Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium

There were 3 guys that were all dumped by the same girl on the same day. Two were from small towns and were very easy going, but the other was from the capital and was a very manic, suicidal type. The other two took it badly, so how do you think the Capital One Field?
Exactly.
First-​Hand Experience: Info on my personal visit to this stadium — I was a little disappointed by this stadium. For such a massive school, I expected a more massive stadium and a more intense atmosphere. Honestly, FedEx Field is much bigger and louder, and that’s unusual since you’d expect that the college stadium would be more intense. I was last inside here in 2013, and I’m sure I’ll be back at some point. I’ve only actually seen 1 live game here.
I’ve been to every cool stadium in the UK & North America, due to my obsession with travel & sport. I’ve toured America as a musician for 7 or 8 years. In that time, I’ve seen sports games at, or visited when empty (and usually both), at almost every major stadium in US and Canada. I have pictures of most which I will upload at some point. Also, on future travels, I plan to take new pix, and add more stadia! Watch this space!
***back to regular review***
So anyway, this is a pretty average stadium. I love Maryland and I love the stadiums around here (Baltimore Orioles and Ravens, FedEx Field, Patriot Center are all awesome…) but not so much this one. It could do with a little makeover. It has a good amount of fan support but in these parts, it should be drawing more than 50k people and shouldn’t have an open end the way it does.

For a Big Ten (formerly ACC) stadium, I felt like this was very nice. There’s not a bad view anywhere in the stadium, and tickets are cheap. I should probably add that the stadium is absolutely gorgeous. It reminds me of InfoCision Stadium, the football stadium at the University of Akron (my alma mater).
If the product on the field was more consistent, this would be one of the best atmospheres in college football. Picture Autzen Stadium, except Maryland is funded by Under Armor and not Nike

I came here over Thanksgiving weekend to see UMD play Rutgers. My friends and I got great seats for about $ 30/​each & it was an awesome game if you were a Scarlet Knights fan, which I am. We parked in a garage not far from the stadium. Not the greatest for tailgating, but we had a good time and met some fans there. I can’t eat crab pretzels (shellfish allergies), but my friends did get one and that sucker was massive & apparently quite delicious. I swore they bought a pizza when they came back with it. I had a great time at the game, and I’ll probably be back when Rutgers plays here again in 2 years.

Welcome to the Big Ten UMD. I hope you don’t mind getting a Spartan shell kicking.
Love your stadium, but not the hike to my seat.

Went to the WVU-​Terp game last weekend.
Parked at College Park Metro Station at a meter ($ 1/​hour) and caught a free shuttle bus to the game with no waiting. The school had multiple busses running after the game and it was rather quick given the post-​game care traffic in the area.
Stadium is on campus which gives it a real feeling of being a college stadium. However, it is old. There was virtually no room down the rows for those getting in or out of seats. Seat cushion for rent $ 6 were wider than the allocated space for the seat on the bleachers. Also noticed in the rain water did not drain nor soak into the cement. It pooled under the bleacher seats.
Liked the fact that there was not beer sales. This cut way down on fans going to the concessions and restrooms. Mountaineer Field in Morgantown allows two beers per trip to the concession stand for three quarters of the game.
Fans were rather kind to visitors. Basically quiet expecting their team to lose. However, they did get very loud at the end when they saw a real chance to win.
Biggest drawback was the combination of down/​distance markers which were white and blended into the Terp bench (players were wearing a special white uniform) and extremely delayed and grossly inept displaying of down and distance on two small scoreboards.
Halftime show was well planned and executed despite the rain. Both bands joined together in celebration of 200^th anniversary of Fort McHenry and Star Spangled Banner. Also the stadium had a nicely done fireworks and sound effect on within the stadium.

Football and lacrosse. College atmosphere. What more can you say? Problem is Maryland Football is an oxymoron. As an alumni, I want to badly root for them, but this is a basketball school. Maybe one day. Lacrosse has fared better, but not lately. But my rating should be based on the stadium and not winning or losing. Nothing bad, nothing great. I like that the concession area is not crowded with many choices. Slight line are good, but in the upper bowl, you need a space telescope to see the field. Since we are just ok or bad, I guess you come here for the tailgates. Go Terps!

