Louis Armstrong Stadium

Louis Armstrong Stadium, situated at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, is one of New York City’s premier sporting venues and a striking example of modern stadium design. The current incarnation of the stadium opened in 2018, replacing the original 1978 structure and continuing the legacy of a venue named in honour of the legendary jazz musician who lived nearby until he died in 1971. With a seating capacity of 14,053, Louis Armstrong Stadium is the second-largest tennis facility at the US Open, renowned for its innovative features, including a retractable roof-the largest of its kind among secondary Grand Slam stadiums-and a pioneering natural ventilation system that allows for open-air comfort even during inclement weather. The stadium’s architecture incorporates over 14,000 terracotta louvers, open concourses, and passive cooling systems designed to maximize airflow and spectator comfort while reducing environmental impact.

The venue’s amenities reflect its status as a world-class destination. Fans benefit from two seating levels, with 6,400 reserved seats in the lower bowl and over 7,000 unreserved seats above, ensuring excellent sightlines from every vantage point. Retail spaces, a terrace bar, and integrated hospitality suites enhance the visitor experience. At the same time, the stadium’s proximity to major public transit hubs like the Mets–Willets Point subway and LIRR stations makes it easily accessible for large crowds. The stadium’s design not only serves the needs of tennis fans during the US Open but also positions it as a flexible space for other major sporting and entertainment events.

Although Louis Armstrong Stadium’s primary identity is rooted in tennis, it is now poised to become a significant venue for boxing in New York. In July 2025, the stadium will host its first major boxing event since its 2018 reopening, with a DAZN-broadcast card featuring Edgar Berlanga vs Hamzah Sheeraz and Shakur Stevenson defending his WBC lightweight title against William Zepeda. This marks a new chapter for the stadium, leveraging its retractable roof and large capacity to accommodate the unique demands of a summer boxing event. The event is expected to draw a substantial crowd. It will launch The Ring Magazine’s new television series, further cementing the stadium’s status as a versatile sports destination.

New York City is synonymous with boxing history, hosting some of the sport’s most iconic matches. Legendary bouts such as Jack Dempsey vs Luis Ángel Firpo at the Polo Grounds in 1923 and countless world title fights at Madison Square Garden have shaped the city’s reputation as a boxing capital. The city has produced a lineage of celebrated fighters, including Sugar Ray Robinson, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano, Riddick Bowe, and Zab Judah, all of whom have left an indelible mark on the sport. While Louis Armstrong Stadium is a newcomer to this storied boxing tradition, its entry into the scene is significant, offering a modern, open-air alternative to the city’s historic indoor arenas.

As the stadium prepares to host high-profile boxing for the first time, it joins a select group of New York venues capable of staging world-class events across multiple sports. The combination of cutting-edge amenities, sustainable design, and a prime location ensures Louis Armstrong Stadium will be a fixture in the city’s sporting landscape for years to come, expanding its legacy beyond tennis and into the heart of New York’s vibrant boxing scene.