| MetLife Stadium | |
|---|---|
| The New Meadowlands, The Met | |
| Former names | New Meadowlands Stadium (2010) |
| Location | 1 MetLife Stadium Drive East Rutherford, New Jersey 07073, United States |
| Broke ground | September 5, 2007[1] |
| Opened | April 10, 2010[2] |
| Owner | New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority |
| Operator | MetLife Stadium Company, LLC (joint venture between the New York Giants and New York Jets) |
| Surface | FieldTurf |
| Construction cost | $1.6 billion ($1.6 billion in 2012 dollars[3]) |
| Architect | EwingCole Skanska AB 360 Architecture |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Capacity | 82,566[4][5] |
| Tenants | |
| New York Giants (NFL) (2010-present) New York Jets (NFL) (2010–present) Big City Classic (2010–present) Super Bowl XLVIII (NFL) (2014) |
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MetLife Stadium is a stadium in the New York City Metropolitan Area, part of the MetLife Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League and is adjacent to the site of the former Giants Stadium, which was home to the Giants from 1976 until December 2009 and the Jets from 1984 until January 2010. Like its predecessor, the new stadium is the only NFL stadium shared by two teams. However, unlike Giants Stadium, in which the Jets were tenants of the Giants, the new stadium is a 50/50 partnership between both teams.
The stadium is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority on paper however, the two teams jointly built the stadium using private funds, and administer it jointly through the MetLife Stadium Company. The stadium opened as New Meadowlands Stadium on April 10, 2010, featuring the Big City Classic lacrosse event.[2] In 2011, MetLife, an insurance company based in New York City, acquired the naming rights to the stadium. At a construction cost of approximately $1.6 billion, it is the most expensive NFL stadium ever built, and is the largest stadium in the NFL in terms of permanent seating capacity.[2][6]
On May 25, 2010, it was announced that Super Bowl XLVIII was awarded to the stadium, the first time a Super Bowl would be played in the New York metropolitan area, and the first time that a non-domed stadium in the northern United States would host it.[7]
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As Giants Stadium approached 30 years of age, it was becoming one of the older stadiums in the NFL. The New York Jets, who had been the lesser tenants in the Meadowlands, sought to have their own stadium built. The proposed West Side Stadium would have been built in Manhattan proper, but with significant public funding required. When that fell through, the Jets entered into a partnership with the Giants to build a new stadium that the two teams would share on equal footing.
The stadium is distinguished by an outer skin of aluminum louvers and by interior lighting that switches colors depending on which team is playing at home.[8] Essentially, unlike Giants Stadium, MetLife Stadium can easily be converted from a Giants game to a Jets game or vice versa within a matter of hours.[9] This is a technique originated at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, which is shared between the city's two major soccer teams, Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich. The special louvers and the associated hanging system were custom designed and manufactured by Overgaard Ltd. of Hong Kong and Architectural Wall Systems of Des Moines, Iowa. The total linear length of louvers is exactly 50,000 meters (50 kilometers) or 163,681 feet (31.1 miles).
Front row 50 yard line seats are 46 feet (14 m) away from the sideline, which is the shortest distance of all NFL Stadiums. To change the field decorations, two 4-man crews take about 18 hours to roll up 40 sections of FieldTurf that make up the teams' respective endzones.[10] Unlike most NFL stadiums, the NFL logo is painted at midfield instead of the logo of one of the teams, also shortening the transition time. The replaceable team logos at midfield were removed in August 2010 after Domenik Hixon tore his anterior cruciate ligament at a practice at the stadium during training camp.[11]
Unlike a number of other new NFL venues, MetLife Stadium does not have a roof, as proposals to include a roof failed due to a dispute over funding.[12] Thus, indoor events such as the Final Four cannot be held at the facility, which runs counter to the original aims for a new stadium in northern New Jersey.[13]
Twenty giant high-definition-ready light emitting diode (LED) pylons designed, manufactured, and installed by Daktronics at the north and east entrances display videos of the team that is playing. The pylons measure approximately 54 feet (16 m) high by 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. Inside, four 30 feet (9.1 m) by 116 feet (35 m) video displays from Daktronics, which incorporate high definition video technology, hang from each corner of the upper deck.[14]
The new stadium has seating for 82,566 fans, including 10,005 club seats and approximately 218 luxury suites, making it the largest NFL stadium in total seating.[15]
| lower bowl | mid-bowl | upper bowl |
|---|---|---|
| 33,346 | 21,323 | 27,897 |
MetLife Stadium includes a total of four locker rooms: one for the Giants, one for the Jets and two for visiting teams. The home teams have locker rooms on opposite ends of the stadium with a visitor's locker room adjacent to it; the unused visitor locker room is also used as a spillover area by the home team on game days.[16][17]
