Hogs, Missouri to play every other year at War Memorial

Barring a scheduling change mandated by Southeastern Conference officials, the Arkansas Razorbacks and Missouri Tigers will play a football game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock every other year beginning in 2019.

The University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism have signed an agreement to continue Razorback football games at War Memorial Stadium through 2024.

The agreement includes three regular-season SEC games and three spring football games, pending SEC approval, at War Memorial Stadium during the tenure of the agreement. The formal announcement of the six-year agreement was made at a press conference on Thursday (May 17) at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Arkansas will play the University of Missouri in a Southeastern Conference game at War Memorial Stadium during the 2019, 2021 and 2023 seasons, unless SEC scheduling necessitates playing another opponent. The matchup has traditionally been played on the Friday or Saturday following Thanksgiving.

The University of Arkansas will also seek waivers from the SEC to play its spring football game at War Memorial Stadium in 2020, 2022 and 2024. Current SEC legislation prohibits league schools from hosting off-campus spring football games without a waiver from the conference. Arkansas submitted and received a waiver to play its 2018 spring game at War Memorial Stadium, based on ongoing construction at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The agreement includes mutually agreed upon stadium facility improvements and enhancements to be made prior to the 2019 regular season game at War Memorial Stadium as well as ticket sales and revenue benchmarks for SEC games.

The Razorbacks will play Ole Miss at War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 13, 2018, in the final game of the previous agreement between the University of Arkansas and War Memorial Stadium. The University of Arkansas has competed at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock since it opened in 1948. The 2018 season will mark the 71st season of Razorback Football at War Memorial Stadium.

“I think this agreement speaks very highly of the University of Arkansas,” noted Kane Webb, director of the Arkansas Parks & Tourism. “In an era in which money seems to be the driving force behind every major decision in big-time college athletics – and it doesn’t get any bigger time than SEC football – this wasn’t a money decision. It required an appreciation and understanding of tradition and culture and a willingness to be uniquely Arkansas.”