Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Mustang Stadium 11005 Owings Mills Blvd Owings Mills, MD 21117
Year Opened: 2011
Capacity: 3,500
A Horse is a Mustang of Course, of Course
Mustang Stadium, on the campus of Stevenson University in Owings Mill, Maryland, is a 3,500-seat facility that is home to the Mustangs' football team as well as several other sports. The Mustangs compete at the Division III level in the Middle Atlantic Conference.
Mustang Stadium is located adjacent to the Caves Sports and Wellness Center, which is the former training facility of the Baltimore Colts, and later the Baltimore Stallions and Baltimore Ravens. In 2003, Stevenson, then known as Villa Julie College, decided to build an additional campus in Owings Mills to expand on the additional one in nearby Stevenson, and purchased the land surrounding the vacant facility. In 2008, the school changed its name to Stevenson, after the location of the original campus.
Food & Beverage 4
There is one permanent food stand at Mustang Stadium, with a fairly limited menu. Hot dogs are $4, an Italian sausage is $6.50, with onions and peppers for an additional 50 cents, and nachos are $5. A soft pretzel or popcorn will cost you $3, while chips are $1.75, candy is $3-$3.75, and cookies are $1.50 to $3.25. A Moodi bar, a chocolate bar coming in a variety of flavors from regular milk chocolate to chocolate toffee pretzel sea salt, each of which is named after a different mood, is $3. Bottled water and assorted soft drinks cost a few dollars as well.
A second, portable stand, sells many of the same options as the first stand as well as crab cake sandwiches ($12) and pulled pork ($7).
Atmosphere 5
Stevenson football puts on an impressive atmosphere for a Division III school. Walking into the stadium will put you onto the concourse, along the west side of the field. Here you will find concession stands, restrooms, murals, and a team shop. You can then walk through a portal to get to the general admission seating area. The middle section is chairbacks, while everything else is bleachers. No track surrounds the field, but the front row of the bleachers is fairly high up, making for some interesting viewing angles. Note that the front four rows of chairbacks are reserved for season ticket holders, but the remaining chairbacks are typically first come first serve. For Homecoming, there may be a separate, more expensive ticket that gets you access to the chairbacks. For all other games, you are fine sitting there as long as you do not sit in the first four rows.
Stevenson has a fairly sizeable marching band which performs before the game and at halftime. The pregame performance is dedicated to typical marching band music, as well as school songs like the fight song and alma mater. The halftime performance is focused more on popular music from recent decades like the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears.
Before the game, the Stevenson players run out onto the field from beneath an inflatable mustang as a green fog rises into the air from a fog machine. However, the coloring does not always work properly. Cheerleaders and a dance team also perform on the field, and toss T-shirts into the crowd after Stevenson scores, which are also followed by the sound of a submarine dive horn and the Stevenson fight song.
Neighborhood 4
Owings Mills is located in the northwest suburbs of Baltimore, and there is plenty to do near the Stevenson campus. Terri's Cafe is located just around the corner and is a great place to get breakfast or brunch before the game, with great food and friendly service. However, they close at 2 PM on Saturdays, so you will have to stop by here before the game rather than after. There are several shopping centers just down Owings Mills Boulevard with everything from burgers to wings to Mexican and Peruvian food.
Fans 4
Stevenson draws one to two thousand fans per game, and while this doesn't quite fill the stadium, those who do show up are incredibly loud and passionate about the Mustangs. Although this is a Division III program, and a fairly new one at that, the team has built itself a sizeable and loyal following already. When the Mustangs score, the crowd goes wild, and not just for the free t-shirts either. While they may not be the largest crowd in Division III, they are certainly among the most passionate and rowdy.
Access 4
Owings Mills Boulevard is located just off I-795, and Mustang Stadium is about a mile away. There is a lot conveniently located right next to the stadium, but there is limited parking here, so arrive early if you want to park close by. If it fills up, fans will be directed to an additional lot around the corner off Crondall Drive. If tailgating, you must park in this lot. Although the walk from here to the stadium literally involves going over a river and through the woods, it will only take you about ten minutes, if that.
Restrooms are available on both ends of the concourse, including a family/gender-neutral one, and are of a more than sufficient size for the crowds. Moving around the concourse is no problem either.
Return on Investment 4
General admission tickets are $10, with cash or card accepted at the window. You can order in advance through the Stevenson website, which will take you to Eventbrite, but this is usually not necessary, and you will pay a fee of about $2. For Homecoming, it is recommended you buy in advance, but for all other games, you will be fine buying the day of. For Homecoming only, you can pay extra for a seat in the chairback section, although you are still not guaranteed any particular seat. For all other games, the chairbacks, except the first four rows, are general admission like the rest of the stadium.
Concessions are reasonably priced, and parking is free, making a Stevenson football game a great value.
Extras 2
Look for the murals around the concourse dedicated to Stevenson athletic history, as well as some art displays celebrating the Mustangs.
A team store on the concourse sells Stevenson gear.
Final Thoughts
Stevenson University's Mustang Stadium is a great place to watch a college football game on a fall Saturday. With football history nearby, a great fan base, and a modern stadium, a Stevenson football game is well worth the visit.
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