Sun Life Stadium Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens , Florida , a suburb of Miami . It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team , and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team . It also hosts the Orange Bowl , an annual college football bowl game . It was the home to the Florida Marlins baseball team from 1993 to 2011 . Originally named Joe Robbie Stadium , it has also been known as Pro Player Park , Pro Player Stadium , Dolphin Stadium , Dolphins Stadium , and Land Shark Stadium . Since its construction , the stadium has hosted five Super Bowl s ( XXIII , XXIX , XXXIII , XLI and XLIV ) , two World Series ( and ) , four BCS National Championship Game s ( 2001 , 2005 , 2009 , 2013 ) , and constantly changing names . The stadium served as host for the second round of the 2009 World Baseball Classic , WrestleMania XXVIII , and hosted the 2010 Pro Bowl . On January 18 , 2010 , the Miami Dolphins signed a five - year deal with Sun Life Financial to rename Dolphin Stadium to Sun Life Stadium . The deal is worth $ 7 . 5 million per year for five years ( a total of $ 37 . 5 million ) . History . Conception and construction . Joe Robbie , founder of the Miami Dolphins , led the financing campaign to build a new home for his team . For their first 20 years , the Dolphins played at the Orange Bowl . Robbie believed it was only a matter of time before a Major League Baseball team came to South Florida . At his request , the stadium was built so only minimal renovations would be necessary to ready it for a baseball team . Most notably , the field was made somewhat wider than is normally the case for an NFL stadium . The wide field also makes it fairly easy to convert the stadium for soccer . Because of this design decision , the first row of seats is 90 feet ( 27 m ) from the sideline in a football configuration , considerably more distant than the first row of seats in most football stadiums ( the closest seats at the new Soldier Field , for instance , are 55 feet ( 17 m ) from the sideline at the 50 - yard line ) . This resulted in a less intimate venue for football compared to other football facilities built around this time , as well as to the Orange Bowl . Dolphins . The first regular season NFL game played there was a 42 – 0 Dolphins victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on October 11 , 1987 . The game was in the middle of the 1987 NFL strike , and was played with replacement player s . The stadium hosted its first " Monday Night Football " game there on December 7 of that year , a 37 – 28 Dolphins victory over the New York Jets . In addition to the Super Bowl , several other playoff games have been played in the stadium , including the 1992 AFC Championship Game , which the Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills , 29 – 10 . The Dolphins are 5 – 3 in playoff games held here , losing the most recent one in January , 2009 , against the Baltimore Ravens . The Marlins move in . In 1990 , Wayne Huizenga purchased 50 percent of then - Joe Robbie Stadium and became the point man in the drive to bring Major League Baseball to south Florida . That effort was rewarded in July 1991 , when the Miami area was awarded an MLB expansion franchise . The new team was named the Florida Marlins , and placed in the National League . On January 24 , 1994 , Huizenga acquired the remaining 50 percent of the stadium to give him 100 % ownership . Since 1991 , several million dollars have been spent to upgrade and renovate the stadium . The first Marlins game played at then - Joe Robbie Stadium was on April 5 , 1993 , a 6 – 3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers . Renovations and configurations . After Huizenga bought part of the stadium , it was extensively renovated to accommodate a baseball team , as part of his successful bid to bring baseball to south Florida . Purists initially feared the result would be similar to Exhibition Stadium in Toronto ; when the Toronto Blue Jays played there from 1977 to 1989 , they were burdened with seats that were so far from the field that they weren ' t even sold during the regular season . However , Robbie had foreseen Miami would be a likely location for a new or relocated MLB team , and the stadium was designed to make any necessary renovations for baseball as seamless as possible . The stadium ' s baseball capacity was initially reduced to 47 , 662 , with most of the upper level covered with a tarp . In addition to Huizenga ' s desire create a more intimate atmosphere for baseball , most of the seats in the upper level would have been too far from the field . The stadium ' s baseball capacity has been further reduced over the years , and finally settled at 38 , 560 seats . However , the Marlins would usually open the entire upper level for the postseason . In the 1997 World Series , the Marlins played before crowds of over 67 , 000 fans — the highest postseason attendance