Yale Bowl
Aerial view of the stadium in 2023 | |
| Address | 81 Central Avenue |
|---|---|
| Location | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Coordinates | 41°18′47″N 72°57′36″W / 41.313°N 72.960°W |
| Public transit | 255 |
| Owner | Yale University |
| Operator | Yale University |
| Capacity | 61,446 (2006–present)
Former capacity: List
|
| Surface | Field Turf (2019–present) Natural grass (1914–2018) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 1913 |
| Opened | November 21, 1914 |
| Construction cost | US$750,000 ($23.5 million in 2024) |
| Architect | Charles A. Ferry (Class of 1871) |
| Tenants | |
| Yale Bulldogs (NCAA) (1914–present) New York Giants (NFL) (1973–1974) Connecticut Bicentennials (NASL) (1976–1977) | |
| Website | |
| yalebulldogs.com/yale-bowl | |
Yale Bowl | |
| Coordinates | 41°18′47″N 72°57′38″W / 41.31306°N 72.96056°W |
| Built | 1914 |
| Architect | Charles A. Ferry; Sperry Engineering Co. |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000756 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 27, 1987 |
| Designated NHL | February 27, 1987 |
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The Yale Bowl Stadium is a college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in New Haven, Connecticut, on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles (2½ km) west of the main campus of Yale University. The home of the Yale Bulldogs of the Ivy League, it opened 111 years ago in 1914 with 70,896 seats; renovations have reduced its current capacity to 61,446, still making it the second largest FCS stadium, behind Tennessee State's Nissan Stadium, and the largest on-campus FCS stadium that is an automatic qualifying conference for the FCS Playoffs, which the Ivy League started participating in since 2025.
The Yale Bowl inspired the design and naming of the Rose Bowl, from which is derived the name of college football's post-season games (bowl games) and the NFL's Super Bowl.
In 1973 and 1974, the stadium hosted the New York Giants of the National Football League, as Yankee Stadium was renovated into a baseball-only venue. The Giants shared Shea Stadium in 1975 with the Jets and baseball Mets and Yankees (who were playing at Shea while Yankee Stadium was being renovated), then moved into new Giants Stadium in 1976.