Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Harlen Hunter Stadium 209 South Kingshighway St. Charles, MO 63301 Lindenwood Lions website Harlen Hunter Stadium website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 6,000 The Mane Attraction Lindenwood University is a private university located in St. Charles, Missouri. It is the second oldest higher education institution west of the Missouri River, as it was founded in 1827. The university has an enrollment of 6,900 and offers degree programs in more than 80 areas of study. Lindenwood’s athletic teams are known as the Lions. The school has steadily progressed through various competition levels to Division I status in 2022. They began at the NAIA level (1999-2011), moved up to Division II level (2012-2021), then up to Division I status in 2022. The teams are not eligible for NCAA Championship tournaments until 2025. Lion athletic teams compete in the Ohio Valley Conference, which includes teams including the University of Missouri-Little Rock, Eastern Illinois, Morehead State, Southeastern Missouri, Southern Illinois, Tennessee State and Tennessee-Martin. The Lions football program is relatively young, as it first fielded a team in 1990.It was very successful at the NAIA level, making the playoffs four times (2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010). Lindenwood played in the 2009 NAIA National Championship game, which it lost. The home of Lindenwood Lions football is the on-campus Harlen Hunter Stadium. It opened in 1975 as the preseason training facility for the St. Louis Cardinals of the NFL, and has a capacity of 6,000 seats, including three sections of club seats. It is named for Dr Harlen C. Hunter, a prominent physician, and the founder of the St. Louis Orthopedic Medicine Clinic. The facility stays busy throughout the year, as it hosts football, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse and rugby. Food & Beverage 4 Hunter Stadium has one main concession stand, with 5 single item stands located along the concourse areas of the stadium. These stands include Chick-fil-A, Pepsi, Kona Ice and Shamrock Brewing Company. The main stand offers pretzel bites ($3), popcorn ($2), nachos ($3), hot dogs ($3), grilled brats ($4), Italian beef sandwiches ($5), potato chips ($2) and frozen custard ($3). Drinks offered at the central concession stand include Pepsi brand sodas ($3), Gatorade ($3), bottled water ($3), coffee ($3), and hot chocolate ($3). Beer is available at the Shamrock Brewing stand only. The number of concessions stands at Harlen Stadium has been increased in anticipation of larger crowds at the FCS level of NCAA football. Atmosphere 4 Harlen Hunter Stadium offers a very enjoyable experience in which to watch football. The seats are predominately bleacher seating and are close to the action on three sides of the field. The stadium offers a striking graphics package, with a huge lion logo at the 50-yard line and a gold and black color scheme in the two end zones. A large videoboard is located behind the south end zone, while a more basic scoreboard that provides the time left, the score and the location of the line of scrimmage is hung above the student section in the north end zone. Due to multiple sports being played in the stadium, the field features an artificial turf surface, which prevents the game from becoming a mud bath. The field also features a state-of-the-art lighting system, as well as a two-level press box. Neighborhood 4 Lindenwood University is in St. Charles, MO, a town of 65,000 located on the west bank of the Missouri River. It is located 24 miles west of St. Louis via I-70. St. Charles was one of the first settlements west of the Missouri River, as it was settled in 1769. It served as the starting point for the Lewis and Clark expeditions and was the home of Daniel Boone before he moved to Kentucky. As you can imagine, St. Charles has a large and active historic district, with many attractions. Among the sites you will want to visit while you are in town are the Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Museum and the Frenchtown District. The Schlafly Bankside Brewpub is in the Historic District as well. It is designed to look like a pub of the 1700’s vintage. While in town, you’ll want to visit the many shops and restaurants in the Historic District. Both the Fairfield Inn and the Comfort Inn offer reasonable rates are close to both the Lindenwood campus and the St. Charles Historic District. Fans 5 Lindenwood parents and students are thrilled to be playing at the Division I level. They are very welcoming to visitors, as the school has a strict code of conduct. They will be happy to answer any questions you might have once you arrive at the campus. Fans arrive early for games, as tailgating begins three hours before kickoff. A Lion Pride Tailgate offers Lion fans an opportunity to meet, eat and drink before the games. The tailgate is held in front of the Fieldhouse. There are several vendor tents, including Royal Liquors, Bougie Bites, Luxury Bash Services, the St. Louis Ambush, and Pepsi. Shortly before the gates open, the tailgating crowd is fired up by appearances by the Lions Cheerleaders, the Lion mascot Leo, and a performance by the Lion Pride Marching Band. Once the games get underway, the Lions fans show that even if they are new to Division I, they’re not newbies when showing their support for the team. The parents and the alums are very vocal, as are the students at the school. The student section (known as the Uproar section) is set behind one of the end zones and is sponsored by the Raising Cane restaurant. We think this name is very appropriate in describing what the students do throughout the game. Access 4 Getting to and from a Lindenwood football game is quite easy. The school is easily accessed from either I-70 or I-64, the two major interstates in the area. From I-70 (St. Louis area): Take I-70 W across the Blanchette Bridge over the Missouri River. Take exit #228 and turn right onto First Capitol Drive. Go ¾ mile to the intersection with Kingshighway. Turn left onto Kingshighway and enter the Lindenwood campus. Volunteers will direct you to the appropriate parking lot. From I-64 (Chesterfield, MO area): From Chesterfield take I-64 and travel west across the Daniel Boone Bridge over the Missouri River. Take exit #10 and turn right on Highway 94. Head north and cross over I-70. Highway 94 becomes First Capitol Drive. Proceed to the intersection with Kingshighway and turn left. This will bring you into the Lindenwood campus. Volunteers will direct you to the appropriate parking lot. Gates open 60 minutes before kickoff, leaving you plenty of time to get to your seats. Return on Investment 5 Going to a game at Harlen Hunter Stadium will not break your budget. All single game tickets are considered general admission seats. The tickets cost $15 a game. There are three sections (104,105 and 106) that feature chairbacks and are considered season ticket holder/ box seats. The general admission seats are bench seating. The concession stand prices are very reasonable. There is no charge for parking on the Lindenwood campus on gamedays. Extras 4 In addition to Lindenwood University athletic events, Hunter Stadium has hosted the Women’s NAIA National Championship Game in soccer in 2001 and 2002 and hosted the National Championship Game for Women’s Lacrosse as well. The venue was also the site of a soccer friendly between St. Louis FC and the Chicago Fire of the MLS. A student -athletic center was recently added to the area behind the south end zone. This facility provides locker rooms, training areas and meeting space for all the sports teams at Lindenwood. Five players from Lindenwood have gone on to play in the NFL. Lindenwood will soon begin a tradition of rivalry games, as they will be playing two opponents (Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois) from the nearby state of Illinois, as well as an in-state rival in the form of Southeast Missouri State University. Final Thoughts Division I football has returned to the St. Louis metropolitan area for the first time since 1949 in the form of the Lindenwood Lions. The school is thrilled to be in Division I, and they look forward to creating an uproar in the Ohio Valley Conference. Harlen Hunter Stadium is a wonderful place to watch the Lions games.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Pelham Civic Complex 500 Amphitheater Road Pelham, AL 35124 Birmingham Bulls website Pelham Civic Complex website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 4,100 Pelham Civic Complex – Birmingham Bulls Approximately 20 miles south of Birmingham, Alabama is the suburban city of Pelham, home of Pelham Civic Complex and the Birmingham Bulls. There has been some form of hockey under the name Birmingham Bulls off and on since 1976, with teams playing in the World Hockey Association (1976-79), the Central Hockey League (1979-81), the ECHL (1997–2001). These versions of the Bulls would play at the now Legacy Arena . Hockey would make just a one-year return to the Birmingham area for the 2003-04 season, this time in Pelham with the Alabama Slammers of the World Hockey Association 2. Following a thirteen-year hockey hiatus the current incarnation of the Birmingham Bulls would come to fruition in the Southern Professional Hockey League at Pelham Civic Complex in 2017. Food & Beverage 5 The food available at Pelham Civic Complex might be the deepest in all minor league sports, and quite possibly could stand up against just about any major league franchise. From burgers to dogs and sausages, to wings and pizza, entrée options are almost endless. Snacks include the usual chips and candy, but dive deep into fried pickles, fried okra, hush puppies, and even mini corn dogs. Combo meals including catfish nuggets, BBQ sandwiches, or a Cuban sandwich. Beer and liquor are plentiful as well, but beer options are more centered around domestic brands, with not much of a craft beer selection. Also, having three primary concession stands and four bars spaced around the arena helps keep lines and wait times down. Atmosphere 3 With its low roof line, it’s hard to picture a four thousand seat hockey arena inside Pelham Civic Complex. Within the playing area black seats encircle the rink, but do not make the playing area feel too small, but rather give it more of a cozy feel. The size of the arena is just about the perfect size for the Bulls and their fans. A four-sided scoreboard hangs above center ice, but given the low roof, the panels on each side are shorter than most scoreboards, even those in smaller arenas. During play the scoreboard shows a live feed of the action on the ice, and gives time, score, and shots-on-goal totals, along with any time remaining on power plays. During breaks in the action it is also used for hype videos and advertisements. There is plenty to keep fans entertained throughout the game, including fan cams, on-ice contests, and engaging music to keep fans entertained during stoppages in play. Also the team mascot, Toro, makes appearances around the arena and on ice. There is not a bad seat in the house – when choosing a seat, sitting at the top of the sections help eliminate a semi-distorted view created by a portion of the ice having glass in front of it, as the rest is unobstructed. Fans with accessibility needs have a section dedicated to providing them with a full-length view of the ice, rather than sitting mostly below the sideboards. Neighborhood 3 Pelham Civic Complex is tucked behind a row of gas stations, hotels, and regional and national chain restaurants that connect I-65 and Pelham Parkway. However, the arena has such a wide variety of choices on its concessions menu that a pre-game meal might not be necessary. If you are still looking to grab a bite before or after the game, though, nearby Creekside BBQ would be a good choice. Beer enthusiasts might also enjoy a visit to The Beer Hog with its two-hundred craft beers and sixty-five taps. Nature lovers might enjoy exploring the nearby Oak Mountain State Park with its various outdoor activities. The arena is also neighbored by Oak Mountain Amphitheater, and sits across the street from a still in-progress, mixed-use development that will feature restaurants, retail shops, and apartments. Fans 4 Fans start piling up at the arena’s metal detectors about an hour before the doors open. The inadvertent clatter of cowbells also rattles up and down the line in anticipation of being allowed in. A group of rather rambunctious fans pick the seats at the far end of the rink, right behind the visiting goalie. They have dubbed themselves the “10H8 Rowdy Bunch” – this bunch is quick to heckle anyone on the ice who is not in a Bulls sweater, by comparing their performance to that of a vacuum. Fans work themselves into a frenzy at the announcement of a power play. This is when the previously clattered cowbells are now paired with the sound of a vuvuzela, as the fans stomp and clap in hopes the Bulls are able to muster a power play goal. Access 3 Pelham Civic Complex is located less than a mile off Interstate-65 heading into Birmingham. With Birmingham being the junction of four major interstate highways (I-20, I-22, I-59, and I-65), the area is accessible from several of the metropolitan areas in the southeast. Once at the arena, most parking is to the right side of the building, and is just a short walk to the front entrance, which is the only entry point for non-season ticket holders. Season ticket holders have a VIP entrance on the main parking lot side of the building. The main lobby fills quickly as fans file in to purchase apparel, Chuck-a-Puck opportunities, jersey raffles, and 50/50 tickets. It can take a bit of work to get through the lobby at first, but as fans start moving toward their seats the lobby empties out. There are four main entry points into the rink – two doorways enter directly to a small area of seats on either side of the near end of the arena, while two other entry points are used to access seats on each side of the ice. To the left of the main entrance, fans will walk upstairs to an inner walkway that wraps two-thirds around the rink, and make their way down to their seats from there. To the right fans, walk below the stands and come through tunnels to get to the seating area; either side of the rink is easily accessible. Return on Investment 3 Prices for tickets are not substantially expensive, but they might be a tick higher than expected for minor league hockey. Typical general admission tickets run $15 plus another $5 for parking, so fans are $20 in before walking through the doors. Inside the arena, well-priced concessions do a good job balancing out the ticket and parking rates. Most snacks of substance are $6-$7, while baskets, such as entrées with fries, are $10. Extras 2 The Birmingham Bulls app allows fans to take part in interactive in-game contests, as well as check game stats in real time. In the SPHL, almost every night seemingly has a theme, gate giveaway, or jersey auction – there always seems to be something special going on at each game. Final Thoughts When you move away from the bright lights and thousands upon thousands of seats at the highest levels of professional hockey, you tend to find some of the most passionate fan bases in all sports. These levels allow fans to make personal connections with players and vice versa. Fans in these arenas care deeply about their teams, and that feeling bleeds through to the enjoyment of attending a Bulls hockey game.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Sutter Health Park 400 Ballpark Dr West Sacramento, CA 95691 Athletics website Sutter Health Park website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 14,014 The Athletics Temporary Home in Sacramento The saga of the Oakland Athletics under owner John Fisher has reached its nadir as the team is playing out of a minor league park in Sacramento for three seasons while their new ballpark in Las Vegas is being constructed. It's embarrassing for Fisher, and MLB should be ashamed for letting it happen. Unfortunately, the Oakland Coliseum proved to be only a temporary solution, as the allure of Las Vegas ultimately drew the team away from the Bay Area.  Still, baseball politics are not in the scope of stadium reviews, and we want to have every stadium covered, so we made a trip to California's capital city to see how the no-name Athletics (their team isn't even using Sacramento) are faring at Sutter Health Park. Food & Beverage 4 There are several large fixed concession stands at the back of the concourse with a wide variety of choices. Most intriguing was Coop and Kennel Pub, where a Pastrami Fry will set you back $16, while a Pastrami Dog is $14. The Golden Spike Chophouse has more traditional offerings, such as Chicken Tenders & Fries ($15), Cheeseburger & Fries ($16), and a Crispy Fried Chicken Sub ($13).  Oso's Mexican Cantina has you covered if you prefer a bit of a kick, with loaded nachos going for $18, a walking taco for $15, a $13 burrito, and a Fiesta Salad for $15. Pizza and Pints is your spot, with a Grandma cheese slice at $12 - another buck will get you pepperoni on top of that. They also have garlic knots with marinara sauce for $14. Bridges Grille has paintings of the Golden Gate Bridge and nearby Tower Bridge (over which fans coming from downtown will walk), and its specialty items are Loaded Mac 'n' Cheese ($15) and a Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog ($15). All fixed stands offer the same standard fare, including hot dogs ($7, a jumbo is $13 while a veggie version is $9), jumbo soft pretzels ($7, $10 with cheese), popcorn ($9), and Cracker Jack ($7). There are also several portable stands, including Ciders and Sliders, that offer pulled pork or brisket sliders for $16. The Sweet Spot offers desserts, including milkshakes and a root beer float option, for $9, the same price as soft serve ice cream in a helmet. Pepsi products are available, with a souvenir cup priced at $9 and refills costing $3 — a worthwhile deal if you're attending multiple games. A regular fountain soda costs $7, and bottled beverages are available for $6. Beer is widely available starting at $15 for American lager, while the premium pour will set you back an extra couple of dollars. There is a beer garden in the left field corner that is open to the public, and you can enjoy your brews there in the shade before the game.   Atmosphere 3 Sutter Health Park Right Field Gate, Photo by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey It is a minor league ballpark and a good one, but it doesn't meet the standards of an MLB stadium. After walking over the iconic bright yellow bridge, you enter via the Right Field Gate (above), with no waiting as there are so few fans (the team has yet to sell out at the time of this writing, averaging about 9,800). Upon entering, you will find yourself next to the lawn, which is in the sun for the early part of the game. About the third inning during night games, the sun will have disappeared behind a large advertisement atop the roof. As you stroll through the open concourse, you’ll notice poles adorned with artwork created by children when the stadium first opened in 2000. Today, many of those young artists likely have children of their own, making it a special experience to return and share their early creations with the next generation. The seating bowl is typical for AAA parks, with 30 rows of sunbeaten green seats in each section. Around home plate, there are only a few seats in each row, but as you move up and towards the outfield, the rows get longer. The seating capacity is 10,624, with room for 3,390 more on the lawn and standing. The team has yet to sell out and is averaging 9,781, about 71 fans less than Tampa in their minor league stadium.  A rarity at a major league ballpark: the starting lineup written in marker. Retired numbers can be found along the concourse past third base, near the beer garden, while a banner celebrating the ball club's nine World Series titles is on a wall behind the outfield fence. Broadcasters throw plush baseballs to the crowd behind home plate during the 7th-inning stretch, which certainly gets people on their feet. It should be noted that the A’s renovated the park to meet MLB standards, adding new baseball-themed lights and a clubhouse behind the left field wall (it's fun to watch an ejected manager trundle out there), as well as an impressive scoreboard. Neighborhood 4 Sutter Health Park is located in West Sacramento, just across the river from Old Sacramento, a cool little tourist area with several bars and eateries. My recommendation is Fanny Ann's Saloon, where you get 20 percent off food and drink if you show your game ticket. Their kitchen closes at 10 pm, so this is better for pregaming if attending a night game. The staff and regulars are very friendly if you can get a seat at the bar.  If you are looking for something afterwards, Honey and the Trapcat has a kitchen open until 2 a.m. as well as a good beer selection. If you prefer chain restaurants, you will appreciate the weekday happy hour (half-priced appetizers and discounts on beer) at Yard House, part of the Downtown Commons (DoCo) area just a couple of minutes away. If you're looking for something filling that won't break the bank, try Bistro Bravado's breakfast burrito, a meal and a half for just $10. There are dozens of other choices throughout downtown, so there should be something for everyone. In terms of attractions, the State Capitol is the most obvious; see if you can find the painting of Arnie, who once governed here. The California State Capitol Museum is on site. Meanwhile, in Old Sacramento, you will find the California State Railroad Museum, while the Museum of Science and Curiosity is a few minutes north. Art aficionados will enjoy the Crocker Art Museum just south of Old Sacramento. If you are flying in, you do not need a car here as the bus to and from the airport is quick. I generally recommend staying downtown as there is enough to see and do, and you can walk to the stadium. The Holiday Inn Downtown is one option, while the Embassy Suites is right at the foot of the Tower Bridge. There is also a light rail system that will take you to the suburbs, such as Rancho Cordova, though not too many tourists will need to use it. One thing to note is that homelessness has become quite a problem in Sacramento, and you will see it on every block as you make your way around downtown.  Fans 3 The team is averaging about 70 percent of capacity, with many of them seeing the visiting team. It makes sense, as why would you invest time as a resident if the team is going to leave in a couple of years? There's already minor league ball for a lot less. Still, the fans who attend are cheering for the Athletics and are friendly to visiting fans, which is all you can ask for. Access 4 The stadium sits right alongside I-5. If you're driving, it's best to take the downtown exit and park in one of the garages at DoCo or Old Sacramento, then walk across the Tower Bridge to the stadium. While there is parking available near the stadium, rates are as high as $80, which is pretty outrageous. If you're staying downtown, walking is the way to go, and it seems like about half the fans choose that option. Inside, the concourse does get crowded at times, but there are no issues with concession lines or restrooms.  Return on Investment 2 Tickets start at $25 for lawn "seats", but you have to sign up for a text service, and every morning, these seats are released via a link sent by SMS to your phone. The remaining normal seats are also sold at a significant discount via this link, so this is worth doing. The regular ticket prices are absurd ($60 for lawn seats, $150+ for those in the infield), and you should be able to find better and cheaper options on the secondary market. For example, I found a seat four rows behind the visiting dugout for just $34, something that would cost much more at every other ballpark. There is a small club with seats on the second level above first base. Known as the Solon Club after the minor league teams that played here for most of the 20th century, a regular ticket is $220, making it the biggest rip-off in baseball, as the seats are in the sun for the first few innings, and the food offerings are limited to hot dogs, brats, links, iceberg lettuce wedges, and fresh fruit. Beer and wine are free, but you'd have to have 15 of them to get your money's worth. If attending multiple games and you are able to get in here for $30 on the secondary market, it is worth the experience, but not for much more. Extras 2 The club area can be reached by two staircases, with the one near third base featuring a small exhibit on the region’s baseball history. The display highlights the legacy of the Sacramento Solons — a name carried by several minor league teams over the past century. If you ask politely, you should be allowed to have a look; there is also a bobblehead collection on the top shelf. Final Thoughts Overall, Sutter Health Park is ideal for AAA ball, but far too small to host a major league team. Still, that does give you a chance to see the big club in cozy conditions for far less than at a major league stadium (assuming you luck out on the secondary market), so there is some upside, as long as you were not a fan of the Oakland Athletics.

