Bryant-Denny Stadium has been the home of Alabama football since 1929 and was first known as the George Hutchenson Denny Stadium. The state legislature renamed the stadium "Bryant-Denny Stadium" in 1975. Denny Stadium opened on September 28, 1929 and was officially dedicated the following week at Homecoming ceremonies. In 1937 the first expansion of the stadium took place as 6,000 seats were added on the east side and brought capacity to 18,000. In 1950, capacity grew to 25,000. In 1961, the grandstands reached 61 rows and capacity was 43,000. The capacity grew to 60,000 in 1966 and then to 70,123 in 1988.

1929	1950
1966	1988

The next expansion, completed in August of 1998, moved capacity to 83,818 by adding the east side upper deck. The new deck provided 10,000 additional bleacher seats and 81 skyboxes on two levels. The skyboxes were built in two sizes: 24-seat capacity (18) and 16-seat capacity (63). In 1999, four additional skyboxes were built to bring total skybox capacity to 85. A scoreboard with video display capabilities was erected in the south endzone, as well as new light towers for the east side of the stadium. A new new east side entrance tower a brick facade and reception areas for the Scholarship and A-Club level patrons was also added during the 1998 expansion.

1998	2006

North End Zone $47 Million Renovation Project (2006)

Bryant-Denny Stadium increased capacity to 92,138 making it the seventh-largest on-campus football stadium in the nation. The expansion project, which began immediately following the 2004 football season, also added three levels of premium seating , a pair of large video scoreboards in the north end zone and state-of-the-art wrap-around display boards situated on the facades of the east and west upper decks.

 

South end zone expansion (2010)

The University of Alabama Board of Trustees approved a study for further expansion of Bryant-Denny on September 19, 2008. The Physical Properties Committee of the University of Alabama Board of Trustees heard a presentation from UA athletic department on November 13, 2008 regarding the proposed $80.6 million expansion of the south end zone upper deck and suite level of Bryant-Denny Stadium. The proposed expansion would bring the stadium's capacity to approximately 101,000, but it would encourage more fans to leave their entertainment centers and attend the games. The committee unanimously approved the project to move into the third of four stages, the fourth being final approval to begin construction.

On February 6, 2009 The UA Board of Trustees voted unanimously and without discussion to give the final approval construction to commence on the south end zone expansion. With the approval of the Board of Trustees, construction is set to begin in the Spring 2010 and will continue through out the 2009 football season. The expansion is currently slated to open by September 2010 for the 2010 college football season.

The Tuscaloosa News reported on April 17, 2009 that due to the economic climate and resultant lowered construction costs, the stadium expansion should cost $15 million less than expected, coming in around $65.6 million.

The expanded south end zone will include a two level South Zone club with a total of 1,700 seats and 36 skyboxes to bring the total number of skyboxes in Bryant-Denny Stadium to 159, as well as an 8,500 seat upper deck. The entire stadium's audio/visual system will be upgraded including two new video boards in both corners of the south end zone.

Pre Stadium Era

Prior to Bryant-Denny Stadium being built, the Tide played on the Quad (1893-1914), Denny Field (1915-1917 and 1919-1928). Those years represent a total of 53 games for which Bama posted a 44-9 record. There were two different sites used on the Quad, the first located on the southeast corner, with the field running parallel to 6th Avenue. Around the turn of the century, the field was moved 90-degrees to the west to run parallel to University Boulevard.

In 1915, games were played on University Field, renamed Denny Field in 1920, where the Tide played for the next 14 years. Alabama posted a 43-2 record on that field and held opponents scoreless in 35 of those games. Denny Field was two blocks east of the current stadium, behind Little Hall. Mallet Hall and Parker-Adams Hall now stand on the north endzone of Denny Field. A parking lot covers the rest of what remains of Denny Field.

Bryant-Denny has long been a stadium feared by opponents. The Crimson Tide owns an impressive 210-43-3 all-time record at the stadium, and has boasted sellouts at all Tuscaloosa games since 1988. Bryant-Denny is the fourth-largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference, and will be the 2nd largest at the start of the 2010 season.

 

 

THE FACTS

Year Opened:	1929
First Game:	October 5, 1929 vs. Mississippi
Official Capacity:	101,821
Largest Crowd:	101,821 (three times - most recent: vs. Florida, Oct. 2, 2010)
Surface:	Grass
BDS Record:	209-49-3 (.812)*
Win Streak:	57 (Oct. 26, 1963 to Nov. 13, 1982)