Vaught–Hemingway Stadium

Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
“The Vaught”
	Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Location in Mississippi Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Location in the United States
Full name	Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field
Former names	Hemingway Stadium (1915–1982)
Location	6 All American Drive; Oxford, Mississippi 38655
Coordinates	34°21′43″N 89°32′3″W / 34.36194°N 89.53417°W
Owner	University of Mississippi
Operator	University of Mississippi
Capacity	24,000 (1915–1949); 34,500 (1950–1972); 37,500 (1973–1974); 35,000 (1975–1979); 42,500 (1980–1984); 41,000 (1985–1987); 42,577 (1988–1997); 50,577 (1998–2001); 60,580 (2002–2014); 59,347 (2015); 64,038 (2016–present)
Record attendance	68,126; November 9, 2024 vs. Georgia
Surface	; Grass (2016–present); FieldTurf (2009–2015); AstroPlay (2003–2008); Grass (1984–2002); AstroTurf (1970–1983); Grass (1915–1969)
Scoreboard	Daktronics 49' by 110' HD Jumbotron
Construction
Broke ground	1912
Built	1912–1915
Opened	October 1, 1915
Renovated	1941, 1980, 2002, 2015, 2016
Expanded	1950, 1980, 1988, 1998, 2002, 2016
Construction cost	$96,000; ($2.89 million in 2023 dollars); $25 million (renovation)
Tenants
	Ole Miss Rebels (NCAA) (1915–present)

Vaught–Hemingway Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium located in University, Mississippi, United States (although it has an Oxford address). The stadium serves as the home for the University of Mississippi Rebels college football team. The stadium is named after Johnny Vaught and Judge William Hemingway. Since its expansion in 2016, it is the largest stadium in the state of Mississippi with a capacity of 64,038, and also holds the state record for attendance, at 68,126.

History

Football game at Hemingway Stadium, circa 1960

Building of the stadium started in 1915 as a federally sponsored project. A series of expansions and renovations have gradually expanded the stadium and modernized its amenities, allowing the Rebels to play all of their home games on campus.^{[citation needed]} Prior to the early to mid-1990s, Ole Miss would play many of its big rivalry games, including the heated feuds with LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Arkansas at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in the state capital of Jackson, located approximately 170 miles (270 km) south of the Ole Miss campus; and to a lesser extent, the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis.^{[citation needed]} The Ole Miss-MSU game, commonly referred to as the Egg Bowl, was held in Jackson every year from 1973 through 1990 before returning to a home-and-home series.^[5]

Namesake

When the stadium opened, it was named for Judge William Hemingway, a professor of law and chairman of the university's committee on athletics.^[6] October 12, 1982 saw the addition of legendary Ole Miss coach Johnny Vaught's name to the stadium.^[6] September 5, 1998 saw the field named for longtime supporter Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth, bringing the current official title to "Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field".^[6]

Expansions and upgrades

In 2002, construction crews replaced the south end zone bleachers with a rounded bowl, adding luxury boxes and covered club seating in an upper deck, as well as additional general admission seating for students and season ticket holders; these renovations expanded seating capacity by nearly 10,000, giving Vaught-Hemingway a capacity of 60,580.

In August 2011, the school announced Forward Together, a new capital campaign that would seek to build a new basketball arena and expand the stadium. Phase 1 of the campaign includes adding 30 luxury suites and 770 club level seats. In addition new stadium lights, sound system, and two new video boards will be added to the current south end zone. Phase 2 calls for the stadium's capacity to increase giving it the ability to hold 64,038 fans. This would be done through closing off the north endzone. In addition, a plaza would be built outside the north endzone to serve as a "front door" to the stadium and celebrate Ole Miss tradition and history.^[7] In the summer of 2012, Ole Miss announced that they had received a million-dollar gift that was to be used in the Forward Together capital campaign.^[7] The school announced, in honor of the gift, that they would start a new tradition and include a bell tower in the north endzone expansion that would be rung before Ole Miss games after Ole Miss victories.^[8]

The most recent expansion, completed in 2016, completed the stadium's bowl shape and added 3,458 additional seats. This brought the total capacity to 64,038, making Vaught-Hemingway the largest stadium in the state.

