Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is an open-air stadium located off the campus of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Opened in 1959, it serves as the home stadium of the Navy Midshipmen college football and lacrosse teams, and the professional Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse. The stadium is also the host of the Military Bowl.[2]

Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Hosting Stanford in 2005
Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Location in Maryland
Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
Location in the United States
Address550 Taylor Avenue
LocationAnnapolis, Maryland
Coordinates38.985°N 76.507°W / 38.985; -76.507
OwnerNaval Academy Athletic Association (Private Enterprise)
OperatorU.S. Naval Academy
Capacity34,000
Record attendance38,792 (vs. Air Force,
October 7, 2017)
SurfaceFieldTurf (2005–present)
Natural grass (1959–2004)
Construction
Broke ground1958
OpenedSeptember 26, 1959
62 years ago
Renovated2004
Construction cost$3.1 million[1]
Architect360 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)

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 38,792, set in 2017 during Navy's 48–45 defeat of Air Force on October 7.[5] 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.

The stadium hosted soccer games as part of the 1984 Summer Olympics.[6] In April 2018, D.C. United of Major League Soccer played a regular season game versus Columbus Crew.[7]

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 partial renovation – expanded west side press box- by 360 Architecture with Jay Schwarz – Schwarz+Associates (formerly Alt Breeding Schwarz) acting as the local/Associate Architect.

From 2005 through the present, Jay Schwarz – Schwarz+Associates as the lead Architect has continued to design and develop the expansion and ongoing renovations. These include a new processional entrance face lift through which the entire Brigade of Midshipmen marches on game days. Additionally, the Schwarz led team has lowered the playing field to increase stadium capacity, designed club seating and associated club lounges, private suites, additional stadium seating (north and south end zones), 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, 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
Main article: Football at the 1984 Summer Olympics

Several first round matches in the association football (soccer) tournament at the 1984 Summer Olympics were played at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

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

Ice hockey

On March 3, 2018 the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Stadium Series, an outdoor regular season hockey game on an ice surface constructed at the stadium.[8][9][10]

Date Away Team Score Home Team Attendance
March 3, 2018Toronto Maple Leafs2–5Washington Capitals29,516

See also

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". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  3. "Navy is winner in new stadium". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. September 27, 1959. p. 3, sports.
  4. "Facilities: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium". Naval Academy Varsity Athletics official website. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  5. "After 811 total rushing yards, Navy football tops Air Force through the air". The Washington Post. October 7, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  6. "Official Report of the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad Los Angeles, 1984, Volume 1, Part 1" (PDF). pp. 129–31.
  7. Olsen, Emily (April 14, 2018). "10-man D.C. United holds off Columbus Crew in its first win of the season". Pro Soccer USA.
  8. Khurshudyan, Isabelle (May 27, 2017). "Capitals expected to play in outdoor game at Naval Academy next season". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  9. Gulitti, Tom (May 29, 2017). "Maple Leafs, Capitals to play in Stadium Series at U.S. Naval Academy". NHL.com. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  10. Wagner, Bill (May 28, 2017). "Capitals to play at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium". The Capital. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
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