The demolition for the new on-campus football stadium came as the university built with an eye on the future as a member of NCAA Division I and the Southland Conference and needed a recruiting tool other schools might not have.
Tearing down the stadium, though, had a consequence for local high school football fans — it meant that Abilene Christian High School was left without a place to play home football games.
After spending the 2016 season playing at Curly Hays Field, the Panthers found a partner in the Abilene Independent School District.
With Abilene High and Cooper being the primary tenants of Shotwell Stadium, AISD superintendent Dr. David Young and athletic director Phil Blue found a solution for the Panthers to keep home games in town.
AISD and ACS quickly came up with a plan that allowed the Panthers to use the now 59-year-old stadium rent-free on Saturday’s with AISD keeping only concession sales.