Okay place to watch a football game but nothing amazing. The view is better from the lower deck of course but the seats in the upper level aren’t too bad. The video boards are on the smaller side so pay attention on the field if you want to know what’s going on. The food is pretty good, I’d try the Italian sausage or grab a Chick FIl-​a sandwich at their stand.
FSU was 2 – 0 in games I attended here so I have good memories of this place. Too bad the Terps are leaving the ACC since this was a guaranteed FSU game every other year.

I’ll give it a second star because college football is played here. But… beyond that, Byrd Stadium is kinda a dump, especially compared to Comcast Center down the street, which is a great venue.
The layout is bizarre, with most of the seats placed in the upper deck, miles from the field. Most people in the stadium are in the sparsely filled upper deck Fans can get loud when it REALLY counts… but it’s difficult to really get much atmosphere because the stadium is open and fans leave early. Two video boards placed on either side are tiny, so good luck seeing instant replays. The sound system is embarrassing, sounds like someone 25 rows back brought a boom box.
Food options are basically non-​existent, just simple hot dogs and pretzels. Even the bathrooms are bad by stadium standards (with troughs instead of urinals?)
Sorry future Big Ten fans, nothing to see here besides a mediocre football team

As a Terp alum, I love Byrd Stadium. Many drunk footballs games have been watched here. The process for getting in is quite fast and simple– you can show your ticket on your phone and have a minimal bag search. Then you get to enjoy the game, watch the cheerleaders/​dance team/​band and engage in some overall debauchery. If you’re not drunk enough from tailgating you can even get some overpriced Bud Lights and Terp fries!

Up until last weekend, I hadn’t attended a game here at Byrd Stadium, but the week-​long Ethiopian Soccer Tournament changed that! Thousands of people packed the places for days for taking some competitive sports, shopping all the vendor booths, and eating away at all the yummy food! Parking was easy peasy and, even with all those people, the staff kept the bathroom facilities and common areas super tidy. The vendor areas got a little tight with people at some points, but staff got everyone moving. I was happy ESFNA chose Byrd Stadium for this event and look forward to others here in years to come.

Capital One Field. Where a «Jumbo Grill Dog» is an oscar meyer hot dog sold at $ 4:50 a pop. Eat and drink as much as you can in the parking lot before entering and then raise hell. Power to the people. Fuck you vendors.
The field itself is pretty run of the mill. Seen one college field, you’ve seen them all.

Fear the Turtle. Umm, not really, but nice try.
I attended the promoted Military Appreciation Day during the UMD vs GA Tech game this past weekend and had a very enjoyable afternoon. However, don’t let the fact that I’m originally from PA and currently living in NJ discredit my average review of University of Maryland’s one-​name field, different-​name football stadium. Granted, it was pretty cold and I really had no real allegiance to either team (but rooted for UMD). This was a blessing in disguise considering how bad both teams played (UMD got stomped).
Anyway, the horseshoe shaped stadium with standard metal bleachers isn’t overly huge, but I got a great seat at midfield for a good price. Of course, there are the typical variety of concession stands located around the outside perimeter of the stadium, with overall pricing being fairly reasonable.
The only surprise was the fact that I could actually SIT and watch the whole game since the medium-​size home crowd was less than enthusiastic for the entire game. I guess when you have a mediocre team that scores very little and passes almost never, it’s somewhat understandable. But, come on people, it’s college football! Get on your feet and cheer on your Terps!

