Johnny Unitas® Stadium: Home of the Tigers
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Prohibited Items and Stadium Policies
Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas® Stadium is home to Towson University's football, men's and women's lacrosse, field hockey and track teams.
The sports complex, which underwent a massive $32 million renovation beginning in 1999, seats 11,198 spectators. It ranks as the third largest facility of its kind in the Metropolitan Baltimore Area behind M&T Bank Stadium where the NFL Ravens play and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, home to Baltimore's Major League Baseball franchise.
Stadium renovations, which were completed in 2002, included an addition of 6,000 seats, an artificial turf, entry level plaza, concession stands, new restrooms, ticket booths, a four-tier press box, an elaborate field house and a promenade that conveniently connects the northside and southside seating areas. Prior to 2008, the stadium's Astroturf was replaced with FieldTurf.
The four-story, 48,000 square-foot field house provides Towson's student-athletes with an excellent collegiate facility. It includes spacious, modern lockerooms for each of its sports, an impressive athletic training facility, classrooms, conference rooms, an upscale equipment room, an academic resource center, a video-editing room and offices for the coaches. Designed to maximize exterior scenic looks, the field house includes windows that provide a stunning view of the adjacent playing area. A rooftop patio treats guests to a bird's-eye view of the athletic contests. The stadium is lighted for night play.
The Minnegan Room accommodates up to 200 guests at functions ranging from pre-game and post-game parties and banquets to fund-raising events.
A four-level press box rises high above the stadium on its south side. A separate VIP level is just below the main media floor, which can accommodate 35 working members of the press, two radio stations and coaches booths. Each booth can comfortably seat six persons. Two additional booths for either radio or television are located on the VIP level along with the stadium's operations booth. The top floor, or camera deck, is the primary location for television broadcasts and game filming.
The complex is named in honor of two legends - one a coach and educator who served the University for over 40 years - and a former pro football player who many consider the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
Tiger Vision
In summer of 2008, Towson University became the first NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS, or formerly known as I-AA) school to install a Daktronics high-definition light emitting diode (LED) video and scoring system. The state-of-the-art, HD video board system was installed in the west end zone of Johnny Unitas Stadium. The cornerstone of the project is a nearly 45' high by 60' wide structure on the west end of Minnegan Field that consists of an HD LED video display scoreboard, backlit sponsor displays and backlit identification display.
On the east side of the stadium is a new 20' high by 40' wide structure which will house an auxiliary scoreboard that will notify players and fans of the score, time and period. The main board on the west end features a massive 17' high by 47' long LED display that utilizes the cutting-edge Daktronics HD-16 technology. According to Daktronics' Rob Zeller, "Unitas Stadium is the only college facility on the east coast with this kind of technology. The HD-16 technology uses a revolutionary staggered pixel layout to optimize the number of full-color pixels within a given screen area. The closer the pixels are together, the better the clarity. With pixels only 16mm apart, the board allows for optimal viewing and provides exceptionally wide viewing angles free of color shift. Every HD-16 pixel is a full-color pixel capable of producing 4.4 trillion color combinations. As a comparison, the new fantastic Oriole Park at Camden Yards Mitsubishi video board is only a 20 mm pixel HD LED board.
Track
Track & Field - Surrounding Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas Stadium is an 8-lane (48 inch wide) Olympic caliber BSS 2000 track composed of Martins IS0-2000 Surface. The facility is also equipped with 4 Long/Triple Jump runways, Pole Vault, High Jump, and Steeplechase Water Jump pits.
Team Store
Team Store - The Team Store offers selected University Store apparel and giftware designed to help Tiger Fans show their support for Towson Athletics. We offer a wide variety of products, including clothing from Russell Athletic, Cotton Exchange, Jansport & Under Armour, as well as car decals, stadium seats, rally towels, hats and pennants. All products purchased at the Team Store help to support Tiger Athletics and its programs. The Team Store is open during all Football & Men's Lacrosse home games and offers 10% alumni & faculty/staff discount, as well as a different "Game Day Special" item at each game.
Doc Minnegan - Towson's Legend
Donald "Doc" Minnegan was a teacher, coach, physical education department chairman and Director of Athletics at Towson for more than four decades. He arrived at Towson in 1927 and he coached its soccer team until 1966.
Doc's soccer teams were very successful, winning a total of 156 games, and 66 of 77 between 1930 and 1936, including a school record 34 straight. He also coached Towson to championships in baseball, basketball, track and swimming, as well as soccer.
Doc is the only American to publish an article in the British Football Annual on soccer theory. He was inducted into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's Hall of Fame in 1992. During his tenure as Director of Athletics, Doc established football as an intercollegiate sport at Towson in 1969. He died in 2002, just two weeks shy of his 100th birthday.
The stadium beared his name from 1983 until 2002. In accordance with that tribute, the playing surface remains Minnegan Field in his memory.
Johnny Unitas - The Golden Arm
Johnny Unitas had a deep connection with the University. The former Baltimore Colts legend was the parent of three Towson students.
