View source for Finley Stadium

{{Short description|Stadium in Tennessee}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| name               = Finley Stadium
| nickname           = 
| fullname            = Davenport Field at Finley Stadium 
| logo_image        = Seal of Chattanooga, Tennessee.svg
| logo_size         = 30
| image               = FinleyStadium.jpg 
| caption             = Exterior view of the stadium in 2009
| type              = [[Stadium]]
| currentuse        = [[American football|Football]]<br>[[association football|Soccer]]
| address           = 1826 Carter Street
| city              = [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga, TN]]
| country           = [[United States]]
| location            = 
| broke_ground        = March 7, 1996<ref name="info">{{cite web|url=http://www.gomocs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17700&ATCLID=1097276|title=Chattanooga Athletics – Finley Stadium Davenport Field|publisher=gomocs.com|access-date=2017-08-02|archive-date=2015-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501080205/http://www.gomocs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17700&ATCLID=1097276|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| built               =
| opened              = {{start date and age|October 18, 1997}}<ref name="info"/>
| closed              =
| demolished          =
| owner               = {{unbulleted list|[[Chattanooga, Tennessee|City of Chattanooga]]|[[Hamilton County, Tennessee|Hamilton County]]|The Stadium Corporation}}
| operator            = Stadium Corporation
| surface             = [[AstroTurf|AstroTurf Gameday Grass]]
| construction_cost   = $28.5 million<br>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|28500000|1997}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect           = [[Ellerbe Becket]]<br>Derthick, Henly, & Wilkerson<ref name="info"/>
| general_contractor  = C&I Specialty<ref name="info"/>
| former_names        =
| tenants             = {{plainlist|
* '''[[Chattanooga Mocs]] ([[NCAA]]) teams''':
* [[Chattanooga Mocs football|football]] (1997–present)
* women's soccer (2010–2018)
* '''Professional teams''':
* [[Chattanooga FC]] ([[MLS Next Pro|MLSNP]]) (2009–present)
* Tennessee Crush (former) (NDFL) (2009–?)
}}
| seating_capacity    = 20,412
| website             = {{URL|https://gomocs.com/facilities/finley-stadium/4|gomocs.com/finley-stadium}}
}}
'''Finley Stadium''' is a [[stadium]] located in [[Chattanooga, Tennessee]], United States. Owned by the [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|City of Chattanooga]], it has served as home venue for several teams, including the [[University of Tennessee at Chattanooga]]'s [[Chattanooga Mocs football|football]] team and [[Chattanooga FC]] ([[MLS Next Pro]]), a professional Division 3 [[association football|soccer]] team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chattanoogafc.com/|title=Chattanooga Football Club|publisher=chattanoogafc.com|access-date=2017-08-02}}</ref>

The stadium also hosts various [[high school]] sports and musical concerts. Opened in 1997, it has a current capacity of 20,412, and hosted the [[NCAA Division I Football Championship|NCAA Division I National Championship Game]] from its opening season through [[2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season|2009]], after which the game moved to [[Pizza Hut Park]] in the [[Dallas]] suburb of [[Frisco, Texas]]. The stadium will host the [[Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association|TSSAA]] Football Championships in 2021 and 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Maggiore|first=WTVC, Sabrina|date=2021-03-16|title=TSSAA: Chattanooga chosen to host 2021, 2022 state football championships|url=https://newschannel9.com/news/local/tssaa-chattanooga-chosen-to-host-2021-2022-state-football-championships|access-date=2021-09-24|website=WTVC}}</ref>

The stadium is named in honor of W. Max Finley, former chairman of the Rock Tenn Corporation, who was an alumnus and active supporter of the [[University of Tennessee system]]. The playing field is named in honor of Gordon Lee Davenport, the president and CEO of the [[Krystal (restaurant)|Krystal]] Company from 1975 to 1985 who served as Chairman of the Stadium Corporation and Campaign and worked endlessly and tirelessly in the planning and actual development of the facility. Bronze busts of both Finley and Davenport adorn the main entryway to the stadium.

