Last Call for Spider Football (...at U of R Stadium)

The #4 ranked and the defending FCS National Champion Richmond Spiders will be playing their last regular season game at old University of Richmond Stadium. Though the stadium is far outdated and becoming more of a burden to the university with each year that passes, it is a great place to watch a game. The natural grass playing field and excellent sightlines make just about anywhere within the stadium a good place to watch the game.

Built in 1929, University of Richmond Stadium, aka City Stadium, cost the City of Richmond about $80,000 to build. With a capacity at around 22,000 people, U of R Stadium is not exactly logical for the University to maintain, even though the lease is impossible to beat. The City of Richmond leases the stadium to U of R for $1 a year in exchange for the university upkeeping the stadium. However, the stadium does not exactly have the amenities of a modern athletic facility. Spider football will be moving to First Market Stadium following the completion of the $25 million dollar renovation which will allow it to seat around 9000.

Some things I will miss about University of Richmond Stadium

1. The concentration on tailgate, not enough people tailgate events anymore. There is just something about drinking out of the back of a car in a parking lot before a sporting event, concert, work(Okay, so that is not socially acceptable, but who wants to be that. The days would definately be quicker), etc. They will eventually be replaced by lodge pregame hangouts.
2. Kids riding cardboard boxes down hills. I support every parent that allows this to happen for multiple reasons. One, it looks like a lot of fun. Two, if the game gets boring you can always take a glance over for 5 minutes and one kid sliding down will undoubtedly take out another kid walking back up. Three, some dad will try to ride a box down, stop short and face plant into the dirt.
3. The Men's Bathrooms... Sorry for the idea of a bathroom as a memorable point, but with all of this green initiative, there is no way that they will have a large wall to pee on. The idea of peeing on a wall, legally and it being kosher is an idea that will be missed by this young man.
4. Convenient Parking- The University of Richmond Campus cannot facilitate the parking needs of a football crowd near E. Claiborne Robins Stadium. There will be many who will have to trek from the Westhampton side of campus/ the Intramural Fields near the University Forest Apartments is where I hear they are planning to park many of the cars.

But, gentlemen there is much to look forward to next year in the form of Lodge Hangouts before the games and a modern stadium. And lets look towards the end of this season, beating the William & Mary Tribe this weekend and bringing back another National Championship to Richmond.