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Soldier Field 1410 Museum Campus Dr Chicago, IL 60605 Chicago Bears website Soldier Field website Year Opened: 1924 Capacity: 61,500 Bears Soldier ON Soldier Field is known as the oldest stadium in the NFL, as its construction and opening date back to 1924. The first issue with that is that it was originally called Grant Park Municipal Stadium. The name was changed to Soldier Field in 1925 at the request of the Gold Star Mothers. The second issue with this honor is that it did not become an NFL stadium until 1971 when the Bears moved over from Wrigley Field. It also was built in stages running from 1922-1939 during its original construction. At the conclusion of this period, the stadium could hold more than 100,000 fans. Soldier Field lives up to its name as there are numerous salutes to the armed forces both inside and outside of the venue. A statue of a World War I “doughboy” is in the southern end of the stadium, while a veteran’s memorial water wall is in the northern end of the facility. There have been numerous renovations since the 1930s, with the most massive taking place in 2002. This renovation demolished the interior of the stadium, leaving only the exterior façade of the stadium intact. These include the iconic columns that one thinks of when you think of the classic Soldier Field. The renovations so altered the stadium that it had its Historic Landmark status removed. The changes were ridiculed as the seating bowl inserted inside the exterior walls was much higher than the exterior, leaving the impression of a flying saucer landing on top of Soldier Field. Many locals referred to it as the “Eyesore on the Lakeshore”. However, there were good intentions to this remodel, as the purpose was to bring the stands closer to the field to provide a better view for the fans. They were successful in this accomplishment as only MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has seats closer to the action. Today’s version of Soldier Field offers seating for 61,500 and more than 115 luxury suites. Food & Beverage 4 Chicago is a foodie town, and the concessions available at Soldier Field tend to provide the best the city has to offer. South Marche offers Chicago dogs as well as Chicago-style pizza. Second City Pizza offers cheese, sausage, and Buona Italian beef pizzas. Gastro Pub 1410 carries hoagies and a great set of chicken wings. If you are in the mood for brats, the Stockyard Grill will fill the bill. Portage Park is known for its terrific Polish sausages. Buona Beef offers a delicious Italian beef sandwich. BBQ lovers can choose from either County BBQ or Bronzeville BBQ for chicken, pork or great ribs. Burger lovers should head over to DMK where they will have a choice of several delicious burgers. Atmosphere 4 Architectural concerns aside, Soldier Field is a great place to watch an NFL game. The seating bowl does provide excellent sightlines to the field. The videoboards in the stadium measure 128 ft X 40 ft and provide a crystal-clear picture. The Bears have a long tradition going back to the creation of the NFL and the long coaching career of Coach George Halas. The field here is grass, as artificial turf simply does not belong on a football field in the city of Chicago. Even though some of the Bear greats like Sayers and Ditka did not play in this stadium they belong to the same heritage of later heroes such as Mike Singletary, Walter Payton, and William “The Fridge” Perry, who did play at Soldier Field and teamed up to bring the city of Chicago its most recent Super Bowl victory. The Bears have a great deal of pride in their gameday experience for the fans. They offer four different areas of pregame entertainment and the areas around the stadium open 4 hours prior to the game, giving fans plenty of time to enjoy tailgating with their friends and getting fired up for the game. The stadium gates also open two hours prior to the kickoff, allowing fans more time to enjoy themselves with their seatmates. The NFC North is almost like the “Original Six” in the NHL. Each of the teams in the conference has ties back to the beginning of the NFL. It is one of the most competitive conferences in the NFL, with every in-conference game close no matter what the team records are. All of this adds up to a great atmosphere to enjoy a fall afternoon at Soldier Field. Neighborhood 3 Soldier Field is located off Lakeshore Drive, Chicago’s front door to Lake Michigan. Its immediate neighbors on the Museum Campus include the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. Between the deepness of the parkland and the vast wideness of Lakeshore Drive, the bus lanes and CTA tracks it is nearly a mile before you would find the small neighborhood taverns and other gathering places that typically surround stadiums. If you head north on Lakeshore and you will find all sorts of restaurants and several forms of entertainment along the famous Navy Pier. One of the most popular destinations along Lakeshore Drive for a selfie is the Bean sculpture, which provides a reflection of you in a very distorted way. The Chicago Lakefront District also is a great place to get some exercise. There are running trails that go on for miles or you can rent a bike and cruise safely along the lakefront in designated bike lanes. We advise you to take part in one of the many fan entertainment areas surrounding Soldier Field. They range from family-friendly entertainment to areas where hardcore fans can get their pregame football fix. When game time grows near, you don’t want to find yourself a great distance from the stadium as the lines get very long just before kickoff. Fans 5 Unlike, baseball, where the allegiances are split between the northside/southside, Chicagoans are all Bears fans. This has been true for generations of families due to the team’s long history. Bears fans are amongst the most loyal fans in the NFL. They are easy to spot, as the dress code on gameday is wearing the classic jersey of your favorite Bears player. They also know all the words to “Bear Down” and sing it with great gusto after every Chicago score or victory. Chicago fans never let the often harsh winter storms that come off the lakefront deter them from being at Soldier Field on gamedays. Even in their zeal for the home team, Bears fans show the Midwestern characteristic of friendliness to visitors. You may show up in an archrival Packers jersey, but the worst you can expect is a little good-natured ribbing from the fans around you. In fact, Bears fans have even been parodied on Saturday Night Live for their love and support for Da’ Bears over the years. Access 4 Getting to anything in Chicago by driving can be a real “bear”, so we recommend you take one of the many modes of public transportation available in the Greater Chicago area. The CTA offers train access to Soldier Field on its Red, Green, and Orange lines via the Roosevelt Station. The #128 Soldier Field Express busses will run from both Chicago Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center directly to Soldier Field for the very reasonable price of $5 roundtrip. The METRA rail system runs “Bear Extra” trains up from the southside of Chicago. If you insist on driving, please understand that the parking in the North, South, and Waldron Lots nearest the stadium are reserved for season ticket holders. Most lots require prepaid parking coupons. There is very little cash parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Adler Planetarium or Burnham Harbor Lots near the stadium. Offsite parking is located at McCormick Place Lot B or the Millennium Park Garage for $45. Shuttles will then ferry fans to the game. Lots open 4 hours prior to kickoff and close 2 hours after the game ends. Once in the stadium, you may find the concourses to be somewhat congested. They tend to bend in several directions and then suddenly become ramps due to the odd fitting of the seating bowl into the original footprint of the stadium exterior. This is one of the things that make Soldier Field so unique. Return on Investment 3 The Bears utilize a variable pricing system on their tickets, Preseason game tickets run from $41-$131, non-division opponents run from $69-$217. Divisional games go at varied prices as Packer games are $132-$254, Lions tickets cost $76-$218, and Vikings games go for $98-$227. We’ve mentioned the transportation fees in the Access section. There are several different price points found in the rates of nearby hotels, so sometimes it is wiser to stay further away from the stadium and take one of the many public transportation options to Soldier Field. Extras 3 The Bears date back to an era where there was a team song. In the case of Chicago, that ditty is “Bear Down” Among the events Soldier Field has hosted over the years are the Jack Dempsey-Gene Tunney “long-count” boxing match in the 1930s, the opening ceremonies for the soccer World Cup in 1994, and the final concert by the Grateful Dead in 2015. The Midway is a climate-controlled hospitality space on the West side of the Verizon Mezzanine Concourse which includes seating, four full-service bars, specialty food stations, and plenty of monitors so you can keep updated on the game. Single-game passes can be purchased on the Chicago Bears app. Sounds like a great place to be on those late December games! Final Thoughts The Bears and Soldier Field both have a legendary history for Chicago natives. The fact that they never got together until the mid-1970s is somewhat symbolized by the present design of the stadium…. a modern-day seating bowl stuffed into a classic exterior dating back to the 1920s. Its’ setting on the shoreline of Lake Michigan is both a blessing and a curse. It is very scenic in the early fall, but brutal when the icy winds blow off the lake during the late-season games.

Photos by Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Binghamton University Events Center 4400 Vestal Parkway East Vestal, NY 13902 Binghamton Bearcats website Binghamton University Events Center website Year Opened: 2004 Capacity: 5,142 Binghamton Bearcats Basketball When you notice that the name of the arena is something very generic like “Events Center” you fear the worst, a non-descript building with little charm. Fortunately, that feeling largely disappears when you step foot into Binghamton’s Events Center for a Bearcats basketball game. Get over the name and you actually have a pretty good facility to see college basketball. Opened in 2004, the Binghamton University Events Center hosts the basketball program which has only been a Division I program since 2001. The program played in its lone NCAA basketball tournament in 2009. It’s an attractive facility both inside and out, and despite being a multi-use facility, in really pulls off the basketball game experience well. Food & Beverage 3 Food and beverage selections are pretty standard, with one notable exception. First, the basics include hot dogs ($2.25), candy ($2.50), popcorn ($2.75-$3.50), nachos ($3.50), and soft pretzels ($3). Drinks include bottled water ($2.75), coffee, and hot chocolate ($2). Soft drinks are provided by Coke. The one unique and locally-inspired item is a “spiedie”. A spiedie is a sandwich of marinated cubes of meat (in this case chicken, but it could be pork, beef, venison, or lamb). The sandwich is served on a garlic roll, and topped with ranch sauce. It’s very good and well worth the $4.50 price tag. It’s always nice to have something local when you go to a game. Atmosphere 3 The amount of cheerleaders and dance teams is rather overwhelming. I counted 52 during my visit. When the cheerleaders outnumber the players and the pep band combined, then you may have too many. They do a good job and stay involved at all junctures, but how many cheerleaders do you really need? There’s also a Bearcat mascot, named Baxter. Baxter makes his rounds both in the stands and under the opponent's basket where he’ll try to distract the opponents during their free throws. All of the seating within the Events Center is retractable. Sideline seats are all green plastic chairbacks, which are somewhat flimsy, but comfortable and provide better-than-average legroom. There are no cupholders in these seats. Each baseline features green plastic bleacher seats. The student section and pep band are on the end of the floor nearest the opponent's bench. Speaking of the pep band, it is a small, but talented ensemble. The 12 members belt out current hits whenever they have the opportunity. There is one lone scoreboard, which is four-sided and center-hung. The scoreboard has no video capabilities, instead cycling three ads throughout the entire game. The score, time, time outs left, team fouls, and period are on display. During my visit, one fan had an opportunity to win a car by sinking a half-court shot, and he failed dismally, but it was still fun to see the high-stakes contest. Neighborhood 3 Binghamton’s athletic facilities, including the Events Center, are located just off of Vestal Parkway, and there are plenty of chain restaurants that line this busy thoroughfare. Just name your favorite chain, and you’ll likely find it here. If you are a beer lover, then the Ale House is probably the place that you’ll want to visit before or after the game. The good news is that they have 36 beers on tap, and all of them are interesting. They also have excellent pizza. The bad news is that the service, at least during my visit, leaves a lot to be desired. I was ignored before finally receiving service, mostly because the bartender and another staff member were busy flirting with each other. It’s too bad because this is a nice little bar. Don’t let the hole in the wall look fool you. If you are more patient than I am, then you’ll likely enjoy this spot. Fans 3 My visit coincided with senior night, which is always a special event, regardless of what school or sport you visit. The fans gave standing ovations to the four seniors who were honored, most notably Jimmy Gray, the team’s leading scorer and a local product from Binghamton. The student section, located behind the basket nearest the opponent's bench, was as lifeless as a corpse, unfortunately. The school has an enrollment of about 12,000 undergrads, so the student turnout was really disappointing. What’s worse is that at halftime, the students banded together to do a little dance number, showing that they clearly have the energy to be a force during the game, but simply choose not to. To their credit, the fans came alive in the last portion of the second half, which helped the overall atmosphere, but once again made their inability to make their presence known earlier in the game that much more frustrating. Other fans are in the game, but unfortunately, it’s not enough to make up for the lackluster students, an essential element of truly great college basketball. Access 4 Parking is free and the campus can be found just off of Route 17 which is just a couple of miles from I-81. When you enter the campus, there is a sign asking visitors to stop by the information booth. I did, and the person working there seemed perplexed why I would stop, so my advice is to skip this and just proceed into the campus, keeping to the right for the Events Center. The main concourse in the arena is above the seating sections with only one concession stand open during my visit. The restrooms are clean and modern, although not too large. You may expect lines if it is a full house. Also, be careful when washing your hands as the sinks spray excessively hard. Depending on your height, you may be left with a wet middle section. Return on Investment 4 Chairback seats will cost you $12, and all other seats are only $8. This is a fantastic bargain, but when you factor in free parking along with a spiedie and drink, you’re under $20 per person. This is well worth it to get to see some Division I basketball, even if the America East Conference is not the highest level of competition. If the students would turn out in greater numbers, then the return would be even greater. Extras 3 One extra point for the pep band, which has a greater presence than their numbers would indicate. I have seen plenty of other programs with small pep bands that are nowhere close to the talent of this group. Also, an extra point for making this multi-purpose arena feel like a basketball arena. This is not always an easy feat, but Binghamton is successful in this endeavor, making for a much better fan experience than I originally expected. The dance team is also very good and does a good job of performing synchronized dance routines during the breaks. Final Thoughts I understand that not everyone is as big of a college basketball junkie as I am, so Binghamton is not going to be a sought after destination for many travelers. However, if you love the game and are anywhere in central New York, it is well worth your time to check the Bearcats schedule and see if you can’t go see a basketball game at the Events Center.

Photos by Steve Ohnsman, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Waldo Stadium 1903 W Michigan Ave Kalamazoo, MI 49008 Western Michigan Broncos website Waldo Stadium website Year Opened: 1939 Capacity: 30,200 The Ship Has Sailed Waldo Stadium opened its doors in 1939 for $250,000 with a 6-0 victory over Miami (Ohio) University. The home of the Western Michigan Broncos was named for the school's first President Dwight D. Waldo and over the years has been renovated and expanded to its current 30,200-seat capacity. The Broncos play in the Mid-Atlantic Conference and Eastern Michigan is their arch rivals. The football program began in 1906 and has captured MAC championships in 1966, 1988, and 2016; western division championships in 1999, 2000, 2015, and 2016; and have made seven bowl appearances. The school boasts 41 alumni who went on to play professionally in the NFL. A popular WMU slogan created by head coach P. J. Fleck during the 2013-16 football season was “Row the Boat.” Fleck took the phrase with him when he accepted the head coach position at the University of Minnesota. They now have two new phrases: “Let It Reign” and “Let's Ride” which relate to the team name Broncos and their popular tradition where a student rides a horse charging onto the field at the beginning of each home game. The crowds at the stadium never reach their capacity but do get a bump in attendance when nearby rivals pay a visit to town. There have been a few changes since our last visit a few years ago, but as Waldo enters its ninth decade it’s still a pleasurable facility to enjoy a college football game during the fall months. Food & Beverage 4 The traditional sandwiches cost $4 to $7 and snacks are offered at Waldo, along with pulled chicken sandwiches and nachos. Pepsi products along with water, coffee, Gatorade, and hot chocolate go for $3 to $4. Credit cards are accepted at the main concession stands. There are no alcoholic beverages available in the stadium. Atmosphere 3 Waldo Stadium has seating on all four sides, with gaps in each corner. There are three scoreboards, two above the northeast end zone and one above the southwest end zone, so fans sitting anywhere in the stadium can see them easily. The big one is on the southwest side, the other two are smaller. The staff does a lot of fun things to enhance the experience, the most memorable of which is having someone ride a horse onto the field before the team comes on. They also shoot off a howitzer after every score, which is located above the east corner if you want to snap a pic. Broncos-themed signage such as 'Welcome to Kalamazoo' is spelled out in front of the northwest stands. The WMU band is probably one of the most active I have ever seen, with constant motion and dancing; before the game, they spell out W-M-U facing both directions, so fans on either sideline can see it right-side up. This is cool because most college bands will only do formations one way, so half the fans see it upside down. And the activity doesn't stop there either; throughout the game, the band will dance and jump up and down in their seats, and will also do additional formations after a win. One notable tradition is their performing “I Got A Gal from Kalamazoo.” A majority of the seating is aluminum bleachers with a few plastic seats below the press box. Seat cushions are rented for additional comfort. Suites sit atop three of the seating sections. WMU mascot Buster the Bronco is a tall horse character. Neighborhood 4 Waldo Stadium is just south of the WMU main campus with many restaurants, breweries, and bars nearby. This is a great destination city to spend the weekend before or after the game. The cities of Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids appear to be battling each other for the title “Craft Beer Capital of Michigan.” Local options include One Well Brewing, Bell's Eccentric Cafe, Final Gravity, Latitude 42, and Arcadia Brewing. University Roadhouse and Waldo's Tavern are great choices, both of which are within walking distance of the stadium. University Roadhouse offers burgers, pasta, seafood, and sandwiches, as well as drink specials every day of the week. Waldo's Tavern, on the other hand, has typical bar food such as wings, burgers, and pizza, but also boasts cheap drinks. Ray Ray's Italian Beef and Sausage is located on Miller Road for great food at low prices. If the college student scene isn't your bent, a little further from the stadium you can find Eccentric Cafe and Kalamazoo Beer Exchange. Eccentric Cafe has local beers from Bell's Brewery, located right here in Kalamazoo, while Kalamazoo Beer Exchange offers darts, pinballs, and pools. Fans 3 Over the years, WMU fans have ramped up their tailgating game with large tents, grills, and tables arriving early in the nearby parking lots. This is a bit of a challenge for night games as the university staff need their parking and the fans like to start early; many lots are not available until 5 pm so the 7 pm kickoff causes a short interval for fun. Considering the student population on campus, the number of students who attend WMU football games is relatively low. The band makes up for that fact with lively, entertaining shows. A unique tradition takes place when an Amtrak train stops in Kalamazoo (on its run between Detroit and Chicago) and passes by on the north side. WMU fans wave at the train, the engineer blows the train's horn and the passengers are advised in advance when games are scheduled. Access 4 The southeast side of Waldo Stadium is built into the side of a hill and the majority of the parking is located atop that hill which means many fans must be ready for several stairs going down to the stadium and (more challenging) going up after the game. Fans with special needs are best served by entering the north side gates at the street level. There are plenty of parking lots all around Waldo Stadium, some of which are reserved for pass holders; these tend to be on the front side along Michigan Avenue. The back side is where you want to be if you are paying cash, and you can park for just $10 within a few blocks of the stadium. There are gates all around the outside, so you can enter wherever you want, but note that will call is at Gate 1, next to the southwest end zone. Once you get inside, moving around is fairly easy. There are plenty of functional bathrooms and are kept clean. There is also a walkway that connects the four sets of stands, so if your side is too crowded, or too loud, you can move around. There are no ramps into the stands that I saw, but those with special needs can sit in front of the walkway on any side, on little cutouts built for that purpose. Return on Investment 4 Tickets may be purchased online in advance, prices run $18-$30. The concession prices are quite reasonable for college events and parking is around $10. All of these prices make for a good bargain at the stadium. Extras 4 One point for the railroad track on the north side, you can sometimes see Amtrak trains going by during the game. The great tailgating, the quality of breweries and restaurants in the area, and the official band bring three more additional points. Final Thoughts Waldo Stadium is a fine stadium to visit on the weekends. The Broncos staff provide a fun experience and the game day staff makes everyone in attendance feel right at home.

Photos by Steve Ohnsman, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43 DeVos Fieldhouse 222 Fairbanks Ave. Holland, MI 49423 Hope College Flying Dutchmen website DeVos Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 2005 Capacity: 3,009 A Jewel of Small College Arenas Hope College has a storied men’s basketball history which was enhanced in 2005 when the DeVos Fieldhouse opened. The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation contributed an anchor gift of $7,500,000 for the project which ended up totaling $22,000,000. It holds 3,009 fans and also serves the women’s basketball and men’s/women’s volleyball programs. In 1990 and 2006, the women’s basketball team and the 2014 women’s volleyball team won the D3 national title. Hope is an NCAA Division III college and a long-standing member of the MIAA Conference. While it is clearly impossible to compare all of the D3 schools’ facilities, this might be one of the best in the country. Hope College has led the USA D3 men’s basketball attendance for the last 15 consecutive years and the women’s hoops attendance the last 9 seasons. The facility is also used by the citizens of Holland, Michigan for various events throughout the year. One-half mile to the west is downtown Holland and the Hope College campus, while the school’s baseball, softball, football, and soccer stadiums are less than a mile east of the fieldhouse. A seven-mile drive takes fans to the shores of Lake Michigan, enjoying views of Lake Macatawa along the way. Food & Beverage 4 Two identical concession stands flank the courtyard entry and they offer a nice variety of items including a personal pizza ($4.25), pulled pork sandwich ($5.25), hot dog ($3.50), and the highly recommended “Michigander” ($5.25). The sandwich is a Founders beer bratwurst on an oatmeal stout bun with house pickled peppers and onions; all sandwich combos include chips and a soda. Healthy alternatives include chicken Caesar wrap and fruit cups. Pepsi products come fountain style $2.50 for 20-ounces, along with coffee, bottled water, and Gatorade. Other traditional snacks are also available. No alcohol is sold in the arena. Each stand has an “Extra Point Card” to help regular fans to save some money. For every $4 purchase at “any” Hope Athletic Concession Booth, the card is punched; after 10 punches, the cardholder gets $4 off a future purchase. Atmosphere 5 The main entrance is on the east side of the arena. Fans enter the building at ground level and walk down to their seats. The first five rows of the upper bowl have very comfortable padded seats, the next five rows are plastic and the bottom six rows are bleacher-style. Ten rows of bleacher seats are behind one basket. Concession stands and restrooms are near the entrance doors. The seats do not have cup holders, but they are quite comfortable and provide excellent sight lines to the floor. Additional bleacher seats are behind the basket on the west side. The sound system is excellent with great music. Along the north and south side, the history of all Hope’s athletic teams is displayed in an impressive manner. There are windows along one wall allowing a view into the training facilities, a trophy case is near the entrance, and the scoreboard over center court provides team statistics. Hope’s Mascot is named Dutch; he is a tall bearded character who greets fans before the game and hangs with the student section during the game. The staff is very friendly and welcoming and an excellent, free game day program is available at the entrance. Neighborhood 3 The fieldhouse is located in a residential neighborhood less than half a mile from a great small town center offering plenty of things to do before and after the game in terms of eating and drinking. Recommended restaurants are a short drive away and include DeBoer Bakkerij for breakfast and lunch plus great bakery items, Daddio’s Carry Out’s for excellent Southern food, Salt and Pepper Savory Grill for lunch and dinner, and Seventy-Six Restaurant for creative American fare. Western Michigan is really “hopping” when it comes to craft breweries and Holland has several spots to check out, including Brewery 4 Two 4, Our Brewing Company, Big Lake Brewing, and New Holland Brewing. While visiting the area, the Holland State Park Beach on Lake Michigan is very popular, along with Windmill Island Gardens and the Felt Estate. Holland is the home of the annual Tulip Festival. The Downtown Courtyard Hotel and City Flats Hotel are the best nearby lodging facilities. Many others can be found along highway US 31. Fans 5 The long tradition of athletic success has translated into a very loyal, loud, supportive and knowledgeable fan base. If you are looking for that unique small college experience, this is the place. Hope leads the country for D3 basketball attendance with crowds well over the 2,000 plateau. Section 10 is reserved for Hope students and they pack it full. They are called the “Dew Crew” and are sponsored by Mountain Dew. Stadium Journey was fortunate to attend a Calvin – Hope game, a rivalry rated number 4 in the country by ESPN (the only D3 to be honored with such a recognition). The game has been televised for 50 years; even better, was the fact that this was the 200th game for this historic and friendly competition. What an atmosphere. Access 4 Even though DeVos Fieldhouse is in a residential area, it is an easy drive or walk from downtown. Free parking lots surround the facility; check the small lot on the north side for a few spots open to the public. The entrance is through the east side. The MAX Transit has bus stops at the arena with the nearest airport in Grand Rapids. Once inside, we suggest walking around both concourses to see the historic displays of Hope’s athletics and the trophy cases. The court is readily visible from the concourse above. Restrooms are located at the east and west ends of the arena. They are very clean and designed properly for typical crowds. Handicap parking and seating are very good for those needing assistance. Return on Investment 5 As they say: “Such a Deal” Tickets cost $10 for very comfortable padded seats, $7 for adult bleacher seats and $5 bleacher seats for children 18 and under. Free parking is great and the concession prices are a bargain. Regular fans can save a few bucks using the Extra Point Card. Extras 5 Extra points go for an overall great atmosphere, professional high-quality game day production, free parking, low concession prices, sports history kiosks along the concourse, many championship banners overhead and the delightful downtown nearby.

