Jerry Richardson Stadium

The stadium and Judy W. Rose Football Center are at 8701 Phillips Road on Charlotte's University City campus, northeast of Uptown. I-85, I-485 and US 29 all reach the district, but the final campus entrance is determined by the color and location on the parking credential. Light rail is a genuinely useful alternative here, especially for visitors staying in Uptown, NoDa or South End.

Driving & Parking

• From I-85
  Use University City Boulevard or Mallard Creek Church Road according to the official approach map. From I-485, the North Tryon/US 29 and University City exits feed different sides of campus.
• Advance pass required
  Football parking is digitally controlled, and the pass indicates the correct entrance. Save it to the mobile wallet before arrival; a campus gate may not accept a screenshot or a pass assigned to another lot.
• Single-game choices
  The latest published inventory has included Teal North Deck, Purple West Deck, Yellow Union Deck, Orange CRI Deck, Blue Lot 7/7A and Red Lot 25. Availability and price vary by game.
• Drive-up parking
  Pink Cone Deck has been the only general drive-up purchase option in recent plans, with card rather than cash. Do not rely on space remaining for a sellout or special Friday game.
• Accessible parking
  Purchase the Orange CRI ADA/Wheelchair product and display a valid state credential. An accessible shuttle runs to Gate 1 from two hours before kickoff until one hour after the game.
• RV parking
  Red Lot 25 accommodates reserved RVs, including single-game inventory when offered. Overnight parking is prohibited, and the vehicle follows the same tailgate opening time as other lots.
• Construction routing
  The west-tower project can close Gate 2 and shift nearby tailgates. Check the current map before every 2026 game even if a prior visit used the same permit color.

Public Transit

• LYNX Blue Line
  Trains connect Uptown and NoDa directly with University City. JW Clay Boulevard/UNC Charlotte and UNC Charlotte Main are the relevant stations; choose based on the current shuttle map and desired campus walk.
• JW Clay approach
  This station is convenient to the northwestern campus edge and can be combined with a walk toward the stadium. Allow more time than the map's straight-line distance suggests.
• UNC Charlotte Main
  The line's campus terminus works well with Niner Transit and is the easiest station to identify for a first-time rider.
• Football shuttles
  Two temporary routes begin two hours before kickoff and end one hour after the game. The north route serves Gate 1, Student Union East, North Deck and Light Rail West; the south route reaches Gate 1, West Deck, South Village Deck, Gage UA Center, Cato Hall and Student Union West.
• Service tracking
  Football buses appear as brown icons in Passio GO. Regular Niner Transit service is suspended when the football routes begin, so an ordinary weekday route plan will not work.
• Park-and-ride
  CATS provides Blue Line park-and-ride options away from campus. This can be simpler than buying a football credential and joining postgame deck traffic.

Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)

• Use a campus-edge pin
  Event controls make Phillips Road and the stadium loop poor targets close to kickoff. Select a current university-designated pickup area or a clearly open point by the light-rail stations.
• Pregame drop
  Arrive before the two-hour shuttle conversion, then walk or use the football bus from the Student Union or light-rail side of campus.
• Construction awareness
  Never direct a driver to Gate 2 during the west-tower project. Barricades and relocated tailgates can invalidate an old rideshare recommendation.
• Postgame pickup
  Walk toward JW Clay Boulevard, UNC Charlotte Main or another open campus edge before requesting. Let the initial deck traffic clear if price and wait time surge.
• Late games
  Check the final Blue Line departure and do not assume a train will wait for overtime. A reserved ride or parked car may be safer when kickoff is late.

Charlotte's pregame is concentrated around campus lots and the Niner Walk rather than a single enormous entertainment district. Weekend tailgating commonly opens four hours before kickoff, though older policies and special events have used other windows. The game-week timeline is the authority.