I should caveat this with the fact that I am a diehard Terps fan — most of my family went to UMD and a lot of us still have season tickets to UMD football. Nevertheless, I think any football fan would enjoy going to a game at Byrd (especially when we’re playing well!)
Atmosphere
Unlike some college stadiums, Byrd is on the main campus right in the middle of everything. And when you’re in the stadium, you can feel the energy of UMD — its students, alums, staff and faculty, and general fans. The student section next to the band is the most energetic section of the stadium: the students never sit down, they wear read MD shirts (unless it’s a blackout), and for big games, they’ll have body paint and UMD tattoos. The band is consistently good, playing classic football songs during the game as well as some UMD-​specifics, like the theme from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Victory Song (which all the students and alums sing along to, at least during the M-​A-​R-​Y-​L-​A-​N-​D part). During halftime, the band does a show on the field with different themes each week. Their Halloween show is the best because they all do Thriller!
Seating
Byrd Stadium has come a long way from when my mom used to sunbathe on the bleachers at Byrd Beach (I checked… there are actually pictures of it in the yearbook). The seats are still bleacher-​style, but there’s now an upper deck on one side and the other side is the newly-​redone Tyser Tower. I can’t speak to the brand new suites, but the mezzanine seats under the tower are very nice. They’re pretty pricey, but luckily I sometimes get to use other people’s tickets for free :) The seats are outside but under cover and heaters (if necessary). Each seat has a menu when you sit down of the day’s offerings and you can order whatever you want off of it from the nearby waiters. It’s all free! Just don’t be a jerk and not tip. I currently have season tickets on the second level of the upper deck and used to have them on the upper deck — all of them have been great! I’ve never been WAY up at the top to watch a game, but I do know you can see the Washington Monument from up there!
Food
Byrd has a variety of food options throughout the stadium — it’s no Nats Park, but I recommend the ice cream from the MD Dairy (which is made on campus), italian sausage and peppers, and pulled pork sandwiches (I’ve only had these in the mezzanine seats but I assume they sell them elsewhere as well). Of course there are also the traditional hot dogs, chicken fingers, nachos, pizza, etc. I would stay away from the funnel cake because, although it sounds great, the students don’t make it very well. (NOTE: UMD is a Pepsi campus so don’t expect any Coke products.)
Pre-​and-​post game activities
Tailgating at UMD is a must. You can’t go to a game without experiencing tailgating — even if you just walk around. In parking lots 9 and 11, you’ll find a lot of recent grads focused on drinking games and cheap eats, in lot 1 you can see the more expensive tailgates with big-​screen TVs and steak, and the frats and sororities normally have tailgates in the church parking lots off Campus Drive. You should also spend some time walking around campus — it’s beautiful in the fall!
The Alumni Center also has lots of activities in and around it. There’s usually a DJ playing music on the top level (because the Alumni Center is set in a hill) and there was a live band in the courtyard area last week for Homecoming. (HINT: Use the bathrooms in the Alumni Center before you go into the stadium. You might luck out and get some free popcorn too!) Now there are even food trucks in between the Alumni Center and the stadium, which is a nice touch! I haven’t seen any of the mainstream DC trucks there yet, but there still seem to be good options.
Also consider hitting up Bagel Place and the original Ledo’s (not part of the chain) before or after the game! For MD gear, check out the University Book Center in Stamp Student Union, the MD Book Exchange on Rt. 1, or the Under Armour store in the stadium!

The Field is very handsome… Sports turf always looks great. I visited on ¹⁰⁄₆ vs the Wake Forest game… a breezy afternoon that was partly cloudy. I had the upper deck seats to which your best best is to get a wind breaker. It can get quite breezy and also if cloudy alot cool. the sights are great… You get to see the Washington Monument then pan left to see the Capitol keep panning left and you see Fedex Field. Pretty cool huh. You also get the birds eye view of the field. I love UMD. I was recruited as TE back in the day but really didnt have the grades. Up so high you can view the whole campus and i wondered wow I would have really liked going here. The seats are HS bench type. But they do sell a seat cushion that has a back support for 5 bucks. I was there because my boys club team had a game after the Terps… They were ecstatic to be on the field playing in a game. My son scored on a KO and that was icing on the cake as his name was blared out of the speakers for his accomplishment. Made me feel like one day he could play here. I wish that to be true. The Marching Band was good… they align up very well with their choreography. GO UMD… I’m a football fan of yours and the school.

First time at a Univ. of MD football game on 10÷06÷12 and I will say it wont be my last. It was a great Saturday afternoon game Vs. Wake Forrest to start off the ACC play for the Terps. Everyone was festive and access to the stadium is not difficult. They have two level seating and I was able to get access to the lower level on the Wake Forsest bench side… on that side of the field and given the time of the game (330 kickoff).the sun will be in your eyes, so wear some shades and a hat. However, on that level evey seat is a good view of the field and there are no visual obstructions to see the game.
You will need to bring in some stadium chairs or cushions, for they do have bench seating which can be uncomfortable. but if you stand and clap and cheear your a** may not get to sore from the sitting.(not sure if they have chair style seating, maybe in the box level section).
Make sure you get your pre-​game groove going for they do not serve during the game. they will temp you with the smell and smoke of the grill which you will get a whiff of (at least where I was sitting.) So you can have a game day burger or bring your own. If you have an account with Capital One (the name of the stadium), bring your card for they where giving away $ 100 eeach quarter to those who had card in hand…(you know the phrase.“whats in your wallet”

