History of Gillette Stadium in Timeline

Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, serving as the home for the New England Patriots (NFL) and the New England Revolution (MLS). Opened in 2002, replacing the former Foxboro Stadium, it also hosted UMass Minutemen football games for several years. The stadium's capacity is 64,628, which includes club seating and luxury suites. Located approximately 22 miles from downtown Boston and 18 miles from Providence, Rhode Island, it is a major sports and entertainment venue in the region.

1960: Boston Patriots Founded

In 1960, the Patriots were founded as the Boston Patriots of the American Football League.

1970: Patriots Join NFL

In 1970, the Boston Patriots joined the NFL when the AFL merged into the NFL.

1971: Patriots Begin Playing at Foxboro Stadium

In 1971, the Patriots began playing their home games at Foxboro Stadium.

1984: Victory Tour of The Jacksons Funded

In 1984, team executive Chuck Sullivan funded the Victory Tour of The Jacksons, in an attempt to earn more profit for the team, which led to increased debt.

September 1993: Connecticut Stadium Proposal

In September 1993, Lowell Weicker, the Governor of Connecticut, proposed building a new stadium in Hartford to attract the Patriots to move there.

September 27, 1993: Stadium Bill Passes in Connecticut State Assembly

On September 27, 1993, the bill to build a new stadium in Hartford to attract the Patriots passed in the Connecticut State Assembly.

1994: Patriots Home Game Sellout Streak Begins

The Patriots have sold out every home game since 1994, starting at Foxboro Stadium and continuing at Gillette Stadium.

December 1996: Plans for South Boston Stadium Leaked

In December 1996, plans for Kraft to build a new stadium in South Boston were leaked to the press, leading to objections from residents and the abandonment of the project.

January 1997: Talks Begin to Relocate Team to Providence

In January 1997, Kraft began talks with Providence mayor Vincent Cianci to relocate the team to Providence and build a new stadium there, but the proposal fell through.

September 1998: Plans Revealed to Build New Stadium in Foxborough

In September 1998, the team revealed plans to build a new stadium in Foxborough, keeping the team in Massachusetts, funded by the state and Kraft.

November 18, 1998: Agreement Signed to Move Team to Hartford

On November 18, 1998, Kraft signed an agreement to move the team to Hartford, but the plan eventually fell through due to challenges with the site and resident opposition.

1998: M&T Bank Stadium Opens

In 1998, M&T Bank Stadium opened in Baltimore, and Kraft wanted Gillette Stadium modeled after it.

December 6, 1999: Foxborough Approves Stadium Construction Plans

On December 6, 1999, the town of Foxborough approved plans for the construction of Gillette Stadium.

1999: Team Announces It Will Remain in Foxborough

In 1999, the team officially announced that it would remain in Foxborough, leading to Gillette Stadium's construction.

March 24, 2000: Stadium Construction Begins

On March 24, 2000, work began on the construction of Gillette Stadium.

April 18, 2000: Plans Revealed for New Stadium in Foxborough

On April 18, 2000, plans were revealed for the new 68,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, entirely privately funded at a cost of $325 million.

2001: Patriots Final Season at Foxboro Stadium

2001 marked the final season the Patriots played their home games at Foxboro Stadium.

May 11, 2002: New England Revolution Defeat Dallas Burn

On May 11, 2002, the first official event at Gillette Stadium was an MLS soccer game where the New England Revolution defeated Dallas Burn 2-0.

September 9, 2002: Grand Opening Ceremonies and Super Bowl XXXVI Banner Unveiling

On September 9, 2002, grand opening ceremonies were held at Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots unveiled their Super Bowl XXXVI championship banner before a Monday Night Football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

September 9, 2002: First NFL Game at Gillette Stadium

On September 9, 2002, the first NFL game at Gillette Stadium was held, with the Patriots defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-14.

2002: Gillette Stadium Hosts Season-Opening Game

In 2002, Gillette Stadium hosted the NFL's nationally televised primetime season-opening game, where the Patriots unveiled their Super Bowl XXXVI championship banner.

2002: Gillette Stadium Opens

In 2002, Gillette Stadium opened, replacing the adjacent Foxboro Stadium, and becoming the home stadium for the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution.

2002: Record Attendance at 2002 MLS Cup Final

In 2002, the MLS Cup Final at Gillette Stadium drew a crowd of 61,316, which was the largest stand-alone MLS post-season crowd on record at that time.

2002: MLS Cup 2002 Hosted at Gillette Stadium

In 2002, the MLS Cup was hosted at Gillette Stadium.

2003: Patriots Playoff Games at Gillette Stadium

Between 2003 and 2007, the Patriots won the first seven playoff games held at Gillette Stadium.

2003: FIFA Women's World Cup Games Hosted

In 2003, Gillette Stadium hosted four games of the FIFA Women's World Cup.

2003: Gillette Stadium Hosts First Playoff Game

In 2003, Gillette Stadium hosted its first playoff game, a Divisional Round match against the Tennessee Titans, which was the coldest game in New England Patriots history.

2003: uBid is no longer a subsidiary of CMGI

Until 2003, uBid was a wholly owned subsidiary of CMGI, and continued to sponsor one of the main entrance gates to the stadium.

