Treat Yourself to Fun Events at Alabama Sports Venues

The Auburn University Tigers delight visitors and fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, while Mobile’s Senior Bowl attracts NFL scouts and coaches from all over the country. If you happen to be in town in winter, try to score tickets for the Iron Bowl. That’s when long-time rivals, the Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers, face off for Alabama’s most anticipated football game of the year.

The Blazers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham are another highly ranked team. See them play Conference USA competitors at Legion Field Stadium. Samford University’s Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs boast 17 varsity teams in the Southern Conference. Their home games are played in Homewood at Seibert Stadium, Pete Hanna Center, and Joe Lee Griffin Stadium.

When football season is over, the fan frenzy turns to basketball. The Crimson Tide women’s and men’s basketball teams have competed in multiple NCAA tournaments and won several SEC titles. See them at Coleman Coliseum and Foster Auditorium in Tuscaloosa. The Auburn Tigers are frequent competitors in the NCAA March Madness tournament. Catch their games at Auburn Arena. Former NBA player and current commentator Charles Barkley was an All-American center at Auburn. Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as a junior, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in history at the NBA’s 50th anniversary celebration.

While Alabama doesn’t have a major league baseball team, summers are a fun time with cheering fans gathered at Minor League ballparks around the state. Alabama has produced a long list of baseball greats including Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Satchel Paige. The Birmingham Barons are an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and play at Regions Field. The Mobile BayBears play as a AA farm club for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Watch them hit homeruns at Hank Aaron Stadium. Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium is home field for the Montgomery Biscuits, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. In case their name causes a sudden craving for Southern comfort food, you’ll find a wide variety of restaurants nearby.

Soccer has also developed an ardent following in Alabama. Women’s soccer champion Mia Hamm was born here, and the state has hosted both Olympic and professional soccer games. See exciting matches at Jack Allen Recreation Complex in Decatur and Sports Blast Shelby County near Birmingham. Dothan’s Westgate Tennis Center is considered one of the top tennis facilities in the South. Attend a variety of local, state, and national tournaments year-round.

The Mobile Tennis Center is one of the largest public tennis venues in the world. Choose from over 50 lighted, hard-court playing surfaces. Car racing fans flock to Talladega Superspeedway for exciting NASCAR events. The speedway is a short drive from Birmingham, near the town of Leeds. Open since 1969, the popular racetrack is rated as the world’s fastest superspeedway.

Golfers have a wide array of courses to choose from. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail features 26 championship caliber golf courses in every region of the state. The courses offer challenges for experienced golfers while also providing a pleasant experience for beginners and casual golfers. Twin Bridges Golf Club in Gadsden offers scenic views of the Coosa River and it is designated as an Audubon Silver Signature Sanctuary, a program to protect wildlife and the natural ecosystem in the area.

Auburn Links at Mill Creek in Opelika is an 18-hole, affordably-priced course open year-round. Ballantrae Golf Club in Pelham opened its 18-hole course in 2004 and has earned a course rating of 74.5 with a par of 72. Cambrian Ridge in Greenville is highly ranked by publications like Golf Digest. Featuring four nine-hole courses, it offers a variety of challenges with picturesque views of southern Alabama. Hidden Meadows Golf Club in Northport is adjacent to Lake Lurleen State Park. The par-72 course has 18 holes and offers easy access to nearby historic sites and attractions. Kiva Dunes Golf Club in Gulf Shores is a short drive from Orange Beach. With a rating of 73.9, the par-72 course delivers fun challenges for all skill levels.