Best Arenas/Stadiums in America

[nugent4president]

So we have all been quite impressed with the new Cowboys stadium (and rightfully so). My question is what are you favorite baseball, football, and hockey/basketball arenas in the country right now? Please explain as well...we know you love the Niners, but you really don't love the Monster 'Stick, do you? Also, let's stick wtih building that are standing and/or house teams that matter at this point. Of course Boston Garden would be the best, but this is modern.

Baseball: Because of its setting, I love Pac Bell...er, SBC...er, AT&T Park

Football: Reliant Stadium in Houston is everything a park sould be, for now

Basketball/Hockey: It may finally host a playoff series of some kind this year as well. I'm a huge fan of the apartment building in Phillips Arena because it is so unique and allows many more seats in the bowl.

Who's got next?

[whitedawg22]

Ford Field is pretty cool because they built it around an old brick factory.

Glendale is cool because of the slidey-field-thing and the outside barrel cactus/reflector panels.

I don't think there is a single basketball arena with charm other than MSG.

Fenway has to be the neatest baseball stadium just because of its unique shape.

Pac Bell is pretty sweet too, because of the bay.

But the best stadium I have been in is Michigan Stadium, because seeing 110,000 people in a single bowl (not separated into decks) is insane.

[MVP]

Basketball, I believe the MSG would be the likely favorites.

Hockey, the players seem to be most happy when skating on Rexall Place ice.

Mark Cuban also did a nice job for the players at the AAC, basically 'pimped out' the locker rooms. (not exactly sure if Cuban owns the arena though, just guessing)

Baseball, I'm thinking Fenway Park would be up there.

Not too sure about football, I guess Lambeau should be an obvious choice.

[DrBear]

I don't really like all the bells and whistles in the new places - I'm there to see the game, dammit! That said...

Baseball: Wrigley or Fenway. Miller Park is generally good but still feels a bit bland.

Football: Yeah, biased toward Lambeau, but then I grew up there. Of the others I've visited,Dolphins or Arrowhead.

Basketball-Hockey: They all look alike. I miss the old UW Fieldhouse and am glad the Mecca in Milwaukee is still around.

[Gothamite]

I'm admittedly biased toward Lambeau, but I think I can defend its selection.

The open bowl is great, no bad seats, has an old-time feel with all the amenities of a modern park.

And just to show that I'm not just a homer, I'll say it: Miller Park is one of the worst places it has ever been a misfortune to watch a game. Terrible, artificial place. Nothing organic about it.

[TruColor]

I don't think there is a single basketball arena with charm other than MSG.

Most people not only consider Conseco Fieldhouse the best arena in the NBA, but one of the greatest sports venues ever built.

WAY more charm than MSG ever had.

(is it "charm" to have to step over homeless people to exit the arena?)

[dfwabel]

Ford Field is pretty cool because they built it around an old brick factory.

Glendale is cool because of the slidey-field-thing and the outside barrel cactus/reflector panels.

I don't think there is a single basketball arena with charm other than MSG.

Fenway has to be the neatest baseball stadium just because of its unique shape.

Pac Bell is pretty sweet too, because of the bay.

But the best stadium I have been in is Michigan Stadium, because seeing 110,000 people in a single bowl (not separated into decks) is insane.

Ford Field incorporates its suite level as the former Hudson's Department store warehouse, not a brick factory. I have been to 25 of the 32 in the NFL, 23 of the 30 MLB, and most of the arenas in NBA/NHL, but I really don't care anymore since I have HD.

Why this placed in "Sports Logos" and not "Sports In General"?

[ZapRowsdower8]

Well, I havent been to many arenas and football stadiums not named Mellon or Heinz.

My favorite ballpark has to be PNC of course, with Wrigley a close second.

I forgot to mention Beaver Stadium. I am not a Penn State fan but that was such an amazing place to watch a game.

[-Helix-]

I don't think there is a single basketball arena with charm other than MSG.

Most people not only consider Conseco Fieldhouse the best arena in the NBA, but one of the greatest sports venues ever built.

WAY more charm than MSG ever had.

(is it "charm" to have to step over homeless people to exit the arena?)

Conseco looks nice from the outside, but I always thought it was pretty boring and ugly on the interior.

