View source for CEFCU Stadium

{{Short description|Stadium at San Jose State University}}
{{Use American English|date = October 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = October 2019}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = CEFCU Stadium
| nickname = 
| logo_image = CEFCU Stadium logo.png
| image = CEFCU Spartan Stadium aerial.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Aerial View
| address = 1257 S. 10th Street
| location = [[San Jose, California]], U.S.
| coordinates = {{coord|37|19|11|N|121|52|6|W|type:landmark_scale:5000|display=it}}
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 15
| mapframe-marker = stadium
| pushpin_map = <!--United States San Jose#-->USA#California
| pushpin_relief = 1
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the [[United States]]##Location in [[California]]
| pushpin_label = San Jose
| broke_ground = 1933
| opened = {{start date and age|1933}}
| expanded = 1936–1937, 1948, 1985
| closed = 
| demolished = 
| owner = [[San Jose State University]]
| operator = San Jose State University
| surface = [[AstroTurf]] (2017–present)<br>[[FieldTurf]] (2009–2017)<br>{{nowrap|[[Grass|Natural grass]] (1933–2008)}}
| architect = 
| tenants = [[San Jose State Spartans]] ([[NCAA Division I|NCAA]]) (1933–present)<br>[[San Jose Earthquakes (1974–88)|San Jose Earthquakes]] ([[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]]/[[Western Soccer Alliance|WSA]])<br>(1974–1988)<br>[[San Francisco Bay Blackhawks|San Francisco Bay Blackhawks/San Jose Hawks]] ([[Western Soccer Alliance|WSA]]/[[American Professional Soccer League|APSL]]/[[United States Interregional Soccer League|USISL]]) (1989–1993)<br>[[San Jose Earthquakes|San Jose Clash/Earthquakes]] ([[Major League Soccer|MLS]]) (1996–2005)<br>[[San Jose CyberRays|Bay Area/San Jose CyberRays]] ([[Women's United Soccer Association|WUSA]])<br>(2001–2003)<br>[[Silicon Valley Football Classic]] ([[NCAA]])<br>(2000–2004)<br>[[San Francisco Dragons]] ([[Major League Lacrosse|MLL]]) (2008)<br>[[Sacramento Mountain Lions|California Redwoods]] ([[United Football League (2009–2012)|UFL]]) (2009)
| public_transit = {{rint|santaclara}} {{rint|caltrain}} [[Tamien station|Tamien]]
| construction_cost = US $2.25 million (1985 expansion)<ref>{{cite web |author1=Herb Muktarian |title=Project's 3-year history outlined |url=https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7327&context=spartandaily |website=SJSU ScholarWorks |publisher=Spartan Daily |access-date=19 March 2023 |pages=3 |date=September 6, 1985}}</ref>
| former_names = Spartan Stadium<br>(1933–2015)
| seating_capacity = 18,203 (2021–present)<br>21,530 (2019–2020)<br>30,456 (1998–2018)<br>31,218 (1985–1997)<br>18,155 (1948–1984)<br>11,000 (1937–1947)<br>8,500 (1936)<br>4,000 (1933–1935)
}}
'''[[Citizens Equity First Credit Union|CEFCU]]''' ('sef-kyü) '''Stadium''', formerly known as '''Spartan Stadium''', is an outdoor athletic stadium on the [[West Coast of the United States|west coast]] of the [[United States]], located in the [[Spartan Keyes, San Jose|Spartan Keyes]] neighborhood of central [[San Jose, California]]. Owned by [[San José State University]], the venue is the longtime home of [[San Jose State Spartans football|Spartan football]]; it&nbsp;also hosts the university's commencement ceremony on Memorial Day weekend, and occasional [[high school football]] games.<ref>{{cite web|title=Campus Grounds: South Campus|url=http://www.sjsu.edu/fdo/departments/facilityservices/grounds/southcampus/|publisher=SJSU Athletics|access-date=2016-09-08|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205338/http://www.sjsu.edu/fdo/departments/facilityservices/grounds/southcampus/|archive-date=2014-07-14}}</ref> Known as Spartan Stadium for over eight decades, it was renamed in [[2016 San Jose State Spartans football team|2016]].

CEFCU Stadium was the home of the [[San Jose Earthquakes]] (originally San Jose Clash) of [[Major League Soccer]] from the league's inception in 1996 through the 2005 season. Other tenants have included the original [[San Jose Earthquakes (1974–88)|San Jose Earthquakes]] of the [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|North American Soccer League]] from 1974 to 1984, the [[San Jose CyberRays]] of the [[Women's United Soccer Association]] from 2001 to 2003, and the [[San Francisco Dragons]] of [[Major League Lacrosse]] in 2008. [[Soccer Bowl '75]] was also held at CEFCU.

