Hard Rock Stadium Capacity, Tickets, Seating Plan, Records, Location, Parking
Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-use stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is home to the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami’s NCAA Division I college football team.
The stadium has also hosted six Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI, XLIV and LIV), the 2010 Pro Bowl, two World Series (1997 and 2003), four BCS National Championship Games (2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013 ), a CFP National Championship (2021), the second round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic, and WrestleMania XXVIII.
Additionally, the stadium hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football game, and the Miami Open tennis tournament. As of 2022, the Hard Rock Stadium grounds are also home to the Miami International Speedway, a temporary race track used for the Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix. Additionally, the stadium will host multiple matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From 1993 to 2011, the stadium was also the home field of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Florida Marlins until they moved to LoanDepot Park in 2012.
The facility opened in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium and has since been known by various names: Pro Player Park, Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, Land Shark Stadium, and Sun Life Stadium. In August 2016, the team sold the naming rights to Hard Rock Cafe Inc. for $250 million over 18 years.
| Built In: | December 1, 1985 |
| Capacity: | 75,000 |
| Home Teams: | Miami Dolphins |
| Construction cost: | US $115 million |
Hard Rock Stadium History
Conception and construction
During their first 21 seasons, the Miami Dolphins played in the Orange Bowl. Team founder Joe Robbie explained what led to the decision to build a new stadium: “In 1976, the city of Miami wanted to quadruple our rent. They did that. I started thinking seriously about building a stadium.” What made the construction of the stadium truly unique was that it was the first multi-use stadium ever built in the United States that was entirely privately financed.
Robbie also believed that it was only a matter of time before a Major League Baseball (MLB) team came to South Florida. At his request, the stadium was built in the shape of a rectangle, with a field that was a little wider than most NFL stadiums. The wide field also made it easy to convert the stadium for football.
Due to this design decision, the first row of seats was 90 feet (27 m) from the sideline in a football configuration, considerably further away than the first row of seats in most football stadiums (the seats closest at the new Soldier Field, for example). for example, they are 55 feet (17 m) from the sideline at the 50-yard line). This resulted in a less intimate venue for football compared to other football facilities built around this time, as well as the Orange Bowl.
At the time it opened in 1987, Joe Robbie Stadium was located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County and had a Miami address. Specifically, it was in the Scott Lake census-designated place. Today, it is located in the city of Miami Gardens, which was incorporated on May 13, 2003.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins’ first preseason game was played on August 16, 1987 against the Chicago Bears. The first game of the regular season was scheduled for September 27, a week 3 game against the New York Giants; this game was canceled and not made up due to the 1987 players’ strike.
The first NFL regular season game played there was a 42–0 Dolphins win over the Kansas City Chiefs on October 11, 1987 The game was in the midst of the 1987 NFL strike and was played with replacement players. The first game featuring union players was on October 25 of that year, a 34-31 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills. The stadium hosted its first Monday Night Football game on December 7 of that year, a 37-28 victory for the Dolphins over the New York Jets.
The Dolphins have played eight playoff games at the stadium, including the 1992 AFC Championship Game, which they lost to the Buffalo Bills 29-10. The Dolphins are 5-3 in playoff games here, most recently losing in January 2009 against the Baltimore Ravens. Also of note, the stadium hosted the 2018 Miracle in Miami game against the New England Patriots, where the Dolphins scored on the last play of the game. The team is undefeated here against Los Angeles/St. Luis Rams (4-0); they haven’t won here against the Dallas Cowboys (0-3).
Miami Hurricanes football
Since 2008, the stadium has served as the home field for the Miami Hurricanes college soccer team, a top-tier college soccer program that has won five national championships since 1983. The college signed a 25-year contract to play at the Hard Rock Stadium until 2033.
Before moving to Hard Rock Stadium, from 1937 to 2008, the Miami Hurricanes played their home games in the Miami Orange Bowl.
Permanent seating
The 65,326 permanent seats for football and soccer configurations break down as follows: For general 19-inch (48 cm) seats with back and armrests, there are 27,397 on the lower deck and 34,736 on the upper deck. There are 10,209 seats of the largest 53 cm (21 in) club with back and armrests. In the 193 executive suites with 10, 12, 16, 20 and 24 seats there are a total of 3,198. There are also 300 accessible seating locations for spectators with disabilities, 150 media seats in operation, and 10 radio/TV booths.
The stadium contains 10,209 club seats and 216 suites. When the Marlins played in the stadium, 2,400 of the club’s seats and 216 suites were available.
Stadium Capacity
Hard Rock Stadium has a seating capacity of 75,000.
Hard Rock Stadium Seating Plan
Notable Events & Records
NFL
The stadium has hosted six Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI, XLIV, and LIV) and also hosted the 2010 Pro Bowl.
The 2007 Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium, when the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17, was marred by heavy rain. An estimated 30% of the lower tier seats were empty during the second half.
In 2010, the NFL threatened to stop considering the stadium for a Super Bowl or Pro Bowl unless significant renovations were done. One of the desired improvements was a roof to protect the fans from the elements. In 2012, the Dolphins scrapped plans to submit a $200 million hotel tax proposal that would have included a partial roof on the stadium.
In 2016, an outdoor canopy was built that protects the seat from the elements. The canopy, however, has a football field-sized hole in the middle and therefore does not protect the playing field from rain. The renovations were completed with the Miami Dolphins’ preseason home opener in September 2016.
Previously, since the field runs east-west (rather than north-south, as is the case in most other stadiums), the north bleachers were exposed to the full force of the oppressive South Florida heat at early in the season. The issue became so problematic that Stephen Ross, owner of the Dolphins and the stadium, successfully petitioned the NFL to have all September home games begin at 4 p.m. m. or after.
Ross knew that for much of September, the Dolphins had a significant home-field advantage against opponents unaccustomed to sweltering heat. However, he was willing to forgo that to ensure a more comfortable environment for fans, as well as allow the stadium to host another Super Bowl.
In 2021, the team opened the Baptist Health Training Complex on the west side of the stadium complex. The Dolphins have moved into their new headquarters, which is also a World Cup practice site and a state-of-the-art building.
Other events
Other events held at the stadium have included international soccer games, Hoop-It-Up basketball, RV and boat shows, UniverSoul Circus, numerous trade shows, and religious gatherings. The stadium has also hosted Australian rules football exhibition matches (including two Victorian Football League (VFL) post-season exhibitions). For the 1988 exhibition between Collingwood and Geelong, the game was played diagonally to compensate for the stadium not being an oval.
In 2006, it hosted the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA)-sanctioned High School Soccer State Championship.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the stadium began to temporarily house an outdoor movie theater on the tennis campus and a drive-in theater in the stadium itself. Additionally, the site’s East Lot has been used as a COVID-19 testing site, drawing hundreds of cars every day at the peak of the pandemic.
On April 18, 2021, Formula 1 announced a 10-year contract to host races around the stadium.
Since 2018, the stadium has hosted the huge Rolling Loud hip-hop music festival. The festival will take place for the fourth consecutive year at the stadium from July 22-24, 2022 and will feature headliners such as Ye, Future, and Kendrick Lamar.
Upcoming Events
2026 FIFA World Cup
The stadium will host several matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Parking
Parking around the stadium occupies 140 acres (57 ha), with parking for 24,137 cars, 171 buses, 90 RVs, 85 limousines, and an on-site heliport.
