Is Pirate Stadium Ready for 5A Division I Football?
Crandall’s fast growing enrollment is testing the limits of a stadium built in 1968.
Pirate Stadium has hosted Crandall football since 1968. The district’s rapid growth is now testing its limits. Crandall football moved into Class 5A Division I for the 2026 season.
That shift comes from the UIL’s realignment for 2026 through 2028. Crandall ISD missed the 6A cutoff by just 27 students. The jump to a higher classification brings bigger opponents and bigger crowds.
District leaders have already raised concerns about stadium size. Athletic Director Kyle Hardin addressed the issue at a school board meeting on January 12, 2026. He said Crandall ISD might need to rent a larger stadium for select games.
Hardin cited safety, security and seating capacity as the driving factors. No 2026 home game has been officially moved yet. The district has not named any backup stadium.
Pirate Stadium at a Glance
A Stadium Built for a Smaller Era
Pirate Stadium opened in 1968 and has aged along with the district. The press box and metal bleachers were renovated in 1991. The track was resurfaced in 2019.
Visitor side seating was added in 2021 to boost total capacity. Even with those upgrades, the stadium still seats only 3,300 fans. UIL rules do not set a minimum stadium size for any classification.
| Year | Update |
|---|---|
| 1968 | Stadium opens |
| 1991 | Press box and bleachers renovated |
| 2019 | Track resurfaced |
| 2021 | Visitor side seating added |
Growth Outpacing Capacity
Crandall ISD enrolled 7,449 students in 2025. That is an increase of 525 students in a single year. Crandall High School alone grew to 2,190 students, up 191 from the year before.
The home side offers only 1,900 seats. That total cannot cover the high school’s enrollment alone. Parents and staff also need seats, and so do band members and alumni.
2026 Home Schedule
Crandall lists five home games for the 2026 season.
| Date | Opponent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 11 | Terrell | Regular season game |
| Sept. 25 | Bryan Adams | Homecoming |
| Oct. 9 | North Mesquite | Regular season game |
| Oct. 23 | Mesquite | Regular season game |
| Nov. 5 | W.T. White | Senior night |
What It Would Cost to Rent a Stadium
Varsity tickets cost $5 online and $8 at the gate. A sellout could generate between $16,500 and $26,400 in ticket revenue. That range assumes every fan paid one of the two listed prices.
Real revenue would likely be lower. Some students, employees and passholders attend for free. UIL rules also give visiting teams 50 percent of gate receipts after officials are paid.
Renting a stadium would add new costs too. Security and staffing come with a price tag. So do transportation and other game day operations.
Pirate Stadium also charges $5 for parking on the west side. That money supports the Crandall High School Band Booster Club. It remains unclear if that fundraiser would move with the team.
| Revenue Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Online Ticket Price | $5 |
| Gate Ticket Price | $8 |
| Sellout Revenue Range | $16,500 to $26,400 |
| Visiting Team Share | 50 percent of gate after officials are paid |
| Parking Fee | $5, benefits Band Booster Club |
Voters Already Said No to a New Stadium
Crandall ISD asked voters to fund a new stadium once before. Proposition B sought $35 million in bonds. That measure appeared on the May 2022 ballot.
| Result | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| For | 567 | 43.82% |
| Against | 727 | 56.18% |
The stadium proposition failed by a wide margin. Voters did approve $365 million for other district needs. That funding covered schools and buses, and it also covered security and technology upgrades.
Questions Crandall ISD Still Needs to Answer
- Which games are expected to exceed Pirate Stadium’s capacity?
- Which alternate stadiums are under consideration?
- What would rental cost the district?
- Who would receive ticket, concession and parking revenue?
- Would displaced booster clubs be compensated?
- How would season ticket holders be accommodated?
- Will the district revisit a stadium bond election?
Pirate Stadium is not automatically unfit for 5A Division I football. But the district’s own concerns point to a real capacity problem. Crandall ISD’s growth shows no sign of slowing down.
Families deserve clear answers before any game changes locations. A home game should stay a home game. Shop in Seagoville will keep following this story as new details emerge.
