Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.19 The Orange Pit 230 S Marr Rd. Columbus, IN 47201 Columbus East HS Olympians website The Orange Pit website Year Opened: 1972 Capacity: 3,771 Columbus East Isn't the Pits When you walk inside the basketball home of Columbus East High School an orange hue that envelops the facility. The orange color is dominant from signage, banners, wall paneling, and all the way down to the basketball. You might have to rub your eyes to make sure you’re seeing things clearly. The origin of the gym’s name stems from a giant banner that once hung across the end of the gym and read: “Home of the East Olympians.” At some point, the banner was stolen and a new permanent sign was erected reading “Welcome to The Orange Pit.” According to former Athletic Director, the late Glen Brown, the use of the word pit is believed to be based on a college venue that used the same name, but he was unsure of which college venue. The only other college basketball arena that is known as “The Pit” is the home of the New Mexico Lobos. Eight feet of water covered the gym’s floor after several rivers in town crested due to severe weather in June 2008. After the water had receded, there were 13 large catfish left on the court. The pit sign was not damaged but did need a fresh coat of paint. In 2017, the facility received new bleacher seating and a coat of fresh paint around the hallways. A new sound system was installed before the start of the 2018 season. Both the gym and high school were built in 1972 in order to meet the population boom of Columbus. The gymnasium holds 3,711 people and looks similar in design to many others built during this time. It features two levels of seating on rollaway wooden bleachers and a main concourse wraps around the upper level. What differentiates the gym from others of its kind, is the giant orange sign that reads “Welcome to The Orange Pit.” The sign is dominating from all areas of the building and creates much of the hue that envelops the gym during a game. Up above the sign are banners and an area for fans to peak out to enjoy the game from a bird’s eye view. Food & Beverage 2 The gym has a small concession stand on the upper level that sells hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, candy, pretzels, and candy. Coca-cola products are the beverage of choice and all items cost between $2 and $4. Next door to the concession stand is where soft-served ice cream is served by the Columbus East Alumni. The tinted-orange vanilla ice cream is called "Orange Flame" and sells well at games. It is dairy-free and costs $3 a cup. Atmosphere 3 The building's design is typical of many in the state, but what makes the place stand out is the orange color. “The Orange Pit” sign is the most dominant feature and might just be one of the most distinguishable features of any Hoosier gym. The orange colors provided a unique tinge underneath the ceiling lighting that provided an interesting look to the game. The center court also displays the good-looking Olympians-torch logo. This year was the host of sectional games this season that culminated in the home Olympians playing against the Whiteland Warriors. A big crowd featuring alumni, locals, and large student sections was at the game. Fans watched from their seats on both levels and many more from above the floor behind the nets. Cheerleaders entertained the crowd and pumped up the fan base during time-outs in the game. Fans watch the the game above the court on the stoop The gym has around 40 state championship and finals banners decked out on both sides, photographs of senior basketball players and cheerleaders on the lower deck, and a scorers table with the school’s logo. Even on the main concourse, images of past glory hang for all to admire. The main lobby houses trophies and championship paraphernalia. The accolades are neatly displayed just outside the upper seating area. Once through the doors, the cheers are heard for its hometown heroes. Neighborhood 3 Columbus is less than 45 minutes south of Indianapolis on I-65. The town of 50,000 plus is also home to Columbus North High School’s Memorial Gymnasium . Downtown is worth visiting and offers a few places to eat and drink while you are in town. They include longtime favorites Zwanzigz Pizza featuring hoagies, calzones, and salads. The Garage Pub and Grill and Amazing Joe’s for traditional pub food and good times. For those looking for a pint, the city offers 450 North Brewing Company, which also offers brick oven pizza by the slice, and the Columbus Bar which offers several craft beers on tap. There are other recommendations: Henry Social Club, 4th Street Bar & Grill, and Blacksheep Pizza & Cocktails. The Indiana Premium Outlet is located off of I-65 and 15 minutes away from the gym, with further restaurant chain restaurant options. The mall houses over 100 stores in a walkable outside mall design. Fans 3 The crowds are tepid on many nights during the winter months, but swell when either Columbus North comes to campus or during sectional play. It brings out the best of the place with student cheer blocks dressed in corresponding outfits and fans of the Olympians cheering from the upper portions of the seating bowl. Access 4 The high school and gym are located a few miles away from I-65 and it is recommended to use GPS. The gym offers plenty of parking and easy access in and around the gym. There are bathrooms located near the concession stand and the aisles are somewhat wider than at other places. Return on Investment 4 The ticket prices are $7 for all home games and a great price to enjoy basketball in one of the state's most interesting-looking high school cathedrals. The orange color is bold, the views are great, and East plays a brand of basketball that can be appreciated by many. Also, the local neighborhood has enough to offer to make for an eventful evening. Extras 4 The gym receives an extra point for the giant sign that welcomes people to “The Orange Pit,” a great name for a high school gym and one that lives up to the colors of the gym. The gym receives another point for the multiple banners that are colored either brown or white at each end of the court. The third point is for the orange flame ice cream that is made at the building for games. The fundraiser earned $9,000 during its first year. The gym receives a fourth and final point for the nicely decorated lobby and trophy room. Final Thoughts The Orange Pit throws its hats into the ring of interesting high school gyms in Indiana. Its name, colors, and signage are appealing to many first time visitors. Its location in Columbus is close to great shopping and dining opportunities that make it an easy choice during the season for high school hoops. ---- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter  and his YouTube channel . Email at marc@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Richard Smith Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 CSU Softball Complex University Blvd North Charleston, SC 29406 Charleston Southern Buccaneers website CSU Softball Complex website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: n/a The Bucs Stop Here Charleston Southern University is a Baptist-affiliated school located in North Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Southern University was chartered in 1960 and became the Baptist College of Charleston, where it offered its first classes in the education building of the First Baptist Church of North Charleston. One of the most famous alumni is United States Senator Tim Scott. The sports teams are known as the Buccaneers and participate in the Big South Conference. The home field for the Buccaneers softball program is the on-campus CSU Softball Complex Food & Beverage 0 CSU Softball Complex has a single concession stand but It was not in use. Atmosphere 4 The small college pride was in full effect at this game. The grandstands were packed and all sides of the field were filled with fans. There are some white rocking chairs behind the backdrop which is a pleasant place to watch the games. The stadium is a simple affair but is nicely at the entrance of the campus. Neighborhood 3 Charleston Southern University is located right off I-26, which means it is easy to get to. Smokey Bones Bar and Grill and Willie Jewells Old School BBQ are two great food options in the area while the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel located next door to the university, is a great lodging choice. The Hampton Inn is also located in the vicinity of the university. Charleston is, of course, where you may want. to venture for many more interesting options. If you haven’t been to Charleston, just ask anyone who has and they’ll speak of the city with terms like “beautiful” and “favorite” that don’t do justice to the area at all. Charleston, South Carolina, is a city that beautifully blends historical charm with a vibrant, modern atmosphere. Charleston is renowned for its stunning architecture, particularly its well-preserved antebellum mansions. Think cobblestone streets, grand houses with sprawling porches, and lush, hidden gardens. The city's history is palpable, with landmarks like Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, and the Battery, a scenic waterfront promenade. The city boasts a thriving food scene, with a focus on fresh seafood and Southern cuisine. From upscale restaurants to cozy cafes, there's something to satisfy every palate. Fans 3 A knowledgeable crowd, a blend of players' families and devoted locals, creates an exceptionally welcoming and supportive sporting environment. Access 4 Charleston Southern University and the CSU Ballpark are easily accessed via I-26 at exit 205. The school is located directly off the interstate. The baseball field is located at the rear of the campus and offers ample free parking. Return on Investment 4 Tickets are free to Charleston Southern softball games. This makes for a great return on investment, along with the free parking and the good prices for concessions. . Extras 2 Find the small grove of nine palm trees planted just in front of the Baseball Complex Building. These trees are a memorial to the nine church members who perished in the Mother Emanuel AME Church shootings in Charleston. One of the victims was the mother of a CSU baseball player. The rocking chairs in place of regular seating around the backstop are a nice touch. Final Thoughts Attending a Charleston Southern University softball game is about enjoying the simple pleasures of college sports in a warm and welcoming setting. It's a chance to connect with the community, appreciate the dedication of the athletes, and experience the unique blend of athletics and faith that defines the university.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Mustang Stadium 11005 Owings Mills Blvd Owings Mills, MD 21117 Stevenson Mustangs website Mustang Stadium website Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 3,500 A History of Horses There are times when something good can spring from something so bad. Stevenson University and its wonderful athletic facilities are "the good". The events of March 1984 were "the bad", at least for the residents of Maryland. At 2 am on March 29th of that year, fifteen Mayflower moving trucks arrived at the Baltimore Colts training facility in Owings Mills, a northwest suburb of Baltimore. Workers loaded all of the team’s belongings and the trucks left for Indianapolis arriving later that day to a massive welcome. The move happened in the dark since the Colt’s owner Bob Irsay feared the Maryland legislature would pass an eminent domain bill that would have legally barred the team from moving. The bill passed later that day but it was too late, as the locally beloved franchise was already gone. In the early years after the Colts left, the former training facility had seen some of its lands sold off by then-property owners Baltimore City. The main building and field also were used as a training center for local police officers. Football returned from 1994 to 1995 as the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) used the training center. The Stallions were quite a success, easily the most successful of the United States CFL expansion teams, with strong attendance numbers and appearances in the CFL Grey Cup Championship Game in both years they were in town. 1995 they even won that championship, but when the Cleveland Browns agreed to move to Maryland, the Stallions realized that they needed to move on. Move they did, back to Canada and they are still known today as the Montreal Alouettes. In 1996, the newly renamed Baltimore Ravens team took up residence in the Owings Mills facility. The team would move to a new center, also in the Owings Mills area, called the Under Armour Performance Center in 2004. That new facility is referred to as “The Castle” for its architectural style. Villa Julie College has always been a bit of a quirky place. Originally located in the Greenspring Valley of Baltimore County and its Stevenson neighborhood, the college was an all-girls school until 1972 and did not even offer bachelor degrees until 1984. It also was entirely non-residential. Eventually, the college desired to add housing and more of just about everything, so a new campus was added in Owings Mills. This expansion dramatically increased the college’s offerings and student population. In 2008, they decided they needed a new identity and changed their name to Stevenson University. The old campus is still in use. The Owings Mills campus just happened to be right next door to the old Baltimore Colts training facility. Stevenson acquired the building and land and used it as