Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium ( formerly San Diego Stadium and San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium ; a . k . a . " The Q " and " The Murph " ) is a multi - purpose stadium , in San Diego , California , in the Mission Valley area . The stadium ' s naming rights are owned by Qualcomm . It is the current home of the NFL ' s San Diego Chargers and the San Diego State University Aztecs college football team . It hosts the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl and the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl college football games every December . Until 2003 , it served as the home of the MLB ' s San Diego Padres . The stadium has hosted three Super Bowl games : Super Bowl XXII in 1988 , Super Bowl XXXII in 1998 , and Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003 . It has also hosted the 1978 and 1992 Major League Baseball All - Star Games , the 1996 and 1998 National League Division Series , the 1984 and 1998 National League Championship Series , and the 1984 and 1998 World Series . It is the only stadium ever to host both the Super Bowl and the World Series in the same year ( 1998 ) . It is one of three stadiums to host the World Series , MLB All - Star Game , and Super Bowl , joining the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis ( 1987 World Series , 1991 World Series , Super Bowl XXVI , and 1985 Major League Baseball All - Star Game ) and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ( 1959 World Series , the second All - Star Game in 1959 , and Super Bowl s I and VII ) . The stadium is located immediately northwest of the interchange of Interstate 8 and Interstate 15 . The neighborhood surrounding the stadium is known as Mission Valley , in reference to the Mission San Diego de Alcalá , which is located to the east , and its placement in the valley of the San Diego River . The stadium is served by the Qualcomm Stadium San Diego Trolley station , accessible via the Green Line running toward Downtown San Diego to the west , and Santee to the east . History . In the early 1960s , local sportswriter Jack Murphy , the brother of New York Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy , began to build up support for a multipurpose stadium for San Diego . In November 1965 , a $ 27 million bond was passed allowing construction to begin on a stadium , which was designed in the Brutalist style . Construction on the stadium began one month later . When completed , the facility was named San Diego Stadium . The Chargers ( then a member of the American Football League ) played the first game ever at the stadium on August 20 , 1967 . San Diego Stadium had a capacity of around 50 , 000 ; the three - tier grandstand was in the shape of a horseshoe , with the east end low ( consisting of only one tier , partially topped by a large scoreboard ) . The Chargers were the main tenant of the stadium until 1968 , when the AAA Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres baseball team played its last season in the stadium , following their move from the minor league sized Westgate Park . Due to expansion of Major League Baseball , this team was replaced by the current San Diego Padres major - league team beginning in the 1969 season . ( The Padres moved out of Qualcomm Stadium following the 2003 season . ) After Jack Murphy ' s passing in 1980 , San Diego Stadium was renamed San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium . In 1983 , over 9 , 000 bleachers were added to the lower deck on the open end of the stadium raising the capacity to 59 , 022 . The most substantial addition was completed in 1997 , when the stadium was fully enclosed , with the exception of where the scoreboard is located . Nearly 11 , 000 seats were added in readiness for Super Bowl XXXII in 1998 , bringing the capacity to 70 , 561 . Also in 1997 , the facility was renamed Qualcomm Stadium after Qualcomm Corporation paid $ 18 million for the naming rights . The naming rights will belong to Qualcomm until 2017 . In order to continue to honor Murphy , the city named the stadium site Jack Murphy Field . However , as part of the naming agreement Jack Murphy Field was not allowed to be used alongside Qualcomm Stadium . Some San Diegans , however , still refer to the stadium as " Jack Murphy " or simply " The Murph " . Before his death in 2004 , Bob Murphy still referred to it as Jack Murphy Stadium during New York Mets broadcasts , even after it was renamed . The stadium was temporarily renamed " Snapdragon Stadium " for 10 days in December 2011 as a marketing tie in for Qualcomm ' s Snapdragon brand . The legality of the temporary name change was challenged at the time , since it was agreed to unilaterally by San Diego ' s mayor , without approval from the City Council and against the advice of the City Attorney . The stadium was the first of the square - circle " octorad " style , which was thought to be an improvement over the other cookie cutter stadium s of the time for hosting both football and baseball ( the second and last of this style was the since - imploded Veterans Stadium ) . Despite the theoretical improvements of this style , most of the seats were still very far away from the action on the field , especially during baseball games . It is one of the few " cookie - cutter " stadiums to still remain active , along with Robert F . Kennedy Memorial Stadium and O . co Coliseum . Configurations . In order to accommodate the dimensions of both football and baseball fields , the stadium was constructed with half of the lower ( Field Level ) level seating built of permanent concrete ( in the southern quadrant of the stadium ) , and the other half of portable modular construction using aluminum or steel framing . When the stadium was configured for baseball , the portable sections would be placed in the western quadrant of the stadium along the third base - left field side . Open bullpens