Which College Stadium have you been to and which is nicest?

[RyanMcD29]

For a college sports nut I really haven't gone to that many college stadiums

NCAA Football:

-Carrier Dome (Syracuse)

-Heinz Field (Pitt, though that's more or less an NFL Stadium that tries too hard to pretend that the Panthers are of equal importance to the Steelers)

NCAA Basketball:

-Carrier Dome (Syracuse)

-Madison Square Garden (St. Johns/2K Sports Classic last night, once again also a pro court but this at least is a known collegiate venue)

-Mack Sports Complex (Hofstra, because my high school graduation took place there)

NCAA Baseball:

-Stony Brook's stadium because our high school team played in the Long Island championships there

NCAA Lacrosse:

-Shuart Stadium (Hofstra)

-Class of '57 Stadium (Princeton, the primary lacrosse field, which for a perennial D-1 national title contender I must say sucks. They use freakin' astroturf)

-Princeton Stadium (Princeton, the field they use for playing, well considering Cuse and Hopkins are neutral site, I think only ACC opponents and maybe Cornell)

-Numerous D-2 and D-3 fields that my high school team (I played for them unlike baseball) played on

[TFoA]

Best college venue that I've been to, far and away, was Bobby Dodd Stadium @ Georgia Tech for a Mississippi State game...in which my boys got blown out by like 40. Needless to say I didn't enjoy it too much, but it was definitely a cool venue to watch a game.

I will say this....a night game at Bobby Dodd Stadium can be a fun atmosphere. That Notre Dame-Georgia Tech game a couple years ago was a festive evening. And the good guys won that night, which was a positive.

I'm gonna have to try to go sometime in the future. I know watching that game against Georgia Tech, it seemed like everybody was in a jovial mood. Plus, it's weird to see a football game in Atlanta taking place outside, so yeah. Definitely a great place to experience a college football game.

[Bmac]

Football- Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska. More times than I can count, we used to have season tickets.

Baseball- Hawks Field at Haymarket Park, Lincoln, Nebraska. Again, quite a few times. Saw Alex Gordon and Joba Chamberlain play for the Huskers before they were in the bigs.

Basketball- Devany Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Qwest Center, Omaha, Nebraska for UNO hockey and Creighton basketball. Also the Civic Auditorium when both of those teams used to play there.

And of course, Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha, Nebraska, home of the College World Series. Many times, easily my favorite experience(s).

[Jamikel]

I've only been to two stadiums, Kenan Stadium and Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium. Which means Kenan wins by default, though it is a nice venue. All the trees around it make it a very pretty place, and since Butch Davis took over, the atmosphere has improved exponentially.

If you want to fully appreciate how big a task David Cutcliffe has in rebuilding Duke's football program, go to Wallace Wade and realize that he actually has to recruit players to play there. It is the embodiment of hole. My high school stadium put it to shame. They need to follow Stanford's lead and just rebuild the place from the ground up.

[charger77]

Kelly Shorts Stadium - Central Michigan Football like 20 or so games.

Rose Arena - Central Michigan Basketball - About a dozen games.

Michigan Stadium - For a game, Michigan vs. Miami Ohio. Also played there at football camp.

Munn Ice Arena (MSU) - Michigan State against Nebraska Omaha.

Brezlen Center (MSU) - A friend was on their coaching staff and we got to play there for his bachelor party.

Ive also been to a handful of college hockey games at Joe Louis Arena and The Palace of Auburn Hills.

-Dan

[KevinMcD]

UB Stadium - 4 games vs. Temple, Syracuse, Kent St, Akron

Carrier Dome - 1 SU game, this year vs. WVU

Rogers Centre - International Bowl last year, UB vs. UCONN

Cortland Athletic Complex - New beautiful D3 venue and summer home to the Jets last year. I've been to around 10 games in 2 years at Cortland

Butterfield Stadium - This year's Cortaca game, such a dump compared to Cortland, they have stands placed randomly all over the stadium. On top of the locker rooms, around the track, on top of a hill 20 feet higher than the field, only thing going for it is the great view.

[crashcarson15]

NCAA Football

Memorial Stadium (Indiana) - Was there once in '01 or so for Ohio State and it was a fairly boring stadium but still fun.

Michigan Stadium - Got there for the ND game this year and it was a good environment. That is all.

Notre Dame Stadium - Get there at least once a year, best environment out of all of them I'd say.

Ohio Stadium - Was there a few years ago against SDSU and had a lot of fun.

