, Mississippi, Davis Wade Stadium and the Mississippi State campus are both found amidst the bucolic countryside just outside of Starkville. Davis Wade Stadium has bragging rights as being one of the oldest stadiums in Division 1-A football, originally opening in 1914. Major reconstruction in the 40's and the current renovations in 2002 have brought capacity to just over 55,000.

Food & Beverage    3

With recent renovations have come upgrades to the stadium fare. Concession stands have themes to them, and besides the regular staples, Bully's Creole Cafe has jambalaya and spiced sausage, the Cluckin Bulldog offers fried chicken and chicken tenders, while the Dreamland Bar-b-Que sells brisket and pulled meat sandwiches. Add Little Caesars Pizza and Dippin Dots.

Atmosphere    5

Cowbells are the signature thing which makes this venue unique and exciting. With the SEC banning noisemakers in all of their venues, the Bulldogs had to get special permission to allow cowbells into the stadium. To do so, the ringing of the bells can only take place at specific times, and they do a great job with the video board exhorting fans as to ring their bells, even involving the head coach into the process.

Neighborhood    4

The stadium is situated smack dab in the middle of the campus, and the campus is kind of far out of town, but a massive tailgate scene is right outside the stadium. The tailgate area which is a must visit here is an area called "The Junction". It is named after a defunct railroad line that used to run through this area, and later, a convergence of streets called "The Malfunction Junction" where 6 streets converged onto one spot on the campus. Today it is a pedestrian park just beyond the south wall of the stadium, and here thousands of fans converge to tailgate via a maze of tents and canopies laid out in street grid fashion, without any cars or traffic.

It is actually a planned area, with another tradition, "The Dawg Walk", a parade where the marching band and players and coaches come through this area three hours before game time, cheered on by thousands of fans who are here to party.

Fans    5

"Southern Hospitality" reigns supreme here in Starkville, with fans welcoming out of town visitors and showing off their school spirit. The signature cowbells are the one thing that the occasional visitor will come away with from the game day experience.

Access    1

One of the most disappointing aspects here was getting to the stadium. Lots nearest the venue are reserved for large donors, season ticket holders, and others lucky enough to snag a pass. Why one would want to park close by is a mystery however, as the post game gridlock is an absolute nightmare.

General parking is available in an office park about a mile away from the stadium, and they offer shuttle service back and forth. The ride to the stadium was seamless and easy, but after the game, the line waiting for shuttle buses was crazy, and the buses have no dedicated access to the parking lot, but have to mingle with the gridlock. We opted to walk, it's abut a half hour back to the car and that still was the better strategy than waiting for the bus.

Return on Investment    2

Tickets are readily available on the MSU web site at about $55 each, not really too bad considering the escalating price of tickets in a major conference these days. Soda pop runs $3.50, hot dogs $4, and pizza $5, pretty much middle of the pack for concession prices. Oh, and the general parking and shuttle ride is free.

Extras    2

One can't help but marvel at the massive HD scoreboard, easy to see as one makes the trek towards the stadium. It is one of the biggest in all of football.