were located along both foul lines just beyond the ends of the Field - level seats . In the football configuration , the portable seating sections are placed in the northern quadrant of the stadium ( covering what is used as left field in the baseball configuration ) to allow for the football field to be laid out east - west ( along the first base / right field foul line , with the western end zone placed in the area occupied by the portable seating sections in the baseball configuration , and the eastern end zone along the right - center field wall ) . Doorways are cut in the walls of the stadium in order to allow access to these seats from the tunnel below the Plaza level in both configurations ( in baseball configuration , the football doors could be seen above the left field inner wall ; in football configuration , the baseball doors are visible above the west end zone , opposite the scoreboard ) . These doors are rolling metal overhead doors , with the field side painted to match the surrounding walls facing the field . Seating capacity . The seating capacity for baseball went as the following : The seating capacity for football went as the following : Tenants . The Padres . From their inception in 1969 until the end of 2003 , when they moved into PETCO Park in the downtown area , the National League ' s San Diego Padres called the stadium home . The baseball field dimensions had varied slightly over the years . In 1969 , the distance from home plate to the left and right field wall was , the distance to the left - and right - center field power alleys was , and the distance from home plate to the center field was . A wall , whose top was the rim of the Plaza level , surrounded the outfield , making home runs difficult to hit . Later , an eight - foot fence was erected , cutting the distances to 327 , 368 and , respectively . In 1996 a note of asymmetry was introduced when a high scoreboard displaying out - of - town scores was erected along the right - field wall near the foul pole and deemed to be in play , and so the distances to right field and right - center field were and , respectively , while the remaining dimensions remained the same . Rickey Henderson collected his 3000th major league base hit here on October 7 , 2001 as a Padre , in what was also the last major league game for Tony Gwynn , the eight - time National League batting champion and Hall of Famer who played his entire career with San Diego . Recent fans were treated to a recording of the song " Hell ' s Bells " by the heavy metal rock band AC / DC whenever ace reliever Trevor Hoffman arrived in a game in the 9th inning in a save situation . Victories by both the Padres and Chargers have been celebrated by the playing of the song " Gettin ' Jiggy With It " recorded by singer and actor Will Smith . It was before a Padres game at the Murph against the Cincinnati Reds where comedian Roseanne Barr gave her infamous rendition of " The Star - Spangled Banner " in 1990 . The Chargers . The San Diego Chargers teams that played football here in the 1970s and 1980s featured a high - scoring offense led by quarterback Dan Fouts and featuring running back Chuck Muncie , tight end Kellen Winslow , receiver Charlie Joiner and place - kicker Rolf Benirschke ; however , the first Chargers team to advance to the Super Bowl ( in 1994 , Super Bowl XXIX ) featured a strong defense anchored by linebacker Junior Seau and an unspectacular but efficient offense led by quarterback Stan Humphries and running back Natrone Means . The stadium played host to the 1980 AFC Championship Game , which the " Bolts " would lose to AFC West and in - state rival , the Oakland Raiders , 34 - 27 . The Chargers also hosted Wild Card and Divisional Playoff games here in 1980 , 1992 , 1994 , 1995 , 2004 , 2006 , 2007 , 2008 and 2009 , going 5 - 5 in all playoff games held at the stadium . The Aztecs . Since its inception , the stadium , which is approximately five miles from campus , has been the home of the San Diego State University Aztecs . Before the building of the stadium , they had played their games at Balboa Stadium and their small , on - campus stadium , the Aztec Bowl ( which is now the site of Viejas Arena , the home of the university ' s basketball teams ) . Traditionally , the team , clad in all - black uniforms and red helmets , has played its home games at night , a tradition started during the days of former head coach Don Coryell before the stadium was even opened . There have been attempts in the past to change from " The Look " , but all have led to poor play by the Aztecs and a reversion back to the traditional look . College bowl games . Following the 1978 college football season , the stadium began hosting the Holiday Bowl , an annual bowl game held before New Year ' s Day . It originally hosted the Western Athletic Conference champion ( at the time , the hometown Aztecs had just joined this conference ) against a nationally ranked opponent . The game has traditionally been a high - scoring affair , and prior to 2009 no team had ever managed to score less than ten points ( which occurred in the 2006 game , when the Texas A & M Aggies lost 45 - 10 to the California Golden Bears ) and only 1 / 3 of the games have had a team even score less than twenty points . In the 2009 game , Arizona failed to score against Nebraska . The 1984 game is well known for it being the culmination of BYU ' s championship season , the last championship not won by a member of the current BCS alliance . On December 22 , 2005 , a second bowl game came to San Diego when the inaugural San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl was played at Qualcomm , with Navy beating Colorado State . Soccer . Qualcomm Stadium has been a venue for many international soccer matches . The stadium has hosted FIFA tournaments , including the CONCACAF Gold Cup , and the U . S . Cup ( an international invitational ) , as well as many international