the center of their athletic department. In 2006 it re-opened as the Caves Sports and Wellness Center. Some of the locker rooms and facilities are similar to the ones left behind by the Ravens, with necessary remodeling done. In addition, in 2010, the 38,000-square-foot Owings Mills Gymnasium was added. Mustang Stadium is also home to the university’s soccer, football, and field hockey teams. Food & Beverage 4 There is one permanent food stand at Mustang Stadium. The prices are extremely fair, even if the menu is pretty limited. The best bargains are the Family Meal Deals which include three hot dogs, three drinks, three chips or one hot dog, one pretzel, three bottled waters, and an order of nachos. If I were there with my family buying these deals would be a given. There is plenty of room on the concourse level if they wish to have other temporary food stands. Credit cards are accepted at the official food stand. Atmosphere 2 Only a hundred or so fans tend to attend Mustang games. We were there for a weekday game so the attendance was even lower. Even with a small crowd, the stadium has a nice atmosphere to it. The impressive stadium has general admission seating for 3,000 along the west side of the playing field. There is also a large press box and club level with 440 club seats, a patio, and a President’s Suite. A large student fitness center is also in the press box building and overlooks nearby Owings Mill Boulevard. With no track at the stadium, the fans are afforded a pretty close view of the game action. The concourse level also has a fully stocked team store if you decide to become a big Mustangs fan or purchase a souvenir. The official campus store is located nearby, outside of the stadium, if you need additional options. Neighborhood 4 Owings Mills is a suburb of Baltimore, so there are plenty of shopping centers and restaurants in the area. Many good options are within easy walking distance such as Subway, IHOP, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The Owings Mills station of the Baltimore Metro subway system is located about a mile away from campus. Fans 3 There were not many fans at the game but this is Maryland so it tends to be a very knowledgeable lacrosse fanbase. Being a largely commuter university there may not be too many students at the games. There are residence halls near to the stadium so some student attendance is always possible. Access 4 Owings Mills Boulevard has an exit off of nearby Interstate 795. The stadium is a pretty quick one-mile trip from the highway. I worried about traffic in an area that is pretty busy even on normal days, but the traffic was no problem. The university has plenty of parking in the area and there are no issues here. Parking is free. Return on Investment 4 General admission tickets are less than $10. With free parking and cheap, quality concessions, Stevenson University lacrosse is a good value. Extras 3 The former home of three professional football teams, the Caves Sports and Wellness Center is worth a quick trip around the corner from Mustang Stadium. Try to remember 1984 and the pain and struggle that local football fans went through for years. Next to the stadium is a statue of a Mustang, the university’s mascot. This is a good meet-up spot and photo opportunity. Check out the cool mural, as well as the history signs about the Baltimore Colts, Baltimore Stallions, Baltimore Ravens, and the birth of Stevenson football. Final Thoughts Besides being on historic ground, Stevenson University’s Mustang Stadium offers the fans great value, as well as a nice place to watch lacrosse.

Imagine attending a ballgame and enjoying a hot dog, a bag of peanuts, and a cold soda pop. Everything tastes great, but the hot dog is not made out of pork or beef but of fish. It is tuna, to be exact, and it looks and almost tastes like the classic ballpark frank. For a short time, they were available at San Diego Padres games. At the time, the Padres were members of the Pacific Coast League and owned by C. Arnholt Smith, who also owned the Westgate Tuna Packing Company. They moved into the state-of-the-art Westgate Park, which featured 8,268 theater seats, a humidor that held 10,000 packs of peanuts under 120-degree heat, and lawn seating behind the outfield fence without advertisements. Yet, the hot dogs were probably the most peculiar innovation at the minor league stadium. The hot dogs were made of select tuna and skinless. Fans would slab on mustard or ketchup and enjoy it like a regular dog, but Catholics could enjoy them on Fridays when they normally abstain from consuming meat products, such as hot dogs. However, where did someone get the idea of creating tuna filled hot dogs to sell at a baseball game? According to tuna hot dog lore,  the origin dates back to 1941 when William Lane attended a college football game between Loyola and Santa Clara on Friday night. He noticed a hot dog vendor having trouble selling hot dogs to a prominent Catholic crowd who did not eat meat on Fridays due to religious customs. The hot dog vendor was quoted "I have 10,000 hot dogs and no one will eat them. When are they going to invent a fish hot dog?" However, the schools played on a Sunday afternoon at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco in 1941. They would play each other five more times before Loyola dropped its football program in 1952, and the only time they played on a Friday night was in 1948 at Gilmore Stadium, home of the Hollywood Stars of the PCL. However, another  story in Catholic Digest (December 1958)  suggests that Lane read a Time  magazine article on the hot dog vendor lamenting the decrease in sales of hot dogs on Friday nights. A second article in the Catholic Northwest Passage states   that the game took place in 1938, but the two schools did not face one another that fall. Whenever this game took place, there was a drop in sales of hot dogs, a whopping 37 percent decrease, even at major league baseball games. Lane would graduate from Loyola and later work as a tax counselor for a San Diego firm that served interest with Smith’s business including a tuna cannery and the Padres.  Adds for Tunies show the refrigerated and canned versions of the product By 1952 Lane became the chief accountant for the parent corporation for Smith's tuna cannng companyand he remembered the Time article. It got him thinking of better ways to produce more product from. the tuna fish factory. . Lane began working on developing a tuna-based wiener that would have the same texture, free of cereal and artificial dyes, and look and taste like an all-meat hot dog. He contacted a sausage maker, Curt Schirmer, who owned a sausage and meat company, and added enough hickory smoke and the right touch of spices to dissipate the fishy taste. The two entrepreneurs were backed financially by Smith and began producing the product at his cannery in late 1957. Tunies were canned by 1959 for better shelf life and introduced to other parts of the country. There were also flavor improvements to the product and was sold in 10.5-ounce cans. There was even the prediction that it would be sold in a SPAM-like loaf and make Tunies Inc. one of the nation's major food companies. Sea-Lomi never took off to the mass populace, but did make it to supermarket shelves. However, the tuna-packed hot dogs appeared to fall out of favor with the rest of the country. Soon, Tunies disappeared from the shelves and for a few years, all-beef hot dogs were sold at Padres games. By 1967,   production had stopped due to lack of demand. Smith was also quoted in the same 1992 interview that Lane “worked his brains out perfecting that, but they didn’t seem to take over.”  Many folks have memories of the hot dogs growing up in the area and having them for lunch at parochial schools. The ones who tasted that at the Padres games remain somewhat of a mystery. The fish-dogs have never been re-introduced to Padres games but might fit in nicely on the Petco Park menu. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .  Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Colonial Life Arena 801 Lincoln St Columbia, SC 29201 South Carolina Gamecocks website Colonial Life Arena website Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 18,000 Uncommon For years Connecticut and Tennessee dominated women’s college basketball, winning 19 of the first 34 titles. More recently, a new powerhouse has emerged in Columbia, South Carolina, at the University of South Carolina. Women’s basketball at South Carolina dates back to 1922 when the team played as the Pullets, the female hen of their Gamecock mascot. The team competed statewide until 1936 when the sport was limited to intramural play, but intercollegiate competition returned in 1974 under the name “Carolina Chicks”, before adopting the Gamecocks nickname in 1977. Over the years the program transitioned from an independent to the Metro Conference and, since 1991, the Southeastern Conference. The Gamecocks had moments of success, but lacked sustained dominance until the arrival of head coach Dawn Staley in 2008. After two sub-.500 seasons, she led the team to an 18-15 record and an NIT bid in just her third year. Since then, she has guided the Gamecocks to thirteen NCAA tournament appearances, six Final Fours, and three national championship titles, establishing South Carolina as a force in women’s college basketball.   Food & Beverage   5 The food options at Colonial Life Arena are as plentiful as a mall food court – fans can choose everything ranging from stadium favorites such as hot dogs, burgers, nachos, and chicken tenders, to a wide selection of more regional offerings including Mexican at Salsarita’s, Billy G’s barbecue, Thai Kingdom, and even a taste of the ocean from Mr. Seafood. Wings in nearly a half-dozen different flavors can also be found, as well as many carts situated around the concourse offering everything from ice cream and donuts to gourmet popcorn and smoothies. Colonia Life Arena sells both craft and domestic beer, wine, and seltzers. Craft beers include selections from Terrapin, Columbia Craft Brewing Company, Wild Leap, and Peak Drift Brewing Company, while soft drink choices include Coca-Cola products and Power Ade sports drinks.   Atmosphere   5 The plaza, at the corner of Lincoln and Greene Streets, is lined with South Carolina palmettos and is fronted with a fountain. A 15-foot statue of Gamecock hero A’ja Wilson greets fans upon their arrival. The entry point to Colonial Life Arena is framed by large support columns backed by a full bank of windows. As fans pass through the security check into the grand foyer, an intricate mosaic of the Gamecock’s logo is front and center on the floor of the entry. Fans ascend staircases on either side of the entrance, with two of the three center courts from the national championships won by the USC women’s program hung overhead. The staircases lead to the main concourse, as well as an area dedicated to the retired jerseys, individual awards, and championships won by the Gamecocks. Pregame festivities are an impressive light and pyrotechnic show – while a hype video plays on the large center-mounted scoreboard, fans logged into the Gamecocks app’s “Gamecock Lights” can use their cellphone flashlights to become part of the pregame light show. Throughout the game the college athletics experience is kept as the focal point of the experience. While there are occasional scoreboard games and DJ-led music pieces, the Carolina Band typically leads the entertainment during breaks in the action – this is a nice way to keep a touch of the traditional college basketball atmosphere alive, in a time when popular music is commonly the route many schools use to keep fans engaged until play resumes.   Neighborhood   4 For colleges and universities in downtown areas, it can be difficult to tell where campus ends and the city begins. Owned and operated by the University of South Carolina, Colonial Life Arena is located about a block off the main section of USC’s campus. The surrounding neighborhood gives fans several options in terms of eateries and points of interest to visit as part of their Gamecocks basketball gameday experience. The student housing building at 650 Lincoln has several choices for a quick bite, including Jersey Mike’s, Urban Wok, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Also, student housing at 750 Lincoln includes a more upscale taste with offerings from Angell Bros. 1801 Grille. However, one of the more popular pregame spots is Thirsty Fellow Pizzeria and Pub, where it is not uncommon for fans to be lined up out the door. For state capitol building enthusiasts, the grounds of the South Carolina capitol are less than a mile to the north of USC’s campus.   Fans   5 South Carolina women’s basketball has led the nation in attendance since 2015, when they pulled in 12,000 fans each night. Now, still leading the country in attendance, that number has swelled to more than 16,000 fans per game last season; this increase is a real testament to the growth of women’s college basketball, in-part spearheaded by South Carolina over this time. The only knock on Gamecock fans would be that despite more than filling the student section, the students here seem to be rather reserved. While many of the top college basketball programs are known for their rambunctious student sections, the South Carolina students largely remain seated throughout the game. They do get excited and loud following big plays, but do seem to need that spark.   