figures in MLB history , only exceeded by Cleveland Stadium , home of the Cleveland Indians during the 1948 World Series , old Yankee Stadium prior to its mid 1970s renovation , and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum , the temporary home of the Los Angeles Dodgers ( before Dodger Stadium was opened ) in the 1959 World Series . Although it was designed from the ground up to accommodate baseball , Sun Life Stadium is not a true multipurpose stadium . Rather , it is a football stadium that could convert into a baseball stadium . Most of the seats are pointed toward center field – where the 50 - yard line would be in the football configuration . As such , the sight lines were not as good for baseball . This was particularly evident during the Marlins ' World Series appearances in 1997 and 2003 . Some portions of left and center field were not part of the football playing field , and fans sitting in the left field upper - deck seats were unable to see these areas except on the replay boards . Aside from baseball renovations , the stadium has undergone some permanent renovations . In April 2006 , the stadium unveiled two Daktronics large video boards , the largest in professional sports at the time . The east display measures 50 feet ( 15m ) high by 140 feet ( 43m ) wide , and the west end zone display measures 50 feet ( 15m ) high by 100 feet ( 30m ) wide . A new 2 , 118 foot ( 646m ) - long LED ribbon board , again the largest in the world at the time , was also installed . These have since been surpassed in size . In addition , the upgrades include vastly widened 40 , 000 square feet ( 3 , 700 m ) concourses on the stadium ’ s north and south sides . Bars , lounges and other amenities have also been added . The renovation has three phases , the first has been completed ; the second and third phases of renovation will take place after the Marlins move from the stadium . These remaining phases include the addition of a roof to shield fans from the rain , as well as remodeling the sidelines of the lower bowl to narrow the field and bring seats closer , ending its convertibility to baseball . The stadium contains 10 , 209 club seats and 216 suites . When the Marlins played at the stadium , 2 , 400 of the club seats and 216 suites were available . Notable events . NFL . The stadium has played host to five Super Bowl s ( 1989 , 1995 , 1999 , 2007 , and 2010 ) . There has been a kickoff return for a touchdown in each Super Bowl played at the stadium , except in the most recent game . The stadium also hosted the 2010 Pro Bowl . The NFL is threatening not to return ( for the Super Bowl or Pro Bowl ) unless significant renovations are made . One of the upgrades desired was a roof to protect fans from the elements . The 2007 Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium — when Indianapolis defeated Chicago 29 – 17 — was marred by heavy rains . An estimated 30 percent of the lower - level seating was empty during the second half . The Dolphins already have pulled the plug on pitching a $ 200 - million hotel tax proposal that would have included a partial stadium roof . With the end zones facing east and west , the uncovered north side of the stadium bakes in the south Florida sun . The issue has become so problematic that Stephen Ross , who owns the Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium , successfully petitioned the NFL for no early kickoffs in September home games . Although this gave the Dolphins a substantial home - field advantage against opponents unaccustomed to the sweltering heat , Ross was willing to give that up in order to ensure a more comfortable environment for fans . NCAA . Sun Life Stadium has hosted both the 2009 BCS National Championship Game , and the 2013 BCS National Championship Game . The 2013 game between Alabama and Notre Dame set a new attendance record for the facility , with 80 , 120 on hand to witness Alabama ' s third BCS Championship in four seasons . The stadium has hosted the Miami Hurricanes beginning in 2008 . The stadium was the home field for the Florida Atlantic Owls ( 2001 – 2002 ) . Between 1990 and 2000 , the stadium hosted a bowl game variously known as the Blockbuster Bowl , CarQuest Bowl , and MicronPC Bowl . After 2000 , that bowl was moved to Orlando , where it eventually became known as the Champs Sports Bowl . The stadium has been the site of the Orange Bowl game since 1996 , except for the January 1999 contest between Florida and Syracuse , which had to be moved due to a conflict with a Dolphins playoff game . Until 2008 , the stadium was host biennially to the yearly Shula Bowl , a game played between Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University , when the game was hosted by FAU as the home team . ( FIU hosts the game at its own stadium , FIU Stadium , every other year . ) Baseball . Two National League Division Series have been played at Sun Life Stadium . Two National League Championship