WILLIAMS-BRICE STADIUM PARKING

Rarely does a team enter the field to the theme of a science fiction movie, but for the South Carolina Gamecocks football team, it happens every game. As a notoriously successful team that often ranks in the top 20 college teams for stadium attendance, the crowds come in droves, often making it hard to find South Carolina football parking.

The University of South Carolina's "Cock Pit" was constructed in 1934 through the Works Progress Administration. With an original seating total of 17,600, it was expanded over time such that the arena became a horseshoe and then a bowl, with a current capacity of 80,250, a huge improvement from the start. Recent renovations to the arena include an 11,000 square foot banquet facility, and revamped box seats, executive suites and training facilities for the players. Additionally, the sound system was also upgraded, such that when the early part of "Also sprach Zarathustra" (featured in 2001: A Space Odyssey) plays when the Gamecocks launch onto the field, it can be heard crystal clear. It could likely be possible to hear it in the Carolina Stadium parking lot, which would be frustrating if you're still trying to find parking while the team blasts off, ready to play. If you plan ahead and book your South Carolina football parking spot with ParkWhiz, you can enjoy some down-home southern cooking while you watch the game, rather than warm soda as you circle round and round.

The boys in garnet and black have a long tradition. They first came into existence in 1892 when at the time the Board of Trustees of the school would not support them, believing that football was too coarse and ungentlemanly. The faculty proved to be quite wrong, as the Gamecocks were quite good at football, such that in the 2011 Season, head coach Steve Spurrier directed the team to an 11-and-2 record, 6-and-2 in the SEC and a top-10 ranking in both the Coaches' and AP Polls. One of the more curious traditions of the USC Gamecocks was born of instability in the upper deck bleachers. In 1983, after fans noted that the deck kept swaying back and forth following a game, their then-coach Joe Morrison casually stated that "if it ain't swayin', we ain't playin'" which caught on as a frequent catchphrase. In most cases this would be a cause for concern, and while the problem was fixed by stadium staff, it stayed popular with the fans. While swaying bleachers are never a good thing, the same could be said about showing up late to a game. If you plan with ParkWhiz before the game, you can book your Gamecocks parking spot in advance, saving you time and embarrassment.

ParkWhiz is as easy as catching a football, and much more fun. All you have to do is find your event, book your Gamecocks parking spot and print your parking pass. When you bring your ParkWhiz parking pass with you, all you need to do is enjoy the game and enjoy a fall afternoon.

Photo by Eisenthesky Productions (Eisenthesky.com) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons