Shaded Seats at Doak Campbell Stadium

Doak Campbell Stadium or “The Doak” on campus, serves as the home field for the Florida State Seminoles. Tallahassee experiences hot and humid weather, particularly in the early weeks of the college football season. Fans heading out to Seminoles games can use this guide and the stadium’s seating chart to locate the best shaded seats at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Doak Campbell Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Doak Campbell Stadium:

• West Sideline: Mid-afternoon shade on the Seminoles’ home side
• Under Cover: Club seats behind the south end zone are covered and shaded

And the seats in the sun at Doak Campbell Stadium are mainly:

• East Sideline: Sun soaked on the away team’s side
• End Zones: Mostly sunny until late in the day

Seminoles games at Doak Campbell Stadium usually kick off at noon, 3:30 PM or 7:30 PM, with a few other start times occasionally mixed in. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Doak Campbell Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Doak Campbell Stadium is oriented northwest to southeast. 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 is the sunniest.

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 Doak Campbell Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Doak Campbell Stadium Games

Doak Campbell Stadium is a modern college football venue with a wide variety of seating options to cater to different types of fans and budgets. The stadium features seating on all sides of the field. The west sideline offers more premium-style seating, while the east sideline consists of grandstand-style bleachers. Additional club seating and suites are located behind the end zones.

There is more sun than shade at the Doak early in the afternoon. When the Seminoles kick off at noon, the sun is high above the south end zone. The best bet for shade at this hour is behind the south end zone, either in club seats under cover or as far back from the field as possible in a row that is in the shadow of the structure behind.

Sections 315-317 and 325-327 are under cover of a canopy-style roof. The sections in between (318-324) are not covered but may have a shadow cast by the scoreboard that provides some shade. This is more likely in the later months of the football season when the sun is lower in the sky. The last few rows of Sections 214-228 should get some early-day shade as well.

The sunniest seats are on the sidelines and behind the north end zone. When the sun is high in the sky, there are few seats under cover or close enough to any structure that might block it. On the sidelines, the west (home) side offers a better chance for late-game shade. Sections 29-35 and 127-137 will start to become shaded as the sun dips behind the west side of the stadium in the middle of the afternoon. Seats on the east (away) sideline are in the direct path of the sun for the entirety of an early afternoon game.

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

Shade is more abundant and easier to find when the Seminoles kick off at 3:30 PM. By this hour, shade seekers should focus on the west (home) side of the field. Sections 29-35 and 127-137 will all provide quality shade as the sun dips behind the west side of the stadium, and the West Skybox provides an additional physical barrier between the sun and the seats on this side.

The sunniest seats are on the east (away) side of the stadium. Fans in Sections 103-115 should bring strong sunscreen or other gear to protect from the Florida sun, because shade will not be an option for a 3:30 PM game. Field-level seats behind the end zones are sunny for mid-afternoon games, but rows farther from the field, especially behind the south end zone, will receive some shade.

For 7:30 PM games, the west sideline and both end zones will begin the game in the shade or will become shaded shortly after kickoff. Seats in Sections 103-115 stay sunny for the longest. As the shade line crosses the field, rows closest to the field in these sections will become shaded first, while those highest and farthest from the field will be sun-soaked until sunset.

By mid-afternoon seats on the west side of the stadium (right) are shaded while those on the east side (left) are squarely in the sun.
Photo by Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire

Ready to buy shaded seats at Doak Campbell Stadium?

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