2004: Gillette Stadium Hosts Season-Opening Game

In 2004, Gillette Stadium hosted the NFL's nationally televised primetime season-opening game.

2005: Revolution Win Eastern Conference Final

In 2005, Gillette Stadium hosted a memorable Major League Soccer playoff victory where the Revolution won against the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Final, sending the Revs to the MLS Cup.

2005: Gillette Stadium Hosts Season-Opening Game

In 2005, Gillette Stadium hosted the NFL's nationally televised primetime season-opening game.

2005: Procter & Gamble Acquires Gillette

In 2005, Gillette was acquired by Procter & Gamble, but the stadium retained the Gillette name.

November 14, 2006: Decision to Replace Grass Surface with FieldTurf

On November 14, 2006, following a rainstorm that deteriorated the grass surface, the Patriots' management decided to replace the natural grass with FieldTurf.

November 2006: First Game on FieldTurf

In November 2006, after replacing the natural grass with FieldTurf, the Patriots played their first game on the new surface and won against the Chicago Bears.

2006: Plans Announced for Patriot Place

In 2006, the Patriots and Kraft announced plans to build Patriot Place, a "super regional lifestyle and entertainment center" near Gillette Stadium, costing $350 million.

August 2007: Patriots Lost Preseason Game

In August 2007, the team lost a preseason matchup to the Tennessee Titans on the new FieldTurf.

December 2007: CBS Scene Restaurant Announced

In December 2007, the Patriots and CBS announced plans to build "CBS Scene", a themed restaurant and nightclub at Patriot Place, which would also include studios for CBS-owned WBZ-TV.

2007: Revolution Win Eastern Conference Final

In 2007, Gillette Stadium again hosted a memorable Major League Soccer playoff victory where the Revolution won against the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Final, leading to the MLS Cup.

2007: Patriots Win AFC Championship

In 2007, the Patriots won the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, beating the San Diego Chargers and advancing to Super Bowl XLII.

July 2008: Phase Two Restaurants and Stores Open

In July 2008, the first restaurants and stores in phase two of the Patriot Place project began opening.

September 2008: Patriots lose to Miami Dolphins

In September 2008, the Patriots lost to the Miami Dolphins on the FieldTurf.

2008: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships Hosted

In 2008, Gillette Stadium hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.

2009: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships Hosted

In 2009, Gillette Stadium hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.

2009: Health Center and Hotel Open

In 2009, more locations opened at Patriot Place, including the health center and hotel, along with additional sites in phase one.

January 10, 2010: Ravens Defeat Patriots in Playoffs

On January 10, 2010, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Patriots 33-14, marking the Patriots' first home playoff loss in Gillette Stadium.

February 2010: FieldTurf Upgraded to Duraspine Pro

In February 2010, the FieldTurf surface was pulled and upgraded to FieldTurf "Duraspine Pro" to meet FIFA standards.

September 2010: Gillette and Patriots Extend Partnership

In September 2010, Gillette and the Patriots announced that their partnership, including naming rights to the stadium, would extend through the 2031 season.

2010: New HD Daktronics Video Displays Installed

In 2010, Gillette Stadium installed two new HD Daktronics video displays to replace the previous setup at both ends of the field.

January 16, 2011: Jets Defeat Patriots in Playoffs

On January 16, 2011, the New York Jets defeated the Patriots 28-21 in the playoffs, marking the Patriots' second consecutive home playoff loss.

2012: Patriots Win AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium

During the 2011-12 NFL playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos and won against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship, 23-20, hosted at Gillette Stadium.

2012: UMass Minutemen play at Gillette Stadium

In 2012, Gillette Stadium became the home venue for the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Minutemen football team while Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium underwent renovations.

2012: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships Hosted

In 2012, Gillette Stadium hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.

2013: UMass Minutemen at Gillette Stadium

In 2013, Gillette Stadium continued to serve as the home venue for the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Minutemen football team while Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium underwent renovations.

2013: UMass Minutemen play home games at Gillette Stadium

In 2013, the UMass Minutemen football program continued to play all of their home games at Gillette Stadium as part of their move to Division I FBS.

April 2014: Surface Upgraded to FieldTurf Revolution

In April 2014, the surface was upgraded to FieldTurf "Revolution" with "VersaTile" drainage system.

2014: Patriots Beat Ravens and Colts in Playoffs

During the 2014-15 NFL playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium.

2014: UMass Football Continues Games at Gillette Stadium

In 2014, after renovations to McGuirk Stadium, UMass Minutemen reached a deal with the Kraft Group to play four home games in Foxborough from 2014 to 2016.

2014: Monster Jam at Gillette Stadium

Since 2014, Monster Jam has been coming to Gillette Stadium.

2015: Gillette Stadium Hosts Season-Opening Game

In 2015, Gillette Stadium hosted the NFL's nationally televised primetime season-opening game, where the Patriots unveiled their Super Bowl XLIX championship banner.

2015: Boston Cannons Home Games

In 2015, Gillette Stadium was the home of the Boston Cannons for the season.

