Legion Field
Encyclopedia
Legion Field is a large stadium
in Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football
, but is occasionally used for other large outdoor events. The stadium is named in honor of the American Legion
, a U.S. organization of military veterans. At its peak it seated 83,091 people for football. Today, after the removal of the upper deck, Legion Field seats approximately 71,594 spectators.
Legion Field currently serves as the home field of the UAB Blazers
, who compete in Conference USA
.
shut out Birmingham-Southern College
9-0 on November 19, 1927.
Over the years, the stadium grew. Capacity was increased to 25,000 in 1934 and to 45,000 in 1948. The bowl was enclosed. In 1961, a 9,000 seat upper deck was added to the stadium, increasing capacity to 54,600. In 1965, a new press box was built in the stadium and capacity was further increased to 68,821. In 1969, lights were added to the stadium to allow for televised night games.
In 1970, the natural grass turf was replaced with Poly-Turf, which was replaced by Astroturf
in 1975. Seating capacity was increased to 75,808 in 1977 and further increased to 83,091 in 1991. The turf was changed to Bermuda grass in 1995 in order to host soccer
events for the Summer Olympics
taking place in Atlanta.
In 2004
, a structural evaluation determined that the 9,000 seat upper deck would need major remediation to meet modern building codes. With little prospect of adequate repairs on the way, the University of Alabama
withdrew the few home games it still scheduled for Birmingham
. The city removed the upper deck in 2005 since the capacity was greater than the need for its tenants.
atop the stadium's main scoreboard. This was completed in 1993 when the German car manufacturer announced that they would open a vehicle production plant in Vance, Alabama
. Although the announcement was lauded by state officials as one of the most significant economic benefits for the state at the time, the emblem was not welcomed by all citizens. Since the stadium was dedicated to American veterans, some surviving World War II
veterans voiced concerns that the emblem disgraced the American soldiers that sacrificed their lives in the war against Nazi Germany
, since Mercedes aided in the development of war machinery for the Germans during the war. As part of Olympic regulations banning advertising, the Mercedes-Benz emblem was removed from the stadium prior to the city hosting events leading up to the 1996 Olympic Games, and was not replaced afterward.
. However, the most famous use of Legion Field was as the former host of the Iron Bowl
. Additionally, both the University of Alabama
and Auburn University
have used this stadium for games across their history, primarily due to its size and location.
." From the series' resumption in 1948 to 1987, each team rotated claiming home-field rights. Tickets were divided 50/50 like the Florida/Georgia game & the Texas/Oklahoma game until 1989
, when Auburn moved their home games in the series to Jordan-Hare Stadium
, although they did play one last home game at Legion Field in 1991. Alabama followed suit in 2000
. Alabama holds a 32-15 advantage over their in-state rival in games played at Legion Field.
Prior to 1999, the University of Alabama
played at least three home football games there every season, including the entire 1987 home schedule, plus the Iron Bowl, due to construction at Bryant-Denny Stadium
in Tuscaloosa. The capacity of Legion Field was larger than that of Bryant-Denny and the city of Birmingham was more accessible than Tuscaloosa for much of the 20th century.
After the addition of the east upper deck to Bryant-Denny Stadium
in 1998, the capacity of Bryant-Denny exceeded that of Legion Field. Due to the disrepair of Legion Field and the added capacity in Tuscaloosa, Alabama moved major conference games on campus. In the ensuing years, Alabama decreased the number of games scheduled in Birmingham. The last home game for Alabama at Legion Field was against the University of South Florida
on August 30, 2003. Though they had a couple of games scheduled at Legion Field in 2005 and 2008, the disrepair to the stadium and the structural issues to the upper deck led Alabama to end their contract with the city of Birmingham in 2004 and move all home games to Tuscaloosa. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/5762465/
Auburn
also used Legion Field for some home games due to the size and the difficulty for teams to travel to Auburn for much of the 20th century. Auburn played their home game against Tennessee
at Legion Field until 1972 and against Georgia Tech
until 1970.
between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University
has been played here since 1946. The Steel City Classic featuring Miles College
and Stillman College
are played at Legion Field. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge was played at Legion Field, moved to Orlando for years 2008 through 2010.
Birmingham-Southern College played against Mississippi College's junior varsity team in Legion Field on September 6, 2007, in their first football game since 1939.
In terms of postseason play, the Southwestern Athletic Conference
uses the stadium for their conference championship
. The Southeastern Conference
played their first two conference title games here in 1992 and 1993.
