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Utah adds field-level premium seating at Rice-Eccles Stadium

Utah adds field-level premium seating at Rice-Eccles Stadium

Money Moves Salt Lake City, UT local

ALKEME Field Boxes bring leather seats, in-seat food and drink, personal screens and private entry to the north end zone, as trustees approve a $39 million renovation and contractors line up for a January 2027 start.

4 days ago: Field boxes available for BYU game

Overview

Updated Oct 26

Utah's ALKEME Field Boxes are 42 leather seats along the north end zone wall at Rice-Eccles Stadium, with all-inclusive food and drink, personal screens and a private entrance. The seats were set to debut at the Oct. 24 game against Houston, then sell as a two-game package for BYU on Nov. 7 and West Virginia on Nov. 27.

Trustees approved the stadium renovation on Oct. 13, and the university has since asked contractors to bid. Bids are due Nov. 6; work starts Jan. 5, 2027, with the project targeted for the 2027 season. The plan refreshes suites on the fourth and fifth levels, adds suites and a club on the sixth, and builds a Corner Field Club in the northeast corner. PNC Bank also put its name on a reworked fourth-level space, the PNC Terrace, under a multi-year sponsorship announced Oct. 20.

Why it matters

College athletic departments are selling field-level seats and stadium naming rights to grow revenue; Utah's boxes and renovation are the latest version.

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Key Indicators

42
Total field-box seats
Leather seats in four-seat boxes plus one six-seat box along the north end zone wall.
$500
Waitlist deposit
Deposit to join the waitlist for a chance to buy field boxes; Champions Alliance and Scholarship Circle members get first priority.
$39M
Stadium renovation budget
Budget trustees approved Oct. 13 for suite and club upgrades, a Corner Field Club and permanent north end zone seats.
3
Home games with field boxes in 2026
Temporary seats debut Oct. 24 vs. Houston, then sell for BYU (Nov. 7) and West Virginia (Nov. 27). Permanent seats arrive in 2027.

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People Involved

Mark Harlan
Mark Harlan
University of Utah Director of Athletics
Leading the stadium's premium-seating push
JA
Joel Adams
Chief ticketing officer, Crimson Brand Partners
Leading the field-box rollout
CB
Curtis Barton
Chief executive, ALKEME Insurance
Sponsor of the field boxes and Utah football helmets
KE
Katie Eccles
Chair, University of Utah Board of Trustees
Presided over the Oct. 13 approval of the stadium renovation

Organizations Involved

University of Utah Athletics
University of Utah Athletics
University athletic department
Operator of Rice-Eccles Stadium premium-seating program

Runs Utah's varsity programs and manages Rice-Eccles Stadium operations, including premium seating sales.
Crimson Brand Partners
Crimson Brand Partners
For-profit athletics commercial company
Co-funding the Rice-Eccles renovation and managing the field-box rollout

Handles ticketing, marketing, and premium-seat sales for University of Utah athletics under contract.
ALKEME Insurance
ALKEME Insurance
Insurance company
Sponsor of the field boxes and Utah football helmets

A Utah-based insurer whose name is on the field boxes and on the back of Utah football helmets.

Timeline

September 2026 November 2026

7 events Latest: 4 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Field boxes available for West Virginia game

    Upcoming Event

    Final home game of the season closes the 2026 field-box package.

  2. Field boxes available for BYU game

    Latest Event

    Two-game package begins with the BYU rivalry game; top donor groups get first priority.

  3. Field boxes soft-launch vs. Houston

    Launch

    ALKEME Field Boxes debut in the north end zone during Utah's home game against Houston.

  4. PNC Bank puts its name on a west tower terrace

    Sponsorship

    Utah and PNC Bank announced a multi-year sponsorship that includes the PNC Terrace on the fourth level of Rice-Eccles Stadium's west tower, with new seating, lighting and decor.

  5. Utah seeks a construction manager for the stadium project

    Procurement

    The solicitation covers suite and club renovations on levels 4, 5 and 6, a Corner Field Club and the northeast field seating area across 75,840 square feet. Bids are due Nov. 6, 2026, with work starting Jan. 5, 2027.

