Shaded Seats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, affectionately called “The Swamp,” is one of college football’s most intense venues. Home to the Florida Gators, the stadium is famous for its rowdy atmosphere and loyal fanbase. It’s not called The Swamp by accident, and with Florida’s hot, humid, and sunny climate, Gators fans should use this guide along with the stadium’s seating chart to find the shaded seats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium:

• West Sideline: Mid-afternoon shade on the Gators’ home side

And the seats in the sun at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium are mainly:

• East Sideline: Sun soaked on the away team’s side
• End Zones: Sunny for most of the day

Gators games at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium usually kick off locally at 3:30 PM or 7:00 PM with a few other start times occasionally mixed in. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is oriented north to south. By noon, the sun is high in the sky over the southeast corner near the end zone. Over the course of the afternoon, it curves and dips behind the west side of the stadium, where it eventually sets. This configuration generally makes the west side of the stadium the “shade side,” while the east side is the sunniest.

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 Ben Hill Griffin Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Games

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is a historic venue that has grown and expanded over the years to become the largest stadium in the state of Florida. It features multiple tiers of seating and uses a combination of numeric and alphabetic section naming systems. The skybox on the west side of the stadium houses luxury suites, club seats, and the press box.

If the Gators kick off early in the afternoon, the sun is high and shade is extremely limited. Between noon and about 2:00 PM, the sun floats across the sky over the south end zone. The best hope for shade at this hour is at the very back of field-level Sections B-G. The last 8 rows in these sections are under the overhang of the upper level and, given the sun’s position at this time of day, are shaded.

Across the field, in north end zone Sections 218-229, the back half of rows are covered and may be shaded, but whether specific rows are shaded depends on the exact time of day. To maximize your chance of shade, choose a seat as far back as possible. The same is true for west sideline Sections 1-19 and 501-513. The last 4-6 rows are under an overhang and may be shaded as the sun crosses the sky, but the majority of seats closer to the field will be sun-soaked.

While most uncovered seats are sunny early in the day, the absolute sunniest spots are on the east (away) sideline and in the upper level behind the north end zone. Barring a cloudy day, Sections 27-45 and 318-329 will get blasted with Florida sun, so bring your sun protection if you’re sitting in these sections!

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon and Evening Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Games

When the Gators kick off in the middle of the afternoon, shade at The Swamp is more abundant and easier to find. At the start of a 3:30 PM game, the sun is making its descent behind the west (home) side of the stadium. Shade seekers should focus their search on Sections 1-19 and 501-513. The skybox towers above these sections and provides quality shade in the mid and late afternoon.

The sunniest seats are on the east (away) side of the stadium in Sections 27-45. This area can be brutal on a hot Florida day. These seats are squarely in the sun, and the design of the stadium offers no roof, overhang, or structural element to provide even the smallest amount of relief. Only once the shade line has crossed the field in the evening will shade begin to reach these seats, starting with rows closest to the field and gradually moving upward.

End zone sections are a mixed bag in the mid-afternoon. For a 3:30 PM game, many end zone seats will start in the sun, though most will become shaded over the course of the game. Seats closer to the west sideline will become shaded faster than those near the east sideline. For a 6:30 PM game, most end zone sections will be in the shade at kickoff.

By mid-afternoon seats on the west side of the stadium (left) are shaded while those on the east side (right) are still in the sun.
Credit: Berniestew (CC0)

Ready to buy shaded seats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium?

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