EverBank Stadium

EverBank Stadium

Company type	Stadium
Industry	Sports venue
Founded	August 18, 1995 (1995-08-18) in Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Headquarters	Jacksonville , United States
Area served	Jacksonville metropolitan area
Products	American football venue; hosts NFL games, college football, concerts, soccer matches, professional wrestling events
Website	www.jaguars.com/stadium/

EverBank Stadium is an American football venue situated in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It functions as the home stadium for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and also serves as the central hub for professional wrestling organizations All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Ring of Honor (ROH).

Originally opened in 1995 under the name Jacksonville Municipal Stadium on the former grounds of the Gator Bowl Stadium, it is positioned downtown along the St. Johns River. Aside from hosting Jaguars games, the stadium frequently accommodates college football contests, concerts, and various other events. It is known for hosting the annual Florida–Georgia football rivalry featuring the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs, as well as the post-season Gator Bowl. The venue was also the site of Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005 and has hosted matches for the United States men's national soccer team.

Between 1997 and 2006, the facility was called Alltel Stadium, named after the telecommunications company Alltel. In 2010, a naming rights agreement with financial services provider EverBank led to its renaming as EverBank Field, a deal that was extended for another decade in 2014. Following EverBank’s acquisition by New York-based Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), the stadium adopted the name TIAA Bank Field starting with the 2018 NFL season. In June 2023, prior to the upcoming season, the Jaguars announced a reversion to the EverBank Stadium title.

In 2021, due to Hurricane Ida's impact on Caesars Superdome, the stadium temporarily hosted games for the New Orleans Saints during their relocation period.

Construction

Situated within Jacksonville’s Stadium District, EverBank Stadium occupies a location with a longstanding football heritage dating back to the early 1900s. The area’s first permanent stadium, Fairfield Stadium, was constructed in 1928 and later expanded in 1948 into what became known as the Gator Bowl Stadium, named after the annual Gator Bowl event.

The current stadium integrates components from the historic Gator Bowl Stadium, notably retaining the pedestrian ramp system and West Upper Deck built in 1982. Construction commenced on January 3, 1994, and concluded with an opening on August 18, 1995, marked by an exhibition game against the St. Louis Rams. The entire project was completed in less than 20 months at a cost of US$134 million, with $60 million provided by Jacksonville city funds.

Planning

In January 1993, officials from both the University of Florida and University of Georgia entered discussions with Jacksonville city leaders to extend their agreement to host the annual Florida–Georgia rivalry game. Their existing five-year contract with the Gator Bowl was set to expire after 1994, while an alternative offer from the Citrus Bowl promised greater financial incentives.

To remain competitive, then-Mayor Ed Austin proposed a $25.5 million upgrade plan for the aging Gator Bowl Stadium built in 1949. Both universities expressed concerns regarding stadium conditions, making renovations essential to retaining their games due to significant economic benefits generated by visitor spending. When Georgia’s athletic director Vince Dooley remained hesitant, Austin increased renovation plans to $49 million and personally met with Dooley in Athens, Georgia.

These efforts resulted in a five-year agreement signed on March 23, 1993, covering games from 1997 through 2002, contingent upon approval of a $49 million renovation bond and completion of improvements by 1996. Subsequently, on May 11, Jacksonville’s City Council authorized a $219.5 million bond issuance that included financing for these stadium upgrades.

NFL expansion

After bond approval, investors pursuing an NFL franchise in Jacksonville requested an extra $30 million in addition to the $49 million allocated for stadium renovations to secure a professional team. Over the summer, this amount grew, leading to a lease agreement on July 1 that depended on the city committing $112.3 million toward improvements at the Gator Bowl. The initial agreement fell through when the City Council postponed its approval but was renegotiated a month later, resulting in a commitment of $121 million for renovations. To accommodate construction before 1996, the Florida-Georgia games in 1994 and 1995 were relocated. These expanded upgrades ultimately enabled Jacksonville to obtain the NFL's 30th franchise—the Jacksonville Jaguars—on November 30, 1993.

Soon after, concerns were raised regarding a contractor’s plan to allocate only 8% of stadium contracts to minority-owned businesses, with advocacy groups pressing for greater participation by African-American firms.

Current stadium

The stadium reopened coinciding with the Jaguars’ first home game in the 1995 NFL season, marking the inaugural match for an expansion team in a newly built venue; they lost 10–3 to the Houston Oilers. The Gator Bowl returned as a New Year’s Day tradition on January 1, 1996.

Boasting 11,200 club seats, 88 luxury suites, and a "super suite," the facility was renamed Alltel Stadium in 1997 after telecommunications company Alltel secured naming rights. This title was discontinued in January 2007 following Alltel’s acquisition by Verizon.

Ahead of Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005—which attracted a record crowd of 78,125 as the New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles—a $47 million investment funded enhancements such as the Bud Zone sports bar, upgraded Daktronics video boards, escalators, and the addition of the "Sky Patio" terrace suite.

Prior to the 2005 season, tarps were installed to reduce seating capacity by roughly 9,703 seats to 66,851 due to low attendance and blackout concerns. This reduction aligned closely with initial NFL standards but faced opposition over fears it would limit hosting capabilities for major events like the Florida-Georgia game. Despite these measures, blackouts continued through several seasons, particularly during the 2009 economic downturn; however, ticket sales improved markedly by 2010, resulting in no blackouts that year or in subsequent seasons through 2012.

For high-profile events such as the Super Bowl and Florida–Georgia game, temporary bleachers boost capacity beyond 84,000. The record attendance of 85,413 was set during a college football game between Florida State and Alabama on September 29, 2007.