As the Colts' quarterback, them to back-to-back NFL titles in 1958 and 1959. In 1958, he directed two dramatic drives as they beat the New York Giants in overtime in the "Greatest Game Ever Played." He was the starting quarterback in Super Bowl V when the Colts beat Dallas, 16-13. A ten-time Pro Bowler, he was the NFL Player of the Year three times. At the time of his retirement, he owned NFL career records for pass completions (2,830), pass attempts (5,186), passing yardage (40,329) and touchdown passes (290). In his career, he threw a touchdown pass in 47 straight games, setting a record that may never be broken.
Several weeks prior to his untimely passing, "Johnny U" began serving as community liaison for Tiger Athletics. His role was to assist in obtaining a naming rights partner for the university's new stadium. The legendary Golden Arm died suddenly, less than a week after tossing his last pass to commemorate the opening of Towson's new stadium at ceremonies on September 5, 2002.
High spirits returned when Sandy Unitas chose to assume her husband's role with Towson. With Johnny's two youngest children as Towson students, Sandy sought to memorialize her husband's legacy on campus by having the stadium named Johnny Unitas® Stadium.
As A Host
In addition to Towson events, the stadum has also hosted high school football and lacrosse events, the annual Maryland Special Olympics, FNL Scouting Combines, two Maryland Football Crab Bowls, the 8-95 Football Classic, the Under-19 World Lacrosse Championships, the Under Armour All-American Lacrosse Classic, the MIAA Lacrosse championships as well as competition in the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championships and three straight women's lacrosse national championships.
Unitas Stadium was the host site for the 2008, 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championships, drawing record crowds each year. In May, a crowd of 9,782 saw Maryland beat Northwestern, setting a record for the largest crowd to watch a women's lacrosse game in the United States.
In 2010, the semi-finals and championship game drew a total of 18,544 to Unitas Stadium, breaking the record of 14,0644 that was set in 2009 at Unitas Stadium. Nearly 45,000 fans attended the NCAA women's lacrosse tournament during its three-year run.
Stadium Guest Services
- Handicap/Disability Seating is available for 1 patron and up to 2 companions. Contact an event manager, usher, or security personnel upon arrival to be re-located to this space and receive additional seating arrangements. Placing a phone call ahead of time is not necessary, but is always welcome. Leave a message at any of the following numbers, (410) 704-4176, 5499 or 5498.
- Restrooms with baby changing stations and handicapped-accessible stalls are located on the north, south and east concourse of the stadium.
- Concession Stands are located on the north and south concourses of the stadium, offering a variety of quality foods.
- Team Store is located on the south concourse of the stadium where fans can find all the latest merchandise with the Johnny Unitas Stadium logo and Towson Tiger logo.
- First Aid Stations There are first aid rooms located on each side of Johnny Unitas Stadium. Each room houses medical exam tables, as well as first aid equipment and supplies. There are also private bathrooms in each to be used by guests. During game-day, each first aid room is manned by a State Certified Paramedic.. University personnel will staff areas and provide emergency vehicle when necessary.
- In the Event of an Emergency, contact the closest uniformed police officer, event staff member, or game management. Please note the exact location of the emergency and type of emergency.
- Game Announcements are approved prior to the game and only emergency announcements will be made.
- Lost & Found Items should be taken to game management staff working in the stadium. Persons wishing to claim lost and found items should call 410-704-5407 Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Stadium Policies
Towson University promotes good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches and spectaotors. Fans are urged to support the participants and officials in a positive manner. Profanity, racial or sexist comments or other intimidating actions directed at officials, student-athletes, coaches and team representatives are not tolerated and are grounds for removal from the event site.
Out of concern for the safety of guests and employees, the following is prohibited:
Tailgating: Is not permitted during the game
- Alcohol: Self-explanatory
- Animals: Except for service animals or service animals in training for guest with disabilities
- Backpacks: Suggest to the guest that next time they'll be able to get into the stadium more quickly without the item
- Bags Larger than 8.5" X 11": Same reasoning as above
- Food or Drink of any Kind: Only unopened bottles of water are permitted inside
- Bottles, Cans or other Containers: Except water and in cases of medical needs as certified by a physician
- Coolers (including insulated bags): Same reasoning as backpacks and bags larger than 8.5" by 11"
- Fireworks, Firearms and Weapons: Self-explanatory (Lacrosse sticks are permitted)
- Grills or Fires of any Kind: Self-explanatory
- Illegal Drugs: Self-explanatory
- Profanity, Racial or Sexist Comments: Self-explanatory
- Smoking: Towson University is a smoke-free campus; smoking is not permitted on any campus ground
- Trespassing, Soliciting, Peddling and Loitering: Self-explanatory
Credentials
A credential is issued for the sole purpose of providing restricted facility access for an individual who has a legitimate working function in connection with the event. A credential is subject to revocation by Game Management for any means of misuse.
Media credentials are issued by the Athletics Media Relations Office at the request of the news agency or college/university he/she is representing. The commercial offering for sale of any image taken at events on Minnegan Field in Johnny Unitas Stadium and/or the Towson Center Arena, is prohibited. Violations will result in the removal of the current credential and a banning from all future regular season and post-season (NCAA, CAA) events hosted in those venues.
