Home Field
How Local Stadiums Shaped American Cities
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- Sports History
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Etihad Park in Pittsburgh, home to the Steelers, illustrates how professional sports venues can reshape entire neighborhoods. Acrisure Stadium, built for the Steelers and Pirates, shows how modern stadium financing often relies on public subsidies. Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles demonstrates how baseball parks can become cultural landmarks while generating significant revenue.
Lumen Field in Seattle reflects the changing nature of stadium ownership and community investment. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Florida highlights how university-owned facilities differ from professional venues. Chicago's Rate Field represents the ongoing debate over public funding for sports stadiums. Readers interested in urban development, public policy, and civic engagement will find this book essential reading.
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Overview
American Family Field, formerly known as Miller Park, is a retractable roof stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, home to the Major League Baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers. It opened in 2001, replacing Milwaukee County Stadium, and was built at a cost of $392 million. Between 1996 and 2020, taxpayers contributed $609 million through higher sales taxes. The stadium features North America’s only fan-shaped convertible roof that can open or close in under ten minutes. Large glass panes let natural grass grow, with heat lamps moved onto the field during winter months. In 2023, Wisconsin lawmakers agreed to spend nearly half a billion dollars of public money on renovations.
History
American Family Field, one of the largest construction projects in Wisconsin history, was built using $290 million in public funds from a 0.1% sales tax that started January 1, 1996, and ended March 31, 2020, covering Milwaukee County and four surrounding counties. The project was controversial, especially because it used public money for a privately owned team. State senator George Petak of Racine, who cast the deciding vote, later lost a recall election over his support. Groundbreaking happened on November 9, 1996, in a parking lot behind County Stadium. Originally scheduled to open in 2000, construction delayed after three workers died in an accident on July 14, 1999, when a crane named "Big Blue" collapsed while lifting a roof section during windy conditions, captured on camera. The Brewers stayed in County Stadium until 2001. Miller Brewing Company owned the naming rights until 2020, when American Family Insurance of Madison took over with a new 15-year deal.
Structural challenges
The fan-shaped roof at American Family Field has faced ongoing issues since its installation. After a crane incident, key parts of the pivot system near home plate and the outfield roof track needed replacement. By 2006, the roof’s bogie system was replaced at a cost exceeding $13 million. The new components were supplied by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America. Six of the bogies weighed 66 short tons, while four weighed 49. Each was lifted individually by a 300-short-ton crane, with sections raised only six inches at a time using Enerpac hydraulic lifts. “The bogies will last for the life of the facility,” said Mike Duckett, executive director of the Miller Park stadium district at the time. The project was finished before the 2007 season began.
Additions
In 2006, American Family Field got new LED scoreboards, including one replacing the old manual "out of town" boards and a second-tier display above home plate that shows stats for those who can't see the main scoreboard. A field-level picnic area was added in right-field, later renamed several times, including the ATI Club. The outfield turf was changed to "Lo-Mo" Kentucky bluegrass in 2009, improving ball bounces. In 2010–2011, the centerfield scoreboard was upgraded to a full-color HD display, and by 2023 it ranked 20th among MLB screens. In 2024, new LED boards were installed in center and right field, with the center one ranking third in size behind only the Mets and Guardians. The 3rd Street Market Hall opened in right-field loge level with four food vendors. Parking technology was also updated, using QR codes and advance purchase options. Future plans include a $25 million winterization project.
Sensory friendly
In June 2022, the Brewers introduced a new section at American Family Field called a sensory friendly area. This space was created to help visitors with sensory processing disorders. Inside the area, families can find sensory bags. These contain items like weighted lap pads, fidget toys, and verbal cue cards, along with noise-cancelling headphones.
Non-Brewer games
In April 2007, a snowstorm forced the Cleveland Indians to move their opening series against the Los Angeles Angels to Milwaukee, where American Family Field's roof made it possible for the games to take place. All seats were sold for $10, and 52,496 fans attended the three-game series, which the Indians won two out of three. The event recalled the 1989 film Major League, filmed in Milwaukee County Stadium, with a tribute during the first game when "Wild Thing" played over the PA as Joe Borowski closed for Cleveland, and the mascot Slider slid down Bernie Brewer's slide after home runs. The series marked the first time American League games were played in Milwaukee since 1997. Then, in September 2008, Hurricane Ike shortened a Cubs-ASTROS series to two games, which were moved to American Family Field. Carlos Zambrano threw a no-hitter there, the first in the park's history, as the Cubs beat Houston 5–0, and the next day Ted Lilly nearly completed another no-hitter, helping the Cubs sweep the series in Milwaukee.
Soccer
In 2014, American Family Field played host to a friendly match between Swansea City and Chivas Guadalajara during the All-Star break, with about thirty-one thousand fans in attendance for a 1–1 draw. The next year, another friendly took place on July 14th, this time featuring Club Atlas and Newcastle United, which Club Atlas won 2–1. After a three-year gap, the field welcomed back Mexican clubs C.F. Pachuca and Club León, with Pachuca claiming victory in a 3–1 win.
