Erdmann Announces Water, Cooler and Shuttle Changes at Ladd-Peebles After Mississippi State Game

MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama athletics director Joel Erdmann announced Wednesday that fans will be allowed to bring water and soft-sided coolers into Ladd-Peebles Stadium, part of a set of Ladd-Peebles policy changes made after fans had trouble getting cold water during the Jaguars’ sold-out game against Mississippi State.

Erdmann outlined the changes in an open letter to fans dated Sept. 17. The letter addressed problems that arose during the Sept. 13 game, a 3 p.m. kickoff that was nationally televised on ESPNews and drew a sellout crowd on a hot afternoon.

What Happened Saturday

In the letter, Erdmann said fans encountered warm bottled water at some areas of the stadium. He wrote that “the festive atmosphere of Saturday’s game combined with the sheer numbers of a sell-out crowd and the heat of a mid-September afternoon” exposed several operational areas that need to be addressed.

Erdmann said the afternoon start time was set to accommodate the national television broadcast and that the department hopes for similar television opportunities in the future.

New Water and Cooler Policy

Beginning with future home games, South Alabama and Ladd-Peebles Stadium will make the following changes:

• Spectators may bring two bottles of water per person into the stadium.
• Small to medium-sized soft-sided coolers will be permitted, subject to search, as long as they fit within the fan’s seating area without intruding on adjacent spectators.
• Roving vendors will sell beverages in both the West and East grandstands.
• Refrigerated trucks will be placed at designated ground-level areas to sell cold bottled water. Because of logistical and safety restrictions, water from the trucks cannot be distributed to the concourses.
• Efforts will continue to provide cold water at concourse concession stands.

More Shuttle Buses

Fans can ride Wave Transit shuttles between the Bel Air Mall parking lot, near JCPenney, and Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The shuttles run continuously from four hours before kickoff until two hours after the game, and a round trip costs $2.50.

More than 30 buses were in rotation at peak times before the Mississippi State game. Erdmann said the number of buses will be increased during peak periods while keeping the round-trip fare at $2.50.

Partnership With the Stadium

Erdmann described the relationship between South Alabama athletics and Ladd-Peebles Stadium as a partnership. “When issues which negatively impact the experience of our fans occur, we will be diligent in working together as a team to find reasonable solutions,” he wrote.

He also called the Mississippi State game, which was preceded by a Friday night pep rally in downtown Mobile, one of the remarkable moments in South Alabama history.