Shaded Seats at U.S. Bank Stadium

U.S. Bank Stadium, located in the heart of Minneapolis, serves as the home of the Minnesota Vikings. In addition to hosting NFL games, the stadium is a hub for concerts and special events throughout the year. Minneapolis has a four season climate with cold winters and hot summers, so a domed stadium is a sensible choice for the area. The unique design allows abundant sun to shine in and fans looking to avoid the sun should know where to look. This guide will help you identify the best shaded seats at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Where Are the Seats in the Shade and Sun at U.S. Bank Stadium?

Generally speaking, shaded seats at U.S. Bank Stadium are:

• South Sideline: Shaded by mid-afternoon on the Vikings home side
• Upper Deck North: Roof cover provides shade in the upper level

And sunny seats at U.S. Bank Stadium are mainly:

• North Sideline: Sunny in the lower levels of the away team’s side
• End Zones: Exposed to the sun until late in the day

Since Minneapolis is in the Central time zone, Vikings games typically kick off at either noon or 3:25 PM to accommodate the NFL’s national television schedule. Concerts usually start in the early evening. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

U.S. Bank Stadium Orientation to the Sun

U.S. Bank Stadium is oriented northwest to southeast. By noon, the sun is high in the sky above the east end zone. Over the course of the afternoon, it dips behind the south (home) 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. However, unlike purely outdoor stadiums, the roof at U.S. Bank Stadium does protect some seats on the north sideline from the sun.

The graphic below shows the approximate location of the sun throughout the day on September 1st.

Click or tap to see a seating chart for the next event at US Bank Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon U.S. Bank Stadium Games

U.S. Bank Stadium features a unique design among domed NFL stadiums. It combines elements from venues like SoFi Stadium, which allows sunlight through a transparent roof, with stadiums like Ford Field that use an opaque roof to mostly block the sun. Half of the roof at U.S. Bank Stadium (the section over the south sideline) is clear, while the other half (over the north sideline) is solid. One might assume the sideline under the opaque roof is the shaded side of the stadium, but counterintuitively, it’s actually the reverse.

When the Vikings are scheduled for a noon kickoff, the majority of seats at U.S. Bank Stadium will start the game in the sun. The sun is still high enough at this hour that sections on both the south (home) sideline and north (away) sideline will be in the path of the sun. The best bet for shade at the beginning of the game is actually in the upper deck on the north side, in sections 305-319.

Over the course of a day game, the sun will begin to dip behind the south side of the stadium, and shade will cover from highest to lowest and from back to front on the south (home) sideline. The back rows of sections 334-349 will become shaded first, followed by rows in the front of those sections. Next, shade will reach sections 225-242 and the club seats on that level, and finally, 124-136 and the field sections on that level will become shaded last.

Seats on the north (visitor’s) side of the stadium are largely sunny for the majority of an early afternoon game. Sections 103-113 will get the earliest blast of sun. The next level up, sections 204-218, will also become sunny as the game progresses. Fans in the nosebleed sections 305-319 are mostly shaded during a day game, as the opaque roof extends far enough over the playing field to provide sun protection.

During an afternoon game seats on the south side of the stadium (left) are shaded while those in the lower-level on the north side (right) are in the sun.
Photo by Myotus (CC0 1.0)

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon Games at U.S. Bank Stadium

When the Vikings are scheduled for a 3:00 PM hour game, it’s quite a bit easier to find a seat in the shade. For late-afternoon events, most seats on the south (home) side of the field, as well as those behind the end zones, will be shaded for most or all of the event.

On the north (visitor’s) side, shade will start to hit the seats closest to the field first and move upward. It will first reach the 100-level, followed by the 200-level, and then the 300-level upper deck. The upper deck is so far from the field and so close to the roof that it’s more often shaded than sunny. However, fans here should be aware that due to Minneapolis’s northern location, the sun casts long shadows, especially during the NFL season. As a result, fans up here may end up with the sun directly in their eyes for at least part of the game.

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