Nick Saban made one thing clear with the new renovations at Bryant-Denny Stadium: Alabama football will remain the most exciting, attractive, dominant, appealing and compelling program for years to come. He wants nothing else being more extravagant for players and recruits than the Crimson Tide, and Greg Byrne is with him to supply the funds needed to make it happen.
On Thursday, the local media got a tour of a $107 million project that is the brand-new look inside the stadium.
RELATED: WATCH: Renovations to Bryant-Denny Stadium’s locker room, tunnel, and recruiting space
The videos that were posted on Twitter pale in comparison to seeing the actually thing.
If one was to take an episode of MTV Cribs and combine the experience with a Las Vegas club, it would equal the excitement of the renovations.
Whether it was the videos played on the wall through the Walk of Champions, the upscale appearance of the locker room, the board of draft picks among other things in the recruiting room or the new press box, Saban and Byrne went all out to make sure nothing tops Alabama.
In discussing the idea for the new look, Byrne said he wanted something ‘that pops.’
“I am really proud of what our staff has done,” he said. “One of the things you want from a locker room standpoint and you see with the tunnel is when recruits come in, when fans come in on tours, we want it to pop. It shows everyone the excitement of Alabama football, Alabama athletics, and it shows you a lot of our history. It also shows you today and the future of Alabama football.”
Byrne said Rece Davis, an alumnus of the University of Alabama and an ESPN analyst, will be the voice over a few videos showcasing the history of the football program. The stadium tour also gives a perspective of Coach Saban knowing how to relate to the modern-day, student-athlete. Some media pundits feels as though the game has passed him by, but Saban still has it.
This is giving me chills and with Nick Saban’s voice in the background… perfection.
The video that will play inside the tunnel of the Walk of Champions for Alabama players and recruits. pic.twitter.com/20S9jqiacA
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) October 1, 2020
A look inside Alabama’s new locker room. pic.twitter.com/b3MaJn9d89
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) October 1, 2020
Just a video of every Alabama football draft pick in program history.
No big deal. @TDAlabamaMag pic.twitter.com/lmyGcXjrwG
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) October 1, 2020
A view of the field and the new media press box for Alabama football.@TDAlabamaMag pic.twitter.com/sfmwdCWJQY
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) October 1, 2020
As he pushes for a seventh national championship in his coaching tenure, his latest move promotes the fact of Alabama not resting on past success. He and the Tide want to do everything possible to stay on the cutting edge, even in its appeal.
“You always have to reinvest in your success,” Byrne said.
“One of the worst things we can do is stand back and say ‘well we’re Alabama, we are going to be fine.’ You always have to say what are our next steps to stay ahead of the competition, and quite frankly some of our locker room areas and some of the different areas that our student-athletes are at on a daily basis were starting to show their age. It was time to update, upgrade, and I think you can see with the renovations here, it is going to be a great way to showcase the University of Alabama.”
He wanted something that popped, but that is an understatement. Saban went over the top for his players.
RELATED: An inside look at the renovations to Bryant-Denny Stadium
Coach Saban, like Wallace Wade, Frank Thomas, Paul W. “Bear” Bryant and Eugene Stallings, is always finding ways to reinvent himself and the program as much as possible. In 2007, his mission was to give Tide fans a team it could be proud of.
He has more than delivered on the promise.
We have seen national championships (and more coming), conference championships, Heisman winners, No. 1 recruiting class and many players drafted into the National Football League.
Now, he takes the initiative to make a quality venue look immaculate.
Alabama will house between 18,000 and 19,000 fans on Saturday for its home opener versus Texas A&M. After seeing the renovations, Tide fans are going to be overjoyed this weekend.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