Woe my beloved MD Terps… *sigh
Anyhoo, been a Terps fan since going there to college in the 1980’s and early 90’s… used to sit in the temporary «scaffolding» seats when we used to be decent, eventually moved to the U then finally 3 rows behind «ex» Coach Friedgen’s family. Overall, can’t understand the $$$$ the university spent on the tower, they must be lined with gold inside, becuz for the life of me, it «seems» smaller… the concourse is more narrow… when you go to leave to the DISGUSTING bathrooms that don’t flush (YUCK!), it is impossible unless you climb the seats and pass everyone else in the cow herd line… Way TOO narrow to get in and out…
Halftime entertainment… EHHHHHH… Come on now, most songs just do not SOUND RIGHT if they’re played by a marching band… play the songs that are conducive to a marching band! Play something that will get the crowd fired up for the HOME TEAM… The opposing bands usually play better music, and they only get the one small section across the stadium.
Take a cue from some of the NFL venues and entertain the FANS who PAID for their tickets! *Since the administration obviously doesn’t give a rat’s a$$ about what we think (example? the current coach who was SUPPOSED to FILL the seats… then again, the current AD is from Army, not exactly a big time Division 1 program to take us to the «next level»)
Curley Byrd would be rolling over in his grave knowing that the field’s name was sold to corporate interests
WTF? The amount of $$$$ spent must have been used to build other buildings on campus becuz no way is the stadium anywhere close to «state of the art»
The ONE time I needed to get cash from the Cpaital One ATM, it was out of order… thanks a lot… service was WAY better when it was Chevy Chase…
Tailgating is OK, although they need to enforce the rule that you’re supposed to tailgate within your spot and not take up 6 spots like some Clemson fans did last week…
Concession stands are OK, but you would think that since most people get either regular Pepsi (ugh, get the Coke contract, will ya?) or diet, that the clueless kids who work them would pour the drinks in advance???
Finally, getting in and out of the parking lots is what you would expect, though I do not blame the school, I DO BLAME the lousy way the county cops direct the traffic once you get out of the stadium. Last week, after the Clemson implosion, there were state workers blocking off 1 lane, the closest lane to get on the beltway off of Adelphi Road… REALLY smart… dumb a$$es… good timing!
But overall, better than getting in and out of FedEx Field…
Go Terps! But it looks like this year that my other team: Alabama will win it all… Roll Tide!!!

Husband is a
. He grew up eating, sleeping, and breathing UMD in University Park — and then went to college there. All his athletic gear is either black, red, white, some combination thereof, or emblazoned with one form or another of a Maryland emblem (once he bought an emerald green cycling jersey and nearly blew my mind). Spring? Winter? What are those? The only two seasons in our house are College Football and College Basketball. And lemme tell you — they are a tense two seasons.
I, on the other hand, attended a small liberal arts college with a fairly anemic athletic program, where lively debates about existentialism vs. nihilism were considered a sport. I think our two best athletics were men’s gymnastics and women’s rugby. Needless to say, I have no team to follow. So I’ve co-​opted husband’s. And boy, is it fun to have a college team to root for.
Football games at Byrd Stadium are always an endorphin-​producing blast. The UMD crowd can’t be beat in terms of numbers and enthusiasm, even when the Terps are down. Seeing a bobbing, seething sea of black and red is thrilling.
Byrd Stadium itself is really nice venue for football. No matter where you sit, you have a great view of the field and the play action. The massive crowds can sometimes bottleneck at entrances — particularly close to game-​time and, of course, after games — but event staff do a good job of keeping people flowing. The seats in the regular stands are backless bleachers (not the most comfy, bring your seat cushion), so if you show up late you may find your neighbors have slowly spread their booties or their possessions into your territory. Food options are pretty standard — Boardwalk fries, soft pretzels, sno-​cones, cheese steaks, burgers etc. — but there are plenty of places to buy and relatively short lines. Bathrooms, too, are conveniently located and have a ridiculous number of stalls. And no alcohol sales in the stadium mean you never have a long wait.

