Estadio Gaspar Mass is an

artificial turf Artificial turf is a surface of synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass, used in sports arenas, residential lawns and commercial applications that traditionally use grass. It is much more durable than grass and easily maintained wi ...

stadium A stadium (: stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage completely or partially surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit ...

San Nicolás de los Garza San Nicolás de los Garza, sometimes known only as San Nicolás, is a city and coextensive municipalities of Mexico, municipality in the Mexican state of Nuevo León that is part of the Monterrey metropolitan area. It has become primarily a city ...

, Mexico, a city in the

Monterrey metropolitan area The Monterrey metropolitan area, also known as Greater Monterrey, refers to the surrounding urban agglomeration of Monterrey, Nuevo León. Officially called , the metropolitan area is the Metropolitan areas of Mexico, 2nd-largest in Mexico. Ove ...

. It is primarily used for

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

and is the home field for the

Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Universidad (Spanish for "university") may refer to: Places * Universidad, San Juan, Puerto Rico * Universidad (Madrid) Football clubs * Universidad SC, a Guatemalan football club that represents the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala ...

(UANL) Auténticos Tigres. It has a seating capacity of approximately 16,000.

History

The stadium was inaugurated on 24 August 1979 and originally had a capacity of 10,000. It is named in honor of

Gaspar Mass Martínez Gaspar is a given and/or surname of French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish origin, cognate to Casper (given name) or Casper (surname). It is a name of christian origin, per Saint Gaspar, one of the three wise men mentioned in the Armenian I ...

(1916–1999), considered "one of the pioneers of American football in

Nuevo León Nuevo León, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Nuevo León, is a Administrative divisions of Mexico, state in northeastern Mexico. The state borders the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosí, San Luis ...

" and coach of several different UANL teams over the years. In 2005, the stadium's capacity was expanded to 16,000 with the addition of seats in the south end zone, a project that cost 11 million pesos. Renovations took place prior to the Universiada Nacional in 2015, an event hosted by the UANL, adding improved lighting and a new artificial turf surface. It has primarily served as the home venue of the Auténticos Tigres, though larger matches, including playoff games and contests against the Tigres' local rival

Borregos Salvajes The ''Borregos Salvajes ITESM'' (in English: Wild Rams) is the name of all the cultural, artistic and sports teams that represent the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) in various disciplines, such as sports, theatre, ...

from the

Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM; ), also known as Technological Institute of Monterrey () or just Tec, is aresearch university based in Monterrey, Mexico, which has grown to include 35 campuses located across 25 cit ...

, have traditionally been played at the Estadio Universitario. After a multi-year hiatus due to the split of Mexican college football into two leagues, the city's derby—known as the ''Clásico Regio—''was played again in 2016, but at Gaspar Mass instead of the Estadio Universitario, where it had been held in prior years and attracted attendance figures surpassing 40,000. The stadium also hosted the 2016 ONEFA Championship owing to a schedule conflict with the

Tigres UANL Club Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, abbreviated as Tigres UANL and simply known as Tigres or internationally as Tigres de México, is a Mexican professional Association football, football club based in the Monterrey metropo ...

football club that prevented the use of the Estadio Universitario. Games between the various preparatory schools operated by the university are also held at the Estadio Gaspar Mass. In 2016, a brawl broke out between fans from rival prep schools after a game in the stadium, resulting in 20 arrests.

References

{{reflist, 30em Gaspar Mass College American football venues in Mexico 1979 establishments in Mexico Sports venues completed in 1979