Series have been played at Sun Life Stadium . Two World Series have been played at Sun Life Stadium . The stadium was the venue where Ken Griffey , Jr . hit his 600th career home run off Mark Hendrickson of the Florida Marlins on June 9 , 2008 ; and where Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history on May 29 , 2010 against the Marlins . Concerts . American rock band Guns N ' Roses performed a New Year ' s Eve show on December 31 , 1991 . American pop artist Madonna performed during her Sticky and Sweet Tour on November 26 , 2008 , in front of a sold - out audience of 48 , 000 . British pop artist Paul McCartney performed at the stadium during his Up and Coming Tour on April 3 , 2010 . Irish rock band U2 performed at the stadium on June 29 , 2011 during their U2 360° Tour , in front of a sold out crowd of 72 , 569 people . The show was originally scheduled for July 9 , 2010 , but was postponed , due to Bono ' s emergency back surgery . The concert forced the Marlins ' interleague series with the Seattle Mariners , originally scheduled to be played at Sun Life Stadium the previous weekend , to move to Safeco Field in Seattle . American hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas performed during their The Beginning Tour tour on November 23 , 2011 . Soccer . Sun Life Stadium hosted a match between FC Barcelona and C . D . Guadalajara on August 3 , 2011 , as part of the 2011 World Football Challenge . Guadalajara won the match 4 – 1 in front of 70 , 080 attendees . AC Milan and Chelsea faced each other at the stadium on July 28 , 2012 . AC Milan won the match 1 to 0 in front of 57 , 748 fans . Colombia beat Mexico 2 - 0 in a friendly international in front of 51 , 615 spectators at the stadium on 29 February 2012 , and a year later they beat Guatemala 4 - 1 . Wrestling . Sun Life Stadium set a new attendance record when the WWE ' s biggest pay - per - view , Wrestlemania XXVIII , came to town . A crowd of 78 , 000 + was in attendance . The crowd witnessed the End of an Era as The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Hell in a Cell match , with WWE Hall of Fame r , Shawn Michaels as special guest referee . Also , CM Punk retained the WWE Championship against Chris Jericho . Miami native The Rock defeated John Cena in the ' Once in a Lifetime ' main event set one year in advance . This WWE PPV was the highest grossing event in WWE history . Other events . Other events held at the stadium have included international football games , monster truck shows , Hoop - It - Up Basketball , RV and boat shows , the UniverSoul Circus , Australian rules football exhibition matches , and numerous trade shows . It has even hosted religious gatherings , most notably a visit by Pope John Paul II . In 2006 , it hosted the High School State Football Championships , sanctioned by the Florida High School Athletic Association ( FHSAA ) . Movies have also been shot there , most notably " " , which starred Jim Carrey and featured Dolphins great Dan Marino as himself ; " Marley and Me " , starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston ; and the Oliver Stone - directed " Any Given Sunday " , starring Al Pacino . Naming rights . The stadium has gone through many name changes , bringing up the overall question of the value of corporate naming rights . Initially , Dolphins Stadium was named after Joe Robbie , the original and then - owner of the Miami Dolphins . The Dolphins were the stadium ' s primary tenant at the time . In the early 1990s , Wayne Huizenga gained control of the stadium . Huizenga first sold the naming rights to Pro Player , the sports apparel division of Fruit of the Loom , and Joe Robbie Stadium became Pro Player Stadium on August 26 , 1996 . Fruit of the Loom filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1999 , and the Pro Player brand was ultimately liquidated in 2001 , but the stadium name held for several more years . In January 2005 , the Pro Player name was replaced with Dolphins Stadium , coinciding with a renovation of the stadium . Dolphins was changed to Dolphin in April 2006 , in an update of graphics and logos . From February 2008 through January 2009 , Stephen M . Ross gradually acquired 95 % of the stadium and surrounding land . He then partnered with Jimmy Buffett to change the name once more , this time to Land Shark Stadium . The renaming was announced on May 9 , 2009 , but would last less than a year as the deal did not include rights for the upcoming 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV . On January 20 , 2010 , the firm Sun Life Financial officially announced that they had acquired the naming rights , and the name of the stadium became Sun Life Stadium . Sun Life Stadium may have yet another name within three years , as Sun Life Financial has announced it will not be selling life insurance in the United States anymore . It is expected that the Dolphins will be looking for a new naming rights partner .