The worst part about games at Byrd is the vehicle traffic afterward. Lord almighty, it’s some of the worst ever and moves at a snail’s pace. Having grown up nearby, husband knows short-​cuts and back neighborhoods to help alleviate some of the headache… and even then it’s *still* nightmarish.
Still, Maryland games are worth the effort and the minor annoyance of car traffic. Come spend an afternoon or evening at Byrd Stadium. And don’t forget to rub the nose on the bronze Testudo statue out front for good luck. Gooo, Terps!

Best feature of this stadium is the easy accessibility to it, not just for students on campus, but for people driving or taking metro. Those shuttles are great, and I’ve never had a problem finding (free) parking, either. It’s much more preferable than attending a game at Clemson (bottleneck raised to the 4^th power).
The big screens at either end of the field are kind of small, so sometimes, my seat provides a better vantage point. Obviously, I can’t compare this to FedEx Field, but there’s something about the stadium that dulls the sound. Compared to a VT game in Blacksburg or an FSU game in Doak Campbell Stadium, the noise is just muted in Byrd. Also, Doak can seat 80,000+ people, so the atmosphere is a lot more intense there than at UMD.
Also, the side opposite the visitors’ team side has outdoor heating lamps, which is really nice for those cold November games.
I have fond memories of Byrd Stadium, though. In 2008, not only did my team beat down the Terps (yes, I fear the turtle, really), but Myron Rolle arrived on a plane to play in the 2^nd half after having received a Rhodes Scholarship. Standing O for that man! And of course, my ‘Noles couldn’t have locked up the ACC Atlantic title in 2010 without our win over UMD, followed by a UMD win over NC State the next week. I am grateful to the Terps for our season. Too bad we got embarrassed by VT in the ACCCG.

I can’t really compare this to Memorial Coliseum, Texas Memorial Stadium, or Beaver Stadium. But college football is not about who’s ranked #1 for this Saturday, or Kirk Herbstreit’s detailed commentary on College Gameday, but it’s about rooting for your home team at their home field.
Whether it’s upsetting Cal at home, or losing big to West Virginia. You have to root for the home team. Chevy Chase isn’t the most glamorous of fields, but it’s Maryland home field. Playing bags in the parking lot, bbq’ing with your friends, or drinking lots and lots of beer. Tailgating is a great tradition at Maryland. Because it’s a commuter school, it offers up tons of space to tailgate. Can’t beat that.
Let’s go S-​P-​R-​E-​T!!!

What a perfect place to write up for my 50^th review. Of all the things about the University of Maryland campus that I love, this stadium will always be very special to me.
Why is it so special? Well, aside from being the home of the UM Terps Football team, this college stadium represents the now fantastic relationship my Dad and I have (yes — I know. A father-​daughter relationship based on college football is nothing new). When I came to MD as a freshman in the fall of 2001, I was an extremely homesick Jersey girl. Dropped off on a Wednesday, my Dad promised he’d come down again that Saturday to visit so long as I got him a football ticket. This same scenario repeated for the next 10 weeks and as Maryland reached their 7 – 0 record in November 2001, my Dad and I found a connection in each other we’d never had, and I fell in love with UMCP.
Alright, enough sap. The facilities in this arena are pretty typical of an ACC stadium. Vendors around the top of the bowl, bathrooms strategically located throughout, and additional rows of bleachers to accommodate the increasing number of fans that attend the Terps games.
I’ve sat in several sections of the park, and though there are some rougher seats (ie. too close to opposing team fans), you’ll get a decent view of the game from almost anywhere. The upper deck gives you a bird’s eye view of play-​strategy and a great view of DC (the Washington Monument is easily visible on a clear day). For the more enthusiastic fan who appreciates the ‘subtleties’ of the many MD cheers, I recommend something on the lower bowl in section 7 (located right next to the students). If you’re even more adventurous, sneak on in and mingle with the student mass in the student section (sections 8 –16). You’ll be forced to stand throughout the game, but being a part of the chorus of «Hey, you suck!» that is required every time that MD scores is well worth it.
Aside from the on-​field entertainment, the big screen over the field house on the south side (added in 2002) is a nice distraction and even I find myself watching some of the game there. There is going to be some additional seating added in the coming years, so getting tickets may be even easier (though I’m sure not any cheaper).
If you can, get in the stadium about 30 minutes before kickoff to avoid standing in line at the gates. The keys to a great game: don’t forget to wear red, stuff a Chipolte burrito under your shirt, and memorize the fight song so you can sing it with the team after a win.
Go Terps!