Tailgating

• Niner Walk
  The team walks through a fan-lined campus route on its way to the stadium, generally about two-and-a-half to three hours before kickoff. Charlotte has adjusted the route before, so locate the week's start point before setting up.
• Surface lots
  Permit holders may tailgate immediately behind the vehicle while keeping traffic and pedestrian lanes open. These are the best locations for conventional tents and grills.
• Parking decks
  Tailgating may occur at the vehicle when it does not obstruct traffic. Propane grills are restricted to designated rooftops such as Orange CRI, Yellow Union and Purple West; tents and grills are not allowed inside deck levels.
• Student tailgating
  Student lots supply the loudest music and young-program energy. Visitor access and alcohol rules remain subject to university policy and the current lot assignment.
• Red Lot 25
  Reserved RVs create larger all-day setups, but cannot remain overnight. Arrive only within the published opening window.
• Keep the pickaxe ceremonial
  Charlotte leans into its mining identity, including ceremonial pickaxes at the expansion groundbreaking. Real tools and other potential weapons do not belong at a tailgate or security line.

Pregame Bars & Restaurants

• Boardwalk Billy's Raw Bar & Ribs
  The University City location on the lake at 9005 J.M. Keynes Drive offers barbecue, seafood, wings, drinks and televisions in a relaxed game-day setting.
• Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
  Near North Tryon Street, the beer hall pairs a deep tap list with sandwiches, pizza and shareable plates. It works especially well for a Friday meetup.
• Curry Gate
  The University City outpost serves intensely flavored Indian and Nepalese dishes, including curries, momos and biryani, a welcome alternative to standard bar food.
• Pho Real Vietnamese Restaurant
  A casual North Tryon staple for pho, rice plates and noodle dishes close enough to eat before moving into the controlled campus zone.
• Ninety's Dessert Bar
  Over-the-top milkshakes, ice-cream creations and sweets near campus make this a useful family or postgame stop.
• Stats Restaurant & Bar
  A short drive west of campus, Stats brings wings, seafood, drinks and sports-bar screens without the immediate stadium congestion.
• Optimist Hall
  Visitors staying near the Blue Line can sample many Charlotte vendors in one converted mill food hall, then ride from the Parkwood station toward campus.

• Niner Walk
  Fans welcome the team to the stadium before gates open. The route and precise time are published in the weekly game-day timeline.
• Norm the Niner
  The bearded miner mascot carries a pickaxe and leads Charlotte onto the field through the band, cheerleaders and smoke or pyrotechnics.
• “Forty! Niners!”
  One side of the stadium calls “Forty!” and the other answers “Niners!” It is the easiest visitor tradition to join immediately.
• Gold Rush marching band
  The band performs pregame, frames the team entrance and supplies the fight song from the stands.
• Pickaxe identity
  Mining imagery appears on uniforms, signage and celebrations. It connects the mascot to the school's “49ers” nickname and the drive to build a young football tradition.
• Alma Mater
  The team gathers with the band after the game to sing. Staying through it provides a better sense of Charlotte's still-forming football culture.
• Wear gold
  Selected games are promoted as a Gold Rush or gold-out, while others may call for green or black. Check the week's “What to Wear” notice before packing.

• Norm the Niner statue
  The bronze miner between the Cato College of Education and College of Health and Human Services is the essential campus photo, though it requires a walk southwest from the stadium.
• Judy W. Rose Football Center
  The field house at the stadium's north end contains the program's operations and honors the longtime Charlotte athletic director who helped launch football.
• McColl–Richardson Field
  The playing surface recognizes Hugh McColl and Jerry Richardson, two central benefactors behind the sport's creation, while the stadium carries Richardson's name.
• Compact horseshoe
  The low, close bowl makes even upper rows feel connected to the field. Its intimacy is the venue's chief advantage until expansion adds more vertical scale.
• West-tower construction
  The active project above the press-box side is a rare chance to watch a young program build its first major stadium addition. It is expected to open for 2027, not during the 2026 season.
• Charlotte Botanical Gardens
  The university gardens provide a quiet pregame counterpoint on the east side of campus. Hours and football-day access should be checked before making the walk.