Basketball
On November 11, 2022, American Family Field in Milwaukee played host to a basketball doubleheader called the "Brew City Battle." The University of Wisconsin Badgers took the court that day, with their men’s team facing Stanford University Cardinal and their women’s squad taking on Kansas State Wildcats. In the men's game, the Badgers defeated Stanford 60 to 50, but in the women's match, they lost 63 to 77 against the Wildcats.
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Overview
Etihad Park is a new soccer stadium being built in Queens, New York City, on land leased from the city rather than sold. The project is set to become home to New York City FC and Gotham FC, and construction began in December 2024, with completion expected before the 2027–28 season. The stadium is being designed by HOK, and the club is covering an estimated $780 million in costs. The city will miss out on about $516 million in property taxes over the 50-year lease term. Naming rights are held by Etihad Airways, the team’s current jersey sponsors.
Background
Before New York City FC joined Major League Soccer, the league considered building a stadium in several parts of the city, including a site at Pier 40 in Manhattan and another in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens. Both plans faced opposition from local groups and city regulations requiring land swaps. After NYCFC was admitted, they took over the search, initially playing at Yankee Stadium while exploring locations like the Bronx near Yankee Stadium and later Columbia University's Baker Athletics Complex in Manhattan. In 2017, interest shifted to a site in Nassau County at Belmont Park, but that plan ended when the New York Islanders selected it for their arena. By 2018, the club was again linked to a South Bronx development near East 153 Street, though negotiations with the Yankees eventually collapsed over parking and community support. As of late 2021, the team had turned its focus back to Queens.
Willets Point site
Willets Point, a dilapidated industrial area in Queens known as the "Iron Triangle," was once home to chop shops, auto-repairs, and junkyards, with no running water or sewage and just one permanent resident. City planner Robert Moses called it an "eyesore and a disgrace to the borough." For decades, redevelopment was every mayor's goal. Bloomberg won approval for a $3 billion plan in 2012, but a lawsuit halted progress after some businesses were displaced. The project restarted under the de Blasio administration, with Queens borough president Melinda Katz and City Council member Francisco Moya on an advisory task force. On January 17, 2019, the mayor's office released two proposals, one for a soccer stadium of up to 25,000 seats near Citi Field. Though not naming the club, speculation linked it to New York City FC, as The Related Companies, behind the Harlem River Yards plan, were leading the effort. Initially, Queensboro FC was connected to the site, but later turned its attention to a new stadium at York College.
Planning
In November 2022, the city and NYCFC agreed on a plan to build a 25,000-seat stadium in Willets Point, with completion targeted for 2027, following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The project was unveiled at a public event held at the Queens Museum. That same month, the city's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure began, and by December 2023, Queens Community Board 7 supported moving forward with the stadium. The borough president Donovan Richards endorsed it in January 2024, contingent on the club hiring local vendors and improving nearby parks. After approval from the City Planning Commission and the Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee, the plan passed the full City Council by a 47–1 vote in April 2024. Mayor Adams celebrated the win at a pre-game event before the team’s match against D.C. United on April 20, 2024, alongside Councilmember Moya and others.
Construction
Soil remediation began in 2021 and finished in May 2023. A pre-construction public hearing was held on May 20, 2024, with the New York City Public Design Commission, which conditionally approved HOK's design for Etihad Park, pending a heat island effect study and changes to construction materials, public spaces, and art installations. Final approval came in September 2024. Construction started with a groundbreaking ceremony on December 4, 2024, attended by MLS commissioner Don Garber, Mayor Adams, Borough President Richards, Councilmember Moya, and NYCFC staff. The first structural beam was installed on June 16, 2025, in the supporters' section. In February 2026, NYCFC announced the opening would be delayed to 2027 due to MLS switching to a fall-to-spring schedule. The stadium was officially topped out on March 25, 2026, and the first seats were installed on August 21 of that year. Construction is expected to take 30 months, with an opening in July 2027 for the start of the 2027–28 MLS season. When complete, Etihad Park will be the first soccer-specific stadium in New York City history.
Financing and ownership
New York City FC will pay the full $780 million to build Etihad Park, while leasing the land from New York City instead of purchasing it. The city’s Independent Budget Office estimates that choice will cost at least $516 million in lost property tax revenue over the 49-year lease term. The NYCEDC claims the project will generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over 30 years. Critics remain skeptical, noting that stadium subsidies rarely produce net benefits, and they question the use of public funds when the club is owned by wealthy entities like City Football Group and Yankee Global Enterprises.
Ownership
Originally, Etihad Park was set to be fully owned by City Football Group, the main owners of New York City FC. But in September 2024, the New York Yankees, who had previously held just 20% of the club, reduced their stake to join a new company that controls all of New York City FC. This change left City Football Group with 80% of the shares, the same as before. The remaining 20% is now shared equally between Yankee Global Enterprises and investor Marcelo Claure, who became part of the ownership group that month.
