When Maryland and Navy football fans head to each team’s season opener, they’ll find new additions to each stadium.
The Terps kick off their season against Hampton on Sept. 5 at 8 p.m. as their quest to rebound from back-to-back 4-8 seasons begins. More than 50 televisions were added to the SECU Stadium concourses, giving fans an opportunity to keep track of the action when they buy food and beverages. Fans will also notice a new dunk tank above section 16 called the “Terp Tank.”
Maryland also announced new measures to hopefully create fewer traffic and parking hassles for fans, long a complaint among Terps fans.
“We were OK listening to fans. We wanted all the feedback,” Maryland chief revenue officer Joe LaBue said on Glenn Clark Radio Aug. 26. “You don’t get into this knowing you’re going to get pats on the back 24/7, 365. It’s the exact opposite. Usually the only people you hear from are the people that are upset, but that’s OK because that gives you direction and things you’ve got to work on.”
Traffic and parking fixes will hopefully help fans settle in before kickoff.
“The team intro is going to be electric,” LaBue said. “Our content team, our fan experience team has been hard at work in the lab. We’ve had a lot of really good feedback from the football team, too. It’s not like, ‘Hey, we think this is going to be great, hope you guys like it.’ We’ve been working with them, too, because you want the authentic excitement when they come running out.”
Meanwhile, the Mids kick off their season against Towson on Sept. 5 at 3:30 p.m. New premium spaces were added beyond the south end zone at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Fans will also see a new banner honoring past champions of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy on the back of the scoreboard beyond the south end zone and have a chance for a photo with a new Harrier jet outside the stadium.
“It’s a very unique game day experience,” Navy athletic director Michael Kelly said on GCR Aug. 31. “Navy-Marine Corps Stadium is something that maybe some of us here take for granted, but when you get a chance to take it all in and see the pageantry and the history and obviously the great football that’s being played right now, it’s a special place. It remains a family-friendly environment. The whole city comes alive. I feel blessed to be part of it. We’re excited about the upcoming season.”
Navy is coming off two wildly successful seasons, winning a total of 21 games, back-to-back Commander-in-Chief’s Trophies and back-to-back bowl games against power conference foes. The program also sent two more players to the NFL. The Mids open the season as the favorite in the American Conference.
“While that does carry maybe a slight target on your back, it also shows a great deal of respect that’s been established under [head coach Brian Newberry], the way we all keep pouring into the program and the way we are performing at an elite level,” Kelly said. “Sometimes maybe people take it for granted or don’t realize and we really hope locals will come out to the stadium and check out this team because it should be a source of pride for the region and obviously we’re one of the largest and strongest national brands as well.”
For more from LaBue, watch the full interview here:
For more from Kelly, watch the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Navy Athletics