Alabama Spring Game 2016: Date, Start Time, TV Schedule, Live Stream and More

Now a global sporting event capable of drawing more than 65,000 people and having topped out at more than 92,000, Alabama's A-Day returns Saturday and commands the weekend's spotlight.

Why not? The reigning national champions have kept a veil over the comings and goings of the team this year, with Saturday's event the first real time observers get to see the upcoming 2016 Alabama Crimson Tide.

The game promises a little bit of everything, from a wild environment, new faces in new places and everyone's favorite—a quarterback competition.

2016 Alabama Spring Game

When:  Saturday, April 16, at 2 p.m. ET

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Alabama, as it should, gets the ESPN spotlight Saturday. Not only does Nick Saban's squad have the honor of acting as defending champs, the program helped breathe life into the now wild spring-game process.

This one promises plenty of intrigue, too, now that Alex Byington of the Decatur Daily provided a look at the full rosters:

Start right at the top, where Cooper Bateman is the only quarterback folks have seen play, the other two being David Cornwell and Blake Barnett.

Bateman looks like the starter given his experience, though last year over 52 attempts he threw for just 291 yards with one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. Odds are the battle is far from over, especially if a high-upside guy can flash after showing he's fully digested the offense.

Hence Saban telling ESPN's Chris Low things can certainly change before the opener:

Remember, though, the spring game isn't just about the quarterbacks, not after Blake Sims and Jacob Coker struggled over the past two games and still did pretty well during live action.

Elsewhere on offense, Alabama faithful finally get to see Bo Scarbrough in an every-down role now that he's free of Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake. In terms of passing weapons, the spring game offers fans the chance to see Robert Foster and O.J. Howard, the former coming back from injury, as well as ArDarius Stewart, who took home individual honors after last year's exhibition.

Still, the most intrigue probably comes on the defensive side of the ball, where the unit will be without vaunted coordinator Kirby Smart, who took the head gig at Georgia.

The defense is Jeremy Pruitt's show now and he's got much in the way of work cut out for him considering the Crimson Tide have to break in new starters in the trenches and in the defensive backfield.

Da’Shawn Hand, Da'Ron Payne and others make up the names to watch in the trenches, though perhaps more concerning these days is how a unit will hold up against the pass. Luckily for the Crimson Tide, young guys such as Minkah Fitzpatrick have put on an absolute show this spring ahead of A-Day.

Fitzpatrick really stands out given the weight he's added to his incredible athleticism, as noted by Matt Zenitz of AL.com:

The next wave of talent tasked with carrying Alabama to another College Football Playoff, not to mention SEC glory, is a good enough reason to set a Saturday aside and get to the stadium.

Saban, though, made a point to tell Michael Casagrande of AL.com that attendance numbers for the game also have to do with something rather simple—competition with other schools:

"

But I think other people are trying to sort of copycat to their game a big thing so that they can say they had the most people at the spring game and all that. I think it's important that our fans show that they have just as much interest and enthusiasm for the program as they've ever had, and that they continue to come and support the team at this time of year.

"

It's hard to imagine Alabama will break an attendance record with the game on national television and all, but another year of dwindling numbers doesn't seem likely now that fans once again have a national champion to support.

And besides, odds are Saturday is a preview of a team that, despite plenty of new faces and roles, will likely be right in the hunt for another title.

Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.