Gillette Stadium guide: What to know about the New England Patriots’ home field (2024)

Editor’s note: This article is part of theStadium Guidesseries, a comprehensive guide to your NFL team’s stadium experience.

Buy tickets on StubHub to New England Patriots games at Gillette Stadium here.

Tom Brady stood 22 stories above the field where he won so many NFL games and waved to the crowd at last season’s New England Patriots home opener. He was atop the new lighthouse at Gillette Stadium, the most poignant visual of the franchise’s renovation of their Foxboro, Mass., home, and the first of a new tradition started in 2023 of having various athletes and celebrities ring a bell at the top of the lighthouse before kickoff.

It was also a reminder of a simple truth —that Gillette Stadium looks and feels a lot different than when Brady was winning so many games there.

For a long time, the stadium was simply the backdrop for the unprecedented success Brady and coach Bill Belichick helped bring. But after 20 years, ownership agreed that it needed a facelift and poured $250 million into renovating their home. Now, it feels much more modern and up to date than the venue Brady knew.

The stadium has been the Patriots’ home since 2002 and sits on the same acreage as the former Foxboro Stadium, where the Pats played before Gillette opened. (The last game at Foxboro Stadium was the famous “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the divisional round of the playoffs.)

CMGI briefly owned the naming rights to the new stadium, but its net worth collapsed in the dot-com bubble, and Gillette swooped in to secure them just before the first game at the stadium. Gillette Stadium is owned and operated by The Kraft Group, which is chaired by Patriots owner Robert Kraft, making it an anomaly in the NFL where most stadiums are at least partially publicly owned and operated.

In 2007, Kraft launched what became the envy of other owners when he built Patriot Place, an area of commercial real estate adjacent to the stadium. Patriot Place is now home to bars, restaurants, shops and hotels that are the hub of pregame festivities and a year-round attraction with a team Hall of Fame and museum.

Of course, the success at Gillette Stadium for the Patriots is unrivaled. The team is 135-42 there entering the 2024 season.

The Athletic has compiled 32 stadium guides, one for each NFL team, to give fans vital information about the game day experience. We’ve also asked readers to weigh in on the best food, beer and tailgate options at each stadium, among other things, to help football fans enjoy their visit.

Insider tips

2024 must-watch game at stadium: vs. New York Jets, Oct. 27

The Patriots’ 15-game winning streak over the Jets is over after New York won in Belichick’s last game on the New England sideline. But the rivalry remains. Expectations are different for the Patriots during the start of this new era, but surely new coach Jerod Mayo, who came up under Belichick, still wants to stick it to the Jets.

Fan tradition to know: ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’

There aren’t many Patriots-focused songs or chants to know, but it helps to show up knowing the words to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” It’s usually played at a meaningful moment in the second half and often gets the whole place singing along.

Chad Graff’s favorite thing

The pregame festivities. The Patriots do that part right, bringing the proper amount of hype to the final moments before each game. Gone are the days when Brady ran out to Jay-Z’s “Public Service Announcement,” but the team’s entrance is still intriguing even after switching it up for 2024.

As part of this new post-Belichick era, the Patriots now enter the field to a song that pays homage to the past with a new-school twist. After entering to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” for years, they now run on to Trick Daddy and Lil Jon’s “Let’s Go,” which samples the famed Osbourne song. One tradition that has stuck, though, is running onto the field as a team, spurning individual entrances — just as they famously did in their first Super Bowl.

The Athletic’s stadium ranking: 21

This was Jon Machota’s ranking a year ago, but that number might change now. Ownership financed a $250 million renovation of the venue that was completed after our survey and leaves Gillette Stadium now boasting the nation’s biggest outdoor video board, a 22-story lighthouse that fans can visit on non-game days and a 50,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed atrium that offers a modern touch.

Fans’ game day advice

The Athletic surveyed NFL fans for their feedback on the following questions:

What is the ‘best bang for your buck’ seating section?

