College Park --Finals 2000

[cwillpayne]

I recently traveled with my nephew to visit some universities on the east coast that he is interested in. One of them being Maryland, we decided to check out a football game there. Though the weather was terrible for the game against NC State (Terps won by a field goal), I could not help but think that it must have been a PERFECT stadium for Drum Corps ( I didn't go to finals in 2000)!

Granted the U of M marching band didn't prove it so well as they played toward the wrong side that you see in the background of all the DCI vids from 2000......

I loved the stadium. Even though DCI is in Indy for the next while....( i loved Bloomington as well) ....I think that it would be great if they held at least one event, not necessarily championships, in that stadium again. For those of you that were there, performing, spectating, or otherwise, please let me know your thoughts--pro or con.

And then move finals back to Denver.

Edited November 1, 2008 by cwillpayne

[Slow Adam]

One of the reasons I love watching the 2000 DVD's is that there is NOTHING on the field but yard lines. I hate seeing giant logos at center field during drum corps shows.

[Jeff Ream]

that was a nice stadium, but housing was a nightmare

[Michael Boo]

Before Finals, if you were on any level above the lower level seats, the air conditioner units on top the athletic building behind the goal post were extremely loud. The units were turned off for Finals. I don't remember what was going on for Semifinals.

[Lance]

Great venue. I loved it. Driving wasn't a lot of fun, but I stayed with friends in D.C. and they drove for quarters and semis.

[chriso8604]

Granted...that was a bad day to go to UMD no thanks to rain...but great place to play as i am a member of Mighty Sound of Maryland. I was also there in 2000. Stadium is under renovation so it will look even better next time they do decide (cross fingers) to host it...Housing was dorm rooms that freshmen live in and most of them was built without air condition. I am stuck in the area...hopefully they send a show there again...was my first and favorite DCI show venue i ever been to.

(edit) Unfortunately the MSOM didnt play towards your side during that game...we had 500+ for that game playing and was told sound was amazing!

Edited November 1, 2008 by chriso8604

[Dave_G]

Housing was the real issue there. Some corps were staying in hotels because housing and rehersal sites couldn't be secured. Still I would take that any day over what happened to some of the members of the corps I was in at the time. A group of members were robbed by two armed locals not far from the housing site there.

That said, the site itself is fantastic. The campus is spread out enough to have plenty of rehersal areas and the stadium is pretty nice itself from what I recall. I could definitely see it working for a regional, not sure there is enough housing for a finals there again though unfortunitely.

[Peel Paint]

It was a good stadium for sightlines and sound. The only thing I didn't really like about it was, as spectators, we had the sun in our faces until near sunset time. We got lucky in that, like Bloomington this year, it wasn't as hot and humid as it typically is in mid-August. But you had to shade your eyes.

/Kramer: "My rods and cones are all screwed up!"

I don't think the UMd groundskeeper or football coach liked DCI much, after the fact, because their field got trashed just by marching feet.

[CoreyD]

Wasnt the 2000 finals suppose to take place at FedEx Field in Landover, MD?

[Peel Paint]

Yes, it was. And the Redskins changed ownership over the winter before and the new owner said, Ix-nay on the Umcorps-Dray on our field in preseason, and that was that. Even though they had a contract, DCI didn't want to take the money to sue the Redskins (which would also alienate other potential NFL venues for future years), so they moved it to College Park.