Rendering of Monroe Park complete with Roller Coaster, Outdoor Theater, and Pier, Photo Courtesy of University of South Alabama As the home of five Baseball Hall of Famers, Mobile’s baseball history stretches almost as far back as the sports’ beginnings. As far back as the 1860s baseball was played at ‘The Pit,’ now known as Stan Galle Field, on the campus of Spring Hill College – Stan Galle Field is also the oldest continuously used baseball park that is still standing. As the city evolved and grew at the turn of the 20th century, so did the game of baseball in the city. In 1901 a baseball park was constructed at Monroe Park, right on the bay in Downtown Mobile. The field was located in a popular city park that had a carousel, roller coasters, a golf course, pavilion, pier, boardwalk, and a fancy street car system that made a stop in the park. The Mobile Sea Gulls, later the Bears, called the park home and played in the short lived Southern Interstate League that later turned into the Southern Association. The Sea Gulls drew very well and would lead the league in attendance in 1913, bringing in over 100,000 fans for the season. One of the only known photos of an Actual Game Played at Monroe Park, Photo Courtesy of the Mobile Press-Register By the 1920s, Mobile’s Monroe Park was a popular place hosting baseball games, concerts, movie premieres, and political rallies, and was nicknamed the “Coney Island of the South.” The park was also the spring training destination for the Orioles (then the St. Louis Browns), Indians (then known as the Naps) and White Sox . Cy Young played here as a pitcher during the Naps 1909 spring training, and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson would play on the field as a player for the Naps in 1912. Baseball was so popular in Mobile at the time that when the Alabama legislature outlawed the playing of baseball on Sundays, people went on strike and opposed the ban, so much so that Mayor Harry Hartwell successfully lobbied to get the ban overturned. Shoeless Joe Jackson played at Monroe Park as a member of the Cleveland Naps in 1912, Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia Sadly in 1926 a hurricane would hit Mobile and completely devastate the grounds around Monroe Park; the park would never be rebuilt. Instead a stadium was built about a mile west that opened in 1927 and was named Hartwell Field , after the mayor who contributed so much to baseball in Mobile. Hartwell Field would host professional baseball through the 1966 season before being torn down in the early 1980s. Today only a shadow of the former baseball stadium and amusement park is left; Brookley Field Air Force Base opened in the 1940s and currently occupies the site where the park was once located, while the I-10 overpass runs right over the premises. However, there is one area of Monroe Park that is still left – at Arlington Point there is a small park that features a pavilion, walking trails, and a pier. If you go to the pier and look closely at the live oaks lining the waterfront you can imagine a baseball field on this site 100 years ago, and you will be standing on the former grounds of the one of the busiest and most popular parks in the 1920s south. Walking path at Arlington Park, located on the Waterfront of the once thriving Monroe Park, Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Once the main road though the park, these beautiful hundred-year-old oak trees are the only remains of Monroe Park, Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Hangars from Brookley AFB and Mobile Downtown Airport now occupy the former site of Monroe Park, Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey View of Monroe Park as it looks today, looking towards the water, Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Based on old photos I concluded Monroe Park would have been located near this building, the Whiting Reception Hall, Photo by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.14 Chase Family Arena at Reich Family Pavilion 200 Bloomfield Ave. West Hartford, CT 06117 Hartford Hawks basketball website Chase Family Arena at Reich Family Pavilion website Year Opened: 1990 Capacity: 4,017 Empty Nest Syndrome In March of 2021 the University of Hartford Hawks were the talk of the NCAA, qualifying for the first basketball tournament in the school’s history. Less than two months later, the entire athletic department was thrown into turmoil as the school announced they were downgrading their program to Division Three. A feasibility study conducted by a local consulting firm estimated that the financially struggling university would save $9.2 million annually by moving to the lower division. The transition to Division Three will be completed by September 2025. The University of Hartford was founded in 1957 when Hillyer College merged with Hartford Art School and the Hartt School. They took their athletic team names from Hillyer College, whose teams were known as the Flying Hawks, due to the presence of their basketball court on the fourth floor of their gymnasium. The Hawks play their home basketball games at the Chase Family Arena at Reich Family Pavilion, named in honor of the Chase and Reich Families for their history of gifts and contributions to the University. In addition to the basketball arena, the facility is home to the school’s volleyball gym, swimming pool, locker rooms, training facilities and administrative offices. Basketball has been played at the University of Hartford and its predecessors since 1949. Originally a member of Division Two, the Hawks qualified for four straight D-II tournaments from 1972-75. The 2021 Tournament appearance was the school’s only while in Division One. The Hawks now compete as an independent, having left the America East Conference as part of its transition. Vin Baker is the school’s only alumnus to play in the National Basketball Association. Food & Beverage 1 There is a concession stand in the lobby of the Reich Pavilion, but it was not open during Stadium Journey’s visit on a Sunday afternoon. It has been open during previous visits and still looks operational. In the past, this stand has offered a basic menu, including hot dogs, pizza slices and chicken tenders in addition to assorted snacks. A single point is awarded in this category due to the presence of a vending machine selling bottles of Coca-Cola products, water and energy drinks. It appears that fans are able to bring in their own snacks to Hartford basketball games. If the snack bar is open, you can add a couple of points to this score. Atmosphere 2 As you may imagine, interest and excitement around the basketball program has plummeted since the announcement that the program would be downgrading to Division Three. Still, the Hartford athletic department does their best to put on a good show for the fans that do show up. From any seat in the gym you can hear sneakers squeak, coaches shouting instructions to their players and fans yelling encouragement to the players. The “small school” experience is only amplified with the tiny crowds in attendance these days. The cheerleaders and spirit squad are present but add little to the overall atmosphere. The few students who do show up are there to watch the game, not get rowdy. Scoreboards on either end of the gym display basic game information while pixilated video screens show graphics and the occasional video. Neighborhood 2 The University of Hartford is located in West Hartford, surrounded by an affluent residential neighborhood, including the Hartford Golf Club. There aren’t any restaurants located within walking distance of the campus, meaning fans will have to travel a little to find entertainment, dining and lodging options. Downtown Hartford, which contains a great many restaurants and places of interest, is just a ten-minute drive away. Stadium Journey recommends City Steam Brewery and Black-Eyed Sally’s Southern Kitchen and Bar, among others. Fans looking for local attractions will want to check out the Mark Twain House or Harriet Beecher Stowe House while in Hartford. The state capitol building is also worth a look while in the area. There is no shortage of lodging options in downtown Hartford. Fans 1 For several years in the late teens, Hartford was averaging around 1,400 fans per game. As you may imagine, attendance has plummeted since the Division Three announcement. Stadium Journey attended a game against a local opponent on a Sunday afternoon with a reported attendance of around 300. Looking at other box scores from the 2022-23 season, this crowd appears to be right around the team’s average. The crowd at Chace Family Arena is a mix of die-hard fans, family members and a smattering of students. Most of the fans in attendance have a personal connection with the players on the court. Fans are enthusiastic and supportive. With the bulk of Hartford’s schedule consisting of local teams, you may find supporters of the visiting squad in attendance. Access 3 The Reich Family Pavilion is located on the north end of the University of Hartford campus alongside the school’s other athletic facilities. The campus is located where the towns of West Hartford and Bloomfield meet the city of Hartford. Downtown Hartford, including the XL Center and Dunkin’ Donuts Park , is located just a few miles away. Most fans traveling to the University of Hartford will arrive via Interstate 91 which runs north-south through Hartford, and then will arrive at campus via either Route 44 or 218, which run adjacent to the campus. Detailed directions to campus can be found here . Parking is available in lots that surround the Reich Family Pavilion. There are more than enough spots here to handle a typical crowd. While the vast majority of visitors to the University of Hartford arrive by car, those utilizing public transportation can take the 56 or 58 bus to campus. Check out the CT Transit website for more information. Fans enter the arena into a small lobby, which contains entrances to the pool and volleyball court, as well as the snack bar, ticket booth, and stairs to the upper deck. The bathrooms, which are more than adequate for the average Hawk crowd, are also located here. Seating at the Chase Family Arena consists of individual red folding seats along both sidelines, with wooden bleachers along each baseline. Each sideline has an upper section, which is set aside on the south side as the Gordon McCullough VIP Section. This section has its own bar and dining area attached, but it has been closed since the demotion announcement. All seats in this small gym have excellent views of the action. Return on Investment 4 Seats for Hartford Hawks cost $15 for reserved seating on either sideline, or $12 for pavilion seats in the upper deck. Parking is free in the lots surrounding the Chase Family Arena. Drinks in the vending machine cost $2.25. A night at a Hartford Hawks basketball game will certainly not break the bank. Extras 2 Extra points are awarded for the displays in the lobby that honor the Hawks two most distinguished athletic alumni, Baseball Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell and NBA first round pick Vin Baker. The University’s Athletic Hall of Fame has a display in the lobby. Baker’s retired jersey also hangs in the Chase Family Arena. Banners honoring conference titles and tournament appearances by both the men’s and women’s basketball programs hang from the rafters and on the walls of the facility. Final Thoughts Chase Family Arena served as a fine home to the Hawks when they were a mid-major Division One program. Now that the squad will be moving to Division Three, interest and enthusiasm in the program has plummeted, with the game day experience in Hartford now just a shell of what it used to be. This cozy gym now is in the unique circumstance of being too large for the school’s needs. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Buck Bowman Park 2228 Clover Hill Road Dayton, VA 22821 Clover Hill Bucks website Buck Bowman Park website Year Opened: 1954 Capacity: 1,500 Small Town Baseball Beneath the Clover Dome Nestled in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, the Rockingham County Baseball League is one of the oldest amateur baseball leagues in the country. The league's eight teams consist of a mix of current and former college players with ties to the area. Some of the latter have been playing in the league for years. The Clover Hill Bucks play in the RCBL and call Buck Bowman Park home. Known as the Clover Dome to locals, it is one of the last remaining parks with a wooden grandstand. Since moving here in 1954, the Bucks have won 18 RCBL championships, the most of any team in the league. Food & Beverage 3 There is one concession stand at Buck Bowman Park, although it has windows on both sides, one facing the field and one facing a grassy area behind the grandstand. Although the menu is limited, prices are some of the best you'll be able to find in baseball. Hot dogs are $2 (add 50 cents for chili), burgers are $3.50 (add 25 cents for cheese), fries are $2, popcorn and candy are $1.50, and lollipops and gum are just 25 cents each. Bottled water and assorted soft drinks are available for $2.50, while a cup of mint tea costs only $1.25. Although you may not want them on a warm summer night, hot chocolate and coffee are also $1.25. Keep in mind the stand only takes cash and it can take some time to get your food, although if you use the side facing the field, you will be able to watch the game while you wait. Atmosphere 5 Entering Buck Bowman Field feels like a step back in time to baseball as it used to be played. A covered wooden grandstand, one of the last of its kind, is behind home plate and while it may not be in the greatest condition, you can sense the history just by sitting there. More modern wooden bleachers are located further down the lines, and beyond those lies a seating area where fans can set up their chairs. This last one is the only area not behind a net, and in fact, there is not even a fence separating it from the field. Instead, there is a chalk line marking the boundary of the playing area that fans must sit behind (this should not be confused with the foul line.) If the ball crosses this line, it is considered out of play and will be treated as such under the ground rules. Although the wooden grandstand may be the least comfortable place to sit here, it does have the advantage of being extremely close to the action. Fans sitting in the front row are closer to home plate than they would be in almost any other ballpark, close enough to hear the conversations between catcher, batter, and umpire and see the drops of sweat dripping from the face of the person prepping the batters' box before the game. You will truly be up close and personal to the action if you sit here. A Clover Hill Bucks game is baseball at its purest. Although there are some advertisements on the fence and over the PA system, they are all for local businesses that support the team. There is no billion-dollar corporate influence here. Some music will be played over the PA system, but it does not get in the way of the game itself. This is baseball as it was meant to be played. One unusual quirk of Buck Bowman Park is that the sun sets in straightaway centerfield. Like at Waconah Park in Pittsfield, this means that games will sometimes feature sun delays and start 20 to 30 minutes after the scheduled time of 7:30 PM to wait for the sun to go behind the tree line. Neighborhood 1 The problem here isn't so much that the area around Buck Bowman Park is a bad neighborhood as much as that there is no neighborhood at all. The ballpark is surrounded by farms, and while there are a few local businesses that cater to those who live here, and they seem well-liked by the locals, nothing is likely to be of interest to out-of-towners attending a Bucks game except maybe a couple of fresh produce stands. If you want any place to eat, drink, or sleep, you will likely need to drive about 20 minutes into Harrisonburg, the nearest remote major population center. While Harrisonburg isn't a large city by any means, more of a small college town, it is at least a city. Macado's has some of the best sandwiches in the Shenandoah Valley, Kline's Dairy Bar is known for its ice cream, and there are other places to visit as well. That being said, you will have to do a bit of driving to get there. Fans 5 Despite Clover Hill's small size, it seems like almost the whole town turns out for a Bucks game. Many of the fans have been cheering on the team for decades, coming to almost every home game for a long time. This being farm country, some of the fans will ring cowbells after the Bucks score. The covered grandstand helps to trap in the sound and make it seem even louder than it otherwise would. Given the RCBL is spread out over such a small geographic footprint, many visiting fans will also make the short trek into Clover Hill. They are treated well enough by the home fans, but this still very much feels like a Bucks home game. The locals love their team and show up in droves to prove it. Access 2 As we mentioned earlier, Clover Hill is in the middle of the farm country. The nearest remote major town is Harrisonburg, about 20 minutes away via US Route 33. Once you get to the stadium, you will need to drive down a gravel path to a grass lot and park there. No marked spaces or attendants are directing you, other than to tell you to park anywhere that won't box anyone in. Despite this, cars park haphazardly, making it hard to figure out where you parked and get out when the game is over. Luckily everyone seemed to at least follow the instructions not to trap anyone in. There are restrooms on the grassy area down the right field line, near the concession stand, team store, and batting cages. They are small, but there is usually no wait to use one. The steps of the wooden grandstand behind the home plate have a long drop from one to another and may prove challenging for those with mobility issues. Even those who are physically capable of climbing them may get nervous stepping off the bottom step onto the ground because of the drop involved. The newer wooden bleachers down the lines are easier to climb but do not offer nearly as good a view. Return on Investment 5 Admission to most Bucks games is free of charge thanks to local business sponsors. For a few games, there may be a $5 admission charge. Check the Bucks' social media in advance to find out about specific games. Concession prices are incredibly affordable, and while you may spend a bit on gas to get here due to the park's remote location, a trip to a baseball game under the lights at the Clover Dome is still an outstanding value. . Extras 4 One bonus star for how close the home plate grandstand is to the action. Look for the team store on the grassy area down the first base line, and the deer skull above it. Both of these are worthy of an extra star. There are several places at Buck Bowman Park for kids to hang out and play baseball while their parents watch the game if they so choose. Before the game, the aforementioned grassy area will be full of kids playing catch with each other and their parents. Once the game starts, kids will hang out in the batting cage further down the right field line, playing their version of baseball with a toy bat and ball. Final Thoughts Buck Bowman Park is small-town baseball at its finest. The spirit of baseball is alive and well here in Clover Hill, at a ballpark steeped in rich history and a throwback to days of yore. An evening at the Clover Dome to check out a Bucks game should be on the bucket list of every baseball fan in Virginia.

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Mobile International Speedway 7800 Park Blvd Irvington, AL 36544 Mobile International Speedway website Year Opened: 1965 Capacity: 9,000 The Fastest Half-Mile in Alabama For over 50 years Mobile International Speedway has been South Alabama's premiere speedway. Nicknamed the fastest half-mile in Alabama, the oval-shaped track has welcomed some of the top drivers in the history of stock car racing. From Donnie Allison, Rusty Wallace, and Kyle Petty in their early years to Michael Waltrip and Kerry Earnhardt – all have come through Mobile on their way to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track even launched the careers of local drivers Cale Gale and Grant Enfinger, who would later compete in ARCA and the Craftsman Trucks series. Mobile International Speedway has seen it all since opening in 1965, hosting some of the top drivers and local races. In addition, MIS has been a Hollywood filming location, a popular Christmas light destination, and was even once owned and promoted by a popular professional wrestler. Recently Mobile International Speedway went through some changes, which included new ownership – the search for new owners resulted in the speedway closing for about a year, but when the track re-opened in July 2023, the new ownership included former local driver Eddie Shoemaker, who also operates Mobile Dragway, which is located next door to MIS. Now twice a month from March through September, expect to see action-packed, fast-paced racing on Alabama's Fastest half-mile track.      Food & Beverage   2 There is one stand located under the grandstand about halfway down; the usual fare can be found with hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, corn dogs, sausage dogs, and popcorn rounding out the menu, with prices ranging from $3 to $6, while for $10 you can purchase the chicken tender or chicken wing baskets. Coca-Cola is the soft drink provider here, with fountain drinks going between $2 and $4. In addition, right next to the concession stand is the beer garden, with prices running $5 for a Tall Boy canned beer. Also, make sure to check out the boiled peanut stand on the north side of the concourse under Turn 4 – for $5 you can purchase some of the best tasting boiled peanuts I've ever tasted in my life.      Atmosphere   3 Part of the charm of attending Saturday night races here is that not much has changed since the 1960s. From the moment you arrive and pass under the brick archway welcoming you to the speedway, it is almost like going back in time 50 years. Racing is held usually every other Saturday from March until September, and while most of the drivers are local, occasionally you will get a big-name driver coming through the area. Mobile International Speedway is located right next to Mobile Dragway with a huge grass field providing the parking. To get to the concourse you must walk up about 30 metal steps, entering the area which provides concessions under the grandstand. The grandstand itself is quite simple – made up of 15 rows of wooden boards held up by metal awnings, which hold 9,000 people. A small press box made of tin sits at the top of the rows. The track is a half mile oval with the grandstand in between Turns 1 and 4. A unique thing about the track is there are no walls or barriers around the track, except in front of the grandstands. The track was built on farmland, so without any walls or barriers you can see a good way out into the fields, meaning if you go off the track there is nothing keeping you from walking onto the surrounding farmlands. An old barn sits beyond Turn 2, providing a nice added touch to the view. The pits also have wall pads filled with various local sponsors, adding to a small-town feel.             Neighborhood   2 Irvington is a small community of about 800 people located in rural Mobile County. There's not much to do here after dark, with racing at MIS the only thing happening on the weekends here. On some Saturdays Mobile Dragway next door will be hosting drag racing, but that wasn’t happening during my most recent visit. If you want to take a day trip before the races you are 15 minutes away from Bellingrath Gardens, which is one of the most beautiful gardens in the south, and a must visit if in south Alabama. Another day trip worth checking out nearby is Dauphin Island, about 20 minutes south of Mobile International Speedway – not very many people know about Dauphin Island, so you'll have miles and miles of beautiful beaches all to yourself. Once on the Island make sure to stop at Historic Fort Gaines, a Civil War-era fort believed to be haunted. There is also a ferry that takes you across Mobile Bay and to Gulf Shores if you want to explore that side of Alabama. Dauphin Island also has a small aquarium, an Indian mound, a golf course, and several miles of nature trails, and is less developed than the nearby beach towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, so you will find less people there, which may be appreciated by some. Make sure to stop off in Bayou La Batre right before you get on the island – this tiny community is known as the shrimping capital of the country and was the setting for Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company in the novel and movie Forrest Gump. While there make sure to grab a bite to eat at Lighthouse Restaurant, voted one of the best seafood restaurants in the South, and if you come in May, you may even get to see the Blessing of the Fleet, the Catholic ceremony where ships are blessed for a safe and successful fishing season. It's a festive event because, before the shrimpers embark into the Gulf, the small town has a huge celebration for the shrimp boats, an event which attracts thousands of people.   Fans   3 MIS has been South Alabama's premiere racetrack for over 50 years now – it may not be close to Talladega, but this area of Alabama is also a hotbed for stock car racing, and it shows here. The 9,000-seat grandstand is usually about three-quarters of the way full on race night. A lot of the drivers are local, so you'll see many fans who come out every weekend. There's nothing else to do in Irvington on Saturday nights, so that helps as well with attendance at the track. You'll also encounter a good mix of families who come out to the races. There are usually five or six different races each night, and each race features a different style car and is very fast, with each race only lasting 20 to 30 laps, which is pretty quick for a half-mile oval. Spectators are definitely engaged from the start to the checkered flag – during my most recent visit they raced pro trucks (30 laps), pure stocks (20 laps), pro late models (40 laps), sportsman (25 laps), and crown stocks (20 laps).   Access   3 Mobile International Speedway is located about 20 miles south of downtown Mobile on Highway 90, a rural two lane back road that runs from Pascagoula to Mobile. Getting to the track is fairly simple despite being located on a back road – the track is conveniently located a few miles south of Exit 10 on Interstate 10. You can't miss the track, as it sits to the left about 2 miles south of the Interstate. There is plenty of parking in the huge grass lot on the property. The only issue I ran into at the track is the access if you are in a wheelchair or have a disability; because of the steep stairs at the entrance, and because there are no wall or barriers around the track, the only wheelchair access is between Turns 3 and 4, where you can be wheeled onto the track and into the stands. To access the pits there is an access point from the grandstand, but you must walk on the track to get to it.   Return on Investment   3 Tickets to sit in the grandstand are $15, while tickets in the pits are $30. I consider this a good return on investment, as concession prices are fairly cheap and you can't beat the free parking. My recommendation to get the full experience is to go on a Saturday when they are drag racing at nearby Mobile Dragway – you can catch drag racing in the afternoon, then go to MIS in the evening. The races at Mobile International Speedway usually start around 8 pm and last until around 11 pm. It is fairly quick, fast-paced action, and you are right up on the track less than 50 feet away from the cars as they line up.   Extras   5 One extra for the track being used as a filming location for the 2009 film The Final Destination; the opening race scenes were filmed at the track during the summer of 2008. Another extra for all the big races and big names that have been here over the years, as mentioned earlier. Some of the races MIS has hosted include the ARCA Mobile 200 from 2012 to 2015, as well as regular stops in the 1990s of Mobile 150 (NASCAR K&N Series East) and the Hooter’s Pro Cup Series. A ton of NASCAR regional races and ASA races have been held here as well. There is a billboard in the pits reading "Welcome to Mobile, Home of Lee Fields", who was a longtime owner and promoter of the speedway from 1972 until his death in 2000. Fields was also a notable wrestler in the Gulf Coast during the old territory days of pro wrestling – Lee held numerous titles in the 1970s including Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship. Fields would have become a bigger star had he signed with another promoter, but he didn't want to move away from Mobile. Another wrestler with an affiliation to Mobile International Speedway is former WWE wrestler Bob "Hardcore" Holly – this popular attitude-era star from Mobile actually began his career as a stock car driver here in 1992. Holly would later sign with Vince McMahon in 1994, embarking on a 14-year career in the WWF, beginning with a race car inspired gimmick wresting under the name of Thurman "Spark Plug" Holly. MIS also hosted the annual Alabama Racing & Wrestling Hall of Fame for a number of years, honoring some of the greatest drivers and wrestlers from the area. Former wrestling manager legend William "Paul Bearer" Moody was the emcee at the Hall of Fame ceremony. Another extra for Mobile Dragway sitting next door if you want to catch some drag racing before you go into MIS – as mentioned they do drag racing there on most Saturdays. There is also another smaller track about 10 miles down the road in Grand Bay called Sunny South Speedway. One final extra for the Christmas lights on display here during the holiday season – in 2023 Mobile International Speedway began hosting Mobile's Annual Christmas Nights in Lights. The Gulf Coast's # 1 Christmas lights display was originally set up at Hank Aaron Stadium, but moved here after that stadium's closing. During December lights are set up all around the track, and cars are welcome to drive on the track through the interactive Christmas display. They also do a pretty elaborate Halloween lights spectacle here called Thriller Lights.

