Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Rock Rink @ Pyramid Recreation Centre 317 James St S St. Marys, ON N4X 1B6 St. Marys Lincolns website Pyramid Recreation Centre website Year Opened: 1977 Capacity: 1,400 The Town Worth Living In St. Marys, Ontario is probably best known for being the home of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, however, the hockey tradition in St. Marys is solid as well.  The Junior B, St. Marys Lincolns were founded in 1956 and currently play in the GOJHL.  The Lincolns team name does not come from an assassinated President of the United States famous for wearing a stovepipe hat, but from the automobile.  To finance the entry fee into the Western Junior B Hockey League, a  Lincoln Continental was raffled off.  The Lincolns have enjoyed five league titles and two Sutherland Cups as the top Junior B team in Ontario.  Some of the Lincolns alumni include J.P. Parise, Terry Crisp, Don Luce, Bob Boughner, Dan Bylsma and Steve Shields. Home for the Lincolns is Rock Rink @ Pyramid Recreation Centre.  The Rock Rink has a capacity of 1,400, was originally built in 1977 as St. Marys Arena and a larger community centre was eventually built around it.  Rock Rink is named after the St. Marys Rock, who are the local minor hockey teams.  The Pyramid Recreation Centre offers a second ice surface, meeting rooms and aquatics centre. Food & Beverage 3 The main concession is found in the lobby of the Pyramid Recreation Centre.  Popcorn, caramel corn, candy, chocolat, chips, pizza, hot dogs, pretzels and nachos are on the menu.  Water, soda, iced tea, Powerade, slushies, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cappuccino are the soft drinks available.  The Blueline Club is located above the lobby at the east end and beer and other alcoholic beverages are available. Atmosphere 3 The St. Marys Arena was built in 1977 while the Pyramid Recreation Centre was built around the arena in 2008 creating a dichotomy that is not totally uncommon in lower level junior hockey in Ontario.  There are multiple entry points into the Rec Centre but the main one is probably on the east side of the building.  Light coloured brick gives the exterior a modern look to it.  Entry into the centre brings fans to temporary tables selling tickets in a large lobby.  The St. Marys Sports Wall of Fame is right there to greet fans and features former NHL player, Mark Bell.  Wooden plaques listing Lincoln players who have played in the NHL and Coaches and Management. Upstairs is the entry to the seating area in the arena.  The arena is definitely a throwback to seventies era arenas.  The ice is oriented from west to east and the main seating area is on the north side.  Eight rows of wooden benches comprise the seating with the middle sections featuring arena seas as well as three rows on the south side.  The north side seating area is elevated with the bottom row basically the same height as the glass.  Dark brown brick outlining the top perimeter of the arena drives the seventies vibe.  The rectangular arena has orange truss supports across the ice and a flat, silver insulated roof.  The south side wall is littered with minor hockey banners.  Lincolns banners, including the 1965 and 1976 Sutherland Cups, listed as Ontario Champions, hang to the left of the scoreclock on the west wall.  The Lincolns have further embraced their history with a number of retired number banners for Gerry Seguin, Paul Vanderspank, Glen Coghlin, John Rowland, Jeff Shipley, Tyler Bryson, Brett Petrie and Dan Schiedel.  The Blueline Club is found in a room looking out to the ice above the lobby on the east side of the arena. The gameday production at a Lincs game is fairly simple and not that different from other teams in the GOJHL.  The presentation is classic with a traditional announcer.  The team mascot, Linc, spends time at ice level greeting the players as they take the ice and interacting with ice level fans.  Promotions include a 50/50 draw and chuck-a-puck.  One unique aspect of the Lincolns experience is the use of car horns to celebrate everything.  There is one that is part of the official productions and probably a couple brought by fans. Neighbourhood 3 St. Marys is a small town of just over 7,200 people.  The Pyramid Recreation Centre is located just south of city centre.  There are a few places fans can go to get pre and post game food and drink.  Sunset Diner, Grilly’s Public House and Social 31 are good options.  Fans should be aware that places like Tim Hortons and McDonald’s, which in most cities are open 24 hours, do close nightly in St. Marys.  The Lincolns are pretty much the only team in town, however they do have close rivalries with the Stratford Warriors  and London Nationals.  Taking a tour of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame  is a good idea.  Make sure to check when it is open, as regular hours are generally reserved for the summer. Other tourist options include the St. Marys Museum.  For fans wishing to stay in the area, the Westover Inn and Stone Willow Inn are options. Fans 5 The St. Marys Lincolns enjoy fan support that is near the top of the GOJHL.  For the 2023-2024 season the Lincolns averaged over 700 fans per game, which was the second best in the league.  At the time of writing, in the 2024-2025 season, the Lincs were averaging over 850 fans per game, again ranking second in the league.  The fans in attendance are loud and supportive of the Lincs, louder than many other fanbases in the league.   Access 4 The Pyramid Recreation Centre is located in St. Marys, south of city centre.  It is close to the intersection of Highway 7 and 119.  Getting to the arena from out of town will involve plenty of rural driving through Ontario’s snow belt, so caution on game night is a good plan.  There is plenty of parking on site.  For fans interested in public transit, there is a Perth County Connect route that joins Kitchener-Waterloo, Stratford and St. Marys, however, it may not help on gameday.  Fans should consult the Perth County Connect  website for fares, schedules and maps.  Getting around Pyramid Recreation Centre is not difficult and the washroom facilities are adequate. Return on Investment 5 GOJHL hockey is amongst the most affordable sports experiences in Ontario.  Tickets for the Lincolns are $12 with $10 for students, seniors and children.  Cash, credit and debit are available and tickets are only sold at the door.  There is plenty of free parking on site and concession prices are decent.  The product on the ice is solid and the Lincolns are normally a competitive team.  The environment for hockey is excellent in a unique facility with a very strong fanbase.  A great return for the investment. Extras 4 An extra mark for the unique penalty boxes in St. Marys, which are just at the end of the bench, with a low divider wall for separation. An extra mark for the unique and historic Lincolns name. An extra mark for the Pyramid Recreation Centre as a community hub. An extra mark for the longevity of the Lincolns franchise. Final Thoughts The St. Marys Lincolns are amongst the best supported teams in the GOJHL and the Rock Rink is a unique throwback venue to the 1970s.  The Lincolns lean into their history and St. Marys celebrates their roots in the Pyramid Recreation Centre.  Taking in a Lincs game in “The Town Worth Living In” is a great plan. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium 1801 Fayetteville St. Durham, NC 27707 North Carolina Central Eagles website McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium website Year Opened: 1955 Capacity: 3,116 Classic Gymnasium Basketball There is something to be said whenever college basketball is played in an old school gymnasium instead of a modern-day sports arena. Sure, you lose some of those creature comforts you have come to expect from newer facilities, but instead you gain a rich history and tradition that simply oozes from the very walls you walk past. This idyllic image is perpetuated through the game day experience at North Carolina Central University’s McDougald-McLendon Arena. For women’s basketball, a sport growing year after year, NCCU fans have come to appreciate the history mixed with athletic success. You get all of that here, thanks to an old college gymnasium that embraces that mantra and showcases its past for all to see.   Food & Beverage   2 The biggest downside to games at NC Central is the lack of concessions – only two concession stands exist inside the facility, with some games only having one open. On top of that, the menu is incredibly limited in scope. However, what may be lacking in variety certainly makes up for it in affordability. Chips or candy can be purchased for $3, while all drinks as well as fresh popcorn come in at $5.   Atmosphere   3 There is a lot of history to be respected in Durham when it comes to college basketball, and NC Central has played a big part in that. When wandering the halls of McDougald-McLendon Arena, nearly every inch of wall space is occupied by plaques and photographs honoring past school athletes from countless disciplines and decades. Several trophy cases show off the school’s haul of athletic hardware from nearly 100 years of college sports excellence, while large display cases in the hall corners show off historic photographs of everything from past presidents visiting the campus to sports highlights. In addition, a plethora of banners hang in the rafters above the court, honoring various national championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. Retired numbers of both men’s and women’s basketball players are also visible. On top of all that, the arena itself is constructed with old materials that make 100 fans feel like 1,000 when it comes to noise levels. All the seats on the main and upper levels are painted wood, and the walls are old fashioned brick, while a vaulted ceiling gathers and returns the crowd’s cheers with great effect. The place has an aged look to it, from paint peeling in spots from the ceiling to the muted colors of the hardwood court – it’s everything true college basketball fans have come to love about the sport in its purest form. Perhaps the lone modern touch here is the live DJ that plays during game breaks and during pre-game warmups.   Neighborhood   4 The area around NC Central is mostly residential, but just beyond lies the greatness of the greater Raleigh-Durham area. Just a 20-minute drive from RDU airport, the campus lies within a short distance of countless dining and shopping areas. Hotels are also plentiful in the area, with downtown Durham just a few minutes away from NCCU’s campus.   Fans   3 Eagles fans are diehards; even on a weekday game during the depths of winter break, a solid contingent of loyal fans across all ages can be found at McDougald-McLendon Arena watching NC Central women’s basketball. Fellow student athletes are also frequently in attendance, and on top of that, the games always have a family friendly atmosphere. And thanks to the building itself, even a small crowd sounds loud and intimidating to visiting teams. While not every game is a sellout, every game has a segment of loyal fans, from current students to decade’s old graduates supporting their Alma Mater.   Access   5 For McDougald-McLendon Arena, exits on nearby Durham Highway 147, and the further away I-85 and I-885, can bring you straight to the campus gates. Once there, free parking for women’s basketball games is plentiful quite literally across the street in the Latham Parking Deck. Numerous other lots are available nearby as well. Once inside, ushers and security are available to help direct fans to their seats.   Return on Investment   4 Tickets to NC Central women’s basketball games start at just $20 for general admission; those seats make up the majority of the seating at McDougald-McLendon Arena. Two sections in the upper level at mid-court are reserved seating, going for $30 a ticket, and that is it. In addition, with free parking and cheap snacks and drinks, a family can easily visit a game at McDougald-McLendon Arena without breaking the bank.   Extras   3 As before, countless memories flow through the halls at McDougald-McLendon Arena. For college sports fans both casual and diehard, a walk throughout the main concourse here is well worth the time, giving you an appreciation for the school’s long history of barrier-breaking achievements. During women’s basketball games, a fan is also selected to shoot a half-court shot to win a prize pack. Finally, the campus bookstore is located in the Latham Parking Deck across the street from the arena itself, giving fans the perfect chance to load up on Eagles gear before the game to show their support.   Final Thoughts If you’re looking for a unique and historic college basketball experience, look no further than McDougald-McLendon Arena. Located in the heart of college basketball territory, just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Durham, the NC Central women’s basketball team enjoys the gift of playing inside a historic site that showcases the school’s rich athletic history. What it lacks in creature comforts and modern touches, it makes up for in quality vibes.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Hagersville Memorial Arena 36 Sherring Street North Hagersville, Ontario Hagersville Hawks website Hagersville Memorial Arena website Year Opened: 1956 Capacity: 500 __________________________________________________________________________________ Hagersville’s Gem Normally thought of as a hotbed for lacrosse, the community of Hagersville has a little hockey history as well. Hagersville is immediately south of the Mississaugas of the Credit Reservation and the famed Iroquois Lacrosse Arena has a Hagersville address, which explains the link to lacrosse. Hagersville is a community of around 3,100 in Haldimand County and is home to the Hagersville Hawks of the Junior C, PJHL Bloomfield Division. Hagersville is also known for being the birthplace of Jay Silverheels, Tonto from 1950s Lone Ranger TV show and Rush’s Neil Peart. Four-time Olympic Hockey Medalist Becky Kellar also calls Hagersville home and her accomplishments are celebrated outside the arena. The Hawks began in 1992 as a Junior D team where they were very successful. They moved to the Niagara Junior C Hockey League in 2013, which was eventually absorbed into the PJHL. The Hagersville Memorial Arena is a throwback arena, one of those arenas where patrons comment that they “don’t make them like this anymore.” The arena was built in 1956 and has a capacity of 500. It is a truly unique facility and a place that truly needs to be experienced. Food & Beverage 3 In the lobby of the Hagersville Arena there is Mel’s Snack Shop, a small concession. Hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels, candy, chocolate, chips and cookies are on the menu. Coke and Pepsi products are available as well as coffee, tea, juice, energy drinks, Gatorade, water and slushies. Upstairs, beer and alcohol are available in the Blueline Club. Atmosphere 4 The exterior of Hagersville Arena features dark siding with a peaked roof and grey brick. It is clear that the lobby was an addition at one point. A sign displaying the accomplishments of Becky Kellar is right in front of the arena for all fans to see upon entry. Entering the arena, fans come to a small lobby and are met with temporary tables to facilitate ticket sales and the 50/50 draw. Trophy cases in the lobby have a number of interesting nuggets and artifacts. One case is specifically dedicated to the Hawks and houses all of the awards that the Hawks present annually. Past the lobby, into the arena fans are struck by the uniqueness of the facility. Wooden support beams meet at a high peak over the ice to support the roof with silver insulation. There is not a ton of space in this arena, but they definitely make the most of it in Hagersville. The ice surface is southeast to northwest oriented. To see the centre ice logo and get that perfect picture, fans will want to be on the short, northwest end, which is unique in and of itself. The Blueline Club is in a room above the lobby on the northwest end and has windows that look out to the ice. A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II hangs above the benches on the northeast side and further aids with that old school atmosphere. A small pressbox is found on the opposite side and welcomes everyone to the Hawks Nest. The walls are littered with minor hockey banners. Championship banners from the Junior D days hang on the southeast end along with a banner honouring the accomplishments of Becky Kellar. New scoreboards hang on each end below the wooden peaks and were funded by Hawks superfan Murray Johnson. The southeast scoreboard has his picture right beside it. The Blueline Club also has the Hagersville Wall of Fame and more artifacts from team's past. The seating in the arena consists of wooden bleachers with four rows in each section that are quite steep. The entirety of the bleacher sections are made of wood, not just the planks to sit on. The gameday production is pretty simple in Hagersville, but also a bit unique compared to other PJHL experiences. A 50/50 draw and program raffles are the promotions. The Hawks actually have two different announcers. A young girl announces the penalties and goals, while an older man does more of the hyping of the crowd. It provides an interesting dynamic that is unique. A red goal light and siren speakers sit atop the press box and signify a Hawks goal. Neighbourhood 2 Hagersville is located southeast of Brantford. It has the small town feel to it and there are a few options for pre or post game food or drink. Plank Road Taps & Grill, Rise n’ Shine Cafe, Rollins Smokehouse, Burger Barn and MJ’s Diner are all options. The Six Nations Arrows and Six Nations Chiefs, among other junior lacrosse teams, call the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena home, but play during the summer months. For other sporting options, heading to Paris or Brantford or taking in the rival Dundas Blues or Glanbrook Rangers would be the best idea. Chiefswood Historic Site and Bell Homestead are other tourist options. For fans wishing to stay in the area, Jays Motel and Restaurant is an option along with other B&B spots. Heading into Simcoe or Brantford would be the best idea for chain hotels. Fans 3 It is difficult to assess fans in the PJHL as many teams do not publish attendance figures and the league does not compile the statistics for comparison. The Hagersville Hawks average around 200 fans per game. At the time of writing, in the 2024-25 season, the Hawks averaged 202 fans per game and 216 the previous season. The fans that are in attendance are generally loud and supportive of the team, a bit more than the average team. Access 4 Hagersville Memorial Arena is located in the community of Hagersville, part of Haldimand County. It is in the northeast corner of Sherring Street and Athens Street. Getting to the arena is not difficult. It is just east of Highway 6, which runs south from Hamilton. There is free parking on site. For fans wishing to take public transit, there is some limited transit that services Hagersville. Fans should consult the Southern Ontario Transit website for fares, schedules and maps. The age of Hagersville Memorial can make getting around a little bit of a challenge, but not too bad. Those with mobility issues may find the seating area a bit challenging. The washrooms are adequate for the facility. Return on Investment 5 Tickets for the Hagersville Hawks are $10 with students and seniors getting in for $8 and children only $3. Parking is free and concession prices are good. The product on the ice is decent in the PJHL, but experiencing a classic facility like Hagersville Arena puts the experience over the top and makes the return that much better. Extras 3 An extra mark for the Hagersville Memorial Arena as a classic, old-school hockey barn. An extra mark for the Hagersville Arena as a community hub and the Hawks as a team with a strong community feel to them. An extra mark for the rivalry Hagersville has with Glanbrook, Dundas and other members of the Bloomfield Division. Final Thoughts There is something to be said for getting to experience hockey in an old-school hockey barn like the Hagersville Memorial Arena while it is still possible. Taking in a Hagersville Hawks game offers a glimpse into the past when hockey was a simpler game. Fans will definitely love the arena and will make plans for a return! Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube, Twitter, Threads and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Camping World Stadium 1 Citrus Bowl Pl Orlando, FL 32805 Cure Bowl website Camping World Stadium website Year Opened: 1936 Capacity: 65,000 10 Years of Cure Bowl Greatness Having played several years at Exploria Stadium  and a year UCF’s FBC Mortgage Stadium after that, the Cure Bowl returns home to Camping World Stadium in 2024. Home to the Citrus Bowl  and the Pop-Tarts Bowl , this facility already features everything needed for bowl-level college football game day experiences. Aside from that, the Cure Bowl continues to be the only bowl game each year to raise money for charity, donating profits to cancer research. With an upgrade in venue and continued growth, this bowl continues to impress after 10 years of exceptional football matchups.   Food & Beverage   4 Finding food at Camping World Stadium is easy. For those in the suite levels, the food options are incredibly plentiful – the main suite on the recently renovated west side of the stadium features a full-service bar and buffet. For the majority of food vendors, a quality hot dog will cost you $7; nachos are $7.50, popcorn is $5.50, and fries are $7. The best food option remains anything from the 4 Rivers BBQ booths, a local barbecue chain that has gained popularity in recent years thanks to its quality meats and sauces. Offering both BBQ nachos and BBQ pulled pork sandwiches for $16 each, this is a can’t miss option. Pizza from Little Caesars runs $12 for cheese or pepperoni, while for beverages, a domestic beer runs $11 and premium beer is $13. Bottled water runs $5.50, while a bottled soda will cost you $6.50. Premium seltzer runs $15, while cocktails range from $15 to $23.   Atmosphere   3 Football in Florida in December means stellar weather – Florida’s perfect winter climate is on full display at the Cure Bowl, with temperatures rarely lower than the 50s. In addition, the pre-game pageantry of the band performances, the exciting game action, and the feel of a bowl-game matchup all make the Cure Bowl an exciting game to be a part of. There is also plenty of beautiful scenery, with downtown Orlando just to the east and lakes to the north and south of Camping World Stadium. The Cure Bowl features plenty of traditional college football experiences; the pre-game and halftime performances traditionally feature both school bands, and there is also a pre-game fan fest that includes live music, photo opportunities with mascots, band performances, VIP tents, and interactive displays. Camping World Stadium has seen continued improvements over the years, with the north end zone being filled in on the second level for stadium seating. While the beautiful view of the lake just beyond the venue’s gates has now been blocked, the filled in bowl looks and feels more like a traditional football facility. The biggest downside of the Cure Bowl is that only the lower concourse level is open to fans, meaning access to the main concourse that encircles the stadium is blocked off. That said, it does help to condense the fans who are in attendance, making it feel fuller than it actually is.   Neighborhood   5 What can you say about downtown Orlando? With Camping World Stadium in walking distance of downtown, fans can park in any of the various lots and garages downtown, then walk to and from Camping World Stadium along Church Street, the hub of Orlando’s rebirth as a foodie and entertainment destination. The City of Orlando has become a sports-thirsty destination over the last few years – with the explosion in popularity of Orlando City  and the Orlando Pride , and a renewed interest in the Orlando Magic , the City Beautiful loves sports. There are suburbs to the west of Camping World Stadium, with the downtown city center to the east. There are also tons of hotels nearby, and since the venue sits next to I-4, getting to other resorts and hotels in the greater Orlando area is not hard to do either. If you want to stay somewhere nearby, Aloft Downtown Orlando and Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando are right in the middle of downtown. For food, the Orlando sports faithful flock to Lion’s Pride, as well as Schumann’s Jager Haus. For attractions, Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando are both mere minutes south of the downtown area.   Fans   3 The atmosphere at the Cure Bowl is different from most, as all those in attendance are helping to contribute to a worthy cause. The crowd is smaller than some of those at bigger bowls – this is partially a result of the Cure Bowl tie-ins, which usually result in smaller schools from mid-level conferences being invited, with Ohio and Jax State  highlighting the most recent match-up.   Fans nonetheless can get a taste of the pageantry of bowl games. As with all bowl games, the fans who do travel are the most diehard for their respective schools, so even lower attendance games in large stadiums feel like a massive crowd is cheering with each play on the field. Additionally, the Cure Bowl is very family friendly, thanks to its cancer research focus. The game also invites cancer survivors to the game, celebrating their spirit during the matchup with an on-field presentation. Finally, the Cure Bowl also features the post-game trophy presentation that championship events are known for, completing the championship feel of the event for fans in the stands.   Access   5 Camping World Stadium sits just a stone’s throw from I-4 and is literally just off the 408 highway. Getting there is not difficult from the local roads either, as most are multi-lane, and signage is well placed for the parking areas. Parking on site is plentiful and easy to find. For those without a parking pass, you can find parking in various nearby parking lots and from those selling parking in their front yards. Public transport is also available in the area, making getting to Camping World Stadium an easy process.   Return on Investment   5 Tickets to the Cure Bowl start at just $35, with most of the stadium available for $50-$65. Parking is plentiful in numerous lots around the stadium as well as in various private lots nearby, running in the $20-$50 range depending on how close you prefer to park. For bowl tickets, this is relatively affordable, and given that the profits from the game go directly to cancer research, it is hard to find a better value for your buck in the bowl game world. The Cure Bowl also offers an official pre-game tailgate for $85 – this exclusive tailgate area inside the fan fest section of the stadium parking lot includes free drinks and food, as well as band performances from both schools.   Extras   3 Unique to the Cure Bowl is the survivors march, with fans and cancer survivors marching to Camping World Stadium with the school bands, akin to what you’d find at major soccer games. In addition, as fans enter the facility they can pick up signs that say “I Fight For ____” – the blank space is used to write the name(s) of loved ones they may know who have had cancer. There is also a silent auction with plenty of items up for bid from past games, with proceeds going to cancer research.   Final Thoughts The Cure Bowl is a great game that continues to build on a history of tradition in Central Florida, offering fans the chance to make a difference while watching their favorite team on the field. With the return to Camping World Stadium, you can be assured that the game day experience feels more like that of a big-time matchup in a proper football stadium.