A History of Football at Rutgers: From College Field to SHI Stadium
Rutgers University holds a distinguished place in the annals of American sports history. As one of the first American colleges to participate in intercollegiate sports, Rutgers played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of college athletics. Notably, Rutgers was among the four institutions that established the rules governing the nascent sport of football. From its humble beginnings on College Field to the modern SHI Stadium, the university's football program has evolved alongside the sport itself.
The Birthplace of College Football: College Field
The genesis of college football can be traced back to November 6, 1869, when Rutgers and Princeton clashed in the first-ever intercollegiate football game. This historic contest took place on what was then an open field at the present-day corner of Senior and Sicard streets in New Brunswick, now a parking lot behind the College Avenue Gym.The story begins with a challenge issued by Rutgers student William Leggett, seeking revenge for a baseball defeat at the hands of Princeton. This challenge led to the agreement to play a different kind of physical contest. On that day, the teams met, agreed upon the rules, which resembled soccer or rugby more than modern football, and Rutgers emerged victorious with a score of 6-4.Though a rematch was held at Princeton the following week, with Princeton winning 8-0, a rubber match never materialized due to faculty concerns about the sport's growing popularity. Despite this, football had taken root, and the open field became known as College Field, serving as Rutgers' home ground until 1890.
Neilson Field: A Temporary Home
In 1891, the football program shifted its operations to Neilson Field, situated across College Avenue and closer to the Raritan River. Neilson Field remained the team's home until 1938, marking a significant period in the program's development as college football gained national prominence.
The Original Rutgers Stadium: A WPA Project
As college football's popularity surged, the need for a dedicated stadium became apparent. In 1938, with the assistance of grants from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the original Rutgers Stadium was completed after three years of construction.The stadium's inaugural game saw Rutgers triumph over Hampden-Sydney with a score of 32-0, witnessed by an estimated crowd of 10,000 spectators. The stadium was officially dedicated on November 5, 1938, during a game against Princeton, which Rutgers won 20-18.The stadium served as the home of the Scarlet Knights for 55 years. One notable event during this era was The Centennial Game between Rutgers and Princeton on September 27, 1969, played in front of 31,000 fans.
From Rutgers Stadium to SHI Stadium: A Modern Era
By the early 1990s, the aging Rutgers Stadium was deemed inadequate, prompting discussions about constructing a new facility. In 1992, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority financed a new stadium for the team and construction began soon after and was completed in time for the first game on September 3, 1994 when Rutgers played Kent State. During the construction of the current stadium, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team played the 1993 season at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. The new Rutgers Stadium originally was constructed to accommodate 41,500 fans at its maximum capacity and was officially opened on September 3, 1994, in a game against Kent State University. Light stanchions were integrated into the design so night games could be played. A two-story press box that fits 200 reporters was also constructed and is still in use today. A free-standing scoreboard was built near the south end zone, which did not originally contain any seating areas.
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In 2005, the original grass field was replaced with Fieldturf to reduce maintenance costs.In January 2008, the Rutgers Board of Governors approved a $102 million expansion plan that increased the seating capacity of Rutgers Stadium to 52,454. The first phase of the project, which included the addition 968 club seats and related infrastructure to the East mezzanine level of the stadium, was completed on time and within budget for the 2008 football season. The second phase included the addition of approximately 11,500 seats to the previously "open" South end zone, as well as supplementary restrooms and concession stands to the southern end of the stadium. The second phase of the project also involved the addition of a large scoreboard in the South end zone, which is 38' tall by 112' wide, for a total surface area of 4,256 sq ft.
In June 2010, Rutgers University put up for sale the naming rights to the stadium in order to bring in much needed revenue. On June 22, 2011, it was announced that High Point Solutions had purchased the rights, and that the stadium would be known as High Point Solutions Stadium. In May 2018, High Point Solutions announced they were rebranding the company to just be HighPoint.com. As a result, the name of the stadium was changed to HighPoint.com Stadium. On July 19, 2019, Rutgers signed a new naming rights agreement with Somerset-based IT firm SHI International Corp.
The stadium attendance records were repeatedly broken throughout the 2006 and 2007 football seasons as the football program experienced a drastic resurgence. The current attendance record was set in the 2025 Blackout match-up against Iowa. 55,942 spectators watched Rutgers lose 38-28 in a close affair at the hands of the Hawkeyes.
SHI Stadium: A Modern Venue
Today, SHI Stadium stands as a testament to Rutgers University's commitment to its athletic programs. The stadium serves as the home for Rutgers Scarlet Knights football, as well as the men's and women's lacrosse teams.
SHI Stadium underwent significant reconstruction from 2008 to 2009 to increase its capacity to 52,454. The stadium features a 5,000-seat upper deck on each side of the playing field, as well as 968 loge and club seats on the mezzanine level of the East side of the stadium. A two-story press box sits on the mezzanine level of the West side of the stadium. Electronic ribbon scoreboards spanning the length of the field along the bottom of both upper decks were installed prior to the 2008 season, which complement the video scoreboard in the South end zone. The stadium also features light stanchions that allow for night games, a cannon for firing if Rutgers scores, concessions, and restrooms.
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Beyond football, SHI Stadium has hosted a variety of events, including NCAA tournament soccer and lacrosse games, the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship, international soccer matches, and University Commencement ceremonies. Notably, President Barack Obama addressed the class of 2016 at SHI Stadium and received an honorary degree.
Preserving the Legacy: Remembering College Field
Despite the grandeur of SHI Stadium, the legacy of College Field, the birthplace of college football, remains a vital part of Rutgers University's history.The absence of a proper marker at the site of the first game has been a point of concern for historians and fans alike. While a plaque commemorating the event hangs inside the College Avenue Gym, its faded condition and inconspicuous location have led to calls for a more prominent tribute.Efforts have been made to rectify this oversight, with proposals for a monument or marker at the site of College Field. Such a tribute would serve as a reminder of Rutgers' pivotal role in the development of American football and provide a destination for fans to connect with the sport's origins.In 2020, Rutgers Athletics released a report recommending areas where the university could invest to bring the many athletic programs on par or exceed peer universities in the BIG 10 Conference, including upgrades to training facilities, playing fields, and modernizing SHI Stadium.
A State-of-the-Art Audio System Upgrade
In recent years, SHI Stadium has undergone further enhancements to improve the fan experience. Working with Anthony James Partners, WPS engineered and installed a complete, state-of-the-art audio system, incorporating some of the most cutting-end technologies in a college football stadium. The new audio system features Fulcrum Acoustic loudspeaker arrays, including the latest AHS-Series steerable loudspeakers mounted within the south end-zone scoreboard enclosure. Processing is managed by a QSC Q-SYS Core 110f DSP and monitored with a QSC touch panel. The loudspeakers are powered by 17x Powersoft Quattrocanali 8804 amplifiers and the entire system is networked via Dante with audio mixing handled by a Digico S31 digital console.
WPS completed the system integration, tuning, and commissioning in time for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights first home game at SHI Stadium against Wagner University on September 10th, where the Rutgers football team would go on to win 66-7. WPS provided game-day support for an additional three home games to ensure the system was operating at peak performance. Fans were delighted with a significantly improved audio experience that allows announcers to punch through crowd noise without distortion or loss in quality.
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tags: #Rutgers #University #football #stadium #history