friendly matches involving the Mexican National Team . The most recent international friendly at Qualcomm set an all - time attendance record for the sport in the region . The match between Mexico and Argentina which was held on 4 June 2008 drew 68 , 498 spectators . The stadium has also hosted several international friendlies featuring teams such as Real Madrid , Chivas , Portsmouth F . C . and Club América . In addition , Qualcomm Stadium was part of the 18 - stadium United States 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bid , but the United States did not win either bid for the World Cup . The San Diego Sockers of the played at the stadium from 1978 to 1983 . Qualcomm Stadium was the venue of Major League Soccer ' s 1999 All - Star Game . Other sports . CIF San Diego Section Finals for high school football are held at Qualcomm Stadium . These usually take place on a Friday in early December , and four games are played ( with eight teams representing four separate divisions , which are determined by the enrollment sizes of the individual schools ) . Qualcomm Stadium has also hosted rugby matches . In October 1980 , the USA played New Zealand in a rugby match televised on ESPN . With 14 , 000 fans in attendance , this game at the time was the largest crowd ever to watch an international rugby game in the US . Old Mission Beach Athletic Club RFC play rugby union at the adjacent mini - stadium , so - called Little Q . BMX Motocross and monster truck events have been held in the stadium as well . ESPN held their inaugural Moto X World Championships at Qualcomm in April 2008 , and has previously used the stadium parking lot and surrounding streets as a venue in the X Games Street Luge competition . Concerts on the Green . Concerts on the Green is a sports field converted into a music and entertainment venue , located on the southwest corner of the stadium parking lot . The field was originally used as a practice venue for the San Diego Chargers . After the team moved to Chargers Park about a mile north of the stadium , the area was used primarily for rugby . AEG leased the area and retrofit it into an open - air amphitheater for concerts and other entertainment shows . The venue had the capability to hold 12 , 500 , making it the second biggest entertainment venue in the Greater San Diego area ; only Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre seats more . Other uses . Jehovah ' s Witnesses usually host their District Conventions here , where Witnesses from the Imperial Valley , the cities of Yuma and Blythe , the Coachella Valley , San Diego metropolitan area , and the cities of Temecula , and Murrieta attend their conventions . The convention is held in English and Spanish . Billy Graham has also held a few revivals here . Many concerts have also been held inside the stadium over the years , by famous artists of many different genres . Metallica and Guns N ' Roses brought their co - headlining Guns N ' Roses / Metallica Stadium Tour to the stadium on September 30 , 1992 , with Motörhead and Body Count as their opening acts . " American Idol " ( season 7 ) held auditions there in July 2007 ; a total of 30 people who auditioned there made it to the next round . During the Cedar Fire in October 2003 and the October 2007 California wildfires , the stadium served as an evacuation site for those living in affected areas . ( This was similar to the use of the Houston Astrodome and the New Orleans Superdome during Hurricane Katrina . ) The Cedar Fire forced the Chargers to move a contest with the Miami Dolphins to Arizona State University ' s Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe , Arizona . In the 1980s and early 1990s , the San Diego County Council of the Boy Scouts of America used the stadium ' s concourse areas ( between the rear of the grandstands and the freestanding wall which contains the entrance gates ) as well as portions of the parking lots as the site of its annual Scout Fair . ( The San Diego County Council has since merged with the council representing Imperial County to form the San Diego - Imperial Council . ) In a January 30 , 2009 episode of " Monk " , Qualcomm Stadium was known as Summit Stadium in the episode " Mr . Monk Makes the Playoffs " with the fictitious San Francisco Condors as the home team . The Little Q . The Little Q is a sports field , used primarily for rugby located adjacent to Qualcomm Stadium , the Little Q is home to San Diego ' s Super League rugby team OMBAC and the College Premier Division San Diego State University Aztec rugby team . In 1983 rock radio station ( and still current ) KGB 101 . 5 FM hosted the KGB Skyshow 8 with Uruah Heep , Eddy Money , Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard finishing the show . Also , in 1982 the rockband The Who made an appearance in their " Farewell Tour " . The future . With the departure of the Padres following the 2003 season and even beforehand , there has been much talk of replacing the increasingly obsolete ( by NFL standards ) stadium with a more modern , football - only one . There have been many problems with this project , the most obvious one being the city ' s inability to fund such a stadium . The team and city have both attempted to bring business partners in on the proposed $ 800 million project , which would be located in downtown San Diego ' s East Village and include upgrades to the area and infrastructure , but all efforts have failed so far . The Chargers had a clause in their contract , to the effect that if they paid off all debts to the city and county for the upgrades to the current stadium by 2007 , then the team could pull out of its lease in 2008 ; however , the clause has not , as yet , been activated . The NFL has said that if San Diego wants to host another Super Bowl , it would have to be in a new stadium and not Qualcomm Stadium . In recent years , the NFL has awarded Super Bowl games to cities that have new stadiums .