Access   3 The streets around Colonial Life Arena can seem like a bit of a maze to navigate. The intersections around the arena start to be blocked off about 2.5 hours before a game, creating what can be a two-block detour to get to a desired location. There are plenty of parking garages and lots that are just a short walk from the arena. Street parking in the area is a bit further away, but is also an option. The main entrance at the corner of Greene and Lincoln Streets is the most popular entry point, and the team’s large following leads to rather long lines before the doors to the arena even open. To help expedite entry, Colonial Life Arena has a no bag line. There is also an early entry line for Fast Break Pass members. Stairs leading up to the outer concourse give fans plenty of space to navigate, with the exception of the far end of the arena where the Frank McGwire Club juts out, creating a bit of a bottleneck. Within the seating area, a walkway passes completely around the upper level of the main seating bowl. Following the game the concourses do get pretty congested, so allowing some time for them to clear a bit before heading out may be helpful. With most parking concentrated on one side of the arena, the congestion can carry over to the streets leading away from the facility, especially for those heading back toward the interstate.   Return on Investment   3 With the level of success the Gamecocks have seen in their women’s basketball program comes a high demand for tickets. Tickets start at $25 for general admission seating, but can often be found cheaper on the secondary market. Most garages in the area charge $20 for parking, but given the women’s basketball schedule, there are ways to avoid having to pay to park – most women’s basketball games follow a midweek evening and Sunday schedule, so parking at some of the meters on nearby streets could provide reduced parking rates, or be altogether free for Sunday games, if you are willing to walk a couple of blocks. Concessions are a touch high at Colonial Life Arena, but the wide selection of options and the higher quality of food does seem to justify the higher prices.   Extras   5 Colonial Life Arena goes a long way in creating as comfortable a game experience as could be asked for, from the video feeds and game statistics on the underside of the center scoreboard to the custodial crews who are endlessly ensuring the facility is a top-class venue. At the front plaza of Colonial Life Arena, a statue of A’ja Wilson greets fans upon their arrival. Wilson, the hometown hero, led the Gamecocks to their first NCAA national championship, while picking up National Player of the Year honors as well. South Carolina does an excellent job recognizing the achievements of the women’s basketball program – the main entrance displays conference season championship and tournament trophies, Naismith Player and Coach of the Year Awards, and of course the Gamecocks’ three NCAA championship trophies. Homages to honored players can also be found in the ring of honor that wraps around the façade of the exterior concourse. As with other Gamecock sports programs, following the game the team gathers at half court to sing the school’s alma mater with the fans; it is always nice to see the connection programs share with their fanbase and their school. The importance of being role models for the next generation of players does not get lost on Head Coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks women’s basketball  players – following the singing of the South Carolina alma mater, players and coaches come to sign autographs and take pictures with their admirers, most of whom are the youngest of Gamecock fans.   Final Thoughts Women’s basketball at the University of South Carolina is a model for building an elite college program. Despite flashes of success in the past, the Gamecocks struggled to sustain it until Dawn Staley was able to sell her vision of the program to the fan base, and together, they built one of the nation’s premier women’s basketball programs. As fan support grew, Staley and her team delivered, winning three national championships. There are not many college baseball programs in the nation that can rival the level of excellence and excitement that surrounds the South Carolina women’s baseball program.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Eric Clark Athletic Center 520 East Main Street Carmel, IN 46032 Carmel High School Greyhounds website Eric Clark Athletic Center website Year Opened: 1958 Capacity: 4,000 Getting Better with Age When Carmel High School decided to build a brand-new $1.5 million school for the 1958-1959 academic school year it also included a 4,000-plus basketball gymnasium. At the time, the Greyhounds program had been practicing and playing at the nearby Noblesville Armory which offered undesirable and cramped conditions for high school hoops. The first game to take place at the new gym would be on November 11, 1958–the first home game in Carmel in over a decade. The Legeman patent-design gymnasium would be the largest in the county and offer a sunken basketball court. However, fans have to walk upstairs Legman enters the gymnasium, making it perhaps the only one of its kind quite like it. The new gym incorporates all of the architect’s signature features from a wide wraparound concourse, an octangular seating bowl, and unobstructed views from everywhere in the building. The ECAC also includes an arched roof, exposed beams, fluorescent lighting, and temporary bleachers that could hold an additional 1,000 fans for sectional play in the conference. The building would be renamed in 1997 in honor of Eric Clark, an educator in the district for 39 years. He was the boys’ basketball coach from 1970-1977 leading the Hounds to six sectional titles and its first state championship in 1977. The title game would be the last game of his career, and he would continue at the school as a counselor and assistant principal until his retirement in 1997. From his retirement, until he died in 2009, he attended nearly all home and away basketball and football games. Carmel is the largest high school in the state of Indiana with 5,060 students. Its sports teams would become a juggernaut in many sports capturing 170 plus state championships. The boys’ basketball program won additional state championships in 2012, 2013, and 2019 while finishing as runner-ups in 1970 and 2018. The girls captured their lone state title in 2008 and were finalists in 1995. In total, the school has won state championships in 19 of the 22 sports offered to its students. Food & Beverage 3 There are two concession stands at the gym, one outside near the entrance and one inside the main concourse. The snacks include hot dogs, pretzels, nacho, popcorn, chips, candy, and Chick-fil-A sandwiches. Pepsi products are the drink of choice for Greyhounds games and the prices range from as lows $1 fo a bag of chips to $4 for a hot dogs. Chicken sandwiches are $7 until they run out. As with most high school games here in Indiana, and perhaps elsewhere, the concession items are merely for snacking pleasure; however, there are more than just a few amazing places to enjoy dinner before or after the game in nearby downtown Carmel. Atmosphere 4 The ECAC feels a lot more modern than the various sunken gyms in the state of Indiana. It is part of a complex that is adjacent to the natatorium and fans must walk up a couple of flights of stairs to enter the gym’s concourse. Once inside, the wide concourse wraps, offering unobstructed views from most areas. It is a modest-looking gym that is dressed in the school colors of blue and gold and brightly lit with LED lighting. The walls are covered with numerous state championships won by all of the school’s athletic teams and continue outside the hallway of the complex. Up above the court is a series of exposed piping that adds a nice touch to the classic gym that is comprised of permanent wood bleaching seating. Fans are allowed to stand up against a plexiglass section and media members comprise the opposite side of this area. The team is introduced by the cheerleaders and the school band, while the student section, dubbed the “Hound Pound,” cheers at boisterous levels. They are game for dressing up for theme nights at the gym and also proudly hold up large oversized poster heads of basketball players and cheerleaders. There does not appear to be an official team mascot. The atmosphere is much higher during sectional games that brings out many of the local high school fanbase. The gym is packed and sold-out crowds are the norm during the week. Each school's cheer section arrives by the masses to show support and upper concourse is packed with fans weaving in and out of traffice to secure a spot along the railings for a view of the court. Other points of interest in the gym are the auxiliary seating that is pushed up against the walls that block the old Carmel center court logo, half-time shooting contests and dance renditions, and an LED board on the media row. Neighborhood 4 Its location on Main Street is just blocks away from the vibrant downtown Carmel scene of restaurants, shops, and bars making it an ideal way of spending a night in one of Indianapolis’ poshest suburbs. Downtown offers a variety of shops, restaurants, bars, and performance theaters that are the envy of the rest of the Indianapolis metro area. The Pint Room offers one of the largest selections of taps and casual pub fare, the Carmel Distillery is a hip food court that features Sun King Brewery. Matt the Millers Tavern is always the spot for great food and drink, and if you feel like food challenges, see if you can finish off a Big Ugly at Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream. The Monon Trail also cuts through Main Street downtown and locals enjoy riding their bikes to Union Brewing Company for a pint of cask ale beer and jerk chicken, patties, or oxtail at the Jamaican Reggae Grill next door. The Palladium at the Center for Performing Arts is a dome roof theater that is a marvel to look at in itself. Located off the Monon, the building features plays, concerts, symphonies, and other stage events. Fans 4 The Greyhound fans are into the game, enjoy their basketball team, and are wonderful supporters. They love their squad and enjoy their surroundings inside the gym. The stands were filled up quite nicely with supporters from both teams. Even during the pandemic, fans were loud and supportive of their team that was on the verge of winning their conference championship. Access 3 The gymnasium is located in the back of the high school off Main Street right before downtown. The best way for access is off the State Road 31 (Keystone Ave.) exit a few miles north of I-465. SR-31 through Carmel is free of traffic lights and features roundabout exits for reduced head-on collisions. Once inside the facility, there is one main concourse that houses everything from the concession stand to bathrooms and merchandise table. However, the portable seats on top make it somewhat cramped and don’t open up the view of the facility as it was meant to be seen. The main parking lot can fill up quickly for heavily attended games, but there are several other areas to park around the high school. Thankfully, there are small groups of people that you can follow through the high school hallways to the gymnasium entrances. Return on Investment 3 The cost of a ticket to a game is only $7, much in line with the rest of high school basketball in the state. There is not a bad seat in the house and the excitement is thrilling especially when nearby North Central, Hamilton Southeast, or Fishers High Schools are paying a visit. The concession snack prices are also inexpensive. Extras 5 The gym earns an extra point for being so close to the vibrant downtown scene which should please both the older and family crowd. It earns a second point for the upkeep of the facility; the place looks much more modern than its construction date of 1958. Next, it earns another point on the scoreboard that showcases the individual stats of players. The final point is for the half-time entertainment that is somewhat overlooked at other state gymnasiums. A last point is for the atmosphere and packed gym during sectional championship games. Final Thoughts There are a lot of great old-school gyms in the state of Indiana and the Eric Clark Athletic Center rightfully takes its place among the fantastic facilities to enjoy high school basketball in the state. It is an older classic Indiana fieldhouse that provides incredible modern comfort for high school basketball. _____ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel .

