NEENAH (NBC 26) — This season marks a bittersweet end for Neenah’s current Rocket Stadium.
"We've been playing at Rocket Stadium since the early '80s,” said Jon Joch, NJSD Chief Financial Officer.
Joch played, coached, and was the athletic director at the current stadium. He grew up with Rocket stadium. Now, after decades of games, it’s the end of one era and the beginning of another.
"We’re fortunate enough to have really nice facilities,” said Steve Jung, Neenah football head coach. “Next year we're going over to our new school with our new stadium."
Plans for the new stadium are bigger and brighter than the last.
"There is a lot of excitement about our new school, our new athletic facilities that we think are as nice as any athletic facilities throughout the state of Wisconsin,” said Joch.
It will be a place for thousands of people to watch Neenah athletics.
"Not only the 3500 seats for the grandstand area but there will be a lot of places for people to stand and walk during athletic events,” said Joch.
The new stadium will have 500 additional seats, a patio for standing room, double the concession stands, and a turf field.
"The facility was truly designed with the fan experience and the student-athlete experience in mind,” said Joch. “Every decision we made, we decided how it was going to impact the fans attending the games, and how was this going to impact the student-athletes participating in these facilities.”
It will be ready in the summer of 2023, just in time for fall athletics.
However, right now, the eyes of Neenah football aren’t on next season, but on the next game. This Friday, Rocket Stadium will host one last rivalry game against Menasha.
