📍 Conway, South Carolina
🏈 Home of Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football

A dozen miles inland from the picturesque shores of Myrtle Beach stands Brooks Stadium, a simple yet unique football venue that’s serves as the home of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Boasting a gameday environment that seems to only be getting better with age, Saturdays at the beach are a truly one-of-a-kind experience in college football.

Opened in 2003, Brooks Stadium sits on the footprint of an old high school football venue that was left in disrepair when the university took over, with an overgrown field full of wild watermelons that had to be removed before construction could start. Undergoing several expansions since its debut, the stadium now seats more than 21,000 spectators, a figure that’s been shattered by record crowds on several occasions. Renovations from 2017-19 helped to not only elevate the fan experience, but also to elevate the Coastal football program up to FBS status.

Adorned in palm trees and sand-colored brick, Brooks Stadium was certainly designed with the university’s proximity to the ocean in mind. The pinnacle of the beachy tie-ins is the playing surface itself, known as the “Surf Turf.” This iconic teal gridiron was installed in 2015, a bold and eye-catching design that has helped propel the Chanticleers into the national spotlight. The turf also provides a distinct home-field advantage for the Chants, disorienting opposing teams and enabling Coastal to capitalize on their bewilderment by transforming Brooks Stadium into a fortress that’s difficult for visitors to escape victorious.

With their inaugural season coinciding with the opening of Brooks Stadium in 2003, the Chanticleers were almost immediately a dominant force in the FCS. The Chants won 7 Big South titles and, in just their fourth season, would earn the first playoff berth for both the school and the Big South. The squad was also the #1-ranked FCS program in 2014. Since joining the Sun Belt in 2017, Coastal has won one conference title, regularly competing for the SBC championship. The Chants are consistently seen bowling in the postseason as well.

With quaint Brooks Stadium and its vivid Surf Turf at the center of its identity, Coastal Carolina’s rapid rise has captured the imagination of fans from across the country. As the Chanticleers continue to make waves on the national stage, their seaside South Carolina home will likewise continue to be one of college football’s quirkiest and most beloved venues.