How is a game at Williams Brice Stadium (South Carolina)

81usaf92

TideFans Legend
Apr 26, 2008
35,306
31,375
187
South Alabama
Im thinking about going to the South Carolina game this year. I was wondering if it is worth going to, or if its one of those that you should probably avoid stadiums. I usually plan a road game in the SEC every year, and my time to put in for vacation is coming up. The USCE game is the only stadium I haven't been to on our 2019 schedule.

But Ive heard bad things about going to a South Carolina game from folks that went to the 2010 game. They complained about things such as the stadium being on a fairgrounds, the fans were bad that day, and youll pay an arm and a leg to park and eat there. I was wondering if this is normal for USCE games or if those were just bad experiences from a bad game.
 
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GrayTide

Hall of Fame
Nov 15, 2005
18,810
6,245
187
Greenbow, Alabama
Hot and humid, otherwise a good venue.

ETA: Columbia is a super college town, bigger than T-Town but still a lot of small town influence. The 5 Points area near the campus was a fun place, but now this was back in the 1980's so things could have changed.
 
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XXIII

Scout Team
Feb 3, 2011
109
0
0
Atlanta, GA
I was there for the 2010 game... I was a freshman and it was my first road Bama game. It was obviously a tough loss, but the atmosphere in the stadium was pretty electric. Not sure how it is now that the team isn't as successful.

The fans that day weren't shy about being confident (which was a lot funnier before the game...) but overall I didn't think they were that bad. I've enjoyed games at Oxford, Baton Rouge, and Auburn more, but its worth a trip to get a different SEC experience. As with most gamedays, the quality of your experience is usually going to be tied to the people your with more than the opposing fanbase as a whole.
 

JDCrimson

Hall of Fame
Feb 12, 2006
5,346
4,417
187
51
I went in 2005 I believe. Shula was coach is all I remember. Absolutely the hottest place I have ever been. I won’t ever go back. A lot further drive than you think from Ttown.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Padreruf

Hall of Fame
Feb 12, 2001
8,687
12,227
287
73
Charleston, South Carolina
I've been a couple of times and enjoyed it thoroughly -- except for losing both times. The USC fans are typical fans...but most were courteous and inviting -- even asking us to share their food. They have been loyal through the worst years a school can have...hard to knock them after seeing their faithfulness for 20 years.
 

CrimsonEyeshade

Hall of Fame
Nov 6, 2007
5,409
1,520
187
I live an hour north of Cola. The stadium, indeed, is on a fairground. They've made access a little better through the years, but you still need to get the racket back early and leave yourself plenty of time to arrive and park.

The tailgating is fine, people are mostly nice and welcoming, and the renovated train cars doubling as game-day condos are very cool.

Inside the stadium, the Carolina folks can make some noise. They can also leave at half-time, and in 2005 most of them did not come back -- illustrating the manic-depressiveness that Gamecock fans are famous for.

Downtown Columbia is a very underrated place. Given the post-game traffic, getting there is no easy chore.

A game in Columbia is worth a visit. But it's Montgomery-level, coastal plain heat and humidity. Night game is much more enjoyable.
 
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bamaga

Hall of Fame
Apr 29, 2002
13,378
8,238
282
JAWJA
The only time I have been there, it reminded me a little of watching a game at Legion Field.
 
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RollTide1224

All-American
Feb 18, 2008
2,385
87
67
Spartanburg, SC
I went to law school there. It will be unbelievably hot I promise that. There's not a whole lot around the stadium which is my main complaint. I prefer the vista over five points. Five points is where the college kids go and you have a good chance of being shot. The vista is where the older crowd goes, a good bit safer and classier.
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
36,284
30,893
187
Beautiful Cullman, AL
I would say if you had the chance to go, go. I'd like to visit all the SEC stadiums someday myself. I've only been to ours and Starkvegas.

From what I see on TV though, you need to be prepared to listen to a rooster crowing every 30 seconds. I'm sure they'll be fired up for us.
 

BayouBama75

All-SEC
Dec 7, 2001
1,012
105
187
Knoxville, TN
I have been there twice with my son, the last one being in 2010. I thought is was a good venue and the fans were definitely ready in 2010 but I didn't have any issues with them even with all my Bama gear. I think Gameday was there in 2010 and it was on campus so we took a bus over to watch that. Definitely a disappointing game but I was glad we went. I lived in Atlanta so it was a day trip for me.
 

gumptider

1st Team
Sep 24, 2008
590
2
0
Was there in 2010. The crowd was electric and the fans were as awful as described earlier. Worst I've seen on the road. That said, I do like Columbia in general.
 

jabcmb

All-American
Feb 1, 2006
2,792
318
107
Birmingham, AL
Go ahead and go. I like Columbia, and you might have a great time. No, it’s not big city, but give it a try. Definitely friendlier than a lot of SEC venues I’ve visited.
 

Just Win

All-SEC
Dec 22, 2003
1,883
0
55
58
Alabaster, AL, USA
Im thinking about going to the South Carolina game this year. I was wondering if it is worth going to, or if its one of those that you should probably avoid stadiums. I usually plan a road game in the SEC every year, and my time to put in for vacation is coming up. The USCE game is the only stadium I haven't been to on our 2019 schedule.

But Ive heard bad things about going to a South Carolina game from folks that went to the 2010 game. They complained about things such as the stadium being on a fairgrounds, the fans were bad that day, and youll pay an arm and a leg to park and eat there. I was wondering if this is normal for USCE games or if those were just bad experiences from a bad game.
Awesome stadium - not a bad seat in the house. And the town is cool too. I really recommend the trip.
 

Bamaatthebeach

1st Team
Feb 27, 2019
617
682
117
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
I haven't been to a game there in a while, but I went to grad school there, so I can provide feedback. First, I can definitely tell you that Columbia to Sylacauga is 5.5 hours, so it's not a bad drive (up 21 to Oxford and then I-20 all the way).

As several have pointed out, climate-wise Columbia feels like a depression in the middle of the state where the heat and humidity sort of gather and just hang. It is truly oppressive, so if the game is in September (I haven't checked), it will be uncomfortable most likely.

The Vista area is very nice, and I can imagine most people would enjoy it. Five Points was full of all different ages when I lived there in the late 80s-early 90s; however, I think the older crowd is likely to prefer the Vista area now. Five Points is fun, though. Hootie and Blowfish wasn't famous when I lived there, so I couldn't even count the times I saw them free down there. Most of the restaurants will be full of all ages, including families (Yesterday's is kind of a landmark in 5 Points).

USC's campus is much different from Bama's--think more urban--however, if you get the chance to go to the University (the stadium is well a ways away), I would do it just to stroll around the Horseshoe, which is the oldest part of the school and quite pretty.

My sisters came up to see a game in the early 2000s, and they thought the fans were rude, but really they were just typical fans. I will always remember the first weekend I was a student there. I was jogging through campus with a Bama shirt on, and traffic was lined up headed toward the stadium for their game that day. When I got to the road where the traffic was, a lot of people in cars started yelling anti-Bama stuff at me and flipping me off. I thought it was kind of funny because I really knew very little about their program, but they acted like their coach, Joe Morrison, was on the level of Bear Bryant. I think that they had won ten games or something in 1984, and it had gone to their heads.

Have fun at the game and afterward...
 

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