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Dore to the Past

Official Review by John McCurdy, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

No, the present and recent past have not been glorious for Dudley Field at Vanderbilt Stadium, but dig back into history far enough and you'll discover a time when it was the place to be in the college football world.

Named for William Dudley, a Vanderbilt Medical School dean around the turn of the 19th century to the 20th, today's construct is actually the second home of Vanderbilt football. The first was literally just a field, also named for Dudley, close by.

But anyway, what makes all that significant is the man was responsible for the creation of the SIAA, the precursor to the Southern Conference (and therefore the SEC); and the stadium, when completed in 1922, was the first football-dedicated facility in the South.

So does it stand the test of time?

Food & Beverage    4

Most concession stands are exactly what you would expect: hot dogs, popcorn, soft pretzels, personal pizzas and soft drinks all at ridiculous prices. Here and there one can find little carts with frozen lemonade, candied nuts, whatever, but across the board, nothing is below $4.

In that case, why not venture to the north end of the stadium and see how the other half lives? I guess because more of the bigtime donors' seats are in this area, within the last year they've put in some new food locations that do combo baskets resembling a plate at Chili's. I saw sliders, chicken fingers, homemade potato chips...really a notch above.

This is not a huge place (size is something I'm going to remark upon later), so take the extra steps regardless of where you're sitting!

Atmosphere    3

I have really fond memories of watching high school football. Having been mostly at UGA and Atlanta Falcons games, this place is certainly more intimate and reminiscent of high school football.

Now, don't get me wrong; Dudley isn't that small, but there are relatively few bad seats in the house with a capacity just shy of 40,000 and good sight lines all around. This helps make it feel like the game is on center stage, which it ought to be.

Now, more on this in the Fans section, but throwing this score off is the out-of-balance school representation. Judging solely by the colors being repped, one might mistake a contest at Vanderbilt for a neutral-ground game.

It just doesn't reach that level of distinction, that sense of uniqueness, when the purple of the folks of Northwestern (or whomever they may be playing) invades everywhere you look.

Neighborhood    4

I genuinely like Vandy's campus, which extends eastwardly from the location of the stadium. It feels really, really college-y, and is particularly pretty during September. Besides frat row, though, it's dead as a doornail on gameday.

To the north is West End Ave, however, which besides sporting a bunch of restaurants to try (Rotier's is the name I hear over and over again), also will lead you into the Broadway section of town if you follow it east. There you can find a lot of the little recording labels, production houses, etc. that Nashville is famous for.

It goes without saying that there are a ton of spots for live music, too; Exit/In gets a shout-out for having persevered as a supporter of ever-evolving "modern" music from 1971 and is one of the closest to campus, too.

Fans    3

Being a Commodore fan is tough; just ask my old man. They've had one winning season since 1982, they just lost their best coach in a while in Bobby Johnson, they're stuck in a conference filled with much, much bigger and more athletically-obsessed schools, and the list goes on.

That's why it's fun to find Vandy diehards, which yes, there are indeed some of other than my dad. Any given Saturday, the balance between home and away fans is pretty startlingly heavy on the visitors, but at least it's never silent when the 'Dores do something right.

Heck, there are teenagers here decked out in black and gold here, so, in terms of "cool," don't count Vanderbilt out, just like the 'Dores in '08.

Access    4

Nashville is a sizeable city, but it's nowhere near the nightmare it could be getting to a game. It helps that campus is on the other side of the river from the Titans' stadium and the new Grand Ole Opry, and outside the perimeter of I-65, which circles a lot of the toughest congestion.

Most of the best parking options I found were to the west, an area that transitions into residential the further you go. We happened upon a good location on 25th Ave., but many of the numbered streets over there have lots that aren't free but aren't a bad walk, either.

Inside, the stadium is your typical horseshoe-build, and there are plenty of restrooms around the perimeter. The entrances to the sections are somewhat low, so if your seat is in a high row, expect to walk up a fair number of steps.

Return on Investment    3

Another category which caused conflict in my mind, this is difficult to determine, as it varies per person. Did you come to enjoy the scene and cheer on dear Vandy, or did you come for a battle on the gridiron?

It would be a terrific place to watch a contested game, but games are not always particularly contested here. Price points aren't bad at all, and you won't have to deal with sell-outs much as season ticket holders don't choke out a lot of the available seats, but you've got to get some pleasure out of elements other than football if you're going to have a good time.

If only the production could match the venue, I would feel easier about putting a higher number above.

Extras    3

A point for the history behind this place, as detailed in the introduction. Dudley played a big role in the formation of collegiate conferences and the overarching structure of the NCAA, and without these things, where would we be?

A point for Nashville itself, which, while perhaps a little too country-music focused for the masses, is a staple of Americana nonetheless.

And finally, a point for these factors combined: Vanderbilt's student athlete graduation rate is way higher than your school's; the foghorn of the "battleship" got stuck in the on position for a good minute at the home opener I attended; and I met NBA draftee Shan Foster and NFL vet Will Wolford to my left and right in the stands that night.

however, I\'d say that our fans are plenty loud/the ambiance is fine when the team truly give the fa

however, I'd say that our fans are plenty loud/the ambiance is fine when the team truly give the fans something to cheer about.

Auburn 08' was a perfect example of how loud it can get in there. Gameday was there, Vandy was
4-0, and it was insane in there/deafening. The atmosphere was amazing that evening, and when Vanderbilt puts a respectable product on the field, which is seldom, the fans respond. It can be just as imtimidating as most other stadiums in the SEC, imo, although granted it is not half that wild usually.

by bek7567 | Sep 17, 2010 04:25 PM

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