Waldo Stadium – stadium description

Formally the stadium in western Kalamazoo was opened in 1939, but its history is significantly longer. It was first used as a college football field in 1914, which means it’s actually over a century old! Initially a field with running track, the stadium later changed into football-specific.

Erection of first two stands began in 1938, allowing over 15,000 people to see games of Western Michigan Broncos. It was a very economic project, worth only $250,000 altogether, even including the baseball field southwards. With the first expansion in 1973, the stadium then grew further in 1989 and since then has kept capacity almost steady, despite further changes in 1995, 2003 and later.

The stadium’s layout is more interesting thanks to Seelye Center, an indoor training hall built north of the stands in 2003. Parts of the north end are incorporated into the hall, even corporate boxes.

Waldo Stadium’s name honours Dwight B. Waldo, first president of Western Michigan University, who own the building.