Whether you are an observer or a participant, Fayetteville and Cumberland County offer a variety of sports activities. Fans have access to no fewer than six professional teams that call Fayetteville home, as well as a collegiate summer baseball league and one of the region’s top dirt-track speedways where you can watch or participate in the action.
For those with a competitive nature, the county also features some of the best golf courses in the state and a half marathon celebrating our military heroes at Fort Liberty.
The top sports attraction is found in the heart of downtown Fayetteville at Segra Stadium, the $40 million home of the city’s Low-A East minor league baseball franchise. The Fayetteville Woodpeckers are an affiliate of the major league Houston Astros. They play a 132-game schedule from early April to mid-September.
Half of those games will be played at Segra Stadium, where more than 176,000 have poured through the gates in a year.
Tickets to home games can be purchased for the full season, in multigame packages or for single games online at the team website, milb.com/fayetteville/tickets/single-game-tickets, or at the Segra Stadium box office.
Fayetteville Marksmen
The Fayetteville Marksmen, Fayetteville’s longest-running professional team, has been playing in one form or another since 2002 and now compete in the independent Southern Professional Hockey League. The Marksmen play a 56-game regular-season schedule from October to April with home games at the Crown Coliseum.
Fans interested in tickets to the Marksmen’s games can order at the team website, marksmenhockey.com/tickets/season-tickets/, or purchase them on game day at the Crown Coliseum box office.
Fayetteville Fury
One of the latest sports to enter Fayetteville’s professional market is indoor soccer. The National Indoor Soccer League announced in August 2021 that one of its four franchises would play at the Crown Coliseum. The league uses a format in which each market has both men’s and women’s teams that play back-to-back on game day.
The Fayetteville Fury — the name is the same for the men’s and women’s squads — began their inaugural season in late December 2021. Both teams are directed by the head coaches at Methodist University. Justin Terranova, who has coached the Methodist men for 20 years, is the Fury’s men’s coach, while Bryan Madej leads the women. Madej has been the head women’s coach at Methodist since 2010.
To see the team schedule or to purchase tickets (which gets you into both games), visit the team’s website at fayettevillefury.com/tickets.
Fayetteville Stingers
A sixth professional sports franchise in Fayetteville debuted in March 2023. The Fayetteville Stingers are the newest members of The Basketball League, a professional minor league established in 2018. The league features former college players from NCAA Division I, II and III trying to get their pro careers started along with former pros from the U.S. and abroad.
The Stingers are part of TBL’s 16-team Eastern Conference and play a 24-game regular-season schedule. To keep up with the team’s schedule, check the Stringers’ Facebook page at facebook.com/Fayettevillestingers or the TBL website at thebasketballleague.net/.
Fayetteville Chutes
For those who prefer the purity of amateur sports, the Fayetteville Chutes feature college baseball players competing in the wooden-bat Old North State League in June and July at J.P. Riddle Stadium.
The Old North State League is made up of 13 teams in cities across North Carolina that play a 30-game regular-season schedule. Each team has a collection of college players from around the country, some of whom are experiencing the use of wooden bats for the first time.
Check the Chutes’ website for game times and dates at oldnorthstateleague.com/members/Fayetteville_Chutes/Fayetteville_Chutes.
Fayetteville Motor Speedway
You can experience the roar of engines almost every weekend at the historic Fayetteville Motor Speedway just off Interstate 95 at 3407 Doc Bennett Road. Built in 1968, the track has seen the likes of NASCAR greats such as Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Bobby Allison compete there in years past.
These days, the 3/8-mile dirt oval features races in a variety of classes each weekend and is a regular stop for the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series. For a schedule and ticket prices, check the speedway’s website at fayettevillemotorspeedway.com/.
Golf
Cumberland County is home to some of the state’s finest golf courses. They include two designed by legendary course architect Donald Ross, one that launched careers of future professionals Raymond and Marlene Floyd, and another that’s home to a popular annual celebrity fundraiser.
Highland Country Club, located in the heart of Fayetteville, and Fort Liberty’s Stryker Golf Course were constructed in the 1940s using Ross’ distinctive designs. Ross, of course, also designed the historic Pinehurst No. 2 course that has been home to both the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open championships. Stryker is open to the public, but you’ll need to find a member to play at Highland, which is a private club.
Built among scenic wetlands, horse pastures, lakes and streams, Cypress Lakes Golf Course was developed by prominent local teacher and pro L.B. Floyd. Floyd’s children, Marlene and Raymond, both honed their games on the course, and Raymond produced four major victories on the PGA Tour, including the 1976 Master’s title.
Gates Four Golf & Country Club has hosted many amateur and professional events, but it may be best known as home for the annual Stars & Stripes Celebrity Invitational. The tournament, which has featured the likes of Lawrence Taylor and Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, raises money to support the military and first responders.
King’s Grant Golf & Country Club, which has an undulating layout; Baywood Golf Course; and Fort Liberty’s Ryder Golf Course round out the golf options in Cumberland County. Opened in 1990, Baywood is the newest of the local courses.
Running
Finally, for Cumberland County running enthusiasts, Fort Liberty sponsors the All American Half Marathon and 5K in March. The races start and end at the new Liberty Park on Fort Liberty, which is home to about 54,000 Army personnel. To register, go to the race website at liberty.armymwr.com/programs/all-american-races.
