Mountain America Stadium is the home of Arizona State Sun Devils football, on the university’s campus in Tempe, Arizona. It opened on October 4, 1958, as Sun Devil Stadium, with about 30,000 seats. Arizona State beat West Texas State 16-13 in the first game there. The playing surface is a natural Bermuda grass field named Frank Kush Field, after the longtime ASU coach.
In August 2023, ASU and Mountain America Credit Union announced a 15-year naming-rights partnership, and the stadium took its current name. It is now a modernized venue, but it has hosted an NFL team, a Super Bowl and a papal Mass along the way.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Arizona State Sun Devils football
- Location: Tempe, Arizona (ASU campus)
- Opened: October 4, 1958 (as Sun Devil Stadium)
- Capacity: 53,599
- Playing surface: Natural Bermuda grass (Frank Kush Field)
- Renamed: Mountain America Stadium in August 2023 (15-year naming-rights deal)
- Renovation: $304 million, five phases, 2015-2019
- Notable fact: Hosted Super Bowl XXX in 1996
From Sun Devil Stadium to a Modern Venue
The stadium opened with about 30,000 seats and grew steadily over the decades. Its capacity peaked at 74,865 in 1989. A five-year, $304 million renovation finished in August 2019. It added a new video board above the north end zone and removed roughly 5,700 upper-deck seats, which brought capacity down to 53,599.
The stadium is also known by the nickname “House of Heat.” It has been called Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils, since the 2023 naming-rights deal.
Big Events Beyond ASU Football
The stadium hosted the Fiesta Bowl from 1971 to 2006. The Arizona Cardinals played their home games here for 18 seasons, from 1988 to 2005. In 1996 it hosted Super Bowl XXX, in which the Dallas Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 in front of 76,347 fans.
On September 14, 1987, Pope John Paul II held a Mass at the stadium for about 75,000 people. Sun Devil imagery was covered or removed for the occasion. The Cactus Bowl was played here from 2006 to 2015 and is set to return in 2026.
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Mountain America Stadium FAQs
Was Mountain America Stadium formerly Sun Devil Stadium?
Yes. The stadium was called Sun Devil Stadium from its 1958 opening until 2023. It was renamed after ASU and Mountain America Credit Union announced a 15-year naming-rights partnership on August 2, 2023.
How many people does Mountain America Stadium hold?
The current capacity is 53,599 after the 2015-2019 renovation. That is well below the 74,865 peak reached in 1989.
Has Mountain America Stadium hosted a Super Bowl?
Yes. As Sun Devil Stadium, it hosted Super Bowl XXX on January 28, 1996, when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17.
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Photo: Clintus McGintus / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.