Romney Stadium
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| Former names | Romney Stadium (1968–2015) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1000 North 800 East Logan, Utah 84322  United States
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| Coordinates | 41°45′06″N 111°48′42″W / 41.75167°N 111.81167°WCoordinates: 41°45′06″N 111°48′42″W / 41.75167°N 111.81167°W |
| Owner | Utah State University |
| Operator | Utah State University |
| Capacity | 22,059 (2015–present) 25,513 (2006–2014) 30,257 (1980–2005) 20,000 (1968–1979) |
| Surface | AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3D60 Extreme (2012–present) SprinTurf (2004–2011) Natural grass (1968–2003) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1968 |
| Opened | September 27, 1969 |
| Renovated | 1980, 1999, 2005, 2006 |
| Construction cost | $3 million ($20.7 million in 2017 dollars) |
| Architect | Cannon & Mullen |
| Tenants | |
| Utah State Aggies (NCAA) (1968–present) | |
Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium is an outdoor American football stadium in Logan, Utah, on the campus of Utah State University (USU). It is the home field of the Utah State Aggies of the Mountain West Conference. It opened in 1968 as Romney Stadium and currently has a seating capacity of 22,059. Its AstroTurf GameDay Grass playing field runs in the traditional north-south configuration, and sits at an elevation of 4,710 feet (1,435 m) above sea level.
Previously named for Dick Romney, Utah State's all-time most successful football coach and former athletics director, Maverik Stadium was officially dedicated on September 27, 1969. The first game in the stadium came a season earlier in 1968, when USU defeated New Mexico State 28–12 on September 14.
On April 11, 2015, the stadium was officially renamed Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium in conjunction with a corporate sponsorship from the Intermountain West-located chain of convenience stores. The partnership was hailed as a catalyst for the stadium renovation which was said would commence immediately with the demolition of the west side press box and a section of the west side seating. The partnership with Utah State and Maverik is a multi-year agreement, which includes top-tier advertising rights and prominent signage on the exterior and interior of the stadium. Additionally, the venue will feature a Maverik concession outlet that will sell a number of Maverik proprietary food products.
Regarding the renaming, Coach Dick Romney's grandson, Richard Romney, stated that renaming Romney Stadium was bittersweet, but that the Romney family realizes that to be competitive and relevant in today's sports world, the team needs to have strong financial backing. Richard also stated, "What grandpa accomplished at Utah State will never be duplicated in today's society. We know his name will remain prominent and continue to have a strong legacy at Utah State. His story will not be forgotten."
Prior to the construction of the first Romney Stadium, intercollegiate and intramural competition took place on a makeshift field east of Old Main. This area, which would eventually become the Quad, served the needs of the college’s football and track teams until 1913. According to historian A.J. Simmonds, it “was the responsibility of players to pick the rocks off the playing field before matches.” Student Phebe Nebeker recalled the field’s appearance after accompanying her future husband, Elmer G. Peterson, to a contest in 1903. “It wasn’t anything like what we think of today as a football stadium. It was merely a somewhat flat area - with a little grass here and there - that was very muddy when it rained and very hard when it didn’t. One small set of bleachers had been erected near the southeast corner of Old Main, but most of the patrons had to stand or sit on patches of grass along the playing field.”
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