Inaugural Governor’s Cup at Centreville Bank Stadium excites fans and workers

Timothy Yean

Sports Editor

Centreville Bank Stadium transformed from a soccer pitch to a football field for the first time ever on Friday, Oct. 13, for the 109th meeting between the Brown University Bears and the University of Rhode Island Rams football teams. The atmosphere was packed with excitement from both the game and the fresh environment brought on by the new setting.

Considered a “home game” for Brown Friday night, the home radio broadcaster was the Bears’ Jorge Bannister, who celebrated the opportunity to work in the new venue.

Image by Tim Yean

“It’s a big pleasure of mine. Very fortunate that we’ve been entrusted by Brown to be a part of this radio broadcast crew,” Bannister said. “The atmosphere coming in here, the beautiful field, the lines are painted perfectly, crisply, goal posts installed, ready to go, and it looks like both teams are going to have a great night.”

The highly attended matchup was met with positive reviews from fans from both sides of the historic rivalry, each eager to see the Governor’s Cup return to the home of Rhode Island FC next season.

“This is a wonderful tradition, one of the better football traditions in the state. I think it’s very exciting that it’s at a neutral stadium, in this brand new stadium. I’m very excited to see the atmosphere here,” says Ian, a spectator at Friday’s game whose wife is a URI alum.

Photo by Tim Yean

Kevin, rooting for Brown football, has been to RIFC games prior to the first American football game at the stadium, and says that it’s always been a great experience.

“It’s a really nice, more modern stadium than what we get over at Brown. It’s great to have all the amenities, the great concessions that we have here,” he remarked.

Both fans noted that the neutral site of the game played a key role in a unique environment for the game. Rather than the game being dominated by fans of either side depending on location, the equal setting allowed for a mix of fans to come in and be seated next to each other, not so much a clear and definite URI and Brown side of the bleachers.

“Everyone’s kind of integrated, whereas at Brown, there’s the home side and the away side,” noted Ian.

Photo by Tim Yean

What’s important for the Rams is that this game, besides being against their biggest in-state rival, will be a sneak peek at what games at the recently opened stadium will feel like when they temporarily move in for next season. Meade Stadium, which is on the URI campus in Kingston, will undergo renovations following the conclusion of the 2025 season and is scheduled to finish after the 2026 season. 40+ minute commutes will be the norm for Ram football fans coming from Washington County next year.

This first game is not just a demo for the players and coaches on the field. Media members from URI had the opportunity to get a feel for the Centreville Bank Stadium media sidelines and press box. Among those was Charlie Adams, a sophomore at URI who is a sports staff writer for their student newspaper, The Good 5 Cent Cigar. He was given the opportunity to write inside the press box as well as head into the postgame pressers.

“Yeah, get a lay of the land, and see what’s in store for next year, and so far, so good. This is a beautiful place for football,” Adams told The Anchor.

Image taken by Tim Yean

In regard to the game itself, Adams was optimistic about the Rams’ opportunity to win their seventh consecutive Governor’s Cup. “I’m wicked confident.”

Brown upset URI in a 28-21 triumph to reclaim the cup for the first time in eight years. It’s the Bears’ first win over a top-10-ranked FCS team since 1981.