Doak Campbell Stadium

Overall impression: a stadium with the heart of a champion.
Specifics: Doak is one of the places in Tallahassee which is impossible to pass by without a visit, whether as a student, parent, or local. After attending one of those small liberal arts schools up north, my first FSU game was a shock. I had never been anywhere like it, with such a passionate energy flowing throughout players and fans alike. It truly woke me up to how a football game is meant to be enjoyed. Thank you Doak Campbell Stadium for welcoming me to Tallahassee with open arms!

It’s more than just the coolest of the cool stadiums. It’s also home to offices, classrooms, Garnet & Gold Store, FSU Visitor’s Center, cool statues and a restaurant! It’s the home of three Colleges, Communication & Information (my College), Social Work and Film! Lots going on during non-​football game season! Stop by and visit!

As a Unilocal employee, I’m expected to write constructive reviews while leaving any personal biases at the door. And with that introduction, here’s my unapologetic, yet brief love letter to the most magical place on Earth.
Dear Doak,
How I adore thee. You’ve been the site of the happiest moments in my life. In grandeur, in structure, in energy, in community, you go simply unmatched. For many, Doak is their church. Saturdays in Tallahassee would be nothing without you. I thank you for your outlet, your acceptance, your communal belonging. Thank you for making all of us believe. Thanks for making non-​football fans find pure happiness.
Cheers to many more Saturdays,
Matthew T. Careccia (Class of 2014)
Five unconquered stars.

No place in college football like Doak on a game day. Home of one of the most honored traditions in college sports when Chief Osceola drives the spear in the 50 yard line while riding renegade. The new club seats are gonna be amazing. The UCC offers great dinning experiences and a beautiful view of Bobby Bowden Field. Lots of beautiful statues surrounding the stadium showcasing the beautiful campus of FSU.

There’s no place like it for FSU fans and
a must see icon of college football for everyone else. Get there early and see the Marching Chiefs warm up and of course see Osceola ride Renegade to midfield and plant the spear. The food options aren’t bad but are basic like burgers, nachos, BBQ, boiled peanuts etc. so don’t expect sushi or anything since that doesn’t belong at an FSU game. They don’t sell alcohol but everyone tailgates outside. There isn’t a bad seat in the house here but the «home» sideline is a somewhat older and quieter crowd who tends to leave early so sit on the visitor side if you want to stand most of the game. Doak gets LOUD with 82,000 doing the warchant and chop for big games! I’m highly biased as an alum but there isn’t a better place to see a college football game.

What can I say. The place is huge. I have read where it was or maybe is the largest red brick structure in the southeast. Other then that I have been inside a couple of times for a certain game. Go Gators. Don’t say that very loud round here. This place does get crazy at time and when we win it can get really quiet too.

I’d like to sleep with everyone in Alaska, using soup to make things more slippery. So in that sense, I want to «do AK» using «Campbells.» Such a fun idea, no wonder they named this stadium after it.
First-​Hand Experience: Info on my personal visit to this stadium — I’ve only been to this stadium once, during my 2012 tour, when I played a concert in Tallahassee and then a couple of lovely girls from my concert agreed me to bring me to this place and show me around, and then we went out to eat.
It’s a really fantastic venue! I wasn’t expecting to love it so much, but all 82k of the seats are good ones as far as I can tell, and this place really means a lot to the town. It may even be the most important place in the city.
I’ve been to every cool stadium in the UK & North America, due to my obsession with travel & sport. I’ve toured America as a musician for 7 or 8 years. In that time, I’ve seen sports games at, or visited when empty (and usually both), at almost every major stadium in US and Canada. I have pictures of most which I will upload at some point. Also, on future travels, I plan to take new pix, and add more stadia! Watch this space!
***back to regular review***
If you’re in a Florida State of mind, this stadium is the one for you. It holds a whopping great big 82,000 intense fans, and no wonder it’s one of the biggest and best stadiums in the world. They’re so loud, and so intense, this really is the crown jewel of Tallahassee.
What’s more, you have a whole litany of great things outside the stadium, such as the statues and the façade and the parks and it’s just a lovely place all around. One of the prettiest college stadiums and one of the biggest and certainly one of the best. It even has a huge stained glass window.

So much to see and do here before games! I loved the Unconquered statue and taking pictures with the fake horse mascot (maybe someday I’ll see the real one!) What a great atmosphere and history here. Seeing a game here is unlike any other stadium with the chanting and enthusiasm of the crowd. Definitely recommend!