Ross-Ade Stadium (Purdue) - Was there in '02 for the Bucks and had a lot of fun. Went with some other OSU fans and had a blast.

Stambaugh Stadium (Youngstown St) - Haven't been there in awhile but got on the field and ran a 100-yard dash

Winner: Notre Dame Stadium

NCAA Basketball

Beeghly Center (Youngstown St) - Nice environment, if only the 'Guins didn't suck...

Hinkle Fieldhouse (Butler) - An amazing environment when full, not as great when it's not. Always fun though. Been there way too many times

IUPUI Gymnasium - 1,200 seats. That is all.

Winner: Hinkle. Not even close.

Also, I've seen college basketball games in the RCA Dome and Lucas Oil Stadium.

[OnWis97]

FOOTBALL:

1. Camp Randall (Wisconsin). Maybe biased, but it's pretty damn good. And great before/after the game there as well.

2. Kinnick (Iowa). Fans on top of the game and very into it.

3. Neyland (Tenn). I love how enclosed it is.

4. TCF Bank (Minnesota). Great sight lines. About time that program gets on campus.

5. Notre Dame. It was nice, but the excitement level (a 1999 squeaker over Navy) was minimal. I was glad to be there and it was good, but not outstanding.

6. Illinois. Solid

7. Northwestern (I was there yesterday). Enjoyable for a smaller stadium. Off campus and not much excitement nearby.

NR. Memorial Stadium (Minnesota, 1981). I am too young to remember.

LAST. Metrodome. Tolerable for the Vikes. Flat out awful for the U of M.

Hoops:

1. Williams Arena (Minn). Great old barn.

2. UW Fieldhouse (Wis). Even older, cagier barn, but a bit too rustic. Could not even get from student section to bathroom and back over half time.

3. Kohl Center (Wis). New and nice. Even better for hockey.

4. Carver-Hawkeye (Iowa). Built in a bad architecture era, but the seating works out in that weird bowl.

5. Hartford Civic Center. Not the building's fault...it was a little tourney with yale, etc. Nevertheless, not very collegiate.

7. Central CT State Arena. High School all the way.

6. Metrodome (NCAA Tourney). blah.

Hockey:

1. Kohl Center (WIS) Perfect for hockey. Second and third levels on top of the action.

2. New Mariucci (MINN) Nice, but why did they build it so small (tough ticket to get)

3. "The Whale" (Yale...I don't recall real name). Great old wooden structure.

4. U Mass (don't recall arena name). Nothing to write home about, but nice enough.

5. Pepsi Arena (Albany for NCAA Tourney). See #4. Reasonable neutral site.

6. Bradley Center (for WCHA Final 5). A bit sterile.

7. Quinnipiac (I think they now have a new one). My high school played in a bigger arena.

NR. Old Marriucci (Minn). I am sure it would be at least 4th, but I am too young to really remember it.

[KevinMcD]

College Basketball:

Alumni Arena (UB): Nicest of the bunch, newer

Koessler Center (Canisius): Newer than Gallagher, but not as much atmosphere

Gallagher Center (Niagara): Oldest of the bunch but most atmosphere

HSBC Arena (Canisius/SU game) : Nothing exciting, huge NHL arena, no atmosphere for that one game

Two or Three D3 venues

[B-Rich]

College Football:

1. Tiger Stadium, LSU... where you can find me on about 8 saturday nights in the fall. Can you call it the "nicest" as per the original post? Not by a long shot. It's WPA-era old, with basically no amenities, all old concrete and steel pipe railings, aluminum bleachers, open to the elements, with very basic concession fare. But that's the way it should be. You eat and tailgate great food BEFORE the game. The stadium's lower bowl has a kind of classic charm to it. The place has atmosphere; it has history. It's loud, it's spirited, it's intimidating to the opposition. It's on a pretty campus, it has plenty of parking nearby, and you can get to it easily.

2. Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field, Ga. Tech... Last games I attended there were in the late 1980s, after the south end zone "horseshoe" came down but before the north end zone big section was erected. Only sat on the east stands, which again, seemed old, kind of dingy, but had atmosphere and felt very cozy. Great on-campus location, and right on the edge of down town with great views of the ATL skyline.

3. Scott Field, Miss. State... Again, was last there in 1988, so my impressions are a little dated. But it seemed like a pretty good place-- on campus, good sightlines, perfect for SEC football in the fall. Unusual in that a stadium of that size was focused almost entirely on the sideline stands, with little or nothing in the end zones. Great catfish at the concession stand.

