Make sure you stop by and wish the Carrier Dome a happy 31st birthday today.
...the only domed stadium in the Northeast, and the largest structure of its kind on a college campus in the United States, turned 31 years old on Tuesday.
I'm curious how "largest structure of its kind" is categorized, exactly. Stadiums? Domed stadiums? Domed stadiums that lack air conditioning but are sponsored by air conditioning companies? I feel like they could really stack the deck against other structures of its kind.
Constructed between April 1979 and September 1980, the Dome replaced Archbold Stadium, which stood for 72 years. So, the Dome is halfway there.
The Orange has drawn 7,931,824 fans since the stadium opened. It expects to hold that many fans the first time the Duke Blue Devils play Syracuse in basketball.
Meanwhile, the Dome will be the site of this weekend's Syracuse Orange vs. Toledo Rockets football game. SU legend John Mackey, who did not actually play in the Carrier Dome, will be honored there.
SU legend and Hall of Famer John Mackey, who passed away on July 6, will be honored at halftime of Youth and Senior Citizens Day at the Dome . The first 10,000 fans will receive a commemorative helmet magnet that includes the No. 88. The helmet will be attached to a card highlighting Mackey's collegiate and pro career. A special edition game program with Mackey on the cover will also be available for purchase.
Also, CNY Pop Warner Football will play immediately after the Syracuse-Toledo game. It is unclear which game is the main event...