It serves primarily as the home of the South Carolina Gamecocks football team, but has also been the site of many concerts, state high school football championships, and various other events, including the annual Palmetto Capital City Classic between the Benedict Tigers and the South Carolina State Bulldogs until the last game in 2005.

It is currently the 16th largest on-campus college football stadium in the NCAA and is located on the corner of George Rogers Boulevard and Bluff Road adjacent to the South Carolina State Fairgrounds.

It was built to replace Melton Field, an aging wooden structure that was located where USC's Thomas Cooper Library stands today.

[attribution needed] ESPN's GameDay crew has broadcast its show four times (2001, 2004, 2005, 2006) from the State Fairgrounds across the street from the stadium.

On September 14, 2024 (vs. LSU) ESPN’s College Game Day broadcast from the newly renovated Gamecock Park area across Bluff Road from the stadium.

During this upgrade the school added a large array of subwoofers under the scoreboard to enhance the "feel" of their entrance music (the theme song to 2001: A Space Odyssey).

[12] Also unveiled was a new 52 acre tailgating area, landscaped with over 650 trees and featuring a 100 foot wide pathway, called the "Garnet Way", that the team, band, and cheerleaders now walk through as they enter the stadium.

Also added were a restroom building and a 12,000-square-foot structure housing ticket sales and a merchandise store in addition to a command center for EMS and police.

The project expanded the number of ticket windows from five to eight, enlarged the student entrance and relocated parking for television trucks to improve the flow of pedestrian traffic.

In addition, an expansion of the west main concourse, new elevators and new ribbon display boards were also a part of stadium renovations for that year.

On September 25, 1994, British rock legends The Rolling Stones performed at Williams–Brice Stadium with Blind Melon during the first leg of their Voodoo Lounge Tour.

A string of natural disasters hit in 1996, including a drought in the Great Plains and Hurricane Bertha in the Carolinas dealt substantial blows to family farm income and made it harder than ever for farmers to make a living from their land.

The concert took place on October 12 and included Columbia's own Hootie and the Blowfish (who jammed onstage with Willie), Neil Young, the Beach Boys, John Mellencamp, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Deana Carter, Grand Ole Opry star John Conlee, Rusted Root, and Jewel.

On April 21, 2001, George Strait played to 39,442 fans at Williams–Brice with opening acts Alan Jackson, Lonestar, Lee Ann Womack, and Brad Paisley.

On April 26, 2008, Knoxville native Kenny Chesney played there with Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes, and Gary Allan as part of his Poets and Pirates Tour.

On August 21, 2018, Beyoncé and Jay-Z performed at the venue with DJ Khaled and Chloe x Halle for the North American leg of their On the Run II Tour.

[19] In 1993, the stadium was the setting for The Program, a college football movie starring James Caan, Halle Berry, Omar Epps, Craig Sheffer, and Kristy Swanson.