Crimson Tide fans must grit their teeth and wait patiently for the one day of the week when they can enter the hallowed arches of Bryant-Denny Stadium, and for most attendants, the gridiron will be the only visible attraction that they will experience.

Fans can now visit the stadium to see its less accessible places, such as the locker room and recruiting room and do so during weekdays due to the fruition of stadium tours of Bryant-Denny.

Christy Bobo, assistant director of athletics facilities, said the tours were initiated this semester because fans voiced an incessant demand for the tours.

“We have had a constant demand for it,” Bobo said.

She said the athletics department spoke with Mal Moore, the University’s athletics director, about the market for stadium tours, and Moore eventually authorized the decision to proceed with the tours.

Bobo said the tours run from Monday through Friday during two time slots. One begins at 10:30 a.m. and the other begins at 12 p.m., she said.

However, there are no tours during the Friday prior to a home game because the stadium is put on lock-down in order to prepare for the upcoming game, she said.

“We have had a lot of requests for those days,” Bobo said.

Bobo said the stadium tours have enjoyed a tremendous showing. Bobo added that people must first go online to rolltide.com and fill in a request form to participate in a stadium tour. A tour time slot and date will need to be filled in.

Bobo said fans can purchase a ticket in the South End Zone Market area for $5. People who are with a school or a non-profit organization, however, can purchase a ticket for $2, she said.

Upon purchasing a ticket, an individual can join a tour group that begins at the Donor Hall of Recognition. The hall is part of the newly constructed South End Zone area, and people can see portraits of various donors who have contributed to the welfare of the University.

The tour then proceeds to the Stadium Club, which allows its members to enter an air-conditioned area that is catered.

Next, the tour moves on to the South Zone level, which is also catered but has the added benefit of having the members’ seats waiting for them directly outside of the club area.

The tour proceeds to the skybox level, where owners can stock their skyboxes with alcohol and decorate the walls with memorabilia.

Afterwards, the tour moves on to the press box area, where Eli Gold can be found during home games.

Tyler Nix, a tour guide and a junior majoring in kinesiology, said the press box level is crowded and hectic during home games.

“This place is an absolute madhouse on game day,” Nix said.

The tour moves on to the North End Zone recruiting room.

Scott Hodges, a tour guide and a junior majoring in business, said 152 recruits from all types of sports gathered in the recruiting room during the recent game against Florida.

After stopping at the recruiting room, the tour proceeds to the home team locker room, where the Alabama logo can be seen emblazoned on the carpet. Upon exiting the locker room, there is a plaque of Bear Bryant with a quote at the bottom half that reads, “Simply put, football is eyes, movement and contact.”

The tour then proceeds to the 50-yard line where the tour group can see the stadium from the brick walkway surrounding the field.

Upon looking skywards from this ground view, Hodges said the atmosphere on game day would soothe any freshman recruit.

“It would be at that point that I realized I had made the right decision when I had 101,000 fans screaming at me,” he said.

Last, the tour ends in the visitor’s locker room that is called the Fail Room.

Matthew Conde, a junior majoring in journalism and member of a tour group this past Friday, said Bryant-Denny Stadium outmatches the beauty of other stadiums.

“It really gives back to the fans,” he said. “It shows what we’ve worked for here. It’s truly first class.”