Tenancy
Gotham FC will begin calling Etihad Park home in 2028, after a deal was announced in July 2026. The National Women's Soccer League club had previously played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, where it shared the field with the New York Red Bulls of MLS. Earlier still, it used Yurcak Field at Rutgers University for its matches. The agreement grants the team dedicated facilities, including a locker room and merchandise areas. Its first lease will last five years, with options to extend the arrangement up to 15 years total.
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Overview
Acrisure Stadium, known until 2021 as Heinz Field, sits in Pittsburgh’s North Shore neighborhood on the Ohio River and has been home to the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2001. The stadium replaced Three Rivers Stadium after its controlled implosion and was built with 12,000 tons of steel, reflecting the city's industrial past. It opened in September 2001, and while its natural-grass field has drawn criticism, the team has kept it due to player and coach pressure. The venue has hosted major events like the 2011 and 2017 NHL Stadium Series games, as well as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in 2023, which drew 73,117 fans — the largest turnout in Pittsburgh history.
Planning and funding
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates shared Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 to 2000. After discussions about the Pirates building a separate baseball park, plans emerged to convert the stadium into a full-time football venue. The Steelers’ owners opposed the idea but saw it as a fallback if new stadium talks stalled. They warned that without a new facility, the team might lose top talent to AFC North rivals who had recently built football-only stadiums. In 2001, the H. J. Heinz Company purchased the naming rights for $57 million, referencing its famous “57” sauce. A previous plan to raise sales taxes for three projects—Heinz Field, PNC Park, and a convention center expansion—was rejected in 1997. The city then pushed forward with Plan B, which critics called “Scam B.” The Steelers’ contribution was raised from $50 million to $76.5 million, yet still faced criticism. Approved in 1998, the plan allocated $281 million in public funds, with $233 million for Heinz Field. Shortly after approval, the team agreed to remain in Pittsburgh until at least 2031.
Design and construction
HOK Sport designed Acrisure Stadium, with project manager Melinda Lehman saying the Rooney family wanted the design to honor Pittsburgh's past while pointing toward its future. Steel was used structurally and externally, and the stone is artificial to cut costs. The glass is modern, tying into downtown architecture and offering great views. Each team has its own locker room, with visitor facilities matching the home design. Aramark provides food service, with over 400 eateries in the stadium. A bronze statue of Steelers founder Art Rooney was moved 100 feet from its old spot outside Three Rivers Stadium. A statue of a Pitt Panther and a paved depiction of the Cathedral of Learning were added near Gate A. Groundbreaking for Heinz Field happened on June 18, 1999, with Hunt Construction Group and Mascaro Construction Company overseeing construction with no accidents or lawsuits. The stadium is inspected yearly by Chronicle Consulting, LLC. In 2023, outdated trough urinals in men's restrooms were replaced with private individual ones.
Opening
The first event at Heinz Field was a 'N Sync concert on August 18, 2001—fittingly, they were also the last act to play at Three Rivers Stadium, the Steelers' old home. The team's first pre-season game followed on August 25 against Detroit, which Pittsburgh won 20–7 before 57,829 fans. The official football opener came on September 1, when the Pittsburgh Panthers beat East Tennessee State 31–0, with David Priestley scoring the first touchdown. The Steelers were set to open their regular season on September 16 against Cleveland, but the games were postponed after September 11, pushing the stadium's real debut to October 7, when they beat Cincinnati 16–7. Before kickoff, President George W. Bush's speech about Afghanistan was shown live on the JumboTron, met with loud applause. Kris Brown scored the first NFL points in the stadium with a 26-yard field goal, and Kordell Stewart ran in the first touchdown. That same year, two LED video displays were installed, one of them measuring nearly 96 feet wide. In 2007, Bill Evans called Heinz Field the second-best NFL stadium, behind Lambeau, and Sports Illustrated agreed.
Future
The future of Acrisure Stadium is uncertain, as the Steelers continue improving the facility and expanding seating, while some Pitt Panthers fans push for a campus stadium—though the university has never included such plans in its strategic vision. The naming rights deal with Kraft-Heinz expired in 2022 after 21 years, and although Steelers president Art Rooney II expressed optimism about another extension, the company chose not to renew. Acrisure, a Michigan-based insurance firm, then bought the naming rights; Steelers minority owner Thomas Tull also has a stake in the company. The change sparked fierce backlash from fans. Kraft-Heinz didn’t stay out of the Steelers’ sponsorship game long, however, renegotiating to name Gate C and renaming the Heinz Field at Aliquippa High School as part of a $1.3 million endowment.
Football
On August 4, 2012, Heinz Field became the first NFL stadium to host a Women’s Football Alliance National Championship Game. Three seconds into the season opener on September 8, 2013, the Steelers scored the quickest touchdown in NFL history when a kickoff resulted in a safety. The Steelers lost that game 16–9. On October 7, 2018, the team won their 100th regular season game at Heinz Field. Since the Panthers moved to the stadium, attendance has varied, with an average of 59,197 in 2003 and 33,315 in 2007. In 2022, Pitt averaged 54,710 fans per game, and in 2023, 48,122. On September 1, 2022, the Backyard Brawl between Pitt and West Virginia drew 70,622 fans, setting a new record for the largest sporting event in Pittsburgh history.
