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Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils/Frank Kush Field
One of the most aesthetic, dynamic, innovative and beautiful collegiate stadiums in the nation that had a major renovation completed in 2019 -- after turning 50 in 2008 -- Arizona State University's Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils has played host to some of the best football games and legends for more than four decades as well as musical entertainers that range from Eagles, Pink Floyd and U2 to the Wallows. It annually hosts Pat's Run that benefits the Pat Tillman Foundation, as more than 35,000 take part in the April tradition.
PHOTOS TOÂ CHECK OUT OUR STADIUM THROUGH THEÂ YEARS
MOUNTAIN AMERICA STADIUM HIGHLIGHTS
ASU 365
The vision for the ASU 365 Community Union was introduced by Jack Furst (ASU alumnus and 2017 Founder’s Day Philanthropist of the Year). Furst’s vision was born out of the realization of a huge issue facing cities, universities and even nations: spending big money on stadiums that are utilized on a very limited basis. Most university stadiums cost hundreds of millions of dollars, yet are often only utilized seven to nine times a year. Furst’s vision was to reverse from 2 percent utilized to 98 percent utilized. The solution is to abandon conventional thinking, with an innovative new model that transforms the stadium from a football field into a university asset that’s utilized 365 days a year.  As Sun Devil Stadium renovations reach phase III, we are moving forward to make the ASU 365 Community Union a reality. This new Community Union will honor ASU traditions, but will also honor the First Nations peoples who have called this land home for centuries.
FIELD NAME
The field was named Frank Kush Field on Sept. 21, 1996, in one of the greatest nights in college football history, as for the the first time since 1977 the top-ranked team was shut out as ASU defeated Nebraska 19-0. It marked a magical night as Coach Kush was honored, the field renamed and hundreds of his former players were in in attendance.
CAPACITY/LARGEST CROWD
The listed capacity is 53,599, while 74,963 is the largest crowd as ASU defeated California 35-7 on Nov. 9, 1996, to clinch the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl trip.
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FIRST GAME
The first game was played in the original structure against West Texas State on October 4, 1958, with ASU beating the Buffaloes 16-13.
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THE POPE WAS HERE
In 1987, the stadium was filled beyond capacity for the Papal visit, one of the few sites to play host to the Pope's tour of the United States.
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PELÉ
On April 4, 1976, the New York Cosmos (with Pelé) and the Los Angeles Aztecs played an exhibition soccer game in front of 15,000 fans in the stadium.
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SUPER BOWL PREP
In 2008, the New England Patriots used the stadium as their practice facility in preparation for Super Bowl XLII, while the Kansas City Chiefs did the same in February of 2023.
PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS HERE
In May of 2009, President Barack Obama spoke at ASU's commencement ceremonies in front of a crowd of more than 70,000, the largest U.S. audience for Obama since his inauguration.
MUSICAL MOMENTS
The stadium has hosted some big names in music business over the years, including U2 (three times), Rolling Stones (twice), The Who, Paul McCartney, Eagles, George Strait, Rage Against the Machine, Third Eye Blind, among others have each performed at the legendary stadium. In 2021, superstar Jack Harlow performed in front of first-year students at InfernoFest, part of the annual Sun Devil Welcome.
CARSON STUDENT-ATHLETE CENTER
Located in the south end, the 165,000-square-foot Carson Student-Athlete Center houses coaches as well as athletic administration. The lower level features a 15,000-square-foot weight training facility and the sports medicine department. More than 5,000 square feet of working space is available to athletic trainers for rehabilitation, hydrotherapy, examination, x-ray and treatment, including a physician's office with full capabilities such as a pharmacy. The third floor is the headquarters for the Watts Center for Academic Excellence and Championship Life, which was created through the generous donation of Mike and Cindy Watts.
VIDEO BOARD
The north end video board at the time of its unveiling in 2017 was the eighth-largest video board in college athletics (113-by-48 feet).
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CLUB LEVEL SEATING
The stadium’s new club level seating provides amenities to fans that are looking to enhance their in-game experience. All club level seats and suites include climate-controlled lounge areas, flat-screen televisions throughout the interior and exterior, and comfortable chair back seats with beverage holders. Depending on desired amenities, fans have the option to choose between the San Tan Ford Club, North Terrace Club, Stadium Club, Dos Equis Legends' Club, Legends' Club Suites, Founders' Club Suites, and the Coach’s Club & Loge Boxes.
HISTORY
It has hosted Arizona State University football games since 1958, including the game on Sept. 21, 1996, when the playing surface was named Frank Kush Field as ASU upset top-ranked Nebraska 19-0. It has hosted four national championships - Notre Dame vs. West Virginia in 1988, Nebraska vs. Florida in 1996, Tennessee vs. Florida State in 1999 and Ohio State vs. Miami in 2003. And it played host to the NFL's ultimate showcase - the 1996 Super Bowl where the Dallas Cowboys pulled out a close win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The stadium was the the home of the Fiesta Bowl for 35 years and the NFL's Arizona Cardinals for 18 seasons. Beginning in 2006, Sun Devil Stadium became the new home of the Insight Bowl.