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Glanbrook Arena 4300 Binbrook Rd Binbrook, ON L0R 1C0 Glanbrook Rangers website Glanbrook Arena website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 720 The Mystery of Glanbrook In 2001, amalgamation ballooned the City of Hamilton to include a number of small towns and villages.  Glanbrook can be found near the southern border of the current city limits, however, where the borders of Glanbrook can be found is a mystery.  The former town of Binbrook is found east of Glanbrook and the mailing address of Glanbrook Arena includes Binbrook as the town, but this only clears the fuzziness up just a bit.  Glanbrook is generally viewed as an agricultural area, probably between Mount Hope, another absorbed village into Hamilton, and Binbrook.  Former NHL goaltender Don Edwards called Glanbrook home. Playing in the Bloomfield Division of the PJHL, the Glanbrook Rangers have been around since 1975.  They have always been at the Junior C level, starting in the Niagara Junior C Hockey League.  The Rangers have seen success including three consecutive Schmalz Cups as the top Junior C team in Ontario.  The Glanbrook Arena opened in 1975, the same year the Rangers debuted. Food & Beverage 2 A small concession stand can be found in the outer lobby.  On the day of the review, the screen above the concession stand, assumed to be for the menu, was not working.  A simple selection of concessions can be found here including hot dogs, popcorn, chocolate and chips.  Coca-cola products, coffee, juice and Powerade are available.  A stand inside the inner lobby can be found selling beer, wine and coolers. Atmosphere 3 Glanbrook Arena has a simple exterior and is kind of inconspicuous, looking more like a school than an arena.  Brown brick and blue siding with accents and a low profile height is what fans will find from the outside.  Entry into the arena is on the east side and brings fans into a small outer lobby.  Concessions are found here along with some local artifacts in a trophy case.  Fans then pass into an inner lobby which has large windows on the north side that act as the glass of the south end of the arena.  Large wooden trophy cases are found in this room, including one dedicated to the Rangers.  A number of old photos and artifacts are found here.  This is the perfect room for fans who hope to watch the game in a warmer climate, or spend a little time warming up.  The climate change will be evident upon passing through the last set of doors into the main arena.  The ice is oriented from south to north with the seating on the east side of the arena.  Massive blue, low peak support beams cross over the ice with silver insulation over them.  The seating offers nine rows of blue wooden benches on concrete steps.  A simple scoreclock is on the north wall along with the three Schmalz Cup Championship banners from 1997, 1998 and 1999.  The centre ice logo pic is best seen from the seats on the east side. The arena is definitely cold, so finding a spot under one of the gas heaters that is working is a pretty good plan. The gameday production at a Rangers game is not unlike what one would find at the majority of the PJHL.  Merchandise sales, a 50/50 draw and program raffles are all part of the experience.  The PA system in Glanbrook Arena is pretty good and the PA announcer is good, but a little excitable.  The louder he gets, the more difficult his announcements are to understand. Neighbourhood 3 The address for Glanbrook Arena is in Binbrook, but the arena is fairly isolated in an agricultural area.  For fans wanting pre or post game food and drink, heading east into Binbrook or north into Hamilton will be necessary.  There are a couple of options in Binbrook including Binbrook Grill and Binbrook Pizza.  There are also of chain options including Tim Hortons.  For other sporting options, fans will need to head north to Hamilton where there are number of options.  The Dundas Blues  also play in the PJHL. The Hamilton Kilty B’s  play in the GOJHL.  Other Hamilton options include the Hamilton Tiger-Cats , McMaster Marauders basketball  and football  and the Hamilton Cardinals  and Forge FC  in the summer months.  Other tourist options include the nearby Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and Killman Zoo.  For fans wishing to stay near the area, there is a Super 8 in the nearby Mount Hope neighbourhood. Fans 2 It is difficult to assess fans in the PJHL as many teams do not publish attendance figures and the league does not compile the statistics for comparison.  The Glanbrook Rangers typically attract around 150 fans per game.  At the time of writing, the Rangers were averaging 145 fans per game for the 2024-25 season and there were 150 fans in attendance for the game that was attended.  The Glanbrook fans are pretty quiet and it was clear that the fans travelling to see the visiting team were the more vocal group.   Access 4 Getting to Glanbrook Arena is very easy.  It is located in Hamilton, south of the traditional city limits, west of the community of Binbrook.  It is 6 km east of Highway 6 and is located right on Binbrook Road, which is County Road 65.  Getting through Hamilton if coming from north of the city may be the biggest challenge as traffic can be an issue at times.  However, for a weekend game in Glanbrook, there should be no issues.  There is sufficient free parking on site.  For fans interested in public transit, there is very limited HSR service from Hamilton to Binbrook.  This may not accommodate Rangers game times.  Fans should consult the Hamilton Street Railway  website for fares, maps and schedules.  The age of the facility should be considered when considering moving around.  It is not too difficult, but the stands may be a consideration for those with mobility issues.  The washrooms in Glanbrook Arena are small, but the attendance at the game should not make this an issue. Return on Investment 4 Taking in a Glanbrook Rangers game is definitely affordable.  Tickets for the Rangers are $10 with Seniors getting in for $8 and Students get in for $5.  Parking is free and the concessions are affordable.  The hockey product on the ice is good and gameday atmosphere is simple.  In the end the return for the small investment a fan makes is very good. Extras 3 An extra mark for the Glanbrook Arena as a community hub for the area. An extra mark for the mysterious borders of Glanbrook within the big city of Hamilton. An extra mark for the history of the Rangers. Final Thoughts Regardless of the mystery as to where exactly Granbrook is, taking in a Glanbrook Rangers game is a great way to spend a winter afternoon or evening.  Glanbrook Arena is a good facility and fans will definitely enjoy their experience at the game. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Portland Exposition Building 239 Park Ave Portland, ME 04102 Maine Celtics website Portland Exposition Building website Year Opened: 1914 Capacity: 3,000 The Home of Crustacean Nation   The Portland Exposition Building, more commonly called “The Expo”, is part of a larger sports and convention center complex in Maine’s largest city. Built in 1914, it is the second oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States, behind only Matthews Arena in Boston. Over the years the facility has hosted Presidential speeches, trade shows and concerts by artists as diverse as Phish, Natalie Merchant, the Monkees, the Beach Boys, James Brown and Janis Joplin. The Expo also serves as home to Portland High School basketball teams.   The Maine Celtics are the NBA G-League affiliate of the Boston Celtics. The team has called the Expo home since their founding in 2009. Initially named the “Red Claws” in tribute to longtime Celtics’ coach and executive Arnold “Red” Auerbach and the local Maine lobster industry, the team was rebranded in 2021. The Red Claws have qualified for the G-League playoffs six times in their history, reaching the G-League Finals in 2024.   Food & Beverage 3   There is a single concession stand located immediately to your right as you enter the arena. It serves up arena basics, including hot dogs, burgers and pizza slices. Pretzels, fries, popcorn and nachos round out the menu. Of course, since this is Maine, you really should try a Whoopie Pie.   Coca-Cola products are featured at the Expo. An additional stand in the lobby sells adult beverages. Thirsty fans can choose from several brands of domestic beer, canned seltzers and wine. Since Portland has a strong craft beer scene, local brews from Bunker, Definitive, Bizzell Brothers and Orono Brewing are featured here as well.   Atmosphere 4   The Expo is the second-oldest gym in continuous use in the country, and in many ways, it looks every day of its 110 years of age. But the staff here do their best to put on a show with all the bells and whistles modern basketball fans expect when coming to a professional game. The results are, well, mixed.   There’s a DJ who handles the music duty and a PA announcer who goes about his job with typical hoops energy. The arena emcee handles promotional duties and the Hype Squad performs dance routines during intermissions. All the elements are in place for an energetic game day atmosphere to keep the younger and casual fans interested. The staff here use light, sound and video in much the same way as the big-time arenas do, despite not having the same technology at their disposal.   Perhaps it’s the Expo’s old-school limitations that holds back the Celtics game day presentation from being all it can be. Or perhaps these old-school charms add to the atmosphere. We’ll let you decide. There’s a scoreboard on either end of the gym, one of which contains what is, by today’s standards, a tiny video board. Celtics staff don’t let the screen’s size hold them back, as they utilize it for crowd shots, replays, graphics and hype videos.   The Celtics’ schedule is filled with promotions, and each game is filled with activities for younger and older fans in attendance. One of the more popular contests is the lobster toss, where fans thrown softee basketballs into a giant lobster pot placed at center court to win various sponsor prizes.  Neighborhood 4     The city of Portland is often mentioned among the top destinations in all of minor league sports. The city features a thriving arts scene and is a favorite amongst foodies. In particular, if you love seafood, you won’t find a city with a greater diversity and quality of restaurants than Portland. There is also an active craft beer scene here, with several fine breweries located throughout the city. If visiting from out of town, you’ll want to head downtown to the Old Port for the best dining, drinking, and entertainment options after the game. While there’s much to do in the city of Portland, there’s not a whole lot in the immediate vicinity of the Expo for visiting fans.   Shoppers will flock to nearby outlet malls in Kittery, just to the south of the city, or Freeport, just to the north. The Maine Mall, the largest shopping center in the state, is located just a few miles away in South Portland. Maine dubs itself “Vacationland,” and whether your idea of relaxing involves a sandy beach, an amusement park, a museum, a day on the bay, swooshing down the slopes or hiking through the woods, you’ll find what you need in and around Portland. Check out Visit Portland  for more details.   Fans 5   You wouldn’t think it, but basketball plays an important part in the Maine sporting scene. The Red Claws have been a massive hit since their arrival in 2009. Sports Business Journal named Portland as the top minor league market in the country in 2024, in no small part due to the support and success of the Celtics.   While actual attendance figures for the G-League can be difficult to access, the Expo is consistently filled to the brim with hoop fans. The fact that Portland is only 100 miles from Boston doesn’t hurt the passion shown by the fans in Maine. Despite playing in one of the G-League’s smallest markets, the Celtics are second in per-cap revenue and fourth in merchandise sales. The team has over 1,000 full-season ticket holders, meaning the Expo is almost half-filled with long-term fans before anyone else walks through the doors. The team sold out 15 games in 2023-24.   If you can make any criticism of the fans at the Expo, it’s that they are pretty quiet unless prompted to make some noise, and that they are in constant motion. When you purchase tickets to a Maine Celtics game, select your seats carefully, as many seats will be obstructed with passing traffic throughout the game.   Access 3   The Expo is easy to get to, located just off of Interstate 295. Also nearby are Hadlock Field , the Portland Ice Arena, and Fitzpatrick Stadium. Parking is available in several lots in and around the facilities, as well as in the Maine Medical Center Garage a couple of blocks away. There is plenty of on-street parking on the streets around the Expo, but pay attention to signs in the area, as there are restrictions.   Fans enter The Expo into a small lobby, where they must pass through a security checkpoint before proceeding to the arena. Also located in the lobby are the restrooms, a souvenir stand and a beer stand.   After passing through the lobby, fans will enter into the arena behind a set of bleachers. To get to all seats, you’ll walk courtside in front of the bleachers to your section. The constant flow of traffic along this walkway will obstruct your view if you sit in the first few rows, so selecting seats higher up is recommended. The center court sections feature individual seats, with the remainder of the seating consisting of molded bleachers.   The Expo has a real old-school feel to it. While this may trigger nostalgia in some fans, the tight quarters may be a nuisance to others. Be aware that this bandbox of a gym features tight quarters and long lines no matter where you are trying to go. Plan your trips to the concession stand and restrooms carefully.   Return on Investment 4   The Celtics utilize variable pricing for their games, with weekday tickets starting at about $20 per seat and increasing to a high of about $50 for a center court ticket for weekend games. Check the team website for particulars.   Parking is similarly variable in pricing. There are lots a short distance from the Expo which will charge you ten dollars to park. There is ample free on-street parking in the neighborhood, just pay attention to signage for restrictions.   Concessions are inexpensive, with no item priced at more than five dollars (alcoholic drinks not included). Overall, a night at a Maine Celtics game can be a very affordable entertainment option for southern Maine sports fans.   Extras 2                                                                                                 The Celtics display banners honoring every Red Claw/Celtic alumnus who has been called up to the NBA.   One point is subtracted for the decision to rebrand from the unique local nickname “Red Claws” to the parent club’s “Celtics.” One point is added for the decision to retain Crusher the lobster as the logo for the Maine Celtics, substituting for Lucky the Leprechaun and keeping some local flavor.   Another extra point is awarded for the historic Expo itself. The second-oldest gym in the country may have some issues with access, but the intimate setting makes it a great place to catch a game. A mural in the lobby highlights important events to take place in the building’s history, while another commemorates Union Station, which once stood near the Expo on St. John’s Street. The mural was completed in 1979. Final Thoughts   The NBA G-League is full of many unique arenas, and the Expo would certainly be near the top of that list. The second oldest gym still in use in the country may be cramped and show its age from time to time, but it’s packed most nights with Maine hoops fans who wouldn’t want to watch their basketball in any other place.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Jim Flannery, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Co-op Place 2802 Box Springs Way NW Medicine Hat, AB T1C 0H3 Medicine Hat Tigers website Co-op Place website Year Opened: 2015 Capacity: 7,100 Den of Tigers Since the Medicine Hat Tigers’ inaugural season of 1970-71, they’ve won two Memorial Cups and five Western Hockey League titles, making them one of the most consistent performers in WHL history. Not surprisingly, they’ve produced a ton of talent, graduating 109 players to the NHL, including Jay Bouwmeester, Rob Niedermeyer, Chris Osgood, Lanny McDonald, and Kelly Hrudey.   Until the fall of 2015, the Tigers spent the entire history of their franchise playing in the Medicine Hat Arena, located just east of the city’s downtown core. The Tigers relocated to a brand new arena at the start of the 2015-16 season; after 45 seasons in the Arena, it was time to move into a more modern facility. Originally called Canalta Centre, it was specifically designed to Memorial Cup specifications in the hopes of luring the CHL championship to Medicine Hat in the near future.   Now called Co-op Place, it has room for 3,000 more fans than Medicine Hat Arena did, includes 22 luxury suites, 350 club seats on the south side between the blue lines, a lounge, and state of the art technology throughout. Food & Beverage 4 There are four main concession stands at Co-op Place, one in each corner of the arena. The north west and south east concessions, known as the Badlands Grill and the Gas City Grill, offer pretty standard fare. A plain burger with fries is a bargain at $10. Add cheese for $1 and bacon for $2 and it’s quite tasty. You can also find hot dogs ($8, also including fries), candy and chips, pop in a bottle or from the fountain.   There is also a selection of alcoholic drinks available at these concessions. You can get Molson Canadian, Coors Light, or Coors Original for $7, a selection of craft beer for $8, plus a few cocktails and other drinks.   The northeast and southwest concessions are Express locations where you can grab and go. The menu has the same beverage options, while the food is a little simpler—snacks, nachos, hot dogs (without the fries), and so on.   Additionally, there are several locations around the arena exclusively selling adult beverages, including the Molson Hockey House lounge area on the south side. Between periods the lounge fills up with fans looking to enjoy a cocktail and some conversation away from the ice.   On the east end, between the two main concession stands, are two smaller set-ups selling popcorn and little donuts. On the north side you’ll find The Blue Line, offering a more in-depth cocktail and beer menu. In the southwest corner of the main concession is the Grit City Caesar Bar, if you’re looking for that Great Canadian drink. They offer five different blends, including a non-alcoholic version.   Upstairs in the west concourse behind the upper seating is the Whiskey Bar, selling a variety of unique whiskey options as well as some other cocktails. This spot is only open for Tigers games on Fridays and Saturdays. If you head downstairs in the southwest corner, you’ll find one more concession stand, called The Tigers Den, serving up made-to-order pizza, if that’s what you’re looking for.   Food and drink pricing throughout Co-op Place is very good compared to many other venues. Definitely a plus. Atmosphere 3 Watching junior hockey around Alberta and Saskatchewan, you’ll find that the buildings tend to be fairly subdued for most of the game, but get much louder and more energetic as soon as something exciting happens in the game. At the Co-op Place things are much the same. You get the sense that the place is locked and loaded to erupt when the Tigers score, but that energy level does seem to come and go. It’s pleasant and friendly, but not quite edge-of-your-seat intense. Crowds tend to fill this venue to about half capacity for most games, so that also results in a little less energy in the stands.   The banners that used to decorate the Arena downtown are now located on the east end of Co-op Place. Lanny McDonald’s retired number is hanging from the rafters and the many, many championship banners the Tigers have earned over the years run the entire width of the roof at that end of the ice surface. All this history does a good job of helping make this place feel like the home of the Tigers. Medicine Hat Tigers Banners, Photo by Jim Flannery, Stadium Journey Neighbourhood 2 There was some controversy when the location of Co-op Place was originally announced. Located in the Box Springs Business Park, a developing industrial area on the west edge of Medicine Hat, the arena is about as far away from the city proper as it can get while still remaining in the city limits.   The area itself is largely empty prairie land, with a few warehouses and store fronts. Therefore, if you’re looking for somewhere to grab a bite before or after the game, your options are extremely limited.   In fact, there are really only four food options in the immediate area, and by “immediate area” we’re talking less than a 20-minute walk. The busiest spot is the Boston Pizza located at 2500 Box Springs Rd., a little more than a half kilometre away. A Keg franchise has opened right next to the Boston Pizza as of 2016. A little farther away you can also find El Super Taco (103 - 2201 Box Springs Blvd.) which specializes in authentic Mexican food. Finally, if you’re looking for something quick and simple, an A&W can be found in the Petro Canada gas station a little further west at 2900 Box Springs Blvd NW. And next door to that is a McDonald’s and a Subway.   On the upside, with a relatively small city like Medicine Hat, the drive to more dining and entertainment options is really only 10 minutes or so. But plan to make that 10-minute drive. Fans 4 The fans at Co-op Place are fairly relaxed for most of the game. However, they get loud when there’s a big hit, big save, or big goal. Looking around the seating bowl, people appear engaged on the game and, like other Canadian hockey crowds, they know their game.   Medicine Hat crowds have a reputation for being dedicated to their Tigers and seeing all the people proudly wearing their black and orange confirms it. Clearly these are fans who love their team and that’s always nice to see. Access 3 Getting to the arena is pretty easy, although it’s a bit of a drive for most people. There is ample free parking around the building and the parking lot is designed well enough to allow vehicles to get in easily and for the lot to empty in a reasonable amount of time after games.   The concourse appears at first glance to be quite wide and roomy, with plenty of space for the crowd. This is indeed the case at the ends of the rink. However, due to lineups for The Blue Line, community events tables, and the Molson Hockey House queuing into the corridors, both the north and south sides can logjam between periods, although this has improved in the last few years. Return on Investment 4 Single game tickets to see the Tigers cost $23.40 each for adults, $16.65 for youths (13-17 years old), and $12.65 for children 12 and under. That seems to be right in line with other teams in the league and a pretty good deal to check out the next generation of talent. Extras 5 The Tigers Store is located just inside the main entrance on the west end of the building. Here you’ll find all the shirts, hats, jerseys and stuffed toys you could want with the team logo and colours.   The Tigers mascot, Rroary, has an awesome name for a mascot tiger and spends the game in the stands pumping up the crowd and high-fiving the kids, providing some family friendly entertainment away from the ice.   It is always pleasing to see facilities that try to look out for the environment, so seeing recycling bins around Co-op Place is a definite positive. As a LEED-Silver certified building, it just makes sense that they’d place a priority on green practices.   One excellent feature is that there are glow-in-the-dark strips on the leading edge of the stairs in the stands, adding to fan safety without being overly distracting or intrusive. This is a great idea that other arenas could learn from.   The video screen over centre ice is huge and state-of-the-art, with high definition video that is clear from all areas of the arena and tack sharp.   As with most WHL arenas, the top of the lower bowl features standing room viewing locations around most of the rink, with the remainder of the area reserved for wheelchairs and mobility-challenged fans.   The north side of the concourse had several tables set up promoting several local causes and businesses. This helps keep a community focus at the event. Final Thoughts Co-op Place is still relatively new, clean, and fresh. It’s continuing to mature into an excellent venue for the Tigers. Although they have yet to host a Memorial Cup, they continue to work hard to earn that distinction somewhere in the not-too-distant future.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.84 Amon G. Carter Stadium 2850 Stadium Dr Fort Worth, TX 76129 Armed Forces Bowl website Amon G. Carter Stadium website Year Opened: 1930 Capacity: 45,000 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl They have been playing the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl  in Fort Worth, Texas, at historic Amon G. Carter Stadium on the campus of Texas Christian University (TCU)  since 2003. Formerly the Fort Worth Bowl, the game has featured numerous title sponsors and conference affiliations through the years, before settling on the current iteration. Since 2020, the game is now a contest between teams from the SEC and American Athletic Conference, and is sponsored by defense and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The 2024 rendition of the game pitted the Oklahoma Sooners , who were making their debut in the game, against the Navy Midshipmen  in their third appearance in Fort Worth. The game, held at one of the most historic stadiums in Texas, if not the country, has been a great boon to the city of Fort Worth, and has annually become one of the better bowl games on the calendar, both because of its matchups and also its cause. Celebrating the entirety of the nation’s military forces, spirits are always high at the contest no matter who wins.   Food & Beverage   4 The concession stands and kiosks at Amon G. Carter Stadium have pretty much everything you could want to consume at a football game – there are burgers, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn (both the regular and kettle varieties), pretzels, etc. If you are looking for something beyond the norm, you can find chopped barbecue sandwiches, funnel cake, pizza by the slice, beef and chicken fajita tacos, and chicken tenders courtesy of local favorite Chicken Express . There are also  specialty flavored popsicles, thanks to Frios Gourmet Pops , and ice cream by Dippin’ Dots . For drinks you can purchase fountain soda (regular, or large in a souvenir TCU cup), bottled water, and sports drinks, and beer at almost every stand. Specialty beer kiosks are also sprinkled throughout the main concourse.   Atmosphere   4 Bowl games bring their own unique atmosphere to the contests; they often pit foes with no real history against one another, so there is no real sense of rivalry between the two. This animosity is often the driving force of the atmosphere in college games. However, the Armed Forces Bowl, as mentioned, honors America’s armed forces (as implied by the name) and that elicits a whole host of emotions. Patriotism is front and center from the outset, with a flyover and giant flag spanning the field while the National Anthem is played. Halftime sees a new crop of recruits taking their oath of enlistment at the 50-yard line, while service members can be found all through the stands, dressed in their finest. It’s not the Army-Navy Game, but it does make you proud to be an American, especially when one of the service academies is one of the participants. The bowl also has two merchandise tents available for fans to get gear from the game and/or branded swag from each participating team. There is also a memorabilia auction table where you can bid on signed jerseys from some of each program’s all-time great players – little things like this make the game feel even bigger.   