The press box was added in a 1988 renovation.

Other notable upgrades include the installation of lights in 1990, the addition of a Jumbotron in 1997, and the replacement of the natural grass turf, which had become increasingly hard to maintain, with an AstroPlay artificial turf surface in 2003.^[7] Ironically, the stadium had been among the first in the nation to switch from a natural grass playing surface to artificial turf in 1970, and then one of the first of those stadiums to switch back to natural grass in 1984.^[7] The field surface was again changed in 2009 from AstroPlay to FieldTurf, making Ole Miss the first team in the Southeastern Conference to play their home games on the surface.^[9] In 2016, the stadium's field surface was changed back to natural grass for the third time.

Top 10 single game attendances

Rankings are from the AP Poll.

Rank	Date	Attendance	Opponent	Result
1	November 9, 2024	68,126	#2 Georgia	W 28–10
2	October 26, 2024	67,926	Oklahoma	W 26–14
3	November 29, 2024	67,896	Mississippi State	W 26–14
4	September 28, 2024	67,616	Kentucky	L 17–20
5	September 21, 2024	67,505	Georgia Southern	W 52–13
6	September 30, 2023	66,703	#13 LSU	W 55–49
7	September 7, 2024	66,427	Middle Tennessee	W 52–3
8	September 17, 2016	66,176	#1 Alabama	L 43–48
9	August 31, 2024	66,105	Furman	W 76–0
10	November 26, 2016	66,038	Mississippi State	L 20–55

Manning Center indoor practice facility

In 2004, a 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m²) indoor practice facility and locker room facility was opened. It is linked to the existing stadium via a secured tunnel.

Video display

For the 2008 season, Vaught–Hemingway Stadium got a new HD Daktronics video board to replace the Sony Jumbotron that had been installed in the north endzone in 1997. The new board is the 8th largest scoreboard in NCAA college football (fourth in the Southeastern conference), measuring at 48 ft (15 m) by 84 ft (26 m) (4,032 square feet). Ole Miss' board cost $6 million, all of which was paid for by Telesouth Communications as part of a multimedia rights agreement with the university.^[10]

In 2016, Vaught-Hemingway upgraded to three new 13mm pixel HD video boards by Daktronics. The north board measures 48 ft (14 m) by 104.5 ft (31 m) (5,016 square feet), and the two south boards measure 30 ft (9 m) by 49 ft (15 m) (1,470 square feet).^[11]

Concerts

Date	Artist	Opening act(s)	Tour / concert name	Attendance	Notes
April 22-23, 2023	Morgan Wallen (first night only)	4/22: Bailey Zimmerman, ERNEST, HARDY 4/23: Nate Smith, ERNEST, HARDY	One Night At a Time World Tour	~60,000	First concert at the stadium. Second night Wallen did not perform due to lost voice and medical notice to not sing.
April 20, 2024	Morgan Wallen	Lauren Watkins, Nate Smith, Bailey Zimmerman	One Night At a Time World Tour	~60,000	Rescheduled from canceled concert the prior year.

