Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Gillette Stadium 1 Patriot Place Foxborough, MA 02035
Year Opened: 2002
Capacity: 65,878
The Patriots’ Place
The New England Patriots enjoyed an unprecedented run of success over the first two decades of the 21st century. They won six Super Bowls and played in nine during that span. Recent years have seen the team return to the depths of the NFL standings as the team moves on from the Brady/Belichick dynasty. Patriots fans hope this decline does not mimic the franchise’s early years when they were one of the league’s most dysfunctional teams, consistently landing at the bottom of the standings and making headlines for all of the wrong reasons.
The early Patriots were nomads, roaming around Boston and beyond looking for a home. Nickerson Field, Harvard Stadium, Fenway Park, and Alumni Stadium all served as home fields during the team’s formative years. The Patriots even played home games in Birmingham, AL and San Diego, CA. When the team built themselves a permanent home, it was the substandard Schaefer/Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium. Rumors of relocation hounded the team for years until Robert Kraft, a longtime fan and season ticket holder, bought the team and stadium in the 90s.
In 2002 Gillette Stadium, a $325 million privately funded stadium opened right next door to its predecessor. The Patriots immediately began to make the area not only a football venue, but an entertainment, dining, and shopping destination. In 2006 construction began on Patriot Place, an open-air shopping center located adjacent to the stadium. Patriot Place has proven to be so successful that imitators have begun to sprout up at stadiums around the country, and have become almost a standard feature in new stadium designs.
Food & Beverage 5
With an active tailgating scene and dozens of dining choices located just steps from Gillette Stadium’s front door, you may not expect much from the facility’s concessions. While Gillette Stadium may come up short on signature food items and high-end options, expanding variety and upgrading quality has been a focus in recent years.
Stands are located around the outer edge of the Gillette Stadium concourse, organized by the types of foods they offer. You may have to do a little searching to find what you want. All the stadium basics are covered, with stands that sell pizza, burgers, sausages, chicken tenders and BBQ ringing the field. Portable carts selling drinks and snack foods line the inner edge of the concourses.
Pepsi products are featured at Gillette Stadium. As you may expect, the beer game is strong here, with national brands lining the menu boards alongside dozens of local craft favorites. For the most extensive selection of local beers, check out the Taproom or Draft Kings Lounge.
A complete guide to Gillette Stadium’s concessions can be found here.
Atmosphere 5
The experience at Gillette is dominated by the new 22,000 square-foot scoreboard and lighthouse on the northern end of the stadium. It can be hard to keep your focus on the game with such a large, clear view of the game available. The scoreboard contains 20 million pixels and measures over half an acre.
Highlights of the Patriots game day experience include the End Zone Militia firing their muskets after every New England score. The elaborate pregame show has the team taking the field to Carmina Burana, Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” and AC-DC’s “For Those About to Rock.” You might be ready to run through a wall yourself after this opening. Over the years several social gathering areas have been built into Gillette Stadium, including the Optum Field Lounge, the Bud Light Party Deck and Encore Boston Harbor Terrace, providing alternative viewpoints for fans to gather and watch the action.
The tailgating scene in Foxboro doesn’t get the love that other places in the league get, but Patriots fans can hang with any fanbase in the league when it comes to pregame parties. Gillette’s rural location means there’s lots of room around for, well, lots.
Cars line up along Route One at sunrise waiting for parking lots to open. While much more family friendly than the experience at the old Foxboro Stadium, a Patriots game is still a fun time. If tailgating isn’t your thing, you can always check out Patriot Place before or after kickoff.
While Patriots fans are still supportive of the team and the rebuild, it will be interesting to see how long they will remain patient. While older fans can remember the days of the Sullivan family ownership and the “Patsies,” a significant portion of the fanbase has never experienced consistent losing before.
Neighborhood 4
Gillette Stadium sits on what once was a lonely stretch of Route One which contained only a harness racing track and a trailer park. Today the location is the home of Patriot Place, an open-air shopping center located mostly on the site of the old Schaefer Stadium. Initially consisting of a single strip mall, it has grown to now include a four-star hotel, entertainment complex and outpatient health center.
Fans visiting Foxboro can choose between numerous eateries ranging from casual dining to fine fare, from brew pubs to fancy steakhouses. Fans looking for entertainment options before or after a Patriots game can visit Splitsville Bowling Alley or Cinema de Lux, or take in some live music at Showcase Live! Fans looking to stay at Patriot Place will find a Hilton Garden Inn and Renaissance Hotel steps from the stadium. Visit the Patriot Place website for more information.
