National Sports Center facts for kids
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| Location | Blaine, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Owner | State of Minnesota |
| Operator | National Sports Center Foundation |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1987 (money appropriated) |
| Opened | 1990 |
| Construction cost | $20.3 million (facility) |
| Architect | none |
| Tenants | |
| Minnesota Thunder (USISL/A-League/USL-1) (1990–2003, 2008–2009) Minnesota United FC (NASL) (2010–2016) Minnesota Wind Chill (AUDL) (2013–present) |
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The National Sports Center (NSC) is a huge sports area in Blaine, Minnesota. It covers 600 acres, which is like 450 football fields! It has a soccer stadium, more than 50 soccer fields, a golf course, and a special track for cycling called a velodrome. There's also a big ice rink with eight sheets of ice, called the Schwan Super Rink.
The National Sports Center has been home to many big sports events. These include national and world championships for soccer, hockey, figure skating, and more. It opened in 1990. The state of Minnesota helped create it by giving money for its construction. Every year, over 3.8 million people visit the NSC. This makes it the most visited sports place in Minnesota!
The Herb Brooks Foundation works with the National Sports Center. They created the Herb Brooks Training Center. This is a modern training area for hockey players. It's part of the Schwan Super Rink.
Every July, the National Sports Center hosts Schwan's USA CUP. This is the biggest soccer tournament in North and South America. More than 1,100 teams from 19 countries come to play!
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What the National Sports Center Does
The National Sports Center has two main goals. First, it brings visitors from other states to Minnesota for sports events. This helps the state's economy. Second, it gives people in Minnesota chances to play sports and stay fit.
The National Sports Center Foundation runs the NSC. This is a non-profit group. Even though the state of Minnesota owns the facility, the NSC pays for itself. It does not get money from the state to operate.
How the NSC Started
The idea for the sports center began in 1987. The state government approved money to build it. Later, the United States was chosen to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. Some people wanted the NSC to host some of these matches. They planned to add temporary seats for 45,000 fans. However, the NSC was not chosen as a World Cup venue.
NSC Stadium: Home of Soccer Action
The NSC Stadium is a special place for soccer games. It has a large seating area along one side of the field. There are also smaller seating areas on the other sides.
The United States women's national soccer team has played several games here. They have played against teams like Canada, Australia, and Sweden. In 2004, soccer star Mia Hamm scored her 150th international goal at the NSC. This happened during a 3–0 win against Australia. The stadium has also hosted games for younger U.S. national teams.
The biggest crowd at the NSC was in 2001. Over 15,615 fans watched the U.S. women's team beat Canada 1–0. The soccer field itself is 118 yards long and 75 yards wide.
The NSC was once the home of the Minnesota Thunder soccer team. They played there from 1990 to 2003. They also returned for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
In 2010, a new team called the NSC Minnesota Stars started. They later became Minnesota United FC. This team also played their home games at the NSC Stadium. The Stars even won the first championship of the new North American Soccer League. Minnesota United FC played at the NSC until 2017. Then, they moved to a bigger stadium when they joined Major League Soccer.
The NSC also hosts the "Joyful Noise Family Fest" every year. This is a fun event for families.
Images for kids
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A view of the National Sports Center stadium.
See also
In Spanish: National Sports Center para niños