During the winter and spring of [[2009 San Jose State Spartans football team|2009]], the stadium's natural grass playing field was removed and replaced with [[FieldTurf]], a new generation of [[artificial turf]] with a crumb rubber and sand infill.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spartan Stadium Field Turf Project Underway |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2009/1/11/Spartan_Stadium_Field_Turf_Project_Underway.aspx |website=SJSU Spartans |publisher=San Jose State University |access-date=18 March 2023 |date=January 11, 2009}}</ref> This improvement resulted in significant savings to the university in water use, fertilizer, seed and labor. The FieldTurf playing surface was later replaced with [[AstroTurf]] Rhino Blend in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=San José State University Football Upgrades to AstroTurf |url=https://astroturf.com/san-jose-state-university-football-upgrades-to-astroturf/ |website=astroturf.com |publisher=AstroTurf |access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref> The playing field is aligned north-northwest to south-southeast, at an approximate [[elevation]] of {{convert|100|ft|}} above [[sea level]].

The stadium also received significant upgrades to the scoreboard and sound system in 2011 and 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.sjsu.edu/today/2011/sjsu-in-the-news-spartan-stadium-upgrades-scoreboards-sound-system |title=SJSU in the News: Spartan Stadium Upgrades Scoreboards, Sound System &#124; SJSU News |publisher=Blogs.sjsu.edu |access-date=2012-12-03}}</ref> This included installation of an [[high-definition video|HD video]] [[JumboTron|screen]] by [[Daktronics]] at the south end of the stadium in 2011, and a new, much larger video board at the north end in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.daktronics.com/Company/NewsReleases/Pages/25NewCollegeFootballSystems.aspx |title=25 New College Football Systems |publisher=Daktronics.com |access-date=2012-12-03 |archive-date=December 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207215315/https://www.daktronics.com/Company/NewsReleases/Pages/25NewCollegeFootballSystems.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2020/10/30/football-spartans-upgrade-cefcu-stadium-with-state-of-the-art-scoreboard.aspx |title=Spartans Upgrade CEFCU Stadium With State-of-the-Art Scoreboard |publisher=SJSU |access-date=2021-08-18 |archive-date=August 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825152602/https://sjsuspartans.com/news/2020/10/30/football-spartans-upgrade-cefcu-stadium-with-state-of-the-art-scoreboard.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Stadium history==
[[File:Spartan Stadium San Jose.jpg|thumb|left|Spartan Stadium, 1950s]]
CEFCU stadium officially opened in 1933 as a 4,000-seat facility. The stadium featured large berms on the east, west, north and south sides of the field, which gave the stadium a "sunken bowl" appearance. The stadium's seating capacity was increased to 8,500 in 1936, and later expanded incrementally to a total seating capacity of just over 18,000 by 1948. The most recent additions came in the 1980s when the capacity of the stadium was expanded from approximately 18,000 to just over 31,000 by adding end zone bleachers, an upper deck and boxes on the west side.

In 1998, the field was widened and other renovations were carried out for the San Jose Earthquakes soccer team in accordance with official [[FIFA]] regulations.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/18357/mls-three-clash-home-games-moved-to-stanford-stad.html |title=MLS: Three Clash Home Games Moved to Stanford Stadium |first= |last= |newspaper=Soccer America |date=February 24, 1998 |access-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-date=August 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825153101/https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/18357/mls-three-clash-home-games-moved-to-stanford-stad.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> As a result of these renovations, parts of the stands closest to the playing field were removed, thus lowering available seating for all sports to 30,456. 

On January 13, 2007, the ''[[San Jose Mercury News]]'' reported that the city of San Jose, San Jose State University and the San Jose Earthquakes owners were in negotiations to demolish Spartan Stadium and [[New San Jose State Stadium|build a new stadium]] just to the east. The new facility, to have 22,000 permanent seats but be expandable to a capacity of 30,000 for single games, would have been privately built by [[Lewis Wolff]] and [[John Fisher (baseball owner)|John Fisher]], the primary owners of the Earthquakes, with San Jose State providing the needed land. Additionally, the team and the university would build community soccer fields across Senter Road in [[Kelley Park]] using San Jose municipal bond money that had been approved years earlier for the purpose but never spent. The plan was for the new version of the San Jose Earthquakes to play in Spartan Stadium during the 2008 MLS season, then move into the new stadium in 2009. Plans for the stadium collapsed on April 19, 2007 after the Earthquakes and SJSU could not come to an agreement on revenue sharing.<ref name="collapses">{{cite news |author=Barry Witt and Jon Wilner |date=April 20, 2007 |title=SJSU stadium deal collapses |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_5710992 |accessdate=2007-06-12 |work=[[San Jose Mercury News]]}}</ref> 

Seating capacity remained at 30,456 until 2019, when it was temporarily reduced to 21,520 as part of a massive east-side stadium renovation project that included construction of the $70 million Spartan Athletic Center. 

