View source for Boxer Stadium

{{Short description|American Sport Stadium}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name        = Boxer Stadium
| nickname            = 
| image               = [[File:Boxer stadium.jpg|250px]]
| fullname            =Matthew J. Boxer Stadium
| location            = [[San Francisco, California]]
| coordinates         = {{coord|37.725788|-122.444593|display=it}}
| broke_ground        =
| built               =
| opened              = 1953
| renovated           = 
| expanded            = 
| closed              = 
| demolished          = 
| owner               = [[City and County of San Francisco]]
| operator            = [[San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department]]
| surface             = natural grass
| construction_cost   = 
| architect           =
| structural engineer =
| services engineer   =
| general_contractor  =
| project_manager     =
| main_contractors    = 
| former_names        = Balboa Park Soccer Stadium (1953–1990s)
| tenants             = [[El Farolito Soccer Club|El Farolito SC]] ([[National Premier Soccer League|NPSL]]) (2018–) <br> San Francisco Dogfish ([[Major League Ultimate|MLU]]) (2014) <br> [[San Francisco Rush (rugby union)|San Francisco Rush]] ([[PRO Rugby]]) (2016) <br> [[United States national rugby union team|USA Eagles]] (1996–2000)
| seating_capacity    = 3,500<ref name="Capacity">{{cite web |title=Boxer Stadium |url=https://sfrecpark.org/792/Boxer-Stadium |website=sfrecpafrk |access-date=30 April 2021}}</ref>
| dimensions          = 100 x 65 m
| scoreboard          =
}}
'''Boxer Stadium''' (also known as Matthew J. Boxer Stadium) is a soccer stadium in [[San Francisco, California]]. Located in [[Balboa Park, San Francisco, California|Balboa Park]], the stadium has a capacity of 3,500. It is owned and operated by the [[San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department]] and is the only public [[soccer-specific stadium]] in San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web|title=SF Rec & Park - Stadium Rentals|url=http://sfrecpark.org/permits-and-reservations/stadium-rentals/|accessdate=31 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319182916/http://sfrecpark.org/permits-and-reservations/stadium-rentals/|archive-date=19 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Boxer Stadium is the primary home of the century-old [[San Francisco Soccer Football League]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Soccer fever in S.F. is not new outbreak |url=http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Soccer-fever-in-S-F-is-not-new-outbreak-2830188.php|accessdate=31 March 2013 | work=The San Francisco Chronicle|first=Ken|last=Garcia|date=7 June 2002}}</ref>

==History==
Boxer Stadium opened September 27, 1953 as the Balboa Park Soccer Stadium at a cost of $150,000.<ref>{{cite web|title=SFSFL - Facebook| website=[[Facebook]] |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=560343860666299&set=pb.556911787676173.-2207520000.1366145164&type=3&theater|accessdate=16 April 2013}}</ref>   The concrete bleachers were added later after the November 1953 Proposition G bond passage.<ref>{{cite web|title=SFSFL - Facebook| website=[[Facebook]] |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=560343847332967&set=pb.556911787676173.-2207520000.1366145164&type=3&theater|accessdate=16 April 2013}}</ref>  The stadium was renamed in honor of the late SFSFL President, Matthew J. Boxer in the 1990s.

Boxer Stadium served as the main venue of the [[1982 Gay Games]].

Boxer Stadium hosted the California Rugby League Championship Game in 2021. East Palo Alto Razborbacks won the championship

==Tenants==
The stadium is home to the [[San Francisco Soccer Football League]],<ref>{{cite web|title=SFSFL|url=http://www.sfsfl.com/|accessdate=24 March 2013}}</ref>  the Golden Gate Women's Soccer League,<ref>{{cite web|title=GGWSL|url=http://ggwsl.org/|accessdate=24 March 2013}}</ref>  and the [[San Francisco Unified School District]] [[California Interscholastic Federation|CIF]] high school and middle school soccer.<ref>{{cite web|title=CIF SF HS|url=http://www.cifsf.org/index.html|accessdate=24 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CIF SF MS|url=http://www.cifsf.org/middleschool.htm|accessdate=24 March 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327090145/http://cifsf.org/middleschool.htm|archivedate=27 March 2013}}</ref>