History & Notable Moments

• Inaugural game (2013)
  Charlotte defeated Campbell 52–7 on August 31 in the first football game in university history, scoring on an interception return during the opening series.
• First FBS season (2015)
  The 49ers moved rapidly from an FCS independent into Conference USA, only their third season of competition.
• First FBS home win (2018)
  Charlotte beat Old Dominion 28–25, a milestone in the program's difficult early climb.
• First bowl season (2019)
  A five-game winning streak carried Charlotte to the Bahamas Bowl, giving Richardson Stadium its first sustained late-season breakthrough.
• Attendance record (2025)
  The North Carolina game drew a record 19,233, using standing-room and temporary inventory beyond the listed permanent capacity.
• Expansion groundbreaking (2025)
  Charlotte used ceremonial pickaxes to begin the first stadium expansion, a $60 million west-tower project scheduled for completion before the 2027 season.

The field runs roughly north–south, and the low bowl offers few truly distant seats. The west side contains the press box and active tower construction; the east side places fans opposite it. Afternoon sun and the standing student section matter more here than row height.

• West sideline
  Home-side seats around midfield deliver the best balanced view and proximity to the existing press and hospitality structure. Construction can alter concourse circulation behind them.
• East sideline
  These sections face the home bench and west tower but take more direct afternoon sun. Bring sunscreen and an empty permitted bottle for hot September games.
• Student section
  Expect standing, chants and the strongest concentration of green-and-gold energy. Nearby seats are lively but not ideal for guests who need a consistently seated view.
• End-zone seats
  The compact dimensions keep these affordable sections close to touchdowns, though action at the opposite goal line can flatten.
• Niner Club
  The existing hospitality area above sections 124–128 has offered beer, wine and a more social concourse experience; access requires the appropriate ticket or credential.
• Accessible seating
  Wheelchair and companion locations are distributed around the stadium. The ticket office can exchange eligible tickets, and the Orange CRI shuttle serves Gate 1 only.
• Seatbacks
  Personal seatbacks and cushions are allowed if they have no armrests; they cannot be left in the stadium. Season-long rental products are also offered.

Chartwells operates cashless concession stands and carts around the single concourse. The selection is practical rather than destination dining, and the small venue can develop sharp halftime lines. Buy before the second quarter ends or eat at a University City restaurant first.

• Main stands
  Hot dogs, burgers, nachos, popcorn, candy and bottled beverages form the dependable core menu around the concourse.
• Portable carts
  Smaller points of sale help with drinks and snacks when a full stand backs up. Scan ahead as the concourse is easy to circle.
• Cashless payment
  Bring a credit/debit card or supported contactless wallet; concession sales do not accept cash.
• Beer and wine
  Alcohol is sold at designated concourse locations, including hospitality areas. Valid identification and the event cutoff apply.
• Niner Club
  Qualified guests can use the social space above sections 124–128 for beer, wine and a break from the exposed bowl.
• Water filling
  Empty translucent plastic bottles of 32 ounces or less are permitted for the stadium's filling stations, a particularly valuable rule for early-season heat.
• 2027 outlook
  The new tower will add an indoor club and year-round team dining and hospitality capacity, but those future amenities should not be expected in 2026.

• One clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches is permitted. Any logo may cover no more than 4.5 by 3.4 inches on one side.
• A one-gallon clear freezer bag is an approved alternative.
• One small clutch no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches may be carried, with or without a handle or strap.
• Diaper bags are allowed only when the child is present and the bag stays within the clear-bag size limit. Medically necessary items are allowed after inspection.
• Backpacks, ordinary purses, fanny packs, reusable grocery totes, mesh and duffel bags, large totes, camera cases and solid or tinted cinch bags are prohibited.
• Seat cushions are permitted only without arms or pockets. Empty translucent plastic water bottles of 32 ounces or less are allowed for filling inside.
• Metal detectors operate at every entrance. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff; remove large metal objects such as phones and keys when directed and allow extra time.
• Construction can alter the usable gate plan. Confirm the mobile ticket's entrance and current football map, particularly because Gate 2 may be closed during the west-tower project.