Delaware State’s $28.5 million stadium play

DeSean Jackson’s hire as Delaware State’s head football coach brought renewed interest to the program. Now, President Tony Allen wants to turn that interest into a renovated stadium.

In comments obtained by Delaware-based radio station WDEL, Allen is setting his sights on $28.5 million from the state of Delaware to fully launch a stadium renovation project.

“The games are great, the band is great, the students are great, but the facilities need an overhaul. We believe if we can continue to do that, that front door will be a great gift, not just to Delaware State, but to the state of Delaware in general.”

A catalyst for the request is the attendance for the Norfolk State-Delaware State game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The game drew national attention because it was the first matchup between Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson as HBCU coaches and was hosted by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Per WDEL, Allen lobbied the Capital Improvement (Bond) Committee for support to make a renovation project a reality, using the attendance at Delaware State and Norfolk State as a key part of his pitch.

“If we can create that energy in Philadelphia, we can certainly create that energy in Dover, but we need your support to do that.”

In July 2025, the Hornets received $20 million for the construction of a new field house, per reporting by Delaware Online at the time. The funding came from Delaware’s bond bill, approved on July 1 of last year, which allocated the money to Delaware State.

The $20 million was set to be a part of an athletics transformation project that began in 2024. In those hearings in 2025, Allen detailed a three-phase plan to improve Delaware State Athletics. Delaware State’s Alumni Stadium was built in 1957 and seats 7,000 people.

In DeSean Jackson’s first year with the program, attendance averaged 3,389 fans, with capacity increasing to 47%. With a year of success under Jackson’s belt as coach and several pivotal conference matchups hosted at Alumni Stadium in the 2026 season, attendance numbers are sure to rise.

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