Neighborhood   4 Fort Worth is almost an anti-Dallas – though Fort Worth is in close proximity to Big D, Forth Worth doesn’t carry with it much of the flash and flair associated with Dallas. Fort Worth still maintains the big city size and amenities of its sister city, though. If you’re coming in for the game, the main point of interest in Fort Worth proper is the Fort Worth Stockyards . An experience in and of itself, the Stockyards have attractions like museums and honky tonks, as well as rodeos and restaurants – it is a living time capsule to Cow Town’s wild and wooly days. If you go, you have to stay for the cattle drive that happens twice a day. The stockyards are less than a 20-minute drive from Amon G. Carter Stadium. Quite honestly, this is going to be your best bet for attractions, eating, and lodging if you’re attending the Armed Forces Bowl. Amon G. Carter Stadium, and TCU  by extension, are in an interesting part of the city. The school and its athletics facilities are smack-dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and the streets that lead into and out of the area – complete with TCU purple signage – are all lined with homes. So with that in mind, you’re going to have to do a little driving to get to anywhere to eat or stay when attending this bowl. The nearest dining option is Enchiladas Ole’ , a Tex-Mex spot that has been a local favorite for years. As its name implies, enchiladas are on the menu, along with fajitas, tacos, margaritas, and more. In addition, just across the Trinity River is Woodshed Smokehouse , a legit barbecue spot where you can sample classic Texas brisket, ribs, and sausage. For lodging, unless you’re investing in a vacation rental, you’re not going to find anything within walking distance of Amon G. Carter Stadium. However, there are quite a few options that aren’t too long of a car ride away, including Hyatt Place Fort Worth/TCU  and The Rosen House Inn . As always, your budget is your only limit.   Fans   4 The 2024 rendition of the Armed Forces Bowl pitted the Oklahoma Sooners against the Navy Midshipmen . With Fort Worth being just under a three-hour drive from the Sooner State, it was anticipated to have a pretty good crowd; it turned out to be a sellout game with the stands awash in crimson and cream. This gave what could have been a fairly benign game against two teams that had only played each other once way back in 1965 some much-needed energy. The (decidedly pro- OU ) crowd was into the game the entire time, even when the outcome became well in-hand for the Mids . The 2024 game was one of the few recorded sellouts – and it ended up having the largest attendance in the game’s history – that have happened, but it always helps to have a) someone in close proximity to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and b) a service academy.   Access   3 Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth is about a half hour drive from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. If you’re coming in from out of town, this is going to be your best bet to fly in. Driving to the stadium, the exit for TCU  is clearly marked off Interstate 20, but you will be driving through a neighborhood to get there, as mentioned earlier. Once on site, there are no fewer than 15 official parking lots for the stadium, which should offer you a good variety of options to choose from. I would recommend purchasing parking ahead of time, as lots do tend to fill up. During the Horned Frogs  season, some homes in the neighborhood do rent out their driveways and parking areas for games, but I did not see much of any of that for the bowl game. My one caveat is that these neighborhood streets were not designed to accommodate traffic and they do bottleneck pretty badly the closer you get to the stadium. I would use caution and give yourself plenty of time to get to the game during your visit.   Return on Investment   4 Prior to the game, I found tickets for the Armed Forces Bowl on several after-market sites for around $50 each. This seems like a pretty good bargain for the caliber of teams that you’re going to get in this game each year. The SEC is a conference full of big brand college football teams, and there are several teams on the rise in the AAC. Parking varies wildly, but the most affordable I was able to find was $25 at a satellite lot near the campus. Concessions were still at their TCU  pricing, so that’s not too bad. You can get a nice Chicken Express combo meal for around $10. I’ve seen costs way higher at other bowls, so this is not too bad of a bargain for fans.   Extras   4 Both teams almost brought their full assortment of game day pageantry with them, including their mascots and cheer and dance squads. Oklahoma  brought the full compliment of The Pride of Oklahoma Band  with them to the game, and they performed the halftime show. Navy  brought the equivalent of their pep band, and they performed from the stands during the game. The Armed Forces Bowl brought their own mascot, Freedom , to the game. The staff also went out of their way to make sure the breaks in the action were filled with patriotic events, such as honoring the wives of service members, playing the song of each branch of the military, and recognizing veterans in the stadium. It truly felt like the bowl game was bigger than what it was, and that is a good thing.   Final Thoughts I personally love all bowl games, and I knew I was going to enjoy myself at my first visit to the Armed Forces Bowl, no matter what, but this exceeded even my expectations. Amon G. Carter Stadium is in my top five favorite college stadiums in the country. I love its architecture and its history, and I even love how it was plopped down in the middle of a neighborhood. The game was great, which on paper it should not have been, but that’s the quirk of bowl season. The bowl organizers did a great job of presenting themselves and what they stood for. The Armed Forces Bowl will more than likely never equal the importance of those selected by the College Football Playoffs, but I think fans will enjoy it nonetheless. Add this one to your bucket list. Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 XL Center 1 Civic Center Plaza Hartford, CT 06103 Hartford Wolf Pack website XL Center website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 15,635 50 Years of Hockey in Hartford The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, was built in 1974 as part of a downtown project that included an adjacent mall, convention center, office space, hotel and parking garage. Some people still refer to the XL Center as “The Mall,” even though the mall portion of the complex was demolished in 2004 and replaced with a 36-story residential tower. The original hockey tenants of the facility were the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, who were re-christened as the Hartford Whalers when the franchise joined the National Hockey League in 1979. When the Whalers left town in 1997 to become the Carolina Hurricanes, the New York Rangers placed their top farm team in Hartford. The Wolf Pack have won a single Calder Cup, in 2000. In addition to serving as home to the Wolf Pack, the XL Center serves as the occasional home of the UConn Huskies men’s and women’s basketball and men’s hockey teams . The Hartford Wolf Pack franchise is the oldest continuously operating minor league hockey team in North America. The Wolf Pack began its existence as the Providence Reds in 1926 as one of the charter members of the Canadian-American Hockey League. The Reds played in Providence until the 1976 season, when they moved to Binghamton, New York, where they played as the Dusters, Whalers, and Rangers. Among all professional teams in North America, only the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins have been in existence longer. Food & Beverage 5 The XL Center boasts an impressive variety of concession stands. In addition to traditional arena fare, fans can find several local favorites among the choices. Stadium Journey recommends Ted’s Cheeseburgers, which features gourmet burgers cooked in a style unique to Central Connecticut: they are steamed. Steaming the burgers creates a very juicy burger with a unique flavor. Other notable stands include Randy’s Wooster St. Pizza (featured on Man vs. Food), the Portly Pig, Los Mariachis, and The Sausage Guy (the same one from Fenway Park). Chick-fil-A serves up their legendary chicken sandwiches. Portable carts serve up a variety of snacks, including Carvel ice cream. The XL Center features a great variety of beers, both from national brands and local breweries. Among the brews available are TwoConn Easy Ale from Two Roads Brewing and Husky Hops IPA from Kinsman Brewery. The new Sports Bar and Sportsbook features 80 TVs and a 100-foot video wall to keep track of all your bets. The attached Bar features over 40 different beers on tap. On Friday and Saturday nights the Wolf Pack offer “Hockey Happy Hour”, where fans can hang out in the Heritage Club for two hours before face off. For a ten-dollar fee, fans can enjoy an appetizer buffet and two-dollar beers. A complete guide to the XL Center’s concessions can be found here . Concession stands are cashless, so remember to bring your debit card. Atmosphere 3 The Wolf Pack offer the standard minor league hockey experience. This includes a sound system turned way up during play stoppages, a large video board put to good use throughout the game with fan shots, game highlights and sponsor opportunities, an MC roaming the crowd conducting giveaways and pumping up the crowd, and a mascot posing for pictures and signing autographs. Minor league staples, including Chuck-a-Puck, t-shirt tosses and a 50/50 raffle, are present in Hartford. Neighborhood 5 Hartford is rarely thought of as a destination city, but there is a lot to do in Connecticut’s capital city. The area around the arena features numerous restaurants and shops, and is filled with people, even on the weekends. Pratt Street, located directly across the street from the XL Center, is lined with many excellent pubs and restaurants, including Urban Lodge Brewery and Vaughan's Irish Public House. Black-Eyed Sally’s on Asylum Street features live music and excellent barbeque. Max Downtown, Sorella, Plan b Burger Bar and Bear's Barbeque highlight some of the diverse and popular options downtown. Hartford suffers from a bad reputation, but the area around the XL Center is safe and walkable. For fans interested in exploring the downtown area, there are some attractions nearby worth mentioning. The Old State House is located a few blocks from the XL Center, and contains exhibits on Hartford history. Tours are discounted for AAA members, and will cost history buffs a mere $3. The State Capitol and Bushnell Park are popular attractions located nearby. The Mark Twain House and Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center are both located just a short drive from the downtown area. Check out Hartford.com for more information. Fans looking for other sporting options in Hartford can pair a WolfPack game with a UConn men’s or women’s basketball game  here. The Hartford Yard Goats  play a couple of blocks away at Dunkin’ Park. Hartford Athletic FC  plays at Trinity Health Stadium on the Connecticut River waterfront. Fans looking to venture outside the city a bit will find the UConn campus in Storrs just over a half hour away. Fans 3 The 2023-24 season was Hartford's most successful season at the turnstiles in well over a decade, with an average of almost 5,500 fans per game. However, the team still ranks below the AHL average in terms of attendance. The XL Center curtains off the upper levels of the arena to make the crowd look larger, but there are still large empty sections in the building. A Wolf Pack crowd will look very familiar to veteran minor league fans. It’s full of groups, families and youth hockey teams mixed in with the casual and hard core hockey fan. The state of Connecticut is a growing hockey market that has produced some noteworthy NHL stars. Fans here know their hockey, and Hartford’s proximity to New York ensures that the fans here follow the prospects closely. Access 3 The XL Center is located in downtown Hartford, and is easy to reach via either Interstate 84 or 91. The arena is only a few blocks away from either highway. Traffic in the city is often difficult to navigate, particularly for weekday games. Be sure to give yourself extra time to arrive, as both highways back up regularly around rush hour and beyond. There are close to 50 parking lots and garages in the downtown area, all within walking distance of the XL Center. If you want to plan ahead, the Wolf Pack’s website has a link to the downtown map here . In addition to these paid spots, on-street parking is readily available around the XL Center. Meters shut off at 6PM. Once inside the XL Center, fans will enter into a spacious lobby. This area was once part of Civic Center Mall, but is mostly empty space now. The Wolf Pack ticket office is located here, as well as access to the attached parking garage and the Coliseum Club on the second level. The Wolf Pack operate their main souvenir stand here. All seats in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum consist of folding stadium chairs. The seating bowl at the XL Center is very steeply pitched, ensuring great sight lines no matter where you sit. Tickets in the upper reaches of the 200 level are not sold, meaning that even when a big crowd is in attendance much of the arena is still empty. Despite numerous renovations over the years, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum retains its cramped and narrow concourses. Luckily, since the typical Wolf Pack crowd only fills a fraction of the XL Center, getting around is usually not too difficult. Restrooms are smallish, but are clean and adequate for the typical Wolf Pack crowd. Lines do form during intermission. Plan your trips wisely, particularly if there’s a big crowd in attendance. Return on Investment 4 Tickets to Wolf Pack games are split into three levels. End Zone seats cost $25, attacking zone tickets cost $30 and center ice tickets $35. Youth tickets are discounted by ten dollars across the board. Premium seats right on the glass cost $55. The Wolf Pack offer several ticket packages to help defray costs. Parking in the garages around the XL Center ranges in price from $10-$20. Frugal fans can search the neighborhood for free on-street parking. Concessions, while on the high side, are in line with other venues in the area. Extras 3 If you like banners, you will love the XL Center. Banners honoring the University of Connecticut basketball champion teams, including the men’s 2023 and 2024 National titles, hang from rafters on one end of the arena. Not to be outdone, the Wolf Pack hang their 2000 Calder Cup and division title banners. Banners honoring basketball Hall of Famers Jim Calhoun and Gino Auriemma hang in the corners of the XL Center. The XL Center also celebrates its past as the home of the Hartford Whalers. Hanging from the rafters are Whaler retired number and division championship banners. The Howe family, who all played together in Hartford, are honored in banner form. The XL Center lobby contains a display of some of the highlights of Hartford’s professional hockey history and the Whalers Hall of Fame. Final Thoughts The XL Center has more than its share of critics, and opinions on the viability and future of the facility continue to spark much debate in Connecticut’s capital city. New plans for what to do with the facility seemingly pop up every few months. As a minor league hockey facility, the XL Center is a good place to catch a game, with excellent sight lines and plenty going on to satisfy both the casual and diehard fan. Unfortunately, the XL Center is just too big, too empty and too old for the Wolf Pack. Face it, Hartford, the Whalers aren’t coming back. Start running with the Pack! Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 SoFi Stadium 1001 Stadium Dr Inglewood, CA 90301 Art of Sport LA Bowl website SoFi Stadium website Year Opened:  2020 Capacity:  70,240 The Art of Bowling Now in its 4th season since its inception, the LA Bowl has been hosted by late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and currently hosted by four time Super Bowl Champion Rob Gronkowski. It features teams from a current or Pac-12 legacy school and the Mountain West Conference. The annual bowl game is held at SoFi Stadium, home to the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers .  Prior winners of the LA Bowl: 2021 Utah State 24-13 over Oregon State 2022 Fresno State 29-6 over Washington State 2023 UCLA 35-22 over Boise State Food & Beverage 4 The variety of food and beverages are vast, offering your usual stadium basics from hot dogs, burgers, soft pretzels to your basic boxed candy and bagged Frito Lays chips. Soda offerings are provided by Pepsi products  Domestic beer offerings from Modelo and Michelob are available as well as a vast choice of premium cocktails such as those from Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Crown Royal. Local favorites such as chicken/carne asada vampiros tacos, chicken/carne asada papa asadas and L.A. Street Dogs are offered. Other featured eats available range from pastrami dips to chopped cheese as well as kosher options offering the standard Kosher Dog, roast beef sandwich and turkey sandwich.  An LA Bowl exclusive provided by The Grill Dads   of The Food Network is The Gronk Smash, a smash burger named after the game’s host Rob Gronkowski.  Atmosphere 3 LA Bowl - Pride of the California Cal Band, Photo by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey The fun starts from the time the gates open as fans can partake in the pregame fanfest at the American Airlines Plaza where fans of both schools are revved up by the marching bands and spirit squads of both schools. Once inside the actual seating bowl the mood is somewhat muted due to the sparse crowd inside a huge NFL venue. This is to be expected when attending a lower tiered bowl. Neighborhood 3 SoFi Stadium Exterior, Photo by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey Aside from being the neighbors to the Kia Forum and the newly opened Intuit Dome the surrounding area does not offer much in regards to pre or postgame activities. Along Century or Manchester Blvd you may find your usual chains such as McDonalds, Jack in the Box or Starbucks but not much else. Cosm Los Angeles  is also close by offering a high tech viewing experience of major sporting events giving fans the feel of being at a live event.  Fans 3 LA Bowl - The Star of Nevada UNLV Band, Photo by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey For a lower-tiered bowl game played before the Christmas holiday the fan turnout is what you would expect. Don’t expect much hoopla from either side that you would see from a major bowl or CFP (College Football Payoff) game. The percentage of fans representing each school are even with the most die-hard of these fans excited for the opportunity of attending any bowl game. Access 4 Due to its status as a lower tier bowl, getting around the venue should not be too difficult. However this being Los Angeles, depending what part of the L.A. area you will be arriving from, you will still want to allow yourself some extra time when driving out to SoFi Stadium. The major streets around SoFi, Century and Manchester Boulevards, both lead to either the 110 or 405 freeways while Prairie Avenue leads you to the 105 Freeway.  Because of the anticipated sparse crowd, only the first three levels are open, making navigating the seating bowl easier in spite of the venues massive size.  Parking is also plentiful however no pregame activities are permitted for this event.  Return on Investment 4 The nice thing about a lower tiered bowl game is the reasonable prices. Tickets for this game start as low as $31 with the most expensive being $275. Because only the first three levels are open, no matter your seating location you will never be far from the action. The reasonable affordability of this event should leave you some extra change should you want to explore the L.A. area and other sports and entertainment venues during your stay.   Extras 3 Aside from the pregame hoopla at the fan plaza, don't expect too many other bells and whistles throughout the game; this is the general expectation for a game like this. Fans looking to purchase gameday souvenirs can make their purchases at the various pop up stands located throughout each concourse rather than the main flagship store that is closed for this particular game.  Throughout the game fans are treated to holiday tunes as well as trivia contests involving both schools and L.A. themed landmarks giving fans a chance to guess the famous L.A. venue that is displayed on the stadium’s massive halo video board. Final Thoughts The Art of Sport LA Bowl is a good budget-friendly postseason bowl game for fans wanting to witness a bowl game in a major venue without putting a deeper hole in their pockets. If attending the LA Bowl, you can expect to be close to the action regardless of where your seat location is.  Catching one of these under-the-radar bowl games could also allow an opportunity to witness some under-the-radar talent as well who just may be on their way toward a nice Sunday payday.  2024 LA Bowl Champions - UNLV Rebels, Photo by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 XL Center 1 Civic Center Plaza Hartford, CT 06103 Connecticut Huskies hockey website XL Center website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 14,750 Husky Hockey in Hartford   The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is the largest arena in the state of Connecticut. It was originally built in 1974 as part of a downtown project that included an adjacent mall, convention center, office space, hotel, and parking garage. Some people still refer to the XL Center as “The Mall,” even though the mall portion of the complex was demolished in 2004 and replaced with a 36-story residential tower.   The University of Connecticut has sponsored varsity hockey programs since 1960. They initially competed at the Division Three level in the ECAC conference. The team played at an outdoor rink near Memorial Stadium until 1998 when the school made the decision to upgrade to Division One. The Freitas Ice Forum was built to house the team and served as the Husky's home until the team joined the Hockey East Conference in 2014. At that time, the Huskies moved to downtown Hartford and the XL Center.   Despite the XL Center’s history as an NHL arena, it was never meant to be more than a temporary home for Huskies hockey, while a plan was developed for an on-campus arena. In 2021, UConn announced plans to build a new arena adjacent to the Freitas Ice Forum . The Toscano Family Ice Forum hosted its first women’s hockey game on January 13, 2023, and its first men’s hockey game on January 14, 2023. The school now plays the majority of its games on campus, scheduling only four games a year in Hartford.   The Huskies have yet to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Seven UConn alumni have played in the National Hockey League.   Food & Beverage 5    The XL Center offers a menu that balances traditional arena fare with local flavor. Depending on your appetite, you can visit Chicken Fry Fry (featuring chicken tenders and fries), Fresh Classics (sausage and pepper sandwiches and nachos), Grill Masters (burgers), or Hot Dog Nation (yep, hot dogs). Dunkin’ Donuts operates a pair of stands featuring their signature coffee and baked goods. Pepsi products are featured at the XL Center. A complete concessions guide can be found here .   Visiting fans looking for a bit of local flavor should seek out Ted’s Cheeseburgers, which features gourmet burgers cooked in a style unique to Central Connecticut: they are steamed. Other notable stands include Randy’s Wooster St. Pizza (featured on Man vs. Food), the Portly Pig, Los Mariachis, and The Sausage Guy (the same one from Fenway Park). Chick-fil-A serves up their legendary chicken sandwiches. Portable carts serve up a variety of snacks, including Carvel ice cream.   Fans looking for an adult beverage will be pleased to find stands dedicated specifically to alcohol sales. Several national beer brands, including Sam Adams, Budweiser, Coors Light, and Blue Moon, can be found throughout the XL Center. Local brewery Two Roads sells a UConn-branded specialty brew, TwoConn Easy Ale.   A new option at the XL Center is the new Sports Bar and Fanatics Sportsbook, where fans can watch games on the 80 televisions hung on its 100-foot-long video wall while placing bets on the action. The Sportsbook Lounge also offers a full-service bar and restaurant featuring a menu of arena favorites. Atmosphere 3   Fans who have visited the XL Center over the years can testify that the sheer size of the XL Center works to spread out the fans and dampen any noise produced by the crowd. For Huskies crowds, however, some life is breathed into the old building. Driven by the student section and pep band, there’s an energy here that the old barn doesn’t often see. With the XL Center’s location 27 miles from campus, the turnout from students can be pretty impressive.   Arena staff put on a nice presentation, with the large video board put to use with hype videos, ads, replays, and crowd shots. There are t-shirt tosses and other contests to keep fans engaged, and the Husky mascot, Jonathan, participates on the ice and interacts with the crowd throughout the game.   Neighborhood 5   Hartford is rarely thought of as a destination city, but there is a lot to do in Connecticut’s capital city. The area around the arena features numerous restaurants and shops, and is filled with people, even on the weekends. Pratt Street, located directly across the street from the XL Center, is lined with many excellent pubs and restaurants, including Urban Lodge Brewery and Vaughan's Irish Public House. Black-Eyed Sally’s on Asylum Street features live music and excellent barbeque. Max Downtown, Sorella, Plan b Burger Bar and Bear's Barbeque highlight some of the diverse and popular options downtown. Hartford suffers from a bad reputation, but the area around the XL Center is safe and walkable. For fans interested in exploring the downtown area, there are some attractions nearby worth mentioning. The Old State House is located a few blocks from the XL Center, and contains exhibits on Hartford history. Tours are discounted for AAA members, and will cost history buffs a mere $3. The State Capitol and Bushnell Park are popular attractions located nearby. The Mark Twain House and Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center are both located just a short drive from the downtown area. Check out Hartford.com  for more information.   Fans looking for other sporting options in Hartford can pair a Huskies hockey game with a UConn men’s or women’s basketball game  here. The AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack  also calls the XL Center home, and the Hartford Yard Goats  play a couple of blocks away at Dunkin’ Park. Hartford Athletic FC  plays at Trinity Health Stadium on the Connecticut River waterfront. Of course, the Storrs campus is just over a half hour away.   