Why Alabama’s season opener will be a little different in 2021



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Alabama is just 52 days away from the opening of the 2021 football season in Atlanta. The anticipation is perhaps a little higher for this meeting with Miami since it is expected to be the first game in front of a full stadium since New Year’s Day 2020.

A quick glance at the gaming contract between Alabama and the game’s organizers reveals an anomaly that could excite Crimson Tide loyalists. The first 19-page document sets out the terms and conditions for the September 4 game for Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.

The difference is easily spotted.

The Alabama will be wearing all white two days before Labor Day.

This is remarkable since every neutral-sided season opener that Alabama has played for more than a decade stipulated exactly the opposite. The Crimson Tide has been crimson and designated the home team in each of those games played at NFL stadiums or in Orlando.

For the Miami game, the Tide will be wearing their white tops and white pants.

The last time Alabama wore white in an opener was in a 2009 win over Virginia Tech played in the since-demolished Georgia Dome.

Social media reactions to the news have been overwhelmingly positive, as the white road jerseys have long been a fan favorite.

Some other notes from the contract.

– Match officials will be appointed by a neutral conference.

– Alabama has been awarded 29,965 tickets in the 71,000-seat stadium. These tickets are worth $ 5,696,750, with the most expensive seat selling for $ 250. There are also 600 lower lever student tickets in the allotment that sell for $ 60 apiece with an additional 1,900 upstairs for the same price.

–Alabama will get $ 5 million for its participation in the game after guaranteeing it will sell the allocated $ 5.96 million in tickets.

– Details regarding the Miami ticket allocation or game guarantee are not subject to public document requests like the one used to secure the Alabama contract since Miami is a private school.

– The beer will be sold but sales will be interrupted after half-time.

– Alabama has 227 hotel rooms booked for the Friday night before the game – 100 of which are free. The school also benefits from a free presidential suite and a governor’s suite.

– The Alabama team hotel requires a minimum of $ 17,000 in food and drink to bring the total for rooms and food to $ 77,000.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on twitter @ByCasagrande Or on Facebook.



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