Founders Park

Last updated
Founders Park
"The Rock by the River"
Carolina Stadium.jpg
Founders Park
Former namesCarolina Stadium (2009–2015)
Location Columbia, South Carolina
Capacity 8,242 (total)
6,600 (seated)
Record attendance8,242
Surface 419 Bermuda turf grass
Construction
Broke ground 2007
OpenedFebruary 21, 2009
Construction cost$35.6 million
Architect Populous
General contractorContract Construction
Tenants
South Carolina Gamecocks (2009-present)

Founders Park, formerly known as Carolina Stadium, is a ballpark in Columbia, South Carolina on the banks of the Congaree River. The facility cost $35.6 million to build and is the home stadium for the South Carolina Gamecocks college baseball team.

Contents

Overview

Gamecocks playing Duquesne on February 21, 2009 Carolina Stadium2.jpg
Gamecocks playing Duquesne on February 21, 2009

The dimensions of the field are 325 feet (99 m) down the right and left-field lines and 390 feet (120 m) to dead center, matching those of Sarge Frye Field, the previous home stadium of the Gamecocks. The baseball training facilities at the stadium include four indoor batting tunnels, a 3,900-square-foot (360 m2) weight room, team clubhouse, coaches' offices, and a sports medicine room. Among the numerous amenities for fans, there are five luxury suites and two club-level seating areas with lounges, a Gamecock store just inside the main entrance in the outfield plaza, along with a picnic terrace that accommodates around 120 people down the left-field line. The scoreboard towers 86 feet (26 m) over the left field wall and features a 28-by-16-foot video screen.

The main stadium entrance to Founders Park is located at the northeast corner of the grounds directly behind the center-field wall. Following the 2010 national championship, USC had a mural applied to the backside of its center-field wall (to be viewed as visitors and fans enter onto stadium grounds), celebrating the 2010 title. In addition, a showcase was built at the base of the wall for the display of the national championship trophy. The mural and trophy case have since been updated to honor both the 2010 and 2011 championship teams.

In 2013, the website Stadium Journey ranked Carolina Stadium as the second best Division I baseball venue, and received an average rating 4.6 of 5 stars in 7 categories. [1] In 2014, the website ranked it first, with an average rating 4.7 of 5 stars in 7 categories. [2]

In 2015, the ballpark's name was officially changed from Carolina Stadium to Founders Park, becoming only the third college baseball stadium in the United States with a corporate sponsorship. [3] [4] This advertising agreement was extended in 2024. [5]

History

The stadium opened on February 21, 2009, with a 13–0 South Carolina victory over Duquesne with 8,153 fans in attendance, setting a Gamecock home game attendance record. USC President Harris Pastides and former Gamecock baseball coaches Bobby Richardson and June Raines threw out ceremonial first pitches. Darius Rucker, who attended USC, sang the national anthem.

A stadium record attendance of 8,242 was set during a game against Florida on May 21, 2010. This record has been matched many times since. The highest attendance for a three-game weekend series, 24,726, was set on April 15–17, 2011, when the Gamecocks hosted #1 Vanderbilt. [6]

Tournaments Hosted

NCAA Regional Tournaments: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2023

NCAA Super Regional Tournaments: 2011, 2012, 2016, 2021

Key dates

EventDateOpponent Result
Broke ground2007-
First gameFebruary 21, 2009 Duquesne W 13–0
First selloutMay 21, 2010 Florida L 2–5
100th winMarch 3, 2012 Clemson W 9–6
One millionth fanMay 9, 2012 Furman W 7–0

South Carolina Gamecocks' Record in Founders Park (2009–Present)

YearGamesOverall W–LOverall Win PctNCAA W–LNCAA Win PctTotal Attendance (SEC/Nat Rank)Avg Attendance (SEC/Nat Rank)
20093526–9.7420–0-231,360 (4th/4th)6,805 (4th/4th)
2010 3630–6.8333–01.000236,529 (3rd/4th)6,758 (4th/4th)
2011 4036–4.9005–01.000297,279 (2nd/2nd)7,431 (4th/4th)
2012 3932–7.8215–01.000295,389 (2nd/2nd)7,574 (3rd/3rd)
2013 3731–6.8383–01.000260,605 (3rd/3rd)7,445 (5th/5th)
2014 4134–7.8292–2.500305,564 (2nd/2nd)7,453 (3rd/3rd)
2015 3625–11.6940-0.000250,057 (3rd/3rd)7,354 (4th/4th)
2016 4134–7.8294-3.571293,677 (3rd/3rd)7,162 (5th/5th)
2017 3623–13.6390-0.000258,407 (4th/4th)7,177 (5th/5th)
2018 3424–10.7060-0.000229,434 (4th/4th)6,748 (4th/4th)
Totals*375295–80.78722–5.8152,658,3017,089

*Totals only reflect completed seasons

See also

References

  1. "2013 College Baseball Ballpark Rankings - Stadium Journey". www.stadiumjourney.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29.
  2. "NCAA Ballpark Experience Rankings 2014 - Stadium Journey". www.stadiumjourney.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-19.
  3. Shain, Andrew (October 20, 2015). "Gamecocks baseball stadium to be renamed Founders Park". The State.
  4. "Founders Park - The Home Of Carolina Baseball University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site". www.gamecocksonline.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25.
  5. Titus, Payton (September 27, 2024). "South Carolina extends baseball stadium naming rights deal. Here are the details". The State.
  6. "Founders Park". University of South Carolina Athletics . 2022-06-04. Retrieved 2025-04-10.


33°59′12″N81°2′38″W / 33.98667°N 81.04389°W / 33.98667; -81.04389