James Madison:
Bridgeforth Stadium and Zane Showker Field
School Founded: 1908
Location: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Football Founded: 1972
Current
Conference: Colonial Athletic
Association
Facilities: 25,000 seat Bridgeforth Stadium. Bridgeforth
Stadium/Zane Showker Field is home to the James Madison University football
Dukes. The facility was built in 1975,
enlarged in 1981, and is currently in the second phase of a major $62 million
renovation that will increase seating capacity to approximately 25,000
(25KStrong.com ), add mulitple amenities and make it one of the premier
facilities to accompany what is already one of the best gameday atmospheres in
the Football Championship Subdivision.The first phase of the construction began the week following the conclusion of the Dukes' 2009 season. The second phase started soon after the final whistle of the Dukes' last home game (Nov. 13) of the 2010 season. The first phase included the demolition of the west stands and reconstruction of the lower level of a two-tiered structure. Fans enjoyed the usage of the lower tier, which also includes new restrooms, convenient concession areas, and a fan store, during the 2010 season.
Just as during the first
phase, progress on the second phase can be viewed via a Webcam installed on the
old pressbox on the east side of the stadium.
By August of 2011 the project will have increased the seating capacity
with a second deck and by constructing permanent seating behind the north end
zone. The second phase also includes the
building of a 1,000-seat club level, 16 suites and a media facility.
In 2004 the facility was
enhanced by a new video scoreboard on the north end zone. That scoreboard was dismantled after the 2010
season to make room for the permanent seating, and a new and much larger video
scoreboard will be installed on the south end zone at a height above the
Plecker Athletic Performance Center.
The stadium is named for
William E. Bridgeforth of Winchester, Va., a long-time JMU supporter and board
of visitor member whose family remains very active with JMU. The playing field, which is Field Turf, is
named for Harrisonburg-area businessman Zane Showker, a long-time JMU supporter
and university board rector and for whom JMU's business school facility is
named.
TV Market(s): Richmond (58th TV market).
All-time Record: 256-194-4 4 conference titles.
Claimed National
Championships: One
- 2004 FCS National Champions
Rivalries:
- Richmond
- William & Mary
- Delaware
Student Population: 19,927 (18,107 Undergraduate)
Endowment: $59.6 Million
Athletic Budget: $31.1 million
FBS Aspirations: Bourne said,
without prompting, that he could see JMU becoming a charter member of a
conference comprised of upper-level I-AA schools and lower-level I-A schools –
schools such as Appalachian State, Delaware, Marshall, Ohio University and Old
Dominion.
Old Dominion football
coach Bobby Wilder generated a little news when he sat down in the conference
room adjacent to his office on Thursday to do a live chat with The
Virginian-Pilot.
Wilder broached a
subject that many at ODU have hesitated to talk about – he said he hopes that
James Madison will join Old Dominion in leaving the Colonial Athletic
Association for Conference USA.
“I am hopeful that
eventually James Madison will make the move to Conference USA,” he said in
response to a question. “I believe, like ECU, that would create a tremendous
natural rivalry that would be good for the league and also good for both
schools.”
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