Top Southern Sporting Events

by Chris Paschal

We all know that SEC Football owns prime real estate when it comes to its place among sports in the South. Ten of the 25 largest college football stadiums belong to SEC institutions, and another four of those were stadiums within the SEC footprint.

But as shocking as it may be, it’s not all about college football in the Southland. In fact, Southerners have long competed in and been interested in a vast array of sports throughout the decades. With a rich sporting history, it was hard to narrow down my list to the top ten best sporting events in the South, so I decided to cut out SEC Football all together. We all know that the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and LSU Night Games and the SEC Championship Game are all premier sporting events in the South, so why not talk about sporting events that have nothing to do with SEC Football.

So that’s what I did. Below you will find a list of what I think to be the best sporting events in the South outside of SEC Football. Some of these I have been to, others I have not. But all of them hold a special place amongst Southerners, and have played an important role in Southern culture.

Also, quick side note, the order of these events doesn’t really matter besides the top ranking.

#10 – The Volvo Open

I have been to the Family Circle Tennis Center on South Carolina’s Daniel Island (outside of Charleston), but it wasn’t for the Volvo Open – a prestigious Women’s Tennis Association tournament. No, instead, I was attending a late-August concert put on by one the greatest bands of all time, Hootie & The Blowfish. The venue is incredible. Located off the Wando River, the setting is picturesque. From talking to friends from Charleston, the Volvo Open is one of the better sporting events in the Carolinas, and is definitely on my bucket list.

#9 The Carolina Cup

Ok, I admit, there isn’t much going on at the Carolina Cup that resembles sport. But it has some sport-like features. The Carolina Cup is an annual steeplechase horse race held in the small South Carolina town of Camden. For those who have never been to the Carolina Cup, imagine this… an SEC football tailgate but everyone is dressed up like it’s Easter Sunday. It’s a ton of fun. There are thousands of tents set up with excellent spreads, plenty of libations, and good friends. Oh yeah, and seeing the horses run by ever half hour is pretty fun, too.

#8 Nashville Predators Game

I have never been to a Predators game, but I heard they are a load of fun. I have had a few buddies attend their first and only hockey game in Nashville and each and every one of them left super impressed. It doesn’t hurt that the Predators are sick, that they throw catfish on the rink, and that Carrie Underwood is a huge fan.

#7 Wofford Basketball Game

Ok, I know this is super biased seeing as I attended Wofford College, but y’all really do have to check out this new arena. Built just a couple of years ago, the new Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium is absolutely beautiful. It’s a smaller, more intimate setting with first class amenities, and it houses one of the better mid-major college basketball programs in the country. If you’re looking to catch an entertaining game on a quaint Southern campus, Wofford Basketball should be on the top of your list. (And if you’re not a huge basketball fan, football games in the Veranda Lot aren’t too shabby, either.)

#6 New Orleans Saints Games

Again, never been myself, but I have seen plenty of videos and met a few Saints fans to know that this is the best NFL atmosphere in the South. And I think most Panther and Falcon fans would agree, if they were being honest. While Saints fans have been unbelievably annoying since the blown call in the NFC Championship game, I can still admire their intensity and fandom enough to put them on this list.

#5 SEC Baseball

I may get stoned to death for saying this, but the Braves have a very mediocre fanbase. And the Braves are the only Major League Baseball Club truly in the South. That being said, SEC Baseball fans are legit. Some of the baseball stadiums and baseball atmospheres in the SEC exhibit SEC Football characteristics. Founders Park (South Carolina) is big, loud, and energetic. Swayze Field (Ole Miss) has one of the best outfields in college baseball. Box Stadium (LSU) has consistently crushed the competition in attendance totals. And that’s just listing a few. Flip on ESPN2 or the SEC Network on a spring Saturday and watch some high quality and intense baseball. Every SEC program has a lot of passion and tradition.

#4 The Daytona 500

The Great American Race is really what inspired me to write this post. The Dayton 500 is one of the most-watched and most-prestigious NASCAR races every season. While the Coca-Cola 600, the Bojangles 500, Tallagedga, and Bristol are all located in more traditional, Southern locales, the Daytona 500 is the race that sets the tone for the season. The race is this Sunday on Fox.

#3 The Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is all class. It’s the first horse race in the prestigious Triple Crown (the Preakness Stakes in Maryland and Belmont Stakes in New York are the other races), and it’s a helluva time according to my friends who have been. Mint juleps, big hats, and dapper outfits. And “My Old Kentucky Home” is a great song.

#2 Carolina-Duke

It’s one of the best rivalries in collegiate athletics, and it is definitely the best college basketball rivalry. I have never been to this amazing rivalry, but my father has been. He was present in the Dean Dome for possibly the greatest moment in North Carolina history when Marvin Williams powered his way into the lane on a missed free throw and scored the go-ahead points in one of the 2005 Carolina-Duke renditions. It still gives me chills just thinking about it. Tobacco Road is about as southern as it gets, and this rivalry is one of the best the South has to offer.

#1 The Masters

I have had the honor of attending The Masters Tournament twice in my young life. Both times have been unreal. The Augusta National Golf Club is absolutely gorgeous. There is something about the grounds, the flora, the atmosphere that makes the experience simply unforgettable. The Masters is possibly my favorite weekend in sports. The history, the pageantry, the storylines – all of it combines to make the perfect experience.