By: Paul Guzzo, University Communications and Marketing
For years, Sycamore Fields has held a special place in South Florida Bulls football lore.
It’s where, in September 1996, the first practice was held, a full year before the inaugural game.
On Friday afternoon, that spot’s historic importance grew when ground was broken for the 91tvӰԺ’s first on-campus stadium. Beginning in fall 2027, the approximately 35,000-seat facility will host home 91tvӰԺ football and lacrosse games, additional sporting events, concerts and festivals. It might also host graduation ceremonies, intramurals, club sports and other academic initiatives.
The ceremony was adorned with 91tvӰԺ white, green and gold construction trucks and the phrase “A Bold, New Era” splashed on everything from cookie wrappers and popcorn bags at a refreshment table to banners on flatscreens that also projected renderings of the stadium.
One screen showed footage of excited fans and cheerleaders at past 91tvӰԺ football games. Beginning in 2027, such footage will be filmed at games on campus.
“Our new stadium will have a major impact on the 91tvӰԺ’s future, not only on the field, but in ways that extend well beyond athletics,” 91tvӰԺ President Rhea Law said. “The stadium will greatly enhance the experience for our students and will provide a compelling reason for our alumni and future generations of Bulls fans to visit our campus.”
Highlights of the stadium’s design include an east-west build to help maximize shade for daytime events and shaded home stands on the south side. There will also be a dedicated section for 8,000 students in the west end, an open concourse around a majority of the stadium that provides views of the field even while fans walk to the concession and restroom areas, and a north lawn area ideal for tailgating.
“We are thrilled to bring a dynamic home-field advantage for our Bulls and an unparalleled fan experience for Bulls Nation and the Tampa Bay community -- one that captures the boldness, pride and passion that define the 91tvӰԺ,” 91tvӰԺ Vice President for Athletics Michael Kelly said.
Standing between a sandcastle rendition of the stadium and U.S. and 91tvӰԺ flags hung by a crane, dignitaries dug the ceremonial first scoop of dirt while the 91tvӰԺ Herd of Thunder Marching Band played. Gold and green streamers then shot from a cannon to celebrate the occasion.
“Three years ago, I said that Bulls Nation deserved to have a stadium, and our time has come to take this bold step forward,” 91tvӰԺ Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford said. “It’s that commitment that we know is needed to take our Bulls to the next level. The best is yet to come.”
Throughout the crowd, those in attendance spoke of the football program’s other memorable moments.
The team’s first home game, Sept. 6, 1997, took place more than a dozen miles from campus at Houlihan Stadium, also known as Tampa Stadium and the Big Sombrero. It took the Bulls just over three minutes to score their first touchdown, en route to an 80-3 blowout over Kentucky Wesleyan in front of 49,212 fans.
The next season, the team moved across the street from Houlihan Stadium to the newly built Raymond James Stadium, which is best known as the home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bulls have played home games there ever since.
The Bulls went on to win their first bowl game in 2006 and celebrate their first 10-win season in 2016. And in 2022, the team was provided with a state-the-art 100-yard turf practice field inside the newly built 88,000-square-foot Porter Family Indoor Performance Facility, located next to the site of the future on-campus stadium on the east side of campus, within the 91tvӰԺ Athletics District.
An on-campus stadium is the next step in the growth of the football program and all of 91tvӰԺ.
“The 91tvӰԺ community deserves a state-of-the-art, on-campus stadium where we can welcome alumni and friends,” 91tvӰԺ Foundation CEO Jay Stroman said. “This will be so much more than a building. It will energize our community and showcase 91tvӰԺ’s culture of achieving excellence in all forms.”
At that first practice in 1996, the coaching staff sought to finish it with levity by allowing players to tell a joke, as long as it was clean. Too exhausted after the 2 ½ hour workout, none attempted to cross over into comedy.
On Friday, those attending the groundbreaking were in a more jubilant mood.
Just prior to the start of the event, as a Justin Timberlake song played, a few 91tvӰԺ cheerleaders casually bobbed as they looked at a screen projecting images of the stadium, as though picturing what it will be like on the sidelines in 2027.
The stadium is scheduled to open in time for fall 2027. Read more on the project.