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Stegeman Coliseum 100 Smith St Athens, GA 30602 Georgia Bulldogs website Stegeman Coliseum website Year Opened: 1964 Capacity: 10,523 Glory, Glory to old Georgia! For years the Southeastern Conference was the gold standard in NCAA women’s college basketball, and part of that depth of success conference-wide can be attributed to the accomplishments of the Georgia Bulldogs. The foundation of Georgia women’s basketball history was constructed by head coach Andy Landers; Landers led the Bulldogs to over 850 wins, eight regular season SEC championships, 4 SEC tournament titles, and 31 NCAA tournament appearances in his 36 seasons in Athens, including three Final Fours and a National Championship game berth. Since the program’s inception in 1973 they have played at Stegman Coliseum, which is not just the home of Georgia Basketball, but also Georgia volleyball and the Gymdogs (gymnastics).   Food & Beverage   3 Food at Stegeman Coliseum uses a self-serve, grab-and-go model throughout. Items sit under heat lamps waiting to be picked up and taken to checkout stations. Options include hot dogs, burgers, and BBQ or Chick-fil-A sandwiches. While most options are typical stadium quality, the burgers are from local boutique burger purveyor Grind House Burgers. Even though the food is fine for stadium fare, the fact that items are left out under heat lamps does seem to impact the quality. Besides the main concession items, peanuts, popcorn, candy, and various other snack foods are also part of the assortment of choices. There is also the ever popular Dippin’ Dots cart in the main lobby area. Soft drinks include items from the Coca-Cola line of products. There is also a decent selection of local craft beers from Athens-based Creature Comforts, with their flagship Tropicalia, Classic City Lager, and the University of Georgia-branded Sip ’Em Seltzer. The concessions inside the arena will do in a pinch, but the area has several locations nearby if you prefer to get something before or after the game.   Atmosphere   3 Stegeman Coliseum is a great example of an arena from a previous generation that was given a highly modern feel, with a renovation of the east and west entries using large walls of glass. The interior of the arena complements the modernized feel of the exterior, fitting right into the red and black color scheme of the Bulldogs. In coming years the massive UGA mural at the south end of the arena will be replaced with the largest indoor collegiate videoboard in the country. There is not a lot of debate that Stegeman Coliseum is a very comfortable venue for all of Georgia’s programs that use it. Many of the school’s fight songs and cheers, along with their most recognizable chants, are a big part of the total UGA women’s basketball experience. The University of Georgia athletics department does a good job creating an atmosphere where its brand is consistent throughout all its programs, with the prideful spirit of all things Bulldogs. Breaks in the action here are filled with the Georgia pep band playing the UGA classics, while popular music also fills the time before the ball is put back into play.   Neighborhood   5 Athens is everything that could be asked for in a college town – far enough from Atlanta to avoid the breakneck pace of a major city, yet brimming with enough of the hustle-and-bustle of a college town to create a perpetual buzz of excitement in the air. Georgia’s athletic facilities are spread out, with concentrations of both on and off campus facilities – Stegeman Coliseum is part of an on-campus cluster which includes baseball’s Foley Field , the outdoor track, football’s practice and training facility, and the Butts-Mehre building, the hub of UGA athletics. The epicenter of Athens and the University of Georgia’s culture can be found along Lumpkin Avenue and Broad Street; this area has nearly an endless number of shops, bars, restaurants, and music joints, providing seemingly endless options to fill time at any hour of the day. New in 2024 are the Athens Rock Lobsters (ice hockey), who call the newly completed Akins Ford Arena in downtown Athens home; adding in one of their games could certainly help make for a full visit of sports during a weekend in Athens.   Fans   3 Georgia has benefited from decent support over the years. Over the last decade, average attendance at Stegeman Coliseum for women’s basketball has hovered around 3,500 fans per game. While this only ranks around the middle of the pack in the SEC, it is still a mark that many Power 4 Conference teams would be proud to draw. Fans are into the game as would be expected by typical crowds – there is not a definitive home court advantage created by the fans, but they are responsive to the ups and downs of the game.   Access   3 It is no secret that getting to Athens from the metro Atlanta area on a weekday can certainly test one’s patience. While Athens is just 70 miles from Atlanta, getting there for a weekday match typically takes in excess of two hours. The most direct route is via Interstate-85 to Georgia 316, which leads to Athens. Fans coming from the north on I-85 will have a bit less traffic coming through Jefferson, while from the east, accessing Athens is most convenient on I-20 to US-441N. Just south of Stegeman Coliseum, the Carlton Street parking deck is the most conveniently located parking option near the arena. Parking is free in the Carlton Street deck, and unless there are multiple events on campus or an extremely large crowd, it should offer plenty of room. Once inside the facility, Stegeman’s outer concourse makes navigating the coliseum relatively easy, but the walkway does not wrap completely around the arena. A secondary, interior concourse does fully encircle the court level seating area, but it does get narrow in places.   Return on Investment   4 Tickets in the second tier of seating start at $11 before ticket fees are accounted for, and children 12 and under are admitted for free. Parking is supposedly free in the Carlton Street parking garage, but be sure to check the signs, as some of them indicate this is no longer the case. Concessions do seem to be a bit high when considering the overall quality of food that has been sitting under heating lamps. This is a cost that can easily be eliminated, however, or reduced if you only purchase snacks or beverages.   Extras   3 The concourse showcases a full history of the Georgia teams that call Stegeman home – trophies, along with highlights of the Dawgs’ most notable players and teams, are featured in a timeline displayed on the walls of the concourse. The Butts-Mehre building holds a place of high regard in the Georgia Bulldog community; not only is it the center of Georgia athletics, but it is also home to a museum of Bulldogs athletics history. The Butts-Mehre building is open for tours until 5pm Monday through Friday, making this a real option to visit prior to a game at Stegeman. UGA mascots Hairy Dawg and his inflatable counterpart, Spike, make the rounds throughout the game, stopping for photos and interacting with fans, along with trying to jinx the opposing team.   Final Thoughts Georgia women’s basketball has not lately been the powerhouse program it was during the 1980s and 90s, but they typically have been good for a 20-win season and an NCAA tournament appearance even during their down years. Despite not enjoying the elite status the program was once measured by, there is still enough excitement  surrounding both the team and the game to make Georgia women’s basketball a fun college basketball experience.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque Université de Moncton 450 Université Avenue Moncton, NB E1A 7R1 Moncton Aigles Bleus hockey website Arena Jean-Louis Levesque website Year Opened: 1966 Capacity: 1,200 Le Nid des Aigles Bleus Outside of the province of Québec, there is only one fully francophone university in Canada.  That school is Université de Moncton.  Located in the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, UdeM embraces the Acadian tradition which sees New Brunswick as a fully bilingual province.  Université de Moncton was formed by the amalgamation of three colleges in 1963 including Collège Saint Joseph, Université Sacré-Coeur and Université Saint-Louis d’Edmunston.  Université de Moncton has 5,200 students and a number of campuses, with the main campus located in Moncton.  Known as the Aigles Bleus, or Blue Eagles, UdeM athletics first took the ice in 1964 and have seen significant success culminating in 11 conference championships and 4 University Cups as National Champions. Home for the Aigles Bleus is on the campus of Université de Moncton.  Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque was built in 1966 with a capacity of 1,200.  Built more like a box than a barn, Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque was named after a local philanthropist who was critical for fundraising for the university. Food & Beverage 3 Concessions at Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque are limited to  snack bar on the upper level at the east end of the arena.  The menu is simple and includes soda, water, juice, Gatorade, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, pizza, poutine, onion rings, hot dogs, candy, popcorn and chips.  Pepsi products are the soft drink of choice at the arena.  Very limited beer sales are also found at the concession stand.  The stand is enclosed on the east end with windows looking out over the ice and some seating, similar to a Blueline Club found in many lower level junior hockey arenas in Canada. Atmosphere 3 Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque is a simple rectangular prism shape located at the western edge of campus.  From the road there is nothing that stands out about the brown and grey structure, however a closer look at the main entrance on the west side finds a very attractive entry with stone facing around the doors emblazoned with the Aigles Bleus logo.  After entry, fans are met with a small ticket window and then must ascend to the upper level to have their tickets scanned.  The upper level on the west side is where fans will find some modest nods to Aigles Bleus history with captions in French.  Team photos as well as a specific section for team photos for the 1981, 1982, 1990 and 1995 Aigles Bleus squads that brought home National Championships are here for fans to peruse.  The Aigles Bleus have a unique method of honouring those whose jersey numbers are retired.  Portraits of Jeannot Boulanger, Yves LeBlanc and Ronnie LeBlanc are found in the upper lobby rather than banners hung inside the arena.  There is also a large portrait of Jean-Louis Lévesque with an explanation of his contributions to the university, en français, of course. Inside the arena, the ice is oriented from west to east with seating on the north and south sides.  A double logo at centre means that the perfect centre-ice logo photo can be achieved from either north or south sides.  Seating consists of 8 rows of plastic arena seats with a walkway behind the seating and rails for standing room.  When selecting seats, fans should be cognizant of the pillars around the arena which can cause some obstructed views.  Choosing seats at row F or lower would be a good plan.  Large, yellow, truss supports cross over the ice surface, give the arena a low profile and cozy feel.  The four National Championship banners hang above the ice surface and 14 conference banners for both men’s and women’s hockey hang on the east wall.  Simple hockey scoreclocks are found at both the west and east walls. The gameday production at an Aigles Bleus game is fairly simple.  All of the announcements are in both french and english and Moncton uses the eagle screech sound effect liberally.  The PA system is not terrific and some announcements are difficult to hear.  A 50/50 draw is the highlight of promotions and Moncton’s mascot, Super Bleu, can be found interacting with the crowd during the game. Neighbourhood 3 Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque is located at the west end of the campus of Université de Moncton in the Sunny Brae neighbourhood of the city.  There are a few spots for pre or post game food and drink that are not too far, but will require a ride in the car.  Tony’s Bistro, Hynes Restaurant, The Sunshine Restaurant and Mark10 Taproom are good choices.  The main sporting option in Moncton is the Wildcats  of the QMJHL, who play downtown in the Avenir Centre. Other tourist options in Moncton include Riverfront Park, Resurgo Place, Musée Acadien, and the Moncton Highland Games.  Fans who wish to stay near campus can choose the Holiday Inn. Fans 4 USports hockey fans can be a bit difficult to assess as the AUS, and other conferences, do not congregate attendance statistics.  That being said, Moncton enjoys strong support.  At the time of writing, the Aigles Bleus averaged 800 fans per game, which ranked 3rd in AUS.  In the previous season, 2023-2024, Moncton attracted over 670 fans per game, which ranked 4th in the conference.  The game that was reviewed was the 2025 senior game and there were nearly 900 fans in attendance.  UdeM fans are loud and proud and very much into the game .   Access 3 Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque is located at the west end of the campus of Université de Moncton in the Sunny Brae neighbourhood of Moncton.  It is on the south side of Université Avenue, which serves as the southern border of campus.  It is immediately north of NB-15 and 3 km south of the Trans-Canada Highway, so getting to campus is very easy.  There is plenty of free parking at the arena on gameday.  For fans wishing to take public transit to the game, there are buses that run on Université Avenue.  Fans should consult the Codiac Transpo website for maps, fares and schedules. The arena is definitely on the older side and getting around is not as easy as other modern arenas.  The seating offers limited legroom, which is not consistent from row to row.  Also, fans should take heed in selecting a seat to avoid obstructed views from the support posts.  Selecting seats in row F or lower will probably work.  Washrooms in Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque are also small. Return on Investment 5 There is tremendous value in a Moncton Aigles Bleus hockey game.  Moncton tickets start at $14 for adults with discounts for seniors and kids.  UdeM students and kids under 6 are free.  AIgles Bleus seats are reserved, which is not common for USports hockey, so pre-purchasing seats online might be the best idea.  Parking for the Aigles Bleus is free and concession prices are good.  The product on the ice is solid and it is found in a very supportive atmosphere with a significant crowd.  