For the fourth time, the Miami Masters tournament is played starting Tuesday at Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Dolphins in the NFL. In fact, the center is built directly inside the stadium. A stadium within a stadium gives rise to particular images… but impressive ones.
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Founded in 1985, the tournament which features both ATP and WTA athletes was played for 32 years in Key Biscayne, before moving to the northern suburbs of Miami in 2019.
The center, called Stadium Court, has 14,000 seats. It’s obviously not permanent and needs to be erected every year before the tournament, as seen in the time-lapse video below. By comparison, when configured in football mode, Hard Rock Stadium can accommodate 65,326 spectators.
The site for the second Masters 1000 category tournament of the season has 27 other courts, all located outside the stadium, including 10 courts used for matches and 17 for training. The second largest field, the Grandstand, can seat 5,000 enthusiasts.
In addition to showcasing tennis and, of course, football, Hard Rock Stadium has hosted the NCAA’s Orange Bowl since 1996. Drivers in action at the Miami Formula 1 Grand Prix also roam around the stadium.
