BB&T Field
Encyclopedia
This article is about the football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. For the baseball stadium also in Winston-Salem, see BB&T Ballpark. For the baseball stadium in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, see BB&T Coastal Field.
BB&T Field (the playing field contained in Groves Stadium) is a football field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
. It is primarily used for American football
, and is the home field of the Wake Forest University
Demon Deacons
. The stadium opened in 1968 and holds 31,500 people. It is the smallest football stadium, by capacity, in both the ACC, and in all BCS Automatic Qualifying conferences.
In September 2007, Wake Forest University and BB&T
, which is headquartered in Winston-Salem, announced a 10 year deal to officially rename the stadium "BB&T Field" starting with the first 2007 home game against Nebraska. The deal is part of a larger development process to secure funds for stadium renovations and upgrades.
The former stadium name of Groves Field
goes back to the original stadium at the original location of Wake Forest (Wake Forest, North Carolina
). The old stadium was financed by Henry Groves, and when the school announced the move to Winston-Salem, he and his brother, Earl, decided to make a further contribution to the school to keep their name on any new stadium. After moving to Winston-Salem, many games were played in Bowman Gray Stadium
while the project to build a new stadium met with many setbacks. It was not until 1966 that the final fundraising was done, and the stadium opened in September 1968, with the Deacons losing to old rival NC State. The former Groves Stadium became the home football field for Wake Forest-Rolesville High School
and is today known as Trentini Stadium.
The current stadium consists of two bowed grandstands on either side of the field. The southeast endzone is known as "Deacon Hill," and is used for berm seating during games. The Bridger Field House, originally built in 1968 with the stadium, was demolished in early 1996 and rebuilt during the 1996 football season. It opened midway through the 1997 football season. The structure is located behind the northwest endzone. In the summer of 2006, the natural grass surface was replaced with FieldTurf.
The stadium is part of a larger complex east of the main campus at the corner of Deacon Boulevard and University Parkway, which includes Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park and Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
.
In 2006, the Wake Forest Athletics Department announced plans to further the renovations on BB&T Field (then Groves Stadium) with the construction of Deacon Tower which will house a new press box. Deacon Tower opened prior to the 2008 season. The press box is the centerpiece of the third of six levels of renovations set to take place at BB&T Field. The old press box, built in 1968, was successfully imploded & demolished on the morning of January 14, 2007 as numerous Demon Deacon fans watched on. Previous renovations included the bricking of the facade of the grandstand in 2005 and the implementation of FieldTurf in 2006.
BB&T Field is just west of Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park, home of the Wake Forest baseball team (previously Ernie Shore Field which held the Winston-Salem Warthogs minor league baseball team; now known as the Winston-Salem Dash which play at BB&T Ballpark located in downtown Winston-Salem).
BB&T Field (the playing field contained in Groves Stadium) is a football field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
. It is primarily used for American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and is the home field of the Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
Demon Deacons
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
. The stadium opened in 1968 and holds 31,500 people. It is the smallest football stadium, by capacity, in both the ACC, and in all BCS Automatic Qualifying conferences.
In September 2007, Wake Forest University and BB&T
BB&T
BB&T Corporation is an American bank with assets of $157 billion , offering full-service commercial and retail banking services along with other financial services like insurance, investments, retail brokerage, mortgage, corporate finance, consumer finance, payment services, international...
, which is headquartered in Winston-Salem, announced a 10 year deal to officially rename the stadium "BB&T Field" starting with the first 2007 home game against Nebraska. The deal is part of a larger development process to secure funds for stadium renovations and upgrades.
The former stadium name of Groves Field
Groves Stadium (1940)
Groves Stadium, currently known as Trentini Stadium, is a stadium in Wake Forest, North Carolina, United States. It hosted the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons football team until the school moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Bowman Gray Stadium. Since then, the stadium has hosted the...
goes back to the original stadium at the original location of Wake Forest (Wake Forest, North Carolina
Wake Forest, North Carolina
Wake Forest is a town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake County in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is located just north of the state capital, Raleigh. The population was 12,588 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the estimated population was 27,915...
). The old stadium was financed by Henry Groves, and when the school announced the move to Winston-Salem, he and his brother, Earl, decided to make a further contribution to the school to keep their name on any new stadium. After moving to Winston-Salem, many games were played in Bowman Gray Stadium
Bowman Gray Stadium
Bowman Gray Stadium is a NASCAR sanctioned 1/4-mile asphalt flat oval short track and football stadium located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most legendary venues, and is referred to as "NASCAR's longest-running weekly race track"...
while the project to build a new stadium met with many setbacks. It was not until 1966 that the final fundraising was done, and the stadium opened in September 1968, with the Deacons losing to old rival NC State. The former Groves Stadium became the home football field for Wake Forest-Rolesville High School
Wake Forest-Rolesville High School
Wake Forest-Rolesville High School, is a four year high school located in Wake Forest, North Carolina.Dr. Tina Hoots served as principal, taking over from Mr. Andre Smith in early 2009 when he was promoted to district superintendent. However, Mr Clinton Robinson took over as principal for the...
and is today known as Trentini Stadium.
The current stadium consists of two bowed grandstands on either side of the field. The southeast endzone is known as "Deacon Hill," and is used for berm seating during games. The Bridger Field House, originally built in 1968 with the stadium, was demolished in early 1996 and rebuilt during the 1996 football season. It opened midway through the 1997 football season. The structure is located behind the northwest endzone. In the summer of 2006, the natural grass surface was replaced with FieldTurf.
Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum
The Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,407-seat multi-purpose arena, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Construction on the arena began on April 23, 1987 and it opened on August 28, 1989...
.
In 2006, the Wake Forest Athletics Department announced plans to further the renovations on BB&T Field (then Groves Stadium) with the construction of Deacon Tower which will house a new press box. Deacon Tower opened prior to the 2008 season. The press box is the centerpiece of the third of six levels of renovations set to take place at BB&T Field. The old press box, built in 1968, was successfully imploded & demolished on the morning of January 14, 2007 as numerous Demon Deacon fans watched on. Previous renovations included the bricking of the facade of the grandstand in 2005 and the implementation of FieldTurf in 2006.
BB&T Field is just west of Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park, home of the Wake Forest baseball team (previously Ernie Shore Field which held the Winston-Salem Warthogs minor league baseball team; now known as the Winston-Salem Dash which play at BB&T Ballpark located in downtown Winston-Salem).