Soccer
On July 27, 2014, Heinz Field played host to a match in the 2014 International Champions Cup between A.C. Milan and Manchester City, which Manchester City won 5–1. The following August, on August 16, 2015, the same venue welcomed a women’s international exhibition game featuring the United States and Costa Rica. The U.S. team secured an 8–0 victory, marking their first match since claiming the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, while drawing 44,028 spectators—setting a new record for a standalone women’s friendly in the United States.
In film & TV
In 2011, Pittsburgh hosted auditions for American Idol at Heinz Field, with sign-ups on July 12 and 13, and actual auditions on July 15. The same stadium served as the setting for part of the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises, where about 15,000 extras helped fill the field during filming on August 6. Later that year, contestants on The Bachelorette competed in a football game at Heinz Field, facing off in a five-on-five match while meeting Steelers players like Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, and Brett Keisel.
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Overview
Dodger Stadium sits in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, home to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and opened in 1962 after less than three years of construction at a cost of twenty-three million dollars. It's the oldest ballpark in MLB west of the Mississippi River and the third-oldest overall, behind Fenway and Wrigley Fields. The stadium holds the most no-hitters in baseball history, including two perfect games, and has hosted the World Series twelve times, most recently in 2025. It also played host to the All-Star Game in 1980 and 2022, the World Baseball Classics in 2009 and 2017, and exhibition games during the 1984 Olympics. In 2013, it hosted a soccer tournament featuring four clubs, including Real Madrid and Juventus. The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks played regular season games there in 2014 as part of the NHL Stadium Series. From 1962 to 1965, the stadium was also home to the Los Angeles Angels. Locals often call it Chavez Ravine, or "Blue Heaven on Earth," a nickname from former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda. In 2026, it became Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
Construction
In the mid-1950s, Brooklyn Dodgers president Walter O'Malley failed to build a domed stadium in Brooklyn, so he moved the team to Los Angeles. The land for Dodger Stadium had once been taken from local residents using eminent domain under the 1949 Housing Act, originally planned for a public housing project called Elysian Park Heights. When Mayor Norris Poulson took office in 1953, support for such projects faded, and the city eventually bought back the Chavez Ravine property at a low price with the condition it be used for a public purpose. On June 3, 1958, voters approved a referendum allowing the Dodgers to acquire 352 acres of the land. Residents, mostly Hispanic, were forcibly evicted. While construction began in 1959, the team played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 1958 to 1961. Mike Davis described how developers used cash offers and pressure tactics to win over homeowners, leading to a decade-long struggle known as the Battle of Chavez Ravine. Dodger Stadium was built using 100% private funding, the first MLB stadium since Yankee Stadium to be so financed, and the last until Oracle Park opened in 2000. Ground was broken on September 17, 1959. The site was flattened by removing ridge tops and filling ravines, with nearly 8 million cubic yards of earth moved. A former elementary school was buried beneath the parking lot. The structure used 21,000 precast concrete units, some weighing up to 32 tons, lifted into place by a custom crane. Originally designed for expansion to 85,000 seats, that plan was never pursued.
Frank McCourt era
At the end of the 2005 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers began major upgrades to Dodger Stadium during the off-season that followed. The biggest change was replacing almost all the seats, which had been in place since 1975 and gave the ballpark its distinctive “space age” look with bright yellow, orange, blue, and red. The new seating returned to the original 1962 color scheme of yellow, light orange, turquoise, and sky blue. Two thousand pairs of seats were offered for sale at $250 each, with the money going to charity. Some baseline sections were restructured into retro-style box seating, adding extra legroom and tables. Repairs were also made to the stadium’s concrete structure. These changes marked the second phase of a long-term improvement plan for the stadium.
Renovations
Between 2003 and 2005, Dodger Stadium added LED video displays, including a main screen that was 27 feet high by 47 feet wide. Then in 2008, the Dodgers unveiled plans for a $412 million project that would bring a museum, shops, and restaurants into the ballpark area. The renovation featured a tree-lined entrance called Dodger Way leading to a landscaped plaza, and what they called the Green Necklace—a walkway connecting the plaza to the rest of the stadium. There was also a planned outdoor space named Top of the Park with 360-degree views of the city and ocean. Upper-level upgrades were meant to start in 2008–2009 but were delayed because of the World Baseball Classic, the divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt, and the weak economy. During this time, former owner Frank McCourt took out a $250 million loan using Dodger Stadium as collateral. Also in 2008, the Los Angeles City Council gave the area a new zip code, 90090, and named it Dodgertown.
