Sports Illustrated Stadium
Sports Illustrated Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, that is home to the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer and Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League. It opened under its former name, Red Bull Arena, in 2010. Featuring a transparent partial roof, it is located on the waterfront in the Riverbend District of Harrison across the Passaic River from Newark and approximately 7 miles west of Lower Manhattan, New York City. With a seating capacity of 25,000, it is the sixth-largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and in Major League Soccer.
On December 11, 2024, the venue's name was changed to Sports Illustrated Stadium as part of a new, 13-year agreement between the Red Bulls and Sports Illustrated Tickets.
Initial planning
The original plan to build a soccer specific stadium in the New York Metropolitan area was announced during the 2000 MLS season at ESPN Zone in Times Square by the President & GM of the MetroStars Nick Sakiewicz and owner Stuart Subotnick. Nick Sakiewicz led the complex, nearly 5-year effort in search of a site to build. On July 1, 2004, Sakiewicz, New Jersey Governor Richard Codey, Harrison Mayor Ray McDonough and Harrison Redevelopment Chair Peter Higgins along with MLS Commissioner Don Garber announced the MetroStars would move from their home at Giants Stadium to a site in Harrison, New Jersey.Harrison was chosen for its mass transit and interstate connections, proximity to New York City and its long history and reputation as a soccer cultural hotbed centered around the famed Harrison Soccer Courts. The West Hudson County area has been home to historic teams such as Clark O.N.T., West Hudson A.A. and the Kearny Scots dating back to the late 19th and early 20th century. On November 28, 1885, the neighboring town of Kearny hosted the first international soccer match held outside of the United Kingdom between the United States and Canada at Clark Field in the neighborhood that is now East Newark. Harrison Park was located a few blocks northwest of the stadium site and was the home field of West Hudson A.A. It also hosted the U.S. Open Cup final in 1918 and 1923.
Negotiations between MLS and the state of New Jersey dragged on until an agreement was announced on August 5, 2005, for the MetroStars to build and complete construction of a new dedicated soccer facility for the 2007 season. Concerns about environmental clean-up at the selected site forced another delay. Groundbreaking took place September 19, 2006, and construction was set for November 2007, that was delayed by one month when Red Bull GmbH bought the MetroStars from Anschutz Entertainment Group, changing the club's name in the process. After projections of opening during the 2008, and then the 2009 season, on January 23, 2009, it was announced that the arena opening would be delayed until 2010.
Nick Sakiewicz moved on to create MLS' 16th franchise in Philadelphia and build a soccer specific stadium in that market which launched in 2010. According to Erik Stover, Red Bulls managing director at the time, Harrison Redevelopment Agency chairman Peter B. Higgins was "quite simply the reason that the New York Red Bulls have a new home in Harrison. His vision and leadership guided us through numerous difficulties." The Higgins' contribution is memorialized by the naming of the street at the main gates along the west side of the stadium as Pete Higgins Boulevard.
Red Bull buyout and new design
In addition to purchasing the team, Red Bull bought out AEG's $100 million share of the stadium, an after-effect of lasting disagreements between the two corporations regarding their plans for the facility. Their differences prompted a significant delay in the early stages of the stadium's construction. After the naming rights of the soccer team were acquired, leading to the name Red Bull Park, Red Bull instituted a number of changes to the stadium's original design, which sparked tension between the Austrian-based energy drink company and AEG. Red Bull opted out of AEG's plan to construct a stage in the stadium for performances, one that would have increased profit margins for the group.The updated design was completed by Rossetti architects from Detroit and was built by New Jersey–based Hunter Roberts Construction Group, LLC. The stadium's unique roofing system was engineered, fabricated, and installed by the projects specialty roofing contractor Birdair of Amherst, New York, a suburb of Buffalo.
Design and features
A tension-fabric curved exterior shell of PTFE fiberglass wraps around the entire two-tiered stadium, creating the distinguishing roof feature of Sports Illustrated Stadium. The roof extends from the last row of seats to just past the field's touchlines, with of the roof being translucent to allow for natural light. And at, it is the largest roof canopy of all Major League Soccer stadiums, covering all 25,000 seats. The low and enclosed roof design is known for providing superior acoustics by holding, amplifying and reflecting crowd noise back onto the field. Dual light-emitting diode HD Panasonic video boards were suspended from the north and south ends of the roof. In early 2019, both video boards were replaced with two new LED Daktronics displays as part of stadium wide upgrades.The seats of Sports Illustrated Stadium are of the tip-up variety, without arm rests, similar to those of European soccer stadiums with the first row of seating approximately from the touchlines. The stadium's seating is raked at 33 degrees for optimal sight-lines. Included in the 25,000 seats are 30 luxury suites and 1,000 premium seats. The Red Bull logo is patterned in red and yellow lower-level seats directly opposite the team benches and player entrance tunnel.