  6. Board approves $39M Rice-Eccles renovation

    Approval

    University of Utah trustees approved a $39 million renovation of Rice-Eccles Stadium, formally setting the project in motion.

  7. Utah announces ALKEME Field Boxes

    Announcement

    Utes unveil 42 field-level premium seats in the north end zone with food, drink, and TV screens.

Scenarios

1

Utes sell out field boxes and expand premium field seating for 2027

Possible Resolves by Mar 1, 2027

Discussed by: Utah athletics officials who cite 'significant demand' for immersive premium experiences (AD Mark Harlan; Crimson Brand Partners' Joel Adams)

If the BYU game sells out — the biggest rivalry game on Utah's schedule — and the waitlist stays long, Utah has a clear signal to add more field-level inventory for 2027. The pattern mirrors the 2021 south end zone renovation, which added premium seats and was followed by an alcohol upgrade and now these boxes. Expansion could mean more boxes, availability beyond donor tiers, or a season-long field-box offering.

2

Field boxes stay a niche donor perk, not a growth play

Unlikely Resolves by Aug 1, 2027

Discussed by: A cautious counter-reading of the same demand — premium field seats hold only 42 people

Premium field seats carry high costs and limited capacity. If non-donor demand is weak, Utah could keep the boxes as a donor loyalty amenity, sold quietly through the Champions Alliance without broad marketing. The two-game 2026 package would remain the model, and the boxes would not appear on general public sale.

3

Alcohol and premium seats spread across Rice-Eccles

Possible Resolves by Aug 1, 2027

Discussed by: Observers of the stadium's recent revenue moves, including the south end zone alcohol upgrade reported by KSL

Utah recently began offering alcohol as an upgrade in some south end zone seats — an exception to the stadium's no-alcohol policy. The field boxes, notably, don't include alcohol. If both experiments succeed, Utah could extend alcohol sales to more premium sections or expand the paid-amenity model to other parts of the stadium to drive revenue in the name, image, and likeness era.

4

Rice-Eccles renovation adds a field-level club with alcohol by 2027

Possible Resolves by Aug 31, 2027

Discussed by: The Salt Lake Tribune, citing Utah's architect solicitation and state liquor records

The renovation trustees approved in October 2026 would turn a northeast storage space into a Corner Field Club with a pass-thru bar, feature bar and dining areas. State liquor licenses for the south end zone's Ken Garff Red Zone are held by OVG Alumni Club Holdings LLC, which operates independently of the university. If the club takes a license, it would be a second alcohol-selling venue in a stadium that allowed no alcohol until this season.

5

The renovation is done before Utah's 2027 home opener

Likely Resolves by Aug 31, 2027

Discussed by: University of Utah officials, who told trustees the goal is to finish before the 2027 season

The construction schedule filed with the state puts a Jan. 5, 2027 start against a target of August 2027, when the Utes open the season. The work covers suite and club renovations on three levels, a Corner Field Club and permanent field seating. Finishing on time means the premium spaces are in use for the 2027 home opener rather than midseason.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2021

Rice-Eccles Stadium south end zone renovation (2021)

Five years before the field-box announcement, Utah unveiled its newly completed south end zone renovation at Rice-Eccles. The project added premium-seating options that elevated the experience at the Utes' home field.

Then

The renovation added premium inventory and established priority sales through donor groups.

Now

It set the pattern of premium additions — followed by an alcohol upgrade and now the field boxes.

Why this matters now

The field boxes extend that same donor-first premium playbook into a previously underused corner of the stadium.

2026

South end zone alcohol upgrade (2026)

In a departure from Rice-Eccles' longstanding no-alcohol policy, Utah rolled out an alcohol option as an upgrade for some south end zone seats this season.

Then

Alcohol became a paid premium perk in a limited section.

Now

It signaled the athletic department's willingness to monetize traditionally banned amenities.

Why this matters now

The field boxes are the same revenue play — paid premium access where none existed — and notably exclude alcohol, which stays confined to the south end zone for now.

Sources

(10)
+4
Deseret News University of Utah Athletics KSL.com Yahoo Sports The Salt Lake Tribune Hoodline Utah Business ConstructConnect Fanrecap KSL.com