CEFCU Stadium
The stadium officially opened in 1933 as a facility holding just 4,000 seats. Its design featured large berms on the east, west, north and south sides of the field. This layout gave the venue a distinctive sunken bowl appearance that set it apart from other stadiums of the era. The seating capacity grew to 8,500 by 1936 through incremental expansions. By 1948 the total capacity reached just over 18,000 people. Additional additions came during the 1980s when end zone bleachers were added. An upper deck and boxes appeared on the west side during this same decade. These changes pushed the capacity to just over 31,000 spectators.
CEFCU Stadium served as home for the San Jose Earthquakes from 1996 until 2005. The team originally operated under the name San Jose Clash at the league's inception. Other tenants included the original San Jose Earthquakes of the North American Soccer League from 1974 to 1984. The San Jose CyberRays played there from 2001 to 2003 in the Women's United Soccer Association. The San Francisco Dragons of Major League Lacrosse used the venue in 2008. Soccer Bowl '75 also took place within these walls. In 1998 field modifications occurred to meet official FIFA regulations for the soccer team. Parts of the stands closest to the playing field were removed during these renovations. This action lowered available seating for all sports to 30,456 seats.
During the winter and spring of 2009 natural grass was removed from the playing surface. It was replaced with FieldTurf featuring a crumb rubber and sand infill system. This improvement resulted in significant savings for the university regarding water use and labor costs. The FieldTurf playing surface later received replacement with AstroTurf Rhino Blend in 2017. Significant upgrades arrived to the scoreboard and sound system in both 2011 and 2020. An HD video screen by Daktronics appeared at the south end of the stadium in 2011. A new much larger video board installed itself at the north end in 2020. The playing field aligns north-northwest to south-southeast at an approximate elevation above sea level.
Citizens Equity First Credit Union purchased sole naming rights in August 2016. The agreement cost $8.7 million over a period lasting 15 years. SJSU became the first university in the California State University system to strike such a deal. It also stood as the second university in the state of California to do so. The CEFCU sponsorship marked the third such arrangement among the 12 Mountain West Conference football members. The $8.7 million payout would primarily fund athletic scholarships and operations. Athletics facilities also received funding from this financial injection. Plans for a new stadium collapsed on the 19th of April 2007 after negotiations failed between the Earthquakes and SJSU.
A CEFCU Stadium east-side building addition completed construction in August 2023. The project cost approximately $70 million to finish. Known as the Spartan Athletics Center the facility spans 55,000 square feet across multiple stories. It houses a new football operations center and locker rooms alongside offices and meeting spaces. A sports medicine center operates within the multi-story structure. Soccer team offices and dining facilities occupy parts of the building too. Event spaces and premium viewing areas round out the amenities. Approximately 9,000 seats were removed from the stadium in 2019 to make way for the new building. This removal included virtually all of the east-side stadium seating and some north end zone bleachers.
The venue served as one of the locations for the 1999 Women's World Cup tournament. Additional events included the 1999 NCAA Women's College Cup held at the same site. International matches took place here with crowds reaching over 30,000 spectators on the 27th of September 2000. A crowd of 23,861 attended an international friendly match on the 16th of May 1998. Quarterfinal games during the 1999 tournament drew 21,411 people each. The now defunct NCAA Silicon Valley Football Classic bowl game ran from 2000 to 2004. Musical concerts throughout the year previously filled the stands before renovations began.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did CEFCU Stadium officially open and what was its initial seating capacity?
CEFCU Stadium officially opened in 1933 with a facility holding just 4,000 seats. The venue featured large berms on the east west north and south sides of the field to create a distinctive sunken bowl appearance.
Who purchased sole naming rights for CEFCU Stadium and when did the agreement begin?
Citizens Equity First Credit Union purchased sole naming rights for CEFCU Stadium in August 2016. The agreement cost $8.7 million over a period lasting 15 years and became the first such deal struck by any university in the California State University system.
What major renovations occurred at CEFCU Stadium during 2009 and 2017 regarding the playing surface?
Natural grass was removed from the playing surface of CEFCU Stadium during the winter and spring of 2009 and replaced with FieldTurf featuring a crumb rubber and sand infill system. This FieldTurf playing surface later received replacement with AstroTurf Rhino Blend in 2017.
When was the Spartan Athletics Center addition completed and how many seats were removed to make way for it?
A CEFCU Stadium east-side building addition known as the Spartan Athletics Center completed construction in August 2023. Approximately 9,000 seats were removed from the stadium in 2019 to make way for the new building which spans 55,000 square feet across multiple stories.
Which international soccer events took place at CEFCU Stadium during the late 1990s and early 2000s?
The venue served as one of the locations for the 1999 Women's World Cup tournament and hosted the 1999 NCAA Women's College Cup held at the same site. International matches took place here with crowds reaching over 30,000 spectators on the 27th of September 2000 and a crowd of 23,861 attended an international friendly match on the 16th of May 1998.