Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Armfield Athletic Center 5800 West Friendly Ave. Greensboro, NC 27410
Capacity: 2,200
D3 Football in Greensboro
Armfield Athletic Center, home of the Guilford Quakers, is a great venue for what it is. The 2,200-seat facility doesn’t hold many fans, and doesn’t have a video scoreboard, but does provide an idyllic setting surrounded by trees, with lots of nice brickwork, and is a hassle-free way to take in an evening or afternoon of football.
Armfield Athletic Center is named after members of the Armfield family, one of whom played on Guilford’s first football back in the late 1800s. The facility has been renovated several times in the last decades, including adding stadium lights and new visitor bleachers in 2007, and a new Field Turf surface in 2009. The Guilford Quakers currently compete in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference of D3 college football.
Food & Beverage 2
Armfield Athletic Center has one concessions stand behind the north end zone (down a short walking path from the field, you can actually see the flames from the grills from your seat). Only 7 items are offered, namely burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, and chips, as well as Gatorade, bottled Pepsi products, and bottled water. Burgers are the most expensive item at $5, with most of the other items coming in at $2 or $1.
Atmosphere 3
Armfield Athletic Center is pretty basic, with the home stands and press box on the west side, and a much smaller set of visitor stands on the east side. There is a digital scoreboard (non-video) behind the south end zone, but no seating in either end zone. There are no cheerleaders or mascots, but you are very close to the action – almost too close in fact, your best bet is to sit in the last row of the bleachers so you can see the action better. But you can definitely hear the sound of pads smacking together, and you are close enough to easily read the names on the jerseys.
Neighborhood 4
There are a couple of fast food restaurants within a half mile of Armfield Athletic Center such as McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A, but one of the most popular destinations in Greensboro is Natty Greene’s Pub & Brewing Co. on Elm Street downtown; this popular stop is named after Revolutionary War Hero Nathaniel Green.
If you plan to be in town for the day, Greensboro, NC is not a huge city by any stretch, but there are plenty of historic sites and other attractions in the area. One of most well-known is the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, which commemorates the sit-ins that occurred in Greensboro during the 1960s – those sit-ins were actually some of the most influential and significant protests of the entire Civil Rights movement. You can also visit the Greensboro Science Center, which includes an aquarium, zoo, and hands-on activities for the kids. Or, if you are a military history buff (or aspire to be), you can visit Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, and learn about Nathaniel Greene’s actions during the Revolutionary War.
Fans 2
Very few fans show up for Guilford football games, but the ones who are there are very supportive of the team, and many of them wear team gear. For such a small crowd you actually get a surprising amount of crowd noise, but the stands do look pretty empty.
Access 4
Parking should be free at Armfield Athletic Center, and moving around is a cinch due to the small size. There is a very small parking lot right next to the venue, but you need a pass to park there, so most people park a few hundred feet away in other lots on campus. Once you get inside the venue, however, it is very easy to move around – there is a ticket tent next to the front entrance, and there is plenty of room. There is a walking path that connects the two grandstands (and also leads to the concessions stand), and since the venue likely will not be full, you should be able to move around and sit wherever you want.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets to Guilford Quakers football games start at only $7, which is a great deal for college football. The concessions are also very cheap, so even if you have a large group, this would be a great way to entertain yourself and support a local team without spending a fortune.
Extras 1
Armfield Athletic Center is in a nice setting with lots of trees around it, and you are very close to the action. But this is really a no-frills sort of experience, so if you are just coming for the football, you should like it just fine.