Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

Navy-Marine Corps
Memorial Stadium

Hosting Stanford in 2005
Location 550 Taylor Avenue
Annapolis, Maryland
Coordinates 38°59′06″N 76°30′25″W / 38.985°N 76.507°W / 38.985; -76.507Coordinates: 38°59′06″N 76°30′25″W / 38.985°N 76.507°W / 38.985; -76.507
Owner United States Navy
Operator U.S. Naval Academy
Capacity 34,000
Record attendance 38,225 (vs. Air Force,
October 5, 2013)
Surface FieldTurf Revolution
(2005–present)
Natural grass
(1959–2004)
Construction
Broke ground 1958
Opened September 26, 1959
57 years ago
Renovated 2004
Construction cost $3.1 million[1]
Architect 360 Architecture (formerly CDFM2)
2004 renovations
Tenants
Navy Midshipmen (NCAA) (1959–present)
Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) (2007)
Chesapeake Bayhawks (MLL) (2009–present)
Military Bowl (2013–present)
Annapolis 
Location in the United States
Annapolis
Location in Maryland

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in the eastern United States, near the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Opened 57 years ago in 1959, it is the home field for Navy football and lacrosse, and also the professional Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse. Since 2013, the stadium has hosted the Military Bowl, a college football bowl game.[2]

The stadium's opener was a 29–2 win over William & Mary on September 26, 1959,[3] and its current seating capacity is 34,000.[4] The attendance record is 38,225, set in 2013 during Navy's 28–10 defeat of Air Force on October 5.[5] The stadium hosted soccer games as part of the 1984 Summer Olympics.[6]

Prior to 1959, Navy played its home games at Thompson Stadium, which seated only 12,000. Its site on campus is now occupied by Lejeune Hall, the venue for USNA water sports.

Memorial

The stadium serves as a memorial to the Navy and Marine Corps; it is dedicated to those who have served (and will serve) as upholders of the traditions and renown of the Navy and Marine Corps of the United States. The thousands of memorial bench-back and wall plaques are a constant reminder, as well as the list of numerous battles involving the Naval and Marine Corps forces since the early 1900s.

Renovation

In 2004 the stadium underwent a major renovation by 360 Architecture. Among the improvements were an expanded press box, 140 club seats and associated club lounge, private suites, new stadium seating (northwest end zone), ADA enhancements, updated restrooms, concessions and stadium operation facilities, new banquet facilities, and renovated locker room facilities.

Playing surface

For its first 46 years, the stadium's playing field was natural grass. Prior to the 2005 football season, the grass field was replaced with FieldTurf, a next-generation infilled synthetic turf. The field runs northwest to southeast, with the pressbox along the southwest sideline,[7] and the elevation of the field is approximately 45 feet (14 m) above sea level.

Jack Stephens Field

The field at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is named "Jack Stephens Field", for Jackson T. Stephens (Class of 1947), whose gift aided (1) the renovation of the stadium, (2) the Class of 1947 Legacy project to benefit the Academy's Museum, and (3) other Academy projects.[4]

1984 Summer Olympics

Date Time
(EDT)		 Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
July 29, 198419.30 France2–2 QatarGroup A29,240
July 30, 198419:00 Yugoslavia2–1 CameroonGroup B15,010
July 31, 198419:00 Chile1–0 QatarGroup A14,508
August 1, 198419:00 Yugoslavia1–0 CanadaGroup B20,000
August 2, 198419:00 Chile1–1 FranceGroup A28,114
August 3, 198419:00 Iraq2–4 YugoslaviaGroup B24,430

References

  1. ↑ "Army gives $1107 to Navy stadium". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 19, 1957. p. 27.
  2. ↑ Patterson, Chip (May 20, 2013). "Military Bowl moving to Annapolis, adds Conference USA for '13". Eye on College Football. CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Navy is winner in new stadium". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. September 27, 1959. p. 3, sports.
  4. 1 2 Facilities: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Naval Academy Varsity Athletics official website. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
  5. ↑ http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=332782426
  6. ↑ 1984 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. Part 1. pp. 129-31.
  7. ↑ Aerial image from USGS via Microsoft Research Maps
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