This stadium has also hosted four different bowl games in its history:
(1974) and Birmingham Vulcans
(1975) of the World Football League
(1974–1975), the Alabama Vulcans
of the American Football Association (1979), the Birmingham Stallions
of the United States Football League
(1983–1985), and the Birmingham Fire
of the World League of American Football
(later NFL Europe
) in 1991–92. In 1995
, it was the home field of the Birmingham Barracudas
for their single season of play as part of the short-lived expansion of the Canadian Football League
into the United States. In 2001
, it was the home field for the single season of the Birmingham Thunderbolts
of the XFL
.
In 1968, the Boston Patriots played one "home" game against the New York Jets
at Legion Field. The Jets, featuring former Alabama quarterback Joe Namath
, won the game 47-31.
for the Super Six high school football championships.
in the 1996 Summer Olympics
– the opening match between the United States and Argentina
drew 83,810 spectators, the stadium's all-time record for any event. All of the concluding-round soccer games moved to Athens, Georgia
after preliminary games had been played in various other cities.
Legion Field had also hosted exhibition games by the U.S. men's
and women's national soccer teams
, and in 2005
it hosted a World Cup qualifier
between the U.S. and Guatemala
.
When the City of Birmingham changed back to an artificial turf field in 2006, the United States Soccer Federation
announced that it will no longer be scheduling men's national team games for playing in Legion Field.
In 1979 and 1980, the facility played host to the Drum Corps International
World Championships.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, but is occasionally used for other large outdoor events. The stadium is named in honor of the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, a U.S. organization of military veterans. At its peak it seated 83,091 people for football. Today, after the removal of the upper deck, Legion Field seats approximately 71,594 spectators.
Legion Field currently serves as the home field of the UAB Blazers
University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
, who compete in Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
.
Stadium history
Construction of a 21,000 seat stadium began in 1926 at the cost of $439,000. It was completed in 1927 and named Legion Field in honor of the American Legion. In the stadium's first event, 16,800 fans watched Howard CollegeSamford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
shut out Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham–Southern College is a 4-year, private liberal arts college located three miles northwest of downtown Birmingham. Founded in 1856, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Approximately 1400 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries attend the college...
9-0 on November 19, 1927.
Over the years, the stadium grew. Capacity was increased to 25,000 in 1934 and to 45,000 in 1948. The bowl was enclosed. In 1961, a 9,000 seat upper deck was added to the stadium, increasing capacity to 54,600. In 1965, a new press box was built in the stadium and capacity was further increased to 68,821. In 1969, lights were added to the stadium to allow for televised night games.
In 1970, the natural grass turf was replaced with Poly-Turf, which was replaced by Astroturf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
in 1975. Seating capacity was increased to 75,808 in 1977 and further increased to 83,091 in 1991. The turf was changed to Bermuda grass in 1995 in order to host soccer
Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
events for the Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
taking place in Atlanta.
In 2004
2004 in sports
2004 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* College football Bowl Championship Series :**January 1 – Rose Bowl – USC 28, Michigan 14...
, a structural evaluation determined that the 9,000 seat upper deck would need major remediation to meet modern building codes. With little prospect of adequate repairs on the way, the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
withdrew the few home games it still scheduled for Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. The city removed the upper deck in 2005 since the capacity was greater than the need for its tenants.
Controversy
Alabama Industrial Development officials erected a 27-foot (8.2 m) emblem of the Mercedes-Benz CompanyMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
atop the stadium's main scoreboard. This was completed in 1993 when the German car manufacturer announced that they would open a vehicle production plant in Vance, Alabama
Vance, Alabama
Vance is a town in Bibb and Tuscaloosa Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama, just outside of the city of Tuscaloosa. It is most famous for the Mercedes-Benz plant, currently the only one in North America...
. Although the announcement was lauded by state officials as one of the most significant economic benefits for the state at the time, the emblem was not welcomed by all citizens. Since the stadium was dedicated to American veterans, some surviving World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veterans voiced concerns that the emblem disgraced the American soldiers that sacrificed their lives in the war against Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, since Mercedes aided in the development of war machinery for the Germans during the war. As part of Olympic regulations banning advertising, the Mercedes-Benz emblem was removed from the stadium prior to the city hosting events leading up to the 1996 Olympic Games, and was not replaced afterward.
Football
Legion Field currently serves as the home stadium for the UAB BlazersUAB Blazers
The UAB Blazers are the forest green and old gold-swathed athletic teams at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The school is one of the twelve member institutions of Conference USA and participates in Division I of the NCAA...
. However, the most famous use of Legion Field was as the former host of the Iron Bowl
Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
. Additionally, both the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
and Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
have used this stadium for games across their history, primarily due to its size and location.