The lease for the new stadium is for 25 years, with options to extend it that could eventually reach 97 years. After the 15th year of the lease, every five years, one of the two teams may opt out of the lease after giving the state 12 months notice. However, if one team leaves for a new stadium, the other team would have to remain for the remainder of the lease. Based on the teams' histories, this clause presumably allows the Jets to eventually decide that they want to play in their own stadium and leave if they can find a way to finance it, although the high cost of the stadium and relocation of team facilities to New Jersey makes this unlikely. It is unknown if the lease starts upon construction or upon the stadium's opening. The teams also get parking revenue from the Meadowlands' western parking lots year round, even when there are no events at the stadium (this would occur when other parts of the Meadowlands host events).[18]
MetLife Stadium is accessible via Exit 16W on the western spur of the New Jersey Turnpike and is also located adjacent to Route 3 and Route 120. Coach USA provides bus service between the stadium and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. [19]
The Meadowlands Rail Line operates on event days between the newly constructed Meadowlands Station and Hoboken Terminal via Secaucus Junction, where there is connecting service to Pennsylvania Station (New York City), Pennsylvania Station (Newark), and other New Jersey Transit rail operations. The line opened to the public on July 26, 2009.[20]
Allianz, a financial services company based in Germany, expressed interest in purchasing naming rights to the stadium. The proposal was for a period of up to 30 years,[21] and was estimated to be valued at somewhere between $20 million and $30 million USD. However, it sparked protests from New York's Jewish community (the largest outside of Israel) and the Anti-Defamation League, which opposed the move due to close ties in the past between Allianz and the government of Nazi Germany during World War II. However, Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum, secretary general of the North American Board of Rabbis, agreed that although survivors' sensibilities are understandable, a naming deal is legitimate. "I have found Allianz to be receptive, to be sensitive and a friend of the Jewish people today," he said.[22] Allianz sponsors the venue that inspired the color-change technology for MetLife Stadium: Allianz Arena in Munich. No agreement was reached and talks between Allianz and the teams ended on September 12, 2008.[23]
On June 10, 2010, TMZ.com reported that Ashley Madison, an online dating site marketed primarily to those already in a relationship and one that is famous for its numerous failed attempts to advertise with the league, made an offer to rename the stadium to AshleyMadison.com Stadium.[24]
On June 27, 2011, it was reported that insurance company MetLife entered discussions to purchase naming rights to the stadium.[25] The new name, "MetLife Stadium,"[26] became official when all parties signed a 25-year deal on August 23.[27][28]
In June 2009, the New Meadowlands Stadium Corporation and the EPA signed a memorandum of understanding that outlines plans to incorporate environmentally-friendly materials and practices into the construction and operation of MetLife Stadium. The agreement includes strategies to reduce air pollution, conserve water and energy, improve waste management, and reduce the environmental impact of construction. The goal of the agreement is to save the emission of nearly 1.68 million metric tons of carbon dioxide during the stadium's construction and its first year of operation. Under this agreement, the stadium construction must use around 40,000 tons of recycled steel, recycle 20,000 tons of steel from Giants Stadium, install seating made from recycled plastic and scrap iron, and reduce air pollution from construction vehicles by using cleaner diesel fuel, diesel engine filters, and minimizing engine idle times. Other goals of this agreement include providing mass transit options for fans and replacing traditional concession plates, cups and carries with compostable alternatives. The New Meadowlands Stadium Corporation will report the progress on its goals to EPA every six months. Based on the reports, EPA will quantify the benefits of the venue’s environmental efforts.[29][30]
MetLife Stadium will host Super Bowl XLVIII in February 2014.[31] The NFL requires that a Super Bowl hosting stadium must have an average temperature of 50 degrees or higher in February or be held in an indoor climate-controlled facility. However, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would waive this requirement. The stadium was allowed on the ballot because of a "unique, once-only circumstance based on the opportunity to celebrate the new stadium and the great heritage and history of the NFL in the New York region".[32] [33]
The first concert at the New Meadowlands was New Jersey natives Bon Jovi, who performed four shows at the venue on their The Circle Tour. The second concert at the stadium was Hot 97's Summer Jam. Eagles performed here on June 10 as part of their summer tour. U2 performed at the stadium on July 20, 2011 on their U2 360° Tour. The show was originally to be held on July 19, 2010, but had to be postponed following Bono's emergency back surgery. The show was the third to visit the Meadowlands on the U2 360° Tour, the first two being at Giants Stadium on September 23 and 24, 2009.
The stadium hosted an international exhibition soccer match between the United States and Brazil on August 10, 2010. Brazil won 2-0 in front of a near-sellout crowd of 77,223; the game was played on a temporary grass field.[38][39] The stadium hosted another international friendly between the United States and Argentina on March 26, 2011, which ended in a 1-1 draw and was played in front of a sellout crowd of 78,926.[40]
The area immediately outside of the stadium entrance hosted The Bamboozle in 2011.