State Farm Stadium

Located west of Phoenix, State Farm Stadium is a versatile stadium situated in Glendale, Arizona. It proudly serves as the home of the Arizona Cardinals, a prominent team in the National Football League (NFL), and hosts the annual Fiesta Bowl. This state-of-the-art facility replaced the former Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, adjacent to the Desert Diamond Arena, which was once home to the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League.

Since its inauguration in 2006 as Cardinals Stadium, the venue has been a centerpiece for various high-profile sporting events. It has been the esteemed host of the Fiesta Bowl since 2007, including two BCS National Championship games in 2007 and 2011 respectively. The stadium also had the honor of hosting the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2016, three exhilarating Super Bowls (2008, 2015, and 2023), as well as the prestigious Pro Bowl in 2015. It has further left its mark in soccer, being one of the stadiums for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, hosting the first semi-final of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and serving as a venue for the Copa América Centenario in 2016. Additionally, it played a memorable role in basketball, hosting the NCAA Final Four in 2017, with plans for its return in 2024.

The stadium’s name has seen a few changes throughout its history. In September 2006, it was named University of Phoenix Stadium after the University of Phoenix acquired the naming rights. However, in September 2018, the stadium’s name changed to State Farm Stadium following a lucrative 18-year naming rights agreement with the insurance company.

The construction of State Farm Stadium was a significant milestone for the Arizona Cardinals. Prior to its completion, the team had been playing at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe since relocating from St. Louis in 1988. The Cardinals initially planned to stay there temporarily while awaiting the construction of a new stadium in Phoenix. However, financial challenges, such as the savings and loan crisis of the 1990s, delayed the realization of their goal. As tenants in a college football stadium, the Cardinals faced limitations in generating additional revenue streams available to other NFL teams. Consequently, the team campaigned persistently for a modern and dedicated facility.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the stadium took place on April 12, 2003, and after three years of construction, the magnificent 63,400-seat venue opened its doors on August 1, 2006. The architectural design was a collaboration between Eisenman Architects and HOK Sport (now known as Populous). The stadium’s retractable roof, engineered by Walter P Moore, and its roll-in natural grass field have earned it recognition as an architectural icon in the region. Business Week even included it in their list of the ten most impressive sports facilities worldwide. In 2006, prior to Arizona’s first game of the season, LED video and ribbon displays from Daktronics in Brookings, South Dakota were installed, adding a vibrant visual element to the stadium.

The total cost of the project amounted to $455 million, which encompassed $395.4 million for the stadium itself, $41.7 million for site improvements, and $17.8 million for the land. Funding for the project came from various contributors, including the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority ($302.3 million), the Arizona Cardinals ($143.2 million), and the City of Glendale ($9.5 million).