Fans 3   Crowds for Huskies hockey can vary greatly depending on the time of year, opponent, and even the weather. Stadium Journey visited the XL Center on a beautiful October Saturday afternoon with an announced crowd of about 2,700 in attendance. While a decent crowd, the sheer size of the XL Center makes a decent crowd look tiny. Larger crowds can be expected later in the year after football season ends. UConn hockey generally lands in the middle of the pack in terms of national attendance, drawing around 3,000 fans per game.   Despite the XL Center’s location 21 miles from the UConn campus, a good turnout from the student body can be expected. Driven by the pep band, the students give the building some energy night after night. Locals, youth teams, and alumni help fill the XL Center.   Access 4   The XL Center is in downtown Hartford, easily reached via either Interstate 84 or 91. The arena is only a few blocks away from either highway. Traffic in the city is often difficult to navigate, particularly for weekday games. Be sure to give yourself extra time to arrive, as both highways back up regularly around rush hour and beyond.   There are almost 50 parking lots and garages in the downtown area, all within walking distance of the XL Center. If you want to plan, the XL Center website has a link to the downtown map here . In addition to these paid spots, on-street parking is readily available around the XL Center. Meters are not in operation on weekends.   Once inside the XL Center, fans will enter a spacious lobby. This area was once part of the Civic Center Mall but is mostly empty space now. The ticket office is located here, as well as access to the attached parking garage and the Coliseum Club on the second level. There is a nice display in this area featuring jerseys from every high school hockey program in Connecticut, as well as a display featuring photos from Hartford’s hockey history.   All seats in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum consist of folding stadium chairs. The seating bowl at the XL Center is very steeply pitched, ensuring great sight lines no matter where you sit. Upper-level seats are usually not sold. Since the typical Husky crowd only fills a fraction of the XL Center, getting around is usually not too difficult. The restrooms are clean and large enough for the typical Husky crowd.   Return on Investment 4   Tickets for Husky games at the XL Center are affordable. Center ice sections sell for $23, with end zone seating priced at $18.   Parking in the lots and garages surrounding the XL Center ranges in price from $10-20, with on-street parking available for fans wishing to search for it. On-street parking is free after 6 PM on weekdays and all day long on weekends.   Concession prices are a bit on the high side, particularly for premium items, but are not out of line with other venues in the area.   Extras 3                                                                                                 Banners honoring the 17 University of Connecticut National basketball champions (11 women’s, six men’s) hang from the rafters on one end of the arena. On the other end of the arena, the Huskies have hung their 2000 MAAC championship banner.   The XL Center doesn’t ignore its past as the home of the Hartford Whalers. Banners honoring Whalers division championships, retired numbers, and the Howe family, who all played together in Hartford, hang from the rafters. In addition, the lobby contains a large mural of some of the highlights of Hartford’s professional hockey history.   After every Husky goal, Brass Bonanza, the Whalers’ goal song, plays.     Final Thoughts   The XL Center has its share of critics, particularly those who feel that Hartford deserves another NHL team. While the XL Center is no longer an adequate facility for the NHL, it is an excellent venue for college hockey, even if it is a bit too large for the needs of UConn. With the building of the Toscano Family Ice Forum , the XL Center will host only a handful of games every year, handling those games deemed too big to be held on-campus.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Mabee Gymnasium 411 SW 24th St San Antonio, TX 78237 Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) Saints website Mabee Gymnasium website Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 1,600 The Saints of OLLU Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) was founded in San Antonio in 1895 by the Sisters of Divine Providence from Lorraine, France. It is the oldest school offering degrees in Social Work in Texas. For much of OLLU’s history, it was strictly an academic institution, offering no organized athletics programs to speak of. That all changed in 2007, with the founding of the school’s volleyball and men’s soccer programs. In 2009, men’s and women’s basketball were also added, and the OLLU Saints  (formerly the Armadillos) began competing in the NAIA. Now members of the Red River Athletic Conference, the Saints are still relatively in their infancy as a program. They scored their first win over an NCAA Division I member in 2020, with an upset win over the Texas State Bobcats . They have also made appearances in the NAIA national tournament’s Sweet 16 in 2012 and 2015, and in the tournament’s Elite 8 in 2016 and 2018. For the entirety of the Saints existence, they’ve played their home games at Mabee Gymnasium. Located within the school health and fitness complex, the gymnasium is a classic small school court that is the perfect venue for a program like OLLU’s; the gym received a facelift in 2021 to keep it looking like it is brand new. Read on to learn more about this hidden gem in the Alamo City.   Food & Beverage   3 As one could expect with a venue the size of Mabee Gymnasium, there is only one concession stand for fans. The stand offers up a lot of traditional game day offerings, such as hot dogs (or chili dogs, if you prefer), nachos, popcorn, pretzels, candy, bottled sodas, water, and sports drinks. Patrons can also purchase pizza, either whole pies or by the slice. This is all good and it is all to be expected. What really impressed me though and pushed this score up, is the offering of fresh-made pan dulces – Mexican sweet breads. Baked goods such as conchas, orejas, and empanadas are brought in each game from a nearby neighborhood panadería. Not only are they delicious, but they’re a great reflection of OLLU’s community. However, if for whatever reason you aren’t into any of the foodstuffs they have for sale, fans are allowed to bring in food from outside the venue.   Atmosphere   3 Mabee Gymnasium reminds me of a classic small town, small high school gym – this is a good thing. The wooden bleachers and yellowed playing surface make it feel older than it really is, which all adds to the atmosphere. The school has decorated the walls of the gym with banners highlighting all their programs’ accomplishments; you’ll be instantly drawn to the massive NAIA national championship banner that the school’s softball team won in 2024, as well as to the Hall of Fame banners above the home team stands. One more bit of atmosphere to keep in mind regarding the gymnasium – fans on the home side of the court can sit virtually right on top of the action. A walking area of just about two feet is all that separates fans in the front row of bleachers from the action; this really is an experience that you rarely get as a spectator. My last point to make here is that, if you have time before you catch a Saints game, make time to stroll through the campus. The Gothic architecture is beautiful and the walking paths along the artificial lake on campus are a rare treat, especially in this part of Texas.   Neighborhood   2 OLLU’s campus is located deep inside San Antonio’s historic west side, amid one of the oldest residential neighborhoods in the city. It is about a 15-minute drive from the city’s vibrant downtown area, which is where most visitors to the city go, as that area is home to the Alamo , HemisFair Park , Tower of the Americas , and the San Antonio River Walk . This is going to be your best bet if you’re looking for things to do before or after Saints games. One attraction that is not too far from OLLU’s campus is historic Woodlawn Lake Park ; with its celebrated lighthouse serving as a guardian for the lake, this park has been a favorite for residents for over a century. Loaded with walking and biking trails and docks for boating and fishing, it is another local gem that most visitors to the Alamo City never get to see. In terms of dining, there are scores of mom-and-pop Mexican restaurants in the area. If you’re looking for a taste of something authentic and true, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a spot in the area that’s bad. A few highlights to look for are Ray’s Drive Inn ; a longtime favorite of mine and of the city as a whole since it opened in the 1950s – burgers, puffy tacos (read all about those here ), crispy dogs (and   read all about those here ), malts, and more are all on the menu at this timeless treasure. Another popular local landmark to look out for is Panifico Bake Shop ; while not a traditional sit-down restaurant, this bakery is home to and purveyor of those pan dulces I mentioned above in the Food & Beverage section. They’re delicious. For lodging, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything near the OLLU campus, so your best bet is staying downtown and driving in to your game.   Fans   3 Getting an accurate attendance count for OLLU Saints games at Mabee Gymnasium might be an impossible task for their athletics department; students and children under 12 can get into games free of charge, so there really isn’t any way to account for them. Regardless, the size of the gym – with a capacity of just 1,600 – allows for even a crowd of a couple hundred to look, feel, and sound enormous. While I didn’t see many folks wearing Saints apparel, the stands felt full. Also, the fans were loud and into the action for the entirety of the game. I can’t really speculate the size, but I can say it was a really good turnout for the most recent weeknight game I attended.   Access   3 Our Lady of the Lake University is roughly a 20-minute drive from San Antonio International Airport. The campus is pretty far removed from the nearest highway access, so you’ll be driving through residential and commercial areas for much of your commute. If you choose not to drive, the city’s public transportation option, VIA Metropolitan Transit , does offer routes that will drop you off at OLLU’s campus. If you do drive, parking is plentiful and free near the gymnasium; just be mindful of reserved spots.   Return on Investment   3 I have to say that I’m feeling generous with this score, and your experience might differ from mine. General admission tickets for OLLU Saints games are just $10 per person. The university brings in some bigger schools, but mostly the team here competes at home against fellow NAIA squads. However, from my perspective, this is basketball – and sports really – competed purely for the love of the game. If you’re not a huge fan of what’s happening in big-time college athletics these days, this will be a nice reminder of the good old days. Either way, with such a low ticket cost, free parking, and a concessions menu where I didn’t see a single item costing more than $6, you’re getting a good bargain taking in a Saints basketball game at Mabee Gymnasium.   Extras   2 One area where OLLU doesn’t have much beyond a few standard trappings of sports is in the Extras category; the OLLU spirit squad – made up of the cheerleading and dance teams – can be found performing on the baselines throughout home games and during breaks in the action (though not at halftime for some reason). Also, the OLLU drumline  plays during games as well, but that’s pretty much it.   Final Thoughts I had never been to OLLU for a basketball game, though I’ve lived in the city for more years than I care to count. It was an experience I will definitely take in again. The gym is definitely on the small side, but it also definitely suits the team, the school, and the conference they play in. If you’re in San Antonio and looking for an inexpensive way to catch some sports, head over to the west side, stroll the OLLU campus, and catch a Saints game at Mabee Gymnasium. Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 William D. Mullins Center 200 Commonwealth Ave Amherst, MA 01003 UMass Minutemen men’s hockey website Mullins Center website Year Opened: 1993 Capacity: 8,387 This is NewMass The William D. Mullins Memorial Center was built on the campus of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 1993 for $51 million. The arena was named after the local state representative who spearheaded the campaign to build a new facility to help grow the university’s athletic program and assist in the university’s overall growth. It currently serves as home to the Minutemen men’s and women’s basketball and hockey teams. Before the building of the Mullins Center, the hockey team at UMass had been downgraded to club status. The first organized hockey teams representing UMass started in 1909, playing on the outdoor pond in the center of campus. The team played outdoors on and off until 1979 when the team was discontinued due to the lack of a suitable home rink. When the Mullins Center was built, the hockey team was reborn. The Minutemen compete in the Hockey East conference with several other New England schools. Since their re-emergence, UMass has qualified for four NCAA tournaments, finishing as national runners-up in 2019 and national champions in 2021. 21 UMass alumni have played in the National Hockey League, including Jonathan Quick and Cale Makar. Food & Beverage 5 The Mullins Center has an impressive array of concessions for a mid-sized arena. Several stands line the inner edge of the concourse, each with a different theme and menu. All the arena standards such as hot dogs, burgers, pizza slices, and chicken tenders can be found here. \ Fans looking for something a little different can enjoy some BBQ with mac & cheese and cornbread or a slice of “pickle pizza.” Some items can be combined as combo meals to save a few dollars. Fans looking to satisfy a sweet tooth can choose from a variety of pastries or ice cream from Maple Valley Creamery at the Corner Café. Coca-Cola products are featured at the Mullins Center. A selection of beer is available, including Bud Light, Coors Light, Shock Top, and brews from local favorites Sam Adams, Wormtown, and Harpoon Breweries. Copa Wines and Spiked Seltzer are also sold. New to Mullins Center starting in late October is Massachusetts Lager, brewed specifically for UMass Athletics by local favorite Amherst Brewing. Atmosphere 4 At most college hockey games the student section and pep band are the engines that drive the gameday atmosphere. While the pep band performs throughout the game and the student section does its best to create noise and energy, their efforts are not as strong as they could be. Perhaps this is because even a crowd of 5,000 only fills up the Mullins Center halfway. Still, this can be a fun place to take in a game. The staff at UMass put on a good show. Contests are held during most play stoppages; t-shirts are tossed into the stands, fans shoot pucks at mascots and there are plenty of giveaways to be had. Sam the Minuteman can be found roaming the arena and interacting with fans. The Mullins Center would provide a significant home-ice advantage if it were filled. The centerpiece of the experience at the Mullins Center is the giant video board that was hung over center ice in 2018. There are additional video boards on either end of the arena that display game stats. With three large video boards inside this mid-sized arena, it almost feels like taking in a game at a sports bar. There’s a screen everywhere you look. Neighborhood 5 Amherst is consistently rated as one of the best college towns in the country. Amherst Center is about a mile and a half from the Mullins Center and is chock full of restaurants, shops, and museums. With five colleges located in and around Amherst, the options are many and varied. From quaint book shops to museums celebrating the works of Emily Dickinson and Eric Carle to art galleries and libraries, the area around UMass has something for everyone. Visiting fans looking for something to eat before or after a game will find no shortage of options along Main and Pleasant Streets. UMass students swear by Antonio’s, home of some legendary gourmet pizza slices. For a complete listing of things to do, places to eat and lodging options in Amherst visit AmherstDowntown.com Just up the road from Mullins Center is the town of Hadley, where many more dining and shopping choices are located. Most of the eateries in this area consist of chain restaurants and fast food options. The Hangar Bar and Grill, a popular campus hangout with numerous craft brews on tap, is located near McGuirk Stadium. There are lodging options near UMass in both Amherst and Hadley. With Springfield only a half hour away, you won’t have to travel too far to find a place to stay after the game. For those wishing to eliminate the commute after the game, the UMass Hotel and Conference Center is located at the center of campus and is run entirely by students in the hospitality and tourism management program. Fans 4 With the Minutemen enjoying much success recently, including a pair of conference championships and trips to the Frozen Four, UMass has ranked in the top 15 in the NCAA attendance rankings for the past several seasons. The team annually averages around 4,500 fans per game, with attendance breaking the 5,000-per-game mark thus far this season. The student body turns out in solid numbers for Minutemen hockey games. However, they can be choosy about which games they attend. While the students do come with an assortment of cheers, chants, and songs, they don’t create as boisterous an atmosphere as other student sections. In a full building, that would easily change. UMass’ location in rural western Massachusetts works against them in terms of consistently drawing large crowds. Still, with the recent success of the Minutemen, fans have been turning up in good numbers to catch UMass hockey. Mullins Center is a place where you can feel comfortable bringing the whole family. Access 4 The University of Massachusetts is located in rural western Massachusetts. There are no highways that directly serve the UMass campus, but Interstate 91 is only six miles away if traveling from the north, south, or west. If traveling from the east, the Mass Turnpike (Interstate 90) will bring you about 20 miles from campus. Take exit 63 (Palmer) off the turnpike and follow the signs along the winding country roads to downtown Amherst and the UMass campus. Although the drive from the Mass Pike to UMass takes about a half hour, the foliage during the early part of the hockey season is amazing and draws many tourists throughout the fall. It’s well worth it to take your time and enjoy the scenery. Springfield is located 16 miles south of Amherst, served by both Amtrak and the Peter Pan Bus Lines. The larger cities of Boston, Albany, and Hartford are all less than a two-hour drive from campus. The closest airport is Bradley Airport, just over the Connecticut state line. The ski resorts of Vermont’s Green Mountains are only a couple of hours to the north. Once you arrive at UMass, it’s not too difficult to get to Mullins Center. The arena is located on the western edge of campus near many of the school’s other athletic facilities, including McGuirk Stadium and Earl Lorden Field . There is only one road that serves the arena, but traffic moves pretty well into the adjacent parking lots. Most fans will enter Mullins Center on the north side of the facility and enter onto a concourse that completely encircles the ice. Concession stands and restrooms line the inner edge of the concourse. Lines do form during intermissions so plan your trips wisely. The ice is not visible from the concourse, as Mullins Center’s ’90s-era design does not include an open concourse. All seats consist of maroon padded stadium seats in a steeply pitched seating bowl, which feature excellent views of the action from all sections. Just be aware that railings may obstruct your view from some seats. Return on Investment 4 Tickets to UMass hockey games are quite affordable, priced at $16, $20, and $25. Parking is free in the lots located a short walk from the facility. Concession prices are a bit on the high side, particularly for specialty and premium items, but are not out of line with other venues in the area. Fans looking to save a few dollars on food can purchase a combo meal. For an additional $25 fans can purchase a pass to the Commonwealth Club, a premium hospitality area located at ice level at the north end of the Mullins Center. Included in the Commonwealth club are complimentary snacks and beverages, a cash bar, and rinkside tables with great views of the action. Extras 2 A pair of extra points are awarded for the sense of history around the Mullins Center. Photos of notable Minutemen hockey and basketball alumni line the concourse. Photos of notable recording artists to perform at Mullins Center, such as Elton John and B.B. King, are also featured. Inside the arena hang banners honoring Minutemen conference championship teams, tournament appearances, and Frozen Four teams. Additional banners honor the 2021 National Championship team, Hobey Baker Award winner Cale Makar and Patrick Keenan’s retired number 4. Final Thoughts The Mullins Center is an attractive on-campus facility that serves as a home for the UMass Minutemen basketball and hockey teams. Still going strong in its 30th season, the arena provides western Massachusetts hockey fans with a comfortable place to watch a recent national championship team do their thing. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 MassMutual Center 1277 Main St Springfield, MA 01103 Springfield Thunderbirds website MassMutual Center website Year Opened: 1972 Capacity: 6,800 Welcome to the Thunderdome   The MassMutual Center was built in 1972 as the Springfield Civic Center. Attached to the arena is the largest convention center in western Massachusetts, which was built in 2005. In addition to serving as the home to several minor league hockey teams over the years, this was the home of the Hartford Whalers for a few months in 1978 when a roof collapse at the Hartford Civic Center forced the Whalers to look for a temporary home.   The city of Springfield is a charter member of the American Hockey League, with a professional hockey history that goes back to 1926. Seven Calder Cup Championship teams have called Springfield home. The original AHL team here, the Indians (who were rebranded as the Kings from 1967-74), played in Springfield for 60 seasons before moving to Worcester in 1994.   Ex-Indian players Bruce Landon and Wayne LaChance secured an expansion franchise for the following season, but the team, named the Falcons, was plagued by inconsistent attendance and a revolving door of affiliations. After the 2015-16 season, it was announced that the Coyotes were purchasing the franchise and moving the team to Arizona and the Tucson Arena as part of the AHL’s westward expansion.   On May 4, 2016, a consortium of local business owners announced they were purchasing the Portland Pirates and relocating them to Springfield for the 2016-17 season. The name Thunderbirds was chosen to evoke not only images of the mythological bird but also to honor the Air Force's presence in the region. The T-Birds have qualified for the AHL playoffs once in their eight seasons, reaching the Calder Cup Finals in 2022.   Food & Beverage 5   For a long time, the concessions at MassMutual Center were little more than an afterthought, offering up only arena basics at the many stands that line the inner ring of the concourse. However, that has changed in recent years as new concessionaires have brought increased quality and signature items to Thunderbird games.   Highlighting the offerings is a stand run by Bear’s BBQ, where hungry fans can grab their popular Mac Attack bowls topped with brisket or pulled pork. Randy’s Wooster Street offers its specialty pizza slices and craft beer, and Nathan’s Hot Dogs sells their legendary dogs nearby. Fenway Park’s legendary Sausage Guy operates a cart on the concourse, and fans can also hit up the Chick-fil-A stand for a sandwich or the Casa del Sol Cantina for some loaded nachos. Stadium Journey recommends getting yours in a souvenir goalie helmet. Fans looking for a healthier alternative can head to the Jugitos stand, where assorted smoothies and acai bowls are sold.   Fans looking for a pub-type atmosphere can visit the Breakaway Lounge or the Center Grille, where a selection of drinks and arena classics are served up. If you have a sweet tooth that needs a fix, Crumble serves up their oversized gourmet cookies, and Dippin’ Dots sells assorted flavors and other snacks.     Pepsi products are featured at the MassMutual Center. Fans looking for adult beverages will find no shortage of options, headlined by the Wormtown State Street Taproom.   Atmosphere 4   After decades of sporadic crowds and a lackluster game day atmosphere in Springfield, the Thunderbirds front office has found the magic formula to attract fans and energy to the MassMutual Center.   The Thunderbirds staff put on a high-energy show with a lot of noise and distraction to keep the casual and younger fans interested. The team’s mascot, Boomer, is the center of attention from the moment he takes the ice riding an ATV for pregame introductions. Since there’s nowhere to hang ribbon boards at the MassMutual Center, they’ve taken a unique approach, with several ribbon strips lowered from the rafters to create a tunnel that the starters skate through as they are introduced.   There’s a large video board that is put to great use with replays, fan cams, advertisements, and graphics. T-shirts are tossed into the crowd at every opportunity (watch out for the t-shirt cannon rolled out during intermission), the sound system is fantastic, and the energy is high. On the concourse, fans can purchase tickets for the 50/50 or jersey raffle, and younger fans can head to the kid’s area at the back of the arena, where there are coloring stations, a video game screen, and a slap shot cage.   Neighborhood 4   The MassMutual Center is located in downtown Springfield, long considered an area to avoid, but that reputation is changing as the area goes through a metamorphosis. Central to the area’s rejuvenation is the MGM Springfield Casino, located just a block from the arena.   Despite the many new places going up around the casino, Stadium Journey recommends a trio of old dining options for visiting fans. First and foremost is Red Rose Pizzeria, located downtown since 1963, where diners can enjoy quality pizzas and enormous servings of Neapolitan fare. Also worth a look is The Student Prince Café and the Fort, where German-styled food and drink have been served since 1935. Finally, can head over to Theodore’s Blues, Booze, and BBQ, where local and national blues acts perform every Friday and Saturday while the staff serves up some of the area’s best BBQ.   Of course, Springfield’s biggest attraction may be the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, located a mile from the MassMutual Center. Also located nearby are the Springfield Armory and the Amazing World of Dr. Suess Museum. Located near the museum are several life-sized statues of Dr. Suess characters.   Fans 4   During the 2023-24 season, Springfield averaged over 6,300 fans per game, which ranked them 13th in the 32-team AHL. Stadium Journey visited the MassMutual center for the Thunderbird's opening game of the 2024-25 season, which featured a sellout crowd of 8.179 fans. The Thunderbirds have seen attendance increase every year since they arrived, from a low of 4,664 in 2017 to last year’s high water mark of 6,321.   