New ownership and further renovation
After the Dodgers were sold in 2012, Guggenheim Partners brought in architect Janet Marie Smith to oversee renovations at the aging Dodger Stadium. Work began that winter, replacing video boards with HD screens, updating clubhouses and restrooms, and improving the sound system. The team considered moving to a new downtown site proposed by the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which would have let the NFL build a stadium where the Dodgers played. That plan didn't happen, though, as the NFL chose SoFi Stadium in Inglewood instead. By 2013, the upgrades were complete: new HD scoreboards, wider concourses, and more standing room. More changes followed between 2013 and 2014, including new restaurants, team stores, and bullpen overlooks. A major $100 million renovation in 2019 added a center field plaza with a children's playground, relocated the Jackie Robinson statue, and included a display for Dodger legends. New elevators, a main entrance, and a statue of Sandy Koufax were also part of the update, though Koufax's statue wasn't unveiled until two years later, in 2022, due to the pandemic delay.
Design
Dodger Stadium, built in 1962 near downtown Los Angeles and one of the last baseball-only parks before multi-purpose stadiums became common, features several design innovations. Owner Walter O’Malley included a covered dugout section inspired by Tokyo’s Korakuen Stadium from a 1956 goodwill tour. That original feature was replaced in 1999 but later copied at Progressive Field and Angel Stadium. The stadium’s wavy outfield pavilion roofs and a 10-story elevator shaft with the Dodger logo behind home plate are distinctive. A terraced parking lot lets fans park near their seats, and the structure was built to withstand earthquakes. Originally equipped with two large Fair Play scoreboards, the park updated them over time, adding video boards in 1980, 1998, and 2006. Strobe lights were added in 2001, with blue ones introduced in 2018.
Retired numbers
At Dodger Stadium, the walls of the club level facade near left field bear the names of the team’s most celebrated figures. Retired numbers honor Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, and Don Sutton, along with Pee Wee Reese, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Tommy Lasorda, Walter Alston, Roy Campanella, Jim Gilliam, Gil Hodges, and Fernando Valenzuela. Alongside these, the left field line features tributes to broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrin, as well as longtime owner Walter O'Malley.
Statues and displays
On April 15, 2017, the Dodgers honored Jackie Robinson's legacy with a bronze statue in left-field plaza, depicting him sliding into home plate as a rookie. A second statue, unveiled on June 18, 2022, honored Sandy Koufax in Centerfield Plaza, showing Koufax’s signature windup leg kick. In 2026, the stadium added a permanent exhibit honoring gay players Billy Bean and Glenn Burke during Pride Night. Earlier, in 2023, the team relaunched “Christian Faith and Family Day” following previous Pride events at the ballpark.
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Overview
Lumen Field is a multi-purpose stadium in Seattle, home to the Seahawks, Sounders FC, and Reign FC, with seating for 68,740 for football and 37,722 for soccer games. Built between 2000 and 2002 on the site of the old Kingdome, it was originally called Seahawks Stadium and later renamed Qwest Field in 2004, then CenturyLink Field in 2011, and finally Lumen Field in 2020. Paul Allen was heavily involved in its design, emphasizing an open-air feel. It hosted the MLS Cup in 2009 and 2019, and several U.S. Open Cup finals, with the Sounders winning all three. The stadium also hosted matches for the 2016 Copa América Centenario and six 2026 World Cup games, temporarily renamed Seattle Stadium by FIFA.
Funding
The Seahawks played at the Kingdome from 1976 to 1999, sharing the venue with the Seattle Mariners and SuperSonics. In 1995, a plan to fund a remodel with county bonds failed, prompting Seahawks owner Ken Behring to threaten relocation. In 1997, billionaire Paul Allen stepped in, offering to buy the team if a new stadium could be built. He asked the state legislature to hold a vote on funding, agreeing to cover overruns. The referendum passed on June 17, 1997, with 51.1% approval, and the project was set to cost $430 million. Public funds came from lottery games, parking and admission taxes, hotel room fees, and sales tax credits. A clause required Allen or his estate to give the stadium authority 10% of any Seahawks sale proceeds before the bonds were paid off. The facility opened in May 1999, with First & Goal Inc. handling construction and operations under a 30-year lease that included options to extend.
Construction and layout
Lumen Field, designed by Ellerbe Becket and LMN Architects with input from Seahawks owner Paul Allen, opened in 1999 after a delay caused by lease negotiations. Construction began in 1998, and the stadium's unique U-shape with an open north end offers better sightlines than most NFL venues, seating 67,000 with room to expand. Built on soft tidal marshland, it sits on over 2,200 pilings and includes eight separate sections to handle soil and earthquake concerns. The stadium's 200,000-square-foot roof covers 70% of the seats but leaves the field open, a design choice Allen favored for cost and views. It was completed a month early and on budget, with a friction pendulum system to protect against quakes. Originally white, the roof turned gray and was repainted blue in 2010; LED lights were added in 2019. The structure blends with nearby Pioneer Square using salmon concrete and red brick, and in 2015, the Seahawks added the Toyota Fan Deck at the south end.