Great Stadium, Great Vibes. The main scoreboard was clitchy the first qtr of the game, but that didn’t bother me much. Having been watching the Seminoles since I was a kid, it was a dream to finally visit Doak Campbell. The place was packed for a game between them and Wake Forest. Didn’t get to try any food. But just being there and soaking in all the fanfare was a great experience and can’t wait to do it again.

Being an FSU Alum, Doak is what I call home and fills me with sooo much memories of my college years. Doak’s architecture is magnificent and nicely constructed. Every aspect of it yells «FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY» Pride.
There are food vendors located within the stadium and the university is mindful of recycling efforts for all games. Folks are pretty in tuned with throwing receptacles in proper containers. This is a college stadium so expect no alcohol served at the vendors.
Parking? If you must, try heading to the Civic Center and taking a shuttle unless you’ve got parking spot at the stadium. Parking can be rough for home games, especially large home games!
The city has cleaned up the areas around Doak and made the streets more presentable than it was when I arrived at FSU in 2001. There are new apartment complexes, restaurants, and night scenes around the area. Gaines street has been revitalized to appeal the masses.
Seeing Doak on TV when football games are aired makes me reminisce to my younger days and the memories of FSU.

Beautifully constructed football stadium. The brick architecture reminds me of the buildings of past. Not many institutions follow this type of construction anymore, which is disappointing.
I hear they play pretty good football there too ;)

What can you really say about a place like this? The atmosphere this year is insane. The fans are through the non-​existent roof with enthusiasm. National Title anyone?
Fairly standard layout for a stadium. Every level has food vendors with your typical sports game fare. No alcohol is sold here though.
The seating is mostly benches unless you get a suite or box seats. After two games I would say it’s wise to invest in a seat pad, but in all honesty, there wasn’t much sitting. Getting in and out of the stadium was surprisingly efficient given the sheer volume of attendees. Expect to get your purse or bag searched, but no metal detectors.
Everything about this place is college football. Get in early to watch Chief Osceola spike the flaming spear into the center of the field.

Go Noles

Doak is a very attractive stadium. It’s amazing how very different it looks today from the skeletonish appearance it had as recently as the ‘90s. I grew up in Tallahassee, and went to school at FSU, and then one day moved away. I was back for the UF/​FSU game this weekend, and aside from my team not ending up on top, I gotta say, I was disappointed in the mechanics of the place.
It was a zoo getting in, and once in, the ramps to the aisles were crowded. The rows (in the south end zone, anyway) were not well marked, and the seats have apparently recently been re-​numbered, so it was a –little– confusing having to look at the front of the seat (instead of the top of the seat like most places) to find your seat. This was also inconvenient as people filled in – hard to tell if you were in YOUR seat or someone else’s without looking between your legs.
Those things can be forgiven, because you deal with them for a few minutes, and you’re done. The horrible PA system cannot be forgiven. I could not understand the majority of the announcements. Oh, I could –hear– them, but it was like listening to Charlie Brown’s teacher. I tried to blame it on the crowd noise, but that wasn’t it – the sound just doesn’t make it all the way down the field.
Overall, Doak is a great place to –watch– a football game, but the full –experience-​, in my opinion, is lacking.

I love this atmosphere and the adrenaline rush I get inside the stadium cheering with so many fans. Biased? Yes– I’m a nole! But the fans outside tailgating come prepared and are super friendly. I met an elder lady who went to FSU years and years ago and knew Bobby Bowden– super cool! The students can get a bit rough, especially towards Miami and Gator fans, but doesn’t every student section?

Okay, so coming from a Gator fan, who lives in Tallahassee and dislikes Seminole fans, you can trust that my positive review is for real. LOL Although the scenery around the stadium sucks, the stadium looks nice from the outside and the shops and inside of the stadium is pretty nice. I’ve also been in the offices/​classrooms part of the stadium and it was nice. The actual stadium is wide open, with a nice view from anywhere. I’ve been to probably 20 FSU games. 3 UF/​FSU games. FSU fans suck, but the stadium is nice! :)

This stadium is the heart of football fandom in Tallahassee. The Noles HQ is alive with rabid fans, huge displays and enough lighting to see the city from space. Like any stadium, consumables are overpriced, the crowd is rowdy, and the atmosphere is loud. Since Tallahassee is a football city, you’ll be in good company if you’re lucky enough to go to a game.
If you’re trying to park, consider taking the shuttle from the Civic Center, since it can be a mob around the stadium.
Tail gating is an experience. Arrive early and come prepared since the tail gate community is virtually a pop-​up city hours before the game. Lots of food, good times.

Go Noles! Doak Campbell is a great stadium. The water is expensive, though.