Infinity Park Explained

Stadium Name:Infinity Park
Logo Image:Infinity Park Logo.png
Address:4500 E. Kentucky Ave.
City:Glendale, CO
Country:United States
Coordinates:39.6992°N -104.9349°W
Owner:City of Glendale
Surface:Grass
Tenants:American Raptors (SRA) (2023–present)
Glendale Merlins (2007–present)
Denver Barbarians (PRP) (2014–present)
Denver Stampede (PRO) (April – May 2016)
Seating Capacity:5,000 (rugby)
Dimensions:100 x 68 m

Infinity Park is a stadium in the Denver enclave of Glendale, Colorado, and was formerly the unofficial home venue of the United States national rugby union team. The stadium has a seating capacity of 5,000 people. It opened in 2007, at a cost of $22.5 million.[1] It is the first rugby-specific, municipally-owned stadium in the United States.[2] [3]

Infinity Park is the venue for several domestic rugby union teams. The field is home to the Glendale Merlins, a Division I men's rugby team that have won the national championship,[4] and of the Denver Barbarians. The stadium also hosts the Women's Premier League's Glendale Lady Merlins.[5] The defunct Denver Stampede of the defunct PRO Rugby played at the stadium between April and May 2016 as did the Merlins' professional offshoot Colorado Raptors who played in Major League Rugby between 2018 and 2020.

Infinity Park also hosts various tournaments. The stadium regularly hosts USA Rugby national men's club semifinals and finals championships. Infinity Park is the home of the Serevi Rugbytown Sevens Tournament which takes place in August each year and attracts teams from around the world to compete for a winner-take-all $10,000 cash prize. Most notably, it became the new home of the USA Women's Sevens, the country's stop in the annual World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, starting with the 2018–19 season.[6]

College rugby

Infinity Park has also hosted various college rugby championships and other matches. Infinity Park hosted the men's collegiate all-stars (2008-2011). The stadium has also hosted Division I college rugby matches played by the University of Colorado and Colorado State University.[7] The venue has also hosted the Champions Cup of the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO).[8]

International rugby

Infinity Park has hosted international rugby test matches. It hosted the 2009 and 2010 Churchill Cup, a now-defunct international rugby tournament involving the United States, Canada, England, France, Argentina and other countries. It has also been the venue for various international test matches, such as the August 2011 United States v. Canada match, which sold out; and the June 2012 United States v. Georgia match.

On April 26, 2019, it hosted the USA women taking on the invitational Barbarians Women, the first-ever match against international competition for the Barbarians.[9]

In 2021, Infinity Park hosted home matches for the United States as part of the 2023 Rugby World Cup Qualifiers.[10] [11]

DateVisitors ScoreHomeEvent AttendanceRef.
July 29, 2008 Canada East 26–30 Canada West
USA Hawks 12–30 USA Falcons 2008 North America 4 [12]
August 2, 2008 Canada East 17–17 2008 North America 4
Canada West 16–11 2008 North America 4
June 6, 2009 England Saxons 28–20 [13]
10–42 2009 Churchill Cup [14]
June 10, 2009 30–19 2009 Churchill Cup [15] [16]
Argentina XV 35–14 2009 Churchill Cup [17]
June 14, 2009 England Saxons 56–17 2009 Churchill Cup [18] [19]
40–5 2009 Churchill Cup [20] [21]
October 10, 2009 Argentina XV 57–10 [22]
June 5, 2010 6–48 [23]
22–39 2010 Churchill Cup [24]
June 9, 2010 10–43 2010 Churchill Cup [25]
17–49 2010 Churchill Cup [26]
June 13, 2010 27–33 2010 Churchill Cup [27]
32–9 2010 Churchill Cup [28]
13 August 2011 7–27 2011 Rugby World Cup warm-up matches5,000[29] [30] [31]
July 29, 2019 19–47 5,000 [32] [33] [34]
September 11, 2021 16–38 [35] [36]
October 3, 2021 16–19 [37]
July 16, 2022 31–29 5,000 [38]
USA Record at the Infinity Park
CompetitionPlayedWonDrawnLost% Won
4 1 0 3 %
1 1 0 0 %
3 2 0 1 %
1 1 0 0 %
Total 9 5 0 4 %
Updated 20 March 2024

