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 Protective Stadium in 2021 | |
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| Location | Birmingham, Alabama, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 33°31′40″N 86°48′33″W / 33.5278°N 86.8092°W |
| Owner | Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority |
| Operator | Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority |
| Capacity | 47,100[1] |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2019 |
| Opened | October 2, 2021 |
| Construction cost | US$175 million |
| Architect | Populous Goodwyn Mills Cawood |
| Structural engineer | Walter P. Moore[citation needed] |
| General contractor | Brasfield & Gorrie[citation needed] |
| Tenants | |
| UAB Blazers (NCAA) 2021–present Birmingham Bowl (NCAA) 2021–present Birmingham Legion FC (USLC) 2022–present Birmingham Stallions (UFL) 2022–present New Orleans Breakers (USFL) 2022–2023 | |
Protective Stadium is an outdoor multi-purpose stadium located in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It is owned and operated by the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority (BJCC). The stadium officially opened in 2021 and is named for Protective Life, a financial services holding company based in Birmingham, under a 15-year naming rights agreement worth $1 million annually.[2][3] it serves as the home venue for the UAB Blazers football team, the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League (UFL), and Birmingham Legion FC of the USL Championship. It also hosts the annual Birmingham Bowl, a post-season college football bowl game.[4]
The stadium was constructed as part of a larger redevelopment plan for downtown Birmingham and has quickly become a central hub for sports and entertainment events in the region.
History
[edit]Football
[edit]Football
[edit]The Stadium became the home of the UAB Blazers football program beginning with the 2021 season, replacing the historic Legion Field, which had served as the team's home since 1991. The transition to a new, modern venue was considered a milestone for the program, offering enhanced facilities, a better location, and improved fan experiences.
The Blazers played their first game at Protective Stadium on October 2, 2021, against the Liberty Flames.[5] The game drew local and regional attention as the debut of UAB's new home field and marked the beginning of a new chapter for the program.
The stadium has a seating capacity of approximately 47,100, and includes modern features such as premium seating, suites, updated locker rooms, and a high definition video board.[6]
In December 2021, the stadium hosted the Super 7, the football championship games of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), as part of a three-year rotation with Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa and Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn that will run through at least 2032.[7][a]
The stadium has hosted the annual Birmingham Bowl since the bowl's 2021 edition—played on December 28, 2021, it was the first event at the venue to sell out.[8]
The United States Football League (USFL) played most of its 2022 games in Birmingham at Protective Stadium with the rest played at Legion Field.[9] In 2023, Protective Stadium became one of the league's four hub sites, hosting home games for the Birmingham Stallions and also "home" games for the New Orleans Breakers.[10]
Soccer
[edit]Birmingham Legion FC, a USLC soccer team, has played at Protective Stadium since the 2022 season.[11] Birmingham Legion FC set a club-best attendance mark of 18,418 fans in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match played against Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami CF on June 7, 2023.[12]
Other events
[edit]On June 4, 2022, the Stadium hosted its inaugural concert, featuring country music legend Garth Brooks. This event marked the first concert at the stadium and Brooks' first performance in Birmingham in seven years. The concert attracted over 50,000 attendees, setting a new attendance record for the venue.[13] It was also the only stop of Brooks 2022 Stadium Tour in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.
In March 2024, the Stadium hosted Round 9 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship Series marking its debut as a Supercross venue and becoming only the second Alabama stop in the series’ roughly 50 year history. Jett Lawrence took the 450SX main event win during the stadium’s inaugural Supercross race.[14]
On March 23, 2024, the Stadium hosted a round of the 2024 Monster Jam Stadium Championship Series West, marking the first Monster Jam stadium show ever held in Alabama.[15]
Attendance records
[edit]
| Rank | Attendance | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | approx. 50,000[13] | June 4, 2022 | Garth Brooks concert |
| 2 | 47,100[1][b] | December 28, 2021 | Houston 17 – Auburn 13 |
| 3 | 37,167 | October 2, 2021 | UAB 12 – Liberty 36 |
| 4 | 32,542[16] | September 1, 2022 | UAB 59 – Alabama A&M 0 |
| 5 | approx. 27,000[17] | July 7, 2022 | World Games Opening Ceremony |
| 6 | 25,363 | August 31, 2023 | UAB 35 – North Carolina A&T 6 |
| 7 | 25,191 | October 9, 2021 | UAB 31 – Florida Atlantic 14 |
| 8 | 24,845 | October 23, 2021 | UAB 24 – Rice 30 |
| 9 | 24,302 | September 17, 2022 | UAB 35 – Georgia Southern 21 |
| 10 | 23,694 | October 8, 2022 | UAB 41 – Middle Tennessee 14 |
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ While the current AHSAA rotation runs through 2032, the last event in Birmingham during this cycle will be in 2030.
- ^ Played as the 2021 Birmingham Bowl.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Houston vs. Auburn - Game Summary". ESPN.com. December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "BJCC And Protective Life Announce Naming Rights for Downtown Stadium". UAB Sports. April 11, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "BJCC bond sale closes, generates $313 million for stadium, arena renovations". Alabama Live. August 15, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "BJCC Reveals Protective Stadium Official Design Plans". UAB Sports. September 18, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "Birmingham's Protective Stadium brings the magic back to the Magic City". AL.com. September 30, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "BJCC Reveals Protective Stadium Official Design Plans". UAB Sports. September 18, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "AHSAA announces 2021-2032 sites for Super 7" (Press release). Alabama High School Athletic Association. November 13, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
- ^ "Birmingham Bowl first sellout in Protective Stadium history". wbrc.com. WBRC. December 27, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
- ^ Johnson, Roy S (October 28, 2021). "USFL, BJCC ready to 'finalize' agreement to host inaugural season in Birmingham in spring 2022". AL.com. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ "Detroit's Ford Field to Host USFL Games During 2023 Season" (Press release). United States Football League. January 26, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- ^ "Protective Stadium to Serve as Home of Legion FC Starting in 2022". December 7, 2021. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ Hennessy, Ryan (June 8, 2023). "Legion FC fall to Inter Miami in U.S. Open Cup in front of record crowd". WVTM. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b "Record attendance at Protective Stadium sold-out concert". wbrc.com. June 5, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
- ^ "AMA Supercross: Race Report And Video Highlights From Birmingham". Roadracing World. March 10 2024. Retrieved June 23 2025.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "Monster Jam Birmingham, AL". Monster Jam. March 23, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "Alabama A&M vs. UAB - Game Summary - September 1, 2022 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
- ^ Baer, Rebecca Angel (July 13, 2022). "Southern Hospitality Is on Full Display as The World Games 2022 Take Over Birmingham, Alabama". Southern Living. Retrieved September 15, 2022.