Blakeslee Stadium

[Barndog]

Sitting here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon to watch a little Mankato versus the Wolves football game. There is no reason on God’s green earth that Mankato football team plays in a stadium that they have now. Gorgeous stadium here in Aberdeen, South Dakota. I think if Mankato wants to continue to be a winning program, they need to make a decision within a year to start upgrading their facilities.

Why would a young man want to come and play in a stadium like that at Mankato? Maybe I’m speaking above my pay grade.

The powers that be need to make a decision soon.

Northwest Missouri state better facility. Augustana better facility Sioux Falls, South Dakota better facility

[SW_Mustang]

Well - the Mavs draw players because they are one of the best DII programs in the country, over the last 15 years at least. Winning trumps facilities - I mean, Northern has a great facility but has only accomplished a fraction of what MSU has.

That being said, I agree. The Blake has served it's time. I enjoy the views, but it would be nice to go to a game in an actual stadium and not... that.

[WSUWarriorFan]

I feel practice facilities, locker room, weight room... Carry more weight since more time is spent there vs the stadium.

[vikingfaithful]

Blakeslee stadium is a great place to watch a game for most of the population, besides that it's a drab concrete structure with an abomination of a press box. If I lived in Mankato and a Mav fan, I would threaten the school with litigation over lack of handicap seating (I wouldn't follow through) to spur action.

[Barndog]

Thinking more about this, is this a State of Minnesota thing?? I haven’t been to SWMS or Duluth yet but the others I’ve been to seem a little old also.

Wayne America has a nice facility. Minot, has a nicer stadium.

At Mankato the teams have to cross a street 2-3 times between stretching, warmups and the the game!! Would be nice to have locker rooms, weight room, treatment rooms and others inside the stadium.

I don’t know much about the politics in the state of Minnesota but I believe there is an old football coach that is the governor now and seeking a higher office!!!

[laker]

I could name the advantages of various stadiums across the NSIC, but it is easier to list stadiums worse that MSU's that the ones that are better. It is way past time to fix this. There are no better sight lines, a well kept grass field, you are right on top of the action, I love the berm in the south end zone- but the press box is a media nightmare and other problems too numerous to mention. I have been to each stadium (and gym) in the conference- it is time for the Mavs to build a new one. But don't do it halfway- do it right.

[laker]

I understand that football ranks third in priority. I heard that a new stadium isn’t in the cards, though I wasn’t sure if that was meant as a pun "maverick". This was before NIL came into play too.


I believe since the stadium meets the ADA compliance since the stadium is built for most of the laws were created. I know - it's not right but...

We all know that hockey has top billing. President Inch told me personally before the men's regional championship game vs Northwest MO that he plans to have a new stadium by 2029. Since I don't think he is Mao or Stalin on a Five Year Plan I think that he has something in the cards.

[TJE_]

Northerns facilities are unbelievable. Stadium, locker room and even the separate practice facility. But in order for Northern to be somewhat competitive, they HAD to do it. Even still it doesn’t fully overcome the ability to get top recruits to Aberdeen. If they can develop a playoff caliber team then Northern could be a force
to be reckoned with.

But if Mankato builds something similar I don’t see how they aren’t one of the best teams in the country year in and year out. I mean like Top 10 every single year.

[Barndog]

Maybe I will set up a “Go Fund Me(Blakeslee)”. I think if we can get about 200,000 donations at about the $50 mark, we could get this to happen in my lifetime!!! $50 is about two-12 packs nowadays, or a moving and dinner.

[laker]

Maybe I will set up a “Go Fund Me(Blakeslee)”. I think if we can get about 200,000 donations at about the $50 mark, we could get this to happen in my lifetime!!! $50 is about two-12 packs nowadays, or a moving and dinner.

"Chocolate Milk For The Mavs" gets my money!

[SW_Mustang]

IMO - the other problem with the Blake is no suites, and that has to be a lot of lost potential revenue.

Last time I visited for volleyball, I walked all the way back to the observatory. What surprised me is just how much land MSU has with not much on it. Kinda wonder why it's setup like that - point being they have a really great space on the edge of the valley to build something.

[NSU4LIFE]

IMO - the other problem with the Blake is no suites, and that has to be a lot of lost potential revenue.

Last time I visited for volleyball, I walked all the way back to the observatory. What surprised me is just how much land MSU has with not much on it. Kinda wonder why it's setup like that - point being they have a really great space on the edge of the valley to build something.

I hate agreeing with you, and I don't want anything nice for MSU, but the potential revenue is massive. If they build similar to Northern but made it for maybe 8,000 or 9,000, they could double the amount of suites Northern has and business would for sure buy those up. They would, without question, see an uptick in already good attendance with a new place.

[Barndog]

I can picture it now, north end zone football offices, weight room, treatment room, film room, locker rooms. And then on the berm on the south, we have a sidewalk that connects east and west with a couple food trucks, a beer wagon or two and some picnic tables with umbrellas and a big football scoreboard on the south end. On the east side maybe we could scale down the visitor side but leave a big spot to put the Mankato band right behind the bench of the visitors team. North stadium could also have a few suites in it also along with west stadium. Mankato has three natural grass practice fields to the west plenty of room to get this done

I can contact my buddy down here in the big O Warren, and see if he has any leftover change and maybe some buddy up there in Minnesota can talk to Mr. Tayler!!!

This also would be a great venue then for some outdoor hockey activities.

[vikingfaithful]

New stadium will happen, will be grand and will have great bathrooms named after Laker. Until then, enjoy best sightlines in all of NCAA.

[laker]

New stadium will happen, will be grand and will have great bathrooms named after Laker. Until then, enjoy best sightlines in all of NCAA.

I just hope that the honor isn't posthumous.