Surface
In 1997, voters approved a new stadium with a natural grass field, but when the Seahawks played on FieldTurf at Husky Stadium in 2000 and 2001, they switched to artificial turf for easier maintenance and to avoid damage from Seattle's rain. The decision was supported by coach Mike Holmgren, who said players loved it and fans would benefit. Local soccer fans worried it hurt Seattle's chances for an MLS franchise, so a compromise allowed grass for special events. Lumen Field became the first NFL stadium with FieldTurf in 2002, but issues arose—by 2010, the surface failed FIFA's 2 Star test. It was replaced in 2012 and again in 2016 with a new system, and then in 2024 with the FieldTurf CORE system. Teams like the Sounders and Seahawks have repeatedly raised concerns about the field's impact on play and player health, leading to a lease extension mandate for turf updates every four years or sooner.
Seahawks
The Seahawks played their first game at Qwest Field on August 11, 2002, losing to the Indianapolis Colts in a preseason game. Their regular-season opener came on September 15, 2002, when they lost to the Arizona Cardinals. Between 2002 and 2005, the team won 24 of 32 games at the venue, including two home seasons without a loss. Head coach Mike Holmgren called the field "a remarkable place to compete in and to play professional football." Under Pete Carroll, the Seahawks were undefeated at home during the 2012 season. Season ticket sales for 2013 set a franchise record with a 98% renewal rate. The team compiled a 95–41 regular season record through the 2018 season. Since 2003, the Seahawks have sold out every game at the stadium, with 146 consecutive sellouts through 2019. The largest crowd for a Seahawks game was 69,190 against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2016. In 2024, the team sold 663,500 tickets with an average cost of $143 each. The Seahawks have a 30-year lease with the Washington State Public Stadium Authority that runs through 2032.
Home field advantage
Lumen Field is known as one of the loudest NFL stadiums, holding a Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium in the world. The stadium's design with seating decks and partial roof traps noise, making communication difficult for opposing teams. From 2002 through 2012, visiting teams committed 143 false-start penalties in Seattle, second only to the Minnesota Vikings. During that time, the Seahawks had a home record of 59–29 and a road record of 33–55. In 2003, Tod Leiweke installed a flagpole to fly the 12th Man Flag honoring fans who helped create the stadium's notorious noise. Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren credited the crowd for false starts during the 2005 game against the New York Giants, and the team later displayed the game-winning field goal ball in tribute. The NFL investigated complaints about artificial crowd noise but found no evidence. Since then, the Seahawks have tracked and displayed visiting teams' false start penalties to激励观众. In 2013, fans broke the world record for loudest stadium, reaching 137.6 decibels against the New Orleans Saints, though they were later surpassed by Arrowhead Stadium.
XFL
The Seattle Dragons played their only two home games at CenturyLink Field during the 2020 XFL season. The team drew a league-record crowd of 29,172 fans for the home opener on February 15, 2020, and 22,060 for the second game. They were among the highest-drawing teams in the league before the XFL suspended operations due to the pandemic. The team returned in 2023 at Lumen Field as the Sea Dragons, hosting their first home game on February 23. Their final game was on April 23, 2023, a 28–9 win over the Vegas Vipers that earned them a playoff berth. That same season, the XFL merged with another league, ending the Sea Dragons’ run.
College
Lumen Field, known then as CenturyLink Field, has been a regular venue for college football in Washington, hosting the Washington Huskies and Washington State Cougars in high-profile games like the Apple Cup, including matchups in 2011 and 2024. The Cougars played annual non-conference games there from 2002 through 2014, with attendance ranging from thirty thousand to sixty-three thousand. In 2009, there was a proposal to move the Apple Cup to the stadium for six years, but the two schools couldn’t agree on ticket distribution. The field also hosted lower-division games, including rivalry contests between Division II teams and FCS games involving Eastern Washington University, which billed one as the “Showdown on the Sound.”
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Overview
In sports, the term "home" refers to the place and venue where a team plays. Most professional teams are tied to specific cities or metropolitan areas, while amateur teams might come from a region or an institution like a school or university. When a team plays at their own venue, they're called the home team. If they play somewhere else, they’re the away, visiting, or road team. Home teams usually wear their home colors. In most sports, the home team has an advantage—winning more often because they know the field and have fans cheering them on.
Venue
Every sports team plays at a home field, court, or stadium where they host games and practice. When a team hosts, they're the home team in a "home game," often winning more due to familiarity with the venue and fan support. The opposing team is called the visiting, away, or road team. In North American sports, you can usually identify the home team by logos or names placed in the center of playing areas—center ice or midfield. In baseball, it might be on a dugout, and in football, in the end zone. On TV scoreboards, the home team's score is shown to the right or below the road team's, except in soccer where it's reversed.
