Fan Day Details Are Revealed

Alabama Coach Nick Saban is nothing if not organized. Everything about Crimson Tide football is planned to the nth degree. And that includes the annual Fan Day event at Bryant-Denny Stadium. This year’s open practice and autograph session is August 9.

Although Alabama practices are ordinarily closed to all but a very few, one day each fall Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban throws open the doors for a practice. This year’s practice will be 2:30-4:30 p.m. CDT. Players and coaches will be available for autographs immediately after the workout.

Alabama opens fall camp Thursday, August 6. According to information from the Southeastern Conference, the first work in full gear will be Monday, August 10, the day following the open practice.

Bama’s fall camp will be followed by preparation for the opening game. The Crimson Tide opens the 2009 season on Saturday, September 5, against Virginia Tech. Kickoff will be at 8 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. central time) at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. ABC will televise the sold-out game.

On Fan Day, Gates 37 and 38 will open at 1:30 p.m. CDT. Fans may occupy the lower bowl. The open practice, which is slated to start at 2:30 p.m., is scheduled to last approximately two hours.

At the conclusion of practice, those wishing to participate in Fan Day will enter the field through gate 16 (near the southwest ramp) and exit via gate 38. Fans who do not wish to view practice and would like to start lining up early can do so beginning at 1:30 p.m. Those fans can enter through gate 16 and the line will wrap around to the west side.

Following practice, the Crimson Tide football team, coaching staff and head coach Nick Saban will be available for autographs on the field. The gate to the field will be open once the autograph session has been set up. Due to meeting commitments for the team and the coaching staff, the session is limited to 45 minutes. In an effort to facilitate as many autographs in the time allowed, fans will be limited to one item per person for autographs, and no posed photographs will be permitted. Posters and photos of Coach Saban will be available to all fans as they enter the stadium.

Soft drinks, water and several food items will be available for a special Fan Day price of 50 per cent off the regular game day prices. Vendors will be walking through the stadium with concessions available and the stands at gate 32 (field and mezzanine levels) will be open. Alabama merchandise will also be sold on Sunday.

Those attending Fan Day will possibly find campus very congested with traffic and pedestrians, especially areas east of Bryant-Denny Stadium. Students will be back on campus from summer vacation as they move into their respective dormitories. Many will have accompanying family members as well. There will be more parking available at the perimeter campus lots (Softball, Tennis, Rec Center, etc.). Other locations may include the ten Hoor Decks, ten Hoor Surface Lots, Soccer Lot and Moody Music Lot. No special accommodations will be made for recreational vehicles (RVs) on campus. All RVs should park at the Northington Lot near University Mall. Fans may go to www.rolltide.com for updates and other pertinent information.

In the event of inclement weather, the autograph session would be moved to the indoor practice facility and fans would enter through the double gate next to the Mal Moore Athletic Facility.