Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Seth Grove Stadium 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257
Year Opened: 1972
Capacity: 7,700
Up With The Ship
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (Ship or SU) is a public university in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate programs and more than 50 master’s degree programs.
Many of the original historic buildings of the campus, including Old Main, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous alumni of the school include Brent Grimes, former National Football League cornerback; Rob Davis, the Director of Player Development of the Green Bay Packers; and best selling author Dean Koontz.
The Red Raiders are members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and have been members of the PSAC since its foundation in 1951. The Dixon trophy is awarded to the top athletic program in the 18 university Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Shippensburg has won the trophy seven times, the most by any PSAC member. The field hockey team at Ship has been the most successful team on campus winning the national championship in Division II twice in the last six years. Football has been a strong team as well. The mascot is “Big Red,” a red-tail hawk wearing a pirates hat.
The stadium is named for the late J. Seth Grove, former coach at Shippensburg.
Food & Beverage 3
There is a simple food stand located on each end of the main grandstand. It is a simple affair with cheap prices and good quality. Both stands are cash only and there is not an ATM at the stadium.
Across from each food stand is a temporary trailer selling french fries.
Atmosphere 4
The stadium has one large main stand that holds most of the seats, while there is a small visiting stand on the far side of the field that has its own entrance. Most of the seats in the stands are bleacher type with no back.
There is a decent scoreboard at the stadium. The football field does sit a bit away from the stands because of track surface.
There are cheerleaders, the team mascot and a fairly large marching bad to enhance the atmosphere.
Neighborhood 3
Shippensburg is a nice little town located just to the north of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, as well as the Maryland border. There are a few food and drink options in the immediate vicinity.
You can’t go wrong with CJ’s American Pub & Grill for dinner and then stopping by Goose Bros. Ice Cream for dessert. There are other options as it is a small college town with quite a few variety of places to go. Nearby Chambersburg has many more local and chain options.
Fans 4
The fans seem to attend the games well and the stands filled up fairly quickly. They are loud and exuberant.
The PSAC conference offers some great local rivalries with schools such as Bloomsburg, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock and Millersville. Expect to see a decent number of rival fans in attendance.
Access 4
Shippensburg is located right off Interstate 81, a major route from the south through to the northeast. Accessing the campus is easy as you get off that main road as it is marked well.
The university is located about a half an hour to the state capital Harrisburg. It is also about an hour and a half to Baltimore, and the same distance to Philadelphia.
Parking is fairly plentiful around the university and the stadium. Parking is also free.
Return on Investment 5
Tickets to the game are $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens and non-Shippensburg students. Shippensburg students, faculty and staff get in free.
Parking is free.
The value for your dollar is strong here.
Extras 3
There is a large rock located next to the playing field with a large ship logo painted on it. I had a hard time finding out the significant of it, but I am sure it means something to the players and fans.
There are free programs available at the games, while supplies last.
A portable campus bookstore sets up shop at the main stadium entrance selling quite a bit of Ship gear.
Final Thoughts
Shippensburg plays a good level of football and the opponents of the PSAC do offer some skilled opponents, which makes a game here a good value for the sports fan.