Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium

Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium, or simply Byrd Stadium, in College Park, MD, USA, is the main athletic field for the University of Maryland Terrapins outdoor sports teams (football, soccer, lacrosse, etc.). The stadium's name is a tribute to Harry "Curley" Byrd, who played

several sports and coached football for the University of Maryland "Terps." Naming rights for the stadium were sold to Chevy Chase Bank in August, 2006. The bank was later bought by Capital One. Along with hosting the Terps' home games, the stadium is the site for the Maryland State High School Football Championship Game, the Maryland State High School Mens' and Womens' Lacrosse Championship Games, and the Maryland State High School Mens' and Womens' Soccer Championship Games.

Byrd Stadium cost $1 million to build, and the first game was played on September 30, 1950. The stadium was constructed across campus from an older and smaller stadium that shared the same name. The new stadium was built to replace the old Byrd Stadium, which survived for 3 more years before its demolition in 1953. The stadium was originally built with a 1 tier horseshoe design that seated 34,680 and was a bare-bone concrete structure with bench seats. An expansion in 1991 saw the construction of Tyser Tower (a 5-story building that included a new press box and introduced luxury suites to the University of Maryland) on the South side of the stadium, the Gossett Football Team House (The first and current locker room facility adjacent to the stadium) on the East endzone, and an upgrade of the concession facilities, including the construction of a brand new row of concession stands above the West endzone (Behind the bend of the horseshoe). Prior to this initial expansion, there were no luxury boxes in any athletic facility on the University of Maryland campus and stats and records were logged at field level in Byrd Stadium. The play call announcer also worked at field level. Players of both teams changed in the locker rooms of Cole Field House, 1 block away, and fans bought concessions from portable food stands. Byrd Stadium was further expanded in 1995, with the installation of an upper deck on the North side of the stadium, bringing the capacity to 48,055. In 2001, temporary bleachers were assembled behind the bend of the horseshoe, above the West endzone. These bleachers are still standing, giving the stadium 3,000 additional seats (51,055 capacity). In 2002, a full-color video scoreboard replaced the original scoreboard on top of the Gossett Football Team House.

The naming rights deal with Capital One yields $20 million to the University of Maryland Terrapins Athletic Department. This revenue will help pay for the planned $50.8 million expansion and renovation of Byrd Stadium, to take place over the next several years. The plans involve increasing capacity by constructing an upper deck above the West endzone, which is planned to reach around the bend from the existing upper deck on the North side of the stadium to Tyser Tower on the South side. The new upper deck is planned so that there will be gaps between the 2 upper decks and Tyser Tower. Skyboxes are slated to be added. These are planned to be full-service with catering and flat-panel televisions. The playing field will be lowered to give spectators a better view. The playing field will also be resurfaced with artificial turf. There are plans to strip the original bench seating and install individual seats and cup holders to make the stadium more comfortable and fan friendly.

The expansion has already started, with the extension of Tyser Tower, to stretch from endzone to endzone, and the installation of a second full-color video scoreboard above the West endzone. The extension of Tyser Tower added 64 luxury suites to the stadium, and expanded the press box to feature more space for the press team and upgraded technology. Mezzanine seating was

added to the facade of Tyser Tower, adding 2,945 seats.

Stadium Capacity:

54,000

Notable Facts:

- Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip saw their first game of American Football at Byrd Stadium during their first trip to the United States in the 1950s

- On a clear day it is possible to see the tops of the 5 tallest structures in Washington, D.C. from the top of Byrd Stadium (The Washington Monument, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Old Post Office Pavilion, the Washington National Cathedral, and the United States Capitol).

- On a clear night, it is possible to see the lights of the Washington Monument, which is about 8 miles away.