Boston University Field was the name given to the athletic grounds at 285 Babcock Street in Boston from 1954 to 1963, after Boston University purchased the former home of the Boston Braves baseball team in July 1953. Built originally in 1915 as Braves Field, the site still retains portions of the old ballpark, including its right-field pavilion and entry gate.
The stadium’s most famous chapter came in 1960, when it became the primary home field for the Boston Patriots of the brand-new American Football League. On September 9, 1960, Boston University Field hosted the first regular-season game in AFL history, as the Patriots faced the Denver Broncos in front of a Friday-night crowd well above the venue’s listed capacity. In 1963 the field was renamed Nickerson Field, the name it still carries today as home to BU’s soccer and lacrosse teams.
- New England Patriots played here 1960–1962. See every Patriots stadium →
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Boston Patriots (AFL, primary home 1960-1962); Boston University football
- Location: 285 Babcock Street, Boston, Massachusetts
- Opened as Boston University Field: 1954 (on the 1915 Braves Field site)
- Renamed Nickerson Field: September 28, 1963
- Capacity (1960 AFL era): about 25,000 with temporary bleachers
- Current capacity (as Nickerson Field): 9,871
- Notable fact: Hosted the first-ever AFL regular-season game, September 9, 1960
From Braves Field to BU Field
The grounds dated back to 1915, when they opened as Braves Field, once the largest ballpark in professional baseball. After the Boston Braves left for Milwaukee in 1953, Boston University acquired the property and renamed it Boston University Field the following year, repurposing the old outfield grandstands for college athletics.
Much of the original ballpark was gradually removed through the 1950s, including the left-field pavilion and the quirky “Jury Box” bleacher section, as BU reshaped the site for football, soccer, and track.
Home of the AFL’s First Game
In 1960, Boston University Field became the primary home turf of the Boston Patriots, charter members of the American Football League. The university poured over $300,000 into new lighting, sod, and seating to accommodate professional football, and the field drew crowds exceeding 27,000 for marquee matchups that season.
Boston University Field remained the Patriots’ home through the 1962 season. The Patriots left the site for Fenway Park in 1963, and by that September the university had renamed the venue Nickerson Field after longtime donor William E. Nickerson, the identity it still carries today.
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Boston University Field FAQs
Does Boston University Field still exist?
Yes, but under a different name. It was renamed Nickerson Field in September 1963 and remains BU’s home venue for soccer and lacrosse.
What made Boston University Field historically significant?
It hosted the first regular-season game in American Football League history on September 9, 1960, when the Boston Patriots faced the Denver Broncos.
Did the Boston Patriots always play home games at Boston University Field?
It was their home field from 1960 through 1962, before the team moved to Fenway Park in 1963.
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Photo: Pjorg at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.