Stadium Showdown: Alabama State vs. Cramton Bowl

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By Tamika Bickham

Story Created: May 11, 2012 at 8:20 PM CDT

Story Updated: May 12, 2012 at 10:36 AM CDT

Cramton Bowl will host the first ever All Star College Football Game, but Alabama State may not be far behind to score some of their own big games. Construction is very well underway on ASU's new football stadium. Does that mean there could be a stadium showdown?

Alabama State Students are getting excited to see the Hornets play ball on their own turf.

"I'm very excited. We don't have to go around the corner now to Cramton Bowl. We can just walk across the street. We can call something ours now," said Yolondra Mccarroll, ASU senior.

"It will bring a lot of attention to the campus and everything, and I think it's a better experience for students," said Sean Tate, Alabama State senior.

While good for the students, will this $61 million investment pay off for more than just the 5,000 undergrads?

Hornets Head Coach, Reggie Barlow says it will.

"Whenever you build a stadium of that magnitude, as nice as it is, there is a lot of opportunities," said Coach Barlow, "We have that now. Hopefully we'll get looked at for bowl games, all star games, all types of events."

Less than two miles away is the newly renovated multimillion dollar Cramton Bowl, which has just scored a big time deal to host the inaugural All Star College Football Game in January. It will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.

"It's going to be very special come January 19th, to host all of these peole and what's really cool about this is that we will be able to showcase Montgomery to close to 100 million viewers," said Mayor Todd Strange.

But which Montgomery field will score the touchdown? Some football fans are anticipating a stadium showdown.

"I think it will be a big competition," said football fan and Montgomery resident, Eric Rogers.

Coach Barlow says two stadiums in one place is more like a one two punch for Montgomery.

"The city of Montgomery has been great to us and has allowed us to use the facility for a lot of years. Now that we have our own, I don't think that will be our approach, to detract from Cramton Bowl because it is still about the city of Montgomery and bringing new and better things here," said Barlow.

For now, no other events besides Hornets' home games are planned for the stadium.

Cramton Bowl can hold 21,500 people while ASU's new stadium will be able to seat 26,000. ASU Athletic Director, Stacy Danly says average attendance for past Hornet games has been about 12,000.
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