Jeppesen Stadium began life as Public School Stadium, opening on September 18, 1942, as a 14,500-seat venue built by the Houston Independent School District with help from the Works Progress Administration. In 1958 the district renamed it Jeppesen Stadium in honor of school board member Holger Jeppesen, who had championed its construction.
The stadium’s biggest moment arrived in 1960, when the expansion Houston Oilers of the new American Football League made it their home field. Owner Bud Adams expanded capacity to around 36,000, and on January 1, 1961, Jeppesen Stadium hosted the first-ever AFL Championship Game, which the Oilers won over the Los Angeles Chargers. The venue later became Robertson Stadium in 1980 and was demolished in December 2012, with TDECU Stadium rising on the same site.
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Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Houston Oilers (AFL, 1960–1964); Houston Cougars (1946–1950)
- Location: Houston, Texas
- Opened: September 18, 1942 (as Public School Stadium; renamed Jeppesen Stadium in 1958)
- Renamed/Demolished: Became Robertson Stadium in 1980; demolished December 2012
- Peak capacity: About 36,000 (1960s expansion)
- Notable fact: Hosted the first AFL Championship Game, January 1, 1961
The Birthplace of AFL Football in Houston
When the Houston Oilers joined the American Football League in 1960, Jeppesen Stadium became their proving ground. Bud Adams funded an expansion that nearly tripled seating capacity to accommodate the growing crowds, and the Oilers rewarded fans with back-to-back AFL titles, including the league’s inaugural championship game played right there on New Year’s Day 1961.
The stadium also carved out a niche in football lore on December 23, 1962, when the Oilers and Dallas Texans played a double-overtime AFL Championship Game, drawing an announced crowd of nearly 38,000.
From School Stadium to Robertson Stadium
After the Oilers departed for the larger Astrodome in 1965, Jeppesen Stadium settled into a quieter role hosting high school and University of Houston Cougars football. A 1970 renovation funded by Corbin J. Robertson modernized the facility for the Cougars’ track and field and football programs, and in 1980 it was renamed Robertson Stadium in his honor.
The University of Houston played its final season there in 2012 before demolition began that December, clearing the site for TDECU Stadium, which opened on August 29, 2014, as the Cougars’ new home.
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Jeppesen Stadium FAQs
Is Jeppesen Stadium still standing?
No. The venue, later renamed Robertson Stadium, was demolished in December 2012 to make way for TDECU Stadium, which opened on the University of Houston campus in August 2014.
Why was it called Jeppesen Stadium?
The Houston school district renamed the venue in 1958 after Holger Jeppesen, a school board member who had pushed for the stadium’s construction.
What major event did Jeppesen Stadium host?
It hosted the first American Football League Championship Game on January 1, 1961, when the Houston Oilers beat the Los Angeles Chargers 24–16.
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Photo: University of Houston / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.