4. Sanford Stadium, U Ga... Attended one game there, and the stadium itself seemed okay, perhaps a little crowded and cramped. Big time college football atmosphere, large crowds that are into the game. The biggest problem to me was access. Not being near a highway or expressway and having little if any parking around (at the time, which was 1991)it seemd we parked miles away and had to walk forever to get to the stadium.

5. MM Roberts Stadium (the Rock), USM... Decent smaller stadium, not much character to the stadium itself, but a pretty good picturesque location on campus. When I've been there, the crowds were spirited.

6. Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, LA... Only attended one game there, and it's a little hazy (it was 1972, and I was 8) but I remember it as being a very large, old and intimidating stadium, loud and boisterous. Great nighttime atmosphere.

7. Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS... When I attended a game there in 1986, it was an SEC matchup (LSU- Miss State). This was a common location for such games, including Ole Miss-LSU and even Miss State/Ole Miss. That is no longer the case, and I can see why-- the stadium is not on anyone's campus. It's near Millsaps, but otherwise it's just a big ol' concrete horseshoe-style stadium surrounded by endless parking lots. Patially dug into the ground, it's nothing special. I think Jackson State plays their home games there.

8. Georgia Dome (Peach Bowl), Atlanta, GA... Bleeah-- nice newer stadium, great sightlines, amenities, but too antiseptic of an atmosphere, even as a fan going to a bowl game.

9. Superdome, New Orleans, LA... This is for Tulane games ONLY, including LSU-Tulane games. The various LSU Sugar Bowls, like the Saints games, seem to bring a different spirit into the Dome. I've been to few non-LSU Tulane games in the Superdome, and over the years it has gotten progressively worse. It wasn't so bad in the late 70s and 80s, but the crowds and spirit have gotten thinner and thinner. Tulane games are depressing affairs, made worse by playing college afternoon games inside, and playing in front of maybe 15,000 folks in a facility designed for about 70,000. It's like being in a tomb in there.

[gillbilly]

Neyland Stadium!!!

[gingerbreadmann]

BC. Conte Forum (basketball), Kelley Rink (hockey) (note this is also in Conte Forum), Alumni Stadium (football), and Shea Stadium (baseball). Although, I have only been to Shea because it's a :censored:ing parking lot for Alumni. It's where you "tailgate", and some of the stands for baseball are the ramp of a parking garage, also for Alumni/Conte. No joke.

BU: Nickerson Field (soccer, former football; former Braves Field; I only went here to see a Boston Breakers game), Walter Brown Arena (former basketball/hockey, current women's basketball/hockey) where I legendarily played at halftime of the epic 2002 BU-Albany basktball game (please, control your jealousy), Agganis Arena (basketball/hockey; FIRST Robotics regional championship). Agganis is great. (College) Hockey fans, go.

Syracuse: I have touched and looked through the door of the Carrier Dome, but never been inside.

[rmackman]

Major League Baseball Stadiums I've Been To:

Atlanta

LA Angels

Boston

NY Yankees (old)

Milwaukee

Florida

Toronto

Chicago Cubs

Chicago White Sox

San Francisco

NFL Stadiums I've Been To:

Miami

Green Bay

Tampa Bay

Jacksonville

Atlanta

NBA Arenas I've Been To:

Miami

Milwaukee

Orlando

Atlanta

Los Angeles

NHL Arena's I've Been To (As a Fan Only because I worked in the NHL so this is cheating):

Florida

Los Angeles

Tampa Bay

...and I guess Atlanta because I was there every day

College Football Stadiums I've Been To:

Florida

Wisconsin

Florida Atlantic

Florida State

Miami (FL)

Tennessee

South Carolina

Georgia Tech

Ohio State

[tBBP]

Been to two, seen another...

Doak Campbell Stadium - of course I've been in there...damn near went to school there. I bleed garnet and gold (when I ain't bleeding creamsicle orange). Seen several games in there. (Now, it's been a while since I've been there, so can someone tell me if half the school's administrative offices are still in there or not? )

Florida Field a.k.a. "the Swamp": I've come to the conclusion that if not for the University of Florida's existence, Gainesville would literally be nothing. EVERYTHING in that town revolves around the Gators. Eh-vuh-ree-thang? Eh-vuh-ree-thang. Tough to say which student body population is worse. Guess it depends on where the annual FSU/UF clash is held.

The only other one I've seen is the Yale Bowl, passing by on the way to, well, Yale.

[BBTV]

Been to two, seen another...

