Jets Stadium History

The New York Jets stadium history begins at the Polo Grounds in New York city. The Polo Grounds used by the Jets football club was actually the fourth different park to use the same moniker, and it gained notoriety because its shape resembled that of a bathtub. This particular edition of the Polo Grounds seated more than 57,000 people and was home to the New York AFL franchise from its inception in 1960 until 1963, when the team moved into Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. Shea Stadium, the site of the world's first ever outdoor stadium concert, housed the Jets from 1963 until 1984. The stadium cost about $28 million to build and comfortably seated more than 55,000 fans. Following the 1984 season, the team moved into their current home, Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Jets Stadium History: The Origins of Giants Stadium

While the Jets stadium history involves stops at the Polo Ground and Shea Stadium, it also involves the origins of their current home, Giants Stadium. In May 1967, a reported in the East Rutherford area first came up with the idea to build an all-sports complex somewhere within the state of New Jersey. That idea came into fruition when the New York Giants agreed to relocate in August 1971, and workers broke ground on the Meadowlands Sports Complex less than a year later. The Jets played their first game at Giants Stadium on September 6, 1984, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers during a nationally televised Thursday night contest. The first game between the two New York teams at the Meadowlands look place on December 2, 1984, with the Giants downing the Jets by a 20-10 margin. In that game, quarterback Ken O'Brien completed 28 of 40 pass attempts for 351 yards and a touchdown in a losing effort.