So why have the Thunderbirds succeeded when the Falcons struggled to attract fans? The team has worked hard to integrate themselves into the fabric of the community, have attracted groups with ticket deals, and have enriched the game day experience with improvements to the facility.   Overall, a Thunderbirds crowd looks similar to many others across the minor league hockey landscape. You’ll find lots of families, groups, and diehard fans who’ve been coming downtown for hockey games for decades. There’s a lot of enthusiasm and noise in the crowd here, especially when fans from the nearby Bruins or Rangers farm teams descend on Springfield.   Access 2   The MassMutual Center is located in downtown Springfield, MA, a city of over 155,000 residents. Springfield is the third largest city in Massachusetts and the fourth largest city in all of New England. The MassMutual Center is easy to get to, as it is just a few blocks from Interstate 91. Interstates 291 and 90 (the Mass Pike) run just a few miles away. Springfield refers to itself as “The Crossroads of New England.”   Springfield’s Union Station , with hubs for Greyhound, Peter Pan, and Pioneer Valley Transit bus lines, as well as Amtrak and CT Rail trains, is located only a half mile from the arena. Several Pioneer Valley Transit bus routes stop at Court Square, right across the street from MassMutual Center. Plentiful parking can be found at the MGM Casino garage, in surface lots in the area, or on-street for fans who want to search for it.   So, why the sub-par access score? Two reasons. First, the Civic Center parking garage across the street from the arena’s front entrance is being rebuilt. The $35 million project, which began in 2022, is expected to be completed sometime during the 2024-25 season. The new garage will feature retail and restaurant space at ground level, an outdoor plaza, and parking for 800-900 cars. But for now, construction has shut down Bruce Landon Way, altering traffic and entry patterns for visitors. If you don’t know the area well, your easiest option is to park at the MGM Casino and walk to the arena.   The other factor that brings down the overall score is the cramped quarters of the MassMutual Center. A happy consequence of the increased attendance is that the facility has a hard time handling crowds that large. There’s just not enough room for everyone on the concourse during intermissions, so time your trips to the concession stands and restrooms wisely.   Return on Investment 4   Prices for Thunderbird tickets start at $20, escalating to $40 for the most expensive seats. The team offers several ticket deals, including Sunday Fundays, where fans can purchase four tickets and food vouchers for $80; Deuces Wild Fridays, featuring $2 domestic drafts, hot dogs, and sodas, and Winning Wednesdays, where a T-Birds win gets you a ticket for another weekday game.   Parking will cost an additional $15-20 in local lots, with free parking on local streets for those patients enough to search for it. With concessions generally priced in line with other local venues, a night at a Thunderbirds game is an affordable entertainment option for Western Massachusetts sports fans.   Extras 3   Fans of hockey history will want to check out the Springfield Hockey Hall of Fame display, where significant persons in the area’s hockey heritage are honored. Among the familiar names you’ll find here are Eddie Shore and Willie O’Ree.   The Thunderbirds also honor the city’s hockey heritage with banners honoring all of Springfield’s Calder Cup champions and a display featuring numerous jerseys worn by the different teams to call Springfield home.   If you can, be sure to check out the tiny team store in the northwest corner of the arena. Throwback merchandise from the Indians and Falcons can be found here, as well as the popular Simpsons crossover merchandise featuring the Thunderbirds’ alternate identity, the “Ice-O-Topes.” Time your trips well, as lines can last throughout the game here.   Final Thoughts   Springfield is an original AHL city, but it looked like their time in the league was done when the Falcons left town. That all changed when a new team and new ownership arrived, reinvigorating interest in minor league hockey in the city. The MassMutual Center may have a definite 70s vibe to its design, but the game day experience here is all new. ----   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and  Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photo by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Journey got a chance recently to attend the inaugural Capital Hockey Classic on December 12, 2024. This was a college hockey double-header featuring a contest between Army and Navy’s club hockey teams, followed by a matchup between Army and Penn State’s Division I programs. This event took place in Downtown Washington, DC’s Capital One Arena two days be fore the Army-Navy rivalry football game took place at Northwest Stadium. Photo by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Jim Van Stone, President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer at Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) was quoted as saying “We are ecstatic to be able to welcome college hockey back to Capital One Arena,” and “It is an honor to host this college hockey showcase ahead of the iconic Army-Navy football game, giving fans a chance to witness this storied rivalry on the ice and then see two top Division I teams match up against each other. The military is an integral part of our community in the Washington, D.C. area and Monumental Sports & Entertainment has a long history of harnessing the power of sports to make a lasting difference in the lives of those who serve our country.” Capital One Arena, which previously hosted the 2009 NCAA Frozen Four, serves as the home venue for the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Alongside their ownership organization, MSE, the Capitals have remained committed to growing and improving the game of hockey from youth clinics and camps to community programming to talent development with their AHL affiliate team and 13-time Calder Cup Champions, the Hershey Bears. Photo by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Hockey has long been a staple of athletics on the West Point campus of the United States Military Academy, with the hockey program originally forming in 1904. Since then, the program has become one of the most recognizable brands in college hockey with over 1,200 wins to its name across different levels of evolution in the college game. The Riley family has led the program since 1951 when legendary and 1960 gold-medal-winning USA Hockey Coach Jack Riley took the reins. From there, his son Rob featured as the head coach from 1986-2004 before Rob’s brother, Brian Riley, who now enters his 21st season as head coach, was appointed. Army was a founding member of the Atlantic Hockey Association which just ended its 21-year run at the Division I level and is set to begin a new era as ‘Atlantic Hockey America’ after merging with College Hockey America this summer. “We are excited to have the opportunity to play in the Capital Hockey Classic against Penn State,” said Army head coach Brian Riley. “We know that there are a lot of alumni and Army fans in that area so it will be a great opportunity to bring the Army Hockey Team to an area where we’ve never played. There will be a lot of energy with the Army-Navy Football Game on Saturday and this will be a great way to start the weekend with Army vs. Penn State on the ice.” Photo by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Penn State enters its 13th season as a Division I program in 2024-25 after elevating to varsity status before the 2012-13 campaign. The Nittany Lions secured the 200th win in program history last season and have five 20+-win seasons over the last nine years leading to a pair of Big Ten Championships (2017, 2020) and three NCAA Tournament berths (2017, 2018, 2023). Before being elevated to Division I status, Penn State competed in the ACHA from 1971-2012 winning seven National Titles including a stretch of four straight from 2000-03. This marks the third meeting between Penn State and Army over the past four seasons and the second-straight year the teams will meet after the Nittany Lions erased a four-goal deficit for a thrilling 7-6 victory in Hockey Valley back in January. Penn State is 4-0-0 all-time against the Black Knights in the current era. The Nittany Lions are poised to make a return trip to Allentown and the NCAA Tournament when the puck drops in October after finishing the 2023-24 campaign at 15-18-3. “It’s truly an honor to be a part of the first-ever Capital Hockey Classic,” said Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky. “The Army-Navy football game is a yearly spectacle and to add a hockey component to this special weekend is an awesome opportunity. I’m excited we will be able to spread our Hockey Valley community to the DMV area, an area we haven’t been to yet in our short history, but one with a large alumni base. We know there will be a lot of Blue & White support in D.C.! We Are!” Photo by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Navy Club Hockey competes in Division 1 of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) as a member of the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association (ECHA). Navy won the ECHA Championship in 2022 and went undefeated in 2023, advancing to the ACHA National Tournament each year. Navy is coached by Kevin Rooney, who just completed his 8th season leading the Midshipmen. “The Navy Hockey Team is excited to continue the great legacy of the Army-Navy game,” said Rooney. “As the ‘best of the best’ student-athletes and leaders, the rivalry is historic and delivers an extreme level of competition that is only found in an event like this. In addition, it is an incredible opportunity to join with other hockey teams and Navy Football to be part of the entire Army-Navy legacy weekend. We will be ready to ‘Bring it on’ for this intense hockey weekend at the legendary home venue of the NHL’s Washington Capitals!” In the club hockey game, Army beat Navy by a score of 7-3. For the final game featuring the NCAA teams, Penn State beat Army 4-1. It was an amazing event to attend at the start of the Army/Navy weekend. Hopefully, it will indeed become a recurring event so that we can review it for Stadium Journey.

Photo Courtesy of Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Old Forge, Pennsylvania, is also a short 5-minute drive from PNC Field  and the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza  in Northeast Pennsylvania. The town is also the self-proclaimed “Pizza Capital of the World." To the 8,000-plus residents, that is just about the right. It is a style of pizza that is probably not like anything you’ve had before. “If you go to Pittston (a few miles away, it is New York-style, but not in Old Forge,” said one customer who was ahead of me in line at Revello’s, one of the dozens of pizza cafes on Main Street. The type of pizza is as different in taste as the terminology. The styles are either red or white, a slice is a cut, and a pie is a tray. The pizza is cooked in metal pans that make the crust crisp on the edges and soft and chewy in the center. If you prefer, you can get a few places to cook your pizza a little longer to crisp it up. How did this type of pizza come into existence? It is believed that Ghigiarelli's was the first to originate this style of pizza in 1926. Grandma Ghigiarelli served the pizza to the local miners at the bar she owned with her husband. The rectangular cuts would be served to them while they played cards and became so popular that other restaurants began putting them on their menus. The cheese is also unique to other styles across the country. It is a blend of mozzarella, white cheddar, and white American. It melts a little differently and oozes out of the white pizza, a style that is its being. “No two places have the same cheese blend; there is always a different spin on it,” said another customer. “The same for the sauces, every place in town does something different.” The white pie has no tomato sauce and is covered with a top layer of dough. The top is buttered with a few seasonings, and the inside is usually served with either broccoli or spinach. If you are a fan of melted cheese, then this one might be for you-however-I dipped mine in tomato sauce, which might be sacrilegious around these parts. There are various spots along Main Street offering their spin on this style of pizza, and each one uses a slightly different cheese blend or spices in the tomato sauce. Also, most of the businesses offer more than just pizza, customers can dine in and enjoy ravioli, spaghetti, chicken wings, meatball and sausage sandwiches, and another local delight, pierogies. There is a strong camaraderie among the different pizza makers in town. They don’t compete with each other, and many owners and workers will eat at competing cafes after work. It is that strong bond resulting in the branding of the term “Pizza Capital of the World." Old Forge is a small town, but worth a visit to taste this style of pizza, which is quite different from other kinds in the area. If your plans allow you to visit Main Street, order by the cut or tray. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .   Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Sebring International Raceway 113 Midway Dr Sebring, FL 33870 HSR Classic 12 Hours website Sebring International Raceway website Year Opened: 1950 Pistons and Props in Sebring Far removed from the chaos of the annual IMSA race weekend in March , the HSR Classic 12 “Pistons and Props” event features a whole different atmosphere. Held each year in late fall, this race showcases Sebring’s history and mixes in a little bit of air show with race cars. Food & Beverage   4 There is no shortage of food vendors around the track at Sebring – from the main paddock and the ever-popular Track Shack (get The Beast for $15…it is probably the best item you can eat at the track and used to be only known on the secret menu at Sebring) to the various drink and snack stops around the track, you never have to go too far to get something to quench your thirst or ease the pain of hunger. The cost of everything is also what one may consider being moderately fair, as food and snack items range from just a few dollars to $12-$14 for bigger items at the Snack Shack. The event also invites several food trucks to the event as well, which are set up near the paddock area.   Atmosphere   4 The Sebring facility is steeped in racing history; fans from around the world regard it as one of the best tracks for many reasons. The HSR weekend features a much more laid-back vibe compared to the IMSA 12 Hours , and everyone here seems to be there to have a great time. The track lacks many conventional amenities one would expect from a top-level race facility, but makes up for it with viewing access and history. Access to Green Park is also included all weekend, something not always open to smaller events. Perhaps the highlight of the event is the historic warbird fly-in on Friday night – vintage warplanes arrive from Sebring Airport and taxi down the track’s backstretch before being staged for the weekend in the pre-grid area. After this, fans are allowed into the grid to check out the planes up close until they leave Sunday morning. Neighborhood   3 There isn’t exactly anything around Sebring International Raceway, as it is located in the middle of nowhere. Sebring itself is a town located in the middle of Florida, at least an hour and a half drive from the nearest major city or population center. Thus, while the town of Sebring itself may have some shopping and dining, as well as a few hotels, you are likely better off camping at the track and staying the whole weekend.   Fans   3 The fans at HSR weekend cross over from other events at Sebring, including IMSA  and the SVRA & Trans-Am SpeedTour events. Trackside camping is popular all around the track, and as usual, several fans decorate their campers and campsites with lights and decorations. Thankfully, the craziness of IMSA weekend is nowhere to be found here, and a much more family-friendly atmosphere can be enjoyed because of it.   Access   3 The roads in and out of Sebring aren’t exactly major highways, with the biggest road being US-27 running towards Miami to the South and Orlando to the North. There is plenty of parking at the track, however, and trams help take you from parking lots farther away from the main grandstands and paddock to points of interest around the track. You never feel like you are too far from anywhere either, as there are several perfectly placed crossover bridges around the track to get you to points of interest throughout the weekend. Also, any fan can come down to the paddock and get up close to the stars and cars who are in attendance.   Return on Investment   4 Tickets to the HSR event here are much less expensive than IMSA’s 12 Hours in March   – this means you get to enjoy the sights and sounds of the race cars of yesteryear without breaking the bank. Without a doubt, this is a great event to take younger fans to as well, and your access is much more up close than traditional races you may go to. Single day tickets (Saturday $30, Sunday $20), 2-day tickets ($45), 3-day tickets ($55), and 4-day tickets ($65) are all available for purchase. Unreserved RV parking is also available for $100 for the full event.   Extras   4 Taking in the race at Sebring has its perks for fans, with various autograph sessions held throughout the race weekend. In addition, fans also have the opportunity to get into the paddock area of the track free of charge, giving an up-close view of the teams as they prepare for one of the year's biggest races. Also, before the main event on Saturday, all the teams bring their cars out to the false grid before the race starts, so fans can come and see the cars and drivers up close, next to the vintage planes, before the racers head out onto the track. Final Thoughts The Pistons and Props event is a highlight of the Sebring calendar, and many local race fans show up to watch vintage racing at its best; the bonus of vintage warbirds only amplifies the value of this event. Like the HSR Classic 24 at Daytona , racecar fans of all ages can no doubt find something to get excited about here.

Photo Courtesy of Crysta Henthorne / KCUR 89.3 A few regional food items are so obscure that they go unnoticed in the surrounding community. I encountered this when visiting two minor league ballparks in St. Louis, Missouri. The St. Paul sandwich is one secretive little regional food item. The sandwich is served at many Chinese restaurants throughout the metro area and even in a select few restaurants throughout the state. It is egg-foo young served crispy on white bread with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and a dollop of mayonnaise. The egg-foo young either contains beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, or no meat. The sandwich costs between $2 and $3.50, making it a very inexpensive menu item. Like the hamburger and hot dog, the St. Paul sandwich's origins are somewhat disputed. One account has it created in the 1940s in St. Louis by a chef who named it after his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, while some have insisted that the sandwich was first served at logging camps in Denver, Colorado, in the early 20th century. The St. Paul sandwich seems to be a clear fusion of Chinese and American cooking. I enjoy having a food origin debate; however, if it was not created in St. Louis, why can it only be found in the city? The only other areas where the sandwich can be found are in other parts of the state in Columbia, Springfield, and Jefferson City. Good luck ordering this sandwich in Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, or St. Paul, Minnesota. The sandwich is not served at any of the two minor or summer league ballparks on the outskirts of the city CarShield Fiel d home of the River City Rascals in O’Fallon and GCS Ballpark home to the Gateway Grizzlies in Sauget, Illinois. Meanwhile, the home of the Grizzlies is known for its own interesting take on ballpark food that has gained national attention. The donut burger, deep-fried slider, cheesesteak nachos, and hot dogs with grilled onions, bacon, and nacho cheese are offered, or offered, at one time. However, the St. Paul sandwich is not one of them in the small Illinois town outside St. Louis. If you order it without meat, the St. Paul sandwich makes a great vegetarian option, and its price is extremely economical for tight budgets or a quick snack. There also does not seem to be an upscale version anywhere in the town. I am sure an egg foo young patty with lobster, served on a brioche bun, with garlic-lemon aioli is just around the corner. I have been told that the best St. Paul sandwiches have crispy edges, just like a great old-fashioned burger; however, many Chinese restaurants in the city do not serve the sandwich. You can still grab one at many locations in St. Louis, and perhaps this could be your new favorite bite to eat in a city that has its share of regional items. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .   Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey This yea r’s Pop-Tarts Bowl and Cheez-It Citrus Bowl will stand out from the rest when it comes to the game day experience. Showcased during a special tasting event, these two games will feature specialty concession items available only during the games at Camping World Stadium, each featuring either Pop-Tarts or Cheez-It as part of the ingredients. Already two of the top-draw bowls on the annual Bowl Season slate, fans at this year’s games can look forward to several unique creations. Chad-Jan Neuman, Senior Executive Chef at Camping World Stadium and Levy Restaurants says the menu is the result of long hours of hard work from all parties involved. “It’s been six hard months of work between Kellanova and Levy Restaurants, sharing information, sharing recipes, sharing ideas,” said Neuman. “We enjoyed it because [you] can see how everything was taking form.” During the tasting event we were able to sample several of these offerings – let’s take a dive into them and how they stack up: Pop Tarts Bowl PB&J Pop-Tarts Bavarian Pretzel - described as “a warm freshly baked pretzel topped with creamy peanut butter, strawberry jam sauce and Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts toaster pastry pieces,” this is by far one of the more unique items on the menu. Chef Neuman says perfecting this item took a lot of work to balance the flavors involved. “We had to make sure we had balance between the sweet and the sour,” said Neuman. “The pretzel is very salty, and we had to make sure we had the right amount of peanut butter and jelly, and the right amount of pop tarts, to make sure we do not overwhelm the product.” PB&J Pop-Tarts Bavarian Pretzel Boston Cream Pie Pop-Tarts Trifle - listed as “a decadent mix of new Frosted Brownie Crunch Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers, Chantilly cream, vanilla pudding, and chocolate sauce,” this desert item adds a touch of Pop-Tarts flavor to a classic desert that is sure to be a favorite among fans. “We had to make sure it was approachable, it was cool, and it was unique,” said Neuman of the desert menu items. "You want to make sure its approachable to everybody, not just to kids but also to adults.” Boston Cream Pie Pop-Tarts Trifle Game Time Snack Mix - this “sweet and salty snack mix featuring Cheez-It Original, Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers and Fudge Brownie Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers” offers the perfect game-day version for everyone’s favorite snack mix. The Pop-Tarts pieces add a sweet side to the salty mix, while the Cheez-It Original pieces round out the mix perfectly. Game Time Snack Mix Other items on the menu for fans to experience at this year’ s Pop Tarts Bowl in clude: Strawberry Pop-Tarts Trifle - a decadent mix of new Frosted Strawberry Crunch Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers, Chantilly cream, vanilla pudding, and strawberry sauce. Hot Fudge Pop-Tarts Waffle Cone Bowl Sundae - frosted Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts with vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge sauce, whipped cream and sprinkles served in a waffle cone bowl.- End Zone Celebration Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts Cheesecake; New York-style cheesecake topped with Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts tidbits and dulce de leche. End Zone Celebration Strawberry Pop-Tarts Cheesecake - New York-style cheesecake topped with Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts tidbits and strawberry sauce. Cheez-It Citrus Bowl The items for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl featur e the ever popular Cheez-It snacks. Here, sweet and savory mix together for more unique flavors. Let’s take a look at some of the items we were able to sample: Cheez-It Tender Dog - this star item featuring “[a] chicken tender, beer cheese sauce, Cheez-It Crunched Foot Long Roll, [and] crispy fries” is topped with jalapeño slices and strawberry sauce drizzle. For Chef Neuman, this item instills the most pride. "The tender dog was the final one we finished,” said Neuman. "We didn’t want to just make a hot dog. We wanted to make something between a tender and a hot dog that was also loaded. You can really feel the flavor.” Cheez-It Tender Dog Walking Cheez-It Nachos - this “bed of Extra Crunchy Snap’d Cheez-It crackers, nacho cheese sauce, chuck wagon chili dip, [and] green onions” is a new take on a recent classic. Showcasing the flavor of Cheez-It crackers in a nacho form, this item will be sure to delight fans. Walking Cheez-It Nachos Mac and Cheez-It Nachos - this “Macaroni in a creamy extra sharp cheddar sauce with Extra Big Cheez-It crackers, queso, bacon and green onions” is another take on the above classic. Full of cheesy flavor, this one mixes the salty of the crackers perfectly with the savory of the pasta. Pimento Cheez-It Board - featuring “local cured meats, cheese, fruit, [and] vegetables,” this premium board features an excellent pimento cheese dip that compliments the Cheez-It crackers perfectly. Pimento Cheez-It Board Other items on the menu for fans to experience at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl incl ude: Swicy Cheez-It Bird Dog - this southern favorite consists of crispy chicken tenders topped with beer cheese sauce, jalapeños, Hot & Spicy Cheez-It crackers and roasted raspberry chipotle sauce served in a steak roll. Loaded Cheez-It Brisket Potato Skins - baked potato skins topped with overnight-braised tender beef, creamy extra sharp white cheddar cheese sauce and Cheez-It White Cheddar cracker crumb topping. Hot Honey & Cheez-It Pepperoni Pizza (“Kordeezy Cheezy Pizza”) - charred pepperoni with Mike’s Hot Honey, tomato sauce, mozzarella and a White Cheddar Cheez-It cracker garnish. Loaded Chili Cheez-It Crunch Dog - a foot-long all-beef frank topped with chunky chili, jalapeño cheese sauce, white onions and hand crushed Cheez-It Original crackers. Cheez-It Pimento Cheez & Bacon Burger - a char-grilled double patty, Cheez-It pimento cheese, Crunchy Original Cheddar Cheez-It Topping and smoked applewood bacon. For Chef Neuman, creating the above items meant collaborating with numerous people from both Levy Restaurants as well as Kellanova, and he looks forward to seeing the fan reactions at the game. “You can see it in their faces,” said Neuman. "You can see how they enjoy it when they take that first bite and then come back for the same product and certain items, and you can see it in their eyes. When they taste it, that’s the most exciting thing.”