Phillips Arena has already been mentioned. It's probably the most creative basketball/hockey arenas out there. (Atleast in the professional ranks)

And although it's old and needs a replacement badly, I think Pittsburgh's Igloo is still one of the coolest arenas ever built. Columbus' Nationwide Arena also gets honorable mention.

College Basketball: Can't go wrong with Duke's court.

College Hockey: Definately Michigan's Yost. Though some of the newer rinks are nice, Yost has character and history.

Football: Ohio Stadium

Baseball: Fenway

[Shumway]

Recently Maxim did an article of the 10 worst stadiums/arenas...Joe Louis Arena was the worst, Fenway was close, as was MSG. Kind of odd, considering they're some of the more historic arenas out there.

[Cyclopsis Joe]

I'm keeping with what I know..(with pictures!)

Best Football Stadium: Qwest Field. Game over.

Best Baseball Stadium: Bosse Field. No damn doubt. Third oldest ballpark in the country (only Wrigley and the Green Monster are older)

Best Auto-Racing track:

I ain't even telling you the last one.

[OnWis97]

MLB: Fenway

NFL: Nothing really does it for me, but I guess Lambeau

NBA/NHL: Meh.

NCAA Football: I like Neyland Stadium in Tennessee

NCAA Hoops: Williams Arena is great, but I would LOVE to see the place at Oregon.

NCAA Hockey: Kohl Center (Wisconsin)

[TenaciousG]

MLB: Wrigley

NFL: Qwest

NBA/NHL: American Airlines Arena (the mavs)

NCAAF: Autzen

NCAAB: The old Kennel (Gonzaga)

[powersurge]

I don't think there is a single basketball arena with charm other than MSG.

Most people not only consider Conseco Fieldhouse the best arena in the NBA, but one of the greatest sports venues ever built.

WAY more charm than MSG ever had.

(is it "charm" to have to step over homeless people to exit the arena?)

I think MSG is the most OVERrated arena EVER. So overrated that I actually was extremely dissapointed when I saw it.

[winghaz]

Best baseball: I haven't been to Wrigley or Fenway, but I have been to the Ballpark at Arlington (or whatever it's called) and it's absolutely fantastic. Very close to the action.

Best NFL: I've never been there, but from what I hear, Lambeau clobbers everything else.

Best NBA: Conseco Fieldhouse.

Best NHL: XCel in St. Paul

Best college football: This is tough. So many to pick from. But I have to go with the Big House in Michigan.

Best college basketball: I always hear about Duke, but what about the Dean Dome? I hear that's pretty good, too.

College hockey: No question -- Ralph Engelstad in Grand Forks, N.D. The place is a palace.

[Youppi!]

mlb--Busch Stadium II (1966-2005 RIP)

nfl--im going with heinz as a homer pick

nhl/nba--pick one

[no97]

Best baseball: I haven't been to Wrigley or Fenway, but I have been to the Ballpark at Arlington (or whatever it's called) and it's absolutely fantastic. Very close to the action.

Best NHL: XCel in St. Paul

College hockey: No question -- Ralph Engelstad in Grand Forks, N.D. The place is a palace.

Of corse this is subjective, but I have comments on all three of these...

First off, the Ballpark at Arlington is horrible. It's huge. Unless you were in the lower deck, I've got no idea how you could think you were "very close to the action." It reminded me of US Cellular Field in that way - a very tall park... My (admitadly biased) opinion has Wrigley as the top ballpark.

XCel - no doubt about it... Great sightlines from every seat in the building. The Hockey News has voted the X #1 or #2 in the NHL consistantly since it opened in September 2000...

And finaly, the Ralph is no doubt a palace, nicer than some NHL rinks. Marble floors in the concorse, leather seats, cherry wood arm-rests. The only problem is that the atmosphere for Sioux games stinks... The only game that was any good in that rink was the Gold medal game of the 2005 World Junior Championships in Jan. of 2005 - Canada over Russia with Malkin, Crosby, Ovechkin, Phaneuf et. all and half the building (okay, more than half) Canadian screaming their head off as the Canucks took the gold... All too often for UND games, the fans sit on their hands, and the place is like a mauseleum. It's too bad, because that one game proved that it's not the rinks fault that you can't get it loud in there...

