UAB Tailgating at Protective Stadium: Lots, Times & Rules

Quick answers

What time do the UAB tailgate lots open?

UAB's tailgate lots open 6 hours before kickoff. General parking, Blazer Village and the student tailgate lot open 4 hours before.

Can you grill at UAB tailgates?

Gas grills only. Charcoal grills and fryers aren't allowed in the stadium lots, and neither are grills in tow, commercial grills or outside caterers.

Can you drink at UAB tailgates?

Yes, until kickoff. Drinking in the tailgate areas after kickoff is prohibited, glass isn't allowed, and drinking games are banned. Underage drinking is against the law.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at UAB?

UAB doesn't post a ticket rule for the lots, but you need a parking pass for your space. The P4 Rooftop and P6 Tailgate spaces are assigned season passes, and students claim tailgate passes through their organizations.

How do you buy parking at UAB?

Single-game parking is sold online through BlazerGameDay.com, one space per vehicle, with no walk-up sales in the tailgate rules. Season passes for the tailgate lots go through the UAB Athletics Ticket Office and member levels.

The game-day timeline

6 hrs beforeTailgate lots open, including P4 Rooftop and P6 Tailgate
4 hrs beforeGeneral parking, Blazer Village and the student tailgate open. Blazer Express shuttles start
2 hrs 25 min beforeBlazer Walk through Uptown
90 min beforeStadium gates open
30 min beforeBlazer Village and the student tailgate close
90 min afterParking lots close. Cars left behind are towed

Where to park

Protective Stadium sits in the BJCC complex downtown. Every lot is pass only, and every pass is one space.

Tailgate lots: P6 Tailgate, east of the stadium (spaces 2 cars wide), and P4 Rooftop on the Red Garage behind the Westin (3 cars wide). Assigned, season only.
Single game: Buy online through BlazerGameDay.com. One space per vehicle, no saving spaces, no overnight parking.
Season: P9 season parking is now only the top of the deck, entered from 21st St N before 12th Ave N.
Accessible: ADA spaces in every BJCC lot, first come, and P5 is the pre-sale ADA lot. ADA shuttles run on game day.
RV and bus: UAB sells RV spaces (4 car spaces each) by the game.
Rideshare: Lot P16 at 854 24th St N. Enter on 24th St N, exit on 25th St N.

Protective Stadium UAB game-day parking, simplified

See the official Protective Stadium parking map

UAB says the 2026 parking map changed from past seasons. Check your lot before you leave the house.
No re-entry to the lots, and everyone has to be out within 90 minutes of the final whistle.
No car? Park free in Zone B (the 12th Street Parking Deck) on campus and ride the free Blazer Express from the Hill Student Center. It runs from 4 hours before kickoff until 1 hour after, with no open containers on board.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against blazergameday.com, uabsports.com and uab.edu.

The BJCC sets the lot rules, and they're strict about space. Here's what matters.

Grills: Gas only. No charcoal, no fryers, no grills in tow or commercial grills.
Alcohol: No drinking in tailgate areas after kickoff. No glass; use plastic or disposable cups. No drinking games.
Tents: Must fit inside your space (8 x 8 feet recommended). Nothing over 10 x 10.
Your space: Everything stays in your space, about 9 x 16 feet. One space per vehicle, and oversized vehicles don't fit the rules.
Not allowed: Box trucks, trailers, outside catering, DJs, pets, large organized parties and selling anything.
Generators: Small, quiet ones only, subject to review by the fire marshal and BJCC staff.
When it ends: Lots close 90 minutes after the game. No re-entry, no overnight parking.
Bags at the gate: Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon clear bag, plus a clutch up to 5 x 7 inches.
Gates open: 90 minutes before kickoff. No outside food or drink.

Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

Blazer GameDay: game-day timeline Protective Stadium tailgating policies (Blazer GameDay)Blazer Express shuttles (Blazer GameDay)2026 UAB Football Parking map

Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.

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Where the party is

UAB tailgates downtown, on a garage rooftop with the skyline behind it and in the P6 lot across 24th Street. Blazer Village in Uptown is the free pregame party, and the Blazer Walk comes right through the middle of it.

The skyline view

P4 Rooftop

Tailgate spaces 3 cars wide on top of the Red Garage, south of the stadium behind the Westin. Assigned season spaces, open 6 hours before kickoff.

The big lot

P6 Tailgate

Assigned spaces 2 cars wide east of the stadium, right in the middle of the pregame action. Open 6 hours before kickoff.

The free party

Blazer Village

UAB's official fan fest behind the restaurants in Uptown, from 4 hours before kickoff to 30 minutes before, with music, games and face painting.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Gas grills only, and no fryers, so plan a menu that cooks on a flat top or comes hot from home.

Getting out

Downtown streets, I-20/59 and a 90-minute clock on the lots. Your options, best first:

Ride the Blazer Express back. Free shuttles to the Hill Student Center run until 1 hour after the game.
Walk to P16 for rideshare. Enter on 24th St N, exit on 25th St N, south of the interstate.
Pack up slow. You have 90 minutes after the game before the lots close and towing starts.
Skip this
Jump on I-20/59 at the gun. So does the rest of downtown.

First time here?

Tailgate lots open 6 hours before kickoff, general lots 4.
Gas grills only. No charcoal, no fryers.
Your tailgate has to fit in your space.
No glass, and no drinking after kickoff.
Lots close 90 minutes after the game.
Clear bag only. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Blazer Village in Uptown is free and open to everyone, so start there. Then walk the P6 lot with something to share and say hello before you step into a setup.

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