January 23, 2012

Past Venue: Nickerson Field

Boston, MA



Year opened: 1955
Capacity: 10,412, down from 21,000 when it was still being used for football

Names:
Nickerson Field, 1955 to date

Pro football tenants:
Boston Patriots (AFL), 1960-62
Boston Breakers (USFL), 1983

Postseason games hosted:
None

Other tenants of note:
Boston University, 1955 to date
Boston Minutemen (NASL), 1975
New England Tea Men (NASL), 1979
Boston Bolts (ASL/APSL), 1988-90
Boston Breakers (WUSA), 2001-03
Boston Cannons (MLL), 2004-06

Notes: Built on site of Braves Field using some segments of that stadium, including the right field pavilion and portions of the outer wall and entry gate, but the main grandstand, left field pavilion, and a smaller section of bleachers known as the Jury Box were demolished. Venue was given the name of the university’s previous athletic field, which pertained to William E. Nickerson, a member of the school’s board of trustees who donated that original facility in Weston, MA. The stadium was renovated to accommodate the arrival of the AFL Patriots in 1960. In a further renovation in 1968, the Braves Field light towers were taken down and the field was converted to AstroTurf. It has since been replaced with FieldTurf. Boston University officially dropped its football team in 1997, although a club team has since been formed, and the facility is mostly used for soccer and lacrosse.

Fate: Still in use


(top view shows original football configuration with grandstand still intact, lower view is more recent)