Wofford College announced on Nov. 17, 2014 its plans to build the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium to house a new basketball/volleyball arena, locker rooms and other facilities. The facility is adjacent to the north end of Gibbs Stadium, where the Terriers play football.
Wofford alumnus and trustee Jerry Richardson '59 provided the gift to fund the 110,000-square-foot facility that includes a 3,400-seat basketball arena and a 350-seat volleyball competition venue. The facility replaces Benjamin Johnson Arena, which will continue to be used as a first-rate facility for intramural and campus recreational activities.
Construction on the facility began in January of 2016 with the opening date in September 2017.
"I was so fortunate to have built so many great friendships while I was a student at Wofford, and those friendships have led directly to the success I have enjoyed," says Richardson, founder of the Carolina Panthers, who played football for the Terriers. "Without Wofford's influence on my life, I would not have been able to achieve everything I have. It is important to me to give back to my alma mater for all that it and the relationships I built here have given to me and my family."
Richard Johnson, director of athletics, says, "This is a transformative gift for Wofford College. Mr. Richardson's four years at Wofford helped him become the leader he is today. With this gift, he is ensuring that future generations of student-athletes at Wofford will become the leaders of tomorrow."
The Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium serves as the home for women's basketball, men's basketball, women's lacrosse and volleyball.
The teams played their home games in Benjamin Johnson Arena in the Campus Life Building, which opened in 1981. Previously, the men's basketball team played in the gymnasium in the Andrews Field House from 1929 through 1980. Women's basketball held its first season in 1980, playing in Andrews Field House until the Benjamin Johnson Arena opened in 1981.
The Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium has a seating capacity for non-athletics functions, such as commencement and concerts, of 4,500. It includes home and visitor lockers for multiple sports, a state-of-the-art training room, coaches' offices and locker rooms and team meeting rooms. Other features include a video board and ribbon boards, plus designated areas specifically designed for students, fans, children and donors. Four open-air suites are located in the corners. It was designed by McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture with Robins and Morton as general contractors.
Prior to the 1996 season, the Wofford football team played home games at Snyder Field. The first football game was played at Snyder Field in 1930, with lights installed for the 1948 season. With the move to NCAA Division I, a new football facility was a priority. Gibbs Stadium seats approximately 8,500 in grandstands, while an additional 4,500 seats are available in both endzones. The south endzone, known as the Verandah Lot, has become prime tailgating space for donors to the Terrier Club.
The press box includes two radio booths, a television booth, replay booth, plus two coaches boxes. A crows nest for videographers is also provided. On the second level, the Mungo Room is a hospitality suite that serves as the President’s Box on gameday.
Architects for Gibbs Stadium were McMillan, Smith and Partners, while M.B. Kahn Construction was the general contractor. The overall budget for the project was approximately $4.5 million. In 2015, the playing surface was replaced. During the summer of 2024, a new distributed sound system and video board were installed.
The facility was made possible with a gift from the Gibbs Foundation, along with support from federal economic development grants and Spartanburg County School District 7. Gibbs Stadium is the home of Wofford football and women’s lacrosse (since 2018), along with the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. During the summer the facility is used by the Carolina Panthers and it served as the home field for Spartanburg High School football through the 2018 season.
THE FIELD
On October 27, 2018, Wofford unveiled a new gateway field entrance and officially named the field at Gibbs Stadium in honor of Coach Mike Ayers. For 30 years, Ayers expected Terrier toughness on the field and Terrier determination in the classroom. He retired at the end of the 2017 season with a 207-137-1 overall record at Wofford.
JIMMY AND MARSHA GIBBS
The stadium is named in honor of Jimmy and Marsha Gibbs, recognizing their long friendship with the college and lead gift of $1 million for the stadium project.
Mr. Gibbs is president of Gibbs International of Spartanburg, the world’s largest dealer in pre-owned textile machinery. The Gibbs’ relationship with Wofford spans two generations. The late Melvin I. “Razor” Gibbs of the class of 1943 earned 16 varsity letters at Wofford as a student in the early 1940s and after World War II. In 1983, Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs established an endowed football scholarship in his father’s memory.
The Wofford Captain’s Council presented the Gibbs with its 2004 Distinguished Service Award. The Gibbs also received a Wofford Distinguished Service award from the Southern Conference in 2004. In 2008, the Gibbs, along with Ed Wile and Harold Chandler, announced a challenge gift of $1.5 million which was used to raise funds for endowed athletic scholarships. The Gibbs also provided the funding for the videoboard installed prior to the 2010 season.