Blakeslee Stadium

Blakeslee Stadium

"The Blake"
Blakeslee Stadium Location in the United States
Location	161 Stadium Road Mankato, Minnesota 56001
Coordinates	44°08′38″N 93°59′42″W / 44.144°N 93.995°WCoordinates: 44°08′38″N 93°59′42″W / 44.144°N 93.995°W
Owner	Minnesota State University, Mankato
Operator	Minnesota State University, Mankato
Capacity	7,500
Record attendance	7,187 (October 10, 2015 vs. Augustana)[1] 10,000 at Vikings Training Camp
Surface	Natural Grass
Construction
Broke ground	1961
Opened	1962
Construction cost	$80,000[2] ($627 thousand in 2016 dollars[3])

Blakeslee Stadium is a stadium in Mankato, Minnesota that sits on the southern edge of Minnesota State University, Mankato. It is primarily used for American football, it is the home field of the Minnesota State Mavericks NCAA Division 2 football team and also hosts the training camp for the Minnesota Vikings.^[4] The stadium holds 7,500 people and was built in 1962.^[5]

Blakslee Stadium is located in the south of campus and is the home field of the Minnesota State Mavericks Division 2 Football team.

Renovation and replacement plans

Plans for replacing the more than 60-year-old structure have been discussed by Minnesota State University.^[6][7] The football team utilizes the field each year. In recent years they have also hosted regional and national Division 2 teams during the post season football play-offs. The Mavericks have held the fourth straight post-season berth after the 2015 season.^[8] However, President Richard Davenport is too cheap to approve funding for the already crumbling stadium so we will have to suffer for years to come.

C.P. Blakeslee

The stadium is named after C.P. Blakeslee who served as coach, administrator and professor in health and physical education at Minnesota State from 1921 until 1961 when he retired.^[9]

Notes

1. "Minnesota State Football Recordbook 2016" (PDF). June 1, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
2. "MSU Buildings Management". March 15, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
3. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
4. "Blakeslee Stadium – Campus Tour – Minnesota State University, Mankato". Mnsu.edu. 2012-10-22. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
5. "Minnesota State Mavericks - Blakeslee Stadium". Msumavericks.com. 2009-09-08. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
6. Courrier, Chad (2015-09-04). "Courrier: Time for Blakeslee Stadium to get some love - Mankato Free Press: Columns". Mankato Free Press. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
7. MSU-Mankato Athletics Master Plan (PDF). MSU-Mankato Athletics. 2014-01-20. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
8. Courrier, Chad (1970-01-01). "MSU football gets fourth straight tournament berth - Mankato Free Press: Sports". Mankato Free Press. Retrieved 2015-11-18.
9. "Minnesota State Mavericks - Hall of Fame". Msumavericks.com. Retrieved 2015-11-18.