The stadium is named for Dr. Steadman Vincent Sanford, an early major force behind UGA athletics. November 14, 1959: A game winning touchdown in the final seconds from. Architects Heery and Heery of Atlanta were then hired to plan a major expansion. In addition to the new upper decks, this first major addition included a new pressbox and club seating. The UGA Media Guide claims that the hedge is an "English privet hedge". ATHENS — The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry will have a decidedly different look and feel on account of COVID-19 protocol. Josh Brooks stood atop the bleachers in Section 314 of Sanford Stadium and became a master in geometry for a moment. Here’s what you need to know. Georgia went on to defeat #20 Auburn, 45–20. Here's the rundown on what to expect in this conference matchup. An overflow crowd of 30,000 saw the stadium's first game on October 12, 1929, when Yale University made its only trip South. During the Olympics, Nigeria and the United States won the men's and women's football gold medals, respectively, at the hedge-less stadium. Sanford Stadium is the on-campus playing venue for football at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States. Once the Olympics were over, the newly grown hedges were transplanted from Dudley Nursery to the stadium. This natural valley containing Tanyard Creek would result in reduced costs, as stands could be built on the rising sides of the hill, while the creek could be enclosed in a concrete culvert, on top of which the field would be constructed. Named for the late Dr. S. V. Sanford, former president of the University and Chancellor of the University system, Georgia's Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2004. Sanford Field was too small to accommodate the large crowds, forcing Georgia to travel to Tech's Grant Field in Atlanta every year. In 2003, another upper deck was added to the north side of the stadium. It was alleged that Tech watered the field all night to slow UGA's running backs. This expansion planning was very tricky, since by that time the stadium was encroached by academic buildings. The first game under the "new lights" was a 13–7 victory against Clemson on September 6, 1982. [citation needed], To fund his vision, Sanford had an idea that members of the athletic association would sign notes guaranteeing a bank loan to fund the stadium construction. It added 5,500 new seats at a cost of $25 million, bringing total stadium capacity to 92,058. With food served on china by white-coated porters to the Central of Georgia executives and their guests, the rail car "Atlanta" could be considered Sanford Stadium's original luxury skybox. There weren't any logos at midfield or writing in the end zone, as had become commonplace in many stadiums. [5] Games played there are said to be played "between the hedges" due to the field being surrounded by privet hedges, which have been a part of the design of the stadium since it opened in 1929. Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. He demonstrated every intricacy that went into implementing a plan for fans to enter the stadium during the COVID-19 pandemic. September 9, 1965: In the first game of Coach Vince Dooley's second season, Georgia beat Bear Bryant's defending national champions, the Alabama Crimson Tide, 18–17 on a fourth quarter 73 yard flea-flicker touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion. Unlike most stadiums that have artificial playing surfaces, Sanford Stadium from the outset had, and continues to have, a natural grass surface, planted with Tifton 419 Bermuda Grass. The screen size expanded from 25×46 feet to the full scoreboard size of the 52×76 feet. The video board installed from 2005 underwent a $1.4 million overhaul before the 2011 season. October 25, 1940: In the first game played under the lights, Georgia tied Kentucky 7–7. Sanford wanted Georgia to have a venue that would equal Tech's, and the "final straw" came in 1927 when UGA's undefeated (9–0) team traveled to Tech and lost 12–0. Lights were re-installed in the stadium in 1981. The Sanford Stadium is known for hosting the Georgia Bulldogs Football but other events have taken place here as well. Fans are to remember that the gates to Sanford Stadium do not open until two hours prior to the scheduled game time. [citation needed] This occurred after the Georgia vs. Tennessee game on Oct. 7, 2000. 