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Flagler Credit Union Stadium 777 Glades Rd Boca Raton, FL 33431 Boca Raton Bowl website Flagler Credit Union Stadium website Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 29,419 Your Florida Bowl Alternative In a state where numerous bowl games take center stage, one could be forgiven for overlooking the Boca Raton Bowl – it isn’t held in a giant NFL stadium, but instead in a small market on-campus facility. One of many games played in Florida’s temperate winter climate every year, this game continues to move on with better and better matchups. For the teams who get this bowl berth, the warmth and proximity to the beaches is a welcome sight. For fans traveling to this game, its affordability is nearly unmatched, and with a newer stadium and solid choices for fans for food and beverage, you get a great option to catch some bowl season action.   Food & Beverage   4 The food options at the Boca Raton Bowl are actually quite impressive, and the prices are not that high compared to most major sporting events. Burgers ($8-$9), soda ($5), and fries ($8-$10) will cost less than at most stadiums you go to. What sets the Boca Raton Bowl apart is the wonderful bar on the main concourse, which makes up the Delray Hyundai Deck. This full-service bar features TV screens, a nice aesthetic, and other smaller food vendors next to it that make it easy to grab a beer ($7-$8), an arepa ($10-$12), and some fries, all in one area. Another plus is the convenience of the concession locations on the lower levels – you never have to walk too far to find somewhere to grab food, which can be an issue at other stadiums. The other side of Flagler Credit Union Stadium (formerly FAU Stadium), opposite the party deck, features a full-service Subway location, complete with restaurant-style seating inside an air-conditioned storefront ($8-$13 for subs). There is also the Chick-fil-A stand on the main concourse of the sun deck, featuring chicken sandwiches ($9), chocolate chip cookies ($4), and waffle chips ($4). If you want something for your sweet tooth, a Jeremiah’s Italian Ice booth is also open ($8).   Atmosphere   4 Yes, a college bowl game already comes with a base level of excitement – it is a bowl game, after all. However, when the two teams playing are from non-Power 4 conferences, it’s a little hard to get the energy rolling; most of the teams in these conferences are smaller programs in smaller cities, and therefore have smaller fan bases that are less willing to travel. In fact, in the Boca Raton Bowl’s first few years of existence, despite having a sellout the first year and a near-sellout the second, the actual butts-in-seats count is below that, leaving large open areas in Flagler Credit Union Stadium that look bad on television; this lack of fans means a much lower noise level. That doesn’t take away from the beauty of the stadium, however – the Atlantic Ocean is visible from the upper levels and suite boxes on the west side of the stadium. The warm ocean breeze is also there to greet fans all game long, and the swaying palm trees make for one great backdrop behind the southern end zone.   Neighborhood   4 Boca Raton is a beautiful part of Palm Beach County. In addition, FAU’s campus is clean, South Florida-esque in appearance, and visually appealing overall. Also, not far from the campus is a beautiful strip mall that plays host to PF Chang’s, J. Alexander’s, Shake Shack, Whole Foods, Barnes & Noble, and more. Equidistant from the east of campus is the Atlantic Ocean, where you can find beautiful beaches, as well as the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, where visitors can get a look at some of coastal Florida’s natural habitats and inhabitants, thanks to boardwalks through the mangroves and natural butterfly gardens. Near the beach hotels are easy to find – the official hotel of the most recent game was Wyndham Boca Raton, just on the other side of I-95 from Florida Atlantic University’s campus. Another close place to stay is Renaissance Boca Raton right next door. What Boca Raton lacks in nightlife more commonly found in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the area more than makes up for in relaxation. In addition, Palm Beach International Airport isn’t far from Boca Raton, with airports in Fort Lauderdale and Miami less than an hour away as well.   Fans   3 The fans of the teams who play in the Boca Raton Bowl are usually sparse, leaving open areas in the seating areas. However, this is college football, and the passion of the fans is palpable. The Boca Raton Bowl has previously featured non-Power 4 teams, but that is starting to change. Regardless of what teams are playing, however, the fans who come to the game are very loyal and leave nothing to chance as to who they are there supporting. Access   5 Getting to Flagler Credit Union Stadium is easy to do – unlike several sports teams and colleges where the campus stadiums are miles away from the highway exits, the home of the Boca Raton Bowl is quite literally bordered by I-95 in Boca Raton. Also, just a few miles west is the Florida Turnpike. Once off the exit from I-95, the FAU campus is immediately visible. Parking is quite plentiful, and even if you get stuck in a lot or garage that is a little further from Flagler Credit Union Stadium, the walk is not very far and is through a beautiful campus. Parking on site is $20 per car. When you arrive at the stadium the entry is simple, as each ticket has a dedicated entry gate. Also, once inside the signage is well placed, showing fans where to go for seats. Return on Investment   4 As the game is one of the early bowl games and not as big of a spectacle, tickets are less expensive than usual, so it won’t break the bank to go see a college bowl game. End zone tickets cost $32, while sideline seats go for $57; suite and club seats go from $450 to $600. If you are a fan or alumni of one of the participating schools, there are various fan zones and alumni parties that take place on game day, giving you multiple options for celebrating with fellow die-hards, thanks to special ticket packages. In addition, if you want a family fun atmosphere the Boca Raton Bowl is perfect – not too long a drive to be within manageable driving distance of both South Florida and the Treasure Coast, the easy-going vibe at the game makes it perfect to bring the little ones to. Extras   4 The fan zones outside are chock-full of freebies – from giveaways to concerts, fans can get tons of swag from the various booths outside Flagler Credit Union Stadium. Another bonus is the addition of charging stations; Flagler Credit Union Stadium recently added mobile charging stations so you can recharge your phone or tablet at the game, making it very convenient to get a power boost for your device. And after you get that boost, take a photo and post it to Instagram, and it may show up on the big screen – the Boca Raton Bowl showcases fan photos throughout the game on Flagler Credit Union Stadium’s Jumbotron, giving you the chance to be famous for about 10 seconds. Fans can also grab a photo next to the statue of Howard Schnellenberger just inside one of the main entrances; this is a popular photo spot for fans of the famous coach, or just sports fans in general.   Final Thoughts If you are willing to drive the distance to Boca Raton, then you are in for an easy-going treat. No, the crowd may not have Flagler Credit Union Stadium bursting at the seams, and no, it may not be the biggest roar you’ve ever heard when one of the teams scores, as you sit in an open section of the stadium. But you will not often find a college bowl game with affordable food, tickets, and easy access that won’t stress you out.

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Flagler Credit Union Stadium 777 Glades Rd Boca Raton, FL 33431 Florida Atlantic Owls website Flagler Credit Union Stadium website Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 29,419 Flying High in Boca Raton While Florida Atlantic University may be overlooked among FBS football schools, the stadium in which they play certainly doesn’t mirror the program’s easy to miss appearance. While most people pass FAU football off as an also-played program, the team has three conference titles and two bowl wins over the past five seasons. Do not let the second-tier status deter you from venturing to Palm Beach County for a quality afternoon of college football. Flagler Credit Union Stadium (formerly FAU Stadium) is beautiful, clean, impressive, comfortable, and family friendly in all respects, while remaining easy to access from major highways. Food & Beverage 4 The food options at Flagler Credit Union Stadium are actually quite impressive, and the prices are not that high compared to most major sporting events. A burger, soda, and fries will cost less than $15, which in stadium terms is a steal, especially at a televised bowl game. What sets Flagler Credit Union Stadium apart is the wonderful bar that is on the main concourse that makes up the Delray Hyundai Deck. This full-service bar features TV screens, a nice aesthetic, and other smaller food vendors next to it that make it easy to grab a beer, an arepa, and some fries, all in one area. Another plus is the convenience of the concessions locations on the lower levels – you never have to walk too far to find somewhere to grab food, which can be an issue at other locations. The other side of Flagler Credit Union Stadium, opposite the party deck, features a full-service Subway location, complete with restaurant-style seating inside an air-conditioned storefront. In addition, last year saw the addition of a Chick-fil-A stand on the main concourse of the sun deck, as well as another Subway stand. Atmosphere 4 This stadium is one that many college programs wish they had on their own campus – it boasts a solid seating capacity, good sightlines from various seats, a multi-level tower for suites and VIP boxes, and a great on-campus location. The games, while popular of late, aren’t always 100% full on game day, however. That doesn’t take away from the beauty of the stadium though. The Atlantic Ocean is visible from the upper levels and suite boxes on the west side of the stadium. The warm ocean breeze is also there to greet fans all game long, and swaying palm trees make for one great backdrop in the southern end zone. Neighborhood 4 Boca Raton is a beautiful part of Palm Beach County. In addition, FAU’s campus is clean, South Florida-esque in appearance, and overall visually appealing. Not far from campus is a beautiful strip mall that plays host to a PF Chang’s, J. Alexander’s, Shake Shack, Whole Foods, Barnes & Noble, and more. Equidistant to the east of campus is the Atlantic Ocean. There, you can find a beautiful beach, as well as the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, where visitors can get a look at some of coastal Florida’s natural habitats and inhabitants, thanks to boardwalks through the mangroves and natural butterfly gardens. Near the beach hotels are easy to find; the official hotel of the most recent game was the Wyndham Boca Raton, just on the other side of I-95 from Florida Atlantic University’s campus. Another close place to stay is Renaissance Boca Raton right next door. What Boca Raton lacks in nightlife more commonly found in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the area more than makes up for in relaxation. In addition, Palm Beach International Airport isn’t far from Boca Raton, with airports in Fort Lauderdale and Miami less than an hour away as well. Fans 3 The fans have begun to show up in numbers to FAU games in the last few years. Success brings attendance in South Florida, and the Owls are enjoying a run of bowl-eligible seasons with bright local talent on the field. Among the most family-friendly college fans in Florida, FAU features probably what is quietly becoming a great fan base in Florida. While some may still show up late to the game itself, the students nonetheless show up to support their Owls. Tailgating is also growing in the various parking lots around the stadium, making for a better college game day experience. Access 5 Getting to Flagler Credit Union Stadium is easy to do – unlike several sports teams and colleges where the campus stadiums are miles away from the highway exits, Flagler Credit Union Stadium is quite literally bordered by I-95 in Boca Raton. Also, just a few miles west is the Florida Turnpike. Once off the exit from I-95, the FAU campus is immediately visible. Parking is quite plentiful, and even if you get stuck in a lot or garage that is a little further from Flagler Credit Union Stadium, the walk is not very far and is through a beautiful campus. Parking on site is $20 per car. Return on Investment 4 FAU tickets aren’t generally massively expensive, ranging from $15 to $100. Food prices won’t burn your wallet into ash either. With that said, a trip to an FAU game provides a great return on investment, especially when considering you are getting to see Conference USA college football at a fraction of the price of other teams in the country. With the increased fan presence and the pre-game tailgating that has grown, you really do get the full college experience at Flagler Credit Union Stadium when you purchase a ticket for the Owls. Extras 5 FAU football features plenty of in-game entertainment such as t-shirt tosses and game hosts playing trivia with fans. Another neat aspect is the fan experience outside – multiple booths are set up on the outside concourse, as well as the concert stage that gets set up on the field between the stadium and the parking garage, making for a wonderful family-oriented fan experience before the game. The fan zones outside are chock-full of freebies. From giveaways to concerts, fans can get tons of swag from the various booths outside Flagler Credit Union Stadium. Another bonus is the addition of charging stations – Flagler Credit Union Stadium recently added mobile charging stations to recharge your phone or tablet at the game, making it very convenient to get a power boost for your device. Fans can also relax under the shade of the palm trees on beach lounge chairs before, during, or after the games. Finally, the fans can get a chance to meet one of the most distinct mascots in college football, Owlsley the Owl. A giant owl that roams the sidelines, fans always look to get a photo with FAU’s signature mascot. Final Thoughts FAU football delivers a quality stadium experience for FBS college football at an affordable price in one of the nicest neighborhoods South Florida has to offer. The view is second to none, the fans are kind, and the pre-game atmosphere is surprisingly pleasant. For sure, FAU is as good of an experience as its bigger neighbors to the south, and it can only continue to go up from here.

It's time for our annual Year in Review episode! The crew looks back at our favorite games, stadiums, cities and surprises for 2024. We even get some input from you, our loyal listeners! Also, will this be our last show? We wrap up seven years of memories. Audio versions of the Stadium Journey podcast can be found by searching HIAC Talk Radio   wherever you look for your favorite podcasts. Video simulcasts of all the Stadium Journey podcasts can be found on Stadium Journey's YouTube page . Join us live as we record every other Monday on our social media streaming channels.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Northwest Stadium 1600 Ring Road Landover, MD 20785 Army Navy Game website Northwest Stadium website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 85,000 America's Game The Army-Navy Game is one of the most iconic sporting events in the United States. The rivalry football game between the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy has been going on since 1890, although has only been played annually since 1899. The game was not held in 1917 or 1918, due to World War I, and in 1929, when the two academies disagreed over player eligibility rules. Navy leads the series, which has had seven ties. The 2022 game was the first overtime game of the long series. Philadelphia is usually considered the main home to the game, although starting in 2008 a bidding process has now made the game likely to rotate to various venues. Philadelphia still holds the record for most games hosted, followed by New York City and Baltimore. The game has been held as far west as Chicago (1926) and at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA (1983). Northwest Stadium (formerly FedExField) is located in suburban Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. It replaced the Washington NFL team’s longtime home RFK Stadium in 1997. The late Jack Kent Cooke, former owner of the Washington Redskins, spent the early 1990s looking for a new stadium. Finally, a location was found in the town of Landover. The former owner died before truly enjoying his team playing at their new home. The team's location was also even known by the United States Postal Service as Raljon, Maryland to honor Cooke’s sons, Ralph and Jon, although it was always technically in the Landover area. Northwest Stadium has seen an amazing number of expansions and reductions in seating capacity in its short lifespan. Entire seating sections have been physically removed from the stadium to reduce capacity. Some seats have been removed to make standing-room-only “party” sections, while other seats have been covered by advertisements and tarps. There is talk every year about the Washington Commanders moving either back to the District of Columbia or to the Commonwealth of Virginia. At this point, there is no specific plan in place or motion. Food & Beverage 5 There are many decent concession stands around the stadium offering the usual stadium options. The prices are not cheap, but they are pretty much in line with most NFL venues. If you worry about high food costs, your best bet is to eat before game time. There have been changes to some options to make them cheaper. There is an increasing number of self-checkout, and grab-and-go food stations added around the concourse. The team has been adding many interesting food options and keeping choices fresh and interesting. Chicken Guy, a Guy Fieri chicken finger stand is very tasty. The team has done a good job of enhancing the food offerings at both the Club Level and the main concourse. The upper concourse options seem a bit sparer, although that is common with large stadiums. Atmosphere 5 The game atmosphere is amazing. There are activities both before and during the game to keep all of the fans engaged. There will be many options for Army-Navy game merchandise, but the usual Commanders' merchandise will be unavailable. The atmosphere is top-notch even with the limitations of this facility. Once inside the stadium, you may be less impressed with some aspects of the physical structure. Some areas are just poorly designed. The stadium is not aging well. The addition of a fan zone on the main concourse, which includes areas where the fans can gather and still be in sight of the on-field action, is a welcome addition to the stadium. The Commanders have brightened up much of the stadium and kept it consistent in theme. This is an improvement over our past visits to this stadium. The upper deck seems incredibly too high to enjoy the game. Some seating sections in the upper deck require your having to go both up AND down a set of stairs to find your seat. A former walkway has been filled in with three rows of seating. Doing so has created some navigational issues, in that fans may need to go up and then back down a small set of stairs just to move from one area to another. It is weird to see entire seating areas in the Club Level that are blocked off and covered up. The upper deck also still has some audio issues. There are areas there where the sound is nearly inaudible. In addition, the lower deck still has some obstructed view seats. They do often go for quite low of a price but it is still incredible that a stadium built just one year before Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium has the severe design flaws that it does. Many other parts of the seating bowl are just a bit weird here at Northwest Stadium. It opened with 80,000 seats. A few years later, the Redskins added many temporary and permanent seating areas to bring the total seating to over 91,000. Now the stadium is getting smaller, with many seats changed over to those standing-room-only areas and/or tarp-covered areas to bring the official capacity down. Cadets in Formation - Army/Navy Game Neighborhood 2 Suburban Landover is not the most exciting neighborhood. Northwest Stadium sits in an area surrounded by parking lots. That kind of setting can be good for tailgating but often means the area is lacking a bit. It would be nice if there could be food, drink, and entertainment options located in the area, such as at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Live complex. I would love to see something similar, even if they are temporary, game-only, locations. Currently, fans who are not tailgate types have very few pregame options. The closest thing really to the stadium is some newer housing developments. Luckily Washington D.C. is close by. If you are arriving by Metro, pregame activities are best spent there. The Foggy Bottom neighborhood is a good option in D.C. as there are still plenty of restaurants to choose from. Georgetown is another great option The choices there will astound you, but Martin’s Tavern will always be a good choice. Did I mention you are right near Washington, D.C.? The number of other attractions, museums, restaurants, and other sights is astounding. Spend some time pre or post-game seeing the many things around this great city. Fans 5 This game means the world to the teams and fans in attendance. Everyone has a side. “Go Army! Beat Navy!” and “Go Navy! Beat Army!” are chanted and shouted almost non-stop before and during the game. Even with the emotions of the game, there is a respectful tone. This is not a crowd that will fight over their emotions. These are respectful fans who take pride in their teams, as well as their nation. Access 3 Northwest Stadium’s location close to the Washington Beltway is not usually seen as a positive. This suburban location compounds the traffic nightmares in the area. The stadium is located far from public transportation and with limited parking alternatives, the stadium can be hard to get to. The opening of the Washington Metro’s Morgan Boulevard Station in 2004 gave attendees at least one public transportation option. It is slightly less than one mile away, and there are decent walkways between the station and the stadium. Sure, it could be closer, but at least it is an option. The Largo Town Center Station, also on the same Blue line as the Morgan Boulevard Station, is another walkable option but is far less convenient. There is plenty of parking available around the stadium. The problem has been that it is pricey. There are a few non-approved lots to the north of the stadium around Brightseat Road, but that is an exception. In the last few years, the stadium staff made major strides in improving the operations of their lots. Fans are required to enter their designated lots from specific access roads. The idea was to allow for a more efficient entry and exit from the stadium. It seems to have worked. Return on Investment 5 The Army-Navy game may not be the cheapest around. It is a much-desired ticket for many fans, so expect to pay a decent amount of money. That, coupled with pretty expensive parking, means the game will not be cheap. But for the experience you will get, the price seems fair and reasonable. Extras 5 It is the Army-Navy game, so that is probably extra-enough as it is. But there are other reasons to attend. Stay outside the stadium to witness the walk of the Cadets and Midshipmen into the stadium. Then get inside to watch the formations on the field. It is well worth attending just for this. The game will always have a good flyover pregame, whether it is Army helicopters or Navy jets that you prefer. The Navy and Army will also always have skydivers jumping into the opening ceremony. Both the Navy and Army have ships and other large equipment around town displaying their awesome firepower. Final Thoughts The Army-Navy game is one of the most special events a sports fan can ever attend. The overall pageantry of the event and the pure sports aspect of the contest make it a must-see for any real sports fan. We have often been critical of Northwest Stadium, and rightfully so, but the team has made the stadium as nice as they really can.