For the 2013 season the [[San Francisco Stompers FC]] of the [[National Premier Soccer League]] played their home games at Boxer Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|title=SF Stompers Schedule|url=http://www.nationalpremiersoccerleague.com/teams/58259561/58649292-58259651/TEAM.html#SCHED|accessdate=24 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130312060302/http://www.nationalpremiersoccerleague.com/teams/58259561/58649292-58259651/TEAM.html#SCHED|archive-date=12 March 2013|url-status=usurped}}</ref>

The [[San Francisco Glens]] of [[USL League Two]] played at Boxer for their first two seasons in the league (2018-19).

High school [[Lacrosse]] teams from [[Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory|SHC]] also use Boxer Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|title=SHC Lacrosse Boys|url=http://shcathletics.com/index.cfm?action=main.team&ID=61040|accessdate=24 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=SHC Lacrosse Girls|url=http://shcathletics.com/index.cfm?action=main.team&ID=61042|accessdate=24 March 2013}}</ref>

[[Rugby football|Rugby]] and [[Gaelic Athletic Association]] teams had used Boxer Stadium until the opening of [[Ray Sheeran Field]] on [[Treasure Island (California)|Treasure Island]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=SFGG Rugby - About SFGG - Ray Sheeran Field|url=http://www.sfggrugby.com/AboutSFGG/RaySheeranField.aspx|accessdate=28 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702165440/http://www.sfggrugby.com/AboutSFGG/RaySheeranField.aspx|archive-date=2013-07-02|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pairc Na nGael - Treasure Island Community Center|url=http://sfgaati.org/about.html|accessdate=28 March 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008222340/http://sfgaati.org/about.html|archivedate=8 October 2012}}</ref> In 2016, Boxer Stadium was the home pitch for the [[San Francisco Rush (rugby union)|San Francisco Rush]] professional rugby team in the new [[PRO Rugby]] competition in the United States, however, the team was folded by the league after one season citing an unsuitable venue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rugbytoday.com/elite/pro-rugby-nixes-san-francisco-rush |title=PRO RUGBY NIXES SAN FRANCISCO RUSH |publisher=Rugby Today |date=December 15, 2016 |access-date=December 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220134546/http://www.rugbytoday.com/elite/pro-rugby-nixes-san-francisco-rush |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==USA Internationals==
Boxer Stadium has hosted 16 USA Eagles international rugby union matches. It was the unofficial home of the Eagles from 1996 to 2000, hosting 12 of their 17 test matches.<ref name="USA Eagles home">{{cite web |title=EAGLES VENUES: 2001-2014 |url=https://www.usa.rugby/2014/06/eagles-venues-2001-2014/ |website=USA Rugby |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref> The results are as follows:

