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Question for the Gumps. Why did Bama play at Legion field so much back in the da
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:41 am
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:41 am
And why did they stop playing there?
This post was edited on 6/10/16 at 9:42 am
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Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:44 am to Bootycall
Legion Field sat more people.
Now it doesn't.
Now it doesn't.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:45 am to Bootycall
Why we played there:
1. It sat more people than Bryant-Denny did until 1998.
Why we stopped playing there:
1. The city of Birmingham let it become a craphole.
2. The area around it slowly got worse over the years.
1. It sat more people than Bryant-Denny did until 1998.
Why we stopped playing there:
1. The city of Birmingham let it become a craphole.
2. The area around it slowly got worse over the years.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:48 am to Bootycall
They had Ole Miss (even after their recent expansions) type of stadium.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:48 am to Bootycall
quote:Because it was a good place for a football game
Why did Bama play at Legion field so much back in the day
quote:It stopped being a good place for a football game
And why did they stop playing there?
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:50 am to Serraneaux
Did we play at Legion because BDS was smaller or was BDS smaller because we played at Legion? Yes.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:51 am to Bootycall
Also playing most games in an off campus stadium an hour away was becoming a recruiting liability similar to what Miami deals with. It's exponentially better for the whole university community to play football games on campus. Legion Field was holding back Alabama football in the 80's and 90's. UT, AU, LSU, UGA, and UF all had better stadiums. By playing half in Legion and half in Tuscaloosa, it didn't make sense to spend money to make either stadium great. Leaving Legion field is the best decision Alabama football has made in the last 30 years (besides hiring Saban).
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:55 am to Bootycall
During Legion Field's tenure, Bama generally played the less important games at BDS, like Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and LSU.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:56 am to Bootycall
Because the SEC front office was in the area
Posted on 6/10/16 at 9:59 am to Bootycall
Legion Field was a lot bigger for years and Bryant liked playing there.At the time they obliged him when he would 'suggest' things. After Alabama beat Tennessee in 1971 before a then "record" crowd he noted that with Nebraska and Southern California on the schedule for the '78 season that it sure would be nice if there was more seating. It went up to 78,000 that year -- which was pretty darn big for that era.
It wasn't that unusual for SEC teams to play games at "neutral sites" in the 1960's and 1970's. Ole Miss and State played a ton of games in Jackson, Florida played a handful in Tampa after the original Tampa Stadium was built in 1967 and Tennessee would play a game in Memphis -- other than Memphis State about once every three years.
It wasn't that unusual for SEC teams to play games at "neutral sites" in the 1960's and 1970's. Ole Miss and State played a ton of games in Jackson, Florida played a handful in Tampa after the original Tampa Stadium was built in 1967 and Tennessee would play a game in Memphis -- other than Memphis State about once every three years.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:00 am to Bootycall
Answer for a corndog
1. Held 80K, BDS sat 60K
2. LF had better facilities for TV
3. Recruiting tool. From the 50's to the 80's B'ham was a recruiting hotbed and Bryant capitalized on that.
4. Tradition- Bama played games all over the state at one time. Mobile, Montgomery, I think even Columbus GA once. B'ham became a choice because of reasons mentioned above.
Now go ask the same question to Arkie fans about War Memorial.
1. Held 80K, BDS sat 60K
2. LF had better facilities for TV
3. Recruiting tool. From the 50's to the 80's B'ham was a recruiting hotbed and Bryant capitalized on that.
4. Tradition- Bama played games all over the state at one time. Mobile, Montgomery, I think even Columbus GA once. B'ham became a choice because of reasons mentioned above.
Now go ask the same question to Arkie fans about War Memorial.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:01 am to CrimsonCrusade
quote:
During Legion Field's tenure, Bama generally played the less important games at BDS, like Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and LSU.
Interesting take. From 1964 to 1986 all Alabama home games vs LSU were in Birmingham except the 1980 game.
But keep on Gumpin'.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:03 am to I-59 Tiger
quote:You say that like it's a bad thing.
Legion Field was a lot bigger for years and Bryant liked playing there.At the time they obliged him when he would 'suggest' things.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:04 am to Bootycall
quote:
Why did Bama play at Legion field so much back in the da
Larger stadium, and much larger city. Auburn also played several games a season there until the early 80's. That started largely because Auburn was a long difficult drive from places like Knoxville prior to development of the interstates.
quote:
And why did they stop playing there?
There was no way to upgrade facilities with the split season.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:04 am to JuiceTerry
Not at all. What Bryant asked for Bryant received. 
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:32 am to I-59 Tiger
quote:
Florida played a handful in Tampa after the original Tampa Stadium was built in 1967 and Tennessee would play a game in Memphis -- other than Memphis State about once every three years.
I remember State playing Florida in Orlando and Tampa back in the late 80's / early 90's.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:51 am to Bankshot
quote:
I remember State playing Florida in Orlando and Tampa back in the late 80's / early 90's.
Those were State "home" games. Moved them for the money.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:52 am to TouchdownTony
quote:
Now go ask the same question to Arkie fans about War Memorial.
Always thought they played there to satisfy boosters in the area.
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:52 am to Bootycall
BDS sat less people and needed a lot of renovations.
Now it's a complete 180
Now it's a complete 180
Posted on 6/10/16 at 10:56 am to Dday63
quote:
Those were State "home" games. Moved them for the money.
I knew the Orlando one was moved for the money.
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