Fans 4
Patriots fans have certainly become spoiled with the success the team has had. The Brady/Belichick years marked an unprecedented run of success in the NFL and six championships. As the team embarks on what will surely be a lengthy rebuild, fans have had to come to grips with win-loss records not seen around here in decades. Still, support has not fallen off a cliff. Yet.
The team still advertises a sellout streak that dates back to the opening of Gillette Stadium. However, prices are starting to fall on the resale market, and empty seats can be found around the facility. It will be interesting to see how long fans will remain patient with the rebuild.
Access 3
Gillette Stadium is located in the small town of Foxborough, MA (alternatively spelled Foxboro), a town of almost 19,000 residents situated about halfway between Boston and Providence, RI. This location, picked for the original Schaefer Stadium due to its apparent convenience at the intersection of Interstates 95 and 495, has always had problems with accessibility.
Gillette Stadium is located on Route One, a busy four-lane road. It is the only way into and out of the stadium complex. As you might imagine, traffic is extremely heavy on game days and can back up for miles in both directions. The Patriots constantly tweak their systems to try and get visitors moving as quickly as possible, but no plan seems to consistently work.
The Foxboro MBTA station has a stop behind Gillette Stadium, but it provides only one train in either direction, to Boston and Providence.
Fans who have not visited Gillette in a while will notice changes in the parking system. The lots closest to the stadium are now reserved for prepaid parking only. Fans arriving on game day will park on the opposite side of Route One, a bit of a walk from the facility. The perk to parking further away is that these lots are now free of charge. A complete guide to Gillette Stadium parking can be found here.
Once arriving at the stadium, fans will enter through one of three gates. Concourses, while busy, are large enough to move about without issue. The renovations to the north end of the stadium have improved flow greatly. Three sets of ramps lead to upper levels of the stadium. There is standing room available at certain points on all levels of the facility. Handicapped seating is plentiful.
The concourse is filled with concession stands, both permanent and portable. Lines can be long, particularly at halftime. Restrooms are plentiful and clean considering their busy usage. Just time your visits wisely. Be aware that Gillette Stadium is a cashless facility with a fairly aggressive clear bag policy. What can and cannot be brought into the stadium is advertised in all parking lots. Pay attention and save yourself a long walk back to your car.
Any veteran fan of the Patriots will tell you that the key to avoiding the legendary Gillette traffic is to arrive early and plan to stay a bit after the game. Luckily, with Patriot Place next to the stadium and the excellent tailgating scene, this is not the worst plan. The Patriots will even pay you to stick around and let the traffic ease. Read on…
Return on Investment 2
For the 2023 season the Patriots ranked fifth in the NFL in terms of cost according to the Team Marketing Report Fan Cost Index. Driving the high prices are tickets and concessions, which land near the top of the NFL. While demand for tickets may have diminished a bit with the team’s struggles recently, it is still tough to find a ticket under $100 on the resale market.
Parking at Gillette Stadium has undergone some drastic changes in recent years. Now stay with me, this might get complicated. The lots on the stadium (east) side of Route One must be purchased in advance. Prepaid spots are guaranteed, and cost $25. Parking on the west side of Route One is now free (unbelievable, right?). There are also “delayed release” lots, from which you cannot leave for 75 minutes after the game. If you choose to park here, the Patriots will reward you with a $50 Visa gift card. Privately owned lots along Route One charge anywhere from $30-$60 to park. Complete parking information can be found here.
Extras 5
Located at the north end of the stadium above the team store, the Patriots Hall of Fame houses team memorabilia from throughout their history. Among the notable pieces here are the team’s six Super Bowl trophies and the snowplow from the infamous “plow game” in 1982.
The End Zone Militia has a vantage point many Patriot fans dream of. From their post just beyond the north end zone, they fire off a 21-gun salute after every New England score.
The renovations to the north end of the stadium deserve an extra point. The new lighthouse (which now actually looks like a lighthouse) is the focal point of the stadium. The lighthouse is accessible to fans during off hours and features views of the Boston and Providence skylines. The north entry plaza features new stadium access, concession stands, social gathering areas and vantagepoints. And let us not forget to mention the largest outdoor scoreboard in the country.
The display of the Patriots’ six Super Bowl banners in the south end zone compliments the new north end zone renovations.
The surrounding live/work/play complex around Gillette Stadium has become a model for newer facilities around the world. It’s become a standard feature for any new sporting facility design, with more features added all the time.
Final Thoughts
It's been a difficult transition in New England as the Patriots return to mediocracy after two decades of ruling the NFL. However, the recent lack of success on the field has not diminished Gillette Stadium’s influence on modern facility design or fan interest in the team. Outfitted with the largest outdoor scoreboard in the country and a modern new design, Gillette Stadium remains a premier, if somewhat overshadowed, NFL stadium.
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