The future is bright in Davis Wade Stadium — literally.
Officials with Mississippi State Athletics on Monday announced plans to unveil an upgraded LED lighting system for the 2025 football season to boost the game-day experience for both fans and players.
The new LED system will be custom-designed by Techline Sports Lighting. It will provide cleaner and more uniform light levels on the field and is equipped with color-changing lights and a variety of special effects features.
“We are committed to providing our student-athletes and fans with the best possible game-day experience,” Mississippi State Athletics Director Zac Selmon said. “The state-of-the-art lighting will make Davis Wade Stadium an even more electric atmosphere. We believe these upgrades are one more step in our pursuit of making Starkville and Davis Wade Stadium one of the premier destinations in college football.”
This will be the first lighting upgrade to Davis Wade Stadium since 2010. The Starkville football venue was built in 1914 and is the second-oldest stadium in major college football.
Per a release from the university, choreographed LED lighting sequences will be added to key moments during home games, including the team’s intro sequence before kickoff, key in-game moments, and in conjunction with other special elements during timeouts and quarter breaks.
The LED lights will also feature instant on/off capabilities, conserving energy and ensuring a quick, reliable transition during events. In addition to a better playing and viewing experience for those in the stadium, the brighter and cleaner LED lighting also will enhance the television broadcast quality for fans watching from home.
“This is going to take our game-day environment to a whole new level. The brighter, more uniform lighting will improve visibility for our players and enhance the viewing experience for our fans,” Mississippi State head football coach Jeff Lebby said.
“The addition of special effects will create an incredible atmosphere that will give our team a real Starkville home-field advantage. This investment is just another example of how our administration continues to step up and provide our program with the resources we need to compete at the highest level. We can’t wait to see the impact it has on our program.”
The project will be completed in partnership with an unidentified Mississippi-based company. Mississippi State concluded year one of the Lebby era with a 2-10 record. The Bulldogs will return to the gridiron in anticipation of a more successful campaign on August 30 at Southern Miss.