In August 2016, [[Citizens Equity First Credit Union]] purchased sole naming rights to Spartan Stadium for $8.7 million. The deal between CEFCU and San José State University will last for 15 years. SJSU was the first university in the [[California State University]] system and second university in the state of California to strike such a deal.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://watchstadium.com/is-your-school-receiving-top-money-for-its-football-stadium-naming-rights-08-14-2019/ |title=Is Your School Receiving Top Money for Its Football Stadium Naming Rights? |first=Andy |last=Wittry |newspaper=Watch Stadium |date=August 15, 2019 |access-date=April 19, 2021}}</ref> The CEFCU sponsorship deal marked the third such arrangement among the 12 [[Mountain West Conference]] football members.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.coloradoan.com/story/sports/csu/football/2018/04/19/colorado-state-university-sells-naming-rights-campus-stadium-fort-collins/531368002/ |title=CSU's on-campus stadium naming rights sell for $37.7 million |first=Kelly |last=Lyell |newspaper=[[Fort Collins Coloradoan|Coloradoan]] |location=[[Fort Collins, Colorado|Fort Collins, CO]] |date=April 19, 2018 |access-date=April 25, 2018}}</ref> The $8.7 million payout will primarily be used for athletic scholarships, athletics operations, and athletics facilities.<ref>{{cite web|title=SJSU & CEFCU Announcement Enhanced long-term Partnership Agreement for Spartan Stadium|url=http://www.sjsuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080516aaa.html|access-date=August 6, 2016|archive-date=September 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904121100/http://www.sjsuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080516aaa.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Spartan Athletics Center and east-side renovations===
A CEFCU Stadium east-side building addition was completed in August 2023 at an approximate cost of $70 million.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Kevin Nguyen |title=Why SJSU's new $70M Spartan Athletics Center is a 'big deal' |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2023/08/11/new-sjsu-athletic-center-opens.html |website=Silicon Valley Business Journal |publisher=The Business Journals |access-date=3 December 2023 |date=August 11, 2023}}</ref> Known as the Spartan Athletics Center, the 55,000 square-foot, multi-story facility houses a new football operations center, locker rooms, offices, meeting and training rooms and a sports medicine center.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Avalos |first=George |date=August 13, 2023 |title=University Adds $70M Athletics Complex |pages=B1 |work=The Mercury News (San Jose, CA)}}</ref> The facility also includes soccer team offices and locker rooms, as well as dining and hospitality facilities, event spaces and premium viewing areas.<ref>{{cite web|title=Spartan Athletics Center|url=https://onespartannation.com/transform/spartan-athletics-center/index.html|publisher=San Jose State University|access-date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> 

The east-side stadium renovation has temporarily reduced seating capacity at CEFCU Stadium from just over 30,000 to 21,520.<ref>{{cite web|title=New look for San Jose State's football stadium|date=September 5, 2019 |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/05/new-look-for-san-jose-states-football-stadium/|publisher=The Mercury News|access-date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> Approximately 9,000 seats were removed from the stadium in 2019 to make way for the new building. This includes virtually all of the east-side stadium seating and some of the north end zone bleachers. The north end zone bleachers were removed to make way for construction of a new state-of-the-art video scoreboard and outdoor bar and lounge area. The new scoreboard was completed in 2020. 

As of 2023, a second phase of the east-side building and renovation project remains in the planning stages. The second phase is aimed at replacing spectator seating that was removed to make way for the SAC.

==Other uses==
The now defunct NCAA [[Silicon Valley Football Classic]] bowl game was held at CEFCU Stadium from 2000 to 2004.

CEFCU Stadium has hosted numerous FIFA events. Most notably the stadium was used as one of the venues for the [[FIFA Women's World Cup 1999|1999 Women's World Cup]]. Additionally in 1999, the stadium was the host site of the [[1999 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament|1999 NCAA Women's College Cup]].

The stadium previously hosted commencement ceremonies of San José State University every spring, as well as musical concerts throughout the year. 

