Bryant-Denny Stadium, home of
the Alabama Crimson Tide since 1929 is now one of the largest
stadiums in college football. Prior to the opening of Bryant-Denny
Stadium, the Tide played at Denny Field and University Field. The
University of Alabama decided it was time for a new stadium for the
Tides by the mid 1920s and built a 12,000 seat stadium. The Tides
christened the stadium, originally known as George Hutchenson Denny
Stadium on September 28, 1929.
Like every other college team, the
Tides needed to expand their stadium due to the increasing fan
support. The first of many expansions took place in 1937 when 6,000
seats were added to the east side. By 1946 bleachers were at both end
zones of the stadium and the capacity was 31,000. A new press box and
12,000 seats where added in time for the 1961 season increasing the
capacity to 43,000. Five years later the capacity increased to 60,000. In 1975,
State Legislature
renamed George Hutchenson Denny Stadium, Bryant-Denny Stadium after
legendary Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. The seating
capacity of Bryant Denny Stadium increased again in 1988 when the
upper deck was added on the west side increasing the capacity to
70,000.
Throughout the 1990s as
demand for tickets to Crimson Tide game increased, so did the size of
Bryant Denny Stadium. In 1998, the east side upper deck was
constructed bumping the capacity to 83,000. This project included 81 new skyboxes, a
video/scoreboard on the south end, new lights, an east side entrance
tower and a brick façade for the facility. The latest expansion was
completed before the 2006 season. This $50 million project increased
the seating capacity to over 92,000 with new seats and skyboxes.
A grand
promenade connects the stadium to University Boulevard, that is lined
with larger-than-life statues of the four coaches who have brought
Alabama its 12 national championships. Also lining Alabama’s new Walk
of Champions are inlaid granite tablets which commemorate the school’s
21 SEC Championships and 12 National Championships. The seven story North
End Zone Glass Curtain Wall gives Bryant-Denny the formal face it has
always needed. Two
state-of-the-art video screens, for game action and replays, have been
added to the northeast and northwest corners of the stadium to
supplement the existing south end zone Sony Jumbrotron. Today, Bryant-Denny Stadium is the
one of
largest on-campus stadiums in America and the seventh largest overall
stadium in the country. In November 2008, Alabama announced plans to
expand Bryant Denny Stadium to seat 101,000 fans. The expansion, that
would occur on the south side of the stadium, would include a 8,500
seat upper deck, 34 luxury seats, 1,700 club seats, a 1,500 seat
stadium club and two new corner videoboards. The project is expected
to be completed by 2010.
Famous Players:
Don Hutson, Riley Smith, Frank Howard,
Johnny Musso, Derrick Thomas School Traditions: The Elephant, The
Million Dollar Band, School Song: Yea Alabama, The Rammer Jammer
Cheer
Alabama Crimson Tide
vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Georgia Dome
September 5, 2009
8:30PM
"The people in Alabama are
extremely friendly. We got a great taste of southern hospitality.
The stadium was excellent and they were loud. The pregame video
gave me chills listening to the bear's rumbling voice and the
great moments in Alabama football. "
- John
"There is no place on earth like
Bryant Denny Stadium on a Saturday. When the Bear gives you the
speech before the game with highlights of bamas greatest moments
on the jumbotron it gives eveybody chills. "
- Bama Fan
Bryant Denny Stadium
