Drake Stadium
Encyclopedia
Drake Stadium is a stadium
in Des Moines, Iowa
, United States
. It is primarily used for the Drake Relays
, and is the home field of the Drake University
Bulldogs. It opened in 1925 and underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005. Widening the track reduced the stadium's seating capacity
from 18,000 to 14,557. The football
field at Drake Stadium is named in honor of Drake
alumnus and football great, Johnny Bright
and the track is name after famed announcer Jim Duncan.
Drake Stadium has seen the Drake Bulldogs
win ten conference championships in football, while advancing to twelve college football bowl games. As part of the stadium renovation an artificial surface was installed for both football and soccer. The stadium is also the home field for Des Moines Roosevelt High School and for some games for Dowling High School. It is the largest stadium in the Pioneer Football League
.
Drake Stadium is also the home to the Drake Relays, one of the premier track and field meets in the country. Thousands of high school, college, and professional track athletes come to Drake Stadium in late April to compete in one of the largest track meets in the United States
. The stadium also hosts the Iowa boys and girls high school track state championships.
The 2005-06 renovation project improved many aspects of the stadium. The surface area of the stadium was flattened (previously the infield sat several feet lower than the track surface). It created a reconfigured track to meet NCAA, national and international standards, improved seating, and added a "safety lane" on the outside of the track for athletes (in the old configuration, fans could easily make contact with a competitor in lane 8). In addition, a new scoreboard with video screen was placed at the northeast corner of the stadium.
In addition, Drake Stadium hosted the 1970 and 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and will host the 2010 USA Open Track and Field Outdoor Championships in addition to the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Outdoors. The 2008 NCAAs doubled the previous four-day record crowd with a total attendance of 41,187 (including over 11,000 for the final day) despite heavy flooding in Des Moines. The renovated stadium is considered a contender for more future prestigious events, such as the U.S. Olympic Trials .
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is primarily used for the Drake Relays
Drake Relays
The Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
, and is the home field of the Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
Bulldogs. It opened in 1925 and underwent a $15 million renovation in 2005. Widening the track reduced the stadium's seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
from 18,000 to 14,557. The football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
field at Drake Stadium is named in honor of Drake
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
alumnus and football great, Johnny Bright
Johnny Bright
Johnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University...
and the track is name after famed announcer Jim Duncan.
Drake Stadium has seen the Drake Bulldogs
Drake Bulldogs
The Drake Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Drake University. Athletic scholarships are offered in basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, tennis, and volleyball. However, all football players are walk-ons as Drake does not offer athletic scholarships in that sport...
win ten conference championships in football, while advancing to twelve college football bowl games. As part of the stadium renovation an artificial surface was installed for both football and soccer. The stadium is also the home field for Des Moines Roosevelt High School and for some games for Dowling High School. It is the largest stadium in the Pioneer Football League
Pioneer Football League
The Pioneer Football League is a college athletic conference which operates in the East, Midwest, and California of the United States. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. The conference participates in the NCAA's...
.
Drake Stadium is also the home to the Drake Relays, one of the premier track and field meets in the country. Thousands of high school, college, and professional track athletes come to Drake Stadium in late April to compete in one of the largest track meets in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The stadium also hosts the Iowa boys and girls high school track state championships.
The 2005-06 renovation project improved many aspects of the stadium. The surface area of the stadium was flattened (previously the infield sat several feet lower than the track surface). It created a reconfigured track to meet NCAA, national and international standards, improved seating, and added a "safety lane" on the outside of the track for athletes (in the old configuration, fans could easily make contact with a competitor in lane 8). In addition, a new scoreboard with video screen was placed at the northeast corner of the stadium.
In addition, Drake Stadium hosted the 1970 and 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and will host the 2010 USA Open Track and Field Outdoor Championships in addition to the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Outdoors. The 2008 NCAAs doubled the previous four-day record crowd with a total attendance of 41,187 (including over 11,000 for the final day) despite heavy flooding in Des Moines. The renovated stadium is considered a contender for more future prestigious events, such as the U.S. Olympic Trials .