FSU football: Reaction to petition to change Doak Campbell Stadium name
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football has been at the forefront of players using their platform to speak about injustice and changes they want to see made.
Former FSU football linebacker Kendrick Scott launched a petition to have Doak Campbell Stadium renamed, and other former players have given their support to the movement.
Scott wants the name changed to Bobby Bowden Stadium and the field named after the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Charlie Ward.
It’s currently known as Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium. Of course, Bobby Bowden is the legendary coach who put FSU football on the map.
The move comes after several other schools have issued changes amidst the protests that have been happening since George Floyd’s death last month.
The University of Florida voted to discontinue their “Gator Bait Chant,” and the SEC Conference has given the state of Mississippi an ultimatum to change their state flag which includes the Confederate Flag.
Both have racist connotations, and Doak Campbell is someone that was opposed to admitting black students at FSU, so one can see why this would come about in today’s social equality movement.
Check out the Fan Reaction on Twitter
Just mentioned that Doak Campbell might get renamed and I think my aunt might have had a stroke. #familyfuntime
— mattytally (@mattytally) June 19, 2020
Was Doak Campbell a racist bastard or something? Why the urge to change the stadium name?
— 🇺🇸Support Trump? Block Me.🇺🇸 (@Seminole51) June 19, 2020
I’m not a former player but a fan since the early 60’s. My mama graduated from FSCW in 1942, and Doak Campbell was president at that time. I don’t want his name taken off our stadium. He is a big part of FSU history and that shouldn’t just be erased.
— Miriam Clippinger (@clipnole) June 19, 2020
Doak S. Campbell’s name should come off the stadium. No question. His racist/segregationist views while President of FSU are not someone that should be honored just because he started an athletic program. Many more deserving people to recognize.
— Toby Srebnik (he/him) (@fsutoby) June 19, 2020
Thoughts
That’s just a snapshot of the fan reaction obviously, but I found it interesting that more people didn’t seem to know much about the man Doak Campbell himself. I can see both sides of the argument.
Some fans love the history that has taken place in Doak Campbell Stadium. After all, it’s one of the most iconic stadiums in all of football. On the other hand, a lot of the wins and history has to be attributed to black players that donned the garnet and gold.
If it were up to Doak Campbell, that history is probably never made in Tallahassee. Also, Doak Campbell isn’t the place it used to be in terms of teams fearing to come there and play.
The Noles have dropped multiple games there the last few years against teams they had no business losing too. Right now would be an opportune time to rename the stadium and start a new chapter of history with a brand new coach. It would also be a way to infuse the program with some much-needed money.
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Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how it unfolds, but as the last tweet suggests, let’s hope this doesn’t morph into trying to cancel the school’s relationship with the Seminole tribe altogether.