Put that all together and it equals an excellent return on investment. Extras 3 An extra mark for Université de Moncton as a fully francophone university, the only one in Canada outside of Québec. An extra mark for the success the Moncton Aigles Bleus have enjoyed. An extra mark for the local Acadian flavour found at an Aigles Bleus game. Final Thoughts When in the Maritimes, taking in a Moncton Aigles Bleus game may be the best mix of sports and Acadian culture that can be found.  Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque offers a unique atmosphere in a building that is full of Acadian flavour.  Le Nid des Aigles Bleus is definitely worth checking out. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Recreation Center 1 University Way San Antonio, TX 78224 Texas A&M-San Antonio Jaguars website Recreation Center website Year Opened: 2024 Capacity: 900 TAMUSA Jaguars New Rec Center In 2009 the Texas A&M University System opened its newest stand-alone institution, Texas A&M University-San Antonio (TAMUSA) on the far southwest side of the Alamo City. In the ensuing decade and a half, the school has gone from holding classes at a temporary campus at a closed public elementary school, to operating a sprawling 580-acre (and growing) campus with a student body of over 7,000 (and climbing). TAMUSA took a bold step forward in 2019 in hiring former college football star and longtime athletics administrator Darnell Smith  to lead the TAMUSA Jaguars Athletics Department . Starting with men’s golf and men’s and women’s soccer, and softball, it was a huge leap for the fledgling university. In time for the 2024-25 academic year, the school and their athletics programs took another monumental step forward when they launched their first ever men’s and women’s basketball programs. The move coincided with the opening of a brand-new, on-campus recreation center, which serves not only the broader student body, but also is the new home of Jaguars basketball.   Food & Beverage   2 * For many of the following categories, I am going to be more lenient in my scoring than I normally would be for several reasons. First, this is a brand-new program playing in a brand-new facility, so there are plenty of kinks to work out. Second, the Recreation Center is just that, a recreation center. It’s not a typical collegiate gymnasium, but was built for students to unwind and relax, and to exercise in, while they’re in-between classes. The facility also just happens to be home to a fledgling basketball program. With all of that said, I’m going to give an “incomplete” grade for food and beverage. Currently, there does not exist any concessions inside the Rec Center, and the only permanent options are a handful of vending machines. I give this an incomplete, however, because on most game days, the school brings in several food trucks to serve fans. This is a great innovation and one that will continue to be a popular choice for as long as they call the Recreation Center their home. What makes this incomplete, though, is that this solution is wholly predicated on the unpredictability of the South Texas weather – for example during my most recent visit, a cold, rainy, late February day, there were no trucks. I’m willing to come back for another game soon, however, when the weather does comply to get a better answer to this ranking.   Atmosphere   3 As mentioned, the TAMUSA Recreation Center is a brand-new facility, closing out its first season of use. The designers did a great job in building it for its dual uses for students and for Jaguars basketball. The sightlines are fantastic, the seating is top-notch – you’ll be hard-pressed to find another venue where you are sitting closer to the action than here – and it feels like a venue made for lower-level college basketball. The front doors beckoning you to “Jaguars Country” are also a great touch. The facility really is a blank slate at this point, and I look forward to seeing it get filled in over the coming years as the program continues to grow. My one gripe, if it can be called that, is the lack of merchandise available for fans. A simple table with some items would go a long way in adding to the atmosphere for fans. I’ve seen this a lot at lower-level programs (especially this season); I hope this is something that can be corrected at the Recreation Center in the future.   Neighborhood   3 The TAMUSA campus is located on the farthest reaches in the southwest area of the city. In the not-too-distant past, the land the campus now occupies was virtually wilderness, but the area has changed a lot with the addition of the university, and more and more signs of life can now be seen. That said, you’re still quite a bit removed from San Antonio’s downtown area (about 30 minutes’ drive away). The immediate attraction you must take in if you’re heading to a TAMUSA Jaguars game is the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park . The park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to four of the city’s five historic Spanish colonial missions, which are some of the oldest structures in the southwest, and tell about such a fascinating chapter in history that they need to be experienced in person. If you’re looking for something else to do before or after Jaguars games, you can always make the trip into town and see the fifth mission, the historic Alamo . In terms of dining there are quite a few fast-food options in the immediate area around campus. There are also close to a dozen fantastic neighborhood Tex-Mex spots within a few miles of campus, ranging from La Torre Jalisco and Taqueria Guadalajara to La Gran Señora Mexican Restaurant. None of these spots have websites, which only makes them more “legit” to native San Antonians. Throw a rock in any direction before or after your game at the Rec Center, and whichever taqueria you hit will probably serve you some of the best food you’ve ever had. For lodging options, you are options are kind of limited near the Recreation Center – the nearest spots are going to be Days Inn by Wyndham at Palo Alto  and Best Western Plus Palo Alto Inn & Suites . Both are on the affordable side, but if you’re looking for something higher end, downtown San Antonio has a myriad of other options for you.   Fans   4 This area was one that I was pleasantly surprised about. As mentioned, the weather was not in the least bit welcoming on my last visit, but that did not keep the Jaguars faithful from filling the stands. While the Recreation Center was not at capacity, there were still several hundred students and fans filling the stands. Part of this will admittedly be that the game was the culmination of TAMUSA’s first-ever Homecoming festivities. However, having fans in the building for a ball game is never a bad thing, no matter the reason they’re there. The crowd was loud, and the energy was high. I think the fan base will only grow in the coming years, as the school is really the proverbial “only game in town” in this area of the city.   Access   3 The Texas A&M University-San Antonio campus is about a 30 to 55-minute drive from San Antonio International Airport, and as mentioned, about 25 to 30 minutes from downtown, the literal and cultural center of the Alamo City. If you’re driving in, the exits to campus are clearly marked from the highway, and you can’t miss the university’s “grand entrance” gate. Signage on campus also points the way to the Recreation Center, which is also appreciated. Parking on campus is ample on game days. If you don’t want to drive, the city’s public transportation option, VIA Metropolitan Transit, offers routes to TAMUSA’s campus, but plan accordingly as it will take you quite a while to get there.   Return on Investment   3 Single-game tickets for Jaguars games start at just $8 per person, which is a pretty good bargain for some college hoops. To get in on the ground floor of a brand-new program, and see history in the making at such a small cost, is really the big draw here, making this score what it is. Food and beverage costs will vary based on the food truck status, but parking is free, which is always a bonus.   Extras   2 In terms of Extras, like many of the rest of the ratings in this review, this section is going to be graded on a bit of a curve. The Jaguars offer up some of the accoutrements that most college sports have to offer, for example, the TAMUSA Jaguarettes  cheer team can be found on the baseline and in the stands during basketball games. The school also boasts their own costumed mascot, General the Jaguar , who can also be found at the Recreation Center interacting with fans. More of these Extras will come, as the program stacks years and builds traditions, which will only serve to increase this score.   Final Thoughts I greatly look forward to seeing what TAMUSA does to continue building this program. Having more basketball in the area is good for everyone. The program and the university are off to a fantastic start, and I think the Recreation Center is the perfect first building block for both. While it is not a “bucket list” stop in its current iteration, I can see where they want to go, and I’m excited about it. Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Curb Event Center 1801 Edgehill Ave Nashville, TN 37212 Belmont Bruins website Curb Event Center website Year Opened: 2003 Capacity: 5,085 Claw ‘Em Nashville is considered “the country music capital of the world”, but it also can boast being a hot bed of college basketball as well. With four NCAA Division 1 basketball programs, Nashville only trails New York City as having the most such programs within its city limits. The Belmont Bruins made the move from NAIA to NCAA Division 1 at the start of the 2001 season; the Bruins began as an independent program for their first five seasons, prior to joining the Atlantic Sun (A-Sun) Conference. It took the Bruins no time to make themselves feel at home in the A-Sun, claiming both the regular season and conference tournament titles in 2006, and advancing to the NCAA tournament. The Bruins left the A-Sun In 2022, making a jump across the Midwest from the Ohio Valley to the Missouri Valley Conference, where they are looking for another NCAA tournament bid as members of “The Valley”. The Bruins opened Curb Event Center in 2003, shortly following their move to the NCAA – previously they had called Striplin Gym home, ever since the program was founded in 1953. Curb Event Center is not just an athletic venue, but has also hosted high profile events such as the 2006 Country Music Awards and presidential debates in 2008 and 2020.   Food & Beverage   2 Two concession stands in the main lobby of Curb Event Center serve somewhat limited menus; hot dogs and nachos with cheese are the featured items along with chips, assorted candy, and popcorn. Soft drinks include regular and Diet Pepsi, as well as the lemon-lime staple Starry. Limited flavors of Gatorade are also available, but alcoholic beverages are not available at Belmont.   Atmosphere   3 Curb Event Center is a beautifully constructed facility that certainly was designed to impress. Large pillars frame just as impressively large windows, and the venue’s archways help the building blend in with neighboring campus facilities. Large entry points feed into an equally as large and even more impressive Maddox Atrium, which overlooks the court. Each corner of the event center has some type of scoreboard, either a rather traditional board that provides time-score-foul information, along with individual player totals, or a larger HD video board which provides similar information. Timeouts are typically filled by performances from the Bruins spirt squads, backed by pre-recorded music. In a fun way to keep track of made 3-point baskets, cutouts of the number “3” are attached to the feather of a large balloon that floats high overhead at one end of the floor.   Neighborhood   5 Curb Event Center is on the western edge of Belmont’s campus, marking an area of Nashville where the city begins to transition into more residential neighborhoods. Just across the street from Curb Event Center is a small concentration of restaurants which includes Greek, Mexican, a deli, and a bagel shop. 12th Avenue, which creates the eastern boundary of campus, leads to the 12 South neighborhood and its many boutique shops, coffee houses, and restaurants is a popular location. It is also home to a popular Nashville photo stop, the “Believe in Nashville” sign. The area is neighbored by Vanderbilt University a mile to the west and inner-city rival Lipscomb  two miles south. Nashville’s famed Music Row is immediately to the north of Belmont’s campus, while just beyond Music Row is the center of Nashville’s night life, on Broadway, and the home of the Nashville Predators, Bridgestone Arena . A couple of miles to the east is Geodis Park , which could be hosting an MLS Cup match around the same time the Bruins basketball season is getting underway. Also, if in town for a full weekend, catching the Tennessee Titans  on Sunday could certainly complement an early season Bruins game on Saturday. There certainly seems to be an endless number of options in the city to nicely complement Belmont basketball, either from pairing a visit with any combination of Nashville’s other sports teams, professional or collegiate, or taking in the city’s rich country music scene, or just enjoying the Nashville night life – there undoubtedly is a lot that can make a full weekend of a visit to Belmont.   