Red Bull Arena (New Jersey) facts for kids
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The Fortress “The Cathedral Of American Soccer”
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View from behind the goal at Red Bull Arena, 2010
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 Red Bull Arena
Location in New York City
Red Bull Arena
Location in New Jersey
Red Bull Arena
Location in the United States
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| Former names | Red Bull Park (2006–08) (prior to opening) |
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| Address | 600 Cape May Street |
| Location | Harrison, New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 40°44′12″N 74°9′1″W / 40.73667°N 74.15028°W |
| Public transit |   PATH: Harrison
NWK–WTC
  NJT Bus: 40 |
| Owner | Hudson County Improvement Authority |
| Operator | Red Bull GmbH |
| Capacity | 25,000 |
| Field size | 120 × 75 yards |
| Surface | Kentucky Bluegrass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 19, 2006 |
| Opened | March 20, 2010 |
| Construction cost | $200 million |
| Architect | Rossetti Architects |
| Structural engineer | Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor, LLC. |
| Services engineer | URS Corporation |
| General contractor | Hunter Roberts Construction Group |
| Tenants | |
| New York Red Bulls (MLS) (2010–present) Sky Blue FC (NWSL) (2020–present) New York Red Bulls II (USLC) (2015–2016, 2018, 2020) New York City FC (MLS) (2020) |
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Red Bull Arena is a special stadium built for soccer games in Harrison, New Jersey. It's the home field for the New York Red Bulls team in Major League Soccer (MLS) and Sky Blue FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The stadium has a cool, see-through roof. It's located right by the water in Harrison, across the Passaic River from Newark. It's also only about 7 miles (12 km) west of Lower Manhattan in New York City. With room for 25,000 fans, it's one of the biggest soccer-specific stadiums in the United States and in Major League Soccer.
Contents
Building the Arena: How it Started
The idea for Red Bull Arena began on July 1, 2004. The plan was for the MetroStars (which is what the New York Red Bulls team was called back then) to move from their old home at Giants Stadium. They hoped to be in the new stadium by 2006.
However, building a big stadium takes a lot of planning! There were talks between MLS and the state of New Jersey for a long time. Finally, in August 2005, they agreed that the MetroStars would build a new soccer stadium for the 2007 season.
More delays happened because the land needed to be cleaned up. Then, in 2006, the company Red Bull GmbH bought the MetroStars team. They changed the team's name to the New York Red Bulls. This caused more changes and delays to the stadium plans. The arena finally opened in 2010.
A person named Peter B. Higgins was very important in making the stadium happen. He helped guide the project through many challenges. Because of his help, the street at the main entrance of the stadium is named Pete Higgins Boulevard.
Red Bull Takes Over and New Design
When Red Bull bought the team, they also bought the stadium's share from another company. This happened because Red Bull and the other company had different ideas for the stadium. Red Bull wanted to change the original design. For example, they decided not to build a stage for concerts, which the other company had planned.
The new design was created by Rossetti architects. The stadium's special roof system was made and put together by a company called Birdair.
Cool Features of Red Bull Arena
The stadium has a unique roof made of a special fabric called PTFE fiberglass. This roof covers all 25,000 seats and extends far out from the last row, keeping fans dry. Part of the roof is see-through, letting in natural light.
The roof's design helps make the stadium very loud! It holds and amplifies the crowd noise, making it exciting for players and fans. There are also two large, clear video screens at each end of the stadium. These screens show replays and other cool things during games. In 2019, these screens were updated to be even bigger and better.
The seats are like those in European soccer stadiums, without armrests, and they are very close to the field. The first row is only about 21 feet (6.4 meters) from the action! The seats are also angled steeply at 33 degrees, so everyone has a great view.
The stadium has 30 special luxury suites and 1,000 premium seats for a more fancy experience. You can see the Red Bull logo in red and yellow seats on the lower level, right across from where the teams sit.
Sections 133, 101, and 102 are known as the "South Ward." This area has 1,500 seats and is where the loudest home fans gather. In the South Ward, there used to be a special "Red Seat" at Section 101, Row 11, Seat 20. This seat marked the first goal scored at Red Bull Arena by player Joel Lindpere, who wore jersey number 20. Later, the number 20 on the seat was changed to "MV" to honor a fan named Mike Vallo who passed away.
Before the 2020 season, the "South Ward" was changed to a "safe standing" section. This means fans can stand safely with rails in front of them, like in some European stadiums. These rails also have cup holders! This system allows fans to stand and cheer, but the seats can still be folded down for other events. Red Bull Arena is one of the first stadiums in North America to have this kind of standing area.
On the west side of the arena, there's a "Red Ring of Honor." This was started in 2015 to celebrate the club's 20th season. Fans voted for the 20 best players from the first 20 seasons, and their names are honored here. Above this ring, you'll see the retired jersey number "99" for the great player Bradley Wright-Phillips. He was the first Red Bulls player to have his number retired. The years the team won the Supporters' Shield (2013, 2015, and 2018) are also listed there.
The lower part of the stadium is made of concrete, but the upper part is made of metal. The Red Bulls chose metal for the upper part so fans can stomp their feet and make even more noise!
