San Diego Stadium

Lore & Background

The stadium was the longtime home for the San Diego Chargers (NFL) from 1967 through the 2016 season, and the San Diego Padres (MLB) from 1969 through 2003. It also hosted the San Diego Sockers (NASL) from 1978 through 1984. The stadium hosted three Super Bowls: XXII (1988), XXXII (1998), and XXXVII (2003). It hosted the 1984 and 1998 World Series, the 1978 and 1992 MLB All-Star Games, and games of the 1996 and 1998 NLDS and the 1984 and 1998 NLCS. It was the only stadium ever to host both the Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year (1998).

In Their Own Story

The sun dipped below the Mission Valley hills, casting long shadows across the gridiron. The concrete bowl hummed with anticipation as fans in powder blue filled the upper decks. A veteran quarterback stepped onto the field, scanning the defense under the bright stadium lights that had illuminated countless victories and heartbreaks. For a moment, the noise of the crowd faded into a singular roar, echoing off the walls that had stood guard for half a century.

Reader's Guide

The stadium was located in San Diego, California. It was the home of the San Diego State Aztecs football team from 1967 through 2019. The Holiday Bowl was held there every December from 1978 through 2019, and the Poinsettia Bowl from 2005 through 2016. The stadium site was purchased by San Diego State University in 2020, and Snapdragon Stadium opened on the site in 2022 as the new home for the Aztecs.

Did You Know?

• The stadium was the first of the square-circle 'octorad' style.
• It was the only stadium ever to host both the Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year (1998).
• The original scoreboard was replaced in 1978 by the first full-color outdoor scoreboard ever built.
• The stadium was temporarily renamed 'Snapdragon Stadium' for a single day (December 4, 2011) as a marketing tie-in.