Fans   4 Attendance numbers run from the high 1,000s to low 2,000s, peaking at over 4,000 for the Battle of Broadway against Nashville rival Lipscomb . These numbers typically put the arena at just shy of half full, about middle of the pack throughout the Missouri Valley Conference. Belmont basketball fans are a big part of the overall Bruins basketball experience, being very in-tune with the ebbs and flows of the game. Fans are also quick to start up a chant of “Defense” immediately following a key basket that could spark a Belmont run.   Access   3 Fans navigating Nashville’s highways and surface streets can often fall victim to typical metropolitan congestion. The primary parking area is the adjacent parking garage, leaving just a short walk to the main entrance of Curb Events Center, but there is also some street parking along Belmont Boulevard that is near a secondary entrance. Fans enter into a spacious atrium that leads to a walkway, which travels around the entirety of the seating area. The far side of the walkway does pass behind the suites, blocking the view of the court from that side, but it is the only location where that is an issue. Nashville is a rather biker friendly city; with designated bike lanes on the streets around campus, biking is a real possibility as long as the weather is cooperative.   Return on Investment   5 Tickets start at $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under.  Seating options include any of the non-premium seats in the arena, so basic ticket prices certainly allow fans to be close to the action without having to shell out big dollars to do so. Concessions are a touch higher than might be expected, but consistent with typical arena markups. Considering parking in the adjacent parking deck is free, however, there are not many other NCAA Division 1 programs that offer such a deal when it comes to the all-in price of a night of college basketball.   Extras   3 Banners run the length of the court over the suite side of the seating area – the banners recognize the Bruins conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances for all of Belmont’s athletic programs. An interactive display in the lobby tells the story of both the men’s and women’s basketball programs at Belmont. A display along the wall behind the suites also looks at the highlights of Bruins teams who have called Curb Center home.   Final Thoughts There is not tons here to entertain the crowd throughout the game, but there is enough to keep even the youngest fan’s attention. Belmont fans do not seem to need much more than the game to hold their interest – fans of the Bruins have enjoyed a great deal of success over nearly the last two decades, so they understand what good basketball is and the role they play in helping to create a definite home court advantage at Curb Event Center. As Belmont finds its footing in a new conference, the level of competition they face on a regular basis in conference play will no doubt provide a quality college basketball experience.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Gainbridge Fieldhouse 125 S Pennsylvania St Indianapolis, IN 46204 Indiana Pacers website Gainbridge Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 1999 Capacity: 18,165 The Gainbridge Fieldhouse is All New Gainbridge Fieldhouse is nearing the completion of a three-phase renovation that transformed the Indiana Pacers' home into a modern facility with all the amenities of the 20s. The roughly $360 million will be incurred in the remodeling efforts, which includes a list of changes in this link . The building has new club seating and suites, renovated upper and lower bowls, and two additional club seating areas. Three distinct lower-level premium club experiences will also highlight the efforts that include two VIP member clubs that pay homage to the Pacer's former homes at the Indiana State Fairgrounds (1967-1974) and Market Square Arena (1974-1999). Morris Bicennential Plaza is located outside the main entrances and features a full-size basketball court for fans to shoot, dribble, and play a little basketball. The court converts to an ice skating rink during the winter months. The "Sphere" is a reflective, dome-like sculpture with an interior video screen that is ideal for photos. There are several murals and sculptures in the plaza, including a bar area for grab-and-go drinks. Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers, debuted November 6, 1999, as Conseco Fieldhouse. It would be known as Bankers Life Fieldhouse until September 2021. The seating capacity has increased from 17,923 to a whopping 20,000 - making it the 5th largest in the NBA. Food & Beverage 4 The food and beverage options have been updated at the fieldhouse and include new and familiar options. The Warehouse District BBQ and Three Point Taqueria are two options that offer fans something different at the game. The Indiana Kitchen offers lemon pepper and honey glazed chicken wings, short rib poutine, and maple bourbon sticks. If you are looking for familiar options then Fieldhouse Favorites has you covered. Hot dogs, nachos, chicken tenders, pizza, burgers, pretzels, and Pepsi products are all available. There is a value menu that features $4 hot dogs, $3 popcorn, and $8 PBR and Coors Banquet cans. A unique sweet treat is served at the Steak 'n Shake Milkshake Bar which offers cotton candy, mega M&M, and crazy chocolate brownie flavors. The Fast Break Market sells grab-and-go beverages and snacks. A nacho cart offers an array of toppings and Ben's Pretzels has long lines for freshly, made baked pretzels. The Crossroads Eats sells gourmet hot dogs. The Yuengling Flight Deck and the Jim Beam Bar offer beers, wine, and cocktails. It also has various TV screens and views of the playing court. Atmosphere 4 The Pacers have done a splendid job of creating an energetic atmosphere that starts in the main lobby. The atrium itself offers large windows, allowing natural lighting to fill up the area, and features banners of current players and a large roundel chandelier overlooking the half-circular staircase leading up to the main concourse. At times, the ceremonies in the lobby area include a barbershop quartet, a live band, or a drum band getting ready for the game. Fans are provided the chance to take in this musical environment as they purchase their tickets and walk up the stairs being greeted by staff and cheerleaders. The concourse has been revamped and features basketball-theme murals that are both popping with collar and creativity, along with honoring past greats who have suited up for the Pacers, Indiana Fever (WNBA), and high school teams of the state. Sadly, many of the trophy cases that once displayed basketball memorabilia are now gone, including the three ABA trophies and various team jerseys of the past. A $4.3 million 20 feet by52.5-foott video scoreboard includes underbelly panels for improving sightlines for fans sitting next to the court. This is surrounded by team banners of retired jerseys, league titles, and division championships. The Pacers’ gift shop has an array of team merchandise but is a little cramped for the size of the arena. However, a couple of stands and one station can personalize a jersey with your name on it located on the main concourse. Neighborhood 5 The fieldhouse is in the heart of downtown Indianapolis and even closer to retail and restaurants than Lucas Oil Stadium down the street. The only problem is choosing which place to grab a drink or eat before or after the game. Located near the arena is the local favorite Kilroy’s Bar and Grill offers 40 flat-screen televisions, shuffleboard, video games, and their famous pepperoni stuffed breadsticks. Another fan favorite, Brother’s Bar & Grill, is a short walk and is another popular destination before or after the game. A few more favorite spots after the game that are near the fieldhouse are District Tap, Tequila Street Cantina, and Pier 48 Fish House & Oyster Bar. If you have some time in town I would recommend visiting the neighborhoods of Mass Ave. and Fountain Square where one can enjoy live music, craft beer, fine dining, and a little shopping at local retail shops. Mass Ave. is also home to the Bottlework District which recently opened and houses The Garage where multiple foods and drink vendors offer an array of culinary treasures. Downtown Indy is also safe, clean, and easy to get around by car, foot, or mass transit. Local museums include The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Indiana State Museum, and the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. The riverwalk canal is also a nice spot for a stroll on a warm spring day. Fans 4 The fan base can be fickle at times when the team is not playing at playoff caliber, but that is expected for many others across the nation. With that being said, there are legions of dedicated fans who wear blue and gold no matter what the team’s record is at the moment. The fans are friendly towards visitors and make themselves heard through various cheering sections throughout the building. One thing is for certain, most people enjoy their time during a game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Access 4 The arena is easily accessible from the major interstates of 70, 65, and 465 with parking abundant throughout the downtown vicinity. After the game, exiting these facilities takes a little know-how of the one-way streets of Indianapolis, but signs are posted that direct customers to their desired route back home. Traffic moves smoothly during this time as well, as there are officers who are stationed to keep cars moving. The same can be said for moving around the building during the game. Bathrooms, entrances, and seating areas are well-marked. Return on Investment 4 The price of a ticket depends on who the team is playing. They can cost as low as $8 on the secondary market depending on the opponent and time of the week. However, ticket prices rise against popular opponents and on the weekends. The average price of a ticket will be between $25-30 on most nights. Parking ranges from $10-$20 the closer you arrive to the fieldhouse. I would recommend parking at the Circle City Centre Mall where the average price is $13 for 4-6 hours of parking. Metered parking is enforced until 11 PM on the street. There are no fees for Sunday games. The seats in the upper deck can be a little steep, but they do provide a great view of the court and play. There are many great vantage points from many levels and courtside seats put you almost in the play of the game. The organization provides affordable tickets that include mini-game packages that are posted on billboards across the city. Extras 4 The building itself provides wonderful aesthetics that begin in the main lobby and continue with vintage advertisements painted on brick walls. The collection of memorabilia showcases the building as a basketball-first facility. There is an impressive array of items from former professional clubs from the city, local high schools, and the major universities and colleges in the state. A great location near many bars, restaurants, and a few shops. The area is well-lit, clean, and safe. If you enjoy walking, explore downtown on foot. Final Thoughts The Gainbridge Fieldhouse has improved in many aspects from new concessions to wider concourses, and more luxury areas to entertain fans. The energy before the game and during time-outs in the game keep fans entertained throughout the game. Tickets are affordable to many games, parking can be found for as low as $10 in nearby garages, and there is plenty of places to visit for a nightcap after a Pacers game. —— Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at marc.viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center 284 Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Way Statesboro, GA 30458 Georgia Southern Eagles website Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center website Year Opened: 2024 Capacity: 5,500 Whose House?  Our House! The 2024-25 season was a transitional one for Georgia Southern Eagles basketball. On December 7, 2024 the Eagles played their final game in the 55-year-old Hanner Fieldhouse, before moving across campus to the newly completed Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center, which has quickly earned the moniker, “The Hill”. The Georgia Southern men’s team began writing its history at The Hill on December 17th with an 87-81 victory over the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs . The arena became the third home of Georgia Southern basketball since the program’s founding in 1926, following Anderson Hall and Hanner Fieldhouse. Since joining NCAA’s Division 1 in 1971, Georgia Southern men’s basketball has played in multiple conferences, including the Atlantic Sun (previously the TransAmerica Athletic Conference), Southern, and Big South. The school has been members of the Sun Belt Conference since the football program made the jump to college football’s highest level.   Food & Beverage   2 Hill Convocation Center’s concessions do not offer a lot in terms of the diversity of options. Hot dogs, pretzels, and nachos with cheese sauce make up the bulk of the menu, with snackables such as popcorn, peanuts, chips, and candy also available. Soft drinks are from the Coca-Cola line of beverages. Refillable cups are self-serve, so it is nice to not have to wait in line just for a refill, not to mention the disappointment of a cup full of ice and little beverage. Georgia Southern also offers a deep roster of alcoholic beverages with NUTRL hard seltzers, Cutwater canned mixed drinks, and Creature Comfort’s Tropicalia, which is often ranked as one of Georgia’s top craft beers. Also offered is the Georgia Southern-branded “Hail Southern” from Fire Maker Brewing. A grab-and-go station is tucked into the corner of one of the front halls – beyond snacks, this stand also pours draft Craft Cocktails Blue and Gold margaritas and Blue Splash draft cocktails.   