Albertsons Stadium

Albertsons Stadium is the home football stadium of the Boise State Broncos in Boise, Idaho, instantly recognizable for its blue artificial playing surface. The 'Smurf Turf' has become a national brand for the program, drawing curious visiting fans and giving Boise State broadcasts an unmistakable look. Set against the foothills of southern Idaho, the stadium packs a boisterous, orange-and-blue crowd that has helped fuel decades of Broncos success against bigger-conference opponents. Game day here is as much about the spectacle of the blue field as it is the football on it.

The stadium opened in 1970 as Bronco Stadium with an initial capacity of about 14,500. In 1986, athletic director Gene Bleymaier installed the now-famous blue turf, making it the first non-green football playing surface in the country and a lasting symbol of Boise State's rise from small-college program to national relevance. It was renamed Albertsons Stadium in 2014 under a 15-year naming-rights deal, and continued expansions have grown capacity to over 36,000. The blue field remained the sport's only non-green surface for nearly three decades until other schools followed suit.