Exceptions
Teams sometimes have to play their home games somewhere else for various reasons. During World War II, Manchester United left Old Trafford due to bombing damage and played at Maine Road, Manchester City's stadium, for eight years. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Louisiana Superdome, forcing the New Orleans Saints to play away all season. Travel restrictions during the pandemic required European teams to play in other countries. In March 2021, Atlético Madrid used a Bucharest stadium because Spain banned UK travelers. The Toronto Blue Jays once played a home series in Philadelphia while the G-20 Summit was in town. In baseball, postponed games might be played at the other team's stadium. On September 26, 2007, the Cleveland Indians played the Seattle Mariners in Seattle, even though they were supposed to be the home team.
Uniforms or kits
In sports, teams follow specific traditions for choosing uniforms at home and away games. In Australian football, the home team wears their regular jumper with black or colored shorts, while the away team wears a lighter version of their jumper and/or white shorts. American football and ice hockey differ: most home teams wear their official team colors, while visiting teams often choose white or colors opposite to the home team’s selection. Baseball and basketball are different again—the home team typically wears the lighter version of their uniform, often called “home whites.” This term dates back to early Major League Baseball, when road teams had no access to laundry and wore grey or dark colors to hide stains from play, while home teams could wear clean white uniforms each day.
Homerism
In sports, a “home” crew covers all the home games, and sometimes travels to away games, but they’re still expected to call the play fairly, especially when officials make disputed calls. When they don’t, they’re accused of being “homers” or showing “homerism.” National crews, who work the biggest games, must stay neutral, or risk criticism for favoring teams. Online fans often act like “homers,” believing their team can do no wrong and the other team can do no right—something that mirrors extreme political partisanship.
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Overview
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, known popularly as "The Swamp," sits in Gainesville, Florida, on the University of Florida campus, where it has been the home of the Florida Gators football team since 1930. Originally called Florida Field, the stadium opened with a seating capacity of 22,000 and has since been expanded and renovated many times. It is now the largest stadium in Florida, the 12th largest in the United States, and the 20th largest in the world, officially holding 88,548 people, though it often exceeds 90,000 for home games. Most of the university’s athletic administration offices have been located under the west stands since the 1960s. Until a new stand-alone facility opened nearby in 2022, most football offices and training areas were also housed within the stadium.
Location
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium sits on the northern edge of the University of Florida’s campus in Gainesville, surrounded by West University Avenue to the north, Gale Lemerand Drive to the west, and Stadium Road to the south. To the east lies the university’s historic district, home to the Murphree Area student housing, the Florida Gymnasium, and Ustler Hall. Just across Gale Lemerand Drive, west of the stadium, is the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, which hosts Florida Gators basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, and swimming and diving teams. Near the O'Connell Center are football practice fields, an indoor training facility, and a new administrative building that opened in 2022.
Naming
From 1930 to 1989, the stadium was known simply as Florida Field. In 1989, it was renamed Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, after citrus magnate and university benefactor Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. The playing surface, however, stayed called Florida Field, so the full name was “Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field” until 2016. That year, it became “Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium,” honoring former quarterback and coach Steve Spurrier, whose impact on Florida Athletics athletic director Jeremy Foley said went beyond wins and championships. The nickname “The Swamp,” coined by Spurrier in 1992, stuck, as he explained: “A swamp is where Gators live.”
Earlier facilities
From 1906 until 1911, the University of Florida's football and baseball teams played at Gainesville’s municipal athletic park, known as The Ballpark or “The Baseball Park.” In 1910, the university bought and cleared land west of campus, where they built wooden bleachers and laid out a football field and baseball diamond. By January 1911, University Athletic Field was ready, hosting the Gators’ baseball season opener. Football games followed in 1911, the same year the team adopted the nickname “Gators.” In 1915, the field was renamed Fleming Field after former governor Francis P. Fleming, and larger bleachers were added. With only about 5,000 capacity and basic amenities, it couldn’t host all of Florida’s growing schedule, so the team often played at bigger stadiums in Jacksonville and Tampa.
Initial planning and construction
When Florida’s football program gained national attention in the 1920s, university president John J. Tigert began planning a proper stadium upon his arrival in 1928. With state funding unavailable during the Great Depression, the University of Florida Athletic Association was formed to raise money, and Tigert along with ten supporters took out personal loans to help build the $118,000, 22,000-seat stadium. Construction started April 16, 1930, but engineers soon faced problems with groundwater and drainage due to the site being a shallow ravine. An underground stream flooded the area, delaying completion. The issue was resolved by installing large culverts that redirected water to Graham Pond and eventually to Lake Alice. The stadium wasn't finished until November 8, 1930, for the homecoming game against Alabama. In 1934, Florida Field was dedicated to World War I servicemen, with a plaque installed on the north end zone wall.