The last rows of Section 224. You have a great view of the field and you face the new giant videoboard. The last two or three rows are under an overhang, so you are protected from inclement weather. There is also a family bathroom right behind the section so you don’t have to wait in long lines. — Fran B.

Section 337, 338 or 329. You are on the edges of the sections where the price goes up, and your eyes aren’t in the sun. — Mike R.

What’s the can’t-miss food?

Anything from The Local is good and better than you would typically find at a stadium. — Fran B.

Easily the cheesesteak or the sausage and peppers. Both have that perfect stadium-food vibe of tasting phenomenal but only because you’re crushing beers. — Connor V.

What’s the best beer option?

The Ale House has a great selection of rotating local craft beers, including some hard-to-find options from Tree House. — Fran B.

I would suggest going with the “stadium beer” aluminum cans as they stay colder and are harder to spill. — Connor V.

Where is the best spot to take a photo?

The top of the new lighthouse (at least until the Tom Brady statue is erected). — Fran B.

Along the bridge with the field in the background. — Connor V.

It's almost summer and that means it's starting to heat up. What better place to soak up the sun than visiting the Lighthouse at Gillette Stadium? pic.twitter.com/rSMGRy2vJh

— FoxboroughLighthouse (@GSLighthouse) June 15, 2024

What are the kid-friendly activities/options at the stadium?

The Patriots Hall of Fame is connected to the stadium and is a great spot to bring children. There are plenty of interactive exhibits and they are open on game days. There are also games set up around the stadium for kids to win prizes and take photos with Pat Patriot, cheerleaders and former players. Gillette also has two “family sections” where alcohol is not permitted to help make the game day experience more enjoyable for families with young children. There is also a bowling alley and movie theater at Patriot Place. — Fran B.

Where is the best place to tailgate?

The lots across Route 1 from the stadium seem to have the best tailgates as long as you don’t mind the walk over to the stadium. — Fran B.

If you want to tailgate but don’t want to deal with all the work it entails, I always recommend Tailgate Gourmet. They have a spot in the lot behind the Enterprise building and put on an unbelievable spread. We’ve done it a few times and always get our money’s worth and more. — Justin S.

What to know if you go

Stadium address: One Patriot Place, Foxborough, Mass. 02035.

Year opened: 2002.

Roof? No roof.

Playing surface:FieldTurf.

Stadium capacity: 64,628.

2023 average attendance per game (per Pro Football Reference): 63,018.

Tickets: $280 is the average StubHub ticket cost at Gillette Stadium for a 2024 NFL game, according to StubHub. Season tickets have been sold out since 1994. There is a waiting list for season tickets that requires a $100 deposit per seat (minimum of two seats and maximum of four) to join.

Bag policy: Bags made of clear plastic, vinyl or PVC that are no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches are allowed. Non-clear bags that are no larger than 4 1/2 by 6 1/2 inches and are about the size of a hand are permitted. One-gallon, clear plastic freezer bags are also allowed. Exceptions may be made for medically necessary items after inspection.

Outside food policy: No outside food or beverages are allowed. If you wish to request an exception to the stadium’s policy for medical supplies or dietary considerations, email teamops@gillettestadium.com.

ADA information:The Americans with Disabilities Act requires at least 1 percent of stadium seats to be wheelchair accessible. For more information on all accessibility services at Gillette Stadium, click here.

Tailgating policy: Tailgating in general parking lots may begin when the lots open to general parking unless directed by parking/security or public safety officials. However, open fires are not allowed. All fires must be contained within a suitable and appropriate fire-burning device and must be movable in the event of an emergency. Fire pits are not allowed. Fires and grills should not be left unattended. Used charcoal briquettes and other burning material must be disposed of properly and not left on the parking surface to burn out.

Transportation options: Driving, MBTA train service, Uber/Lyft and taxi.

Parking: Parking facilities near Gillette Stadium open four hours before kickoff and close two hours after day games and immediately after night games. The stadium offers four parking options for visitors.

Learn more: https://www.gillettestadium.com/

The Stadium Guides series is part of a partnership with StubHub.

The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Top illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos: Billie Weiss and Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)