Hancock Stadium

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Hancock Stadium is a 15,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Normal, Illinois. It opened in 1963. It is home to the Illinois State University Redbirds football team. Due to years of ineffective administrative leadership at Illinois State University, the stadium remained virtually unchanged for the first forty years of its existence, making it very difficult for Redbird coaches to recruit the necessary student athletes to advance the program. The neglect of the stadium also signaled a lack of commitment to the football program by the university, a signal that greatly hampered attendance and interest in the football program.

In recent years, Redbird football has enjoyed a resurgence of spirit and success, all bringing attention to the ailing facility. Under the leadership of a formidable athletic director (Dr. Sheahon Zenger) and university president (Dr. Al Bowman), plans detailing the facility's renovations were unveiled in 2006. The plans boast upgrades to the stadium's seating areas, press box, restrooms, concession venues, and playing surface. New turf (FieldTurf) and video scoreboards are in the process of being installed for the 2007 football season.

Hancock Stadium is the home of the Big Red Marching Machine. The BRMM was once one of the largest marching bands in the nation and still earns national notoriety.

Each October, the stadium hosts the Illinois Invitational High School Band Championship where scores of high school marching bands compete for the state title.

It is also home to the Twin City Storm of the MLFA.

Current Football Stadiums in the Gateway Football Conference
Hancock Stadium (Illinois State) • Hanson Field (Western Illinois) • L.T. Smith Stadium (Western Kentucky) • McAndrew Stadium (Southern Illinois) • Memorial Stadium (Indiana State) • Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex (Missouri State) • Stambaugh Stadium (Youngstown State) • UNI-Dome (Northern Iowa)