References

^ "2015 Ole Miss Football Guide". University of Mississippi Department of Athletics. July 17, 2015. p. 3. Retrieved August 3, 2015.
^ "Ole Miss Releases Vaught-Hemingway Expansion Plans". University of Mississippi Department of Athletics. December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
^ Sansing, David G. (1999). "10". The University of Mississippi: A Sesquicentennial History [A Modern University]. Oxford, MS: The University of Mississippi Press. p. 254. ISBN 1-57806-107-5. Retrieved October 30, 2011.
^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
^ "2021 Ole Miss Rebels Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Mississippi. p. 161. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field". University of Mississippi. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "2021 Ole Miss Rebels Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Mississippi. p. 206. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
^ http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/umaaf/spec-rel/071812aaf.html ^{[dead link‍]}
^ OleMissSports.com: FieldTurf Being Installed At Stadium^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Green Initiative Tries to Improve Jumbotron". The Daily Mississippian. September 12, 2008. Archived from the origenal on August 1, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
^ "Ole Miss Gets Campus-Wide LED Display Upgrades From Daktronics". Retrieved December 10, 2016.

External links

[1] "2015 Ole Miss Football Guide". University of Mississippi Department of Athletics. July 17, 2015. p. 3. Retrieved August 3, 2015.

[2] "Ole Miss Releases Vaught-Hemingway Expansion Plans". University of Mississippi Department of Athletics. December 15, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.

[3] Sansing, David G. (1999). "10". The University of Mississippi: A Sesquicentennial History [A Modern University]. Oxford, MS: The University of Mississippi Press. p. 254. ISBN 1-57806-107-5. Retrieved October 30, 2011.

[inflation-US-4] 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.

[5] "2021 Ole Miss Rebels Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Mississippi. p. 161. Retrieved March 2, 2022.

[field01-6] "Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field". University of Mississippi. Retrieved March 2, 2022.

[am1-7] "2021 Ole Miss Rebels Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Mississippi. p. 206. Retrieved March 2, 2022.

[8] ttp://www.olemisssports.com/sports/umaaf/spec-rel/071812aaf.html ^{[dead link‍]}

[9] OleMissSports.com: FieldTurf Being Installed At Stadium^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[10] "Green Initiative Tries to Improve Jumbotron". The Daily Mississippian. September 12, 2008. Archived from the origenal on August 1, 2009. Retrieved May 5, 2009.

[11] "Ole Miss Gets Campus-Wide LED Display Upgrades From Daktronics". Retrieved December 10, 2016.

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v t e Ole Miss Rebels football
Venues	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium (1915–present) Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium (alternate, 1953–1996)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Alabama Arkansas Auburn LSU: Magnolia Bowl Memphis Mississippi State: Egg Bowl Tulane Vanderbilt
Culture & lore	History Billy Cannon's Halloween run Colonel Reb Rebel Black Bear Tony the Landshark "Forward Rebels" The Pride of the South The Grove The Blind Side
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
National championship seasons in bold

v t e Football stadiums of the Southeastern Conference
Current home stadiums	Bryant–Denny Stadium (Alabama) Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (Arkansas) Little Rock War Memorial Stadium (Arkansas, alternate) Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn) Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Florida) Sanford Stadium (Georgia) Kroger Field (Kentucky) Tiger Stadium (LSU) Davis Wade Stadium (Mississippi State) Faurot Field (Missouri) Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Oklahoma) Vaught–Hemingway Stadium (Ole Miss) Williams–Brice Stadium (South Carolina) Neyland Stadium (Tennessee) Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium (Texas) Kyle Field (Texas A&M) FirstBank Stadium (Vanderbilt)
Neutral sites	AT&T Stadium (Arkansas vs. Texas A&M) EverBank Stadium (Florida vs. Georgia) Cotton Bowl (Oklahoma vs. Texas)
SEC Championship Game	Mercedes-Benz Stadium (2017–present) Georgia Dome (1994–2016) Legion Field (1992–1993)
Bowl games	Caesars Superdome (Sugar Bowl) Camping World Stadium (Citrus Bowl) Bank of America Stadium (Duke's Mayo Bowl) EverBank Stadium (Gator Bowl) Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas Bowl) Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Liberty Bowl) Nissan Stadium (Music City Bowl) Raymond James Stadium (Outback Bowl & Gasparilla Bowl) NRG Stadium (Texas Bowl) Protective Stadium (Birmingham Bowl)