‘Community’ makes Campbell football gameday experience special

Jason Williams and Campbell football go way back.

The current senior associate athletics director worked media services for Campbell Football when the program relaunched in 2007 after a more than 50-year hiatus. He was present when that ragtag group of about 100 walk-ons held their first practices in a cow pasture, and he was in the press box the following year when the Fighting Camels faced their first real competition (Birmingham Southern, a college that shut down in 2024).

When Campbell hosts nationally ranked Western Carolina on Saturday (3:30 p.m., Barker-Lane Stadium), Williams will be in the press box again for the 97th time. And the program - coming off an impressive 49-37 season-opening win on the road against favored East Tennessee State - has come a long way in that time.

So has the gameday experience.

"A lot has changed since that very hot August Saturday back in 2008," says Williams. "The very obvious change is Barker-Lane Stadium."

For the first five years of Campbell Football, Williams says, the stadium looked much different. The home side of the stadium wasn't fully constructed until 2013 - prior to that, fans packed makeshift bleachers, brought chairs or simply stood around the field for those first games. Campbell didn't play its first night game until 2012, when lights were finally added.

"It was a far cry from the beautiful venue we now have with a great grandstand, press box and suites," Williams says.

Williams is hoping for a big crowd this weekend against No. 24 Western Carolina, which also won its home opener, 45-21 over Eastern Kentucky. Fans this weekend are encouraged to wear white to help "White Out" Barker-Lane Stadium, and prior to the team running out of the tunnel, all new Campbell students are invited to participate in the New Student Run (traditionally the Freshmen Run) leading the Fighting Camels onto the field.

Saturday is also Faith & Family, as well as Youth Sports Day, presented by First Citizens Bank.

And for the fourth straight year, Tailgate Town returns for pre-game festivities. This year's tailgate experience has been reimagined to be a more interactive experience with more student club representation and a new LED big screen (food trucks, games and more all return).

Tailgate Town fires up two hours before kickoff all season, closing just prior to kickoff.

Williams says the sense of community sets the gameday experience apart from other FCS programs. Barker-Lane Stadium was tabbed as the No. 3 FCS football atmosphere in the country in a 2018 list published by Stadium Journey.

"Each football game day is special at Campbell, and the community has embraced the program since before the first game back in 2008," Williams says. "While our campus and the surrounding community is growing, we've still been able to retain that small town feel, and more likely than not, these five or six football game days are the largest gatherings that the county sees each year.

"Seeing the campus and greater community rally around our program is truly remarkable."

TICKETS

Single game tickets are on sale for all five of the Fighting Camels' 2026 home dates, including Saturday's home opener, starting at just $10. Once again, kids 12 and under get in free for every home game this season.

Visit GoCamels.com/Tickets for more information and to secure your seats.

Full season tickets also remain available, starting at only $60 ($12 per game) with reserved seats beginning at $80 ($16 per game), also available at GoCamels.com/Tickets. Season parking passes are also available now for $50.

A three-game mini plan is also available, featuring the home opener against Western Carolina, plus the Homecoming matchup on Oct. 17 against Towson, and Campbell's regular season finale on Nov. 21 vs. Monmouth.

Secure your seats at Barker-Lane Stadium early and save $5 off the game day price at GoCamels.com/Tickets and by phone through the CU Athletics Ticket Office, at 1-877-GO-HUMPS. Game day pricing will be in effect on game days.

As always, all Campbell students with a valid Campbell ID card will receive a ticket free of charge to all home Fighting Camel home football games.