This week, Boiled Sports will start a four-part series that rates the top-20 sports venues that we've personally attended. Some of the results may surprise you...others may not. Regardless, we think this is a pretty good way to burn up some time during the summer doldrums.
The venues were rated on the following categories:
-Number of times visited
-Sightlines
-Location/Setting
-Atmosphere
-Building Amenities
-Comfort
-Gut Feeling
D-I College football and basketball venues, and major professional sporting venues are all included in the poll of the places we've visited...Venues from California to Massachusetts have all been visited and rated by the esteemed BS staff, over 65 in all. Stay tuned.
11 comments:
I may have a couple I can add, if you would like a few more. I have been to:
13 Major League parks from San Fran to Boston
2 NFL stadiums (Three if you count Joe Robbie Stadium, but I've only beent here for baseball)
3 NBA Arenas
2 NHL Arenas
12 College football stadiums
3 college basketball arenas
Oh, and 67 Indiana High school basketball gyms, which are often cathedrals in their own right.
Travis, your opinion is always respected over here...But the voting is closed!!
I'd agree with the HS venues, but I didn't include any of mine. Funny- Hinkle for a Sectional in the 80s/90s would rate in my top-5, but as Butler's home, it didn't make my top-20.
My two BS counterparts have been to a slew of MLB parks, I've been to a lot of NCAA football stadiums...What's your favorite MLB park and what's your favorite college football stadium?
hmmm, I am a big fan of Fenway and Wrigley. Fenway blew me away last summer when I saw it, but Wrigley and the ivy on a sunny day is like walking into a movie.
For college football I would have to say Ross-Ade, Ohio Stadium, and the Orange Bowl. Ross-Ade needs no explanation. I was impressed with how huge and loud the 'shoe was when I went in 2003. I only got to the Orange Bowl once before they ripped it down and it was a day game, but it was still gorgeous. I have been told night games there were incredible. I went to the second to last game against NC State last year and it was sad to see how neglected it was, but how glorious it could be.
i have a feeling that i'm gonna enjoy this series. sports related travel is quite possibly my naughtiest pleasure (which i'm sure y'all love to hear). my faves in each category:
MLB: petco park
NFL: lambeau
NHL: st. louis arena
NBA: n/a*
NCAA FB: beaver stadium, penn state
NCAA BB: the palestra
* i've only been to one NBA game (at the bradley center in milwaukee), but i've seen several other NBA venues for other events, so i can't really name a favorite. although conseco fieldhouse is very nice.
If the Metrodome doesn't show up on this list, I'm gonna be pissed.
But seriously, the Joe L. Reed Acadome in Montgomery Alabama was one of my favorite places to watch a game, if for no other reason than how loud it got.
Ryan, you're going to give away #1...shhhh.
Mo, you're one of the lucky ones to have seen a game in Lambeau; none of the three of us gotten there yet. I also haven't seen a game in SEC country, which is a goal of mine. I think when my son's a bit older, I'll get back to traveling to venues more frequently. Hopefully, he grows up with the sickness that I have.
Travis, sounds like you feel about the Orange Bowl the way I felt about the Rose Bowl- It was probably great at one time, but it's just out-dated and in Miami's case, falling down.
don't be too jealous about lambeau - the day i went was about 70 degrees, which is not quite the experience of the days where it's 10 below and you're freezing your ass off.
loudest venue i've ever been in was the union college hockey arena, whatever the heck it's called. it's basically a dome with a wooden roof and seats about 2,500 people and the sounds just bounces everywhere in there. it was awesome. a close second was the st. joseph's university fieldhouse a.k.a. "hawk hill".
The sad thing about the Orange Bowl is it could have been saved. The city had a plan in place, but the University sold out to the offer from Joe Robbie and the Dolphins for a measly additional $1 million in revenue per year. In the meantime, they get third choice of scheduling priority until the Marlins leave in 2011 (like Minnesota currently), it is a pain in the ass to drive all the way up there from campus (an hour on a good day) when the OB was close to the Metrorail, and they lose any semblance of ever having a true homefield advantage.
My wife despises UM President Donna Shalala, and that already stemmed from when she nearly pushed me down the stairs at a baseball game.
I've been to both UGA's Stadium and Auburn's stadium and while they are nice venues, it is more about the tailgaiting (and sightseeing) that really adds to the experience of an SEC game. I thought that Happy Valley's Stadium was great if only for the one section of stands that seems like it hangs over the endzone - and at capacity it was definitely louder than the Big House with 10k more fans.
I agree with most of you guys' posts. I have had mediocre experiences at worst in my limited football/basketball/baseball travels, but the worst has to be Detroit's brand new Ford Field for the NCAA Men's Tourney this year.
We initially had upper deck seats, and the view was just unacceptable. Eventaully we traded up to lower deck seats, and while the view was better it still sucked. I guess it's probably like this in most football stadiums where they play b-ball games(for the extra seating) but man, I'd rather pay a premium and get better seats as this was just unacceptable.
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