PLAYING SURFACE
A complete playing surface renovation was christened by ASU on Sept. 5, 1992, as the Sun Devils hosted Washington in the season-opener. At a cost of $2 million, the stadium addition accomplished four goals: 1) provided Sun Devil Stadium with a more durable playing surface; 2) provided better patron sight lines in the lower seating levels; 3) expanded sideline area for player safety; and 4) provided advantages to television and print photographers.
ECHO BETWEEN THE BUTTES
Constructed between two mountain buttes, the stadium literally was carved from the desert, and occupies a space between the Tempe buttes - actually small mountains that ideally have accommodated the growth of the structure.
RENOVATIONS OVER TIME
The expansion of 1988, which added a large seating section that completed the oval of the stadium, added almost 1,700 seats to the stadium's capacity. Also added was the Intercollegiate Athletic Complex at the structure's south end, which is now named the Nadine and Ed Carson Student Athlete Center. The building houses the entire realm of the ASU athletic department. A state-of-the-art scoreboard and four-color video replay board were also added.
During the 1978 expansion, design features enabled the stadium to be modernized without light supports, sound system supports, or construction pillars in the viewing line of the spectators. The dramatic proximity of every seat to the playing field is another feature that has made Sun Devil Stadium one of the nation's finest college football arenas.
Originally erected in 1958 (capacity 30,000), the stadium additions were begun in 1976 (boosting capacity to 57,722) and 1977. The latter raised the seating to 70,491.
The expansion effort was an $11 million undertaking, accomplished completely without the aid of state tax monies.
Assisting in a stadium financing plan unlike any other in the nation, the largest and oldest Arizona State support organization, the Sun Angel Foundation, provided $4.5 million of the necessary funding. The Sun Angel contribution was particularly important because it also helped pave the way for bond clearance.
Arizona State has led the Pacific-10 Conference in average attendance seven times (1986, '85, '84, '83, '82, '80 and '79) since joining the league in 1978. ASU finished second six times and third twice.
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TOP SUN DEVIL STADIUM HOME CROWDS
74, 963 -- vs. California (Nov. 9, 1996)
74,947 -- vs. USC (Oct. 19, 1996)
74,926Â -- Arizona (Nov. 25, 1989)
74,089Â -- Nebraska (Sept. 21, 1996)
73,682Â -- Arizona (Nov. 28, 1997)
73,644Â -- Washington State (Nov. 1, 1997)
73,501Â -- Notre Dame (Oct. 10, 1998)
73,427Â -- Arizona (Nov. 23, 1991)
73,379Â -- Washington (Sept. 7, 1996)
73,115Â -- Arizona (Nov. 26, 1993)
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SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS AT MOUNTAIN AMERICA STADIUM
Oct. 4, 1958 – Sun Devil Stadium opens with a 16-13 ASU victory over West Texas State.
November 27, 1965 – Sun Devil Football begins their streak of nine consecutive Territorial Cup® victories with a 14-6 win over Arizona.
November 29, 1969 – Sun Devil Football closes out their first of five consecutive WAC championships.
Dec. 27, 1971 – Sun Devil Stadium hosts the inaugural Fiesta Bowl where ASU defeats Florida St. 45-38.
Nov. 29, 1975 – John Jefferson makes “The Catch” en route to a 24-21 victory over No. 12 Arizona to close out the Sun Devils perfect regular season.
Oct. 14, 1978 – Hosting their first conference opponent as a member of Pac-10, ASU defeats #2 USC 20-7.
Sept. 14, 1987 – Pope John Paul II visits Sun Devil Stadium.
Dec. 19-20, 1987 – U2 plays Sun Devil Stadium. Footage of the concert is featured in the rockumentary Rattle & Hum.
Sept. 12, 1988 – Arizona Cardinals host first game in Sun Devil Stadium.
Jan. 28, 1996 – Sun Devil Stadium hosts Super Bowl XXX. The Cowboys defeated the Steelers 27-17 in front of 76,347 fans.
Sept. 21, 1996 – Field named in honor of legendary head coach Frank Kush prior to ASU’s 19-0 shutout victory over two-time defending National Champion Nebraska.
Jan. 4, 1999 – Sun Devil Stadium hosts the inaugural BCS Championship game with a stadium record crowd of 80,470.
November 9, 2002 – Terrell Suggs sets the NCAA record for sacks in a single season.
April 18, 2005 – The inaugural Pat’s Run sees more than 5,500 participants complete the 4.2 mile run/walk by crossing the 42-yard line in Sun Devil Stadium.
May 13, 2009 – President Barack Obama delivers the commencement address to more than 8,000 ASU graduates.
Nov. 9, 2014 – Senator John McCain performs the coin toss for the Salute to Service game before ASU defeats #10 Notre Dame 55-31
Dec. 1, 2014 – ASU begins a phased reinvention of Sun Devil Stadium to address structural concerns and improve the fan experience.
October 8, 2016 – Zane Gonzalez hits a 46-yard field goal to set the NCAA record for field goals in a career.
Aug. 31, 2017 – North end zone video board debuts, at the time the eighth largest screen in college football.
Aug. 29, 2019 – Club areas completed to finalize the reinvention of Sun Devil Stadium.
Nov. 23, 2019 – ASU upsets #6 Oregon 31-28.
