National Sports Center
Encyclopedia
The National Sports Center (NSC) is a 600-acre (2.4 km²) multi-sport complex located in Blaine, Minnesota
, United States
, that includes a soccer stadium, over 50 full-sized soccer fields, a golf course, a velodrome
, a meeting and convention facility, and an eight-sheet ice rink, the Schwan Super Rink
, which is the largest ice facility of its type in the world. The National Sports Center has hosted numerous National and World Championship events in soccer, hockey, figure skating, short track speedskating, broomball, rugby, ultimate and lacrosse. The National Sports Center opened in 1990 after 1987 legislature created the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC) and appropriated $14.7 million for the construction of the NSC. The facility welcomes over 3.8 million visitors annually, making it the most-visited sports facility in the State of Minnesota.
The Herb Brooks Foundation, the foundation created by the legendary hockey coach's family, has partnered with the National Sports Center to develop the Herb Brooks Training Center, a state-of-the-art dryland and ice hockey training facility that is part of the Schwan Super Rink.
Each July, the National Sports Center plays host to Schwan’s USA CUP: the largest soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere with over 1,000 teams and participants from 22 countries.
The NSC is operated by the National Sports Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Even though the facility is a State of Minnesota facility, and operations are overseen by the MASC, the NSC receives no operating subsidy from the State, and it is a self-supporting operation.
has played four home matches at the NSC, including international matches against Canada , Australia, Norway and Sweden. Mia Hamm scored her 150th international goal at the NSC is a 3-0 victory over Australia in 2004. The NSC has also hosted men's U.S. National Team U-17 and U-20 matches. The largest crowd in NSC history was for a 2001 women's soccer match between the United States and Canada, when 15,615 fans watched a 1-0 U.S. victory.
The NSC played host to the defunct Minnesota Thunder
of the USL First Division
. The stadium served as the Thunder's home from 1990-2003 and from May 24, 2008 until the end of the 2009 season when the team folded.
For the 2010 season the NSC Minnesota Stars
were founded to replace the Minnesota Thunder in the North American Soccer League, and the Stars play their home games at the stadium. The Stars are the current North American Soccer League champions, and their championship round victory over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on October 22, 2011 in the stadium, propelled them to a championship series victory.
Blaine, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,942 people, 15,898 households, and 12,177 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,330 people per square mile . There are 16,169 housing units at an average density of 477.6 per square mile...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, that includes a soccer stadium, over 50 full-sized soccer fields, a golf course, a velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
, a meeting and convention facility, and an eight-sheet ice rink, the Schwan Super Rink
Schwan Super Rink
The Schwan Super Rink is a ice rink facility that features eight sheets of ice and is the largest ice arena complex in the world. It is located on the National Sports Center campus in Blaine, Minnesota, a northern suburb of Minneapolis – Saint Paul...
, which is the largest ice facility of its type in the world. The National Sports Center has hosted numerous National and World Championship events in soccer, hockey, figure skating, short track speedskating, broomball, rugby, ultimate and lacrosse. The National Sports Center opened in 1990 after 1987 legislature created the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC) and appropriated $14.7 million for the construction of the NSC. The facility welcomes over 3.8 million visitors annually, making it the most-visited sports facility in the State of Minnesota.
The Herb Brooks Foundation, the foundation created by the legendary hockey coach's family, has partnered with the National Sports Center to develop the Herb Brooks Training Center, a state-of-the-art dryland and ice hockey training facility that is part of the Schwan Super Rink.
Each July, the National Sports Center plays host to Schwan’s USA CUP: the largest soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere with over 1,000 teams and participants from 22 countries.
Mission and Governance
The mission of the National Sports Center is two-fold: 1) to create out-of-state economic impact for Minnesota through amateur sports events, and 2) to create sports and fitness opportunities for Minnesota residents.The NSC is operated by the National Sports Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Even though the facility is a State of Minnesota facility, and operations are overseen by the MASC, the NSC receives no operating subsidy from the State, and it is a self-supporting operation.
Stadium
The soccer stadium has a large grandstand along the west sideline of the field and smaller grandstands on the opposite sideline and on either end. The United States women's national soccer teamUnited States women's national soccer team
The United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
has played four home matches at the NSC, including international matches against Canada , Australia, Norway and Sweden. Mia Hamm scored her 150th international goal at the NSC is a 3-0 victory over Australia in 2004. The NSC has also hosted men's U.S. National Team U-17 and U-20 matches. The largest crowd in NSC history was for a 2001 women's soccer match between the United States and Canada, when 15,615 fans watched a 1-0 U.S. victory.
The NSC played host to the defunct Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. The stadium served as the Thunder's home from 1990-2003 and from May 24, 2008 until the end of the 2009 season when the team folded.
For the 2010 season the NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
were founded to replace the Minnesota Thunder in the North American Soccer League, and the Stars play their home games at the stadium. The Stars are the current North American Soccer League champions, and their championship round victory over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on October 22, 2011 in the stadium, propelled them to a championship series victory.