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Protective Stadium
American football stadium in Birmingham, Alabama From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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]
The stadium 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.
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History
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Football
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 matchup marked the official debut of the stadium and drew widespread local and regional attention, with over 35,000 fans in attendance.[6] The event was viewed as a major milestone in the continued growth and revitalization of UAB’s football program, which had previously been shut down in 2014 before being reinstated in 2017. The move to a new, purpose-built downtown facility was seen as a symbol of the program's resurgence and long-term stability.[citation needed] For Birmingham, the opening of the stadium represented a key achievement in downtown redevelopment efforts and a renewed commitment to hosting high-profile sporting events.[citation needed]
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.[7]
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.[8][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.[9]
The United States Football League (USFL) played most of its 2022 games in Birmingham at Protective Stadium with the rest played at Legion Field.[10] 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.[11] The Stallions continued to play at Protective in 2024 and 2025 following the USFL's merger into the United Football League.[12]
Soccer
Birmingham Legion FC, a USLC soccer team, has played at Protective Stadium since the 2022 season.[13] 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.[14]
Other events
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.[15] 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.[16]
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.[17]
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Attendance records
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Footnotes
- Played as the 2021 Birmingham Bowl.
References
External links
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