East Stadium

Commonly known as Memorial Stadium, this field serves as a practice space for the K-State Marching Band and is home to club soccer and rugby activities. Over the years, the stadium has evolved, with the interiors of the East and West Stadium stands enclosed in 1928 and 1938, respectively. A unique feature of the stadium is that the Purple Masque Theatre, K-State’s student theater, is located inside the West Stadium section.

View East Stadium on the campus map.

 

Building History

Built in three phases during the 1920s at a total cost of $125,000, the stadium serves as a memorial to K-State students and alumni who lost their lives in World War I. It was the home of K-State football and track and field until those programs moved to Bill Snyder Family Stadium in 1967.

The facility has been updated over the years, including the installation of FieldTurf and a rubberized track surface in 2002, replacing the original grass field and cinder track. Today, the stadium continues to support a variety of campus activities.

Adding to its history is a popular campus legend surrounding the Purple Masque Theatre, located within the enclosed stadium stands. According to local lore, a ghost known as “Nick” haunts the theater. Said to be the spirit of a K-State football player who died in the 1950s, Nick has been credited with mysterious noises, moving boxes and chairs, and even setting off a fire extinguisher. Whether fact or folklore, the story remains one of K-State’s most enduring traditions.