Iron Bowl
Legion Field is best-known for hosting the season-ending game between Alabama and Auburn each year from 1948 to 1988. Because of Birmingham's major industry of iron and steel manufacturing, the game became known as the "Iron BowlIron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
." From the series' resumption in 1948 to 1987, each team rotated claiming home-field rights. Tickets were divided 50/50 like the Florida/Georgia game & the Texas/Oklahoma game until 1989
1989 in sports
1989 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
, when Auburn moved their home games in the series to Jordan-Hare Stadium
Jordan-Hare Stadium
Jordan–Hare Stadium is the playing venue for Auburn University's football team located on campus in Auburn, Alabama, USA. The stadium is named for Ralph "Shug" Jordan, the University's winningest football coach, and Cliff Hare, a member of Auburn's first football team as well as Dean of the Auburn...
, although they did play one last home game at Legion Field in 1991. Alabama followed suit in 2000
2000 in sports
2000 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Renate Götschl, Austria-American football:...
. Alabama holds a 32-15 advantage over their in-state rival in games played at Legion Field.
| Opponent | | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Miss (2003) | 44,669 |
| 2 | Mississippi State (2006) | 36,104 |
| 3 | TCU (2004) | 33,280 |
| 4 | Troy (2006) | 32,818 |
| 5 | Virginia Tech (1998) | 31,897 |
| 6 | Southern Miss (2005) | 31,363 |
| 7 | Kansas (1998) | 30,543 |
| 8 | Houston (1999) | 28,573 |
| 9 | Mississippi State (2011) | 28,351 |
| 10 | Memphis (2004) | 27,192 |
Other Alabama and Auburn football games
Due to its size and location, both Alabama and Auburn have used this stadium for other football games.Prior to 1999, the University of Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
played at least three home football games there every season, including the entire 1987 home schedule, plus the Iron Bowl, due to construction at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant–Denny Stadium, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the home stadium for the University of Alabama football team. The stadium opened in 1929, and was originally named Denny Stadium, in honor of former Alabama president George Hutchenson Denny...
in Tuscaloosa. The capacity of Legion Field was larger than that of Bryant-Denny and the city of Birmingham was more accessible than Tuscaloosa for much of the 20th century.
After the addition of the east upper deck to Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Bryant–Denny Stadium, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is the home stadium for the University of Alabama football team. The stadium opened in 1929, and was originally named Denny Stadium, in honor of former Alabama president George Hutchenson Denny...
in 1998, the capacity of Bryant-Denny exceeded that of Legion Field. Due to the disrepair of Legion Field and the added capacity in Tuscaloosa, Alabama moved major conference games on campus. In the ensuing years, Alabama decreased the number of games scheduled in Birmingham. The last home game for Alabama at Legion Field was against the University of South Florida
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
on August 30, 2003. Though they had a couple of games scheduled at Legion Field in 2005 and 2008, the disrepair to the stadium and the structural issues to the upper deck led Alabama to end their contract with the city of Birmingham in 2004 and move all home games to Tuscaloosa. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/5762465/
Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
also used Legion Field for some home games due to the size and the difficulty for teams to travel to Auburn for much of the 20th century. Auburn played their home game against Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
at Legion Field until 1972 and against Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
until 1970.
Other college football games
Legion Field has hosted a number of other college football games. The annual Magic City ClassicMagic City Classic
The Magic City Classic is an annual American football "classic" which features Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University, two of Alabama's most prominent historically black universities. It is played at Legion Field in Birmingham....
between Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Alabama State University, founded 1867, is a historically black university located in Montgomery, Alabama. ASU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.- History :...
has been played here since 1946. The Steel City Classic featuring Miles College
Miles College
Miles College is a historically black college founded in 1898. It is located in Fairfield, Alabama, which is six miles west of Birmingham, Alabama. It is a private liberal arts institution of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church...
and Stillman College
Stillman College
-Marching Band:The school's marching band is named the Blue Pride Marching Band.In February 2010, Stillman College dedicated the brand new facility, the Thomas Lyle Band Center, named in honor of former band director Thomas Lyle, in conjunction with the Wynn Fine Arts Center.Organizations include:...
are played at Legion Field. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge was played at Legion Field, moved to Orlando for years 2008 through 2010.
Birmingham-Southern College played against Mississippi College's junior varsity team in Legion Field on September 6, 2007, in their first football game since 1939.
In terms of postseason play, the Southwestern Athletic Conference
Southwestern Athletic Conference
The Southwestern Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, which is made up of historically black universities in the Southern United States...
uses the stadium for their conference championship
SWAC Championship Game
The SWAC Championship Game is an American college football game held on the first Saturday in December by the Southwestern Athletic Conference each year to determine its football champion. The game pits the champion of the Eastern Division against the champion of the Western Division in a game...
. The Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
played their first two conference title games here in 1992 and 1993.