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43 Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium 782 HIgh Road, Tottenham London, UK N17 0BX Tottenham Hotspur FC website Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium website Year Opened: 2019 Capacity: 62,062 A Brand New Home for the Spurs After months of delays, the £1 billion Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium opened in May of 2019 and the grand project might have been worth the wait as it is in a class all by itself among the football stadiums in England. The 62,062 all-seater replaced the Spurs former home of White Hart Lane and brought the club back to the neighborhood after playing the past two seasons as Wembley Stadium . The stadium has been met with almost universal approval including 95 percent of Spurs supporters being satisfied with the new stadium. The design retains the feel of the old White Hart Lane and although much larger, still provides a “feeling of intimacy due to the closeness of the stands to the pitch.” The new grounds are designed to be an all-year destination for visitors offering events from concerts, rugby, and is the official home for NFL games that are played in London. Underneath the grass pitch is a synthetic surface that can be used for NFL games and other events held at the stadium. The complex also houses its own microbrewery, the largest club shop in England, and eventually a Sky Walk and Hotspurs Museum. Food & Beverage 5 When it comes to food options there may not be a better football stadium in England. There are 60 food and drink options that are inspired from London’s vibrant street and market scene. Fans can enjoy options that are standard and international from around the globe, plus its very own microbrewery that is the first of its kind in any stadium in the world. It should also be noted that the stands open 2.5 hours before and after the game. Beer and drinks cannot be brought back to your seats during the match The Market Place is a gathering spot where fans can enjoy food and drink and choose from numerous vendors for a variety of cuisine from The Chicken House (fried chicken), N17 Grill (fish and chips), Naan Noodle (Asian street food), Linesman (burgers), and Smashed Olive (pizza). The Touchdown Grill offers hot dogs, burgers, nachos, and spicy bean burgers. The Tap Inn offers traditional meat pies and sausage rolls that are common among football grounds across the country. Fans can enjoy steak, minced beef,chicken tikka masala, spicy bean, and steak and blue cheese pies. The beer selection includes varieties from Heineken, Amstel, Strongbow, and Old Mout Cider. A few more highlights to visit include the Goal Line Bar (south stand) that runs the length of the entire goal line. The 65 meter bar is the longest in Europe. The Beavertown Brewery is located in The Market Place on Level 1 brewing fresh beer on site and is the first of its kind in any football grounds in the world. The brewery serves Beavo Lager (Czech Lager), Neck Oil (IPA), Gamma Ray (Pale Ale), 8 Ball (Rye IPA), and Smog Rocket (Smoked Porter) among its varieties. There are three other featured bars in the East Stand that include The White Hart, The Shelf, and The Dispensary. The Shelf incorporates bricks that have been salvaged from the East Stand of White Hart Lane and The Dispensary takes its name and design influence from the old Tottenham & Edmonton Dispensary that once graced the High Road Atmosphere 5 The roads surrounding the stadium close two to three hours before the start of the match and the concession areas inside the facility open up around the same time; fans line up the streets as they walk towards the facility from multiple mass transit entry points creating a buzz in environment well ahead of the opening kickoff. The stadium itself is aesthetically pleasing from the outside and features a 4.5 meter near double-sided fiberglass cockerel that sits on top of the roof structure above the South Stand which is a replica of the one first introduced in 1909 at the former ground. According to the Spurs fan guide, the generous and open concourses are bathed in natural light from extensive glazed areas with contemporary polished concrete floors made using aggregate from White Hart Lane. You will see an unrivaled standard of finish using materials such as brushed steel, copper, European oak and quartz. The seating bowl is designed to place everyone closer to the pitch than any other comparable sized stadium in the United Kingdom. The distances from the front row to the touchline range from 4.9 meters to 7.9 meters with stands set up at a 35-degree angle. The 17,500 single-tier South Stand is more than 34 meters in height. The design of the bowl ensures that the Spurs maintain a long tradition of having one of the most engaging and atmospheric homes in English Football. There are four giant HD screens and a state-of-the-art sound system providing pre and post-game entertainment, highlights and replays to the fans in the seating bowl. The individual seats are designed with a modern and comfortable style offering plenty of legroom in uninterrupted views of the game on the pitch. The concourse walls are decorated with an array of murals celebrating the club’s history and its neighborhood. The murals include homages to the old White Hart Lane, match day programmes, neighborhood street signs, and former players. The Gallery is located on the Level 1 Concourse in the West Stand and showcases work by four local artists. There are other areas that are designed to resemble sections of the old stadium as well. The attention to every little detail is impressive to visitors to the facility. The Tottenham experience is located on High Road and is the largest of its kind in all of football featuring a 100-seat auditorium area to host both pre-match in post-match events. Fans have plenty of room to choose from kits, t-shirts, jackets, key chains, and any other thing with the Spurs logo emblazoned on it. Coming soon will be the Tottenham Spurs Archive offering a vast collection of artifacts and past records, telling the story of the club’s founding and history. The Sky Walk will be a 40 meter glass walkway above the pitch offering breathtaking views of London and shooting a spike of adrenaline to each person’s nerve who dares to take this walk. The Club Museum is designed to tell the team’s history, display Spurs artifacts and educate the visitors about the club’s lengthy history. Neighborhood 4 The stadium is on the High Road in Tottenham and a collection of retail outlets, restaurants, and businesses line up the streets. There is quite a bit of revelry on game day and the Spurs are currently making it a neighborhood destination 365 days a year. There are various pubs located near the stadium that include home pubs: The Bricklayers, Bell and Hare (largest beer garden in Tottenham), Antwerp Arms, and No. 8 Tottenham Pub. The Banana African Restaurant & Bar offers traditional Nigerian, West African, and Caribbean cuisine. San Marco is a family-run restaurant for classic Italian dishes including hand-stretched pizzas from a brick oven. Brothers Cafe & Restaurant specializes in East African dishes. The Beehive Pub is an ideal spot for vegan options. Fans 5 The fan support is spirited and among the best in the city. The supporters section make beautiful noise throughout the game and cheer every time a goal is scored or a penalty is called against the opposing side. The size of the stadium has drowned out some of the energy from its previous home, but to anyone enjoying a good match, these fans are right on point. Access 4 It is advised to head out to the stadium well ahead of game time as the streets surrounding the stadium close. The best option is public transportation. The stadium is accessible via a number of London Overground, London Underground and National Rail stations: Seven Sisters, Tottenham Hale, Northumberland Park, and White Hart Lane stations. The four train stations each feature signage adorned in the club colors. Once near the stadium Fan Ambassadors have been recruited from the local area to assist with visitors. There are also 1,600 wireless access points to assist anyone looking for more information on their smartphones. No cash is accepted for any purchase made within the stadium and its surrounding campus that the club hopes will increase the speed of service and shorter wait times. Options include bank cards, mobile payment, prepaid cards, and gift cards. If you have purchased a general admission ticket you are only allowed access to levels 1, 2, 4, and 5 once inside the stadium. You also may not have the opportunity to check out certain sections of the stadium since you are not either a season ticket holder or a Spurs one member. Return on Investment 3 Single game ticket prices fall into three categories of A, B, and C, with A being the higher price point. An adult ticket for A games range from £52-£98, while those prices decrease greatly for B games, £30-£43, and followed by category C where ticket prices are £30-£80. There are also separate ticket prices for seniors, young adults, and juniors. These prices are lower than the standard adult ticket. Concession prices are on the norm with many other new EFL stadiums. Extras 4 The Spurs earn a point for the Beavertown Brewery that brews beers on site and is the first of its kind in the world. It earns a second point for the amount of great food that has been inspired from the city’s street food scene. The Spurs earn a third point for its dedication to minimising the environmental impacts of all our activities. Fans empty rubbish in dry mixed recycling or general waste bins. The Market Place is an ideal destination to meet up with friends for a post-match drink or bite. The area also features a dedicated stage that will play host to live music or DJ sets and is open 2 hours after the final whistle. Final Thoughts The Spurs finally opened their brand new stadium after many months of delay, but appears that the wait has been well worth it. Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium is one of the grandest of its kind in football on the planet. The modern features, details to excellence, view of the pitch, and overall atmosphere puts the grounds among the upper echelons of English Football.

Long before major leagues had a team and stadiums in the southern United States, there were the Atlanta Crackers and Ponce de Leon Ballpark. The Crackers were the most powerful team in minor league baseball throughout their 64-year existence, paving the way for the Atlanta Braves to become the first major league franchise in the southeastern portion of the country. The Crackers: Early Days of Atlanta Baseball by Tim Darnell provides an in-depth look at the team and its accomplishments between 1901 and 1965. During that period, the Crackers had the best record of any baseball team other than the New York Yankees. They took home 17 Southern Association championships in less than 65 years. First…. Why the name Crackers? Some suggest it relates to the definition of a “southern cracker” a derogatory term for a poor white southerner. However, it is much more likely to be a shortened form of the word Firecrackers, the name of a baseball team that preceded it in the Atlanta area. Baseball had been extremely popular in Atlanta ever since the Civil War ended, as it took resident’s minds off the massive destruction the area had experienced during the war. Teams sponsored by schools and local businesses came and went during the 1865- 1900 period. The Crackers benefitted from having a wealthy owner from being a member of an established league in the Southern Association, and strong leadership in the front office, as John Heisman served as the team president. Heisman is more widely known as one of the most successful innovators in college football, and at the time was the head football coach at Georgia Tech. By its tenth season, the team had already won four Southern Association pennants. The Cracker's home during those years was in Ponce de Leon Ballpark in downtown Atlanta. It was built on land the team owner already owned and took its name from a natural spring located nearby that promised a long life and other healthy benefits from its waters. The stadium was constructed in a natural bowl with a steep hillside forming its outfield limits. A railroad track was atop the hill just beyond right field. There was also a pair of magnolia trees in deep right-center field. The ballpark opened in 1906, and it was built out of wood, for $60,000.  The Cracker's success on the field, meant success at the ticket office, as they led the league in attendance nearly every season. Pullen Library Digital Collection, Georgia State University. Unfortunately, the ballpark burned to the ground in 1923. This forced the team to relocate to Georgia Tech’s Grant Field for the remainder of the 1923 season. A local businessman financed a new concrete and steel stadium for $250,000. The field was named R. J Spiller Field in his honor. The stadium was state of the art for its times, as it featured individual seats bolted into the concrete base, replacing the benches of the previous stadium. The grandstand seated 9,800, while the outfield bleachers held 5,000 more fans. One set of bleachers was for white fans, while the other was for black fans. The scoreboard in center field was changed by hand, and the starting lineups were announced by megaphone to the grandstand. The Magnolia trees and the railroad tracks atop the hill form two unique stories about Ponce de Leon Park. The Magnolia trees were considered in play and outfielders had to watch where they were going to field a fly ball. Only two players, Babe Ruth, and Eddie Mathews, hit official home runs into the tree and had the ball stay up in its branches. The second story involves a train headed north on the tracks at the exact moment a home run was hit by the Cracker's Bob Montag. A few days later a railroad engineer came to the park with a coal dust-covered ball. The home run had landed in the coal compartment of the train and traveled to Nashville and back… more than five hundred miles. It was duly listed as the longest home run ever hit in the Southern Association history. In 1932 the Crackers were purchased by the Coca-Cola Company, which is based in Atlanta. This gave the team deep pockets for operations, as teams were not affiliated with the major leagues then. They also placed Earl Mann as the team’s general manager, a title he would hold until 1959. He was an excellent judge of playing ability, and he also had the funds that would allow the team to pay higher salaries than the other Southern League teams. From 1935 through 1965 the Crackers would win eleven league championships. You might wonder how the Crackers were so successful. Here is a list of just some players and managers who wore a Crackers uniform at some time in their careers… Leo Durocher, Luke Appling, Paul Richards, Ralph “Country” Brown, Eddie Mathews, Tim McCarver, Jack McKeon, Gene Mauch and Chuck Tanner. Their radio announcer, Ernie Harwell, was traded to major league baseball for a catcher. Harwell went on to the Baseball Hall of Fame as the radio announcer for the Detroit Tigers. There is no word as to what happened to the catcher. Baseball was a very segregated sport for most of the Crackers’ existence. Ponce de Leon Park always allowed blacks in a segregated set of bleachers in the outfield. There was also a team known as the Black Atlanta Crackers. They played in both the Negro National League and the Black Southern League. To make ends meet, they would barnstorm through the South, playing local teams. They played most of their home games at Morehouse College and Morris Brown, two HBCU colleges in Atlanta. The team also played at Ponce de Leon Park when the Atlanta Crackers were playing out of town. A breakthrough occurred in 1948 when the Crackers hosted the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson in a three-game exhibition series. This would be the first integrated baseball team in the Deep South. Even though trouble was anticipated, Robinson was warmly welcomed by both the black and white record crowds that turned out for the series. No racial incidents occurred, and the Crackers added Nat Peeples, their first black player, in 1954. Minor league baseball faced some tough years in the 1940s, as many of the top players served in the armed forces during World War II. After the war, the minor league teams started becoming affiliates of the major league teams for financial reasons. This took some of the local ownership nature of the clubs out of the equation. Baseball began to be televised in the mid-fifties and early 1960’s, which also drove down live attendance at games. The Southern Association closed in 1961, resulting in the Crackers moving to the International League for its last four seasons. Major league baseball was on its way to the Deep South, as Atlanta lobbied both the Kansas City Athletics and the Milwaukee Braves. The Braves would move to Atlanta in time for the 1966 season. Ironically, the Crackers would not play their final season in their longtime home at Ponce de Leon Ballpark, instead playing at the brand-new Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, the future home of the Atlanta Braves. In 1965 Ponce de Leon Ballpark was torn down and replaced by a retail center. The railroad tracks atop the hill have been replaced by the Atlanta Beltline, a recreational trail. All that remains of the ballpark is the lone magnolia tree that stands in center field. When longtime Crackers General Manager Earl Mann died, his ashes were spread at the base of the tree. The Crackers: Early Days of Atlanta Baseball is a terrific read for anyone who loves baseball history or for any native Atlantan.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.58 Bison Dome 4241 E 300 S. Oxford, IN 47971 Benton Central HS Bison Bison Dome website Year Opened: 1969 Capacity: 3,538 Benton Central; A Sneaky Good Basketball Dome Benton Central Jr-Sr High School opened for the 1968-1969 academic school year as a result of the consolidation of Ambia, Boswell, Earl Park, Fowler, Freeland Park, Montmorenci, Pine Township, Oxford, Otterbein, and Wadena Schools. However, its dome basketball gymnasium wouldn’t be ready until the 1969-1970 season. The Arena Dome, or what I like to call the Bison Dome, held a capacity of 4,000 plus when it opened for the Bison but renovations have reduced the number to 3,538 — good enough for the 90th largest gymnasium in the state of Indiana and large enough to top many other facilities of its kind in the 49 other states in the country. The dome roof and ceiling are the gym’s main focal point and its design is similar to the Raider Dome at Southern Wells High School. Something is interesting about the dome basketball gymnasium and this arena stands out in the small town of Oxford, Indiana, just 30 miles west of Lafayette on SR-52. The gym is what some of us say as being “sneaky good” and there has been a lot of good basketball played here as the boys have captured 15 sectional and 4 regional championships while the girls’ program has won 21 sectional, 11 regional, and 4 semi-state championships along with three appearances in the title game. Food & Beverage 5 There is a lot to enjoy at the concession stand during the game and the selection is so abundant that the Bison became the first high school venue to receive a perfect score. Perhaps it is due to not many restaurants near the school but fans get more than the usual snack foods of hot dogs and popcorn when taking in a game underneath the dome. The gym offers tenderloin sandwiches, coney dogs from Dog and Suds, spicy chicken sandwiches, barbecue sandwiches, chicken strips, and a Bison dog (cheese and barbecue). There are French fries that are covered with chili, barbecue, or cheese. The same adheres to nachos that are also topped with barbecue. For dessert, there is a concession stand on the upper level that sells freshly baked cookies that are two for a dollar. All of these items are offered in $5 combos complete with fries and a 32-ounce Coca-Cola fountain product. There were even a few more items that were blocked off the menu list. Atmosphere 3 The Bison Dome is a visual treat the moment you walk inside its spacious confines and are treated to the classical style gym of its era complete with fresh green and gold paint all over the building. It is a wonder why this gym is not talked about more by the legions of high school fans here in Indiana. The building features one side slightly larger than the other. There is seating on all four sides of the court on both levels and banners from the various school championship teams hang from the rafters. The bottom-level seating features photographs of a few championship-winning sides. The highlight and focal point is the large dome roof that begins its second century of use in 2020. It looks as sharp as it did when it first opened and a touch of fresh paint in 2018 accented the gym’s aesthetics. A framed picture of a bison is hung on the upper-level wall along with a few old-school-looking logos along with the top level. The atrium features trophy cases, a concession stand, ticket booths, and a selection of tables where fans can enjoy their meal before the game or during halftime. The area is modern and was constructed in the late 1970s but features nice stone walls with shades of gray and black. Neighborhood 2 South Benton is located in Oxford, Indiana, near the town of Fowler which is exactly 100 miles between Chicago and Indianapolis. To say that the school is in the middle of nowhere is an understatement, the school is located next to a series of solar power windmills that stretch well past I-65 several miles east of campus. The area is home to a few local places that are recommended before a game. The local establishments include 100 Mile Rib & Chop House and Local Bar in Fowler and Dan Patch Cafe just south in Oxford. The 100 Mile Rib & Chop House features a full-service bar and a separate restaurant offering Angus steaks, ribs, and bone-in pork chops. There is also a home-style menu option for $8.95, weeknight dinner specials, and burgers and sandwiches. RDM Shrimp Farm offers tours of its sustainable shrimp that are raised on-site. Visitors can visit the premise which includes a gift shop and store to purchase shrimp and other products. The Fowler Theater is a 1940s movie theater that shows $6 films in its Art-Deco interior that takes visitors back in time. Lafayette and Purdue University are about 30 miles southeast of the school providing a wealth of restaurants, breweries, and other sights when taking in a game. Fans 3 To be honest, many of the Bison faithful were planning on heading to see the ladies in the semi-state game the next night in LaPorte, Indiana (a few hours north of town). However, the ones who were at their game showed school spirit with various t-shirt designs in the school colors. The light crowd was spirited throughout tonight’s contest and cheered on their hometown boys. Access 4 The gym is located 30 miles away from Lafayette, Indiana along State Road 52. It’s somewhat off the beaten path but not that far enough that one cannot make a simple trip to enjoy basketball at a truly interesting little gymnasium. Once inside the building, the design of the facility makes it easy to circumnavigate the seating bowl to get to your seat and access the bathroom and concession stands. The crowds are never near or at capacity so you have plenty of access to and about during your game. Return on Investment 4 The price of a ticket is $5 for a basketball game and is on par with other gymnasiums in the state. Concession items are also fairly affordable with no menu item being more than $3. There is plenty of parking that is free for the game and the small-town atmosphere makes it highly enjoyable to attend the game at a sneaky good basketball facility here in Hoosier State. Extras 4 The Dome earns a point for its dome architect ceiling and roof–the focal point during a basketball game. There is quite the collegiate feel when watching a game here that is reminiscent of a smaller version of the Mackey Arena at nearby Purdue University. The Dome earns another point for its wide variety of concession items from spicy chicken sandwiches, to Coney, and two freshly baked cookies. They go above and beyond with their food selection. Fans can even enjoy fountain beverages in 16 and 32-ounce cups. The third point is the look of the gym itself from its interior. The colors of green and gold are everywhere from photographs, paintings, and wall art. The curved glass banister also adds a nice little touch to the gymnasium that has a look all its own. The Dome gets a fourth point for the solar windmills that dot the landscape and provide a distinctive backdrop to the school and campus. There are 414 of them located on the Meadow Lake Wind Farm. Final Thoughts The arena gym is not as celebrated as other facilities in the state but one should never overlook this charming and distinctive building set aside the farmlands and solar power mills of Benton County. It is somewhat off the beaten path but not too far to enjoy high school basketball in the state of Indiana. It is a gorgeous facility with plenty of nice touches and concession items. Sometimes, the best places take a bit of drive to get to but are definitely worth the effort. ____ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at marc@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Hancock Whitney Stadium 500 Stadium Dr Mobile, AL 36608 South Alabama Jaguars website Hancock Whitney Stadium website Year Opened: 2020 Capacity: 25,450 USA! – USA! – USA! The University of South Alabama is a medium-sized school of 15,000 students located in Mobile that opened in 1963. The Jaguars football team was officially born in December 2007 when the school voted to allow football to be played beginning in 2009. After 12 years the final touches of a program that was literally started from the ground up are on display with the opening of Hancock Whitney Stadium, which opened in 2020. Named after a Mississippi-based bank, the state-of-the-art, $80 million, 25,450-seat stadium replaced the aging Ladd-Peebles Stadium, which is located about 8 miles off-campus. The outdated facility, which opened in 1950, hosted the Jags during the first 11 years of their existence. Despite having a few successful first seasons, since joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2012 the Jags have not had a lot of winning seasons, never winning more than six games. However, they have had two bowl appearances and one NFL draft pick who played in a Super Bowl, Rams Tight End Gerald Everett. Because the stadium opened during the 2020 season, capacity was limited to only 25%. As that seating was taken up mostly by students, boosters, and season ticket holders, not a lot of people could get the full experience during its first season. Now, Hancock Whitney Stadium is operating at full capacity, and the atmosphere is way more exciting during its second season. Jags fans haven't had a lot to cheer for since joining the FBS, but maybe the opening of their first on-campus home stadium will change that. Food and Beverage 4 There is no shortage of concessions stands with ten permanent stands throughout the facility. The usual fare of hamburgers ($5), corn dogs ($4), hot dogs ($3), nachos ($3), pretzels ($3), and popcorn ($2) can be found, but they also sell chicken sandwiches ($7), Conecuh Sausage ($6), and pork nachos ($6). They also have a chicken tenders and fries combo ($7) and a Philly cheesesteak combo ($8). Coke is the soft drink provider with 32 oz. drinks in a souvenir cup ($4), or you can get a 20 oz. Dasani bottled water ($3). There is also a large Sonny’s BBQ built into a permanent stand in the south end zone that sells its own menu items as well. There are several beer stands located throughout the stadium which sell 16 oz. Michelob Ultra and White Claw ($7), or Bud Light, Miller, and Coors ($6). The concessions here sell mixed drinks as well, and you can also get beer from the permanent concessions stands. One thing that is new for the 2021 season is the huge outdoor bar located on the south concourse in the end zone, near the Michelob Ultra Terrace, and in front of the team store. The large center bar is open on all sides with actual seating, and all the beers listed above and more with great views of the playing field. This is definitely a popular feature added on for the season. This bar is one area of the stadium where the lines back up though, while for the most part traffic ran smoothly for all the concessions. If you’re lucky enough to have a club-level ticket to the Hargrove Club, there is a full-service buffet style platter up there, as well as a bar that sells a more extensive collection of alcoholic drinks and an executive chef who cooks all the food. The Hargrove Club is located on the west side of the stadium under the press box. Atmosphere 4 The Jaguars finally have an on-campus stadium to call their own, so this automatically makes the atmosphere much better than at their previous home. The biggest problem with Ladd-Peebles Stadium is that it is old and beginning to show its age. The whole experience was kind of bland with no signs anywhere signifying that South Alabama even played there, as it was basically an oversized high school stadium. All that has changed now and with the stadium decked out in red, white, and blue, there’s no denying that you are in Jags Country. From the outside the stadium is much smaller than what fans would be used to. The field faces north and south, with a design shaped like an octagon, almost reminiscent of a soccer stadium. There are three entrances into the stadium, with the main entrance and ticket office being behind the south end zone, but once inside the stadium you can see it’s not so small after all. The first level along with the field are built below the ground, meaning you walk in and look down at the field from the concourse. The playing field is named after Abraham Mitchell, a donor who donated $5 million for the construction of the stadium. The Mitchell Family also gives their name to the school’s Business School, and to the Jags’ basketball arena Mitchell Center . The new feel is quite evident here walking the beautiful and spacious concourse. There is plenty of room walking around, and that's because the concourse is open in such a way that allows the stadium to expand when they increase the seating capacity. The stadium will increase the capacity from 25,000 to 32,000 in a few years and then eventually to 40,000. In the south end zone make sure you take time to walk around the Jaguar Team Store, the Locker Room, which is quite large and makes up most of the area in the south end zone. There is a decent selection of USA gear in here, and prices are reasonable; there was even a 50% off sale on certain items. Much like how minor league baseball team stores are built into their stadiums, you literally walk out the doors and you are in the concourse with a perfect view of the field. In addition, outside the team store is a giant South Alabama logo that makes for a perfect photo; I saw many fans getting their pictures taken with the field in the background. Above the team store is the giant beautiful state-of-the-art videoboard, which is one of the largest video boards in the state. I couldn’t find an official list of scoreboards by size in Alabama, so I looked up pictures of other stadiums in Alabama, and the one here looks like the second-largest in the state next to Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium . Also in the south end zone is the Michelob Ultra Terrace, which extends from the concourse to the field; this is the stadium’s party deck area and features several rows with drink rails that offer field-level views of the field. The party deck also has the ability to turn into a stage for concerts and other events. As mentioned there is a nice open bar right in front of the entrance to Michelob Ultra Terrace, so you can grab your food and drinks and go sit down at a table, or stand up and rest your drink on the rails. In 2020 because of the pandemic the Terrace was closed off and only the band had access to the area, but now this area is fully packed with fans and is definitely the party atmosphere of the stadium. The four-story Mobile County Commission for Student Athlete Success building overlooks the north side of the stadium; this building houses classrooms, the athletic department offices, and the locker rooms. Neighborhood 3 As Alabama’s third largest city, Mobile has plenty to offer and remains a great town known for its southern charm and hospitality. Mobile remains a very underrated city with plenty to do, and you can find plenty of attractions around the city without dealing with large crowds of tourists. The college is mostly located in a residential area away from all the attractions, but there are a few restaurants in the area. Within walking distance of campus you will find numerous places to eat such as Fuzzy Tacos, Mellow Mushroom, Ollie’s Mediterranean Grill, and Heroes Sports Bar. Foosackly’s is a chicken joint a few blocks from the stadium and has cheap food, while right next door Cookout has cheap hamburgers and hot dogs for sale. Or if you want BBQ, Dreamland (an Alabama staple) has several locations in Mobile and I highly recommend a visit. To experience Mobile at its best I recommend taking the 15-minute drive east to downtown where all the attractions and nightlife are located. If you take Government Street or Dauphin Street into downtown pay attention to the many historic buildings located on this stretch. Mobile is a very historic city, and this is shown by its many beautiful antebellum houses and buildings that date back to the 1800s. Dauphin Street looks just like Bourbon Street except with fewer tourists; in fact the whole downtown area retains that French Quarter feel as well. Some of the bars and restaurants I recommend include Alchemy Tavern, Hayley’s Bar, FIVE Mobile, Loda Biergarten, Haberdashier, and Dumbwaiter, which are all good bars located on Dauphin Street. Or if you are looking for seafood, Wintzell’s Oyster House and Chuck’s Fish have you covered. If you are looking for a nice sit-down restaurant try Dauphin’s, located on the 34th floor of Mobile’s tallest building. For attractions in Mobile, the main tourist attraction is the USS Alabama battleship – the ship is a World War II-era ship that fought in the war. It is located under the I-10 causeway when coming out from the tunnel. The ship is available for touring and I highly recommend visiting. Other things to do in Mobile include Fort Conde, a replica of an old 1700s era fort, which is a cool place to visit if you are interested in history. For kids and families the Exploreum and IMAX Theatre are nearby as well. Also, if you want to make a beach trip, the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange are about an hour away. If staying in the area you will find numerous hotels along Airport Rd and Old Shell Road, as well as several high-rise hotels located in downtown Mobile to stay in as well. Fans 4 A few problems South Alabama dealt with in the past is that Ladd-Peebles Stadium was about a 15 to 20-minute drive away from the school, so not a lot of students would make the trek over for games. Also, as the program has been exceptionally bad in recent years support for the football program was not very good, and with a capacity of 40,000 Ladd-Peebles Stadium was also too big a stadium for a school the size of USA. Now that the Jags are playing on campus, fan support is at an all-time high. Unfortunately Hancock Whitney Stadium opened in 2020 and fan capacity was limited to 25%, but fortunately the year was also used as a test run for the Jags operations department to fix the kinks and work on things to do better when the stadium operated at full capacity. Now that the stadium is operating at 100%, many fans took advantage to get the full experience they could not get last year. The University of South Alabama is located in the south where tailgating is almost a religion – that is no exception here as throughout the campus are thousands of tents with people tailgating. All over campus you'll find tents set up full of families, alumni, students, and others enjoying a cold beverage, watching football on the big screen, and playing various games, something that was not evident in 2020. Once inside the stadium the whole place is a sea of red, white, and blue – the complete opposite of how it used to be. Many of the fans seemed into the game and stayed through the end. Because the Jags compete in the Sun Belt Conference many of the schools are within a few hours driving distance of Mobile, so expect a lot of visiting fans in attendance as well; that was the case here at the most recent game I attended, as I would say it was 60% South Alabama fans and 40% visiting fans. Access 2 When the Jags played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium it was very easy to get to as the stadium was located right off the interstate. Because no fans would attend games back then, getting in and out wasn't a problem. Unfortunately with the opening of Hancock Whitney Stadium there is no easy way to get to campus; USA’s campus is located in northwest Mobile on the corner of Old Shell Road and University Blvd. No matter which direction you are coming from you will encounter numerous red lights en route to campus. Mobile can also have horrendous traffic, so it is best to plan for traffic delays when attending a game. Fortunately, with games being on Saturdays you don’t have to worry about rush hour traffic. The main drawback is just how far the interstate is from campus – Interstate 10 travels east and west and is about 10 miles south, while I-65 runs about 5 miles to the east of campus; these are the main roads you would come in on if coming to campus. There are several different ways to get here if coming from out of town; I-10 runs right into I-65 and from there you can take the Spring Hill Road exit, then go about 5 miles until you get to campus. Or, if you want to go the back way you could take the Schillinger Road exit off I-10 and go about 8 miles to campus. Mobile Regional Airport is located about 10 minutes west of campus and is the main airport in the area with flights to anywhere in the southeast. Once on campus the stadium and facilities are toward the back side. The stadium is kind of hard to find if you are not familiar with the campus, but it’s on the northwest side. The campus is huge but there are plenty of lots on campus to park in, with most lots costing $20 to park but some of the back lots costing $10. There are also some lots on the back side that did not charge for parking, but you would be making a hike to get to the stadium. The campus also offers a free shuttle that runs continuously from the north side of campus to the stadium. Once in the stadium though, everything is perfect – there is plenty of room to walk around and no lines at the concession stands. In the seating bowl everything is designed in such a way that there are perfect field views from all vantage points in the stadium. There’s ample room to move around the stadium and that newness feel is evident here, as everything from the restrooms to the concourse is spotless. Return on Investment 3 Many of the tickets are already taken up by season ticket holders and students; the entire first level of the east and west sides were already sold prior to the season, so the only single game tickets available are along the upper decks and the first level in the end zones. The upper deck prices remain $25 and the lower deck prices in the end zones remain $36. Some fans may not be used to the high prices compared to how they were in the past, however, you are getting to see one of the premiere mid-major venues in the country. Counting the cost of parking and concessions, one could attend a game at Hancock Whitney Stadium for $50 to $70. Extras 3 Beginning in 2021 Hancock Whitney Stadium became the new home of the Senior Bowl. The annual postseason college football had been played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium since 1951. The Senior Bowl has become a tradition in Mobile and is definitely the city's biggest sporting event of the year. One extra for the overall history of the game itself as old school players like Joe Namath, Terry Bradshaw, Walter Payton, Mean Joe Greene, Brett Favre, Bo Jackson, and Michael Strahan who have all played in the game over the years, while the newer generation of football players like Dak Prescott, Tim Tebow, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, and Justin Herbert have all made a stop in Mobile on their way to the NFL. Now the next crop of future NFL stars will get to come through Hancock Whitney Stadium on their way to the NFL. With the opening of Hancock Whitney Stadium there was much uncertainty and controversy regarding the future of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, with some groups preferring the game stay put. Ultimately the game ended up being moved – though Hancock Whitney Stadium has a smaller seating capacity, it provides a much more intimate setting. Another extra for the facilities that surround the stadium – on the west side is the 49,000-square foot football field house, which opened in 2009 and houses the weight rooms and film rooms. The field house has a nice metal statue of a football player diving in the endzone while being tackled. To the side of the field house lie the football practice fields, which include the beautiful Jaguar Training Center, which opened in 2018. This facility is a football field that is open on all sides but has a roof over the playing field so the Jags can practice during the frequent Mobile thunderstorms. At 96,000-square feet and 60-foot high, the center is the largest indoor practice facility in the State of Alabama. In years past only one day of the Senior Bowl practices has been moved into this facility, but now all the Senior Bowl practices take place at the Training Center. Another extra just for the beauty of Hancock Whitney Stadium. Not a lot of college football stadiums open every year, so being able to attend a game during its first or second season is obviously a plus. I don't really count the game I attended in 2020 as obviously there were certain factors that inhibited me from giving it a good review, but after attending a game here in 2021 I can say Hancock Whitney Stadium and the facilities surrounding it are some of the most underrated in the country, and easily the best in the Sun Belt Conference. The Jags program is definitely on the rise thanks in part to the great addition that is Hancock Whitney Stadium. Final Thoughts Before the opening of Hancock Whitney Stadium the South Alabama Football program did not offer much in terms of history, tradition, or fan support. It literally changed overnight, and now thanks in part to their first on-campus home fan support is at an all-time high, and it'll be interesting watching this program only get better in the coming years. I highly recommend a visit to Hancock Whitney Stadium for a South Alabama football game or for the Senior Bowl.

