Historic Crew Stadium
Lamar Hunt, an oil billionaire and owner of the Columbus Crew, provided all private funding for a stadium that would cost US$28.5 million to build. The project began on a 15-acre site between East 17th Avenue and East Hudson Street, where the old Columbus Auto Parts factory had stood vacant for decades before its demolition in the 1990s. Groundbreaking occurred in early 1998, and construction took exactly 274 days from start to finish. The stadium opened on the 15th of May 1999, with a match against the New England Revolution. It was the first soccer-specific stadium built by a Major League Soccer team, though Steel Athletic Field in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, had been constructed earlier in 1913. Before this venue existed, the Crew played their first three seasons at Ohio Stadium on the campus of the Ohio State University. Large sections of that massive facility were blocked off to reduce capacity from approximately 90,000 down to 25,243 seats. The original field size and lack of permanent lighting made it ill-suited for professional soccer matches.
For nearly 15 years after opening, the stadium operated without any corporate naming rights agreement. On the 3rd of March 2015, Madrid-based Mapfre Insurance signed a five-year sponsorship deal that renamed the venue Mapfre Stadium. The company had been searching to sell stadium naming rights since it opened in 1999 but could not reach an agreement until that date. In December 2020, the deal expired and the Crew officially renamed the stadium Historic Crew Stadium. The listed seating capacity is now 19,968, down from its original figure of 22,555 due to later modifications. In 2015, Mapfre Stadium and Director of Grounds Weston Appelfeller received the prestigious Field of the Year award from the Sports Turf Managers Association for the professional soccer division. The stadium facade measures 48 feet in height, while bleachers reach their maximum vertical point at unspecified heights within the structure.
The venue hosted the 2001 MLS Cup championship match between LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes with attendance reaching 21,626 spectators. It served as host for the Major League Soccer All-Star Game in both 2000 and 2005. The U.S. men's national team played ten games there through 2013, maintaining an unbeaten record of eight wins, three losses, and zero draws before falling to Mexico on the 11th of November 2016. That match ended 1, 2 and marked Mexico's first ever win in Columbus. A sub-freezing temperature event known as La Guerra Fria occurred during a February 2001 World Cup qualifier against Mexico. The stadium also hosted five consecutive World Cup qualifying matches against Mexico, with the U.S. winning four by the same score of 2, 0. In 2003, it was one of several venues used during the group stage of the FIFA Women's World Cup.
A permanent stage built in 2008 replaced about 2,100 seats in the north end zone to accommodate concerts after Germain Amphitheater closed. Rock on the Range ran annually from 2007 until 2018 when it was replaced by Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival starting in 2019. Approximately 175,000 people attended Sonic Temple in May 2025 alone. Concerts by Rascal Flatts closed out the Ohio State Fair in 2006, 2007, and 2009. Kenny Chesney performed multiple times including a Sun City Carnival Tour in 2009 that sold 25,088 tickets for $1,943,542 revenue. Linkin Park played a 2015 Hunting Party Tour concert that drew 40,000 attendees. The venue features a 384 square foot video board alongside 32 feet of scrolling matrix display technology.
The Columbus Crew played their final game at Historic Crew Stadium against Chicago Fire FC on the 19th of June 2021, winning 2, 0 before moving to ScottsMiracle-Gro Field which opened the 3rd of July 2021. Construction on the new stadium began in October 2019 as part of ownership plans unveiled in 2018. Starting in the 2022 season, Columbus Crew 2 began playing first-level matches there with their opening game occurring the 15th of April 2022 against Orlando City B. The OhioHealth Performance Center training facility incorporating the stadium itself officially opened in June 2021. As of 2020, a new authority owns both the stadium and its adjacent city sports park while the team continues controlling usage as practice space. On the 31st of July 2025, the United Football League announced plans to bring a team to the stadium for the 2026 season.
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Common questions
When did Historic Crew Stadium open and what was the first match played there?
Historic Crew Stadium opened on the 15th of May 1999 with a match against the New England Revolution. Lamar Hunt provided all private funding for the project which cost US$28.5 million to build.
Who owned Historic Crew Stadium before it became Mapfre Stadium in 2015?
The stadium operated without any corporate naming rights agreement for nearly 15 years after opening. Madrid-based Mapfre Insurance signed a five-year sponsorship deal that renamed the venue Mapfre Stadium on the 3rd of March 2015.
What is the current seating capacity of Historic Crew Stadium compared to its original figure?
The listed seating capacity is now 19,968 down from its original figure of 22,555 due to later modifications. Large sections of the previous Ohio Stadium facility were blocked off to reduce capacity from approximately 90,000 down to 25,243 seats before this venue existed.
How many times has the U.S. men's national team won at Historic Crew Stadium through 2013?
The U.S. men's national team maintained an unbeaten record of eight wins and three losses playing ten games there through 2013. That match ended 1, 2 and marked Mexico's first ever win in Columbus on the 11th of November 2016.
When did the Columbus Crew play their final game at Historic Crew Stadium before moving to ScottsMiracle-Gro Field?
The Columbus Crew played their final game at Historic Crew Stadium against Chicago Fire FC on the 19th of June 2021. Construction on the new stadium began in October 2019 as part of ownership plans unveiled in 2018.