Mississippi State football shows off new LED lights at Davis Wade Stadium

Back in January, Mississippi State football fans received news of a change they had long been desperate for. The lighting system at Davis Wade Stadium was being overhauled, and new LED lighting would be installed. With football season right around the corner, those LEDs are now ready to go, and MSU gave us a teaser of what's in store this fall. Get ready for light shows, Bulldogs.

The new lights are clearly a huge upgrade for Davis Wade. It's obvious how much better they look, and this likely isn't even the final form of the new LEDs. Part of the appeal of LEDs is the ability to have colored lighting, and you'll notice there's a row of lights not illuminated in the video. Could we be getting maroon lighting over Scott Field during light shows? It's a safe bet.

LED lighting has become common-place in college football stadiums nation-wide. Along with simply doing a better job of illuminating the playing surface, the ability to have in-stadium light shows is fantastic for the atmosphere during games. Whether it be for touchdown celebrations or interactive productions for fans, they go a long way in making the scenes of Saturday even better.

So much of the allure of attending college football games in-person comes down to the atmosphere. There's a pageantry and buzz you feel inside a stadium that can't be replicated from watching at home. But given the rising cost of attendance, many are willing to sacrifice being a part of that atmosphere.

To drive attendance, college athletic departments have to give fans every reason to want to see games live (and be willing to spend to do so). Regardless of what's happening on the field, they need fans to feel that attending was worthwhile. They need fans to have a good time, and while LED lighting may not seem like such a big deal, they help to provide a fun environment people want to experience.

This is an important step in Mississippi State upgrading the gameday atmosphere in Starkville, something that's been falling further and further behind in recent years. And luckily we won't have to wait too long to see the LEDs in action for a game. The Bulldogs' 2025 home opener against Arizona State in Week 2 will kickoff at 6:30 PM CT, meaning we get football under the (new) lights early in the season. It's fair to expect MSU will have something special planned to unveil the LEDs.