{|class="wikitable"
! Date
! Opponents
! Final score
! Competition
! Attendance
|-
| 11 May 1996
|{{ru|CAN}}
| 19 – 12
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|3,500<ref name="1996 USA CAN">{{cite web |title=PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco, 11 May 1996 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23062.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 29 June 1996
|{{Ru|HKG|1959}}
| 42 – 23
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|2,200<ref name="1996 USA HKG">{{cite web |title=PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco, 29 June 1996 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23087.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 6 July 1996
|{{Ru|JPN}}
| 74 – 5
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|2,500<ref name="1996 USA JPN">{{cite web |title=Pacific Rim Championship 1996 |url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/match?gameId=23090&league=18546 |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 7 June 1997
|{{ru|Japan}}
| 51 – 29
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|1,800<ref name="1997 USA JPN">{{cite web |title=PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco, 7 June 1997, 13:00 local, 20:00 GMT |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23241.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 14 June 1997
|{{ru|HKG|1959}}
| 17 – 14
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|<ref name="1997 USA HKG">{{cite web |title=PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco, 14 June 1997 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23248.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 28 June 1997
|{{ru|CAN}}
| 11 – 22
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|1,800<ref name="1997 USA CAN">{{cite web |title=PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco, 28 June 1997, 13:00 local, 20:00 GMT |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23263.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 12 July 1997
|{{ru|WAL}}
| 23 – 28
|[[1997 Wales rugby union tour of North America]]
|4,425<ref name="1997 USA WAL">{{cite web |title=WALES TOUR - San Francisco, 12 July 1997 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23270.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 13 June 1998
|{{ru|JPN}}
| 21 – 25
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|1,800<ref name="1998 USA JPN">{{cite web |title=Pacific Rim Championship 1998 |url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/match?gameId=23418&league=18546 |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 20 June 1998
|{{ru|Hong Kong}}
| 17 – 27
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|1,300<ref name="1998 USA HKG">{{cite web |title=PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco, 20 June 1998 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23425.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 14 May 1999
|{{ru|TON}}
| 30 – 10
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|4,600<ref name="1999 USA TON">{{cite web |title=PACIFIC RIM CHAMPIONSHIP - San Francisco, 15 May 1999 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/23587.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 22 May 1999
|{{ru|FIJ}}
| 25 – 14
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|3,950<ref name="1999 USA FIJ">{{cite web |title=Pacific Rim Championship 1999 |url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/match?gameId=23594&league=18546 |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 15 July 2000
|{{ru|SAM}}
| 12 – 19
|[[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]]
|<ref name="2000 USA SAM">{{cite web |title=Pacific Rim Championship 2000 |url=https://www.espn.com.au/rugby/match?gameId=23838&league=18546 |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 16 June 2001
|{{ru|ENG}}
| 19 – 48
|[[2001 England rugby union tour of North America]]
|5,150<ref name="2001 USA ENG">{{cite web |title=England tour in Canada/United States of America 2001 2001 |url=https://www.espn.com/rugby/match?gameId=24008&league=18547 |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="ENG rugby">{{cite web |title=THE VAULT: ENGLAND V USA |url=https://www.englandrugby.com/news/article/rugby-world-cup-england-usa-the-vault |website=England Rugby |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 22 June 2002
|{{ru|SCO}}
| 23 – 65
|[[2002 Scotland rugby union tour of North America]]
|2,400<ref name="2002 USA SCO">{{cite web |title=SCOTLAND TOUR - San Francisco, 22 June 2002 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/24236.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 15 August 2002
|{{ru|URU}}
| 28 – 24
|[[2003 Rugby World Cup qualifying]]
|1,230<ref name="USA URG 2002">{{cite web |title=2003 RUGBY WORLD CUP QUALIFIER , Americas, Round 4 - San Francisco, 15 August 2002 |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/24263.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=30 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 17 May 2003
|{{ru|JPN}}
| 69 – 27
|[[Super Cup (rugby union)|Super Powers Cup]]
|1,852<ref name="2003 USA JPN">{{cite web |title=SUPER POWERS CUP - San Francisco, 17 May 2003, 14:00 local, 21:00 GMT |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/match/24425.html |website=espnscrum |access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>
|}

{| class = "wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=6| USA Record at the Boxer Stadium
|-
! Competition
! Played
! Won
! Drawn
! Lost
! % Won
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Pacific Rim Rugby Championship]] || 11 || 7 || 0 || 4 || {{#expr:7/11*100 round 2}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Rugby World Cup qualification]] || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Super Cup (rugby union)|Super Powers Cup]] || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || {{#expr:1/1*100 round 2}}%
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Test match (rugby union)|Test Match]] || 3 || 0 || 0 || 3 || {{#expr:0/3*100 round 2}}%
|-
! Total || 16 || 9 || 0 || 7 || {{#expr:9/16*100 round 2}}%
|}
''Updated 30 April 2021''

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://sfrecpark.org SF Recreation & Parks Department]

{{PRO Rugby}}
{{Premier Development League stadiums}}

[[Category:Soccer venues in San Francisco]]
[[Category:Rugby union stadiums in San Francisco]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1953]]
[[Category:1953 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Ultimate (sport) venues]]