The University of Alabama men’s basketball team, coming off a Final Four season, will tune up for the 2024-25 season with an exhibition game against Wake Forest at Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham.
Called Bama in Boutwell, presented by Nike and Hibbett, the game will be played Friday, Oct. 18.
“Alabama will most likely come in as a preseason No. 1 in the country after their magical run in the Final Four,” said Michael Eady, president of Knight Eady, which promoted March Madness at Legacy Arena. “There’s some added hype around the basketball program, which we’re excited about.”
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin joined Eady and Jared Briskin, president of Hibbett, for the announcement this morning at Boutwell Auditorium.
“It has been 45 years since this venue has hosted a basketball game,” Woodfin said.
About 2,000 tickets will be sold for the event, with proceeds going to benefit Children’s of Alabama hospital. On the day of the game, Tide players will visit patients at Children’s of Alabama.
Alabama finished the 2023-24 season ranked No. 3 in the nation in the final AP poll, with a record of 25-12 (13-5 in the SEC). The Tide was a four-seed in the NCAA Tournament and beat Charleston, Grand Canyon, North Carolina and Clemson before losing to the eventual national champion UConn Huskies.
Eady said Boutwell was chosen to give the game an intimate, close-up feel for Tide fans.
“We wanted to find something that was more small and intimate,” said Eady, who worked with the city to organize the exhibition game. “We looked at a lot of different facilities.”
Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 10, at a web site set up for the event: www.Bamainboutwell.com
Fans may enter their email address at that web site to sign up for pre-sale tickets. Tickets will go on sale on a wider basis on Thursday, Sept. 12, Eady said.
“The Boutwell Auditorium will ultimately offer a very exclusive and intimate environment to watch a college basketball game,” Eady said. “This will be 2,000 people in a jam-packed auditorium.”
Hibbett sporting goods has been based in Birmingham for 79 years. Nike has had an office in Birmingham for 10 years, representing its Hibbett business, Briskin said.
“Nike has been an incredible partner to Hibbett,” said Briskin. “We’re both dedicated to the city and the sport of basketball.”
Michael Eady, right, president of Knight Eady, announces the Bama in Boutwell exhibition game at Boutwell Auditorium. He’s flanked by Jared Briskin, president of Hibbett, left, and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, center. (Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com)ggarrison@al.com