It's indisputable. Slap Shot , the hilarious '70s flick about minor league hockey, is one of the best sports movies ever. Author Jonathon Jackson loved the movie and spent years getting the skinny on it and how it all came together. Eventually, he published a comprehensive book, The Making of Slap Shot: Behind the Scenes of the Greatest Hockey Movie Ever Made , which was recently revised and updated. Watch the movie and then read the book, which you can buy here . Jackson took some time to answer a few questions. STADIUM JOURNEY: When and where did you first watch Slap Shot? Was it in a theater? VHS? DVD? Cable? Did you view it alone?  JONATHON JACKSON: I was 12 years old the first time I saw it, and it was an edited-for-television version. This was disappointing, because I had already read the very profane novelization. I don't remember if I saw it with anyone or not. I think my parents were there too, but I can't be certain. I was probably 13 or 14 the first time I saw the unedited version on VHS, but I don't remember those circumstances either. I've lost track of how many times I've seen it since, but it's easily in the hundreds. STADIUM JOURNEY: What about the film resonated so much with you? Was there a specific character? Did you have a favorite character? JONATHON JACKSON: I just loved hockey as a kid, so just the fact that there was a hockey movie was special. I didn't have any real awareness of who exactly Paul Newman was at the time, but as Reggie Dunlop was the main character, I was drawn to him more than anyone else. Maybe it was Newman's star quality! As I've gotten older, I can appreciate even more the sense of desperation in that character, underneath the humour. STADIUM JOURNEY: What's your favorite quote from the movie? JONATHON JACKSON: I think my favourite quote is from Dickie Dunn, the sportswriter: "I was trying to capture the spirit of the thing." As a former sports writer myself, I can certainly relate to it because it's something I've always tried to do, whether consciously or otherwise. You always want to try to paint an accurate picture of whatever it is you're writing about. STADIUM JOURNEY: What prompted you to write the book? What made you finally take the plunge? JONATHON JACKSON: I was frustrated in my job as a sportswriter - the perils of being the  number two guy in a two-man department with no hope of moving up to number one - and I longed to do something that was more important and meaningful than I was doing. I had tried to write a book previously, because I always liked working on longform pieces, but it didn't work out. The Making of Slap Shot actually started out as an idea for a magazine article I thought I could pitch; it just snowballed from there. STADIUM JOURNEY: How long was the entire process? What's the first step that you take of this herculean endeavor? How do you begin? Who do you call? JONATHON JACKSON: It took four years, from start to finish. I didn't work on it consistently through that period as I was a single dad simply trying to raise my three sons and keep us all alive, so the book came together in spurts. It started with a charity golf tournament/cast reunion near Toronto in the summer of 2006. I just showed up, unannounced, and started talking to people with my tape recorder that I used every day on the job. After that, it meant a lot of time on the internet and especially on the phone. STADIUM JOURNEY: Who were the first subjects to step up and say 'I'll participate' and perhaps give you some momentum? JONATHON JACKSON: The first people who stepped up were the cast members I met at the golf tournament. I spoke with Yvon Barrette (Denis Lemieux), Paul D'Amato (Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken), Chris Murney (Tommy Hanrahan), Ross Smith (Barclay Donaldson), and a couple of other people, including Ken Blake, who did the early work to track people down and organize the first few events, and who became a good friend. It was Paul D'Amato who actually encouraged me to consider taking the article I had in mind and expanding it into a book. After that weekend, though, I don't really remember how or where I started trying to track down other people. I think Ken may have put me in touch with Jerry Houser (Dave "Killer" Carlson) in California. I do remember that when I would reach someone on the phone, they would ask me who I had already talked to, and then usually they would suggest others that I should reach out to. It was very organic in that way, and I really appreciated it because it told me that if these people were interested enough to help me, others might be interested in it too - like people who could help me get the book published! But I really had no idea what I was doing; I had a publisher before I had an agent, which I found out later is the opposite of how it was supposed to work. STADIUM JOURNEY: How difficult was it to get Paul Newman to participate? How many hoops did you have to jump through? JONATHON JACKSON: That was a fun endeavour. I first tried his publicist, who was notorious for not letting people get to Newman, and he shot me down. Somehow, I got the idea to write a letter to Newman's Own, his food company. One morning I was woken up by a woman in his office who said Newman would agree to answer some questions if I typed them out and faxed them to his office. I did that, and his answers came to me by email a short time later. I felt pretty smug about having pulled a successful end-around on the publicist. I didn't get to talk with Newman on the phone, but I did interview his brother that way, and they sounded very much alike. So it felt sort of similar. STADIUM JOURNEY: Actor Michael Ontkean contributed the book's forward. Did he ever explain how got his long underwear over his skates in that unforgettable, final scene? JONATHON JACKSON: Ha! No, he did not reveal that secret to me. He's such an interesting, complex guy. I was familiar with Michael as an actor, but when I started this process, I had no idea that he had some serious hockey credentials and could easily have played professionally if he had stuck it out a few more years until the WHA and NHL expansion really took off starting in 1972. By then, though, he'd established himself on television. I've never gotten the sense that he regretted his decision to try his luck in Hollywood. STADIUM JOURNEY: Slap Shot , of course, is very male, but it's also very female with a lot of strong, wonderful female characters. It was written by a woman, Nancy Dowd. How did she feel about the book? Her brother, Ned, who worked on the film talked to you, but she didn't. What's Nancy's relationship with the movie?  JONATHON JACKSON: You are correct - Nancy would not talk to me. I don't know what she thought or thinks about the book, or if she thinks about it at all. At the time I talked with Ned, I thought perhaps he might be able to help me get to her, but he was very candid in saying they did not have a relationship. They may have since reconciled, but I have no way of knowing. I sense, and not just from my own experience but also from speaking with others, that she can be a difficult person to get along with. To be fair, I have friends who have met her, and they think she's great. About 15 years ago she was threatening to sue the Hanson Brothers for doing their schtick, claiming that she invented the characters and consequently they had no right to be doing what they were doing. They blew her off, and the threat went nowhere. It seems that Nancy was not treated very kindly by the film industry during the 1970s and 1980s, and I can't help but think that that has played a role in the way she has interacted with others. All I really know for sure is that she had no interest in meeting or talking with me. I'm thankful that I had access to archives that still allowed me to include her voice in the story, because of course the story wouldn't have been complete without her.  STADIUM JOURNEY: So let's say someone wants to go on a Slap Shot  arena tour. Which arenas would we have to go? Are they all still around? JONATHON JACKSON: Every arena shown in Slap Shot is still in existence and in most cases are still hosting high-level hockey. The main one, of course, is the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, PA. It has been remodelled a few times over the years, but it's the same building. Johnstown's primary hockey team is the Tomahawks, who play in the North American Hockey League, a Tier II junior league. Scenes were also filmed at the arenas in Syracuse, the game against Hyannisport where the Chiefs invaded the stands, and Utica, the site of the pregame brawl against Peterborough, and at the Starr Rink on the campus of Colgate University, the Chiefs' first road game against Lancaster, where they find out the team is going to fold. Utica and Syracuse both have AHL teams at their arenas, and I believe the Starr Rink is now a practice site for Colgate's basketball teams. These three buildings are all fairly close together in upstate New York; it's about 30 miles from Utica to Colgate, and then another 40 miles from Colgate to Syracuse, so you could easily see all three in the same day. Johnstown is probably about 400 miles SW of Syracuse. STADIUM JOURNEY: Does the Slap Shot universe still exist? JONATHON JACKSON: Yes, it absolutely does. Any time cast members get together for an event, it's always well-attended by the public. Three and four generations of fans have grown up with this movie and its characters, and it's still relevant even though it's a total period piece. Hockey players and arenas no longer look like they did in 1976-77, and bench-clearing brawls are things of the past, but the dearth of good hockey movies means it continues to resonate. Thankfully, the people who made the movie and are still with us recognize this, and they are happy and willing to celebrate its legacy and their roles in it. You can purchase Jonathon Jackson's great book here . Jon Hart is  @manversusball All Photos from Paul Baker's personal collection

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Thomas M. Ryan Center 1 Lincoln Almond Plaza Kingston, RI 02881 Rhode Island Rams website Thomas M. Ryan Center website Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 8,000 Raising a Ruckus The Thomas M. Ryan Center, named for the University of Rhode Island class of 1975 alumnus and primary benefactor of the arena, was built in 2002 to replace the aging and undersized Keaney Gymnasium. The building is located adjacent to Meade Stadium on the western edge of campus, with the football stadium’s visiting side bleachers built directly into the side of the basketball arena. The Rams have made the NCAA tournament ten times in their history, advancing as far as the Elite Eight in 1998. In addition, URI has played in the National Invitational Tournament 15 times, making the semi-finals on three occasions. 17 URI alumni have gone on to play in the NBA. Food & Beverage 3 There are a total of five concession stands that line the concourse of the Ryan Center. The menu doesn’t stray very far from arena basics, but visiting fans should be able to find something to ease any hunger pangs that arise during the game. But beware, some of the more unique items that used to highlight the menus are no longer offered. Each stand offers a slightly different menu, so you may have to do some searching to find your desired items. Hot dogs, burgers, chicken tenders, grilled chicken sandwiches and personal pizzas anchor the menus. Of course, fans will find sides including nachos, fries, pretzels and popcorn at all the stands. Coca-Cola products are featured at the Ryan Center. Among the adult beverages sold here are brews from local favorites Narragansett and Shaidzon Beer as well as versions of the popular Chair 2 Light Beers. Woodbridge Wine is also available at all stands. For a little more local flavor, seek out the Del’s Lemonade cart. Nothing screams “Rhode Island” like a cup of Del’s. Atmosphere 4 Stadium Journey’s most recent visit to Kingston happened during Thanksgiving break, but the absence of the student body did little to dampen the mood on this day. The cheerleading squad, dance team and mascot, Ruckus the Ram, were all out in full force to help create noise during play stoppages, and the dedicated Rams fans took it from there. Play stoppages are filled with contests, giveaways and more to keep the energy level up and the fans engaged. If you’re a fan of t-shirt tosses, dance cams and the like, you’re sure to have a good time at the Ryan Center. A large video board in one corner of the arena shows game stats, replays and other information. There’s an emcee who pops up from time to time to pump up the crowd with chants of “Rhody, Rhody, Rhody.” The student body generally shows up in strong numbers, as this is one of the rare schools in New England where basketball is top dog. Despite being overshadowed by Providence College in the local sports scene, the Rams have plenty of their own dedicated fans. Neighborhood 2 One area where the Ryan Center may come up short when compared to peer facilities is its location. Even though URI boasts an enrollment of over 18,000 students, there’s just not much to do in the area around campus. Providence is about 30 miles to the north. During the summer the nearby coastal towns of Narragansett and Newport are popular destinations, but not so much during basketball season. Visiting fans looking for somewhere to eat or stay during their visit to Kingston will have a bit of driving to do before finding something. Mews Tavern, featuring 69 beers on tap and an excellent pub menu, is a favorite of locals. Tavern on Main, also located in Wakefield, is another popular spot. Aside from a Holiday Inn on Route One, there’s not many lodging options near campus. History buffs may want to check out the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum located in Saunderstown. Otherwise, head to Providence or to the coast to find more options. Fans 4 Attendance at the Ryan Center has dipped over the past couple of seasons as the team has struggled, topping out at just over 5,000 fans per game. While a decrease, this still puts the Rams over the Atlantic-10 average. A typical URI crowd is made up of locals, alumni and families enjoying a night of entertainment in southern Rhode Island. While the lions’ share of the local media attention in the area goes to Providence College, the University of Rhode Island has their share of ardent supporters. Parents can feel comfortable bringing their children to a Rams game. The student section turns out in good numbers armed with props and chants designed to distract and annoy the opponent. Along with a solid pep band, cheer and dance squads, they help to create a festive atmosphere at the Ryan Center. Access 4 The Ryan Center is located on the western edge of the URI campus in rural Kinston, Rhode Island, adjacent to Meade Stadium and Bill Beck Field . Driving here from Providence will take about 40 minutes on a typical day. Getting to the T.F. Green Airport is a 20-minute drive, and the Kingston Amtrak station is just a mile and a half away. Complete directions to the Ryan Center can be found here . Parking lots are located on the north and south sides of the Ryan Center. Parking is free in these lots, but it can be a long walk to your car on a frigid Rhode Island night. Fans requiring handicapped parking or VIP treatment can inquire about parking in the Rhody Lot directly in front of the arena. There is a charge for this VIP parking. The Ryan Center practices a clear bag policy, with no other bags except for small clutches permitted, so make sure you leave anything else in your car. It might be a long walk back. There are entrances on either end of the arena. Fans will enter at ground level, with stairs leading up to the main concourse. The concourse, which is carpeted, encircles the entire arena and is open on one corner, where the video board is located. The concourse overlooks Meade Stadium on one side, and the Ryan Center is open during football games. Concession stands and rest rooms are plentiful enough for a typical Rams crowd, and lines are not an issue here. All seats are individual Rhody blue folding stadium seats. The upper level features a very steep pitch, which ensures excellent views of the action on the court from all points inside the Ryan Center. The furthest seat is only 74 feet from the basketball court. The intimate design of the Ryan Center means that the building can get very loud when the Rams are on a roll. Return on Investment 5 Rhode Island utilizes variable pricing for Rams games, with tickets to marquee games ranging in price from $20-$35, featured games ranging from $15-$30 and tickets to most other games priced from $12-$22. Even Club seats can be affordable. Purchasing tickets on game day will add $3-$5 to the price. Complete pricing information can be found here . Parking is free in the lots adjacent to the Ryan Center. Concession prices, while not inexpensive, are in line with other venues in the area. Extras 4 The University’s Athletic Hall of Fame is located in the Ryan Center. Plaques honoring the enshrined line the walls throughout the facility. Banners honoring URI championship and tournament teams hang from the rafters of the Ryan Center along with five honored numbers from distinguished alumni. Check out the trophy case displaying the Rams’ collection of hardware won over their history. It may seem like a meager haul for a team that’s as storied as the Rams, but it’s a nice display. Another extra point is awarded for the design of the Ryan Center, which is meant to evoke visions of nearby beaches. The stair towers are designed to resemble lighthouses, and the carpets on the concourse contain wave patterns on them, as well as shades of blue and tan found on the beach. It is a very pleasing venue to the eye. Final Thoughts The Ryan Center is an excellent venue that suffers in comparison to its peers primarily due to its location. Place this outstanding arena in a major city, and the rave reviews would roll in. Nevertheless, it is a great place to catch a basketball game, combining intimacy and convenience. It’s a worthy Stadium Journey for any hoops junkie visiting New England. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Cullen Field House 400 East Ave. Warwick, RI 02886 CC of Rhode Island Knights men's basketball website Vincent A. Cullen Field House website Year Opened: 1979 Capacity: 3,000 Knight Time in Rhode Island   The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) is the only community college in the state of Rhode Island and the largest community college in New England. Founded in 1964 as Rhode Island Junior College, it moved out of its original home in Providence when land was donated to the school by the Knight Estate in the neighboring city of Warwick in 1972. Today the school’s 16,000 students study at six campuses throughout the state working towards five different Associate Degrees.   The school sponsors teams in three men’s sports and four women’s sports. The teams are called the Knights in honor of the Knight Estate. The basketball program has been a leader among local community college teams since the 60s. Today CCRI competes in NJCAA Division III along with several other schools throughout New England. Over their history, the men's teams have won 19 Regional Championships and appeared in 12 National Tournaments, reaching the championship game in 1991 and 2012. The women's teams have won 13 Regional Championships and appeared in 10 National Tournaments.   CCRI’s basketball teams play in the Vincent A. Cullen Field House, named for the school’s longtime professor, Director of Athletics and men’s basketball coach. During his tenure, Cullen compiled a record of 711-258. His teams qualified for the NJCAA tournament 13 times.    Food & Beverage 0   There are no concessions to be found at Cullen Field House. Not even a vending machine in sight. Fans are able to bring in their own refreshments to enjoy during the game.   Atmosphere 2   The game day presentation is pretty much what you would expect it to be at this level of basketball. There’s not a lot of extra bells and whistles to be found at CCRI, but the staff do a good job putting on a representative show. Much of the noise in the gym comes from the bleachers, where friends and family of the players (from both teams) are into the game and cheer on their favorite players enthusiastically.   There is no cheerleading squad or pep band like you would see at most bigger schools, but that doesn’t mean Cullen Field House is quiet during a game. Music plays over a good sound system, and the PA announcer adds a bit of excitement to the proceedings while keeping the fans informed. Amusingly, the PA system uses different speakers than the music, so the noise comes from a different end of the gym depending on what sounds are playing. It’s not quite as trippy as listening to Pink Floyd with headphones on, but it was amusing, nonetheless. Brand new scoreboards were installed for the 2024-25 season and hang on both ends of the court. They display basic game information. Additional upgrades to the facility made in 2024 include new wall pads and plans for a new weight room.   Neighborhood 4   The area around CCRI is a busy commercial district, featuring two shopping malls and Warwick’s main business drag, Route 2. There are no shortage of dining and lodging options just a short drive from campus. Just be aware that this is not really a walkable neighborhood. Traffic is heavy and a car is needed to best move about the area.   Virtually every national chain restaurant you can think of can be found in the area. Fans looking for a bit of regional flavor close to CCRI will need to venture further out into Warwick to try Iron Works or the Tree House Tavern, as well as local chains Chelo’s and Iggy’s, famous for their clam cakes and chowder. Of course, Providence is known as one of the top mid-sized cities in the nation for culinary options, and it is located just a 15-minute drive from CCRI.   Visiting fans looking to stay near campus will find a Crowne Plaza hotel right up the street from CCRI, and with T.F. Green Rhode Island Airport located just four miles from the school, you'll find plenty of lodging options in the area.   The city of Warwick boasts a couple of nice state parks, Goddard and Rocky Point, the latter located on the site of the old amusement park. With Providence located just 15 minutes away, and the seaside towns of Newport and Narragansett located about a half hour’s drive away, CCRI is centrally located for anyone looking to explore the best of Rhode Island.   Fans 2   A CCRI crowd is definitely what we at Stadium Journey call a “friends and family” type of crowd. Colleges at this level generally don’t release attendance figures, but the crowd during Stadium Journey’s visit on a Saturday afternoon during semester break numbered about 100 people. Weekday games generally draw larger crowds, as students will head over to the Field House after classes end.    Everyone in the stands has a personal connection with the players on the court and are not shy about letting everyone know about who their favorite player is. It’s a very tight-knit crowd here at the Cullen Field House, as everyone seemed to know everyone else in the stands. Since the Knights’ schedule consists of other area community colleges, you’ll be sure to find a good representation of visiting fans in the stands as well.   Access 4   The Knight campus of the Community College of Rhode Island is located in Warwick, the third largest city in the state. Warwick boasts a population of about 83,000 residents and is located 12 miles south of Providence. CCRI is very easy to get to, as it is located right off Interstate 95 via exit 28. Fans using public transportation will be pleased to know that RIPTA’s  13, 23 and 29 busses all serve the CCRI campus.   CCRI’s Knight campus consists of one hulking building, designed by the architecture firm of Perkins and Will in 1972 to house all the school’s academic, social and recreational facilities in a single building. The enormous structure varies in height from four to six stories. This building is a fine example of the brutalist architecture in vogue at the time (see also the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth ). This style of architecture has lost its appeal over time, and CCRI was named the eighth ugliest campus in the United States by the lifestyle website Complex in 2019.   A very large parking lot is located adjacent to CCRI’s main building. Given the school’s status as a commuter school, this is both expected and necessary. It’s another example of how the school was designed for function, not style. Spots in this lot are a bit of a walk from the Cullen Field House.   The Cullen Field House is located behind the main building. It’s pretty much the only structure on campus that is not part of the main building. There are numerous parking spots near the Field House, but they are marked as reserved. This might not be an issue when coming to CCRI for a basketball game at night or on the weekend, though.   Fans will enter Cullen Field House at the top floor of the building and descend a set of stairs to the basketball court. An elevator is located here for fans who requir it. There are nice views of the court from the stairway, but fans are discouraged from standing here. All seating is located on the west side of the court and consists of wooden bleachers. Two small rest rooms serve the gym. Return on Investment 5   There is no charge to attend a Knights basketball game. Parking is free as well in the gigantic parking lot at CCRI. With no concessions at Cullen Field House, you won’t reach for your wallet at all during your visit. As a bonus, most days, the women’s and men’s team play doubleheaders, meaning you’ll get to watch two games for the price of none!   Extras 2   Banners hang all over the Cullen Field House walls honoring CCRI District and regional champions from both the men’s and women’s teams. As part of recent improvements to the gym, new banners are being made and will be hung soon.   As you enter Cullen Field House and descend the stairs to the basketball court, you’ll pass through the CCRI Athletic Hall of Fame, which contains mementos from the school’s sporting history. Notable individuals are honored here as well. Final Thoughts   Junior college basketball may be overlooked by many when considering stadium journeys, but small gyms like the Cullen Field House combine quality play, affordability and an intimate setting to provide alternatives to the expense and crowds of big-time college hoops.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Cotterell Court 201 Broad St. Hamilton, NY 13346 Colgate Raiders website Cotterell Court website Year Opened: 1959 Capacity: 1,750 Guardians of the Gate Cotterell Court is home to the Colgate University men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams. It is part of the larger Reid Athletic Center, which contains both the basketball gym and the former J. Howard Starr Rink, which housed the Raiders hockey teams until 2016. The two facilities, built as twin Quonset Huts, are joined by a common lobby. Cotterell Court was dedicated in 1966 in honor of Wesley M. Cotterell, class of 1919, who was a two-time letterman and university trustee. Colgate competes in the Patriot League alongside nine other northeastern schools with high academic standards. The Raiders have qualified for four NCAA tournaments, losing in the first round each time. Four Colgate alumni have played in the NBA, including Ernie Vandeweghe and Adonal Foyle. Food & Beverage 2 There is a small concession stand in the main lobby which serves a limited menu. Hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, popcorn, cookie dough, and assorted candy comprise the entire menu. Prices are what you would expect to see in a venue of this size, and the quality is decent enough. Coca-Cola products are featured at Cotterell Court, served in both cans and fountain versions. Alcohol is not served in this on-campus facility. Atmosphere 3 When you step into this small, cozy gym without a ton of modern amenities, you shouldn’t expect an over-the-top game day experience. What you are going to get is an old-school presentation that gets energy from the fans and the action on the court. Anything else just wouldn’t feel right here. When Cotterell Court is filled, it’s a rowdy, electric place to be. Unfortunately, since the place is generally less than half-full, there’s usually a laid-back vibe here. There’s no video board to distract, so all the focus is on the court. Colgate’s cheerleading squad performs throughout the game, throwing t-shirts into the stands after every Colgate three-pointer. The student section is located under the west basket and can get pretty rowdy when it’s filled with undergrads. For the most part, the students are scattered throughout the facility. Cotterell Court isn’t the loudest gym you’ll ever visit, and the lousy PA system doesn’t help matters. Neighborhood 3 Hamilton is a small town (well, technically a village) of only 4,000, so don’t expect a bustling downtown area, even on game night. What the area lacks in size, it more than makes up for in quaintness and small-town feel. There is a small downtown about a mile from the gym with a historic feel that’s a great place to stroll on a nice fall day. If looking for dining options, the Colgate Inn is located in a 200-year-old building and has been serving up great food for almost 90 years. You can also stay there. It is an inn, after all. Sports fans will want to visit Rusch’s Bar and Grill, where 20 beers on tap highlight a menu full of burgers, sandwiches, and pub fare. Do yourself a favor while visiting Colgate and tour the incredible campus. It’s consistently rated as one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation with a picturesque hillside location and singular architectural language. Fans 2 Colgate averages about 700 fans per game, less than half the capacity of Cotterell Court. This figure is also less than half the Patriot League average. While the fans do turn up for the big games, there’s usually plenty of room to spread out here at Colgate. The fans who visit Cotterell Court are made up of locals and alumni with a decent turnout by the student body. It is said that the majority of the faculty of Colgate University lives within ten miles of campus, and it feels that the same can be said about the crowd at a basketball game. Since the Raiders are the only game in town, the fans who show up are dedicated and knowledgeable about the team down on the court. The student section is located on the north end of the gym, where a few rows of bleachers are located right under the basket. Stadium Journey visited Colgate for the semifinals of the Patriot League tournament, so the section was packed with rowdy students. Much of the student body chose to spread out throughout the gym, creating a festive environment. The crowd is much sparser throughout the regular season. Access 4 Colgate University is located in rural Hamilton, New York, a village of just over 4,000 residents located in the Leatherstocking region of New York state. It is almost equidistant to the cities of Syracuse, Utica, and Binghamton. Hamilton is not a place you will stumble across accidentally. No highways serve the area directly, with Interstate 90 passing by about 30 minutes to the north and Interstate 88 about 40 minutes to the south. Cotterell Court is part of the Reid Athletic Center, a pair of Quonset Huts connected by a shared lobby. The Reid Center is located on the western edge of campus, adjacent to the school’s other athletic facilities, including the Class of 1965 Arena and Andy Kerr Stadium . Fans will enter the facility on the east (Broad Street) side into the main lobby. This small lobby is full of activity, with the concession stand, ticket booths, souvenir stand, and restrooms all scattered around. A giant Colgate “C” will be located directly in front of you, filled with Raider memorabilia. You will also see photos of all Colgate seniors posted around the lobby. There is plenty to see here before entering the gym, which is located to the right as you enter. Fans will enter Cotterell Court on the south side of the gym. You will enter just a few feet from the court, so you may have to dodge errant basketballs or players upon entry. Reserved seating will be located on your right and general admission on your left. All seats have excellent views of the court, if not a whole lot of legroom. Return on Investment 5 Tickets to Colgate basketball games are very affordable, with reserved seating priced at $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and children. A General Admission ticket will cost $10, with seniors and children admitted for only $5. Group pricing starts at only $4 per ticket. Parking is free in the lots adjacent to the Reid Athletic Center. With inexpensive concessions, a trip to a Colgate basketball game is a very affordable entertainment option for central New York sports fans. Extras 3 Extra points are awarded for the sense of history at Cotterell Court and the Reid Athletic Center. From the time you step foot inside the facility, you are bombarded with Colgate athletic history. You could get lost checking out all the displays in the lobby, from the giant C-shaped trophy case located front and center to the smaller cases scattered throughout the lobby. Don’t get so distracted you forget to watch the game. Inside Cotterell Court, banners hang honoring the many championship teams to call the gym home. A final extra point is awarded for the beautiful Colgate campus. Do yourself a favor and get to Hamilton early and check out the campus’ architecture in this incredible setting. Final Thoughts A visit to the village of Hamilton may feel like a trip back in time, and that’s precisely part of the appeal of a visit to central New York. Classic architecture, an old-school barn, and a laid-back gameday presentation combine to make Colgate one of those Stadium Journeys that make traveling the D-1 landscape so worthwhile. ------ Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram

