Stadiums of Major League Rugby 2022

The opening weekend of the fifth Major League Rugby season saw two venues hosting games for the first time. Four others will debut this season, with 14 different venues currently slated to see action. Below is an overview of what fans can expect to see on screen or in person in 2022.

 

 

Bold Stadium
Austin, Texas

Opened: 2019
Capacity: 5,000
Surface: Natural Grass
MLR Debut: February 9, 2020
MLR Games: 11

Austin’s third home of Major league Rugby debuted in the 2020 season. They had previously played at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex and Dell Diamond, the latter primarily a baseball facility. Bold Stadium is located at Circuit of the Americas, a race track approximately 15 miles (25km) south-west of the city center that surrounds the venue.

 

 

Choctaw Stadium
Arlington, Texas

Opened: 1994
Capacity: 4,000
Surface: Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass
MLR Debut: February 9, 2022
MLR Games: 0

The former home of the Texas Rangers was previously known as Globe Life Park. It will debut in Week 3 as a repurposed facility with a beautiful unmarked grass pitch that allows for clean rugby lines. Though the maximum stadium capacity is over 40,000, the pitch-side section currently assigned for rugby games totals 3,808 with some limited standing room.

 

 

AVEVA Stadium
Houston, Texas

Opened: 2019
Capacity: 5,000
Surface: Natural Grass
MLR Debut: April 13, 2019
MLR Games: 16

The first purpose-build rugby stadium constructed by an MLR side opened its doors part-way through the 2019 season. With its natural grass surface now settled it is among the league’s most popular venues for spectators and players alike. The SaberCats previously played at Houston’s Dyer Stadium and Constellation Field in Sugar Land.

 

 

Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles, California

Opened: 1923
Capacity: 77,500
Surface: Bermuda Grass
MLR Debut: March 20, 2021
MLR Games: 10

The iconic facility hosted events during the 1932 and 1984 Olympics. It is the oldest and by far the largest venue in the league, and is also home of USC football. To date the record attendance for an MLR game at the Coliseum was approximately 7,500 at the 2021 Championship Final.

 

 

Veterans Memorial Stadium
Quincy, Massachusetts

Opened: 1938
Capacity: 5,000
Surface: FieldTurf
MLR Debut: July 18, 2021
MLR Games: 1

Previously situated at a pop-up facility constructed at Union Point Sports Complex in Weymouth, the Free Jacks are now primary occupants at their new home in Quincy. It is located 10 miles (16km) closer to downtown Boston and has direct access to the subway line.

 

 

The Gold Mine
New Orleans, Louisiana

Opened: 1997
Capacity: 10,000
Surface: Natural Grass
MLR Debut: February 8, 2020
MLR Games: 14

Also known as The Shrine on Airline, formerly Zephyr Field. This is a baseball stadium that was re-purposed for rugby in 2020 with the Gold its only current tenants. The move to Metairie has proved a significant upgrade from the former location at Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero.

 

 

Segra Field
Leesburg, Virginia

Opened: 2019
Capacity: 5,000
Surface: FieldTurf
MLR Debut: March 27, 2021
MLR Games: 8

Old Glory bid farewell to Cardinal Stadium at Catholic University after playing there during the 2019 exhibition and 2020 MLR seasons. It’s an excellent facility though the location, 40 miles (65km) outside of DC is less ideal. There is a shuttle bus available through a third party that transports fans from the nation’s capital directly to the field on game days.

 

 

Silverbacks Park
Atlanta, Georgia

Opened: 2004
Capacity: 5,000
Surface: FieldTurf
MLR Debut: February 5, 2022
MLR Games: 1

The Ratlers have moved away from Life University campus to the north-east end of metropolitan Atlanta. Their new home offers twice the capacity and a more modern facility to Lupo Family Field, which is now undergoing repairs from flood damage. Despite the move, the team continues to refer to their home pitch as ‘The Snake Pit’.

 

 

John F. Kennedy Stadium
Hoboken, New Jersey

Opened: 1962
Capacity: 2,000
Surface: Synthetic Turf
MLR Debut: March 6, 2022
MLR Games: 0

New York’s search for a permanent home is far from over but they will at least be staying in one spot this year. With MCU Park, Cochrane Stadium, and Belson Stadium all now in the rear-view mirror, it’s Hoboken High School that will host the team in 2022. The team has also secured an area near the field for pre- and post-game festivities.

 

 

SDSU Sports Deck
San Diego, California

Opened: 2000
Capacity: 3,000
Surface: Natural Grass
MLR Debut: February 6, 2022
MLR Games: 1

Fans were stunned by the announcement that the Legion were moving away from their spiritual home of Torero Stadium, the venue for the 2018 and 2019 Championship Finals. The good news is the move to the Sports Deck, located on top of a parking garage, is a temporary one with the team moving to the brand new Snapdragon Stadium in 2023. Though the maximum capacity is 3,000, the seating capacity of only 1,500 makes this the smallest venue in MLR.

 

 

Starfire Stadium
Tukwila, Washington

Opened: 2005
Capacity: 4,000
Surface: FieldTurf
MLR Debut: April 22, 2018
MLR Games: 25

One of only two original venues remaining in MLR, no field has hosted more games than the home of the Seawolves. As attendances start to return to normal in a (hopefully) post-pandemic state, it remains to be seen if the team will look elsewhere given that the seating capacity of 3,500 is often completely sold out.

 

 

 

Starlight Stadium
Langford, British Columbia

Opened: 2009
Capacity: 6,000
Surface: FieldTurf
MLR Debut: February 11, 2022
MLR Games: 0

Set to host just one game in 2022. The Arrows have never before played an MLR game in Canada outside of Toronto. Formerly known as Westhills Stadium, it was renovated in 2019 to accommodate the arrival of professional soccer side Pacific FC. The venue is also used by Rugby Canada for training, occasional tests, and to host a Women’s event on the World Sevens Series.

 

York Lions Stadium
Toronto, Ontario

Opened: 2015
Capacity: 4,000
Surface: Artificial Turf
MLR Debut: April 2, 2022
MLR Games: 0

Toronto have previously used York University’s Alumni Field for regular season games but will now move to the adjacent field that was renovated in 2021. A track surrounding the pitch was removed and a new World Rugby-approved turf surface installed. Lamport Stadium’s downtown location is preferable but the facility is now in a state of disrepair.

 

 

Zions Bank Stadium
Herriman, Utah

Opened: 2018
Capacity: 5,000
Surface: Artificial Turf
MLR Debut: May 5, 2018
MLR Games: 20

The second ‘original’ facility still in operation, Utah’s home pitch offers a unique view of the nearby mountain range. Located at the south-west of Salt Lake County, it is part of Real Salt Lake’s academy complex and also serves as a home for the pro soccer side’s development team Real Monarchs.