CEFCU Stadium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
CEFCU Stadium

View from southwest in 2008
San Jose Location in the United States Show map of the United States San Jose Location in California Show map of California
Former names	Spartan Stadium (1933–2015)
Address	1257 S. 10th Street
Location	San Jose, California, U.S.
Coordinates	37°19′11″N 121°52′6″W / 37.31972°N 121.86833°W / 37.31972; -121.86833
Public transit	Tamien
Owner	San Jose State University
Operator	San Jose State University
Capacity	21,520 (2019–present) 30,456 (1998–2018) 31,218 (1985–1997) 18,155 (1948–1984) 11,000 (1937–1947)   8,500 (1936)   4,000 (1933–1935)
Surface	AstroTurf (2017–present) FieldTurf (2009–2017) Natural grass (1933–2008)
Construction
Broke ground	1933
Opened	1933; 92 years ago (1933)
Expanded	1936–1937, 1948, 1985
Construction cost	US $2.25 million (1985 expansion)
Tenants
San Jose State Spartans (NCAA) (1933–present) San Jose Earthquakes (NASL/WSA) (1974–1988) San Francisco Bay Blackhawks/San Jose Hawks (WSA/APSL/USISL) (1989–1993) San Jose Clash/Earthquakes (MLS) (1996–2005) Bay Area/San Jose CyberRays (WUSA) (2001–2003) Silicon Valley Football Classic (NCAA) (2000–2004) San Francisco Dragons (MLL) (2008) California Redwoods (UFL) (2009)

CEFCU Stadium, also called Spartan Stadium for many years, is an outdoor sports stadium. It is located in San Jose, California, in the United States. San José State University owns this stadium. It is the home field for the Spartan football team.

The stadium also hosts the university's graduation ceremony each year. Sometimes, it even holds high school football games. It was known as Spartan Stadium for over 80 years before its name changed in 2016.

CEFCU Stadium was the home of the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team from 1996 to 2005. Other teams have also played here. These include the original San Jose Earthquakes from 1974 to 1984. The San Jose CyberRays women's soccer team played here from 2001 to 2003. The San Francisco Dragons lacrosse team used it in 2008. A big soccer championship, Soccer Bowl '75, was also held at CEFCU Stadium.

In 2009, the stadium's natural grass field was replaced. A new type of artificial turf called FieldTurf was installed. This change saved a lot of water and money for the university. In 2017, the FieldTurf was replaced with AstroTurf Rhino Blend. The field is about 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level.

The stadium has also received major updates to its scoreboard and sound system. In 2011, a large HD video screen was added. A new, even bigger video board was installed in 2020.

How CEFCU Stadium Was Built and Grew

Spartan Stadium in the 1950s

CEFCU Stadium first opened in 1933. It started as a smaller stadium with seats for 4,000 people. The field was surrounded by large dirt hills, making it look like a "sunken bowl."

Over the years, the stadium grew bigger. In 1936, it could hold 8,500 people. By 1948, it had seats for over 18,000 fans. The biggest changes happened in the 1980s. The stadium's capacity increased to over 31,000 seats. This was done by adding more seating areas and an upper level.

In 1998, the field was made wider for soccer games. This followed rules set by FIFA, the world soccer organization. Because of these changes, some seats closest to the field were removed. This lowered the total seating to 30,456.

In 2007, there were talks about building a new stadium nearby. The idea was for the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team to build a new home. However, the plans did not work out. The Earthquakes and San Jose State University could not agree on how to share money from the stadium.

The seating capacity stayed at 30,456 until 2019. Then, it was temporarily reduced to 21,520. This was part of a big renovation project on the east side of the stadium.

Why the Stadium's Name Changed

In August 2016, a company called Citizens Equity First Credit Union bought the rights to name the stadium. They paid $8.7 million for this. The agreement between CEFCU and San José State University will last for 15 years.

San Jose State University was the first school in the California State University system to make such a deal. The money from this deal helps pay for sports scholarships. It also helps with athletic programs and stadium improvements.

New Spartan Athletics Center and Stadium Upgrades

A new building called the Spartan Athletics Center was finished in August 2023. It cost about $70 million. This large, multi-story building is 55,000 square feet. It has a new center for football operations. It also includes locker rooms, offices, meeting rooms, and a sports medicine center.

The new building also has offices and locker rooms for the soccer team. There are dining areas, event spaces, and special viewing areas for fans.

This renovation project temporarily reduced the stadium's seating. About 9,000 seats were removed in 2019 to make room for the new building. This included most of the seats on the east side and some bleachers. The bleachers were removed for a new video scoreboard and an outdoor lounge area. The new scoreboard was completed in 2020.

There are plans for a second phase of this renovation. This next phase aims to replace the spectator seating that was removed.

Other Ways CEFCU Stadium Is Used

CEFCU Stadium has hosted many different events. It was the site of the Silicon Valley Football Classic bowl game from 2000 to 2004.

The stadium has also hosted several international soccer events. Most notably, it was one of the venues for the 1999 Women's World Cup. In 1999, it also hosted the NCAA Women's College Cup.

Before the recent renovations, the stadium also hosted graduation ceremonies for San José State University. It has also been used for musical concerts throughout the year.

International Soccer Matches at CEFCU Stadium

Date	Competition	Team	Res	Team	Crowd
14 Feb 1986	International Friendly	Mexico	1–2	East Germany	6,000
16 May 1998	International Friendly	United States	0–0	Macedonia	23,861
6 Nov 1998	International Friendly	United States	0–0	Australia	15,074
19 Jun 1999	1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Group C	Japan	1–1	Canada	23,298
19 Jun 1999	1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Group D	Sweden	1–2	China	23,298
30 Jun 1999	1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Quarter-finals	China	2–0	Russia	21,411
30 Jun 1999	1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Quarter-finals	Norway	3–1	Sweden	21,411
27 Sep 2000	International Friendly	Mexico	1–0	Bolivia	30,154
2 Jun 2007	International Friendly	United States	4–1	China	20,821

Nearby Sports Venues

CEFCU Stadium is very close to other sports places in San Jose. These include:

• The Excite Ballpark, where the San Jose Giants baseball team plays. They are a minor league team for the San Francisco Giants.
• The Tech CU Arena at Sharks Ice San Jose. This is home to the San Jose Barracuda hockey team. They are part of the American Hockey League.

Images for kids

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  Spartan Stadium, San Jose, California — 1933

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  Proposed Expansion — 1960s

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  Spartan Stadium – San Jose State vs. Boise State — 2008

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  Spartan Stadium – Aerial view at night — 2008

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  First season using new "FieldTurf" playing surface, San Jose State vs. Utah – 2009

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  The Spartan Stadium field in 2015

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  Aerial view from the southwest, 2017

See also

In Spanish: Spartan Stadium (San José) para niños