30 luxury suites were added above the south stands in 1994, and were expanded to 50 suites in 2000. [23][24] Because the required dimensions of a soccer field are wider than those of an American football field, the hedges surrounding the field had to be removed. In 2005, installation of a new video display above the west end zone was completed. You must provide a valid student ID when using a student ticket. “As soon as those gates open to our first kick, ... Sanford Stadium will also be reduced to 20-25% capacity. The idea to put hedges around the field came from the Business Manager of the UGA Athletic Department, Charlie Martin. But I can’t lose the car when it is basically the only one there. All shuttle users will be dropped off at Gate 6 of Sanford Stadium. It happened on October 7, 2000, after the Bulldogs beat rival. In May 2019, university officials announced that the playing surface of Sanford Stadium would be named in honor of former long time Bulldog head coach and athletic director Vince Dooley. The response was overwhelming, and in 1928 a loan of $150,000 supported by fans and alumni allowed construction to begin on a stadium whose total cost was $360,000. [9] A county extension agent in Athens, however, claims online that the hedge is composed of Chinese privet, Ligustrum sinense.[10]. SeatGeek’s interactive maps indicate the location of the home and visitor benches, and note which sections are closest to each bench. The current hedges were planted in 1996 after the originals were taken out to accommodate soccer tournament for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Parking for guests with disabilities is available in the Varsity Lot between Stanford Stadium and Klein Field at Sunken Diamond (Lot #1). [12] Aluminum bleachers were added to raise the capacity of the stadium by 500 due to the agreement between both UGA and the University of Notre Dame to allocate 8,000 visitor tickets for the each game in the home and home series.[13]. The 92,746-seat stadium is the tenth-largest stadium in the NCAA. While not apparent in photos, the hedges are growing around a chain link fence which stops people who try to push through to the field. It was later discovered that this 'secret site' was 70 miles (110 km) away at R.A. Dudley Nurseries in Thomson, Georgia. In 1991, a portion of the west endzone was enclosed, creating a "partial bowl" around the lower level of Sanford Stadium. October 7, 2000: The Bulldogs snapped a 9-game losing streak to the rival Tennessee Volunteers in a 21–10 victory. This addition added 19,000 seats, bringing total stadium capacity to 82,122. Official dedication of Dooley Field took place in a pregame ceremony on the Bulldogs' 2019 home opener on September 7. Plan on attending a Georgia football game this fall? The goal line markers on each endzone is marked with the famous oval "G" logo. The Gators' 52 points remains the record for most scored against Georgia "between the hedges.". [14], On February 14, 2017, the UGA Athletic Board approved a $63 million expansion to renovate the west side of the stadium. To help make the buying decision even easier, we display a ticket Deal Score on every row of the map to rate the best bargains. Parking . Near the existing Sanford Field was a low area between the historic North Campus and the Science Campus (to the south) with a small creek (Tanyard Creek) running through it, creating a clearly preferable choice for the location of the new stadium. The new addition was christened with a victory over Mississippi State in 1967. TV, Streaming Info. [25], For Stanford University's football stadium, see, I have played in many stadiums, but to me there are only two special stadiums –, soccer tournament for the 1996 Summer Olympics, List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums, "Sanford Stadium to temporarily increase seating for Notre Dame game", "Top 20 College Football Stadiums You Must See in Your Lifetime", "Stadium Spotlight: Meet the Caretaker for Georgia's Famous Hedges", "UGA plans to name football field after Vince Dooley", "Notre Dame vs. Georgia - Game Summary - September 21, 2019 - ESPN", "Georgia adds seats for Notre Dame football game", "Georgia Approves $63 Million Renovation to Sanford Stadium", "Georgia Unveils New Sanford Stadium End Zone, Locker Rooms", "Taking a Look Back: The Top 10 Games in Deep South's Oldest Rivalry", "Bobby Pope: Georgia-Alabama Game Brings Back Memories of Key Flea-Flicker", "Georgia Football: 5 Most Memorable Games Played at Sanford Stadium", "2011 Georgia Football Media Guide pgs 129-131", College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, School of Public and International Affairs, Stone Mountain Park Archery Center and Velodrome, Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sanford_Stadium&oldid=982421742, American football venues in Georgia (U.S. state), Buildings and structures in Athens, Georgia, 1929 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state), Articles with unsourced statements from November 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1949, 1964, 1967, 1981, 1991, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2018.