Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.14
Dale Lippert Field
69 Maple St,
Franklin, MA 02038
Year Opened: dedicated 2015
Capacity: 1,500
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These Dogs Play in the Yard
Dean College is a private college located in the small city of Franklin, Massachusetts. Founded in 1865, it has an enrollment of 1,200 students who work toward bachelor’s and associate degrees at the college’s four schools. Long known as Dean Junior College, the school transitioned to a four-year college in 1995.
Lippert Field is part of the larger Longley Athletic Complex. Also located here are Dean College’s baseball, softball, and soccer fields. Lippert Field also serves as home to the Dean lacrosse team. The facility is located about a mile from campus.
Dean Lippert served as a Dean College faculty member from 1964 until 2006. He coached several of the college’s teams and served as Athletic Director for 13 years. He was also a part of the town of Franklin community, serving on several local boards and teaching at Franklin High School.
The Dean Bulldogs have competed in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference since their debut in 2017. The team won a conference championship in 2019. With the ECFC disbanding after the 2024 season, the Bulldogs will be joining the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, a conference consisting of schools in and around Massachusetts. Dean has played in one postseason game, losing the New England Bowl to Endicott College in 2019.
Food & Beverage 0
There are no concessions available at Lippert Field. Fans are welcome to bring their snacks to enjoy during the game. You’ll be sure to see many beverages from the local Dunkin’ at a Dean football game.
Atmosphere 2
When I entered the Longley Complex and the parking lot attendant asked me if I wanted to park in the tailgating section, I had high hopes for the game day experience here at Dean College. Unfortunately, those hopes were quickly dashed.
The tailgating scene here at Dean is very restrained, and honestly, quite typical of what you’ll find at other Division Three schools. You’ll find some people hanging out by their cars having snacks, but you won’t find the big-time barbeques and parties you’re used to seeing in NFL and big-time college parking lots.
The game day presentation at Dean is a basic one, to be sure. Music plays over a decent sound system before the game. Unfortunately, the same four or five songs were on repeat the day of Stadium Journey’s visit. The PA announcer does a good job delivering game information.
His style was not over the top, yet not monotone. A scoreboard in the southeast corner of the field displays basic game information. Other than that, there’s not much else to speak of here. There is no pep band, no cheerleading squad, and no student section. Most of the energy generated here comes from the fans in attendance.
Neighborhood 2
Longley Athletic Complex is located about a mile from the Dean College campus in a residential neighborhood. The city of Franklin is located in southeastern Massachusetts, roughly equidistant from the larger cities of Boston, Worcester, and Providence. It has a population of about 36,000 residents. The town was named after founding father Benjamin Franklin, who helped establish the first library in the United States here in 1790.
Visiting fans won’t find much in the way of dining or lodging options near the Longley Complex, as it is located in a residential neighborhood. Fans looking for local dining options will find plenty of options on Central Street by Interstate 495, including Railery Publick House, 3 Restaurant, and Mak’s Roast Beef. Plenty of lodging options can be found out by I-495 and a little further away in neighboring Foxboro where Interstates 495 and 95 meet.
If you’re visiting the area and looking for other sporting options, Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution, is only ten miles away. Of course, options are endless in the nearby cities of Boston, Providence, and Worcester.
Fans 3
It’s difficult to accurately gauge the attendance at a Dean football game as there are no tickets to count. Stadium Journey attended the Bulldogs’ 2024 season opener on a beautiful September Saturday afternoon. The announced attendance was 490, which appears to be an accurate estimate of the crowd.
Here at Stadium Journey, we often refer to these types of smallish crowds as “friends and family” crowds, as the majority of the people in the stands have a connection with the players on the field. As a result, the fans know their stuff and are enthusiastic in their support of the Bulldogs.
Considering the small size of Dean College and the fact that Lippert Field is located off campus, there is a respectable turnout from the student body. With the Bulldogs’ schedule consisting of local teams, you’re guaranteed to see a good turnout by visiting fans. In fact, during Stadium Journey’s visit, visiting fans outnumbered home fans by at least two to one.
Access 3
The Longley Athletic Complex is located close to downtown Franklin, a small city roughly equidistant to the cities of Boston, Providence, and Worcester. Interstate 495 runs right through the city, intersecting with I-95 just a few miles from Franklin.
The sports complex is located about two and a half miles from the interstate but is easily reached through these suburban streets. Fans utilizing public transportation are out of luck. While the Greater Attleboro-Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) recently started a route that serves parts of Franklin, the closest stop is over a mile away.
Also located at the Longley Complex are Dean College’s baseball, softball, and soccer fields. Fans will enter the complex into a gravel lot located directly behind the grandstand. The grandstand is handicap accessible, consisting of metal bleachers without backs. There is plenty of room in this open field for fans to bring their lawn chairs and set up camp along the western end zone or on parts of the sideline. From Stadium Journey’s perspective, this is the way to take in a Bulldogs game.
There are no permanent concessions or restroom facilities at Lippert Field. A few port-a-johns make up the available facilities. This is as basic a college football facility as you’ll ever see, but it’s nice to be able to set up your shop and take in the action. If you visit with younger fans, there’s plenty of room for them to run around and kick around a soccer ball if they wish. You’re also likely to see some four-legged fans in attendance here.
Return on Investment 5
There is no charge to attend a Bulldogs football game. With free parking on site and no concessions available, you won’t reach for your wallet even once while visiting Lippert Field.
Extras 0
There is nothing at a Dean College football game that can be considered extra. This is as bare-bones an experience as you’ll find in college football.
Final Thoughts
College football facilities don’t come more basic than Lippert Field. On the plus side, you can bring your chair and cooler, stake out a spot on the sideline, and enjoy an afternoon of college football without spending a single red cent.
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