Atmosphere   3 The exterior of Hill Convocation Center has the resemblance of an eagle with its wings extended, soaring through the air. The top of the arena is also surrounded with translucent panels which allow natural light in; this gives the whole arena an airy, bright feel to it that highlights the school color-themed blue seats and white finish. Permanent seating creates a horseshoe from the far end baseline, which is fronted by three rows of floor-level seating and a row of court side seats. Retractable bleachers fill out the home end of the floor. In addition, each corner of the concourse also has long drink rails that allow spectators to stand and enjoy the game. A rectangular video board is mounted on the far end wall, running a video feed of the game along with player point and foul totals, as well as game time and team fouls. A small scoreboard with just game time and score hangs over the façade at the entry end of the arena. For the most part, timeouts at Hill Convocation Center find a nice balance between the use of popular music and the school’s pep band to hold the attention of fans, while halftime is used for on-court promotions with fans, to help fill the downtime.   Neighborhood   3 Hill Convocational Center is just off the southern edge of Georgia Southern’s campus, nearly directly across the highway from Paulson Stadium , home of Eagles football. Highway 31, which runs in front of the arena, also has a selection of eateries and shopping plazas. The closest shopping development, University Station, has options that include Blaze Pizza and Wayback Burgers, amongst several shops, while the neighboring Eagles Corner shopping center houses a Publix supermarket, Crumbl Cookies, and Eggs Up Grill, which offers a breakfast and lunch menu. Eagles Corner is directly across the way from Tormenta Stadium, where South Georgia Tormenta FC of USL One plays – note that the start of Tormenta’s season overlaps with the end of the Eagles basketball schedule. If looking to fill time before a game, nearby is The Clubhouse; this family entertainment center includes bowling lanes, laser tag, and arcade games among their indoor activities, as well as miniature golf and go-carts outside. For a bit more of a local taste of Statesboro, “The Blue Mile” that runs along the western side of campus into downtown includes the popular Dolan’s Bar-B-Que, along with a handful of locally owned shops and restaurants. The area where Hill Convocation Center was built is still a bit of a work in progress, but has seen a tremendous amount of growth and will continue to develop in the coming years.   Fans   3 The move from Hanner Fieldhouse to The Hill does not seem to have had a major impact on overall attendance – conference attendance numbers this year have been comparable to last year, with approximately just over 2,000 fans per game. Given Statesboro’s milder winter climate, Georgia Southern baseball is frequently a host for early season series, which can certainly conflict with the interest of the student body and local community in Eagles basketball, come February. Despite somewhat down numbers overall, fans in attendance here are passionate about the success of their Eagles on the hardwood.   Access   3 Statesboro certainly is not the easiest place to get to, located approximately an hour west of the Georgia port city of Savannah and two hours from central Georgia’s Macon, along Interstate 16. Statesboro does break up the monotonous farmland between the two cities. Georgia Southern’s campus is roughly 10 miles off the interstate. The front entry point to Hill Convocation Center takes fans directly into the concourse that completely encircles the seating area. This is always a nice feature to have, since it allows fans to keep in touch with the game even during a trip to the restroom or concession stand. Televisions mounted on the walls also keep those out of their seats connected to the game. Currently there is just one way in and out of the parcel of land The Hill is located on. This can create a bit of a backup in exiting after the game, but local officers are on hand to help the process of getting back onto the highways run as smoothly as possible.   Return on Investment   3 Tickets start at a face value of $15 before a $2 “Competitive Excellence Fee” is added, along with a $3 service fee, to the order. These fees only apply to the order and not for each ticket purchased. Prices do receive a $5 bump on game days. Free parking is available both in the grass lots beyond the donor lots and along the roads of the still developing parcel of land where the convocation center is located. Concession prices seem comparable to other sports venues at similar levels; as expected there is a premium markup on alcohol.   Extras   4 Honored numbers from Georgia Southern’s basketball program hang from the wall at the far end of the arena. The wall on the eastern side of the concourse is home to the Georgia Southern Athletic Hall of Fame; this display lists the names of all inducted members, and features the most recent inductees on each side. As with most of Georgia Southern’s sporting events, Eagles mascot Gus is hard at work throughout the game interacting with fans and cheering on the Eagles. In an ode to the fans and the university, following the game the team joins the spirit squad, and remaining fans pay their respects by singing the school’s alma mater, as played by the pep band.   Final Thoughts When new facilities open, it often means the closing of a beloved venue, as is the case here at Georgia Southern. The move from Hanner Fieldhouse to Hill Convocation Center feels bittersweet – while Hanner’s wooden seats, narrow concourses, and less-than-ideal vantage points posed challenges, they were all part of its unique charm. What Hanner lacked in comfort, it more than made up for in atmosphere, creating an energy that may be hard to replicate in a larger arena. After all, 2,000 fans packed into a 3,000-seat gym feels much different than the same number spread across a venue nearly twice the size. Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center is a beautiful facility that many teams would be lucky to call home. Sometimes though, it just takes a bit of time to make a new home feel lived in, and feel like home.

Photos by Richard Smith Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark University Blvd North Charleston, SC 29406 Charleston Southern Buccaneers website Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 1,000 The Bucs Stop Here Charleston Southern University is a Baptist-affiliated school located in North Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Southern University was chartered in 1960 and became the Baptist College of Charleston, where it offered its first classes in the education building of the First Baptist Church of North Charleston. One of the most famous alumni is United States Senator Tim Scott. The sports teams are known as the Buccaneers and participate in the Big South Conference. The home field for the Buccaneers baseball program is the on-campus Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark. Food & Beverage 3 CSU Ballpark has a single concession stand located down the first baseline just beyond the home team dugout. It was not in use, but instead, there was a food truck parked by the front gate. The options were really good and quite popular. Atmosphere 4 The small college pride was in full effect at this game. The grandstands were packed and all sides of the field were filled with fans. Based on earlier reviews, the school has changed some of the setup at the field. The entrance looks slightly different, and some fixed seating along the backstop has been removed and replaced with white rocking chairs. It is a great look that makes things just seem much more cool. The stadium is a simple affair but is situated nicely in a hollow so that everyone, from all angles, will have a great view of the action. Neighborhood 3 Charleston Southern University is located right off I-26, which means it is easy to get to. Smokey Bones Bar and Grill and Willie Jewells Old School BBQ are two great food options in the area while the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel located next door to the university, is a great lodging choice. The Hampton Inn is also located in the vicinity of the university. Charleston is, of course, where you may want. to venture for many more interesting options. If you haven’t been to Charleston, just ask anyone who has and they’ll speak of the city with terms like “beautiful” and “favorite” that don’t do justice to the area at all. Charleston, South Carolina, is a city that beautifully blends historical charm with a vibrant, modern atmosphere. Charleston is renowned for its stunning architecture, particularly its well-preserved antebellum mansions. Think cobblestone streets, grand houses with sprawling porches, and lush, hidden gardens. The city's history is palpable, with landmarks like Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, and the Battery, a scenic waterfront promenade. The city boasts a thriving food scene, with a focus on fresh seafood and Southern cuisine. From upscale restaurants to cozy cafes, there's something to satisfy every palate. Fans 4 The stands are a family affair, filled with players and their loved ones, alongside a few dedicated locals. The crowd's knowledge is palpable, and their welcome is genuine, creating a uniquely supportive sporting experience. Access 4 Charleston Southern University and the CSU Ballpark are easily accessed via I-26 at exit 205. The school is located directly off the interstate. The baseball field is located at the rear of the campus and offers ample free parking. Return on Investment 4 Tickets are now free to Charleston Southern baseball games, whereas they were charged in the past. This makes for a great return on investment, along with the free parking and the good prices for concessions. . Extras 2 Find the small grove of nine palm trees planted just in front of the Baseball Complex Building. These trees are a memorial to the nine church members who perished in the Mother Emanuel AME Church shootings in Charleston. One of the victims was the mother of a CSU baseball player. The rocking chairs in place of regular seating around the backstop are a nice touch. Final Thoughts Attending a Charleston Southern University baseball game is about enjoying the simple pleasures of college sports in a warm and welcoming setting. It's a chance to connect with the community, appreciate the dedication of the athletes, and experience the unique blend of athletics and faith that defines the university.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Mustang Stadium 11005 Owings Mills Blvd Owings Mills, MD 21117 Stevenson Mustangs website Mustang Stadium website Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 3,500 A History of Horses There are times when something good can spring from something so bad. Stevenson University and its wonderful athletic facilities are "the good". The events of March 1984 were "the bad", at least for the residents of Maryland. At 2 am on March 29th of that year, fifteen Mayflower moving trucks arrived at the Baltimore Colts training facility in Owings Mills, a northwest suburb of Baltimore. Workers loaded all of the team’s belongings and the trucks left for Indianapolis arriving later that day to a massive welcome. The move happened in the dark since the Colt’s owner Bob Irsay feared the Maryland legislature would pass an eminent domain bill that would have legally barred the team from moving. The bill passed later that day but it was too late, as the locally beloved franchise was already gone. The former training facility had, in the early years after the Colts left, seen some of its lands sold off by then-property owners Baltimore City. The main building and field also were used as a training center for local police officers. Football returned from 1994 to 1995 as the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) used the training center. The Stallions were quite a success, easily the most successful of the United States CFL expansion teams, with strong attendance numbers and appearances in the CFL Grey Cup Championship Game in both years they were in town. In 1995 they even won that championship, but when the Cleveland Browns agreed to move to Maryland, the Stallions realized that they needed to move on. Move they did, back to Canada and they are still known today as the Montreal Alouettes. In 1996, the newly renamed Baltimore Ravens team took up residence in the Owings Mills facility. The team would move to a new center, also in the Owings Mills area, called the Under Armour Performance Center in 2004. That new facility is referred to as “The Castle” for its architectural style. Villa Julie College has always been a bit of a quirky place. Originally located in the Greenspring Valley of Baltimore County and its Stevenson neighborhood, the college was an all-girls school until 1972 and did not even offer bachelor degrees until 1984. It also was entirely non-residential. Eventually, the college desired to add housing and more of just about everything, so a new campus was added in Owings Mills. This expansion dramatically increased the college’s offerings and student population. In 2008, they decided they needed a new identity and changed their name to Stevenson University. The old campus is still in use. The Owings Mills campus just happened to be right next door to the old Baltimore Colts training facility. Stevenson acquired the building and land and used it as the center of their