Albertsons Stadium sits on the campus of Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, and has served as the home of the Boise State Broncos football team since it opened in 1970. For its first 44 seasons the venue was known as Bronco Stadium, until the Albertsons grocery chain purchased the naming rights in 2014.
The stadium is best known worldwide not for its size but for its color: in 1986, Boise State became the first college football program to install a non-green playing surface, laying down a bright blue artificial turf that quickly earned the nickname “Smurf Turf.” The eye-catching field turned a mid-size Mountain time-zone program into one of the most recognizable brands in college football.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: Boise State Broncos (NCAA football)
- Location: Boise, Idaho
- Opened: September 11, 1970
- Capacity: about 35,500
- Conference: Pac-12 Conference
- Famous for: Blue “Smurf Turf” playing surface, first non-green field in college football
The Blue Turf Legacy
Boise State’s blue field was the brainchild of athletic director Gene Bleymaier, who decided that if the school had to replace its artificial turf anyway, it might as well make a statement. The resulting blue surface made the stadium instantly identifiable on television and remained the only non-green field in major college football for roughly two decades.
The stadium has grown and changed in stages since its original 14,500-seat capacity, including expansions in 1975 and 1997, the addition of the Stueckle Sky Center in 2008, and permanent end zone bleachers in 2012. A multi-year north end zone renovation temporarily lowered the seat count before wrapping up in time for the 2026 season, bringing a new mix of premium seating, loge boxes, and club seats to the venue.
A Mid-Size Stadium with a National Profile
Despite its relatively modest seating count, Albertsons Stadium regularly draws national television audiences thanks to the Broncos’ history of upset wins and the field’s visual novelty. The venue has also hosted the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl every year since 1997, the longest-running outdoor bowl game played in a cold-weather city. Boise State left the Mountain West Conference and began competing in the Pac-12 Conference starting with the 2026-27 season.
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Albertsons Stadium FAQs
Why is the field at Albertsons Stadium blue?
Boise State installed a blue artificial turf in 1986 as a way to stand out visually; it became the first non-green playing surface in college football and earned the nickname “Smurf Turf.”
What was Albertsons Stadium called before 2014?
It was known as Bronco Stadium from its 1970 opening until May 2014, when the Albertsons grocery chain bought the naming rights.
How many people can Albertsons Stadium hold?
The stadium’s listed capacity is about 35,500, reflecting new premium seating added in a recently completed north end zone renovation, following several earlier expansions since it opened with roughly 14,500 seats in 1970.
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Photo: Iamneven / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.