== History ==
In 1997, the [[University of Tennessee at Chattanooga]] [[American football|football]] program stopped using [[Chamberlain Field]] and started using Finley-Davenport.<ref name="Finley Champ Sub">{{cite web|url=http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/teams-stadiums-directory/southern-conference/chattanooga-mocs-finley-stadium/|title=Chattanooga Mocs-Finley Stadium|publisher=championshipsubdivision.com|access-date=2017-08-02}}</ref> On Oct. 18, 1997, the Mocs opened up their new home, Finley Stadium Davenport Field, as an overflow crowd of 22,646 watched UTC defeat [[Tennessee State University|Tennessee State]] 28-7.

The 20,412-seat facility (original capacity: 20,668) is part of the city's Southside revitalization project.<ref name="Finley Champ Sub"/> A stadium project for UTC and Chattanooga had been talked about by city leaders for quite some time before it came to fruition. Chamberlain Field on the UTC campus, which opened in 1908, had the distinction of being the second-oldest on-campus stadium in the nation. Officials agreed that something needed to be done.

The $28.5 million project needed supporters to become a reality and got plenty of them. Donations from the private sector ranged anywhere from a [[United States ten-dollar bill|10 dollar bill]] to $1 million.<ref name="info"/> In fact, nearly 40 percent, or $10.2 million of the project, came from private donations. The City of Chattanooga and [[Hamilton County, Tennessee|Hamilton County]] contributed $13 million, the State of Tennessee gave $3.5 million, and the University donated $2.9 million.

Ground breaking on the site that was once the Rock Tenn plant was held March 7, 1996. Seven months later, the Stadium Corporation named the facility Finley Stadium Davenport Field.

In 2015, a new turf surface was installed to replace the old for $600,000 – with the ability to erase football lines or soccer lines depending on the event to be held.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2015/mar/06/finley-stadium-getting-new-turf-field/291750/|title=Finley Stadium getting new turf field|date=6 March 2015 |publisher=timesfreepress.com|access-date=2017-08-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/college/story/2015/apr/02/new-turf-installatifinley-stadium-almost-comp/296486/|title=New turf installation at Finley Stadium almost complete|date=2 April 2015 |publisher=timesfreepress.com|access-date=2017-08-01}}</ref>

==Features==
The facility, designed by Derthick, Henley & Wilkerson and built by C&I Specialty, both of Chattanooga, contains 32 luxury sky boxes and 1,566 preferred seats with chairbacks.<ref name="info"/> The $350,000 [[scoreboard]] includes a giant matrix screen and the Stadium Club can hold 250 for pregame or postgame functions. The [[press box]] can hold 60 media representatives, has three radio booths, and a television broadcast booth. Prior to 2015, on either side of the pressbox was the stadium's "Wall of Champions", featuring a plaque celebrating each of the 13 NCAA Division I [[NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision|FCS]] teams to have won a championship here. Identical home and visitors locker rooms contain a separate training area and coaches locker room, as well as an extensive player locker area.

Adjacent to the stadium is the [[First Horizon]] Pavilion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gomocs.com/sports/2015/4/22/GEN_2014010111.aspx|title=Tailgating at the First Tennessee Pavilion|publisher=gomocs.com|access-date=2017-08-02}}</ref> The old Ross-Meehan Foundry has been renovated into an open-air pavilion which has become a favorite for [[tailgate party|tailgaters]], complete with food and beverage concessions and a children's area. The pavilion offers tailgaters a perfect atmosphere around the stadium while providing protection from the weather without being indoors.

==Notable events==
The U.S. Men's National soccer team played a friendly match vs. Jamaica on February 3, 2017 at Finley Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/01/03/17/39/20170103-mnt-to-make-chattanooga-debut-on-february-3-in-friendly-match-vs-jamaica|title=MNT To Make Chattanooga Debut in Friendly Match vs. Jamaica on Feb. 3|publisher=ussoccer.com|access-date=2017-08-02}}</ref> The U.S. defeated Jamaica 1–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2017/02/10/18/19/20170210-video-mnt-usa-jamaica-story-of-the-game|title=Relive the MNT's 1-0 win vs. Jamaica|publisher=ussoccer.com|access-date=2017-08-02}}</ref>

