Business owner thrilled SEC Baseball to stay in Hoover through at least 2028

HOOVER, Ala. ( WIAT ) — The City of Hoover and its Park and Recreation Board signed an agreement Thursday to extend the Southeastern Conference’s annual stay in the city.

Landing an agreement to keep the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover through at least 2028 is a big win for local business owners.

“It’s the lifeblood for that week for this whole community and it is an enormous impact,” noted Jamie Cato, the President of Brock’s Gap Brewing Company in Hoover.

The announcement also comes with some big changes. The 2025 SEC Tournament will be the first to include new members, Oklahoma and Texas, and the tournament will move to a single-elimination format.

Cato is ready for the now 16-team SEC Baseball Tournament that will take place just steps from his brewpub, marking its duration his biggest week of the year.

“Our first Tuesday, when that tournament starts, the energy that is brought into the city is incredible, and it just bleeds directly into our business,” Cato noted. “Our staff feels it, the community feels it and the people spend, they’re excited to be here.”

Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato says the six-day tournament has about a $15 million impact on the economy. The state of Alabama is contributing $1 million towards the new agreement.

Hoover has invested $24 million in ongoing renovations at the Hoover Met, which included a new parking lot and entrance to the stadium. The mayor says they’ve put in the work.

“Made sure that we’ve listened to the SEC, listened to our fans, and done the improvements in our stadium to continue to make it attractive,” Brocato said. “To make it something that not only our fans enjoy, but the players and coaches want to come back here and play.”

Upgrades in 2025 include adding a patio experience in the outfield between the bullpen and the scoreboard. Other improvements include the replacement of reserved stadium seats and the addition of new hospitality spaces. The four-year agreement to keep baseball in Hoover is a coveted one; CBS 42 asked SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey what makes this such a good fit:

“I think what we have done is establish playing baseball in Hoover in May in a way that’s synonymous with playing in the college World Series in Omaha,” he said.

Sankey added that Hoover is an accessible city, especially for people driving in their RVs. Hoover has hosted the SEC Baseball Tournament since 1998.

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