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.
The stadium's opener was a 29–2 win over William & Mary on September 26, 1959, and its current seating capacity is 34,000. The attendance record is 38,792, set in 2017 during Navy's 48–45 defeat of Air Force on 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. In April 2018, D.C. United of Major League Soccer played a regular season game versus Columbus Crew.

Memorial

The stadium serves as a memorial to the Navy and Marine Corps; it is dedicated to those who have served 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 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, 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 above sea level.

Jack Stephens Field

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

1984 Summer Olympics

Several first round matches in the association football tournament at the 1984 Summer Olympics were played at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
DateTime
Team #1ResultTeam #2RoundAttendance
July 29, 198419.302–2Group A29,240
July 30, 198419:00'2–1Group B15,010
July 31, 198419:00'1–0Group A14,508
August 1, 198419:00'1–0Group B20,000
August 2, 198419:001–1Group A28,114
August 3, 198419:002–4'Group 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.
DateAway TeamScoreHome TeamAttendance
March 3, 2018Toronto Maple Leafs2–5Washington Capitals29,516