Before we jump into our Spartan Stadium (CEFCU Stadium) review, it’s important to point out the venue is undergoing a massive redevelopment. This is impossible to miss if you’ve watched a San Jose State home game recently. The side facing the hard cam is a dirt patch with strategically placed construction equipment scattered across it.
This was a grass hill in 2019 and will eventually host a new football center and suites. But enough about what will be. We’re here to talk about the CEFCU Stadium experience today. And it is pretty awesome all things considered.
Students are located in one endzone with the other a general admission section. The upper deck of what was formerly known as Spartan Stadium is mostly general admission with tickets around the 50-yard line a bit more expensive for certain games.
The lower level is premium seating apart from the corners which are also general admission. The upper deck at CEFCU Stadium is really the way to go at $15 per ticket. There is usually lots of space to spread out and the views of the Santa Clara Valley, in addition to the field, are great.
Another reason our Spartan Stadium (CEFCU Stadium) review is much more positive than our look at Fresno State Bulldog Stadium is the fact it is just a chill place to watch a college football game. The fans want to see the home side win but aren’t going to fight you. Well, apart from the San Jose State baseball team who felt the need to menacingly hurl insults at Southern Utah players as they headed to the locker room at halftime.
This wasn’t even a close game. The home team was up 38-14 after two quarters meaning there was no reason to taunt the much inferior FCS competition. One of the San Jose State coaches came over and shut down this group real quick, however.
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Parking at CEFCU Stadium is basically $20 no matter where you park. There is a pretty big parking garage a short-walk away. Please note, that is an entirely cashless operation, and you’ll need to pay online upon arriving.
There is a large fan zone and family section outside the stadium if you want to enjoy some pregame festivities. Once inside, you will find a limited number of concessions stands with some food truck-type deals behind each zone. Lines were extremely long for all of these so plan ahead.
Finally, getting to or leaving the stadium is a painless process. It’s easily accessible from both US-101 or I-280. CEFCU Stadium is roughly a 30-minute drive from SFO International Airport.
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Spartan Stadium (CEFCU Stadium) review: 7
Our experience at Spartan Stadium (CEFCU Stadium) reminded us quite a bit of the Amon G. Carter Stadium review we did. TCU nor San Jose State are draws, but both have created cool places to watch college football. You probably won’t go out of your way to visit, but it is definitely worth catching a Spartans game if you are in the neighborhood.
The best way to describe how chill Spartan Stadium is their approach to the Mountain West Conference championship trophy. They literally just put it out behind one of the endzones and let people take a picture with it. There was a lone security guard kind of watching the proceedings.
I mean I took a picture next to it flashing ‘Horns Down’ and a new-fangled ‘Anti-OU’ hand signal I created. Props to San Jose State for making it possible and suck on that Texas and Oklahoma.