Photos by Stefano Romagnoli Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Stadio Silvio Piola Via Massaua 1 Vercelli, Italy 13100 Italy Pro Vercelli website Stadio Silvio Piola website Year Opened: 1932 Capacity: 5,500 Pro Vercelli Stadio Silvio Piola is the main facility for football in Vercelli, a small town in Piedmont, Italy. The town is located about 65 km away from Turin and about 60 km from Milan. The stadium is dedicated to a player who was a world champion in 1938 and holder of numerous records in Italy including number of goals scored in Serie A (274), number of goals scored in a single match of Serie A (6), and the top scorer in Serie A with the jerseys of Lazio, Novara and Pro Vercelli. Silvio Piola began his career in the main Italian football league in the white jersey of Pro Vercelli. Therefore the system built in 1932 and originally named after the aviation hero, Leonida Robbiano was re-dedicated to Silvio Piola in December 1997 “in memory of his sporting achievements in national and international field,” as explained by a plaque next to the grandstand. The FC Pro Vercelli can be counted among those teams that have promoted the spread of football in Italy. In the early twentieth century the club was one of the more famous. The club was able to win the title of Italian championship seven times in 15 years. The first came in 1908, and the last in 1922. Currently FC Pro Vercelli plays in Serie C, the third tier of Italian football. Food & Beverage 3 Inside the Piola are four dining options, three are reserved for the local fans, and one is at the disposal of guest supporters. The menu of sandwiches, bottled water, and coffee costs 5 euro. Fans can also buy sweets or salty snacks, as well as other hot and cold drinks. Outside the facility, there are the classic peddlers and some cafes. The stadium is located in the center of Vercelli and it is easy to reach pizzerias, restaurants, and a market within a few minutes walk. Best to wait until after the game to fill your belly. Atmosphere 3 The stadium was built in 1932, and was recently renovated in the months before the football seasons in 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and finally in the summer of 2015. The work has affected all sectors of the Piola and the playing field (the natural grass was replaced by a synthetic grass). In Tribuna Coperta, the seats are white, black and red, and form the word and logo “FC Pro Vercelli.” In this area of the stadium there is also the Press Tribune dedicated to sports journalist Francesco Leale. Under the covered grandstand is the Gradinata Sud. On the other long side of the field there is the Gradinata Nord where seats of black and white spell out the year 1892, the date when the club was founded. Behind the Curva Ovest, occupied by the warmest fans, there is a billboard reminding fans of the seven league titles won by FC Pro Vercelli, Silvio Piola and other excellent players of the city. The Curva Est, the least roomy sector of the stadium, is reserved for the guest supporters. In total the Stadio Silvio Piola seats 5,500. There is excellent visibility from every sector of the stadium with a playing field at a maximum of about ten meters away. On either side of the doors, between the advertising signs, there are two electronic timers to indicate the playing time. Neighborhood 4 The Stadio Silvio Piola is located in the city center of Vercelli. Around the stadium grounds there are low buildings and numerous activities within easy walking distance including cafes, clothing shops, markets, pizzerias, ice cream parlors and so on. Also behind the Gradinata Nord there is the Park Pietro Camana. It is a nice place to relax if you have time before or after the match. Fans 3 The strongest supporters of FC Pro Vercelli follow the games from Curva Ovest. The colors that dominate this stadium segment are white and black jerseys, flags, and scarves. The main rivalry is with the fans and the team of the nearby Novara, and competition between the two clubs take the nickname of the “derby of rice” because this area of Piedmont is considered the European capital for rice. Also noteworthy is the “derby del Piemonte orientale” between Pro Vercelli and Casale. Access 4 Reaching the Stadio Silvio Piola once you are in Vercelli is really simple. If you arrive by car, my advice is to park near the central station and walk along Viale Garibaldi. If you arrive in Vercelli by train, although the town is in Piemonte, you should use the high speed trains up to Milan and from the capital of Lombardy to take a local train to Vercelli. Return on Investment 4 You can buy tickets to attend home games of the FC Pro Vercelli through some retailers in the city, and online from the official website of the club. Prices vary according to the sectors of the stadium. A place in the Curva Est costs 12 euro, while in the Tribuna Coperta Centrale can rise in price up to 72 euro. On the club’s website you will be able to find any discounts and/or initiatives. Extras 3 The Basilica of Sant’Andrea, the Church of San Cristoforo, the Borgogna Museum are just some of the great places to visit while you are in Vercelli. Vercelli is within easy reach from Turin (famous for the Mole Antonelliana and the Egyptian Museum) and Milan (with its streets dedicated to high fashion). The local cuisine that you should be sure to try is called “panissa,” a risotto that is cooked only in this corner of Piedmont. Food enthusiasts should also look for the “tartufata,” a cake made of chocolate and cream. Finally, the don’t miss the chance to have “bicciolani,” biscuits with spices.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Ross E. Templeton Center 105 Ashland Ave Clinton, SC 29325 Presbyterian Blue Hose website Ross E. Templeton Center website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 2,000 Goooooo Blue! Let’s Go P.C.! The term “ Blue Hose ” is said to have been born from the blue socks worn by the football team after then head coach, Walter Johnson, incorporated blue socks into the team uniform. Local sports writers picked up on and began referring to Presbyterian as the Blue Stockings, which over the years morphed to Blue Hose. With the roots of the Presbyterian Church going back to Scotland in the late 1600s, the college has incorporated a Scottish warrior as the face of its mascot, to pair with the Blue Hose. Since their jump to the NCAA’s Division I in 2007, Presbyterian College has played as members of the Big South Conference. Prior to moving to D1 the Blue Hose spent eighteen seasons in the Southern Athletic Conference of Division II, where they made four NCAA D2 tournament appearances. Before their time in the NCAA, Presbyterian was a long-time member of the NAIA. While the Blue Hose have yet to qualify for the NCAA tournament at the Division I level, they did make a run in the 2019 CollegeInsider.com Post Season Tournament (CIT) to the quarterfinals, where they fell to the eventual tournament champion Marshall Thundering Herd . Presbyterian, a relatively new Division I NCAA member with just one winning season (2018-19) at this level, seemingly is still in the process of building the foundation for their men's basketball program.   Food & Beverage   3 As soon as fans walk through the doors of Templeton Center, the concessions are front and center. Options are typical of what would be found at most basic concession stands – hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels, chips, and an assortment of candy. Cheese sauce and chili are also available as add-ons. For beverages, Presbyterian provides both bottled and fountain soft drinks from the Pepsi line of products.  Alcoholic beverages are not available for purchase at Presbyterian basketball games. The concession stand does seem to close up shop rather early, so make sure to grab what you might want before the halfway point of the second half.   Atmosphere   3 Ross E. Templeton Center uses a classically designed portico, with large support columns that welcome fans inside. The facility itself though does not have a lot of extras. Bleachers across from the team benches have a center section with seat backs, while the rest of the seats are backless benches. Behind the team benches the first few rows of seating have been removed, but seat back chairs are five rows deep at center court, while the truncated sections behind the team benches run three rows deep – all these chairbacks are designated as reserved seating. Basic scoreboards are affixed to the walls at opposite ends of the floor, which provide fans with time, score, and team foul information. Similarly sized videoboards are also at each end of the floor, one showing a live feed of the game while the other rotates between advertisements and Blue Hose graphics. The scoreboards and videoboards unfortunately do not display a running total of in-game statistics or player fouls for fans to keep up with. Stoppages in play are often filled by either performances from the cheer squad, on court recognitions, or contests run by the two in-game hosts. The games and contests that are conducted seem to be a fan favorite in filling the downtime before the ball is put back in play. Though played in a small venue with attendance that can be sparse, the Blue Hose faithful who are there do bring a great deal of passion and excitement to the environment.   Neighborhood   3 Ross Templeton Center sits at the end of Presbyterian’s long, oak-lined quad toward the back of campus, neighbored by the soccer field, Martin Stadium, baseball’s Elton Pollack Field , and football’s  Bailey Memorial Stadium . Presbyterian's campus is about a mile from Clinton's town center with a handful of shops and restaurants. The town center features a replica of the brick, arched train depot that serves as a tribute to Clinton's railroad history. Additionally, there are 15 bronze historical markers scattered around the town as part of a walking tour. Those interested in the town's history can access an accompanying narration of the tour through the distrx app, available on Apple's App Store or Google Play.   Fans   2 The Blue Hose typically draw 200-300 fans per game to Templeton Center. According to US News & World Report , Presbyterian College’s enrollment of just under 1,000 students makes them the smallest member of NCAA’s Division I. Naturally this impacts both the size of the student body and the size of their alumni base, but it doesn’t take away from the enthusiasm at games. The stands appear to be comprised mostly of alumni and residents of Clinton, with student representation seemingly being predominantly athletes from other sports. Despite the smaller crowd size, those in attendance remain actively engaged in cheering/jeering at appropriate times throughout the game.   Access   3 The easiest access to Clinton from nearby cities comes via I-26, which runs between Spartanburg and Columbia and on to Charleston on the South Carolina coast. From Greenville, I-385 provides direct access to Clinton before joining up with I-26 just north of town. Parking does seem to be a bit of a free for all – with a small lot behind the gym, many cars line Ashland Street, which runs in front of Ross Templeton Center. Larger lots closer to the football  and baseball  stadiums are a bit of a walk. The main entry point is on the right side of the front of Ross Templeton Center. Fans are directed into a somewhat snug lobby area leading directly to the ticket table, either for ticket purchases or to have pre-purchased tickets scanned. Once inside the Gregg Hibbert Gymnasium, the name of the Blue Hose's home court itself, seating can be accessed from the court floor behind the team benches or along the sidelines opposite the benches. The easiest way to move between sides of the floor is back through the main lobby.   Return on Investment   4 Tickets start at $10 for general admission seats, which seems consistent with prices of similar levels of college basketball. Free parking and reasonably priced concessions make the experience affordable all around.   Extras   2 Each of Presbyterian’s athletic facilities features sculptures of the sports that the building hosts; the entry plaza of Ross E. Templeton Center displays bronze statues representing men’s and women’s basketball along with volleyball. The wall at the end of the team bench displays plaques recognizing Everett Booe for initiating the Presbyterian Men’s basketball program in 1914. A second plaque honors the 2007-08 team that was the first to transition to NCAA Division I.   Final Thoughts Basketball at Presbyterian College has a nice balance of keeping the game as the feature of the experience, while also getting fans involved during breaks in the action. Sometimes less can be more when it comes to the overall basketball experience at Presbyterian. There definitely are limitations that can impact the overall game presentation, but the in-game entertainment crew does a good job with what they have, to give fans an entertaining experience that nicely complements the game between the lines.

