Utah football announces 'exclusive' on-field seating for games at Rice-Eccles Stadium

SALT LAKE CITY — A new viewing experience is coming to Rice-Eccles Stadium this season for Utah football fans.

The University of Utah announced Wednesday a new field-level seating experience that will be housed in the north end zone of the stadium, starting with a soft launch at Utah's game against Houston on Oct. 24.

The new seating area, which will not impede ticket holders already seated in the north end zone, will be called the ALKEME Field Boxes and will feature a leather chair, all-inclusive food and drinks, and an individual TV screen that will display the game and replays, as well as various statistics.

The new, open-air seats will give fans a new vantage point — similar to courtside seats at a basketball game — while having the same perks of a suite on the field.

"There is significant demand from Utah football fans for new and immersive ways to experience our games at Rice-Eccles Stadium," Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said in a statement. "I'm grateful to the Crimson Brand Partners team for the creativity and innovation they have shown in meeting that demand and delivering premium experiences that give our fans new ways to engage with and support our programs and student-athletes."

In total, the "exclusive" field boxes will include 42 total seats, each broken up into four-seat boxes, with one box that will have six seats along the north end zone wall of the stadium.

The on-field seats helped address a need to "elevate the fan experience" at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Joel Adams, chief ticketing officer for Crimson Brand Partners, told KSL.

"There was some open space in the north end zone, and we thought, what better way to better their experience than to put seats there and let fans have access," Adams said. "So that's kind of how it all started. And as we evaluated the different spaces, we thought this was a no-brainer.

"The end zone is really the best place to do it because you're able to not only see the play right in front of you when it's coming towards you, but also you could view the scoreboard on the south side even when the play's a little bit further away," he added. "So it kind of hits both angles of the fan experience and viewing perspective, and so I think this is a really unique opportunity."

Each box will include an "in-seat service" for an "elevated" food and drink experience, though no alcohol will be provided in the on-field boxes. The university, however, has recently rolled out an alcohol option as an upgrade for some of its south end zone seats, though no other alcohol sales are currently permitted during football games.

"From a benefit standpoint, they're getting parking in the west lot, which is right next to where their seats are going to be," Adams said. "They'll have their private entryway, and they'll head down the northwest tunnel to go to their seats. So it's kind of a private experience when it comes down to it and going to their seats."

A select number of field boxes will be available to purchase for the BYU (Nov. 7) and West Virginia (Nov. 27) games, with members of the Champions Alliance and Scholarship Circle given first priority. Fans can join the waitlist for the opportunity to purchase a box by putting a $500 deposit down here, or by filling out a form to be contacted by the university's sales team.

ALKEME Insurance, who is sponsoring the new field boxes, recently entered into a separate deal with the university to become the helmet equipment sponsor, which features the company's name on the rear bumper of each Utah football helmet.

"We look for partners who are genuinely pushing their industry forward, and Utah athletics does exactly that," ALKEME CEO Curtis Barton said in a statement at the time. "As we continue growing our presence across Utah, there's no better partner to stand alongside than a program that consistently sets the pace for what's next in college athletics — both on the field and off it."

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