Florida State has been gearing up for what has quickly become one of its busiest springs outside of football.
The athletics department and ticket office have been preparing for a packed slate stretching from baseball to bull riding, with ticket sales reflecting a surge in interest across multiple sports.
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And following its $265 million renovation, FSU leadership is delivering on its plan to transform Doak Campbell Stadium into a year‑round entertainment venue — highlighted this spring by marquee appearances from the Savannah Bananas and PBR’s Unleash the Beast.
“The renovation of Doak has allowed us the opportunity host events that would otherwise not have come to a Tallahassee,” said Jack Chatham, FSU’s assistant athletics director of ticket operations.
“We have been preparing for a very busy spring event schedule and are optimistic fans will thoroughly enjoy each of the new offerings.”
Softball and women’s lacrosse have already opened their seasons, with lacrosse winning its inaugural match — a 14-4 victory over visiting Stetson on Saturday, Feb. 7 — before an energetic crowd of 1,507 at the Seminole Lacrosse Complex.
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The Seminoles had sold nearly 1,000 tickets leading up to the historic matchup. They play their second match Monday, Feb. 9. at home against Kennesaw State at 1 p.m.
Softball, meanwhile, enters the 2026 season as a consensus top-10 team and went 5-0 hosting its annual JoAnne Graff Classic (Feb. 5-8).
FSU returns to the Seminole Softball Complex Tuesday, Feb. 10, to face No. 23 Liberty at 6 p.m. before traveling to Clearwater for the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.
Baseball, despite significant roster turnover with 23 new players, opens as a top-20 contender against James Madison at Howser Stadium (Feb. 13–15).
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Both softball and baseball season tickets are sold out, with baseball reaching 2,900 season-ticket sales.
To offer additional flexibility for baseball fans, FSU introduced two ticket packages — a full home season pass and a second option covering home ACC opponents and the Florida game — with demand so strong that it had a waiting list of 2,400.
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FSU also hosting Savannah Bananas, professional bull riding
Riders compete in the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Tallahassee competition held in the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Friday, March 14, 2025.
FSU is also preparing to host two major national brands in the Savannah Bananas and Professional Bull Riders (PBR).
The wildly popular Bananas have led the ticket surge, selling out Doak Campbell Stadium (67,277) and Howser Stadium (6,700) for their three World Tour opening dates — Feb. 26 and 27 at Howser and Feb. 28 at Doak.
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The team’s style of play and showmanship have transformed “Banana Ball” into one of the most sought-after spectacles in sports entertainment. Its 2026 roster also features former FAMU star Ty Jackson.
Two weeks later, Doak will transform again for a major PBR event (March 13–14), expected to draw more than 19,000 fans each night using the stadium’s west side and 20 field‑level “dirt suites.”
The two-night show will also feature headline concerts from Jon Pardi and three-time Grammy Award winner Miranda Lambert.
And after a brief mid-winter lull, football will ramp up as well.
Season tickets for 2026 are now open for renewal and purchase, with expanded options available ahead of a schedule that features high-interest early‑season matchups at home against SMU and on the road at Alabama.
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Additionally, FSU’s men’s and women’s basketball teams are deep into their respective seasons.
Following a difficult stretch in January, the men (11-12) are riding a three-game win streak heading into Tuesday’s (Feb. 10) home showdown against No. 17 Virginia (20-3) at 7 p.m.
And the women (8-16) snapped a three-game losing streak Sunday, Feb. 8, with a home win over Miami.
Here’s FSU football’s 2026 schedule
vs. New Mexico State | Aug. 29
vs. Central Arkansas | Sept. 26
at Boston College* | Nov. 7
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU athletics eye busy spring slate that features Bananas, bull riding