This stadium has also hosted four different bowl games in its history:
- Dixie BowlDixie BowlThe Dixie Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game held New Year's Day at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The game was only held twice, following the 1947 and 1948 seasons, after which it was discontinued. Birmingham and Legion Field have since played host to a number of other bowl...
(1947–48) - Hall of Fame BowlOutback BowlThe Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
(1977–1985) This game moved to Tampa, FloridaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
and was renamed the Outback Bowl in 1986. - All-American BowlAll-American BowlThe All-American Bowl was an annual postseason college football bowl game played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama from 1977 to 1990. The game was known as the Hall of Fame Classic from 1977 to 1985....
(1986–1990) - BBVA Compass Bowl (2006–current)
Professional football
Legion Field has served as the home stadium for various professional football teams in Birmingham. It served as home field for the Birmingham AmericansBirmingham Americans
The Birmingham Americans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the four-team Central Division of the World Football League . The Americans, founded in late December 1973, played in the upstart league's inaugural season in 1974...
(1974) and Birmingham Vulcans
Birmingham Vulcans
The Birmingham Vulcans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the five-team Eastern Division of the World Football League . The Vulcans, founded in March 1975, played in the upstart league's second and final season in 1975...
(1975) of the World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
(1974–1975), the Alabama Vulcans
Alabama Vulcans
The Alabama Vulcans were a professional football team which were a part of the American Football Association in 1979. Though the Vulcans used a different color scheme than its predecessors in the World Football League, the team's name was borrowed from the WFL's Birmingham Vulcans and the logo was...
of the American Football Association (1979), the Birmingham Stallions
Birmingham Stallions
The Birmingham Stallions were a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second professional league of American football in the United States in competition with the National Football League. They played their home games at Birmingham, Alabama's Legion Field...
of the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
(1983–1985), and the Birmingham Fire
Birmingham Fire
The Birmingham Fire was a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played at Legion Field, and it made the playoffs in both seasons....
of the World League of American Football
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
(later NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
) in 1991–92. In 1995
1995 in sports
1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:...
, it was the home field of the Birmingham Barracudas
Birmingham Barracudas
The Birmingham Barracudas were a Canadian football team that played the 1995 season in the Canadian Football League. The Barracudas were part of a failed attempt to expand the CFL into the United States.-In the beginning:...
for their single season of play as part of the short-lived expansion of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
into the United States. In 2001
2001 in sports
2001 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:...
, it was the home field for the single season of the Birmingham Thunderbolts
Birmingham Thunderbolts
The Birmingham Thunderbolts were a short-lived springtime American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States.-The only season:The Thunderbolts...
of the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
.
In 1968, the Boston Patriots played one "home" game against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Legion Field. The Jets, featuring former Alabama quarterback Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
, won the game 47-31.
High school football
Legion Field has hosted various high school football games throughout its history. From 1996 until 2008, Legion Field was used by the Alabama High School Athletic AssociationAlabama High School Athletic Association
The Alabama High School Athletic Association , based in Montgomery, is the agency which oversees interscholastic athletic programs for public schools in Alabama....
for the Super Six high school football championships.
Soccer
Recently, Legion Field had been used successfully as a site for major soccer events, including preliminary matchupsFootball at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The association football competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held in Birmingham, Alabama; Washington, D.C; Orlando, Florida; Miami, Florida; and Athens, Georgia....
in the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
– the opening match between the United States and Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
drew 83,810 spectators, the stadium's all-time record for any event. All of the concluding-round soccer games moved to Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
after preliminary games had been played in various other cities.
Legion Field had also hosted exhibition games by the U.S. men's
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and women's national soccer teams
United States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
, and in 2005
2005 in sports
2005 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Bode Miller ** Women's overall season champion: Anja Pärson -American football:...
it hosted a World Cup qualifier
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for North, Central America and the Caribbean. A total of 34 teams took part , competing for 3.5 places in the World Cup.The qualification process was divided in three stages...
between the U.S. and Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
.
When the City of Birmingham changed back to an artificial turf field in 2006, the United States Soccer Federation
United States Soccer Federation
The United States Soccer Federation is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Its headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, youth, futsal...
announced that it will no longer be scheduling men's national team games for playing in Legion Field.
Concerts and other events
Legion Field has also been used as a concert venue, hosting famous artists of many different genres, such as Ruben StuddardIn 1979 and 1980, the facility played host to the Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International
Drum Corps International , formed in 1972, is the non-profit governing body operating the North American drum and bugle corps circuit for junior corps, whose members are between the ages of 14 and 21. It is the counterpart of Drum Corps Associates which governs senior or all-age drum corps...
World Championships.
External links
- Legion Field at City of Birmingham official website
- UAB Athletics
- Legion Field Seating Chart
- Bhamwiki.com Legion Field article