🏈 Was the last Iron Bowl played 23 years ago today?

[RTB X Bot]

 

[64Tide]

Yes, last Iron Bowl was 1998. It’s inaccurate to call the game Iron Bowl if it is not played in Birmingham and the ticket split at 50/50. This year it’s the Alabama/Auburn game, visitor being listed first.

 

[OldPlayer]

The Iron Bowl will always be the Iron Bowl. Location of the game is irrelevant.

 

[alabama mike]

Technically yes. When the game was moved from B'ham and the 50/50 split of tickets no longer exists, IMO, it is a different game. Personally, I have no problem with Auburn wanting the game on a home and home site but I still wish for this one game, the tickets allotment stayed 50/50. I know, I cant have it that way. Every year, the game was basically another "home" game for Bama because Auburn would come into Legion Field which was our home field for so many years. All of us older fans remember the the games being split between B'ham and Tuscaloosa. Is it still the Iron Bowl? Yes, just a little different twist than what a lot of us grew up with.

 

[TerryP]

The Iron Bowl will always be the Iron Bowl. Location of the game is irrelevant.

The Iron Bowl of soccer.
The Iron Bowl of basketball.
The Iron Bowl of baseball.
The Iron Bowl of softball.

 

[OldPlayer]

Technically yes. When the game was moved from B'ham and the 50/50 split of tickets no longer exists, IMO, it is a different game. Personally, I have no problem with Auburn wanting the game on a home and home site but I still wish for this one game, the tickets allotment stayed 50/50. I know, I cant have it that way. Every year, the game was basically another "home" game for Bama because Auburn would come into Legion Field which was our home field for so many years. All of us older fans remember the the games being split between B'ham and Tuscaloosa. Is it still the Iron Bowl? Yes, just a little different twist than what a lot of us grew up with.

If you go back to 50-50, everybody from the designated home team will scream because they can't get tickets. Those that want tickets will need to pay $$$$$ to get them in the secondary market.

 

[alabama mike]

If you go back to 50-50, everybody from the designated home team will scream because they can't get tickets. Those that want tickets will need to pay $$$$$ to get them in the secondary market.

I know. I said I would like to see it but you and I both know that will never happen again.

 

[64Tide]

Just the facts, iron bowl name from Bham's role in the steel industry. Coined by Shug Jordan in 1964 when asked how he would deal with the disappointment of not taking his team to bowl game, "we've got our bowl game, we have it every year, it's the Iron Bowl in Birmingham. BTW, the boogs finished 6-4 in 1964, no bowl game.

 

[#80]

For me the game is different going to Legion Field for the Iron Bowl and going to the cow pasture or seeing it in T-town it's just a different experience.

 

[rick4bama]

Today at 6-4 he would have gone to a major bowl!

 

[MunchyOs]

Some really don't like what has become of the Iron Bowl since it was moved to the campuses of the two schools. I've been to both the old school 50/50 ticket split Iron Bowls and Alabama home game Iron Bowls. Each IB I went to was absolutely amazing, whether it was Bham or T Town. Never been to one at the cow pasture, but I am sure it's pretty electric too, just given the rivalry and atmosphere. The last "old school Iron Bowl" was really 1988, not 1998. That was the final time ever that there was a 50/50 ticket split. The 1998 game 10 years later was just simply the last one played in Birmingham. Just like 1990, 1992, 1994, and 1996, it was a Bama home game. The years where we hosted the barn in Birmingham (after the series went to home and home) were not considered old school Iron Bowls as it had been known prior to 1989 when everything changed. 1991 was a bit of an anomaly. That IB was originally scheduled to be in auburn, but contractual obligations forced the barn to "host" us at Legion Field that year instead. I was there. It was NOT an auburn home game by any means. Probably because their fans bailed due to them being so bad that year and sold us their tickets, much like in 2011. Legion Field was in horrific shape by the late 1990's. That's why the big time rivalry games like the barn and the viles got moved to Tuscaloosa. By the early 2000's, we were only tossing Bham a Western Kentucky or UTEP game once a year before finally telling the old gray lady goodbye forever. I was there for the final Bama game at Legion Field in 2002 and it was sad. Legion Field played a big part in the history of Alabama football, but by the late 1990's/early 2000's, that time had clearly passed. The stadium looked like it would cave in on itself any minute. I for one am glad that we are out of there. BDS is just WAY too nice to not play all our home games there.

 

[MunchyOs]

Yes, last Iron Bowl was 1998. It’s inaccurate to call the game Iron Bowl if it is not played in Birmingham and the ticket split at 50/50. This year it’s the Alabama/Auburn game, visitor being listed first.

I would go with 1988 being the last traditional Iron Bowl. That was the last time there was a 50/50 ticket split. 1998 was just a Bama home game in Birmingham.

 

[64Tide]

Thanks guys, I stand corrected.