HOOVER, Alabama (August 22, 2024)—–The Southeastern Conference, along with the City of Hoover and the Public Park and Recreation Board of the City of Hoover, announced Thursday an agreement to hold the SEC Baseball Tournament at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium through at least 2028.
The agreement allows the SEC the option of exercising additional extensions to conduct the tournament at the Hoover Met in 2029 and 2030.
The Hoover Met has served as host of the SEC Tournament every year since 1998, excluding 2020 when the event was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. Attendance records were set in each of the last two tournaments, with a total attendance of 180,004 in 2024.
“The SEC Tournament has become one of the premier events in college baseball and the Hoover Met is a special venue for our fans,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “We look forward to continuing a positive relationship with the City of Hoover as the home of our baseball tournament.”
Renovations to the stadium entrance and parking lot were among the enhancements completed earlier this year. Other improvements are scheduled to be completed prior to the 2025 tournament, including the replacement of reserved stadium seats and addition of new hospitality spaces.
The Finley Center, a 155,000-square foot entertainment facility opened in 2017 adjacent to the Hoover Met, and it has served as home to Fan Fest during the SEC Baseball Tournament.
“For the past 27 years, the City of Hoover has been pleased to host the SEC Baseball Tournament,” Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato said. “Over those years, we’ve developed a great partnership with the SEC. The City has worked extremely hard to provide stellar customer service, and make sure we understand what players, coaches, fans, and the SEC expect from us. Working as a team, we believe we’ve built a brand and with all our members, we have created what we believe is the best environment in college baseball. We are so grateful that the SEC continues to support hosting the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover.”
The 2025 SEC Tournament will be the first to include every SEC team, including new members Oklahoma and Texas. The 16-team tournament will be conducted in a single-elimination format. Tickets will go on sale in March at SECsports.com. The SEC has claimed five consecutive baseball national championships by five different programs since 2019. At least one SEC team has reached the College World Series finals 15 times in the last 16 tournaments, and 2024 marked the sixth time two SEC teams played in the CWS finals.
“On behalf of the 51,000 residents of Jefferson County employed in the many businesses that comprise our regional tourism industry, I am honored to stand before you today to express our deepest gratitude to the Southeastern Conference for awarding Hoover, once again, the privilege of hosting its annual baseball tournament for the next few years,” said GBCVB President & CEO John Oros while speaking during the press conference at the Hoover Met.
“This event is not just a celebration of athletic excellence, it’s also a testament to the vision of the Hoover community and its leadership to understand that sports tourism is essential to the local economy and adds to the quality of life of its residents.
“The economic impact of this tournament on Hoover, Birmingham, and all our municipalities in Jefferson County cannot be overstated. Each year, thousands of SEC baseball fans flock to our area who fill our hotels, dine in our restaurants, and shop in our stores. This influx of visitors provides a significant boost to our local economy by supporting jobs and local businesses and contributing to the overall prosperity of our region.
“The tournament has become a cornerstone event that showcases the best of what Hoover, and all the municipalities in Jefferson County have to offer – from outstanding facilities to our vibrant culture and famous southern hospitality.”