Shaded Seats at Hayward Field

Hayward Field is one of most premier track and field venues in the U.S. Located on the University of Oregon campus, it’s home to the Oregon Ducks and hosts major athletics events like the Prefontaine Classic and NCAA Outdoor Championships. Summers in the Willamette Valley are warm and sunny and many events are hosted during the daytime hours. Fans can use this guide along with the stadium seating chart to find the best shaded seats at Hayward Field.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at Hayward Field?

The seats in the shade at Hayward Field depend on the time of day:

• Morning: East side seats are shaded
• Early Afternoon: Shade shifts to the south side
• Mid to Late Afternoon: South and west side seats become shaded

National and international events often start early in the day to accommodate television broadcast schedules. For example the Prefontaine Classic begins in the morning and schedules the Bowerman Mile race for the middle of the afternoon. Events with a more local audience may start later in the afternoon and conclude at night under the lights.

Hayward Field Orientation to the Sun

Hayward Field is oriented north to south, with the iconic tower in the northeast corner. The sun rises behind the east side of the stadium, sits over the south stands around 1–2 pm, then dips behind the west side as it sets. In practice, that makes the east side the “shade side” in the morning and the west side the shade side in the afternoon and evening.

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

Click or tap to see a seating chart for the next event at Hayward Field

Navigating the Hayward Field Seating Chart

The Hayward Field track is laid out with turns on the north and south ends, the homestretch on the west side, and the backstretch on the east. Field events such as shot put and discus are located inside the south turn.

The stadium has two tiers of seating: 100s sections for the lower tier and 200s for the upper tier. For smaller events, the lower tier may be sold as reserved while the upper tier is general admission; for bigger events, all seats may be reserved.

Section numbering starts next to the Tower with 100 and 203, then increases sequentially counter-clockwise around the track to 137 and 241. Behind the north turn seats are entirely uncovered. The remaining sections have a roof that extends partially over the upper tier.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Hayward Field in the Morning

For athletics events scheduled before noon, shade is found on the east side. Sections 103-109 and 203-209 are your best bet for morning shade as the roof casts a shadow over these sections. The sunniest seats in the morning are west-side sections 120-129 and 220-229, as well as the uncovered north-side sections 130-136 and 232-241.

In the morning, seats on the east side of the stadium (right) are shaded while those on the west side (left) are sunny.
Orange Pics BV / Alamy Stock Photo

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Hayward Field in the Early Afternoon

During the summer months in Eugene, the sun reaches its highest point a few minutes after 1:00 PM. Between 1:00 and 2:00 PM it is above and behind the south side, so sections 111-119 and 211-219 are the best options for shade. Depending on the time of year, the roof shadow may reach the track and cover both tiers; in peak summer, rows closest to the track may be sunny while rows farther back are shaded.

This is when the stadium’s shade side “flips” from the east to the west side. Over the early afternoon, east-side seats that were shaded in the morning move into sun, while the west side begins to shade. On the west side, shade moves from the highest rows down: the upper-tier under the roof shades first, and rows closer to the track shade later.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Hayward Field in the Mid to Late Afternoon

By 3:00 PM the sun moves behind the west side. Shade seekers should focus on west-side sections 119-129 and 219-229. As the sun dips, the roof shadow covers these sections and eventually reaches the track. On the south side, some sections that were shaded in the early afternoon move back into the sun, particularly in the lower tier.

The sunniest seats now are on the east and north sides. North-side sections 132-137 and 238-241 are uncovered and sun-soaked in the afternoon. Seats in east-side sections 100-109 and 203-209 sit directly in the descending sun; even some upper-tier rows under the roof can be bright thanks to the low angle.

By mid-afternoon, seats on the west side of the stadium (left) are shaded while those on the east side (right) are in the path of the sun.
dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo

Ready to buy shaded seats at Hayward Field?

Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see the upcoming event list for Hayward Field.