Photos by Martin Mc Nelis, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Mazuma Stadium Christie Way, Westgate Morecambe, England LA4 4TB Morecambe FC website Mazuma Stadium website Year Opened: 2010 Capacity: 6,476 Turn Up the Feelgood Note: The venue name changed from Globe Arena to Mazuma Stadium in 2020. The Globe Arena is the home of Morecambe FC, located in a seaside town in Lancashire, England. They played non league football throughout their history until they gained promotion to League 2, the fourth tier in the English Football League in 2007, after defeating Exeter City in the Play off Final at Wembley Stadium . Their nickname is ‘the Shrimps’ due to their association to the fishing and shrimp industry in Morecambe Bay. The club moved to this purpose-built facility in 2010 after spending 89 years at their old ground, Christie Park. The Globe Arena has a very modern, welcoming entrance and facade and is named after the builders, Globe Construction. It comprises a large and impressive Main stand, covered terrace behind each goal and an open terrace where spectators can stand and watch the match. The Main, Peter McGuigan Stand is named after the current club chairman and is the main hub of the club’s activities, containing corporate hospitality facilities for both match day and external functions. It is also where the main entrance and reception is located for both sets of players, officials and directors. The dressing room, gymnasium and public bar and a busy club shop are also housed within here too. Across from the Main Stand is the open North terrace, which has four narrow steps with a safety barrier at the front. The view of the pitch from here is decent and is especially nice when the weather is good, otherwise you are exposed to all the UK elements. The entrance is located in the centre, with a small television gantry perched above it. Either side of this there are toilet and refreshments, though no alcohol is sold in this particular area of the ground. In the right hand corner there is a police control box which is discrete and outside it, there is a very basic scoreboard providing information like substitutions, messages and other scores from the division. The covered East terrace is to the right of the Main Stand and is for away fans, though this will depend on the opposition and the number of supporters they bring. Opposite this, the similarly structured West Terrace is also covered, and it is for the home supporters and where the majority of the atmosphere is generated. Food & Beverage 3 This part of northern England is associated with a variety of pies. It would be unfair to be overly critical as I was only able to access the refreshments in this particular area of the ground. With only one person serving, it isn’t overly busy and sells only basic hot and cold drinks with pies. Alcohol is sold within the Main Stand and like every other ground in England, it can only be consumed on the concourses and not in your seat. Atmosphere 4 The away fans are vocal throughout and the home fans behind the goal in the West terrace respond in turn, though they can be subdued in parts when the team is losing. The Omega Holidays Stand is your best bet for atmosphere at Globe Arena. The stand accommodates 2,234 standing spectators near the left end of the goal. The stand also features a bar and concession stands. The Shrimps have been in League Two for the past decade and crowd support has risen to above 2,000 fans per game the past season for the first time in seven seasons. There is plenty of cheering, chanting, and singing that makes a visit to the grounds an interesting day at the football grounds. Neighborhood 3 The stadium is located near the coastline, a couple of miles from the town centre and train station, which in itself is approximately a twenty minute walk away. Outside it, the houses on the main road are modern and lavish. This is a good place to park as it is literally just a couple of minutes walk away from the stadium. There is also a holiday park with up to date looking chalets along the road which is popular with tourists. Within a one mile radius of either side of the stadium, there are a couple of fast food establishments, a couple of pubs and restaurants to give you some options depending on your preferences. There are a variety of hotels, travel lodges and bed and breakfasts located at either end of the town. The most prestigious establishment being the renovated Midland Hotel. Fans 3 The fans are both passionate and yet quiet at various times during the match. The club mascot ‘Christie’ goes round the perimeter of the home end doing high fives with fans and posing for pictures. Fans are courteous without being overly friendly. Morecambe’s average attendance is just under 2,000 a match. The home supporters retort with chants of their own when the away fans go through their own renditions and repertoires. When there isn’t a huge crowd on hand, it has a negative impact on the overall atmosphere of the stadium experience. Access 3 The stadium is set just off a busy main road and has a walkway in which you can see the ground ahead. It is spacious around every side of the stadium and you should expect to encounter no difficulty or restrictions walking round it, with both sets of supporters mingling freely and hassle free. The number 6 bus, which goes to and from town, is very regular along the main road, and the train station is located approximately 20-25 minutes walk from the stadium. Approaching Morecambe by car from the motorway you have two options. Taking the junction 34 exit will take you through the main part of town where the traffic is very slow and tedious due to the volume of cars passing through. Coming from the north, junction 35 takes you through Carnforth and along the more coastal part of Morecambe. I used this on the way out and found the traffic moved a lot quicker. There is limited parking at the stadium and a couple of areas charge £10 to leave your car there. On either side of the stadium there is adequate street parking and only a few minutes walk to the stadium entrance. You are very restricted to each individual end and I encountered a very officious steward when I asked to go into the West Terrace to take a photo! If there is no flexibility to move under cover when the rain comes on, you could be in for a very wet and uncomfortable 90 minutes. Return on Investment 4 The cost for admission, food, programme and items in the club shop is on a parallel with other clubs in the division. The uncovered North terrace end is the cheapest option for tickets at £16 and the other ends are a couple of pounds more, with the West Terrace behind the goal £17 and the Main Stand £21 for the family section or up to £26. The club have an impressive pricing system for other groups like concessions at £14 or £17, under 18s are £5 and anyone aged under 14 is admitted free, so it would be financially beneficial to bring the family with you! You could potentially buy a match ticket or cash for the premium seats in the Main Stand at £26 and bring say two children under the age of fourteen and still pay the same price. Alternatively if you are looking for maximum value, you could do the same and stand in the uncovered North terrace for £16. Extras 3 The Morecambe match programme is an impressive 68-page full colour publication, priced at £3. There are a number of features including current team stats for the season, past meetings between the clubs, upcoming local events, interviews with current and former players, the Academy players and in depth details on the opposition. Final Thoughts Given the club’s location and depending on weekend or midweek fixtures, not to mention the television schedule, you could potentially stay a couple of nights locally and take in a number of games with clubs located close by like Blackpool, Fleetwood and Preston North End .

Photos by Richard Smith , Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57 Kris’s Meadow Chambersburg, PA 17201 Wilson Phoenix website Kris’s Meadow website Year Opened: unknown Capacity: 500 Phoenix Rising Wilson College is a private liberal arts college located in Chambersburg, PA. that almost closed in 1979 but ended up staying open. Until 2014, Wilson was an all women’s college but became coed that year. The college is known for its Single Parent Scholars program, which allows single parents to bring their children to live with them on campus. A little over 1,000 total students attend Wilson. Their sports teams are the Phoenix and the soccer team plays at idyllic Kris’ Meadow. They are a member of the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC). Wilson has six women’s sports teams and five men’s sports teams. The sign at the field also refers to it as the Rhonda Brake Shreiner Soccer Field but we could find very little other references to that title. A few health care resources in the area are also named after Rhonda Brake Shreiner who lost her battle with cancer in 1999. She must have had a connection to Wilson College sports. Food & Beverage 0 There is no permanent food stand open for soccer games. There may be stands open for certain games as there is a concession stand located at the softball field right next door. Atmosphere 2 To get to Kris’ Meadow you will need to drive down a very small rural road that goes through a farm. Once it looks like you have gone too far and are on private property there is a good bet that you are actually there. There is a small parking lot right by the field. The field is down a slight hill from the parking lot. Many people will watch from the end lines at the top of that hill. The only other seating area is an extremely small metal grandstand along the sideline. Best bet is to bring your own chair to watch the game. You will not get much else in atmosphere at Kris’ Meadow, but the pretty farm setting is pretty okay on its own. Neighborhood 3 Chambersburg is a nice little town located just to the north of the Maryland and Pennsylvania border. There are a few food and drink options in the immediate vicinity. You can’t go wrong with the Roy Pitz Brewing Company or the Copper Kettle. There are other options as it is a fairly busy area with quite a few variety of places to go. Nearby Shippensburg or Hagerstown in Maryland, also each have many options. Fans 3 As with most small college fields, the bulk of the fans tend to be family or friends of both teams. There will be some local fans who just happen to stop by for the game as well. Access 4 Chambersburg is located right off Interstate 81, a major route from the south through to the northeast. Accessing the campus is easy as you get off that main road as it is marked well. The college is located about a half an hour to the state capital Harrisburg. It is also about an hour and a half to Baltimore, and the same distance to Philadelphia. Parking is fairly plentiful near the field and it is free. Return on Investment 5 Tickets and parking are free. Extras 1 The field is literally in a farm. If that is not an extra I am not sure what is. Final Thoughts There is not too much to see at a Wilson soccer game, but the field and its farm setting is still a pleasant place to see some intercollegiate action.

Photos by Richard Smith , Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Nelson Gymnasium 1015 Philadelphia Ave Chambersburg, PA 17201 Wilson Phoenix website Nelson Gymnasium website Year Opened: unknown Capacity: 250 Phoenix Rising Wilson College is a private liberal arts college located in Chambersburg, PA. that almost closed in 1979 but ended up staying open. Until 2014, Wilson was an all-women’s college but became coed that year. The college is known for its Single Parent Scholars program, which allows single parents to bring their children to live with them on campus. A little over 1,000 total students attend Wilson. Their sports teams are the Phoenix and the basketball team plays at Nelson Gymnasium. They are a member of the United East Conference. Wilson has six women’s sports teams and five men’s sports teams. Food & Beverage 0 There is no permanent food stand open for basketball games. Atmosphere 3 Nelson Gymnasium is one of the smallest gyms we have seen for NCAA action. This does make it a pretty loud experience for even games with very few fans. There is a small set of bleachers, a simple set of scoreboards, and a simple PA system. It is a fun place to see a game but the atmosphere won't wow someone expecting more traditional NCAA action. Neighborhood 3 Chambersburg is a nice little town located just to the north of the Maryland and Pennsylvania border. There are a few food and drink options in the immediate vicinity. You can’t go wrong with Mario's Italian Restaurant or the Copper Kettle. There are other options as it is a fairly busy area with quite a variety of places to go. Nearby Shippensburg or Hagerstown in Maryland, also each have many options. Fans 3 As with most small college gyms, the bulk of the fans tend to be family or friends of both teams. There will be some local fans who just happen to stop by for the game as well. Access 4 Chambersburg is located right off Interstate 81, a major route from the south through to the northeast. Accessing the campus is easy as you get off that main road as it is marked well. The college is located about half an hour from the state capital Harrisburg. It is also about an hour and a half to Baltimore and the same distance to Philadelphia. Parking is fairly plentiful near the gym and it is free. Return on Investment 5 Tickets and parking are free. Extras 1 The quaint gym is an extra on its own. Final Thoughts There is not too much to see at a Wilson basketball game, but the setting is still a pleasant place to see some intercollegiate action.

Photos by Dave Mortimer, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Smith’s Ballpark 77 West 1300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84115 Utah Utes website Smith’s Ballpark website Year Opened: 1994 Capacity: 15,411 Smith’s Ballpark-Utes Style The Pac-12’s newest baseball program also boasts the conference’s largest baseball venue, though it isn’t the primary tenant. The Utah Utes play at Smith’s Ballpark, also home to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees . Though it’s probably unfair to compare the game day experiences of these two clubs, certain elements make it just about unavoidable. Food & Beverage 3 Only one food stand is open for Utah games: the Grand Slam Grill. The featured items here are what you’d expect from somewhere with “Grill” in the name: chicken tender or cheeseburger baskets ($7.25), corn dog baskets ($6), chicken tender sandwiches ($6.25) burgers ($5.75), hot dogs ($3.25 regular, $4.25 jumbo), corn dogs ($3.50), garlic or cheese fries ($4.25, $3.75 for plain fries), chips ($2) and peanuts ($4.25). Drinks include Coke products (regular $3.25, large $4) and various bottled drinks ($3.75-$4.25). Atmosphere 2 For as much fun as Bees games are in this park, Utah games are alarmingly sedate by comparison. I went to two Utah baseball games in a month, both against in-state rivals: BYU and Southern Utah. During the BYU game, the video board on the scoreboard was turned off, outfield fence advertising was non-existent, and entry to the grass berm beyond the outfield was blocked (somewhat unsuccessfully) by caution tape. The Southern Utah game, meanwhile, was the opposite. The video board was used for player bios, the Bees standard outfield ads were present, and the berm was open. While this helped make the game less drab, the tiny crowd did not. Even ball and t-shirt tosses were done with minimal enthusiasm by those who tossed and received. Both games featured something else lacking: the Ute logo. Signs on the stadium’s exterior tout Spring Mobile as “Home of Utah Baseball.” Inside, however, only a couple of promotion tables and a handful of Utah/Pac-12 flags tied to steel gratings display the traditional drum and feather. There is only so much branding the school can do because they’re sharing the park. Even so, there’s no debating the pride instilled by fans and alumni seeing logos and wordmarks in as many spots as possible. Otherwise, it just feels plain. Neighborhood 3 New developments nearby have helped spruce up this section of Salt Lake City, but it’s still somewhat warehouse-heavy. Going a couple of blocks east to State Street gives you plenty of eating options. On the way to State Street, you’ll run into Big Kahuna Pizza. Its website touts itself as the “Best Pan Pizza In Town.” That’s obviously up for debate, but the uniqueness of many of their pies is not. Two specialty pies worth a try are the “Kanaka” (Kalua pork with BBQ sauce) and the “Pake” (sweet and sour stir-fried chicken). If a pub’s more your style, Piper Down is the place for you. “Utah’s Premier Irish Pub” prides itself on being not just a great place to eat and drink, but to make new friends. There are plenty of choices on the menu. If you’re feeling Irish, you may like the Irish Nachos, which replace corn chips with fried potatoes and have corned beef as the protein. You can build your cheesesteak for just $7. For info on other nearby food choices, including the great dive bar Lucky 13, check out the Salt Lake Bees review . Fans 2 Heading into the game against BYU, I figured there would be a heightened atmosphere, even on a Tuesday night. The crowd, announced as 900, was decent for a college game here, but was about one-third to one-half pro-BYU. Overall, the crowd seemed smaller given the inescapably large number of empty seats around them. My second visit, pitting the Utes against Southern Utah, was even smaller. The box score says 425 fans showed up, a figure I would call more than generous. Many of the fans wore Ute red and were somewhat engaged, but were often matched or exceeded in enthusiasm by fans of each visiting team, particularly during the BYU game. College baseball has long been a hard sell in Utah. A season that starts in February prevents local teams from playing at home for at least a month, stifling crowd momentum. A look at UtahUtes.com shows a concerted effort to get fans out to the games. Most notable are coupons for up to six free tickets in exchange for basic contact information. Some are tied to specific events (Youth Day, Father/Son Day, etc.) but others appear to be valid for any game. This helped bring my family to the park, but also lessened the sting of having to leave early when my son got the sniffles. Access 5 Normally $6 for Bees games, the official lot across the street from the park is free when the Utes play. You won’t find parking attendants in this lot during college games but it’s still the best, safest spot around by a wide margin. The TRAX light-rail system also has a stop nearby, if you’re OK with public transportation. While perhaps diminishing the park’s atmosphere, the smaller crowds make restrooms and concourses even more serviceable than they already are. Return on Investment 4 Simply put, you can’t beat free. Easily accessible free admission and parking, not to mention plenty of free souvenirs (schedule posters, etc.) make for a thrifty family outing. The lack of additional frills and a merely moderate energy level keep me from giving a full 5. But if a more mellow baseball experience is your thing, you’ll love it here. Extras 1 One point of view. No matter what is (or isn’t) going on inside the park, the view beyond the outfield is stupendous, highlighted by Mount Olympus beyond the dead center. Utah fans also get a glimpse of the Block U on Mount Van Cott beyond left field. Final Thoughts Even with a massive fundraising effort underway by the Utah athletic department, it appears baseball is far down the priority list for the school with the smallest athletic budget in the Pac-12. Having been blessed with a more-than-adequate option in Smith’s Ballpark, the onus is on the school to make the in-game experience more compelling. Being consistent in the use of the video board, keeping the berm open regularly, and doing all they can to apply the school brand within the park are small tweaks that can help.

Photo Courtesy of CSU Bakersfield Athletics Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.14 Icardo Center 1500 Roadrunner Dr Bakersfield, CA 93311 CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners website Icardo Center website Year Opened: 1989 Capacity: 3,800 Route 99 Roadrunners Cal State University-Bakersfield is a California public university founded in 1965 in Bakersfield, CA. The Roadrunners athletics program was originally an NCAA Division II program, and had a very successful run at that level in basketball during the 90’s which included three National Championships. In 2006, the Roadrunners began their transition to Division 1. In July of 2013, the program joined the once prestigious Western Athletic Conference for most sports, including basketball. The Icardo Center is a 3,800 seat arena opened in 1989 that is used for several UCSB sports. Named for prominent UCSB Boosters Jimmie and Marjorie Icardo, the 44,000 square foot arena is best known for its unique blue floor. The new court went in with much fanfare during a major renovation in the fall of 2011. If nothing else, the blue court at the Icardo Center is what makes a Roadrunners game worth seeing. Food & Beverage 1 Basically, be sure you eat before you arrive. The concessions window is on your left when you enter the arena, and consists of only snack items. Candy bars, popcorn and soft drinks at vending machine prices make up your concession options inside the Icardo Center. On the occasion of my visit, there was barbeque being cooked outside the front doors for purchase, but by the second half they had packed up shop and left. So if you’re counting on catching dinner and a game, you’ll be disappointed. Atmosphere 2 The Icardo Center is in the heart of campus, so there is a turnout that’s not awful like some small D1 venues. You’ll have the option to choose from General Admission which consists of bleacher seats on either side of the court or Premium Seating which is assigned seat back seating at midcourt on the east side. There are Icardo Center employees monitoring very closely to ensure you don’t take a Premium Seat that’s not yours, so this is not a venue that you can buy General Admission and expect to get the “wanderer’s upgrade” to midcourt seats. As you enter, there are two doors that will take you into the court. Immediately on your left will be the student section that consists of a small but relatively mighty group of students including a small pep band. A decent number of supporters fill up the first ten to twenty rows of the arena, but the highlight for any traveler is the blue court. The floor is a very royal blue with a giant Roadrunner logo in the center, giving a very nice and new (if not slippery) view of the game. Scoreboards are on either end, but don’t expect to find a video board for those all important instant replays. Neighborhood 2 There’s not a lot to speak of in terms of the area. The Icardo Center is in the heart of a pretty average-in-every-way campus. You won’t find tree lined streets and old style architecture at CSUB, instead it’s a wide open campus of buildings that resemble an office park. It’s wholly distinguishable as a college campus only by the green areas and athletic fields in the surrounding area. CSUB is located about 20 minutes from downtown Bakersfield across Rte. 99, so it’s in strip mall suburbia. Chain restaurants like Tahoe Joe’s and the Elephant Bar are popular eateries in the immediate vicinity. Downtown Bakersfield is a bit of a drive, but offers some more options. The Padre Hotel is particularly popular as an upscale restaurant and bar scene. The Wool Growers Restaurant is another unique option in the area with some interesting cuisine. Overall, Bakersfield is a fairly large city (although it doesn’t really seem it), so there are plenty of options around town. Fans 2 There’s not a whole lot to talk about here. The presence of an organized student section with the pep band instantly makes this slightly better than a lot of small conference venues around the country. They even sport the Roadrunner logo (who wouldn’t?) pretty regularly. But if there was any organization or traditions from the Division II championship days they’ve long since gone. They’ll cheer for their team at the right times, but anything more than that is non-existent. Access 4 Bakersfield is off the beaten path in California just a bit, but Rte. 99 cuts right through the area. Campus is about a 10 minute drive along the Kern River away from 99. Be prepared in advance, because GPS does not seem to know where the Icardo Center is in campus and will just take you to the heart of CSUB. You’ll want to enter campus from the south on Roadrunner Drive, as all roads from the north won’t cut through. There is a large covered lot just south of the Icardo Center that is free for parking on game day, so it’s easy from there on out. Once you enter, the court is dead ahead through two doors. Restrooms are on your right and, while small, offer more than enough room for the small number of fans. Traffic is essentially non-existent, so there is no need to worry about getting in and out. Return on Investment 2 General Admission tickets for a Roadrunners game start at $12, which struck me as a bit pricey for such a not-in-demand sports experience. Reserved seats start at $16 with floor seats going for $50 (really? $50?). The good news is all kids get tickets for $5. Parking is free, but that’s to be expected at this level. And food, well, there isn’t really any food unless you call a Snickers bar dinner. Overall, other than paying to see a blue basketball court, prices aren’t in alignment with the product you’re getting. Extras 2 Some credit can be awarded here strictly for the blue court. It’s really the only thing that distinguishes CSUB basketball from hundreds of programs across the country. While the Roadrunner is cool, I couldn’t even get a T-shirt because there is no onsite store or item sales. Overall, it feels sort of like the Roadrunners expect people to come and pay ticket prices, but aren’t offering a whole lot of amenities back to the visiting fan.

Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Georgia Dome 1 Georgia Dome Drive NW Atlanta, GA 30313 Atlanta Falcons website Year Opened:  1992 Capacity:  71,228 The Dome is Home The Georgia Dome has been home to the Atlanta Falcons since 1992. But once the 2017 season begins, the Georgia Dome will be no more as a new stadium will open just south of the dome’s current location. Over the last 20-plus years, the Georgia Dome has not seen a lot of big games because the Falcons have not achieved consistent success. However, in recent seasons, the Falcons have been in the playoffs four times and as hosted three playoff games including the 2012 NFC Championship Game. While Atlanta fans are criticized for not supporting their sports teams, more fans have come to support the Falcons over the last few years because of their recent success. And while they have still have a lot of work to do in becoming the best fans in the NFL, there is nothing quite like seeing the Georgia Dome filled with over 70,000 fans cheering the Falcons to victory. Food & Beverage   4 The food prices at the Georgia Dome are on the expensive side, but the quality is worth the cost. From hot dogs, wings, burgers, popcorn, and fries, there is a wide variety of food to choose from. I had the chicken tenders and fries the last time I was at the Georgia Dome. It cost me $13 dollars, but they gave me a lot of food so I was not complaining. The one thing that does stand out is they have a couple a Taco Mac concession stands as well as an actual Taco Mac restaurant inside the dome. So if you want to go to the Brewniversity while watching the Falcons game, you are more than welcome to do so. Just like any professional football stadium, there are plenty of alcoholic beverages to choose from. And if you want a soda, then Coca-Cola is the beverage of choice because the main headquarters is a few blocks away. Atmosphere   4 The Georgia Dome is the largest cable supported dome in the world. When you walk into the stadium, it looks a lot bigger than looking at it from the outside. Over the years, the Falcons have improved to make the dome feel like the home of the Falcons by painting the seats red and black and doing the same thing with the outside walls. Then there is Falcons Landing which is located right in front of the C Gate of the dome. Fans can play games, get autographs and listen to some of the local sports talk radio host preview the Falcons game. And once you’re inside the dome, the drumline and the pregame videos and the cheerleaders do a good job getting you ready for kickoff. Because the team has had some success over the last few years, the dome has more of a big-time NFL feel than in the past. And while they have a ways to go to be a premiere NFL atmosphere, they are on their way. Neighborhood   5 The Georgia Dome is located in the heart of Atlanta, and there is a ton to do other than just taking in the Falcons game. Right next to the Georgia Dome is  Philips Arena  where you can see an Atlanta Hawks game as well as a concert. There is also the CNN Center where you can take a tour of CNN studios and shop at the Atlanta Braves Clubhouse store. Right around the corner is the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium. Both are great places to take kids and are very informative. But the one thing that will catch the eye of many patrons is the College Football Hall of Fame, which will open in the fall of 2014. This is good place to learn all about the game and its legendary players and coaches. Fans   4 The fans in Atlanta have been ridiculed over the years because they are not as passionate as some of the other NFL fan bases in bigger markets. But because of the recent success of the team, the fans have been more actively supportive of the Falcons. The biggest issue is that the fans do show up late, so when the game starts, the dome may look a little emptier than it should be. But that has do with traffic and tailgating, and the fans eventually file in. There are normally 65,000-70,000 fans per game and they are smart and loud when they need to be. As much as Atlanta loves the Braves and the Georgia Bulldogs, the Falcons have captured their hearts because this team has a chance to do some big things in the next few years. Access   4 With the Georgia Dome located right off the downtown connector, it’s really easy to get to. And because there are plenty of parking options, getting out of stadium is not a problem either. And when it comes to moving around the Georgia Dome, that’s a piece of cake as well. However, one of the new things they have done is if you have a 100-level ticket, only those fans can walk around that level. As far as the restrooms go, they are as clean as you will find in an NFL stadium. But because there are 65,000 fans that attend a game, they can get crowded, so make sure to choose your time to go to the restroom wisely. Return on Investment   4 Tickets for a game can range from $60-$160 depending on where you want to sit. And parking will range from $20-$60, which is on the high side. But overall, it’s a good investment to make because there are only eight games per season, the food prices are not out of this world, and the product on the field has been solid over the last few years. So it’s worth spending the money to go to the dome on a Sunday afternoon. Extras   3 The entrance video is as good as it gets. Samuel L. Jackson telling fans to rise up is never old and he’s been doing it for years. The Falcons Ring of Honor is a great way to remember the best players in Falcons history. One of the most interesting things the Georgia Dome has is every helmet of every high school team in the state. Even my school was up on the wall which is a very cool thing to see for the many fans visiting from all over the state of Georgia. Final Thoughts The Georgia Dome is a good place to take in an NFL game. The officials have made improvements to the stadium to enhance the fan experience, and it has worked because whenever the Falcons are in town, the Atlanta area is always a busy place. But time is running out on the dome because the new Falcons stadium will open in the next few years. So make sure to you get the Georgia Dome before it’s too late.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl 5500 Canyon Crest Dr San Diego, CA 92115 San Diego State Aztecs website Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 12,414 Madhouse on the Mesa Since the arrival of head coach Steve Fisher, the San Diego State Aztecs have been a force to be reckoned with in the Mountain West Conference. Off of a legendary run where Coach Fisher would gain fame as the architect of the iconic Fab Five of the nineties Michigan Wolverines, Fisher would be a casualty of the booster scandal that put Michigan basketball back decades. Fisher would go on to bring San Diego State to prominence after his arrival in 1999. San Diego State has recognized his contribution and subsequently named the basketball court after him. Aztec basketball history dates back to 1921, but clearly the best years for the Aztecs are the current run the team is on under Steve Fisher. Home for the Aztecs since 1997 has been Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl. Built on the former site of the football stadium, Viejas is a single bowl arena that seats over 12,000 fans. San Diego State signed a naming rights agreement with the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, also fulfilling their responsibility to the NCAA with regards to the use of Native American mascot names. Previously, the Aztecs played for thirty years, off campus at the San Diego Sports Arena. The student section at what is locally known as the Madhouse on the Mesa is legendary. They are creative and boisterous and have had much to cheer for over the last few years. The Aztecs success is undeniable. They hold charter membership in the Mountain West Conference, which coincided with Fisher’s arrival. Since leaving the WAC for the Mountain West, the Aztecs have won six Mountain West regular season titles, made eight NCAA tournament appearances, twice to the round of 32 and twice to the Sweet Sixteen, and brought home four Mountain West Tournament titles. College basketball fans should definitely consider a pilgrimage to the Madhouse on the Mesa. Food & Beverage 4 The concession options at Viejas Arena are pretty decent and offer a few surprises that will help your wallet. The main concession stands at Viejas are in the outdoor concourse. Hot dogs ($5), bratwurst, nachos, chilli, PB&J; sandwiches, fried chicken wraps, pretzels, peanuts, popcorn ($3), candy, chips, cookies and churros are all available. At the main concessions there are a few surprise items that will actually cost only $1 or $2. There are also a few unique stands that may peak the fan’s culinary interest. Cold Stone Creamery offers a variety of ice cream treats and pizza is provided by Fat Boyz Pizza. The stand that may be the most worth checking out is the popular Ranchwood BBQ. Offering brisket, pulled pork, tri tip, or smoked chicken platters as well as giant ½ lb. burger options, the Ranchwood is probably the most popular concession option at Viejas. Soft drink choices ($4/$6) are Pepsi products and can be found throughout the arena. Gatorade, bottled water, coffee and hot chocolate are also available. College basketball games are dry at Viejas and alcohol is only served for concerts. Atmosphere 4 Arrival at the Viejas Arena will immediately strike fans as not very intimidating. The basketball court is sunken at Viejas and therefore the arena itself is not a massive structure from the exterior. Large wrought iron fences are where fans will find security and entrance to the outdoor concourse. Large green open space complete with California palm trees give the arena a pleasant and calm look from the street and in no way warn fans of the mayhem that they will find inside. Signs above the fences will remind fans that this location was once the home of the Aztec Bowl, former football home for San Diego State, before their move off-campus to Qualcomm Stadium. The exterior of the arena itself is washed in light brown sandstone, indicative of San Diego. Upon leaving the outdoor concourse and entering the building, fans will immediately be struck with how close and cozy the interior of Viejas Arena is. With the majority of concessions and washroom facilities outside, the sunken court seems so close that fans could reach out and touch it from the inner concourse at the top of the seating area. The court is oriented in an east-west manner with a single bowl of plastic, red arena seats all around. The top six rows at Viejas are contoured plastic bleachers embedded into the concrete and should be avoided by fans. They are not comfortable and don’t offer much in the way of legroom. The perfect picture for the center court logo would be from the south side of the arena. High above the court is the video board, which is clean and clear and on par with what would be expected in an NCAA basketball facility. On the west side, above the court, fans will find 21 championship banners which vary from NCAA tournament appearances to the Aztecs’ Sweet Sixteen appearances in 2011 and 2014. The Aztecs also lay claim to six Mountain West Regular Season Championships as well as Mountain West Tournament Championships in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2011. Championships from previous conferences are also present. San Diego State does honour some of its players who have made exceptional contributions to the program on the court. Around the upper concourse, pillars are decorated with murals for key Aztec Basketball Legends complete with QR codes that lead to info on those players. Legends include Michael Cage, Anthony Watson, Jamaal Franklin, Al Skalecky, Milton Phelps, Brandon Heath, Kawhi Leonard, and San Diego legend Tony Gwynn. A fun Aztec fact is that television personality Art Linkletter was also a former Aztec basketball player. San Diego State puts together a solid game day experience. The southeast corner is where you will find the SDSU band and they contribute greatly to the game day experience. The band is aided by the student section, known as The Show, and the complement of cheerleaders and dancers. The Show is highlighted as part of the video intro before the opening tip. The San Diego State mascot, Aztec Warrior, is a brave student who makes his way throughout the stands and on the court, wearing not too much. Neighborhood 4 Viejas Arena is located on the campus of San Diego State University, in the College West neighborhood of San Diego. There are a couple of spots that may interest fans for pre and post game fare, but for the most part, Viejas is surrounded by the university. Spots within walking distance would include The Habit Burger, Trujillo’s Taco Shop and Senor Pancho Fresh Mexican Grill. College and El Cajon are the streets that offer the most options, many of which are recognizable chains and fast food restaurants. The Rolando Village neighbourhood, just south of College West, has a few more spots including Woodstock’s Pizza and Effin’s Pub and Grill. San Diego is famous for its fantastic weather and wonderful beaches. It is definitely a tourist destination and there are tons of things to do in addition to an Aztecs basketball game. The San Diego Zoo is an absolute must-see experience and SeaWorld is also a San Diego staple. The San Diego Convention Center is world famous and the San Diego Comic Convention is probably the most famous annual event at the Center. Other sporting options in San Diego would include an Aztecs football game at SDCCU Stadium or a San Diego Padres game at Petco Park . San Diego University is nearby and the Toreros also play basketball at the Jenny Craig Pavilion among other sports. The American Hockey League has also recently planted a flag in San Diego with the San Diego Gulls, who play at Valley View Casino Center and are the minor league affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. Fans who wish to stay in San Diego, near San Diego State should consider staying at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn & Suites or the Holiday Inn San Diego. Fans 5 San Diego State basketball fans are legendary. The east end of the arena is home to The Show, one of the loudest, most boisterous student sections in all of college basketball. It was The Show that pioneered the waving of giant heads during free-throws. When choosing a seat, fans definitely want to consider their proximity to the students. Sell-outs at the over 12,000 seat arena are commonplace and fans are loud and passionate for their Aztecs. Although The Show has a strong presence at Aztec games, the group has been in some hot water before. Inappropriate comments and taking things too far, especially against rivals like BYU has happened before, sullying a bit of their reputation. Access 4 Getting in and around Viejas has its ups and downs. San Diego State is located on the east side of the city of San Diego. It is very close to I-8, the Kumeyaay Highway and getting to the university should not be a problem. Parking can be a bit of a challenge around campus and a little research ahead of time can go a long way. Parking won’t blow your mind away, however $10-$20 is what you should expect to pay. The SDSU Transit Center is very close to Viejas and buses and light rail are available. Check out the San Diego MTS website for schedules, maps and fares. The ticketing and gate entry are very spacious as they are far from the building itself. Getting in and around the outdoor concourse is very spacious and pretty easy. Inside can be a different story. The upper concourse, inside the arena, is very crowded and getting around the building can be a chore. The washroom facilities are accessed from the outdoor concourse and are adequate for the size of arena. Return on Investment 5 There is great value in a San Diego State Aztecs game. Tickets for a conference opponent will run from $20 to $40 and non-conference opponents run $10 to $20. Parking will probably run $15 and concessions can be very reasonable. Combine that with an atmosphere that is fantastic for college basketball and a fan base that is as good as any in the country, and fans have a recipe for a fantastic day’s entertainment. Words of warning for fans who are on the more frugal side, spend the extra money and ensure that the bench seating is not chosen. Extras 3 An extra mark for building Viejas Arena right in the former Aztec Bowl. The north end of the arena gives a pretty good perspective on where the former football stadium stood with remnants of old seating risers. An extra mark for one of the pioneering forces of student sections across the country. The impact The Show has had on college basketball can’t be denied. An extra mark for the success of Steve Fisher at San Diego State and the school recognizing his contributions. Final Thoughts The Madhouse on the Mesa is a great spot to see some college basketball. During the winter months, San Diego State basketball is now the biggest game in town and the fans show up in droves. Do not discount the Aztecs since they are not in a Power 5 conference, there is plenty to cheer about and the Aztecs are a force in college basketball.

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Jim Spooner Field 910 Campus Dr Pensacola, FL 32514 West Florida Argonauts website Jim Spooner Field website Year Opened: 1981 Capacity: 3,000 Cozy Baseball in the Wetlands Nestled amongst the Florida wetlands in Pensacola, FL sits the campus of University of West Florida. The medium-sized, public university of a little shy of 13,000 students is fairly new. Ground was broken in 1965 and in 1968, 58 students received degrees during the first commencement ceremony. Today the college has an enrollment of 12,800 students and is one of five four-year colleges in the panhandle area of Florida. The team’s nickname, the Argonauts, reflects Pensacola’s Naval history as the city is home to one of the largest naval bases in the country. UWF has competed at the D2 level in the Gulf South Conference since 1994. The school is most famous for having its football program make it to the D2 National Championship Game in just its second year of existence, and the baseball team has had similar success, as they won the 2011 D2 National Title and have had 18 players drafted into MLB during the program’s history. On the east side of campus sits Jim Spooner Field which has a seating capacity of 3,000 and opened in 1981. Named after longtime Argo skipper Jim Spooner, who coached the Argonauts from 1983 to 2005, the stadium underwent a $500,000 renovation in 2003 when the independent league Pensacola Pelicans relocated here from Pensacola State College just down the road. The Pelicans would call Jim Spooner Field home and would bring great success and packed houses for the next eight seasons. Because of the success and fortunes the Pelicans brought the city, it eventually led affiliated baseball to return in 2012. Food & Beverage 3 The concessions at Jim Spooner Field are plentiful and prices are reasonable. The expansive menu consists of the ballpark basics, with prices as follows: Hamburgers ($5), Chili Cheese dogs ($4.50), Hot Dogs ($3), Nachos ($3), Pretzels ($2.50), Popcorn ($2), Candy bars ($2), and Chips ($1.50). Coke is the soft drink provider, with bottled soft drinks and Powerade going for $3, bottled water for $2.50, and coffee for $2. Surprisingly, ice cream is also served here with giant cones and ice cream sandwiches sold for $3.50. Prices here will not break the bank but if you have the time to drive you can eat at one of Pensacola’s many restaurants downtown. Atmosphere 3 Once you walk through the main entrance there is a series of walkways that lead around the area. The restrooms, concessions, and UWF locker room are located in a series of four outhouse style buildings, typical to the ones you would find in a city or state park. When the stadium opened in 1981 it had just a basic grandstand, but the stadium was upgraded to suit pro baseball standards with the relocation of the Pelicans. The original grandstand is in the middle of two other grandstands, thus the stadium isn’t one cohesive ballpark, but a collection of three sets of bleacher-style seating that are connected by a walkway. There is also blue, foldable chair back seating on ground level behind home plate extending down the first and third baselines, but these seats are reserved for special ticket holders. As it was a rainy dreary afternoon on my most recent visit, many fans were sitting in the reserved seating section, as these are also the only covered seats in the stadium. Besides the seats, there are also several rather large picnic areas along both baselines, as well as another one out behind left field. The UWF baseball program is a pretty storied one, as they are constantly ranked in the D2 polls and even won a D2 National Championship in 2011. There is no shortage of banners on display showcasing these feats, with a huge National Title banner in left field as well as multiple Regional Appearances signs on the light poles. Neighborhood 2 UWF’s campus is located in kind of a secluded area in the northern part of the city – the campus was built on wetlands in former Indian territory, but is now part of a nature preserve and is located on a bluff above the Escambia River. Nature lovers will love the campus, as it has several nature trails and boardwalks where you can walk back into the woods through the swamps; if you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse of an alligator. Nature lovers can also take a trip across the river over to the small town of Milton – this picturesque town lines the Blackwater River, where many people can be found kayaking and canoeing, and swimming along the sand bars during the summer. The area where Jim Spooner Field is located is part of a sports complex that includes the UWF softball and soccer fields, and to the north of the sports complex is a wildlife sanctuary that lines the Escambia River. As such there’s not much in the area in terms of things to do, but just south of campus is 9 Mile Road where there are a few restaurants, including Chick-fil-A, as well as a Target store. A couple of restaurants in the area worth checking out are Grover’s Chicken Fingers and Wings, a hole-in-the-wall type joint famous for its fried chicken, and Taqueria El Asador Mexican Restaurant, a stand set up on the side of a gas station on Davis Avenue, about three miles south of campus. This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it type of establishment has rave reviews, being voted one of the top 10 Mexican restaurants in the whole country, and Trip Advisor rates it as the number 1 restaurant (if you want to call it that) in Pensacola. Davis Highway has all the typical chain restaurants and strip malls, so you can find anything else you are looking for as well. About 15 miles south of UWF’s campus is Seville Quarter and downtown Pensacola, and you can find tons of bars and restaurants lined up and down Palafox Street. Downtown can be a decent drive from Jim Spooner Field depending on the time of day, so plan accordingly. For attractions I definitely recommend checking out the Naval Air Museum at Pensacola Naval Air Station – this state of the art museum, which is free by the way, has over 150 vintage aircraft on display including the first plane to cross the Atlantic Ocean, former President Bush’s private plane, and some from the Blue Angels. The museum is located on the naval base and is a bit of a detour, being in an out-of-the-way location, but I highly recommend it. The beaches of Pensacola and Gulf Shores are nearby as well, for those in town wanting to hit the beach. Fans 2 It’s hard to judge the fans on the particular afternoon I attended, as it was a cold and rainy day, so there were not a lot of fans in attendance. The Argos are averaging just a couple hundred fans per game this 2019 season, but on this particular Sunday afternoon the announced crowd was 118, though it seemed far fewer. The conditions were terrible, as there was a constant drizzle during the game, and the staff even eventually opened up the reserved seating section to all general admission fans, as the grandstands were completely empty and the few people there were all lined up behind home plate – it was a far cry from the Pelican days when this place would get packed out. Access 2 One drawback to getting to UWF’s campus is the location itself, as well as Pensacola’s horrendous traffic. The campus is located in the northern part of the city, far away from the beach and downtown, so if coming from the east and west I-10 will be your best bet – just take the Davis Highway exit and follow the signs until you reach the University Parkway split, and you can take that road right into campus. Or, if coming from the beach or downtown you can take I-110 to Davis Highway and follow that, or you can take beautiful Scenic Highway, a winding road that travels north and south and has spectacular views of Escambia Bay. All along this highway you can pull off into the different areas and lookouts over the water; this highway is noted for its lavish mansions as well. Part of the University Sportsplex, Jim Spooner Field itself is located on the southeast side of campus, and resembles being in a city park. The sportsplex includes the softball stadium, which is located next door to and is a mirror image of Jim Spooner Field, except with only one grandstand instead of three. Then, out past center field is a soccer field, a practice field used for baseball, and softball and batting cages. Return on Investment 3 For normal games UWF does charge $5 for all general admission and grandstand tickets, and $7 for the chair back seating behind home plate; students get in free with their student ID. For this level of baseball I thought these ticket prices were pretty high, but then again this is Florida and a tourist area so everything is expensive here. But on this particular afternoon, with the rain and cold weather in the forecast, the ticket office was closed so fans were free to come in and sit where they wanted. Extras 2 ‘The Spoon’ is a former minor league ballpark. In 2002 the Pensacola Pelicans were born when the upstart independent Southeastern Baseball League placed a team in the city. The team would play just south of here at tiny Pirate Field on the campus of Pensacola State College, and would be the city’s first professional baseball team since 1962, so needless to say Pensacolians were hungry for baseball again, and it showed during the one season the Pelicans played at Pirate Field . Fans packed the stadium and the team led the league in attendance, as well as won the league’s inaugural championship. Midway through the 2002 season the Pelicans were purchased by Quint Studer and his wife Rishy. Studer, who is originally from Illinois, is a health care consultant who relocated to the city in the 1990s to work with an area hospital. Studer’s many charitable efforts would prove to be influential for the city, and he would be the man responsible for bringing affiliated baseball back to Pensacola. After the 2002 season the Pelicans needed to find a bigger home ASAP, so they relocated to Jim Spooner Field. In order to accommodate professional baseball, however, The Spoon needed to be upgraded, so the two additional grandstands were added raising the capacity to 3,000. In addition, a party deck was established in left field, and box seats were installed behind home plate. The Pelicans would play eight years at The Spoon in three separate leagues – Southeastern League (2003), Central Baseball League (2004), and American Association of Independent Baseball (2005-2010). The team would prove to be highly successful for the community of Pensacola, and fans packed The Spoon on a nightly basis. Because of the success of the Pelicans, affiliated baseball would return to Pensacola in 2012, when Studer purchased the Carolina Mudcats and relocated them to Pensacola to become the Blue Wahoos . As part of this deal, however, Studer had to facilitate the Kinston Indians moving to Zebulon, NC to replace the Mudcats ; the Indians ended up taking over the Mudcats name. The Wahoos have won Minor League Baseball’s Organization of the Year award three times in their seven year existence, and in addition, Blue Wahoos Stadium , a three-time recipient of the Southern League’s Ballpark of the Year, has consistently been ranked as one of the premiere minor league ballparks in the country – and all of this because the Pensacola Pelicans laid the foundation for the team that would call the city home ten years later. Without the Pelicans success at The Spoon perhaps the Blue Wahoos wouldn’t even be in Pensacola today. Final Thoughts Jim Spooner Field is a decent place to catch a baseball game – the days of packed houses and professional baseball are long gone, but what’s left is a cozy little ballpark that suits the team quite well. For a D2 baseball facility Jim Spooner Field is a pretty decently-sized stadium, so if you are in the area and want to catch a game at a former minor league ballpark, then come on down to The Spoon.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark 900 Holly Ln Elizabethton, TN 37643 Elizabethton River Riders website Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark website Year Opened: 1974 Capacity: 1,650 Down the Lazy River in Elizabethton The Elizabethton River Riders of the Appalachian League debuted in 2021, replacing the Elizabethton Twins, who captured 12 league championships and 16 division titles since coming to town in 1974. The Riders were part of the new Appy League that would not be affiliated with a major league club but as a summer collegiate league. The home ballpark would also get a new name after signing a naming agreement and being rechristened as Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark. The new name of the 47-year ballpark did not change much of the appearance or atmosphere of the quirky ballpark. The city spent $12,000 on what was known as Riverside Park to renovate the playing field between 1973 and 1974, purchasing portable seats and lockers for the stadium. The E-Twins were the first professional club in town in 23 years. The last ballpark had its grandstand demolished during a storm on Independence Day in 1951. When the local rayon industry, which owned the ballpark, could not make available funds for a new grandstand, the team ceased operations. The E-Twins brought a level of excellence, not having a season below .500 from 1989-2019. Will the River Riders provide continued excellence on the riverside park? It is too soon to see, but based on merchandise sales, fans appeared to have adapted to the new colors of sky blue and yellow. It should be an interesting next few years in E-Town. Food & Beverage 4 There is ample variety of food at the main concession stand, but that is fine since it is served fast and hot to customers throughout the game. Several beer stands first made their appearance during the 2019 season, up until that point, liquor was not allowed at the stadium. Fans can choose from hot dogs, brats, footlongs, burgers, chicken tender baskets, bbq sandwiches, pizza slices, and bbq nachos. There are also sweet items of deep-fried Oreos and funnel cake fries for purchase. The beer choices are also plentiful, with varieties from maco to microbrews available on draft or in 12-ounce cans. Atmosphere 3 Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark is a hodgepodge of pieces to make a ballpark that in 1974 might have been fine but is obsolete. It is a curious formation of a long, steep grandstand down the third baseline that would be better for watching a football game, along with a collection of plastic theater-style seats behind home plate, and an aluminum set of bleachers seating down the third-base side. Fans enter the stadium through the right-field corner of the stadium and encounter a small kid zone play area, the main concession stand, and the official team shop. Club merchandise has been selling well this year, and fans can also scoop up old E-Twins caps and shirts for under $5. Rookie, a fuzzy green guy who has been at the ballpark for a few years, can be found giving out hugs and high-fives. Two wooden structures are hovering in between the home plate seats–one serves as a suite and the other as the press box. The area underneath the two structures is for handicapped seating but also creates ample room for some shade during hot summer games. The outfield wall includes a giant sign that houses all of the championships won by the E-Twins (they also could sneak in the five won by the Elizabethton Red Sox from 1937-1941 to increase it to 17 banners) and the current standings in the Appy League. Players also exit through a door in centerfield near the sign at the end of the game. The ballpark is laid-back Appy League style. The majority of fans take a seat in the third base seating structure that also features carpeted stairways–a unique feature for an outdoor stadium. This is where you will find the best views of the surrounding area of the stadium; you can also chat with the visitor’s dugout that is on field level. A young kid was given a cracked bat by one of the players from the Burlington Sock Puppets. Neighborhood 3 Elizabethton is about 15 minutes west of Johnson City and TVA Credit Union Ballpark, allowing for witnessing a game easily in one day if the schedule permits. The ballpark is surrounded by mountains beyond the right-field wall and the Watauga River is located behind home plate and the third baseline (hence the name River Riders). Locals and visitors enjoy kayaking or tubing down the river during the summer months. The town is home to 14,000 and is rather small, but also the natural wonders of Cherokee National Forest and Blue Hole Falls. There is a bit of history around the area that includes The Carter Mansion, Elizabethon Covered Bridge, and the Sycamore Shoals Historic Park. Restaurant options include The Southern Restaurant, Mayflower Seafood Restaurant, Big Dan’s BBQ, J’s Corner, and Nanny’s Country Cafe. Fans 3 A core group of fans stayed until the end of the game, cheering for the team to a come-from-behind victory in the 9th inning. However, many in the stands were quiet throughout most of the game. The die-hards are behind the backstop in the blue seats. Access 3 There is one entrance in the left-field corner, and most of the concessions, restrooms, and merchandise store is behind the third-base grandstand. The narrow concourse in front of the third-base grandstand allows access to the rest of the stadium. Return on Investment 3 A general admission ticket is $6, a daily reserve is $8, and a military/child is $5. The prices are the way they used to be, affordable, and probably the lowest in the league. There are no parking fees, concessions are in line with other clubs, and team merchandise ranges from shirts for $18 to game day caps for $30. . Extras 2 The ballpark earns a point for the large championship wall in the right-center field. The team store also offers multiple pieces of merchandise in various styles, plus deep discounts on E-Twins shirts and caps. Final Thoughts Many might not like Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark for its design and aesthetics. I would not argue with the fact that perhaps a renovation is in order in the future. It rates lower on the list of other ballparks in the Appy League, and with new energy throughout the league, could it be left behind? ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Cedar Rapids Ice Rink 1100 Rockford Rd SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 Cedar Rapids RoughRiders website Cedar Rapids Ice Rink website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 3,850 Welcome to Rider Town USA The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are a tier 1 junior hockey team playing in the United States Hockey League. Their home ice is the Cedar Rapids Ice Rink which is affectionately known as The Stable. The arena has a capacity of 3,850 and shares the same property with the minor league baseball Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Riders arrived in town for the 1999/2000 season after playing its first sixteen seasons as the North Iowa Stars in Mason City, Iowa. The RoughRiders name was selected in a name-the-team contest won by a local teacher at Roosevelt Middle School in town as it was the school’s mascot. The excitement of the arena is propelled when both the Dubuque Fighting Saints and the Waterloo Blackhawks come into town. The two in-state rivals battle for the Dupaco Cowbell Cup which is awarded to the team with the best overall record between the three hockey clubs. When the arena is packed, the “clinging” and “clanging” of the cowbells by the fans brings the noise level to high decibels inside the low-ceiling arena. Earlier in 2018, the city approved an extension to keep the club in town for the next 24 years–with another 20-year extension automatically kicking in if the Rider ownership makes a minimum of $1 million in capital improvements to the building. Ownership would be responsible for areas that include a locker room, team offices, and audio/video components of the game day presentation. In return, the city will add a concession stand, party decks at each end of the rink, and the replacement of seating within the next four years. Video Courtesy of SAC Sports Adventures, YouTube Food & Beverage 3 The arena is heavily stocked with munchies ranging from value hot dogs for $2 to giant 32-ounce draft beers for $8.50. The highlight and the must-try, if you dare, is the Rider Dog–a double chili dog that will fill you up for $9.50. You can wash that down with PBR Tallboys or Busch Light cans for $4 each. Then again, the pork tenderloin sandwich ($7), foot-long hot dog ($8.50), and walking taco ($5.25) are also worth enjoying during the game. There is quite a bit of beer from local favorite Busch Light to local craft beers. The prices start at $5.75 for a domestic draft to $6 for craft cans. Big Grove Brewery and Breckenridge Vanilla Porter are for sale, along with wine for $7 and sodas for $4. The 32-ounce drafts are probably the best deal. The menu signs are big, bold, and loud–just the way it should be at a place like this. Atmosphere 3 Junior hockey is a curious little fix to the Rider Nation. They create a healthy dose of the atmosphere with cowbell in hand and plenty of revelries during the action on the ice. The low-ceiling home creates a noise level that can be quite menacing when in-state rivals from Dubuque and Waterloo come to town. The ambiance is appealing and the funky look of the colored walls, bold posters, and championship banners should put everyone with a ticket in the proper mood. The tickets are cheap, the food and beverage much cheaper, and the seats are close to players on the ice who are playing for attention to move on to a college scholarship or the next level of hockey. The ice rink is an ideal place to watch the kids play and one will be encouraged to cheer along with the crowd as they attempt to propel the Riders to victory. The large video board hangs above center ice and features customized-based videos that introduce players on the ice, produce stats, and engage fans during intermission or breaks in the action. The team’s official mascot is named Ricochet and he can be seen providing hugs, high-fives, and photo ops for fans of all ages. Neighborhood 3 The rink is located a few miles south of downtown Cedar Rapids and shares a parking lot with the home of the Cedar Rapids Kernels minor league baseball team Veterans Memorial Stadium. Conveniently located a few blocks from the rink is a small, simple looking Maid-Rite restaurant that serves an Iowa favorite loose meat sandwich. A loose meat sandwich is a sloppy joe without the sauce and if you have a few pieces of meat fall onto your wrapper, you scoop up the bits with a spoon. Downtown isn’t too far north by car and at times has the smell of freshly baked cookies from the nearby Quaker Oats mill . There are a few nice choices for food and drink including The Lost Cuban, Cobble Hill Restaurant, and Black Sheep Social Club. The Quarter Barrel Arcade & Brewery is an Industrial, brick-walled brewpub offering classic arcade games, craft beer & wood-fired pizzas. The Czech and Slovak Museum, Museum of Art, African-American Museum, and Brucemore are all worth a visit. Fans 4 On an average night, the arena attracts around 2,000 people per game and they make their presence felt throughout the game. The Riders faithful have a connection with their Hometown team and give their league a group of admiring fans cheering on their favorites on the ice. The crowd is known to cling and clang their cowbells to give the arena a local feel. The crowd is hyped and near capacity when Dubuque and Waterloo play at the ice rink. Access 3 The arena features a main concourse wrapped around the rink that makes it very easy to get around during the game. All of the concessions and bathrooms are easily accessible and there is plenty of parking outside in the main lot. Return on Investment 4 Ticket prices are broken up into six different zones and range in price from $12.75 to $25. The crowds are usually around the 2,000 mark and are much larger when in-state rival Waterloo comes into town on the weekend. The price of food is extremely inexpensive and the parking is free in the main lot outside of the rink. On a cold Iowa night, it makes for a nice way to warm up a bit. Extras 3 The rink gets a point for its loud, bold, and giant menu items that hang throughout the building and main concourse. They are attention-getters and their prices are very reasonable. The rink gets a second point for the color combination of seating cream, blue, and purple; these are not the team’s colors, but give it a sense of being full when the crowds are small. The rink gets a final point for its value meal, fans can purchase a hot dog for $2, a PBR tallboy or a Busch Light can for $4. In Iowa, they love Busch Light–sort of the way Minnesotans love the Michelob Golden Draft Light. Final Thoughts USHL hockey features copious small areas that are very similar in size and aesthetics, but it’s the fans that create an ambiance that is unique in each building. The hockey is exciting, the prices are a deal, and the promotional department of each team gives it a feel that is similar at the minor league level. If you are somewhere in Iowa and its vicinity, take in a game during the wintertime .

