Georgia has some of the most devoted sports fans in the whole country and is a stunning location for sports. In the end, there is no greater rush than seeing a victory, especially in a state that regularly produces champions like the Atlanta Braves.
Many professional and college football and baseball teams play in Georgia. It ultimately means that they all require an outdoor stadium in which to play. But what has been around the longest and which stadium is the largest in the Peach State?
We are here to give you information on Georgia’s top five largest stadiums,
5. Paulson Stadium: 25000 Capacity
Paulson Stadium is the first stadium on our list. This is where the Georgia Southern Eagles play, at the end. On September 29, 1984, Allen E. Paulson Stadium was inaugurated. The Eagles’ decisive 48-11 victory over Liberty Baptist marked the occasion. Amazingly, $4.7 million was required to build the stadium. Just before the 1994 campaign, the university added permanent lights.
The stadium can hold 25,000 people, however on September 17, 2016, a game between Georgia Southern and UL-Monroe attracted the most crowd, 25,735. In an effort to maintain their position as contenders in the Mountain West Conference, the Eagles continue to play all of their home games there. Undoubtedly one of Georgia’s largest stadiums is Paulson Stadium.
4. Truist Park: 41,048 Capacity
Since the Braves relocated from Milwaukee to Atlanta, they have played in three different venues. From 1966 to 1996, they played at Fulton County Stadium. From 1996 to 2017, the Braves relocated to the new Turner Field. The team finally relocated ten miles to the west, through Cobb County, to SunTrust Park, a brand-new stadium. SunTrust Park later combined with BB&T to become Truist Financial, which resulted in the park’s official renaming to Truist Park.
The original baseball and football seating capacities at Fulton County Stadium were 52,007 and 60,606, respectively. Turner Field had a 49,586-person capacity in the meantime. To create a more personal atmosphere, the Braves made the decision to relocate to this new ballpark. As the Braves adapted to the baseball environment and the associated operating costs, it ultimately holds about 41,000 people each night.
Since the Braves won the World Series in 2021, which featured two victories in three games against the Houston Astros at home, Truist Park has witnessed plenty of exciting play from the team. The Braves still play in one of Georgia’s largest stadiums, despite the reduction in size from their prior facilities. As the Braves remain regular competitors, the stadium also continues to sell out each night.
3. Bobby Dodd Stadium 55,000
All of Georgia Tech’s home games are played in Bobby Dodd Stadium. It’s incredible that this stadium has existed since 1913. The Yellow Jackets have called it home for 111 years, making it one of the older college football venues.
One of the most interesting things about this stadium was the fact that it did not have this many seats at first. The stadium’s initial capacity was 5,600 persons in 1913. In order to increase seating for attendees, the university erected concrete east stands in 1924. The next year, the company expanded the stadium’s seating area on its southern side. The stadium held 30,000 people, according to this team.
The stadium received its next major upgrade in 1944, adding 44,000 people. Later, in 1958, the university made additional changes to the north side. The stadium’s capacity increased to 58,121 when seats were later added to the east side in 1962 and the west side in 1968.
The stadium’s capacity was reduced to 46,000 by the university in 1985 in order to create place for the Wardlaw Centre, a brand-new arena. The next significant alteration was in 2001 when a major renovation project got under way. The stadium’s northern side upper deck was expanded as part of this project, increasing the stadium’s capacity to its current number.
Bobby Dodd has remained active for more than a century. It has also experienced a lot of alterations as it moves between limits on capacity. It continues to be one of Georgia’s biggest stadiums.
2. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 70 000
From 1992 until 2017, the Georgia Dome hosted Atlanta Falcons games. Amazingly, the dome stadium held 80,000 people, including roughly 71,000 for football games. But the Falcons determined they required a new stadium in 2010. Ultimately, Rich McCay, the Falcons’ CEO and president, emphasised that the Georgia Dome was not the stadium he needed at the moment in terms of innovation. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium was influenced by it.
The Georgia Dome is not a copy of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Instead, the Falcons have played there since 2017 in a newly repaired, cutting-edge building. An important feature of the stadium is its retractable roof, which offers the Falcons the option of keeping it open or closed.
In addition to hosting the Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has also held other sporting events. In the end, it has also played host to high school and college football contests, as well as football matches. The stadium will serve as one of the World Cup venues in 2026.
The 2019 Super Bowl LIII was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. This stadium is still one of Georgia’s largest even after replacing the Georgia Dome.
1. Sanford Stadium 92,746
The largest stadium in Georgia is this one. The Georgia Bulldogs’ home field, Sanford Stadium, offers the best gameday experience by far.
In honour of Dr. Steadman Victor Sanford, who was a major supporter of athletics in the university’s early years, Sanford Stadium was opened in 1929. Strangely, Dr. Sanford’s declaration that he would construct a larger and better stadium than Georgia Tech led to the development of this stadium. 30,000 people watched the Bulldogs upset Yale 15-0 in the opening game.
The university had a significant expansion in 1949, adding 6,000 seats to the stadium’s southern side, increasing its capacity to 36,000. Then, in 1964, they added 7,621 seats to the endzone bleacher sections, bringing their capacity to 43,621. This was the second significant addition. In 1967, the institution gained 19,643 additional seats.
In 1981, Georgia added 19,000 more seats, increasing the stadium’s capacity to 82,122. Later, in 1991, the school underwent another round of expansion, increasing its capacity to 85,434. The number was increased by new lavish suites to 86,520. Then, in 2003, the upper deck was expanded, increasing the seating capacity to 92,058. The university constructed a second upper deck and new suites on the northern side as part of the final expansion in 2004.
