Shaded Seats at Sanford Stadium

Sanford Stadium is one of college football’s most iconic stadiums. Primarily the home field for the Georgia Bulldogs, the stadium is known for its electric atmosphere and privet hedges. Athens has plenty of warm southern weather, especially early in the football season. Bulldogs fans heading to Sanford Stadium can use this guide along with the stadium’s seating chart to locate the shaded seats at Sanford Stadium.

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

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

• South Sideline: Shade on the Bulldogs’ home side of the stadium

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

• North Sideline: Sunny on away team’s side of the stadium
• End Zones: Exposed to the sun for much of the day

Bulldogs games at Sanford Stadium kick off as early as noon. Most games are scheduled for either 3:30 PM or 7:30 PM, but a few other times are occasionally mixed into the schedule as well. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Sanford Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Sanford 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.

See an interactive seating chart for the next event at Sanford Stadium

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

Sanford Stadium is a historic college stadium that has undergone many renovations and upgrades over the years. Its current configuration features lower-level seats on all sides of the field, club-level seats on the sidelines and east end zone, and an additional upper deck on the north sideline. It’s an open-air venue with no canopy or roof to block out the sun.

Shade is sparse at Sanford Stadium early in the afternoon. When the Bulldogs kick off at noon or 1:00 PM, the sun is high above, and nearly every seat outside of the club level is sun-soaked. If you’re willing to splurge, club seats (200 level) are almost entirely covered and thus shaded while the sun is high. The east-level club (behind Sections 114-124) is also covered and therefore shaded early in the afternoon.

The sunniest seats are on the north side of the stadium and behind the end zones. Barring a cloudy day, all rows in Sections 101-112, 301-312, and 601-611 are essentially guaranteed to be in the path of the sun for the entirety of an afternoon game.

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

When the Bulldogs are scheduled for a 3:30 PM game, shade is more predictable and easier to find. In the mid-afternoon, prefer the south side of the stadium for shade. The press box and skyboxes rise above the stadium, creating an effective barrier between the sun and the south sideline sections. Shade seekers should focus on Sections 127-136 and 327-335. As the sun descends behind the stadium, fans in these sections will have the sun at their backs and shade covering their seats.

The sunniest seats are on the north (away team) side of the stadium. Sections 101-112, 301-312, and 601-611 are sun-soaked at the start of a mid-afternoon game. As the game progresses, the shade line will cross the field and begin covering seats on the north side from lowest to highest. 100-level seats will become shaded first, followed by the 300 level, and finally the 600 level just before sunset. Bring your best sunglasses if you buy a nosebleed seat in the 600 level!

Club seats (200 level) on the south sideline are safely shaded, and club seats on the north and east sides should be relatively sun-free, but may still get a blast of late-day sun, as covered seats are not necessarily shaded seats!

By mid-afternoon seats on the south side of the stadium (left) are shaded while those on the north side (right) are still in the sun.
Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

Ready to buy shaded seats at Sanford Stadium?

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