Escambia County, FL
11/05/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/05/2024 15:17
SEC Soccer Tournament Draws Thousands to Escambia County
The Southeastern Conference Women's Soccer Tournament is already drawing thousands of attendees to Escambia County's Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, with nearly 2,300 fans attending just the first day of the weeklong tournament.
The SEC Women's Soccer Tournament kicked off Nov. 3 and runs through Nov. 10, starting with 12 SEC soccer teams that will ultimately be narrowed down to the top two teams competing for the SEC Championship title Sunday, Nov. 10.
This marks the third consecutive year that Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park has served as the location for the tournament, drawing thousands of attendees and generating millions of dollars in local economic impact.
Tickets for the remaining games are available for purchase online. Click here for ticket information.
"We are incredibly proud to once again host the SEC tournament, and we hope the teams and fans enjoy their time in Escambia County," Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. "This is an exciting event not only for District 5 and Escambia County, but for all of Northwest Florida. I appreciate the continued partnership with Pensacola Sports and the SEC, along with the countless staff members and volunteers who work behind the scenes to make an event like this possible."
Several local schools took field trips to Ashton Brosnaham to watch the SEC games on Nov. 5, with students from Beulah Middle School, Lipscomb Elementary School and McArthur Elementary School showing their support for the teams.
SEC Assistant Director of Competition Marcus Bishop said the tournament is off to a great start, highlighting the partnerships that make a tournament like this successful.
"We've had lots of help from Pensacola Sports and Escambia County Parks and Recreation - I know we wouldn't be able to do this without them," Bishop said. "The field is looking great this year. I think they have continued to up their game with the field over the last two years. The vibe from the community is great, too, just seeing signs all over the city and the beach area too. Our teams have really felt very welcome as they come into Pensacola, and I'm just hoping to continue to provide an event that the community enjoys and wants to be a part of from year to year."
Escambia County Parks and Recreation has completed significant improvements to continue to make the Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park a first-rate sports complex, including a new multi-use facility that opened just in time for the 2023 SEC Tournament. The new facility serves as additional locker room space for the SEC Soccer Tournament, along with other sporting events including local youth, high school and college soccer. Parks and Recreation staff also repaved the parking lot and completed significant upgrades to the field turf at Ashton Brosnaham.
"It's an honor to host the SEC for the third year in a row right here at Escambia County's Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park, and our team has been working hard to make this the best tournament yet," Escambia County Parks and Recreation Director Michael Rhodes said. "We hope all of the players, coaches, and fans have an incredible tournament experience, and we look forward to the opportunity to welcome them back to Escambia County in the future."
Pensacola Sports President and CEO Ray Palmer echoed the importance of the strong partnership between Pensacola Sports, Escambia County Parks and Recreation, and the SEC, also highlighting the positive impact that a tournament like this creates for Escambia County and the greater Pensacola area.
"Every year, we get a little better at it," Palmer said. "We just keep raising the bar, because we want to show the SEC that we want them here. And for these players, they're going to be deciding where they live after they graduate, where they may start their families, where they'll come and go to work or start their own businesses, or where they'll vacation for years and years. It gives our community a chance to show up and show off. It's just such a golden opportunity, and the economic impact just the week they're here is significant."
SEC Tournament semifinals are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 7, with the championship game scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 10 at 1:30 p.m. Visit the SEC Sports website for game details.
Arkansas and Georgia play at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.
Students from Lipscomb Elementary School watch the Arkansas vs. Georgia game at the SEC Women's Soccer Tournament Tuesday, Nov. 5 at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.