Shaded Seats at Bryant–Denny Stadium

Bryant–Denny Stadium is one of college football’s most revered venues. Primarily the home field for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the stadium is celebrated for its vibrant atmosphere, and passionate fanbase. Tuscaloosa has a warm Southern climate, so fans attending a game can use the seating chart along with this article to identify the shaded seats at Bryant–Denny Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Bryant–Denny Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Bryant–Denny Stadium:

• West Sideline: Most shade is on the Crimson Tide’s home side

And the seats in the sun at Bryant–Denny Stadium are mainly:

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

Crimson Tide games at Bryant–Denny Stadium usually kick off in the 6:00 PM hour but can start in the early-afternoon or mid-afternoon too. Occasional 11:00 AM kick offs are scheduled as well to accommodate the national television schedule. Morning games have unique shade dynamics so make sure to check out our post to navigate morning starts.

Bryant–Denny Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Bryant–Denny Stadium is oriented north to south. By noon, the sun is high in the sky over the south end zone. Over the course of the afternoon, it dips behind the west side of the stadium and eventually sets near the northwest corner. This configuration generally makes the west side of the stadium the “shade side,” while the east side and end zones receive the most sun.

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

See an interactive seating chart for the next event at Bryant-Denny Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Bryant–Denny Stadium Games

Bryant–Denny Stadium is over 90 years old, but thanks to various upgrades and improvements, it feels closer to a professional football stadium than many other college venues. Unfortunately for fans, it uses a section numbering scheme that is not particularly intuitive. Seats behind the north and south end zones use “N” and “S” prefixes to denote North and South. Sideline sections use single letters (e.g., “A”) for the west side and double letters (e.g., “AA”) for the east side. The most important thing to remember when looking at the seating chart is that the Alabama home side is on the west, and the visiting team’s side is on the east.

When the Crimson Tide kicks off early in the afternoon, or even in the morning, the sun is high and shade is sparse. Bryant–Denny Stadium has canopies over the upper level of both sidelines, so fans with nosebleed seats in the upper half of the upper level are among the few who will experience shade at this time of day. The end zones are not covered on either side, and those seats are exposed to the elements. At least behind the south end zone, the sun is behind fans rather than in their eyes.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon and Evening Bryant–Denny Stadium Games

Shade is much more plentiful when the Crimson Tide kicks off at 3:30 PM or later. By the start of a mid-afternoon game, the sun is beginning to dip behind the west side of the stadium, so fans on the Alabama home side will experience shade first. Seats in the west side upper-level sections U3-A to U3-R will be shaded first. Over the course of the game, shade will also reach the field-level sections A-N. End zone sections will start mid-afternoon games in the sun, but as the game progresses, shade will begin to cover them. End zone sections will be shaded for games that start in the evening.

The sunniest seats are on the east (away team) side of the stadium. Field-level sections AA-NN and upper-level sections U4-AA to U4-RR are sun-soaked at the start of a mid-afternoon game. As the game plays on, the shade line will cross the field and begin covering seats on the east side from lowest to highest. Field-level seats will become shaded first, followed by the skyboxes above, and finally the upper-level sections. Fans with east side nosebleed seats in the late afternoon should pack their best pair of sunglasses.

Choose a seat on the west side of the stadium (where the photo is taken) if you’re seeking shade or on the east side (across the field) if you like sun.
Credit: Bama game by m.jay.johnson (CC BY 2.0)

Ready to buy shaded seats at Bryant–Denny Stadium?

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