Stetson University Athletics

Spec Martin Memorial Stadium is a 6,000-seat football stadium located in DeLand, Florida, and serves as the home of Stetson University football. The city-owned facility also hosts DeLand High School football and soccer and has long been a centerpiece of athletics in the DeLand community.

Stetson football has a history at Spec Martin that stretches across generations. The stadium served as the home of the Hatters before the University discontinued football following the 1956 season.

More than five decades later, Spec Martin once again became the home of Stetson football when the University reinstated the program and joined the Pioneer Football League.

The return became one of the most memorable events in the stadium's history. A sellout crowd of 6,479 packed Spec Martin as the game ball arrived by skydiver and former Stetson football players were honored during a pregame ceremony.

When the opening kickoff took place, Stetson officially ended a 57-year absence from college football. Severe weather suspended the game during the second quarter, but the Hatters returned the following afternoon and completed a 31-3 victory over Warner for their first win of the modern era.

In preparation for Stetson's return to college football in 2013, Spec Martin Memorial Stadium underwent significant renovations designed to support the University's NCAA Division I football program.

Improvements included a new press box, expanded accessible and premium seating areas, new locker room facilities and the addition of a video board and LED scoreboard system. The improvements helped modernize the historic community venue ahead of Stetson's return to the gridiron after a 57-year absence.

The video board continues to be an important part of the Stetson game-day experience, displaying live game action, replays, graphics and in-stadium messaging throughout home games.

Rather than contracting the field renovation to an outside vendor, the City elected to complete the work in-house. The approach was projected to save DeLand taxpayers approximately $500,000 while allowing City staff, who work with and maintain the facility throughout the year, to address the specific needs of the stadium and playing surface.

The project continued a long tradition of investment in a facility shared by Stetson University, DeLand High School and the surrounding community. Spec Martin regularly welcomes thousands of spectators for football and other events while also bringing visiting teams and fans into DeLand and the surrounding area.

Spec Martin Memorial Stadium has played a role in DeLand's sports and entertainment history well beyond Stetson football.

The venue opened in 1941 as DeLand Municipal Stadium and was renamed Spec Martin Stadium in 1973. Through the decades, the stadium has hosted high school and college football, professional football exhibitions, international rugby and countless community events.

Spec Martin Memorial Stadium served as a filming location for the 1998 film The Waterboy, starring Adam Sandler. In the movie, the stadium portrayed the home field of the fictional South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs.

The DeLand connection extended beyond the football field. Portions of the movie were also filmed around Stetson University's campus, with both interior and exterior locations used during production. Together, Spec Martin and Stetson helped transform DeLand into part of the fictional college-football world featured throughout the film.

More than two decades later, The Waterboy remains one of the more unique pieces of Spec Martin and Stetson history, with fans of the film still able to recognize the stadium and portions of campus on screen.

Spec Martin has hosted other notable events as well. On Feb. 2, 1985, the stadium welcomed a United States Football League exhibition game between the Orlando Renegades and Baltimore Stars, with Orlando earning a 16-10 victory.

In December 2015, the venue also hosted an international rugby league World Cup qualifying match between Canada and Jamaica. The two national teams played to an 18-18 draw as part of qualification for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.