Guide To Gillette Stadium, Home Of The New England Patriots
FOXBORO (CBS) - Gillette Stadium is the home of the six-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and the New England Revolution. It's also the centerpiece of Patriot Place in Foxboro. You can even follow what's going on there on Twitter.
Gillette opened in 2002 after the old Foxboro Stadium was torn down following the Patriots epic win in the "Snow Bowl" in the 2002 AFC Playoffs. Fun fact: the spot where Adam Vinatieri kicked the two legendary "Snow Bowl" field goals was marked with a plaque in the Gillette Stadium parking lot in 2002. It was removed when Patriot Place was built on the site.
That game is one of many Patriot moments immortalized in the Patriots Hall of Fame, an impressive, interactive experience that sits next to the stadium and is worth the trip to Foxboro, even if the Pats and Revs aren't playing.
COMING AND GOING
Train:
There is public transportation for all Patriots games and it's pretty affordable. This is a special train service from South Station in Boston and TF Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Round trip fare is $20. The trains will leave Gillette a half-hour after the end of the game. Visit the MBTA's web site for more information.
Driving:
If you're going on a game day leave several hours early. The Patriots open the parking lots four hours before kickoff.
From Boston:
Take 93 south to 95 south. On 95 take exit 9 (Wrentham) to Route 1 south. Follow Route 1 South. Gillette will be 3 miles ahead on the left.
From western Massachusetts, northern Connecticut, Vermont, upstate New York:
Take I-90 (Mass Turnpike) to 495 south. Take exit 14A onto Route 1 north. The stadium is about four miles ahead on your right.
From The Cape:
495 north to exit 14A onto Route 1 north. The stadium is about four miles ahead on your right.
From Maine, New Hampshire:
Take 128 south to 95 south. Take exit 9 onto Route 1 south. Gillette will be 3 miles ahead on the left.
From southern Connecticut, Rhode Island:
95 north to 495 north. Take exit 14A onto Route 1 north. Follow Route 1. The stadium is about four miles ahead on your right.
Parking:
Here's a breakdown of parking rates at the official stadium lots on game days:
• $40 for cars, motorcycles (one per space)
• $150 for buses, RVs or limos
Gillette Stadium also features a "delayed exit lot" on game days in Lot 55. It allows fans to park for free, but you can't leave the lot until 75 minutes after the game ends.
There are also a number of surrounding lots, some of which will cost you even more. The benefits of parking in those lots is that you tend to be able to get out quicker. Traffic in the main stadium lots can take well over an hour to clear out.
Tip: You don't have to pay to park if you're going to a Revolution game.
The Patriots have much more information in their Parking Guide.
Tailgating:
They welcome it, but there are also rules. The stadium has posted those rules on their web site.
Timing
Lots open four hours prior to game time and close two hours after.
Prohibited Items
No open fires are allowed. Fire pits are considered open fires.
Here's the full list of allowed & prohibited items.
The NFL Bag Policy bans bags of any kind except gallon sized clear freezer bags or NFL authorized clear bags measuring 12" x 12" x 6" and women's clutches not to exceed 7" x 4" x 2" (approximately the size of a hand).
TICKETS & SEATING
We hate to say it, but good luck. Tickets to a Patriots game are extremely tough to get and they're expensive. The Patriots only play 10 games at Gillette each season (2 pre-season, 8 regular season, playoffs not included). It seats about 66,000, which is in the bottom third of NFL stadiums in terms of size.
The Patriots streak of consecutive sellouts has been going since 1994, the year that one-time season ticket holder Robert Kraft bought the team. That includes pre-season, regular season, and post-season games.
The season ticket waiting list is so long that it routinely takes 12-13 YEARS to get to the front of the list, which costs $100 to join. Get the idea? Demand is extremely high.
However, where there's a will (and money) there's a way.
Finding Tickets
You could find a season ticket holder who's not going to a game and buy those tickets from him/her. However, if you misbehave, the season ticket holder could lose his/her tickets for good.
There's also Ticketmaster and TicketExchange. You need to be a season ticket holder or a waitlist member to use the TicketExchange service. You can also try FanSnap , SeatGeek, Ace Ticket, and StubHub. As always, buyer beware.
Ticket Prices
The Patriots have some of the most expensive tickets in the league. So how much are tickets at face value? It varies by opponent.
The most expensive non-club seats are the lower level sidelines which range from $180-$265 a piece during the regular season; that is if you are lucky enough to find somebody selling at face value. The secondary market prices increase exponentially.
The cheapest seats are the on the top deck corners. They will still cost you $75-$100 each in the regular season.
Alcohol Free Sections
These can be found in sections 225 and 238 on the second level.
GETTING INTO THE STADIUM
There are three entry points to Gillette Stadium:
The Bank of America Gate, located in the northwest corner of the stadium.
The Patriot Place Plaza, located on the north side of the stadium.
The uBid.com Gate, located in the southwest corner.
FOOD & DRINK
Gillette Stadium says they have more than 500 concession stands (permanent and mobile) at the stadium. And get this - on a typical game day, Patriots fans eat more than one ton of Italian sausage!
Tip: If you're not tailgating, save some money and eat at one of the 21 restaurants in Patriot Place (we're partial to the CBS Sporting Club) before or after the game.
PATRIOTS HALL OF FAME
This is worth the trip for football fans, especially if you can't afford to go to a game. Admission is $10 for adults. It's open seven days a week, except when it is used for private functions.
The Hall is filled with interactive exhibits and experiences. In fact, it hosts field trips for schools, based on some of the math and science components involved in the tour.
Our favorites:
The "Inside the Game" exhibit where you hear Tom Brady call plays, see how many people it takes to equal Vince Wilfork's weight, test your reaction time against Tedy Bruschi, and watch Bill Belichick break down real plays on the "Belistrator."
Adam Vinatieri's custom-made Super Bowl chopper is on display.
The "Super Bowl Experience" houses the Lombardi trophies and Super Bowl rings.
Just like Disney World, you exit through the Patriots gift shop, where you'll feel the need to buy something. The Pro Shop has everything Patriots and quite a bit of Revolution gear as well.
