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Byrd Stadium, or its official name, Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium, is one of those
stadiums that has been built, improved, expanded, added on to and modernized a
number of times in its history. What you’ve got today is an odd horseshoe
configuration, a massive and steep upper deck on one side, a snazzy and modern
façade on one exterior face, and a mish mosh of mezzanine club seats, suites, a
press tower and two video boards, one old and one new. Somehow it all comes
together and works.
The stadium opened in 1950, and is nestled amidst parking ramps and companion
sports venues on the beautiful grounds of the University of Maryland campus, and
directly across from the historic Cole Fieldhouse, their basketball venue which was
replaced by the more modern and more generic Comcast Center a few years back.
With all the renovations, the stadium seats a little under 60,000 for football.
With parking scarce and scattered all across campus, and multi story ramps dotting
the area as well, mass tailgating is not the norm here, and is more sporadic than in
similar venues with more surface parking nearby.
This venue does claim a couple of bragging rights however. Queen Elizabeth and
Prince Philip saw their first ever American football game in this stadium back in the
50s. Additionally, it was the home to the USFL Baltimore Stars for one season, back in
1985.
We witnessed a great game which was nationally televised on ABC. Maryland was
down 23-16 late, driving for the game tying touchdown when Florida State intercepted
the ball on a 4th down pass, then ran it back 90 yards for the game clinching score
with just 36 seconds left in the game. The Seminoles take this one by a 30-16 score.
stadiums that has been built, improved, expanded, added on to and modernized a
number of times in its history. What you’ve got today is an odd horseshoe
configuration, a massive and steep upper deck on one side, a snazzy and modern
façade on one exterior face, and a mish mosh of mezzanine club seats, suites, a
press tower and two video boards, one old and one new. Somehow it all comes
together and works.
The stadium opened in 1950, and is nestled amidst parking ramps and companion
sports venues on the beautiful grounds of the University of Maryland campus, and
directly across from the historic Cole Fieldhouse, their basketball venue which was
replaced by the more modern and more generic Comcast Center a few years back.
With all the renovations, the stadium seats a little under 60,000 for football.
With parking scarce and scattered all across campus, and multi story ramps dotting
the area as well, mass tailgating is not the norm here, and is more sporadic than in
similar venues with more surface parking nearby.
This venue does claim a couple of bragging rights however. Queen Elizabeth and
Prince Philip saw their first ever American football game in this stadium back in the
50s. Additionally, it was the home to the USFL Baltimore Stars for one season, back in
1985.
We witnessed a great game which was nationally televised on ABC. Maryland was
down 23-16 late, driving for the game tying touchdown when Florida State intercepted
the ball on a 4th down pass, then ran it back 90 yards for the game clinching score
with just 36 seconds left in the game. The Seminoles take this one by a 30-16 score.
BYRD
STADIUM
College Park,
Maryland
November
20, 2010
Florida State
at
Maryland
STADIUM
College Park,
Maryland
November
20, 2010
Florida State
at
Maryland
| College Park, Maryland |
Byrd Stadium