January 1, 2016: NHL Winter Classic at Gillette Stadium

On January 1, 2016, Gillette Stadium hosted the eighth edition of the NHL Winter Classic, featuring the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens.

September 2016: Home Game Sellout Streak Reaches 231 Games

By September 2016, the Patriots' home game sellout streak, which began in 1994 at Foxboro Stadium, had reached 231 games at Gillette Stadium.

2016: Patriots Beat Steelers in AFC Championship

During the 2016 playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium.

2016: Copa America Centenario Matches Hosted

In 2016, Gillette Stadium hosted some Copa America Centenario matches.

2016: UMass Football Games at Gillette Stadium

In 2016, UMass Minutemen continued to play some home games at Gillette Stadium as part of their deal with the Kraft Group, which started in 2014 and lasted until 2016.

2016: AMA Supercross Championship at Gillette Stadium

Since 2016, the AMA Supercross Championship has been racing at Gillette Stadium.

2017: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships Hosted

In 2017, Gillette Stadium hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.

2017: Gillette Stadium Hosts Season-Opening Game

In 2017, Gillette Stadium hosted the NFL's nationally televised primetime season-opening game, where the Patriots unveiled their Super Bowl LI championship banner.

2018: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships Hosted

In 2018, Gillette Stadium hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.

2018: Record Attendance Broken at 2018 MLS Cup

In 2018, the attendance record set by Gillette Stadium in 2002 for the largest stand-alone MLS post-season crowd was broken by the MLS Cup in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

2018: Patriots Beat Chargers in Divisional Round

In the 2018 season, Gillette Stadium hosted a Divisional Round game, where the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Chargers.

2018: UMass Games at Gillette Stadium

Through 2018, Gillette Stadium served as a part-time home venue for higher attendance UMass Minutemen football games.

February 15, 2019: Boston First City on PLL Schedule

On February 15, 2019, the Premier Lacrosse League announced that Boston would be the first city on the schedule for the 2019 season and that Gillette Stadium would be the venue to host the league on June 1 and 2.

June 2, 2019: WPLL Games at Gillette Stadium

On June 2, 2019, Gillette Stadium hosted a handful of games for the Women's Professional Lacrosse League to start their 2019 season.

2019: Gillette Stadium Hosts Season-Opening Game

In 2019, Gillette Stadium hosted the NFL's nationally televised primetime season-opening game, where the Patriots unveiled their Super Bowl LIII championship banner.

2019: Titans Upset Patriots in Playoffs

In Tom Brady's final game as a Patriot in 2019, the Tennessee Titans upset the Patriots in the First Round of the playoffs at Gillette Stadium.

2020: PLL Season Scrapped Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) was planning on returning to Gillette Stadium for the season, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the season on pause and the league scrapped their 2020 schedule.

January 18, 2021: Gillette Stadium Becomes Mass Vaccination Site

From January 18, 2021, Gillette Stadium was used as a mass distribution site for the COVID-19 vaccine.

June 14, 2021: Gillette Stadium Vaccination Site Concludes Operations

On June 14, 2021, Gillette Stadium concluded its operations as a mass distribution site for the COVID-19 vaccine, administering a total of 610,283 shots.

December 10, 2021: $225 Million Renovation Project Announced

On December 10, 2021, a $225 million renovation project for Gillette Stadium was announced.

January 2022: Renovation Project Construction Begins

In January 2022, construction began on the $225 million renovation project at Gillette Stadium.

2022: "Flying Elvis" Logo on Field

Prior to the 2022 season, the Gillette Stadium logo was painted on the field.

September 2023: $225 Million Renovation Project Completed

In September 2023, the $225 million renovation project at Gillette Stadium was completed, featuring a new video board, lighthouse, and hospitality spaces.

2023: Patriots Playoff Record at Gillette Stadium

Entering the 2023 season, the Patriots had an all-time playoff record of 19-4 at Gillette Stadium.

2023: Gillette Stadium Hosts Army-Navy Game

In 2023, Gillette Stadium served as a neutral site for the annual Army–Navy Game.

2023: Gillette Stadium Logo Redone

In 2023, the Gillette Stadium logo was redone in time for the renovation project, but is no longer present on the field.

April 27, 2024: Soccer attendance record broken during Revolution vs Inter Miami CF match

On April 27, 2024, the soccer attendance record was broken during a regular season match between the Revolution and Inter Miami CF, drawing 65,612 spectators.

June 12, 2024: Tom Brady Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

On June 12, 2024, a Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for former quarterback Tom Brady was hosted at Gillette Stadium.

2025: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships Hosted

In 2025, Gillette Stadium will host the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships.

2026: Gillette Stadium to Host FIFA World Cup Matches

In 2026, Gillette Stadium is set to host several matches during the FIFA World Cup, and will be known as Boston Stadium due to FIFA rules regarding stadium sponsorships.

2026: Navy to Play Notre Dame at Gillette Stadium

In 2026, the Navy will play their rivalry game with Notre Dame in Foxborough.

2031: Gillette and Patriots Partnership Extension End Date

In September 2010, Gillette and the Patriots announced that their partnership, including naming rights to the stadium, would extend through the 2031 season.