In 2017, the Red Bulls opened the first permanent sensory room in MLS. This special room is for individuals and families affected by autism. It has soft lighting and calm colors to create a soothing space, along with visual aids and toys. It's free to use for anyone who needs a quiet break during a game.
Construction of the Arena
Building the Red Bull Arena officially started on January 3, 2008. Workers began by driving 3,000 timber piles into the ground to support the new stadium.
On August 19, 2008, the first large steel beam was put into place. By March 2009, the arena was about 55% finished. The last main beam for the roof was put up on April 14, 2009. The roof panels started going up in May 2009, and the first section of the roof was finished in August 2009. The system to drain water and heat the grass field was also installed in August 2009.
Exciting Events at Red Bull Arena
Red Bull Arena hosts many exciting events, especially soccer games!
Soccer Matches
The stadium officially opened on March 20, 2010, with a friendly soccer match between the Red Bulls and a Brazilian team called Santos FC. The Red Bulls won 3-1 in front of a sold-out crowd!
The first official MLS game was on March 27, 2010, against the Chicago Fire. The Red Bulls won 1-0, and Joel Lindpere scored the very first goal at Red Bull Arena.
The stadium has hosted many international soccer games. In May 2010, Turkey played against the Czech Republic. In October 2010, Ecuador played Colombia to a sold-out crowd of 25,000.
Red Bull Arena also hosted the 2011 MLS All-Star Game where the MLS All-Stars played against the famous English team Manchester United.
On October 11, 2011, the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team played their first game at the arena against Ecuador.
A special moment happened on June 20, 2013, when the United States women's national soccer team played against South Korea. In that game, U.S. star player Abby Wambach scored four goals, breaking the record for the most international goals ever scored by any soccer player, male or female!
On October 27, 2013, the New York Red Bulls won their first ever Supporters' Shield championship by beating the Chicago Fire 5-2.
In 2016, Red Bull Arena made history by being the first soccer league to use video assistant referee (VAR) in a live match. This technology helps referees make more accurate calls.
On September 1, 2017, the stadium hosted its first World Cup Qualifier Match between the United States and Costa Rica.
In November 2019, it was announced that Sky Blue FC of the National Women's Soccer League would also play their home games at Red Bull Arena starting in 2020. They had played a few games there in 2019 and had huge crowds!
Rugby Union Matches
Besides soccer, Red Bull Arena has also hosted exciting rugby union matches.
In 2010, all three final games of the Churchill Cup rugby tournament were held at the arena.
On March 12, 2016, an English rugby team called London Irish played a game against Saracens at Red Bull Arena. This was the first time an English rugby premiership match was played outside of England!
The U.S. National Rugby Team played against the Ireland National Rugby Team on June 10, 2017.
Lacrosse Games
In 2019, the Premier Lacrosse League held several matches at Red Bull Arena. This was the first time the stadium hosted lacrosse games, and they drew large crowds of fans!
Concerts and Community Events
Red Bull Arena hosted its first concert on June 18, 2011, with the band Dispatch. The stadium was praised for its great sound and views during the concert.
In 2016, the arena announced plans to regularly host concerts and other live entertainment events. On September 24, 2017, the band DNCE performed a concert there.
The stadium also helps the community. Covenant House – New Jersey has held "Sleep Outs" at Red Bull Arena to raise awareness and money for homeless youth in New Jersey.
In 2016, thousands of Peruvian Americans came to Red Bull Arena to vote in the 2016 Peruvian general election. Citizens of Peru can vote in their national elections no matter where they live.
Awards and Recognition
Red Bull Arena has won many awards for its design and how well it's run:
- In December 2010, it was named "Project of the Year (Sports/Recreation)" by Engineering News-Record – New York.
- In January 2016, the stadium's security team won "Security Staff of the Year" for Major League Soccer.
- In August 2016 and again in August 2017, Red Bull Arena won the "Best In Fan Experience" award from J.D. Power. This award recognized the stadium for its overall fan satisfaction, security, seating, food, and how easy it is to get in and out.
- In November 2018, the stadium's field and its grounds director, Dan Shemesh, won the "Field of the Year" award from the Sports Turf Managers Association.
Getting to Red Bull Arena
It's easy to get to Red Bull Arena using public transportation!
You can take the PATH train system to the Harrison station. The station is being updated to handle more people. There are also shuttle buses on game days from nearby Newark Penn Station and Newark Broad Street Station. You can also take the New Jersey Transit Bus route 40.
If you drive, Red Bull Arena is close to major highways like I-280, the New Jersey Turnpike, and the Garden State Parkway. There are also several parking lots and a garage nearby.
Many fans also enjoy walking across the Jackson Street Bridge from the Ironbound neighborhood in Newark to get to the stadium.
| Preceded by Giants Stadium |
Home of the New York Red Bulls 2010–present |
Succeeded by current |
| Preceded by Yurcak Field |
Home of Sky Blue FC 2020–present |
Succeeded by current |
See also
In Spanish: Red Bull Arena (Nueva Jersey) para niños