==International soccer matches==
{| class="wikitable"
! Date !! Competition!! Team !! Res !! Team !! Crowd
|- align=center
| February 14, 1986
| International Friendly
| {{fb|MEX}}
| align=center |1–2
| '''{{fb|GDR}}'''
| 6,000
|- align=center
| May 16, 1998
| International Friendly
| {{fb|USA}}
| 0–0
| {{fb|MKD}}
| 23,861
|- align=center
| November 6, 1998
| International Friendly
| {{fb|USA}}
| 0–0
| {{fb|AUS}}
| 15,074
|- align=center
| September 27, 2000
| International Friendly
| '''{{fb|MEX}}'''
| align=center |1–0
| {{fb|BOL}}
| 30,154
|- align=center
| June 2, 2007
| International Friendly
| '''{{fb|USA}}'''
| align=center |4–1
| {{fb|CHN}}
| 20,821
|}

=== 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Date !! Competition!! Team !! Res !! Team !! Crowd
|- align=center
| June 19, 1999
| [[1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Group C|Group C]]
| {{fbw|JPN}}
| 1–1
| {{fbw|CAN}}
| 23,298
|- align=center
| June 19, 1999
| [[1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Group D|Group D]]
| {{fbw|SWE}}
| 1–2
| '''{{fbw|CHN}}'''
| 23,298
|- align=center
| June 30, 1999
| [[1999 FIFA Women's World Cup knockout stage#Quarter-finals|Quarterfinals]]
| '''{{fbw|CHN}}'''
| 2–0
| {{fbw|RUS}}
| 21,411
|- align=center
| June 30, 1999
| [[1999 FIFA Women's World Cup knockout stage#Quarter-finals|Quarterfinals]]
| '''{{fbw|NOR}}'''
| 3–1
| {{fbw|SWE}}
| 21,411
|}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:SpStadium.jpg|Spartan Stadium, San Jose, California — 1933
File:Spartan Stadium Proposed Expansion.jpg|Proposed Expansion — 1960s
File:SS pan.jpg|Spartan Stadium – San Jose State vs. Boise State — 2008
File:Spartanstadiumnight.jpg|Spartan Stadium – Aerial view at night — 2008
File:Spartan stadium DSC0768-Edit.jpg|First season using new "FieldTurf" playing surface, San Jose State vs. Utah – 2009
File:SJSU Marching Band performs at 2015 homecoming.jpg|The Spartan Stadium field in 2015
File:CEFCU Spartan Stadium aerial.jpg|Aerial view from the southwest, 2017
</gallery>

== Nearby venues ==
CEFCU Stadium is only one block from several local professional sports teams and arenas, including:

* The [[Excite Ballpark]], home of the [[San Jose Giants]], the Low-A [[minor league baseball]] affiliate of the [[San Francisco Giants]].
* The [[Tech CU Arena]] at [[Sharks Ice San Jose]], home of the [[San Jose Barracuda]], the [[American Hockey League]] affiliate of the [[San Jose Sharks]].

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums]]
* [[New San Jose State Stadium]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|CEFCU Stadium}}

*[http://www.sjsuspartans.com/ SJSU Spartans.com] – official athletics site

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br>[[San Jose Earthquakes]]
 | years = 1996–2005
 | before = first stadium
 | after = [[Buck Shaw Stadium]]<br>2008–2014<br>[[Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum]] (big game venue)<br>2008–2009
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of the [[NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship|College Cup]]
 | years = 1969
 | before = [[Grant Field]]
 | after = [[Ralph Korte Stadium]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of the [[Women's College Cup]]
 | years = 1999–2000
 | before = [[UNCG Soccer Stadium]]
 | after = [[Gerald J. Ford Stadium]]
}}
{{end}}

{{San Jose State Spartans football navbox}}{{San Jose State University}}{{San Jose Earthquakes}}
{{Mountain West Conference football venue navbox}}
{{Former MLS stadiums}}
{{California college football venues}}
{{1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Venues}}
{{AMA Supercross venues}}
{{San Jose and Silicon Valley attractions}}
{{California Redwoods}}
{{United Football League (2009)}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:College football venues in California]]
[[Category:San Jose State Spartans football]]
[[Category:Soccer venues in California]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes]]
[[Category:Defunct NCAA bowl game venues]]
[[Category:Former Major League Lacrosse venues]]
[[Category:Former Major League Soccer stadiums]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1933]]
[[Category:Sports venues in San Jose, California]]
[[Category:United Football League (2009–2012) venues]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) stadiums]]
[[Category:1933 establishments in California]]