Bryant-Denny Stadium
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Template:Infobox Stadium Bryant-Denny Stadium is the home stadium for the University of Alabama football team, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Paul W. Bryant Drive. The stadium, which opened in 1929, has a current capacity of 92,158.
It is named after Bryant and former UA President George Denny. The stadium is the third largest stadium among schools in the 12-member Southeastern Conference.
History
Bryant-Denny Stadium has been the home of Alabama football since 1929 and was first known as the George Hutchenson Denny Stadium. The state legislature renamed the stadium "Bryant-Denny Stadium" in 1975. Denny Stadium opened on September 28, 1929 and was officially dedicated the following week at Homecoming ceremonies. In 1937 the first expansion of the stadium took place as 6,000 seats were added on the east side and brought capacity to 18,000. In 1950, capacity grew to 25,000. In 1961, the grandstands reached 61 rows and capacity was 43,000. The capacity grew to 60,000 in 1966 and then to 70,123 in 1988.
The most recent expanison is to be completed for Fall 2006. This will bring seating capacity to 92,158, making it the fifth largest on campus facility in the nation and largest stadium in the state of Alabama. The fifth expansion since 1929, completed in August of 1998, moved capacity to 83,818 by adding the east side upper deck. The new deck provided 10,000 additional bleacher seats and 81 skyboxes on two levels. The skyboxes were built in two sizes: 24-seat capacity (18) and 16-seat capacity (63). In 1999, four additional skyboxes were built to bring total skybox capacity to 85. A scoreboard with video display capabilities was erected in the south endzone, as well as new light towers for the east side of the stadium. A new east side entrance tower a brick facade and reception areas for the Scholarship and A-Club level patrons was also added during the 1998 expansion.
Prior to Bryant-Denny Stadium being built, the Tide played on the Quad (1893-1914), Denny Field (1915-1917 and 1919-1928). Those years represent a total of 53 games for which Bama posted a 44-9 record. There were two different sites used on the Quad, the first located on the southeast corner, with the field running parallel to 6th Avenue. Around the turn of the century, the field was moved 90-degrees to the west to run parallel to University Boulevard.
In 1915, games were played on University Field, renamed Denny Field in 1920, where the Tide played for the next 14 years. Alabama posted a 43-2 record on that field and held opponents scoreless in 35 of those games. Denny Field was two blocks east of the current stadium, behind Little Hall. Mallet Hall and Parker-Adams Hall now stand on the north endzone of Denny Field. A parking lot covers the rest of what remains of Denny Field.
Bryant-Denny has long been a stadium feared by opponents. The Crimson Tide owns an impressive 185-32-3 all-time record at the stadium, and has boasted sellouts at 56 consecutive Tuscaloosa games since 1988. Bryant-Denny is the third-largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference.
Facts
- Total seating capacity: 92,158 (coming Fall 2006)
- All-time attendance record: 86,869 (vs. Tennessee, October 23, 1999)
- All-time win-loss record: 185-32-3
- Number of skyboxes: 85 (18 with 24-seat capacity, 63 with 16-seat capacity)
- Consecutive sellouts: 56 (since 1988, as of 08/01/01)
- Special features: Video scoreboard in south endzone, reception areas for A-Club and Scholarship club level patrons in central entrance tower on east side. Two video scoreboards in the north endzone.