Shaded Seats at Autzen Stadium

Autzen Stadium in Eugene is among college football’s most distinctive venues. As the home of the Oregon Ducks, the stadium is famed for its passionate fanbase and loud crowds. Given Oregon’s variable weather, fans heading to Ducks games can use this guide in combination with the stadium’s seating chart to find the shaded seats at Autzen Stadium.

Where are the seats in the shade and sun at Autzen Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Autzen Stadium are located:

• South Sideline: Shade on the away team’s side of the stadium

And the seats in the sun at Autzen Stadium are located:

• North Sideline: Sunny on the Ducks’ home side of the stadium
• End Zones: Exposed to the sun for much of the day

Ducks games at Autzen Stadium kick off as early as noon or as late as 7:30 PM with other afternoon start times mixed into the schedule as well. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Autzen Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Autzen Stadium is oriented northwest to southeast. By noon, the sun is above and behind the southeast corner of the stadium. Over the course of the afternoon, it dips behind the south side of the stadium and eventually sets near the west end zone. This configuration makes the south side of the stadium the “shade side,” and the north side the sunny side. The end zones are sunny for day games but become shaded for evening games.

The graphic below shows the approximate hour-by-hour position of the sun throughout the day on September 1st.

Click or tap to see a seating chart for the next event at Autzen Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Autzen Stadium Games

Autzen Stadium is a uniquely designed college stadium. It features bowl-style seating on all sides of the field, with additional luxury seats, suites, and a press box built into a structure that towers over the south sideline. A short roof extends out from that structure, providing cover for some of the seats on the south side.

Shade is limited when the Ducks kick off early in the afternoon. For a game that starts at noon or 1:00 PM, the sun is high overhead, and most seats that aren’t under cover are sunny. The best options for shade at this hour are in the highest rows of Sections 28-34. These seats are adjacent to the suites and press box, which block the sun and cast a shadow.

Over the course of the afternoon, the sun will dip behind the south side of the stadium, and more and more rows in Sections 28-34 will become shaded. Shade will cover the highest rows first, and the shade line will move toward the field as the game progresses.

The sunniest seats are on the north (home) side of the stadium and behind the end zones. Barring a cloudy day, all rows in Sections 1-21 are essentially guaranteed to be in the path of the sun for an afternoon game. Sections in the southeast and southwest corners may receive some shade late in the football season, when the sun casts longer shadows, but they should not be relied on for consistent shade.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon and Evening Autzen Stadium Games

When the Ducks kick off in the mid-afternoon or later, shade is more abundant and easier to find. All rows in south side Sections 28-34 should be shaded at the start of a game at 3:00 PM or later, as the shade line approaches the field. The sunniest seats are on the north (home) side of the field in Sections 6-16. These seats remain squarely in the sun until around sunset, when the shade line crosses the field and begins to cover them.

End zone seating is a bit trickier. For a mid-afternoon game, many end zone seats will start in the sun but become shaded over the course of the game. Seats in the southwest and southeast corners will become shaded faster than those in the northwest and northeast corners. For a 6:00 PM or later game, end zone seats will mostly be shaded at kickoff.

Choose a seat on the south side of the stadium (where the photo is taken) if you’re seeking shade or on the north side (across the field) if you prefer sun.
Photograph by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire

Ready to buy shaded seats at Autzen Stadium?

Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see the upcoming game list for Autzen Stadium.