On July 26, 2010, EverBank secured naming rights for the stadium in a deal swiftly approved by Jacksonville City Council. In November 2013, city officials endorsed $63 million worth of upgrades at EverBank Field with Jaguars owner Shahid Khan contributing $20 million. Renovations included two end zone HD LED video scoreboards—the largest worldwide—expanded interactive zones featuring over 55,000 square feet of video display space, and new amenities located at the north end zone. Approximately 7,000 seats were removed during this process but can be reinstated with temporary seating for larger crowds.

In mid-2016, a $90 million renovation plan was announced encompassing upgraded club seating sponsored by US Assure, new walkout patios at midfield, and a south end zone tunnel that introduced fresh seating areas. The second phase added an amphitheater (Daily's Place) and a covered flex field; both projects reached completion by May 2017.

Following the Jaguars’ playoff return in 2017 and their first postseason home game since 1999, tarps concealing upper-level seats were removed, restoring full capacity to 67,814.

Before the Jaguars’ opening game of the 2024 season, EverBank Field was temporarily rebranded as TrEverBank Stadium as part of a promotional campaign spotlighting quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s partnership with EverBank.

Stadium of the Future

Extensive upgrades are planned for the stadium during 2025 and 2026, which will initially decrease the seating capacity to 60,000. Due to these renovations, the Jaguars, the Gator Bowl, and the Florida–Georgia game may need to be temporarily relocated. In June 2023, the Jaguars introduced their "Stadium of the Future" concept, highlighting a fully encircling 360-degree concourse, an environmentally friendly facade, and a large canopy designed to provide shade. The seating will be adjusted to hold 62,000 spectators, with an option to expand up to 71,500 for college football matchups.

In October 2024, NFL team owners gave unanimous approval for a $1.4 billion overhaul of EverBank Stadium, the home venue of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Construction is slated to begin in February 2025 and is targeted for completion ahead of the 2028 NFL season.

Seating capacity

The number of seats available for Jaguars games has changed over time as follows:

scope="row" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Years	scope="row" style="Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Capacity
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|1995–2001	73,000
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|2003–2004	76,877
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|2005–2009	67,164
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|2010–2013	67,246
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|2014	67,297
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|2015	66,851
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|2016–2017	64,428
scope="row" style="Template:NFLAltPrimaryStyle;"|2018–present	67,814

Soccer

style="text-align:center; Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Date	style="text-align:center; Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Winning Team	style="text-align:center; Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Score	style="text-align:center; Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Losing Team	style="text-align:center; Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Competition	style="text-align:center; Template:NFLPrimaryStyle;"|Attendance
June 17, 1997	Template:Fb	2–1	Template:Fb	Friendly match	8,436
February 6, 1999	Template:Fb	3–0	Template:Fb	Friendly match	17,259
May 26, 2012	Template:Fb	5–1	Template:Fb	Friendly match	44,438
February 9, 2013	Template:Fbw women	4–1	Template:Fbw women	Women's friendly match	18,656
June 7, 2014	Template:Fb	2–1	Template:Fb	Friendly match	52,033
September 6, 2016	Template:Fb	4–0	Template:Fb	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF fourth round	19,410
April 5, 2018	Template:Fbw women	4–1	Template:Fbw women	Women's friendly match	14,360
November 10, 2019	Template:Fbw women	6–0	Template:Fbw women	Women's friendly match	12,914

Concerts

width=12% style="text-align:center;Template:NFLPrimaryStyle; |Date	width=10% style="text-align:center;Template:NFLPrimaryStyle; |Headline Artist	width=10% style="text-align:center;Template:NFLPrimaryStyle; |Supporting Act(s)	width=16% style="text-align:center;Template:NFLPrimaryStyle; |Tour / Event Title	width=10% style="text-align:center;Template:NFLPrimaryStyle; |Crowd Size	width=10% style="text-align:center;Template:NFLPrimaryStyle; |Gross Income	width=20% style="text-align:center;Template:NFLPrimaryStyle; |Additional Information
November 12, 1997	U2	Third Eye Blind	PopMart Tour	—	—
June 4, 1999	Shania Twain	Leahy	Come On Over Tour	—	—
May 23, 2001	NSYNC	BBMak 3LW Lil' Romeo Tony Lucca	PopOdyssey	42,218 / 71,256	$2,030,372
February 6, 2005	Paul McCartney	—	Super Bowl XXXIX	—	—
June 14, 2014	Jason Aldean	Florida Georgia Line Tyler Farr	Burn It Down Tour	—	—
June 13, 2015	Zac Brown Band	—	Jekyll and Hyde Tour	—	—	Included in Florida Country SuperFest.
June 14, 2015	Kenny Chesney	Brantley Gilbert	The Big Revival Tour	—	—
September 2, 2018	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Kid Rock Jason Aldean The Charlie Daniels Band Blackberry Smoke the Marshall Tucker Band	The Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour	—	—
July 19, 2019	The Rolling Stones	The Revivalists	No Filter Tour	50,358/50,358	$10,198,392	Rescheduled from April due to Mick Jagger’s cardiac procedure.
July 31, 2021	Green Day Fall Out Boy Weezer	The Interrupters	Hella Mega Tour	—	—	Originally set for August 2020 but postponed because of COVID-19.
July 2, 2022	Def Leppard Mötley Crüe	Poison Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Classless Act	The Stadium Tour	—	—	Delayed twice as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 3 & May 4, 2024	Luke Combs	Growin’ Up And Gettin’ Old Tour	—	—