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Photos by Jon Anderson
The 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament returns to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium May 19-24, featuring all 16 SEC teams in a single-elimination format, with the championship game airing on ABC and tickets available at secsports.com.
2 of 3
Photos by Jon Anderson
The 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament returns to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium May 19-24, featuring all 16 SEC teams in a single-elimination format, with the championship game airing on ABC and tickets available at secsports.com.
3 of 3
Photos by Jon Anderson
The 2026 SEC Baseball Tournament returns to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium May 19-24, featuring all 16 SEC teams in a single-elimination format, with the championship game airing on ABC and tickets available at secsports.com.
After sweeping changes at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium last season, fans at the 2026 Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament will see few differences in this year’s terrain.
“We just finished a three-phase renovation project that made for a much better fan experience,” said Erin Colbaugh, parks and recreation director for the city of Hoover. “We did get a little money to renovate the inside of the ticket offices, but fans won’t see that.”
The tournament, which is scheduled for May 19-24, will use the same 16-team, single-elimination format as last year, with every SEC team qualifying and being seeded based on regular-season conference records. Teams seeded 9-16 will open play early in the week, while seeds 5-8 and the top four seeds receive byes that reward regular-season performance, with the highest seeds entering later in the bracket.
The win-or-go-home structure makes for an intense nail-biting experience, culminating in a championship game that will be televised this year by ABC.
Gates will open an hour prior to the first game on each of the first five days and 90 minutes prior to Sunday’s championship game.
Ticket packages are available at secsports.com. The tickets, which went on sale April 1, include all-session books, the Dr. Pepper Super Six Pack and several premium experiences.
“We added that third base club area last year,” Colbaugh said. “That’s just one more premium experience fans can look forward to. The right field deck was part of the project last year. We also have cabanas in the picnic area, and the Adirondack tables offer a really cool vantage point that’s a little different in the outfield.”
The ever-popular SEC Baseball Fanfest will see a few tweaks this year, with more activities added for adults. Held inside the Finley Center, Fanfest will feature family-friendly events, with wiffle ball fields, a batting cage and an indoor viewing area.
“In the past, Fanfest was more child centered with inflatables and things like that,” said Hoover City Administrator Brian Muenger. “Most of the attractions this year are centered around sports and the actual event, and there will be something for everyone. We certainly hope everybody comes out and attends.”
Muenger touts the tremendous economic impact the tournament has on the city of Hoover and nearby areas. It accounts for roughly 12,000 hotel room buys, about $17 million in direct business sales and $29 million in total economic impact with a typical attendance of 170,000 people.
The tournament has produced the past six national champions, and fans watching from home or from inside the stadium are guaranteed to see some kind of history, with Major League Baseball’s stars of tomorrow taking the field.
“Being the feature game on ABC is huge for the event and huge for the city of Hoover,” Muenger said. “The tournament always features top-flight talent that you’ll see in the majors a few years from now. Then there might be some guys taking their last at-bat. That drama and all of the amenities we’re providing makes for a great event.”
- When: May 19-24
- Where: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, 5508 Stadium Trace Parkway
- Cost: Single-session tickets start at $18; all-session passes start at $106; Dr. Pepper Super Six Pack (six games) $87; premium packages include $250 for right-field deck; $750 for Omaha Club on third-base side; $850 for Champions Club on third-base side; Adirondack tables $2,500; party cabanas $25,000
- Info: secsports.com