For their latest 30 for 30 documentary, "The New York Sack Exchange," ESPN tackles the often contentious chemistry of the one the greatest defensive fronts in NFL history. Daniel O'Connor, who was interviewed for the doc, came up with the fun moniker. O'Connor, a retired police officer and a multi-award winning author of crime and horror fiction, took a few moments to discuss the doc, the Sack Exchange - Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam - and his experiences as a New York Jets fan. You can find his work on his Amazon page. Still Photo from ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary, "The New York Sack Exhange" STADIUM JOURNEY:  So when did ESPN interview you for the doc? How long did they speak to you for? What was the process like? DAN O'CONNOR:  They interviewed me last February at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The NFL was in town for the Super Bowl. I was actually a bit surprised that they found me and reached out. A nice surprise. They were great and I was interviewed for about an hour. I knew that my screen time would be probably less than a minute because in the grand scheme of the New York Sack Exchange, I'm a miniscule part, but I was so honored to be included. The process was basically a two camera shoot with a crew of maybe 5 people. Very professional crew. Likeable people. STADIUM JOURNEY:  Were you pleased with the finished product? Was it what you expected? DAN O'CONNOR:  Very pleased. I love how maybe the world will get to see what a phenomenon those four guys were. I've met them a few times, including in 1981, a few days before that final regular season game when they mauled Lynn Dickey and the Green Bay Packers in a game to clinch a playoff spot. My family was also invited by the team to the game - and pregame festivities - in 2003 when they honored the Sack Exchange at halftime. That was special because there is a photo of our two young daughters with the players. STADIUM JOURNEY: What was it like to follow the Jets in 1980? Fondest memories? Worst?  DAN O'CONNOR :  You know, it was never easy being a Jets fan - which has somehow continued through today, despite the roster the current team has. The first year I ever watched sports - I was 8 or 9 years old - the Jets, Mets, and Knicks all won championships. I thought that might become a semi-regular occurrence. You live and learn. 1980 was the end of a dark spell for the team. They quickly improved to playoff level. By the way, yes it's a coincidence, but the 1981 Jets were 0-3 when the New York Sack Exchange nickname was officially announced in Jets Report magazine. They went 10-2-1 the rest of the way and made the playoffs. STADIUM JOURNEY:  Describe attending a football game at Shea Stadium. Best seats?  DAN O'CONNOR:  I never had great seats at a Shea Stadium football game. Back then I was lucky to just be able to afford any tickets. But it was fun wherever I sat. The first game I attended was in 1970. The mostly Joe Namath-less Jets weren't any good, but I lucked into seeing them defeat the playoff-bound Purple People Eater Minnesota Vikings, 20-10. That was the conclusion of a 3 game winning streak during which they also upset the Fearsome Foursome LA Rams on the road. The Jets won only four games that year, but three of them were consecutive. STADIUM JOURNEY:  Compared to what they offer at Citi Field, they didn't offer much as far as concessions at Shea. How'd you feel about the cuisine and beverages at Shea? DAN O'CONNOR:  I was thrilled to get a hot dog. I do know that later on, when I became a dad, my girls would love an ice cream sundae in a plastic Mets mini-helmet. So would I. O'Connor with Fireman Ed. Photo courtesy of Dan O'Connor STADIUM JOURNEY: Where did you do your Shea pre-game and post game, if at all? DAN O'CONNOR:  For me and my friends, it was all about a pregame barbeque in the parking lot. Sometimes postgame as well. STADIUM JOURNEY: Did any of the Sack Exchangers ever personally acknowledge you for coming with the moniker? DAN O"CONNOR:  All four members of the Sack Exchange have thanked me in person for the name, and also with autograph inscriptions. It's funny. They seem to sometimes remember that I gave them that name, and yet at other times, they get fuzzy about its origin. Here is the timeline of that name: August, 1981: The Jets Report announces the "Name The Front Four" contest. September 1981: I'm announced as the winner. A week or two after that announcement, fans hold up a "NY Sack Exchange" bedsheet banner at Shea Stadium. The TV broadcast picked up on it. Shortly after that, Jets trainer Pepper Burruss begins printing out a locker room spreadsheet, making the sacks appear to be Wall Street trades. The media picks up on that and begins to attribute the nickname to Burruss. He has since said to me, and to the media, that he did not create the nickname. He merely picked up on it and created the spreadsheet. There is still confusion about all of that, despite me having physical proof of all of it. There was never any mention of the term "New York Sack Exchange" before the Jets Report September issue announcing it, and me. I'm happy that NFL Films and ESPN took the time to get it right. Several books have also reported it correctly, including " Sack Exchange: The Definitive Oral History of the 1980s New York Jets " by Greg Prato. STADIUM JOURNEY: If you were there, what do you remember about the last Jets game at Shea? DAN O'CONNOR:  Wasn't there, but it was sad nonetheless.  STADIUM JOURNEY: How'd you feel about the move to the Meadowlands? Did you follow the team there? DAN O'CONNOR:  I want the Jets in New York, but I have attended games in New Jersey. The feel of Shea Stadium was much different and better. I remember reading that it had become a dump, but I didn't know any better and I loved it. STADIUM JOURNEY: There are rumours that Jets are returning to Queens. Is there any truth to this?  DAN O'CONNOR:  There have been rumors for so long. I'll believe it when I see it. Jon Hart is  @Manversusball

Photo courtesy of the City of San Antonio The year 2024 will go down as a monumental one in San Antonio and South Texas, especially in terms of the state of its sports venues. A once-in-a-lifetime confluence of circumstances – both planned and unforeseen – have created a moment in time that is going to impact four (and potentially five) of the city’s venues and three of its major sports teams: the San Antonio Spurs , San Antonio Missions , and UTSA Roadrunners . These factors include a looming deadline from Major League Baseball, the relocation of a university institution, and the accrual of public land all happening at the same time. Officials with the City of San Antonio unveiled a long-rumored master plan in November dubbed “ Project Marvel .” Should it come to fruition, it would create a new entertainment district that would reshape the city’s downtown area. The ultimate goal would be the construction of a new arena for the Spurs on a site currently occupied by UTSA’s Institute of Texan Cultures at HemisFair Park, a massively renovated Alamodome for the Roadrunners, and the two sites connected by a land bridge rising over the highway that currently divides them, allowing pedestrians access to both venues. The owners of the Missions have their own visions of a downtown stadium as well, and are currently in the middle of negotiations to acquire land parcels needed for the site. The new ballpark would meet MLB’s standards and allow the team to move away from Nelson Wolff Municipal Stadium , and more importantly keep the club in the Alamo City. These are unprecedented times in the city, and it has taken a herculean effort to keep track of all of the moving pieces to these massive projects. Madison Iszler  is a business and real estate reporter for the San Antonio Express-News . She’s done a fantastic job covering these stories and I asked for her help to make sense of all the moving parts in these stories, as well as to share her insight on the forces behind them. I would recommend following her online on X here  for all the latest updates. Photo courtesy of Madison Iszler   EM:  We’ll just jump right in and do a broad overview to start with. What is ‘Project Marvel’ and what can you share about how it affects the sports teams in San Antonio? MI: Project Marvel , I think, should be transformational for all of downtown should all the pieces of it pan out. There are a couple of big facilities involved. There’s the Alamodome . We don’t know a lot about that yet, as far as what it entails and what other events the city would try to attract with that. Also, expansion of the [Henry B. González] Convention Center , which has been expanded before, and then the Spurs [arena] , which I think most folks are most excited about. There are some other minor projects like apartments, restaurants, parking, and the land bridge, which could potentially connect the Alamodome with the rest of downtown. So, there are a bunch of different things with a bunch of different timelines and probably costing a lot of money.   EM: Hypothetically, if there were no obstacles at all in the way, when would some of these plans ideally get started? MI:  The City Manager, Erik Walsh, has said they’re furthest along with the Convention Center piece. They laid out kind of a rough timeframe for everything when this was first unveiled to the City Council. It’ll take a while, but they are being aggressive with certain pieces. So, the Spurs arena , for example, said that construction could start in 2028, which is fairly soon. The Alamodome  would be the last piece of the puzzle, because they said they couldn’t start on [renovations] until the Final Four [which is scheduled to be held at the Alamodome in 2025].   EM:  Obviously, money and how things will be paid for is going to be a pretty major hurdle to overcome for this project. What are some other things that might be in the way that could disrupt Project Marvel? MI:  Yeah, the money is a big one. Where does it come from? What types of mechanisms will be used? Will voters be asked to pay for anything? That’s a big piece. There is also a lot of construction going on downtown right now. The Alamo Visitors Center and Museum , what’s going on at HemisFair . The Final Four is going to be a big deal downtown. There’s a bunch of stuff being built right now. So, I think just in terms of logistics, figuring out how that’s going to work. I was just working this week on a story on parking  and how the infrastructure aspect of Project Marvel will work. I think that’s another roadblock. City officials have said that’s part of all of this. They’re going to look at how they’re going to get people in and out of the area more easily and how much more parking they’re going to need. That is definitely a question I’ve been getting from our readers – “Where the heck am I going to park?”   EM:  One of the unique aspects of this, that I’m not sure many other big cities have to factor in with their major pro sports franchises, is how Bexar County – which San Antonio resides in – will have a say in the new Spurs arena. The Frost Bank Center site, rather infamously some might say, was built using County-owned land. So, the Spurs moving impacts the County greatly. Where are things currently with the County and their involvement in the project? MI:  [Bexar County Judge] Peter Sakai has said that he wants to see a plan for redeveloping the Frost Bank Center before he commits to anything, as far as funding. One of the potential financing sources city officials had raised [when presenting Project Marvel] to the council was maybe a county venue tax. Obviously, they would need the county on board for that. The Spurs lease [at the Frost Bank Center ] runs through 2032, so they could leave earlier than that. If the city is going to start construction in 2028, it’s not going to take that long to build, so the Spurs could definitely leave before 2032. It’s not clear right now if the county is going to be on board and it’s not clear what the plan around the Frost Bank Center would look like.   EM:  Shifting gears, I know there is a lot more that will need to happen before we see developments from Project Marvel, but let’s talk about the Missions . This seems to be a lot closer to getting moving than the other downtown venues. What can you tell me about where things are now? MI:  At this point, it seems that the holdup is a parking lot that [the San Antonio Independent School District] owns. It’s part of the footprint of where the ballpark would go. The owners of the Missions  have indicated that they need that as part of their plans. [The school district] hasn’t decided if they’re going to sell it. There’s been a lot of back and forth over the past couple weeks. The City and the County have signed off on financing for the ballpark. Weston Urban [owners of the Missions ] own the land around the area, but there’s this little, tiny hole that still needs to be filled. The school district came out with a list of demands that are conditions for them to sell. I don’t know what the city and the county and Weston Urban have been willing to budge on or not. It was quite a lengthy list of demands. [EDITOR’S NOTE: On Monday, December 16, all of the parties came together and agreed on a cost for the land in question .]   EM:  The Missions  are really motivated right now by what is essentially a ticking clock  from Major League Baseball. They have an urgency to get things done. What about everyone else involved in this process? MI:  That’s a good question and one that I’d like to get answered myself. Right now, the Missions  aren’t talking. They kept saying, as you referenced, that they’re under a deadline and they wanted to get a deal done so that they could communicate that to MLB. It’s unclear to me if that meant them just sending the most basic of documents and saying here is where we want to put it and the city and the county are okay with it and then MLB saying you’re good to go. Or does MLB want more details, like how are you going to pay for it? Do you have all the parcels of land you’ll need? I just don’t know, and the Missions  have not said. My impression at this point, given that the Missions  haven’t been yanked yet is that they’re fine. They got the city and the county to sign off, but I’m sure if the school district doesn’t sign off, then that’s another story. I don’t know what happens if they don’t approve.   EM:  I could go on and on with you about this for forever, but I’ll wrap up with the big question. I’ve heard some of these ideas and plans for more than a decade. Why now is all of this looking like it has momentum to happen? MI:  The City Manager has said that it’s kind of a mix of factors. He and other tourism folks have said that the city is losing out in terms of conventions. So, that part of Project Marvel is factored into that. UTSA also approached the city about what to do with the Institute of Texan Cultures site, so that’s part of it. Also, the Spurs lease runs out at the Frost Bank Center in 2032. That’s fairly soon. Also, downtown has been in a weird place since the pandemic. It’s been hotel and tourism dominated for a while. People that live in San Antonio don’t really go downtown, and it’s been quite clear for some time that companies don’t want to go there [for office space]. In cities like Dallas and Houston, they have a bunch of corporations in their downtowns, while we don’t have that. Also, the city has a ton of land in their control. It’s a huge footprint to work with. I’m definitely excited to keep writing about this and to see what happens with some of the pieces. ---------- Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Snow Globe Stadium 1225 Holiday Lane North Pole, Top of the World www.hohoho.edu Year Opened: 2023 Capacity: 150,000 (elves) The Stadium Claus(e) In a town known for making wishes come true, this is one that is too big for even Santa’s bag to hold. First, Snow Globe Stadium signed its first naming rights deal with Santa’s, Inc., a privately held company that has its home base at the North Pole. The signing was a key move, as it allowed for the construction of a new home stadium for the Saint Nick State University (SNSU) Saints. The stadium was ready in time for the 2023 football season. The new stadium’s construction cost was also funded by a huge new broadcasting deal with ESPN (Elves Sports Programming Network). The Saint's old stadium had been around “forever”, and was showing its age, as it lacked the amenities frozen fans have come to expect. In connection with the new stadium’s opening, The Saints moved up a wrung in the NCAA’s level of competition. They formerly played at the FCS (Father Christmas Status) level of play, and now will compete in the newly formed SAC (Santa Athletic Conference), which is legendary for its defensive style of play, as well as for delivering gifts under the tree. The new conference is a result of the recent fallout involving all the major football conferences. Teams in the new conference include LSU (Leave the Stockings Up), Sleigh State University, Austin Pay by Layaway, and Slippery Rock (because it’s icy, stupid!). The new Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium will offer many new features both on and off the field designed to maintain the Saint's 100% winning percentage in home games. First, new chillers have been installed to make it comfortable for the fans and hazardous for the visiting teams. In the past, the 100,000 elf boosters, students, and parents had complained about the former stadium’s gameday temps of 72 degrees. (have you ever smelled 100,000 sweaty elves?). A new frozen tundra turf has also been installed. It can be moved mid-game to wherever the visiting team is on offense… giving the Saints defense a big edge. We will discuss other new amenities in other sections of this review. The Saints will be bringing back most of their starting lineup, as they do every year (where else are you going to go when you live at the North Pole?) The Saint's offense has been upgraded by the arrival of stud running back Rudolf Reindeer through the transfer portal. Rudolph figures to “light up” the new videoboard/scoreboard frequently each season. Rudolph was attracted to SNSU by the huge NIL opportunities (Santa is a well-connected alum) at the school, which will bring him lots of cold cash. Food & Beverage 4 Snowbucks was brought in as the new manager for the upgraded food and beverage program at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium. The stand offers chocolate chip cookies, peppermint bark, gingerbread, Christmas hams, cranberry sauce, candy canes, and sno cones. Beverages include hot cocoa, milk, egg nog, Red Reindeer energy drinks, RC (Really Cold) colas, frozen coffee, and Icee’s. Adult beverages are also available for the first time at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium. It offers 2% beers (it doesn’t take much for the elves to get wasted), candy cane champagne, jingle juice punch, pumpkin spice toddies, and several Christmas ales. Water is not available, as it would freeze before you get back to your seat. The fruitcake stand has been dropped from the food offerings, as nobody seemed to want it. The remaining stock of fruitcakes was donated as building material to the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. Atmosphere 5 As you can imagine, there’s always a festive atmosphere at a SNSU Saints game. The sleigh gating starts well before kickoff, with the elf families putting out an impressive set of holiday favorites for their pregame celebrations. Decorating your sleigh gate is also important, as there is a competition for the best use of lights and greenery for all of your settings. The stadium has also added a snowball-hole competition to the pregame activities. Once inside the stadium, it’s hard to miss the new 5,000-foot flat-screen TV videoboard that Santa, Inc. has delivered to the new venue. It features the top plays from the reindeer games throughout the league, as well as sideline reports from the frozen tundra. The Reindeer Rooter elves love to cheer when a referee throws a penalty lump of coal against the visiting teams, as it means they have been bad, so the elves have one less house to prepare gifts for delivery. Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium has also increased its seating for persons with special needs. They now realize that normal-sized people need much wider seating than their elfin fanbase, and have provided expanded seats as a result. Earphones are provided as well, as UN translators are brought in to announce the games in all the languages used by customers of Santa’s Inc. Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium has increased its premium options for its most loyal customers. The Presents Box offerings seating with the Boss himself. Typically, this includes toy manufacturing execs, luxury sleigh franchisees, and other fat cats. The Reindeer Rooter’s Party Suites offers participants an all-inclusive experience featuring food, beverages, entertainment, deluxe seating, and close-in parking for their sleighs. You don’t want to leave your seat at halftime, as the Marching Tin Soldiers put on a precision marching performance that is on par with that college band out of College Station, Texas. They also play Christmas favorites during breaks in the action. Their dance team is extraordinary, especially doing the kick line. The week of the Homecoming game is especially colorful at the North Pole. The entire town takes part in a Northern Lights competition, which also includes an ice sculpturing event as well. Neighborhood 5 Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium is located on the SNSU campus. It is surrounded by the major schools at SNSU, including the schools of Toy Technology, Presents Distribution Systems, and Bad/ Good Information Technology. For the most part, the North Pole is a company town, but there is plenty for visitors to do while they are in the area. The stadium’s spirit shop is open throughout the year. It looks like an FAO Swartz toy store and offers a wide selection of Santa, Inc. swag. Dining options in the area range from the Michelin List-rated Ruth’s Christmas Steak House and Wolfgang Ice Puck’s Spago to the moderately priced Chilly’s. Fans on a limited budget will find numerous outlets of the Mexican food chain Jingle Bell in the area. For a pre- or post-game drink check out local favorite Blitzen’s Bar and Grill, which offers a wide variety of Christmas craft brews. Lodging is restricted to Holiday Inn affiliates by local ordinance. They are plentiful, as you know who is the franchise owner in the area. Fans 4 The stands are filled with a sea of green and red-clad elves for every SNSU game, as most of Santa’s Inc. workforce are alumni of either SNSU or its sister campus, Toy Technology Tech. All employees are given the day off to attend the games, as they deserve a break from the hectic pace of the toy assembly line prior to Christmas. The elves are well-behaved and welcoming to visitors, as you know who’s in the owner’s box, looking out for who has been bad. You don’t want to be on the boss’ naughty list! When the Saints are doing well on the field, you can hardly hear the announcements. The fans here love to shake their jingle bells to support the home team. Think of it as a northern version of the Mississippi State cowbells. After the Saints score, the fans sing the theme from “Frozen”, the school’s fight song. Access 3 Despite all the new features at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium, access is a major concern for visiting fans, as travel to the new venue is difficult. You’ll still need a snowmobile, a mush team of dogs, or a ride with the Ice Road Truckers to get around town. Air travel in and out of the North Pole is quite limited, especially for late-season games. This is because airspace around the North Pole is not controlled by the FAA. The North Pole International Airport (NPIA) runways are clogged with both Sledex and Amazon cargo flights throughout the year. In addition, NPIA airport has a much stricter security apparatus than the TSA…. if you’ve been bad… you are not getting in! If you do manage to get to the North Pole, just follow these easy directions: 1) Just keep heading north 2) Head over the river and through the woods to Snow Globe Stadium we go…...! Once at the stadium, you should not have to deal with emptying pockets or going through scanners at the gates. Security already knows if you’ve been bad or good… for goodness sake. We also had to grade down the new stadium due to issues involving the restrooms. Since 95% of the fans are elves, the urinals are all very low. Ask the usher in your seating section where the nearest “super-size” restrooms are. Return on Investment 2 A visit to the North Pole and Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium is obviously a “dream destination” for most fans. As we’ve mentioned earlier, airfares are very high due to the limited number of flights to the area. Ticket prices are also very high for visiting fans. This is due to the limited number of games played at home by the SNSU Saints. The Saints are not eligible for post-season play due to restrictions from their move up to the SAC, and the fact that everybody at the North Pole is busy getting ready for Christmas in December and handling returns and exchanges in January. Just remember all the happiness and goodwill you experienced during your visit…. until the bill comes in January! Extras 4 The new Snow Globe Stadium will not feature the low-altitude flyovers by Santa’s Sleigh, as it was found to cause cracks in the globe in the old stadium. Instead, the Good Boy and Girl blimp will fly over the action. During the off-season, Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium hosts the St. Elsewhere Film Festival, where every episode of the series is shown. The new Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium has also upgraded its safety and security elements. Snowballs can still be thrown in the stadium; however, rocks cannot form the interior of the snowball. Better marked sidewalks and crosswalks have been added outside of the stadium, after the tragic accident involving Grandma getting run over by a reindeer at the former stadium. Santa, Inc. has also been signed up as the stadium’s security provider. It has a world-class database of who is bad or good anywhere in the world. The elfin staff at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium strives to provide a unique experience for every fan. There is a commitment from top management (you know who) to the ushers, snowmobile parking attendants, ticket takers, and concession workers to make sure you are happy. Final Thoughts Christmas came early to the North Pole this year, as the brand-new Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium opened in time for the 2023 football season. It offers many more premium experiences than its predecessor. Attending a Saint Nick State football game in person will definitely get you into the Christmas spirit!