Byrd Stadium, home of the
University of Maryland Terrapins for over 50 years, has been the home to
many good Maryland teams. After playing at old Byrd
Stadium for 25 years, the University of Maryland decided to build a
new state of the art football complex for their team in the late
1940s. Built in 1950, Byrd Stadium opened on September 30, 1950
when the Terrapins played Navy before a huge crowd of over 43,000. The
stadium was named after Harry Cliff Byrd, President of the University
of Maryland from 1935 to 1954.
When it opened in 1950, Byrd Stadium had a capacity of
34,860 but temporary bleachers often led to huge crowds. A single tier
grandstand in a horseshoe shape enclosed the gridiron. By the late
1980s, Maryland decided to expand Byrd Stadium. After the 1990 season,
the Tyson Tower, a five tier building containing the press box and luxury suites was
constructed on the south side of the stadium. By the 1996 season, a
12,000 seat upper deck was added bringing the seating capacity to
48,000. Today, Byrd Stadium has a capacity of 62,000 with the addition
of bleachers. In 2006 a $50 million expansion project was approved to
continue to enlarge Byrd Stadium. To be completed by the 2008 season,
this project will add 60 luxury suites, a 150 seat president deck, 560
covered seats and 2,000 seats. In August 2006, the University of Maryland sold the
naming rights to Chevy Chase Bank for $20 million over 25 years. The
stadium will be known as Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium. The
naming rights deal will help pay for a $50.8 million renovation and expansion that
will include 66 luxury suites and 500 mezzanine seats, bringing the
stadium's capacity to more than 53,000.
Terrapins in the NFL:
Al Wallace, Matt
Murphy, Charles Hall, Eric Barton Georgia Tech Traditions: Diamondback Terrapin,
the Maryland Victory Song
-8/30 - DELAWARE
-9/6 - at Middle Tennessee State
-9/13 - CALIFORNIA
-9/20 - EASTERN MICHIGAN
-9/27 - at Clemson
-10/4 - at Virginia
-10/18 - WAKE FOREST
-10/25 - NC STATE
-11/8 - at Virginia Tech
-11/15 - NORTH CAROLINA
-11/22 - FLORIDA STATE
-11/29 - at Boston College
"The crowd is really into the game.
For its relatively small size, it is one of the loudest stadiums
I've ever been in. If they ever expand Byrd so both sides have an
upper deck, it will be one of the most intimidating stadiums in
the entire country. Fans treat you with respect and are very
knowledgeable." - Jerry "Absolutely gorgeous. The stadium
is always filled with red and white, and the scoreboard and press
boxes are amazing." - Matt
Byrd
Stadium