Moose

[powersurge]

Best baseball: I haven't been to Wrigley or Fenway, but I have been to the Ballpark at Arlington (or whatever it's called) and it's absolutely fantastic. Very close to the action.

Best NHL: XCel in St. Paul

College hockey: No question -- Ralph Engelstad in Grand Forks, N.D. The place is a palace.

And finaly, the Ralph is no doubt a palace, nicer than some NHL rinks. Marble floors in the concorse, leather seats, cherry wood arm-rests. The only problem is that the atmosphere for Sioux games stinks... The only game that was any good in that rink was the Gold medal game of the 2005 World Junior Championships in Jan. of 2005 - Canada over Russia with Malkin, Crosby, Ovechkin, Phaneuf et. all and half the building (okay, more than half) Canadian screaming their head off as the Canucks took the gold... All too often for UND games, the fans sit on their hands, and the place is like a mauseleum. It's too bad, because that one game proved that it's not the rinks fault that you can't get it loud in there...

Moose

Not to hijack this thread.....but....

I think International Hockey (i.e. World Championships and Olympics) is so much better and more interesting that the NHL should just abolish all of the teams and go global. Make it country vs. country. Then maybe there would be more interest in hockey. I know that kind of sounds a little absurd, but geez why keep doing the same thing over and over again without progress? They can't seem to make it work anymore in America.....so go global.

back to the thread.....

The American Airlines Arena in Miami is pretty nice. Got a chance to sit in the luxury suites and they are awesome! but then again they probably are like that EVERYWHERE.

[RamblinGamblinTiger]

But the best stadium I have been in is Michigan Stadium, because seeing 110,000 people in a single bowl (not separated into decks) is insane.

I haven't been there before, but from pictures that my friends took, it looks like if you are around the top of the bowl, the field is ~2 miles away- Is it as far as the pictures look?

Baseball, I'm thinking Fenway Park would be up there.

Fenway has good views (monster seats!) as long as you aren't behind a pole- They should do an extreme renovation though because the place smells like urine and could use some new parts in general...

I don't really like all the bells and whistles in the new places - I'm there to see the game, dammit! That said...

Basketball-Hockey: They all look alike.

I agree with the bells and whistles in these new places.... The Dallas stadium looks like a massive upscale sports bar that happens to have a stadium hidden in it- Why bother spending big $ to go to the stadium, just to watch the game on a tv under the stands???

I disagree that all basketball / hockey arenas look alike... Compare Philips Arena to NJ's Continental Arena....

Anyways....

My favorites:

MLB: I am partial to Turner Field (love that HD screen?), but I also like PacBell (or whatever it is now?) in San Francisco because of the water and Miller Park in Milwaukee (impressive roof and overall design)

NFL: I haven't really been to any besides the Georgia Dome (Atlanta Falcons) & Altell Stadium (Jacksonville Jaguars). Neither are impressive, and I especially hate the Ga. Dome- Thank God they are already talking about trashing that place. It opened in '92 (only 14 yrs old) and Arthur Black (falcons owner) hates it so much they are already talking about replacing it.

NHL: Philips Arena (Atlanta Thrashers) - One of the cleanest / best maintained sports venues I have ever been to. It's too bad the Thrashers have to share the same place with the Hawks-

NBA: Don't know, don't care

NCAA F: Bobby Dodd Stadium at Grant Field (Georgia Tech) ? Ignore the nation?s worst 4 year starting QB and the bad coaching. Nothing can beat the nighttime atmosphere with the ATL skyline surrounding the stadium?.

NCAA Basketball: Alexander Memorial Coliseum (Georgia Tech) ? It was renovated for the ?96 Olympics, and is one of the nicer college arenas in the country (ignoring the sound system?).

The bottom of the barrel for college is definitely Beard-Eaves Coliseum (Auburn) ? Did the athletic department forget they had a basketball program. Going into that dump is like stepping into a time machine to the 1960?s. Got to love the vintage urinal troughs though?

[Tazz013]

Bests:

MLB: PNC Park

NFL: Lambeau Field

Worsts:

MLB: Busch Stadium III

NBA: Bradley Center

Best Auto-Racing track:

I ain't even telling you the last one.