Doak Campbell Stadium - of course I've been in there...damn near went to school there. I bleed garnet and gold (when I ain't bleeding creamsicle orange). Seen several games in there. (Now, it's been a while since I've been there, so can someone tell me if half the school's administrative offices are still in there or not? )

Florida Field a.k.a. "the Swamp": I've come to the conclusion that if not for the University of Florida's existence, Gainesville would literally be nothing. EVERYTHING in that town revolves around the Gators. Eh-vuh-ree-thang? Eh-vuh-ree-thang. Tough to say which student body population is worse. Guess it depends on where the annual FSU/UF clash is held.

The only other one I've seen is the Yale Bowl, passing by on the way to, well, Yale.

Not for soul brothers though. Too beaucoup.

[Sport]

Ohio Stadium - grew up in the shadows of this place with two OSU alumni for parents. My birthday is in early September and going to Ohio State games was basically an annual birthday present. I've probably been to at least one game a year since I was 5 years old. I actually liked it better before the renovation. It was dirtier and it seemed like there was nothing stopping anyone from running on the field. Now, the old facade is hidden and it seems a lot more sterile.

Peden Stadium (Ohio University) - I'm a senior at OU so I've been to my fair share of games at Peden Stadium. I even stormed the field once when they clinched the MAC East in 2006. It's got a real small college charm to it. I'm convinced that collegiate athletics were intended to be more like the gamedays at Peden Stadium than they are like the massive undertakings that go on at Ohio Stadium.

Paul Brown Stadium - I sat in Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati and watched UC almost pull off a devastating upset of OSU back in the 2002 season. It was my first time at PBS, but I've been to 5 Bengals games since. It's a very nice stadium, especially the heated club section.

Ford Field - Went to the 2006 Mac Championship game and watched OU get destroyed by Central Michigan. I loved the experience and the stadium is unique from other domes. It was hard to picture a super bowl happening there

Value City Arena (OSU Basketball/Hockey) - I've seen probably 30 Ohio State hockey games, but only one basketball game and they played Denver. It is a professional class arena, which just makes me angry that the university and the Blue Jackets couldn't get together to share a building. Instead they build two arenas within two years of each other that now have to compete for events.

Convocation Center (Ohio University) - This is your classic domed college basketball arena. It's a little big for OU's purposes, however, even during the bigger conference games the place looks half full at most.

[xxjdm66]

Memorial Stadium - Cal

Stanford Stadium - Stanford

Husky Stadium - Washington

Autzen Stadium - Oregon

Reser Stadium - Oregon State

Memorial Coliseum - USC

Rose Bowl - UCLA

Spartan Stadium - San Jose State

Bulldog Stadium - Fresno State

Qualcomm Stadium - San Diego State

War Memorial Stadium - Wyoming

Hughes Stadium - Colorado State

Folsom Field - Colorado

Memorial Stadium - Nebraska

Notre Dame Stadium - Notre Dame

Ryan Field - Northwestern

Michigan Stadium - Michigan

Ohio Stadium - Ohio State (nicest so far)

Obviously you haven't been to the LA Coliseum. Nice is not the way to describe the arm pit of LA, the area is filled with crime,drugs,gangs,poverty. Nice I don't think so. The stadium it self is falling apart, and very out dated. USC needs a new stadium to play in.

[dfwabel]

Obviously you haven't been to the LA Coliseum. Nice is not the way to describe the arm pit of LA, the area is filled with crime,drugs,gangs,poverty. Nice I don't think so. The stadium it self is falling apart, and very out dated. USC needs a new stadium to play in.

But who is going to pay for it? USC spent a lot of money on the Galen Center and the State of California, owners of LAMC cannot afford to do anything, in fact thought of selling it. They are going to put $60 million into it, but that isn't much. I will not go back since they stopped selling beer a few years ago. I also heard the same issues about games in the Orange Bowl.

Dumps for NCAA football are not that bad. They are not supposed to be palatial, they are supposed to be pretty communal. Especially with off-campus facilities not used by the NFL, most are not that great.

[floydnimrod]

I haven't been to many, but of the college stadiums I have been to, I've enjoyed them all. The only football venues I've personally taken in are Nippert Stadium (Cincinnati) and Yager Stadium (Miami University). I really liked MU's stadium. I hate huge college football stadiums. I like them to be smaller and compact, not a pro field. The only basketball arenas I've seen games at are The Shoemaker Center at Fifth Third Arena (Cincinnati) and The Bank of Kentucky Center (Northern Kentucky). I like NKU's stadium better that UC's, mostly because it's newer, and looks a lot nicer than the Shoe.