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 BNL Fieldhouse 595 Stars Blvd. Bedford, IN 47421 Bedford North Lawrence HS Stars BNL Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 5,640 Seeing Stars at BNL Fieldhouse A review of the BNL Fieldhouse cannot be complete without mentioning Damon Bailey who led the Bedford North Lawrence Stars to three state Final Fours and a come-from-behind win in the 1990 State Championship game in front of 41,000 plus at the RCA Dome. Bailey would score a state record 3,134 points in his four years before playing for Indiana University. Baily first gained recognition as a 14-year-old 8th grader who caught the attention of IU head coach Bobby Knight who watched him play two games. Knight quipped that Bailey “is better than any guard we have right now. I don’t mean potentially better, I mean better today.” The quote was featured in the best-selling book A Season on the Brink and Bailey’s legend soon took off resulting in sold-out crowds at home. The crowds were also at capacity whenever the Stars traveled on the road and it was a type of frenzied not seen in Indiana for some time and wouldn’t be duplicated until the Romeo Langford and New Albany began packing both home and away games from 2016-2019. BNL’s lone boy’s state championship is only eclipsed by the four state championships won by the ladies. Bedford North Lawrence High School was created for the 1974-1975 academic school year as part of a consolidation of seven area schools: Bedford, Tunnelton, Shawswick, Needmore, Fayetteville, Oolitic, and Heltonville. The school’s seven-point logo represents the former schools and stands out among the generic logos found at many other high schools. The fieldhouse held its first game in January 1975. Before the BNL Fieldhouse, the Bedford Stonecutters played at what locals called “The Quarry” a 4,200-seat gymnasium built in 1924. The team and gym were named after the multiple limestone quarries in the area and the school captured the regional championship during the final season in 1974 where the Cutters upset a Springs Valley squad featuring Larry Bird at The Hatchet House in Washington. It was the 21st regional championship in school history. Food & Beverage 3 A large concession window exists outside the seating bowl with a few more locations on the upper concourse. The usual items of hot dogs for $2, nachos for $2, candy bars, and popcorn for $1 each. Fans can top their tortilla chips with pickled jalapenos at a makeshift fixings table. However, the menu also offers coney dogs for $2.50, Star nachos (with chili) for $3, walking tacos for $3, and soft pretzels for $2.50. Coca-Cola products are offered for $2 a bottle and feature a little bit more variety including Mr. Pibb, Mello Yello, and red cream soda. The concession area also offers a few tables for fans to eat their food before making their way to the seating area of the gymnasium. There is also a set of stairs leading up to the second level of seating. Atmosphere 3 The Stars were playing an early afternoon game on a Saturday where the atmosphere was probably not mostly up to par. However, the crowd that gathered for both the JV and varsity games showed their support for the players on the court. The seating is featured on all three sides and for today’s game, only one bleacher was open. That was enough since the fieldhouse holds well over 5,000 fans. The design is similar to gyms in Seymour, Lafayette, and Jay County High Schools but a few touches make the BNL Fieldhouse stand apart from these other gyms. There are a few ads speckled on the wall in both the lower and upper section of the gym, a computation center is on the wall for teams in the conference, and the US flag and conference member banners hang from the rafters. An electronic scoreboard hovers over the center court. The exterior concourse features a large collection of memorabilia from BNL’s history of championships from large team photos, oversized player cut-outs, and numerous newspaper clippings. The court itself is named after Damon Bailey and the media area is named after Myron Rainey who has been calling games for local radio station WBIW since 1979. The Voice of the Stars has called all five state basketball championships at the school. Neighborhood 2 Bedford has a population of 13,400 plus and is located about 24 miles south of Bloomington, Indiana, on SR-37. The town offers an array of local establishments and national chains to grab a bite to eat before or after the game. Bedford features the Limestone Cafe, Smokin Jim’s BBQ and Steakhouse, El Compadre, Shorty’s Den, Mamas, and Papas, and Court Room Sports Grill. A selection of chain restaurants includes Steak n Shake, Golden Corral, Long John Silver’s, Captain D’s, and Hardee’s. A few places in town to visit are the Lawrence County Historical Museum and a short drive is Bluesprinhs Cavern where visitors can take an underground boat ride. About a 30-minute drive is Bloomington where the campus of IU welcomes all visitors. Fans 4 Although the crowd was small for the game the spirit of each fan was evident. There were many showing demises of each play gone wrong by the home team while a large collection of fans who made the more than an hour trip from Evansville showed their anger when a foul was called against the squad. Bedford is known for being a good basketball town and even when the crowd is light it is easy to see a few basketball-savvy fans. Access 3 The town of Bedford is somewhat off the beaten path but just a 20-minute drive off the I-69 exit on SR-37. Access to the gym is easy due to its large size and the number of people who take in a game. The facility offers an outer concourse and an upper concourse with staircases to allow for quick travel to and from your seats. Return on Investment 3 The cost of a ticket to a basketball game is $5 and is on par with other basketball gyms in the state. The price of concession items is also affordable and in line with other gyms. Extras 3 BNL Fieldhouse earns a point for the banners hanging from the rafters of the gym. The banners honor the championship teams of both the boys and girls basketball teams. The fieldhouse earns a second point for its large area outside the gym featuring large team photos of past championships, trophy cases, and various other items. The home of the Stars earns a final point for allowing fans to top their nachos with jalapenos from a make-shift fixings area. Final Thoughts The BNL Fieldhouse is another of the state's largest gyms and offers an experience very similar to gyms of its size and age. When it's packed, the fieldhouse is electric.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Martin “Pug” Marich Field 3101 N 15th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85015 Map It Phoenix College Bears Marich Field website Year Opened: unknown Capacity: 1,000 (a guess) Bear Ball Martin “Pug” Marich Field is on the Phoenix College campus in Midtown Phoenix.  Martin “Pug” Marich coached the Phoenix College Bears baseball team from 1961 to 1968.  He guided the Bears to two national championships.  In 1985, the school named the baseball field to honor his years of devotion and commitment to the sport and to the school. The Phoenix College Bears won the National Championship in 1960, 1962, and 1965.  Six former Bears players have made it to MLB.  Forty-one have been drafted by MLB. They are members of the ACCAC (Arizona Community College Athletic Conference) – NJCAA – Region 1 – Div 2.   They were back-to-back NJCAA Region 1 – Div 2 champions in 2022 and 2023, which allowed them entry to the NJCAA D2 championship series in Enid, OK.    Food & Beverage 1 Signs indicate a concession stand is in the area, but I did not find one during my visit.  I did see Coke and snack vending machines.   Fans can bring in their own food and beverages, and many do. Atmosphere 3 It’s an okay game day experience at Marich Field.  The best part is the announcer, who calls the starting lineup clearly and announces the player at bat.  He calls pitching changes for the Bears but not always for the visiting team.  I’m guessing he doesn’t always have a complete visitor roster.  Seats are twelve long rows of bleachers set behind home plate with no handrails at all.   A medium-thickness net protects the fans.  A canopy covers the seating area.  It can be cold or a relief, depending on your preference and the temperature at game time.  The side closest to third base gets the sun first for afternoon games. Both dugouts are painted dark blue and gold, the school’s colors.  And they are close to the seating area.  I never realized how much activity occurs in a dugout. The stadium has lights; the Bears can play night games here.  The scoreboard is a basic dot matrix board showing the line score. Martin "Pug" Marich Field Scoreboard, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey A whole variety of music is played before the game and between innings.  The music person plays walk-up songs for the home team.  The volume is not deafening; fans can converse with each other without having to yell.  The venue seems to draw a good amount of yellow jackets/bees.  For those allergic, remember to bring your EpiPen.  Neighborhood 3 Being in Central Phoenix, fans can find plenty of things to see and do within driving distance of Marich Field.     For food, I strongly recommend the Original Hamburger Works  known for their mesquite broiled hamburgers cooked over an open flame.  It has a full-service bar and a patio and is ½ mile from the ball field.  Across the street from the Original Hamburger Works is J P Mc Gurkee's Sandwich Shop .  This is an excellent place to pick up a sandwich to bring with you to the ball game. Encanto Park and Enchanted Island Amusement Park are less than a mile from Maric h Field.  They are public parks, with fishing, boating, golf, rides, picnic tables, swimming pools, and other outdoo r activities.  The Heard Museum (American Indian Art) is nearby and certainly worth a visit, even if you’re not into art.  Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks) and the Footprint Center ( Phoenix Suns , Phoenix Mercury ) are four miles from Marich Field.  American Family Fields of Phoenix (Milwaukee Brewers spring training) and Brazell Field (GCU Antelopes) are five to six miles from the campus.  For other nearby ACCAC baseball fields, Glendale CC , Scottsdale CC , and Mesa CC are between 15 and 20 miles awa y, and those games are free to attend. Hotels nearby include the Fairfield Inn & Suites and Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Midtown , both over a mile from Marich Field.  Several other well-known hotel chains are within a mile or two. Fans 2 The fans are mostly family and friends of the ball players.  Depending on the opponent, some visiting fans will attend the games.  At the game of this review, attendance seemed sparse, although given the larger than normal seating capacity at this community college field, it would take quite a large crowd to make it seem packed.  All are there to support their sons/grandsons, cheering them on and slipping them snacks and treats in the dugout. Very few students attend mid-afternoon matches.  The biggest fans are the ones in the dugouts (the teammates). Access 3 Phoenix College and Marich Field are midway between I-17 and Central Ave and between Thomas Rd and Osborne Rd, just three miles north of Downtown Phoenix. Free parking is available , with the closest lot at N 11th Ave and W Campus Dr (lots of speed bumps are in the lot).   The Valley Metro Osborn/Central Ave light rail station is one mile from the ball field.  Bus route 15 has a stop at 15th Ave and Earll Dr just beyond left field.  Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is six and a half miles southeast of the college.  The bleachers have zero handrails, so those who can’t climb steps without support or are unsteady on their feet can only sit in the very first row.  The venue does not have any specific area for wheelchairs, but the walkway between the bleachers and the netting has room. The facility has restrooms in the building behind the first baseline.  Porta Potties a re also on site. While there are ample ways of getting to the field, not having handrails to get up the bleachers is a deterrent. Return on Investment 4 Of the eight ACCAC baseball fields I’ve visited, Marich Field is the first one that charged admission.  Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.  Cash.  The school does not charge for parking.  The gameplay is not different than other ACCAC ball fields.  The stands hold more fans than the other fields, and it is covered for those hot afternoon games.  Still, I was taken aback that they charged a fee. . Extras 1 If you get a chance, enter the ‘Bear Den’ atrium (the Bear Den is the basketball gym just south of Marich Field) and peruse the championship trophies of all Phoenix College Bears athletic teams, including the 1965 NJCAA baseball trophy. Phoenix College Bears Trophies, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Final Thoughts Martin “Pug” Marich Field , located in Midtown Phoenix, is a decent place to enjoy a Phoenix College Bears baseball game.

Photos by John Severs, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 PK Park 2800 MLK Jr Blvd Eugene, OR 97401 Oregon Ducks website PK Park website Year Opened: 2009 Capacity: 4,000 Oregon Ducks Baseball The University of Oregon had a respectable baseball program for over 100 years, starting play in 1877, with several conference championships and an appearance in the College World Series in 1954. In 1984, the university made the decision to reduce the team to the club level, but Oregon is a state that is hungry for baseball. Despite not having a pro team, the state has always supported its minor and independent teams well. With Oregon’s biggest in state rivals, the Oregon State Beavers , winning national championships in 2006 and 2007, it was clear the Ducks needed to get back on the baseball field. The timing was auspicious, as the Class A Eugene Emeralds were in need of a new home after spending 40 years at Eugene’s Civic Stadium. PK Park, named after Oregon’s former Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny, opened in time for the Ducks to take on the reigning NCAA Champions, the Fresno State Bulldogs , in their first game at the new stadium in 2009. Food & Beverage 4 PK Park has all the standard ballpark options. Hot dogs, corn dogs, chili dogs, all manner of dogs are available. Nachos, popcorn, candy and ice cream are also available, and there is a separate tent from the main concessions station that offers pizza and one pound of chicken wings. Things are a little pricey ($4 – $8 range), but not out of line for stadium food. Buying a meal and drink will cost you around $12-$15 per person depending on your hunger level and personal food preferences. Atmosphere 4 The seating in PK Park is excellent, with great sight lines and seats very close to the field. There is no outfield seating, so you won’t be catching any home runs, and the box seating has some sight line issues, but that’s not going to bother most fans in attendance. The seating behind home plate and near the baselines is plastic individual seats, while once you get to the outfield it switches to aluminum benches. Because the Ducks share space with the Emeralds, the atmosphere at times trends more toward the professional rather than collegiate. There’s a raucousness and charm that college sports tends to bring out that PK Park lacks, but that’s more a difference of taste than of quality. Neighborhood 2 PK Park stands in the shadow of Autzen Stadium and is surrounded by parking lots. It’s not far from campus (about two miles from the heart of the campus), but it will be a bit of a walk. Other than that, there’s not much in the immediate vicinity. There are some good restaurants nearby if you’re willing to make the hike. The O Bar and Grill is a three minute drive away, or eight minute walk, and a great place for a beer or burger before/after a game. A sports bar called The Cooler is nearby that seems pretty good. It’s a big hangout for Ducks games. There’s also a McMenamin’s (an Oregon chain) not too far away. Those have great burgers and a good beer selection. If you’re coming in from out of town there’s a Hyatt and a La Quinta nearby for lodging. And while in town, you may be able to catch an Oregon Ducks basketball game at Matthew Knight Arena . Fans 5 The fan presence is great. The student section is always rocking, and the Ducks seem to draw a good crowd from the local community. Of special note, try to grab tickets to an Oregon State game if you’re planning a trip. Beaver fans will absolutely make the trip to Eugene, and it creates an incredible, raucous atmosphere. Access 5 PK Park is not too far from the interstate, right next to Autzen Stadium. There will be plenty of signs directing you to where you want to go. There’s plenty of parking available between PK Park and Autzen, and even if there’s an absolutely massive turnout at the game you should have no problems. Parking in all Autzen Stadium lots is free. Oregon has adopted the clear bag policy for entry to all its sports venues. Return on Investment 4 The return for your sports entertainment dollar is very good for a Ducks game at PK Park. Tickets range around $10 (some games have $3 general admission seats). The stadium itself is excellent and the Ducks put out a good product. The food is good, and just a tad pricey. If you’re looking for a place to bring the family, a friend or just check out a game by yourself, PK Park is a great place to see amazing baseball. Extras 2 With Oregon only recently returning to college baseball, there’s not much of a history to draw on yet, but the stadium does make sure to display the big names of Ducks’ baseball and the program’s achievements. Final Thoughts Oregon did a great job bringing their program back, and a great job building them a stadium. PK Park places the fan experience first and foremost, and is a great place to see a game.