'''NCAA Division I Football Championship'''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Date (notes)
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Champion
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Score
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Runner-up 
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| {{tooltip|Att.|Attendance}}
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|NCAA|border=1|color=#ffffff}}"| Winning<br>head coach
|-
|align=center|[[1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 20, 1997]] || [[1997 Youngstown State Penguins football team|'''Youngstown State''']] (4)|| align=center|10–9 || [[1997 McNeese State Cowboys football team|McNeese State]]  ||align=center| 14,771 || {{sortname|Jim|Tressel}} (4)
|- 
|align=center|[[1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 1998]] || '''[[1998 UMass Minutemen football team|UMass]]''' || align=center|55–43 || [[1998 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|Georgia Southern]] || {{center|17,501}} || {{sortname|Mark|Whipple}}
|-
|align=center|[[1999 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 18, 1999]] || [[1999 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] (5)|| align=center|59–24 || [[1999 Youngstown State Penguins football team|Youngstown State]] || align=center| 20,052 || {{sortname|Paul|Johnson|Paul Johnson (American football coach, born 1957)}}
|- 
|align=center|[[2000 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 16, 2000]] || [[2000 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|'''Georgia Southern''']] (6)|| align=center|27–25 || [[2000 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || align=center| 17,156 ||  {{sortname|Paul|Johnson|Paul Johnson (American football coach, born 1957)}} (2)
|-
|align=center|[[2001 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 21, 2001]] || '''[[2001 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]]''' (2)|| align=center|13–6 || [[2001 Furman Paladins football team|Furman]] || align=center| 12,698 || {{sortname|Joe|Glenn|Joe Glenn (American football)}}
|- 
|align=center|[[2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 20, 2002]] || [[2002 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team|'''Western Kentucky''']] || align=center|34–14 || [[2002 McNeese State Cowboys football team|McNeese State]] || align=center| 12,360 || {{sortname|Jack|Harbaugh}}
|-
|align=center|[[2003 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 19, 2003]] || '''[[2003 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team|Delaware]]''' || align=center|40–0 || [[2003 Colgate Raiders football team|Colgate]] || align=center| 14,281 || {{sortname|K. C.|Keeler}}
|- 
|align=center|[[2004 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 17, 2004]] || [[2004 James Madison Dukes football team|'''James Madison''']] || align=center|31–21 || [[2004 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || align=center|16,771 || [[Mickey Matthews]]
|-
|align=center|[[2005 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|December 16, 2005]] || '''[[2005 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State]]''' || align=center|21–16 || [[2005 Northern Iowa Panthers football team|Northern Iowa]] || align=center| 20,236 || {{sortname|Jerry|Moore|Jerry Moore (American football, born 1939)}}
|-
|align=center|[[2006 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 15, 2006]] || '''[[2006 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State]]''' (2)|| align=center|28–17 || [[2006 UMass Minutemen football team|UMass]] || align=center| 22,808 ||  {{sortname|Jerry|Moore|Jerry Moore (American football, born 1939)}} (2)
|-
|align=center|[[2007 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 14, 2007]] || '''[[2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State]]''' (3)|| align=center|49–21 || [[2007 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team|Delaware]] ||align=center| 23,010 ||  {{sortname|Jerry|Moore|Jerry Moore (American football, born 1939)}} (3)
|-
|align=center|[[2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 19, 2008]] || '''[[2008 Richmond Spiders football team|Richmond]]''' || align=center|24–7 || [[2008 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || align=center| 17,823 || {{sortname|Mike|London}}
|-
|align=center|[[2009 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game|December 18, 2009]] || '''[[2009 Villanova Wildcats football team|Villanova]]''' || align=center|23–21 || [[2009 Montana Grizzlies football team|Montana]] || align=center| 14,328 || {{sortname|Andy|Talley}}
|}

==See also==
* [[McKenzie Arena]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I FCS football stadiums]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website}}
* [https://gomocs.com/facilities/finley-stadium/4 Finley Stadium] at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of the [[NCAA Division I Football Championship]]
 | years = 1997–2009
 | before = [[Marshall University Stadium]]
 | after = [[Toyota Stadium (Texas)|Toyota Stadium]]
}}
{{end}}

{{University of Tennessee at Chattanooga}}
{{Chattanooga Mocs football navbox}}
{{Southern Conference football venue navbox}}
{{Southern Conference soccer venue navbox}}
{{Chattanooga, Tennessee sports venues}}
{{Tennessee college football venues}}

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[[Category:College football venues in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Chattanooga Mocs football]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Chattanooga, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Soccer venues in Tennessee]]
[[Category:1997 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:MLS Next Pro stadiums]]
[[Category:National Independent Soccer Association stadiums]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1997]]