Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium - Navy Midshipmen (Sprint Football)

Richard Smith
Nov 6, 2025
3 min read

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium 550 Taylor Ave Annapolis, MD 21401

Navy Midshipmen website Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium website

Year Opened: 1959 Capacity: 34,000

Light Football In the Navy

What is Sprint Football?

Sprint football is a varsity, full-contact, intercollegiate sport played in the United States that operates under standard American football rules but with a strict player weight limit of 178 pounds or less, which must be met at official weigh-ins before each game. The sport, which originated in the 1930s as "lightweight football," emphasizes speed, agility, and fundamental execution over size and strength, providing an opportunity for smaller, skilled student-athletes to compete at the collegiate level.

The game is primarily governed by the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL) and the Midwest Sprint Football League (MSFL), featuring teams from a mix of institutions, including military academies and Ivy League schools.

Navy is a member of the CSFL along with Army West Point, Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania (Penn), Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Mansfield University, Molloy University, St. Thomas Aquinas College, and D'Youville University.

Food & Beverage 2

There is a single concession stand offering the very basics—hot dogs and such — with drinks, and that is all the food you are going to get at a spring football game. We would suggest eating ahead of the game.

Atmosphere 3

There is not much to the game except for a very enthusiastic PA announcer and the impressive scoreboards. You can pretty much sit anywhere you want in the stadium due to the non-existent crowd, although we are assuming the upper deck is off-limits. We should have tried going up there to see for ourselves, but we did not.

The stadium itself is what saves a bit of a score here. If this were played before such a small crowd and at many other stadiums, there would be almost no atmosphere at all.

The stadium, with all its signage, statues, and tributes to the Navy's past, is worth a visit if you have other reasons to be there.

Neighborhood 5

Annapolis, the state’s capital, is a beautiful town located on the shores of the Severn River’s exit into the Chesapeake Bay. It is located almost equidistant from both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., providing easy access to two major metropolitan cities full of shopping, dining, and major airports.

The area around the stadium is quaint and features many historic sites, including the Maryland State House. Shopping and dining are plentiful downtown near the Annapolis waterfront area as well, and fans can find plenty to entertain themselves there.

Fans 2

Friends and family made up the bulk of the "crowd". We even heard a fun conversation between some fans who thought they were coming to a flag football game. We guess we are not the only ones new to sprint football.

Access 4

To get to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, you need to drive on US 50 from the DC area, or on I-97 to US 50 from the Baltimore Area; both routes will drop you steps from the stadium.

Once you’re there, parking is plentiful and costs $10. The lots are used daily by Annapolis visitors and state employees, so you will not get away with free parking at any time.

Return on Investment 4

Parking is paid, but you can get into the game at no cost.

Extras 4

The northwest end zone features the Navy goat statue and a memorial garden for the military, showcasing plaques and memorial statues from the Navy’s past. Also of interest is the Blue Angels' F/A-18 Hornet on display outside the stadium, a popular photo spot for fans.

The field itself also pays homage to former star players, with yellow player numbers painted near their corresponding yard lines, and the stadium’s ring of honor features historic and notable Navy battles rather than former player names, as at other facilities.