Notes and References

  1. http://calendar.denverpost.com/glendale-co/venues/show/318575-infinity-park Article on Infinity Park
  2. Rainbird, "Site Report Infinity Park and Infinity Park South"
  3. Denver Post, "Glendale's ambition soars on raucous rugby", September 27, 2007.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20080724131941/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS20660+12-Apr-2008+PRN20080412 Glendale Raptors End Season Unbeaten
  5. http://rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2877:raptors-replace-valks-in-12-wpl&catid=60:womens-clubs&Itemid=232 "raptors-replace-valks-in-12"
  6. Schedule confirmed for HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2019 . World Rugby . July 7, 2018 . August 6, 2018.
  7. RugbyRugby, Feb. 28, 2012, "CSU vs CU Sat Infinity Park 4pm"
  8. RugbyRugby, March 27, 2012, "Time to Ruck'n'Roll on the Road to Infinity Park"
  9. Web site: Barbarians Women name squad to face the USA for the first time . ESPN.com . March 28, 2019 . March 28, 2019.
  10. Web site: USA and Canada victorious in Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifiers . Rugby World Cup . 3 October 2021.
  11. Web site: Uruguay make history as they qualify for Rugby World Cup 2023 as Americas 1 . Rugby World Cup . October 2021.
  12. Web site: Pangelinan stands out in NA4 finals . The Guam Daily Post . 20 March 2024.
  13. Web site: England Saxons fight for victory . england rugby . 20 March 2024.
  14. Web site: Canada (19) 42 - 10 (10) Georgia (FT) . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  15. Web site: Ireland 'A' Leave It Late Against Canada. Irish Rugby . 20 March 2024.
  16. Web site: Ireland 'A' leave it late to down Canada . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  17. Web site: JAGUARS BITE LATE . eRugby News . 20 March 2024.
  18. Web site: England Saxons reach the Churchill Cup final . england rugby . 20 March 2024.
  19. Web site: Saxons run riot in Denver . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  20. Web site: Ireland 'A' Qualify For Churchill Cup Final . Irish Rugby . 20 March 2024.
  21. Web site: Ireland 'A' book final date with Saxons . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  22. Web site: Jaguars feast on US meat in the snow . rugby365 . 20 March 2024.
  23. Web site: Canada (14) 48 - 6 (3) Uruguay (FT) . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  24. Web site: United States of America (14) 39 - 22 (15) Russia (FT) . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  25. Web site: France A (24) 43 - 10 (3) Uruguay (FT) . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  26. Web site: Seven-try Saxons smash Russia . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  27. Web site: Canada (10) 33 - 27 (16) France A (FT) . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  28. Web site: United States of America (6) 9 - 32 (18) England Saxons (FT) . espnscrum . 20 March 2024.
  29. Web site: Canada make it two from two . espnscrum . 29 February 2024.
  30. Web site: United States of America (7) 7 - 27 (10) Canada (FT) . espnscrum . 29 February 2024.
  31. Web site: RWC 2011 Warm Ups . Rugby Unplugged . 1 March 2024.
  32. Web site: Men's Eagles race past Canada to open Pacific Nations Cup . USA Rugby . 20 March 2024.
  33. Web site: United States of America (20) 47 - 19 (0) Canada (FT) . espnscrum . 28 February 2024.
  34. Web site: Eagles fly high above Canada . americas rugby news . 28 February 2024.
  35. Web site: Men's Eagles defeat Canada to become No. 1 seed for Rugby Americas North . USA Rugby . 20 March 2024.
  36. Web site: United States of America (25) 38 - 16 (9) Canada (FT) . espnscrum . 28 February 2024.
  37. Web site: USA and Canada victorious in Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifiers . World Rugby . 20 March 2024.
  38. Web site: Chile shock USA to qualify for Rugby World Cup 2023 . americas rugby news . 18 July 2022.