Turner & Margaret Branch Field | |
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| Former names | Dreamstyle Stadium (2017–2020) |
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| Address | 1111 University Boulevard SE |
| Location | University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 35°4′1″N106°37′42″W / 35.06694°N 106.62833°W /35.06694; -106.62833 |
| Owner | University of New Mexico |
| Operator | University of New Mexico |
| Capacity | 39,224 (2010–present) Former capacity: List
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| Record attendance | 44,760 (vs.New Mexico State,2005) |
| Surface | FieldTurf (2012–present) Natural grass (1960–2011) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1958; 67 years ago (1958) |
| Opened | September 17, 1960; 65 years ago (1960-09-17)[2] |
| Construction cost | $4.1 million ($43.6 million in 2024[1]) |
| Architect | W.C. Kruger and Associates |
| Tenants | |
| New Mexico Lobos (NCAA) (1960–present) New Mexico Bowl (NCAA) (2006–present) | |
| Website | |
| golobos.com/stadium | |
University Stadium (officiallyDreamstyle Stadium from 2017 to 2020) is an outdoorfootballstadium in thewesternUnited States, located on the south campus of theUniversity of New Mexico inAlbuquerque, New Mexico.[3] It is the home field ofNew Mexico Lobos football, which competes as a member of theMountain West Conference.
The stadium opened 65 years ago in September1960,[2] and currently has aseating capacity of 39,224. Its FieldTurf playing surface, named "Turner & Margaret Branch Field", has a traditional north-south alignment and sits nearly amile abovesea level, at anelevation of 5,100 feet (1,555 m).[4] University Stadium is the fourth highest stadium inFBS college football, behind fellowMountain West Conference membersWyoming andAir Force, andColorado of theBig 12 Conference.
Before 1960, Lobos football teams played home games atZimmerman Field, a 16,000-seat stadium which was located just south of the current Zimmerman Library on the university’s main campus. The growth of the university afterWorld War II, with the concomitant growth in the popularity of varsity athletics, made it clear by the mid-1950s that a new, larger football venue was needed. Increasing enrollments also meant that space on the main campus was at a premium. As such, it was decided that a new stadium would be constructed off of the main campus, which would both allow adequate space for a much larger stadium, and free up space for desperately needed academic facilities on the main campus.
The university purchased land for the new stadium south of campus near the corner of Avenida Cesar Chavez and University Boulevard. This land became known as "south campus," and would eventually become the home of the entire UNM Athletic Department. Today, facilities located on south campus includeThe Pit,Isotopes Park, the Lobo Tennis Club, Lobo Field, Lobo Softball field, the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center, athletics administration buildings, as well as the football stadium.[5][6]
The new stadium was christened as University Stadium upon its opening in 1960.[2] It consisted of grandstands along the east and west sidelines and a press box above the west stands. The stadium was built in anarroyo, with the seating bowl created by the piling of excavated fill material to form earthen embankments on which the stands could be built. This "berm" style of construction placed the field below ground level with seats extending both above and below the natural grade. The initial construction cost of the stadium was just over $4 million. The inaugural football game at University Stadium took place on September 17, with the Lobos defeating the overmatchedNational University of Mexico Pumas 77–6.[2]
A new press box with private suites was built before the1976 season at a cost of $1.8 million. Because the stadium had been built on earthen fill, the press box had to be supported on large concrete piers that went down to the pre-existing ground level. In1995, UNM made a major addition to University Stadium with the construction of the L.F. "Tow" Diehm Athletic Facility, a field house and athletic training facility located just beyond the south end zone.
For its first 52 seasons, the playing field was natural grass. The athletics department announced in late 2011 that it would be replaced with a synthetic playing surface, and infilledFieldTurf was installed prior to the2012 season.[7]
Through2017, the Lobos have a record of 163–168–3 (.493) at University Stadium.
In 2012, naming rights for the stadium's playing surface were secured by local attorneys Turner and Margaret Branch, who are alumni and long-time donors to the UNM athletic department.[8] Their $1.5 million donation to the “Lobo Leap to Excellence” capital campaign remains the second-largest single gift ever given to the athletic department by a living donor.
On May 3, 2017, UNM announced a $10 million, 10-year naming-rights agreement with Dreamstyle Remodeling, a local Albuquerque construction company, covering both the University Stadium and University Arena. The venues were rechristened as Dreamstyle Stadium andDreamstyle Arena.[9]
On September 18, 2020, after disputes between the University and Dreamstyle, the name was changed back to University Stadium for the time being; in addition, the Dreamstyle Arena was reverted back to The Pit.[10]
The stadium was expanded in 2001, with stands, new bathroom and concessions facilities constructed beyond the north end zone. UNM also added a large, state-of-the-art scoreboard that included the "LoboVision" video screen. In 2004, portable bleachers were donated to UNM by the city ofAlbuquerque in 2004 to take the stadium's capacity beyond 39,000.
Plans for future expansion have been adopted.[when?] The next phase of expansion includes renovations of the stadium's southwest and southeast corners, as well as adding five thousand seats to the south end. Additionally, a tunnel connecting Dreamstyle Stadium and the Tow Diehm Facility has also been planned to allow easier player access to locker rooms during games. When the currently[when?] planned renovations are completed, the stadium will seat over 43,000 spectators.
University Stadium hosted the title game ofNCAA Division II Football Championship, named theZia Bowl, in early December 1979 and 1980. In Zia Bowl I,Delaware defeatedYoungstown State, 38–21. In Zia Bowl II,Cal Poly beatEastern Illinois, 21–13. Attendance was 4,000 or less for both Zia Bowls, and in 1981 the NCAA Division II title game was moved toMcAllen, Texas.
Since December 2006, University Stadium has hosted theNew Mexico Bowl. The game was funded by a $2 million line of credit fromESPN. Theinaugural edition featuredNew Mexico againstfutureMountain West Conference foeSan Jose State, then of theWestern Athletic Conference. San Jose State won, 20–12. The game was the firstNCAA Division Ibowl game played in the state of New Mexico.
University Stadium hosted aU.S. women's national soccer team friendly match againstMexico in May2004. ThreeU.S. men's national soccer team matches have been played in the stadium, with the most recent being a friendly match withHonduras in March2005.
| Date | Winning Team | Result | Losing Team | Tournament | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 7, 1988 |  Ecuador | 1–0 |  United States | Friendly | N/A |
| April 30, 1994 |  Chile | 2–0 | United States | Friendly | 15,610 |
| May 9, 2004 | United States | 3–0 |  Mexico | Women's Friendly | 17,805 |
| March 19, 2005 | United States | 1–0 |  Honduras | Friendly | 9,222 |
The stadium has hosted concerts by many famous artists, includingMetallica &The Rolling Stones, among others.
| Date | Artist | Opening act(s) | Tour / Concert name | Attendance | Revenue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 23, 1974 | Santana | — | Welcome Tour | — | — | |
| August 2, 1994 | Metallica | Danzig Suicidal Tendencies Candlebox Fight | Shit Hits the Sheds Tour | — | — | |
| October 30, 1997 | The Rolling Stones | Sheryl Crow | Bridges to Babylon Tour | 34,362 / 34,362 | $2,075,326 |