2026 Renovation
In 2017, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin announced plans to upgrade Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aiming to improve fan experience with modern technology, luxury areas, and chair-back seating—though this initially meant reducing overall capacity, a move that drew criticism. The project, set for completion by 2025, began in 2018 with small upgrades like Wi-Fi routers and video boards. After delays due to the pandemic, the university reimagined the effort as a long-term solution, studying historic stadiums like Fenway Park and Lambeau Field to preserve character while updating infrastructure. In June 2026, they unveiled a $1.45 billion renovation—the most expensive in college football history—that will rebuild concourses, install new systems, widen aisles for accessibility, and add open-air premier seating to compensate for lost capacity. As Stricklin said, "We can sit there and just not touch it and let it fall into disrepair, or we can finally address it and try to do something in a thoughtful manner." Construction starts after the 2026 season and finishes by 2030, with the team continuing to play at The Swamp throughout.
Playing surface
The playing surface at Florida Field has shifted several times over the years. It began as natural grass, but in 1971, AstroTurf was put down and came to be called "Doug's Rug" by fans, named after coach Doug Dickey. That artificial turf stayed until 1980, when it was replaced with a newer version. By 1990, coach Steve Spurrier had it removed again in favor of real grass, believing it would lower the risk of player injuries. Then, in June 2012, the entire surface was taken out down to the base to install a better drainage system and in-ground sensors that monitor moisture and temperature. After that, the field was covered with a new kind of Bermuda grass, one specially bred to resist drought and disease. Late in the football season, rye grass is often added on top to handle wear.
Other home fields
Since 1930, Florida has played most of its home games at Florida Field, except for the annual matchup with Georgia, which has been held in Jacksonville since 1933. The teams alternate as the official home team, though in 1994 and 1995 the game was moved due to the Gator Bowl being rebuilt, with the contest held at Florida Field and Georgia’s Sanford Stadium respectively. Earlier, Florida would occasionally play home games in Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, or Orlando, but since September 1980, the Gators have not played a regular season game outside of Florida Field. That game, against California in Tampa Stadium, occurred just before Florida Field’s south endzone expansion, which made it the largest football stadium in the state.
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Overview
Rate Field, formerly known as Comiskey Park II and later US Cellular Field and Guaranteed Rate Field, is home to the Chicago White Sox baseball team on the South Side of Chicago. It opened on April 18, 1991, after the original Comiskey Park was torn down in 1990 to make way for a parking lot. Built at a cost of $137 million, the stadium sits just west of the Dan Ryan Expressway in the Armour Square neighborhood, across 35th Street from where the old park once stood. A marble plaque marks the location of home plate, and the foul lines are painted in the adjacent parking lot. The design of the new ballpark includes a ramp crossing 35th Street that mirrors the contour of the former first-base grandstand.
History
The stadium opened April 18, 1991, as Chicago's first major sports venue since 1929 and the last MLB park built before retro-classic ballparks emerged in the 1990s and 2000s. Some design elements from old Comiskey Park were kept, including arched windows and the "exploding scoreboard" installed by Bill Veeck in 1960. The layout resembled Royals Stadium in Kansas City, built in 1973. Early fans criticized the upper deck height meant to avoid overhang issues but made the stadium look generic from outside. Since 2001, changes included a multi-tiered concourse beyond center field, adjusted outfield fences, and removal of 6,600 seats at top of upper deck. The new green-and-black color scheme, screen behind top row, and canopy roof bring back old Comiskey Park look, while murals were added to interior concourses. The stadium features 103 luxury suites, 1,822 club seats with service, 400 wheelchair-accessible seats, and 38 restrooms.
Naming rights
Originally home to the Chicago White Sox, Comiskey Park was renamed U.S. Cellular Field in 2003 after the local telecom company paid $68 million for a 20-year naming rights deal. The company later exited the agreement early, paying $13 million and saving an estimated $10.8 million. Then, in 2016, Guaranteed Rate, a Chicago-based mortgage firm, took over with a 13-year contract worth $20.4 million over ten years—averaging $2.04 million annually. That figure came in under U.S. Cellular’s yearly payment of $3.4 million and also fell short of the average MLB naming rights price of $3.6 million at the time. In December 2024, the stadium's name was trimmed to Rate Field following a corporate rebranding by Guaranteed Rate.
Transportation and entry gates
Rate Field is easy to reach by public transit, with the CTA's Red Line stopping at Sox–35th and the Green Line at 35-Bronzeville-IIT. Fans can also use the Metra station that opened in 2011 on the Rock Island line, or CTA bus route #35 and the Pace Rate Field Express shuttle. The stadium sits just west of the Dan Ryan Expressway, which was under construction between 2006 and 2007 to ease traffic. There are eight parking lots and seven main entrances, each labeled from Gate 1 to Gate 7, with Gate 1 on the South side in right field and Gate 7 on the East side in left field. The main level is only accessible to those with lower-level seats.
In film and other media
Rate Field has served as a stand-in for iconic ballparks in film and television, doubling as Dodger Stadium in Rookie of the Year from 1993 and taking on the role of every opposing team’s stadium in Little Big League in 1994, except for Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park. The park later appeared in Major League II the same year, followed by My Best Friend's Wedding in 1997 and The Ladies Man in 2000. Beyond movies, it has also been the setting for advertisements for major brands and organizations.
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