Protective Stadium rose in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, as the centerpiece of a broader push to reshape the city’s skyline and give its sports scene a modern home. Opened on October 2, 2021 with a UAB football game against Liberty, the venue replaced the aging Legion Field as the Blazers’ primary gridiron, ending nearly three decades of play at the old stadium.
Designed by Populous alongside Goodwyn Mills Cawood and built at a reported cost of roughly $175 million, the stadium quickly became a multi-purpose fixture downtown. Beyond UAB football, it has hosted the Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham Legion FC of the USL Championship, and short-lived professional football tenants from the USFL and UFL, along with concerts and high school championship games.
Stats at a Glance
- Teams: UAB Blazers (NCAA), Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship)
- Location: Downtown Birmingham, Alabama
- Opened: October 2, 2021
- Capacity: About 47,100
- Cost: Roughly $175 million
- Architect: Populous and Goodwyn Mills Cawood
- Notable fact: Hosts the annual Birmingham Bowl college football game
A New Downtown Anchor
Protective Stadium sits just blocks from the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, part of a deliberate effort to concentrate the city’s sports and entertainment venues within walking distance of downtown hotels and restaurants. Its construction gave UAB a modern on-campus-adjacent alternative to Legion Field, which had served the Blazers since the program’s revival in the early 1990s.
The bowl-style design seats roughly 47,100 fans and includes premium suites, club seating, and a large video board, giving the stadium a profile closer to a mid-major college or professional venue than a typical campus field.
A Revolving Door of Tenants
Since opening, the stadium has hosted a shifting lineup of tenants beyond UAB football. Birmingham Legion FC moved its USL Championship matches there in 2022, drawing a reported soccer attendance record of over 18,000 fans for a 2023 match against Inter Miami CF. The venue also briefly hosted professional spring football, serving as home to a USFL franchise before that league merged with the UFL.
The stadium’s biggest single crowd came not from sports but music: a Garth Brooks concert in June 2022 reportedly drew roughly 50,000 fans, surpassing the venue’s official seating capacity with standing-room additions.
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Protective Stadium FAQs
Who plays at Protective Stadium?
The UAB Blazers football team and Birmingham Legion FC of the USL Championship are the primary tenants; it has also hosted the Birmingham Bowl and short-lived professional football leagues.
When did Protective Stadium open?
It opened on October 2, 2021, with a UAB football game against Liberty University.
What is the seating capacity of Protective Stadium?
The stadium seats approximately 47,100 people for football.
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Photo: Unknown / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.