Sections 133, 101 and 102 collectively make up the 1,500 seat home supporters section known as the South Ward. Among the former blue seats in the South Ward was the "Red Seat" located at Section 101, Row 11, Seat 20. The Red Seat signifies the Red Bulls first goal scored at Sports Illustrated Stadium; Section 101 represents the stadium's first game, Row 11 marks the minute of the game in which the goal was scored and Seat 20 remembers the goal scorer, No. 20 Joel Lindpere. Following the passing of Empire Supporters Club member Mike Vallo, the Red Seat's No. 20 was replaced by the initials "MV" to honor him. Ahead of the 2020 season, the Red Bulls converted the South Ward into a safe standing section with a rail seating system with cup holders, similar to the system in place at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. This system allows supporters to watch matches while standing but also contain unlock-able individual red fold-down seats to convert the section to standard seating for international matches and other events. The Red Seat was removed and given to the Vallo Family and a new location in Section 101 was selected to commemorate Mike Vallo. An open standing area was created directly behind the South Ward for supporters to gather while maintaining a view of the field. Sports Illustrated Stadium is the third soccer-specific stadium in North America to have a safe standing with rail seating system. The South Ward supporters have their own signed and dedicated entrance at Gate D.
On the west side of Sports Illustrated Stadium is the retired jersey number "99" of striker Bradley Wright-Phillips; the first to be retired by the Red Bulls. Alongside the number 99 are listed the years honoring the Red Bull teams that won the Supporters' Shield in 2013, 2015, and 2018 and Conference Championships in 2008 and 2024. In 2022, Legends Row was created and the name of former goalkeeper Luis Robles was added. In 2024, a permanent banner honoring Gotham FC's 2023 NWSL Championship was added to Legends Row.
The lower bowl of the stadium is constructed of concrete, while the upper bowl is constructed of galvanized-metal. The Red Bulls intentionally chose galvanized-metal for the upper bowl so fans could create more noise by stomping their feet. In addition, the main concourse is elevated high, eliminating a majority of field-level entryways. On the North side of the main concourse are 13 "Red Beams"; each one memorializing a special moment in the club's history. In 2022, a mural was added to the main concourse at the "Horizon Gate". The mural was painted by artist Elijah Minton and is designed to "represent the Red Bulls loyal supporters, fans, culture, energy and passion for the game of soccer from our neighborhoods to the walls of."
In 2017, the Red Bulls opened MLS's first permanent sensory room for individuals and families affected by autism. The space was formerly used as executive offices by the club's general manager Marc de Grandpre, whose daughter is on the autism spectrum. The sensory room overlooks mid-field and features dimmed lighting and lightly colored walls to offer a soothing environment, along with visual aids, fidget toys and other activities. There is no special ticket or any charge required for use of the room. In 2025, the sensory room was updated and enhanced with input from KultureCity and renamed the "Altec Lansing Sensory Room". Altec Lansing equipped the sensory room with state-of-the-art noise-canceling headphones for guests with sensory challenges to use during matches and events.
Ahead of the 2022 MLS season, the Red Bulls fully renovated the Premium Levels of Sports Illustrated Stadium including the Audi Club, Bulls Corner, Provident Bank Suite Lounge and its 27 indoor suites and created a new area called the Midfield Suite. The Midfield Suite acts as a common area for all suite ticket holders and provides panoramic views of the field. A new satellite premium "BULLShop" was created on the fourth floor and a new gaming lounge was created on the 5th floor that gives suite guests access to gaming stations and lounge seating.
On June 6, 2023, the Red Bulls opened a new outdoor pre-match event space known as "CrossBar". The space includes a permanent stage and viewing area, a weather-proof option for pre-match events, along with new and upgraded furniture, gaming areas and bar and concession area.
Ahead of the 2024 MLS season, the Red Bulls upgraded Sports Illustrated Stadium's lighting system by installing a Musco Lighting TLC for LED system. The new system has color-changing fixtures that allow for higher on-field lighting levels, dynamic lighting for in-game moments and celebrations and reduce energy consumption by 20%. A new LED ribbon board was also installed around the upper bowl of the stadium.
Ahead of the 2025 MLS season, the Red Bulls created "Club SI" an indoor-outdoor premium space behind the home team’s bench at midfield. The indoor lounge was designed by Populous and the outside seating area consists of 188 movie theater-style cushioned chairs with the front row called the "Manager’s Box" providing access to a balcony over the player entrance tunnel.