Giants Stadium

Giants Stadium is the home stadium for the New York Giants and New York Jets NFL football teams, and the MetroStars of Major League Soccer. It is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey in the Meadowlands Sports Complex, which also hosts the Meadowlands Racetrack and the Continental Airlines Arena. Official seating capacity as of 2004 is 80,242.

Related Topics:
New York Giants - New York Jets - NFL - Football - MetroStars - Major League Soccer - East Rutherford, New Jersey - Meadowlands Sports Complex - Meadowlands Racetrack - Continental Airlines Arena - As of 2004

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Giants Stadium opened October 10, 1976, as 76,042 fans witnessed a loss by the Giants to the Dallas Cowboys. College football made its debut at Giants Stadium October 23, 1976, with Rutgers University defeating Columbia University, 47-0.

Related Topics:
October 10 - 1976 - Dallas Cowboys - College football - October 23 - Rutgers University - Columbia University

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The New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League moved to Giants Stadium for the 1977 season and remained until the league folded in 1985. Soccer legend Pelé played his last game here October 1, 1977, playing the first half for the Cosmos and the second half for his old Brazilian team, Santos.

Related Topics:
New York Cosmos - North American Soccer League - 1977 - 1985 - Soccer - Pelé - October 1 - Brazil - Santos

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In 1984, the New York Jets became co-tenants with the Giants.

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Other professional football teams that have called Giants Stadium home over the years include the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League; the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football; and the New York/New Jersey Hitmen of the XFL.

Related Topics:
New Jersey Generals - United States Football League - New York/New Jersey Knights - World League of American Football - New York/New Jersey Hitmen - XFL

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The stadium has also hosted numerous college football games, including the Kickoff Classic from 1983 to 2002; the New York Urban League Classic since 1981; and the Army-Navy Game on several occasions, most recently in 2002.

Related Topics:
Kickoff Classic - 1983 - 2002 - 1981 - Army-Navy Game

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Nine games of the {{Wc|1994}} soccer tournament were held at Giants Stadium, along with several games of the 1999 Women's World Cup. In 2003, the SuperCoppa Italia, an annual match pitting the winners of Serie A (Italy's top division) and the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup), was held in Giants Stadium instead of in Italy because both clubs involved (Juventus and AC Milan) were touring the United States late in the summer, when the event is normally scheduled. In 2005, it played host to many matches to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, including the final which saw the USA victorious over Panama in a 3-1 penalty shootout after both sides failed to score goals during regulation and extra time. It has seen many European soccer tours in recent years paying venue to such big clubs as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and many others.

Related Topics:
1999 Women's World Cup - 2003 - Serie A - Italy - Coppa Italia - Juventus - AC Milan - CONCACAF Gold Cup - USA - Panama - Penalty shootout - Manchester United - Chelsea - Liverpool

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The largest crowd to ever attend an event at Giants Stadium was 82,948, as Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass during a rainstorm on October 5, 1995.

Related Topics:
Pope John Paul II - October 5 - 1995

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Concerts have also been a part of the Giants Stadium experience, as performers ranging from Bruce Springsteen to the Grateful Dead to the Three Tenors have taken the stage before appreciative audiences.

Related Topics:
Bruce Springsteen - Grateful Dead

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To accommodate these varied events, Giants Stadium has sported various playing surfaces in its history. AstroTurf was the original surface for the playing field. This surface was covered by sod for the World Cup. A system of interchangeable grass trays was implemented from 1999 to 2001, but was replaced by a new artificial surface, FieldTurf, in 2002.

Related Topics:
AstroTurf - Sod - Grass - 1999 - 2001 - FieldTurf - 2002

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For some years a rumor circulated that the remains of Jimmy Hoffa had been buried under one of the end zones at Giants Stadium. This led a wag in Sports Illustrated to suggest that "This lends new meaning to the term coffin corner!"

Related Topics:
Jimmy Hoffa - Coffin corner

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On September 29, 2005, it was announced that Giants Stadium would be replaced with a $800 million stadium that is scheduled to be opened in 2009. The new stadium will be nearby the current stadium, which will be razed and turned into a parking lot. The New York Jets were planning a move to a new domed stadium on Manhattan's West Side sometime near the year 2010. However, with the political defeat in June 2005 of the West Side Stadium plan, the Jets ended up agreeing to share the new Meadowlands stadium with the Giants.

Related Topics:
September 29 - 2005 - June 2005 - West Side Stadium

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