MADISON – Toyota Field, home of the minor league baseball team Rocket City Trash Pandas, has hosted many events since it opened in 2020.

And not all are in the mainstream like baseball games. The venue has been the site for 275 non-baseball related events including Christmas light shows, fairs, weddings and high school proms.

“The one thing we’ve never done as we’ve looked to go forward is add goal posts,’’ Madison Mayor Paul Finley said during a press conference Monday.

That will change on Oct. 15 when the University of North Alabama will host Jacksonville State in a “one direction” football game in which both offenses will drive toward the one end zone on the field.

MartinFed, a federal solutions company headquartered in Huntsville, specializing in cyber, IT, engineering, and training, will be the presenting sponsor of the game.

According to Joel Lamp, convention sales manager at the Huntsville-Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), the game is estimated to generate “a little over a million dollars.’’

The unique game will be the first of its kind for the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Football Bowl Subdivision held a one direction game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field in 2010 between Illinois and Northwestern.

Lamp said organizers tried hard to make a two end zone field work inside the stadium.

“We needed three more yards,’’ he said.

Judy Ryals, president and CEO of the CVB, said the game will have an economic impact not just during the weekend of the event. The game will be televised by ESPN+.

“We look forward to maximizing the opportunity to bring visitors in for the weekend,’’ Ryals said, “but also to introduce people to our area through the ESPN plus broadcast to show why the Rocket City is such a special place.”

Area hotels, restaurants and stores should benefit from the injected revenue.

“Having an event like this will create a tremendous economic impact for our city and showcase our crown jewel facility,” Finley said.

This year will mark UNA’s first season as a full member of Division I as part of the ASUN Conference. Jacksonville State is also an ASUN member.

The ASUN, represented at Monday’s press conference by Associate Commissioner for Football Lee Moon, has granted permission to play the one direction game as has the NCAA.

When each team has possession, the ball will be placed at the corresponding yard line to face the direction toward the first base dugout where the end zone will be placed.

In a scenario such as a pick-six, the interceptor will run the length of the field to where a second end zone would be if there was enough room. The extra point would then be attempted at the opposite end.

Capacity for the game will be 10,000. Tickets will first be offered to UNA and Trash Pandas season ticket holders. Tickets to the general public could become available in mid-July.

“The plan is to have RV parking,’’ Fahrmann said. “With 10,000 fans coming in, and our (parking lots are for) 7,500 for our Trash Pandas games, so we’ll have to get some extra parking from other areas.”

From the time the idea was born until receiving approval from the NCAA and ASUN took six months.

“Everyone on our team has worked hard to make this happen,’’ Ryals said.

UNA President Dr. Ken Kitts said playing a football game here was a natural choice.

“The Madison/Huntsville market is key for the University of North Alabama,’’ he said. “We have a very large concentration of alumni living here and also there are many outstanding students in this area who are potential UNA students.’’

Madison County has played a significant role as UNA’s second-largest student feeder as enrollment has risen for 12 straight years.

As for the game, Ryals urged attendees to make a “weekend’’ of the event.

“Come in early, stay late,’’ she said.