Constructed in 1950, Rice Stadium was one of the older stadiums in college football, and it’s one with rich history.
President John F. Kennedy delivered his “We choose to go to the Moon” speech there in 1962. Eleven years later, the venue played host to Super Bowl VIII, where Larry Csonka and the Miami Dolphins defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 to win back-to-back championships.
Through it all, the stadium operated under one name — Rice Stadium.
That changes now. Rice University and First Community
Credit Union agreed to a 20-year naming rights deal, which will rename the historic venue to First Community Stadium. The change was announced Thursday and goes into effect Saturday, when Rice hosts UTSA for its American Conference opener.
“I am excited about this groundbreaking partnership between Rice and First Community Credit Union,” Rice interim athletic director Eric George said in a statement. “First Community’s commitment to serving the Houston community perfectly aligns with Rice Athletics’ goal of further enhancing our connection with the community through the Gateway Project. In addition to their support of athletics, First Community will provide financial services, educational programs and career development opportunities for our entire campus community. We look forward to this multifaceted partnership and for First Community Stadium being a place where Houstonians can come together for years to come.”
First Community Stadium is currently undergoing renovations as part of the $120 million Gateway Project, which is expected to be completed in 2028. The west side of the stadium will be particularly affected. New features include a first level premium seating for 600-1,000 guests, 14 new private suites in the second level, a renovated pressbox in the third level, and an outdoor suite patio.
Additionally, the stadium capacity will diminish from 47,000 to 30,000 with the removal of two-thirds of the east upper deck. Rice will also introduce a 360-degree concourse to make the stadium easier to navigate.
First Community Stadium opens its doors under its new name Saturday, Oct. 3 when UTSA visits at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT.