athletic department. In 2006 it re-opened as the Caves Sports and Wellness Center. Some of the locker rooms and facilities are similar to the ones left behind by the Ravens, with necessary remodeling done. In addition, in 2010, the 38,000-square-foot Owings Mills Gymnasium was added. Mustang Stadium is also home to the university’s soccer, football, and field hockey teams. Food & Beverage 4 There is one permanent food stand at Mustang Stadium. The prices are extremely fair, even if the menu is pretty limited. The best bargains are the Family Meal Deals which include three hot dogs, three drinks, three chips or one hot dog, one pretzel, three bottled waters, and an order of nachos. If I were there with my family buying these deals would be a given. There is plenty of room on the concourse level if they wish to have other temporary food stands. Credit cards are accepted at the official food stand. Atmosphere 3 Only a couple hundred fans tend to attend Mustang games. We were there for a weeknight game so the attendance was even lower. Even with a small crowd, the stadium has a nice atmosphere to it. The impressive stadium has general admission seating for 3,000 along the west side of the playing field. There is also a large press box and club level with 440 club seats, a patio, and a President’s Suite. A large student fitness center is also in the press box building and overlooks nearby Owings Mill Boulevard. With no track at the stadium, the fans are afforded a pretty close view of the game action. The concourse level also has a fully stocked team store if you decide to become a big Mustangs fan or purchase a souvenir. The official campus store is located nearby, outside of the stadium, if you need additional options. Neighborhood 4 Owings Mills is a suburb of Baltimore, so there are plenty of shopping centers and restaurants in the area. Many good options are within easy walking distance such as Subway, IHOP, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. The Owings Mills station of the Baltimore Metro subway system is located about a mile away from campus. Fans 3 There were not many fans at the game but this is Maryland so it tends to be a very knowledgeable lacrosse fanbase. Being a largely commuter university there may not be too many students at the games. There are residence halls near to the stadium so some student attendance is always possible. Access 4 Owings Mills Boulevard has an exit off of nearby Interstate 795. The stadium is a pretty quick one-mile trip from the highway. I worried about traffic in an area that is pretty busy even on normal days, but the traffic was no problem. The university has plenty of parking in the area and there are no issues here. Parking is free. Return on Investment 4 General admission tickets are $10. Concessions are reasonably priced, and parking is free, making a Stevenson lacrosse game a great value. Extras 3 The former home of three professional football teams, the Caves Sports and Wellness Center is worth a quick trip around the corner from Mustang Stadium. Try to remember 1984 and the pain and struggle that local football fans went through for years. Next to the stadium is a statue of a Mustang, the university’s mascot. This is a good meet-up spot and photo opportunity. Check out the cool mural, as well as the history signs about the Baltimore Colts, Baltimore Stallions, Baltimore Ravens, and the birth of Stevenson football. Final Thoughts Besides being on historic ground, Stevenson University’s Mustang Stadium offers the fans great value, as well as a nice place to watch lacrosse.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 MacLauchlan Arena @ Bell Aliant Centre University of Prince Edward Island 560 University Ave Charlottetown, PE C1A 9M8 UPEI Panthers website Bell Aliant Centre website Year Opened : 2003 Capacity : 1.160 Hockey Island One of the most unique provinces in Canada has to be Prince Edward Island.  The entire island is only 224 km long and has a population of approximately 180,000 but is politically on equal footing with the other 9 provinces.  The capital city of PEI is Charlottetown and it is the centre of commerce for the province.  The city has a population of 38,000 which lends to its small town, friendly feel.  It is definitely a summer tourist destination, but hockey is still present on the island.  The University of Prince Edward Island is found in Charlottetown and boasts 5,500 students.  UPEI was established in 1969 as the amalgamation of St. Dunstan’s University and Prince of Wales College, established in 1855 and 1860 respectively, which created the new institution designed to integrate the Catholic and Protestant communities of Charlottetown.  The UPEI Panthers hockey team is currently part of the Atlantic University Sport conference in USports.  Taking the ice in 1969 with the establishment of UPEI, the Panthers trace their history back to 1935 when St. Dunstan’s University Saints first took the ice.  Home for the Panthers is MacLauchlan Arena @ Bell Aliant Centre.  The on-campus sports complex houses the two ice rinks, which comprise the arena as well as a swimming pool and other community and athletic facilities.  Although Bell Aliant Centre is located on the UPEI campus, it truly is an area facility.  The arena is named after Harry MacLauchlan, a PEI businessman. Food & Beverage 2 Concessions options are fairly limited at MacLauchlan Arena.  The Lone Oak Lounge is essentially the only concussion option that is within the arena.  Lone Oak Brewing products are available.  There are also a couple of vending machines in the arena.  Outside the arena, in the greater Bell Aliant Centre, fans will be able to find a Subway as well as more vending machines in the lobby of the complex.  Although it could be argued that a full service Subway does offer a set of options wider than a typical snack bar, the Subway is enclosed and services the entire centre, making lines long and slow. Atmosphere 3 The Bell Aliant Centre has an exterior that fits the rest of the UPEI campus.  Brown brick and green roofs are found throughout the campus and the brown brick exterior of Bell Aliant Centre fits right in.  The Bell Aliant Centre is a large, community complex that houses the two rinks of the MacLauchlan Arena as well as a pool and other community facilities while being attached to UPEI’s Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre.  Inside the Bell Aliant Centre is a huge lobby which brings all of the facilities together.  The ticket kiosk is at the southeast end of the arena.  Just beyond that is a display of note highlighting the history of the Panthers’ predecessor, St. Dunstan’s Saints.  Entry to MacLauchlan Arena is on the opposite side with a breezeway that connects the two ice rinks.  Rink 1 is the bigger of the two and home to the Panthers.  Inside the rink, the ice is oriented from northwest to southeast with seating only on the southwest side.  Seating is separated into an upper and lower section with seven rows of plastic, arena seats each.  MacLauchlan Arena is very cold, so selecting a seat in the lower level, under one of the gas heaters may be the best choice.  Lower rows in the upper level may have partially obstructed views by railings. On the wall in the north corner hang the banners for the five conference championships that the Panthers have earned.  There are also retired numbers from both the Panthers and Saints including Wilfred MacDonald, Mike Kelly, George Trainor, Dennis Clough, Mike O’Brien, Vince Mulligan, Billy Mulligan, Dave Shellington and former NHL player, Joel Ward.  Closer to the eastern corner hangs a banner commemorating Hockey Day in Canada which was hosted from Prince Edward Island in 2012.  There are simple scoreclocks on both ends of the rink and in the middle, on the northeast wall is a decent videoboard, also unique for USports hockey.   The Lone Oak Lounge is a seating option in the southeast end and offers a place to consume alcoholic beverages and escape the cold of the arena.  The gameday production at Panthers games is fairly simple.  The sound system is good and the PA announcer does a good job.  The 50/50 draw is the highlight of limited promotions. Neighbourhood 4 Bell Aliant Centre is located on the campus of the University of Prince Edward Island in the Spring Park neighbourhood of Charlottetown.  It is fair to say that Charlottetown and PEI in general are summer destinations, however there are still things to see and do during hockey season.  That being said, probably an early season matchup for the Panthers would be the best medicine.  There are a number of spots for pre and post game food and beverage close by.  Some choices included Fox & Crow, Living Grace Cafe, Smitty’s Family Restaurant, and PEI Brewing Company.  There are a couple of other sports options in town.  The Panthers also field other athletic teams including basketball at the attached Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre.  The main draw would be the Charlottetown Islanders  of the QMJHL.  Red Shores Racetrack is right next door to the home of the Islanders and runs right through January before picking up again in May.  Other tourist options should be researched based on the time in PEI as many are seasonal.  PEI is the home of Anne of Green Gables, a Canadian literary classic, and there are a number of tourist options surrounding the character.  The Confederation Centre for the Arts, and St. Dunstan’s Cathedral are also good tourist options.  For fans wishing to stay near campus, the Holiday Inn is a good option. Fans 4 USports hockey fans can be a bit difficult to assess as the AUS, and other conferences, do not congregate attendance statistics.  That being said, UPEI has a fairly strong following.  For the 2024-25 season, the Panthers averaged over 500 fans per game, which ranked them 5th in the conference.  The previous season they ranked 3rd and averaged over 700 fans per game.  The game reviewed saw 350 fans in attendance, however, the 2024-25 season was not a strong one for the Panthers and the game reviewed was the final game of the season with no meaning to the standings.  It was also the Friday night before classes were closed for Reading Week and many students were gone.  The fans in attendance are supportive and decently loud.   Access 5 The Bell Aliant Centre is located on the campus of the University of Prince Edward Island in the Spring Park neighbourhood of Charlottetown.  Traversing Charlottetown is not difficult at all and Islanders are notoriously polite when it comes to motoring.  Bell Aliant Centre is less than 2 km south of the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 1), and getting to campus is very easy.  There is plenty of parking on site that is free during game time.  For fans who wish to take public transit, there are bus stops on University Avenue.  Fans should consult the T3 Transit website for fares, schedules and maps.  Inside Bell Aliant Centre, the atrium is huge and easy to get around.  It is also not difficult to maneuver through MacLauchlan Arena.  The washrooms are more than adequate to support the hockey crowd. Return on Investment 5 USports hockey offers tremendous value for the sporting dollar and the UPEI Panthers are no exception.  Panthers tickets start at $15 for adults and there are discounts for seniors and youth.  Kids 3 and under are free as well as UPEI students.  Seating is reserved at MacLauchlan Arena which is not common for USports hockey, so pre purchasing tickets online might be the best option.  Parking is free on site for games, and concession prices are decent.  The environment for Panthers games is solid and they are supported well by the community, making a Panthers game a great experience. Extras 3 An extra mark for the preservation of St. Dunstan’s Saints hockey history with retired numbers and a history display in the atrium. An extra mark for the Bell Aliant Centre as a community hub for Charlottetown. An extra mark for the attractive UPEI campus. Final Thoughts Hockey is probably not the first thing tourists think of when it comes to PEI, but the UPEI Panthers are a good experience and can definitely be part of a visit to the Island.  Charlottetown is an excellent location for a vacation.  MacLauchlan Arena is a good spot for university hockey and fans will definitely enjoy their time at the Panthers game. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Arnold Field 101 N College Ave Annville, PA 17003 Flying Dutchmen website Arnold Field website Year Opened: 1969 Capacity: 2,000 Valley Lacrosse Lebanon Valley College is a liberal arts college in downtown Annville, PA. Annville is in Lebanon County, east of Hershey. Founded in 1866 Lebanon Valley has approximately 1,600 undergraduates. The Princeton Review has recognized the college as “A Best in the Northeast” and they have over thirty-five fields of study . The school’s teams are called the Flying Dutchmen, and its mascot is the Dutchman. The college is known as the home of the 1994 NCAA Division III National Champions in basketball. That 1994 championship victory over New York University was a controversial affair when a Dutchmen shot that won the game may or may not have been by the sound of the buzzer. But no matter what, the school hosts that championship proudly, as they should. Arnold Field is the home to LVC's football, field hockey, track & field, and men's and women's lacrosse teams. Food & Beverage 0 There is no real official concession stand at Arnold Field. Food could be set up as a temporary affair if the game is big enough as there is plenty of space around the field. Atmosphere 3 The crowds are into the game but they are not that large. We imagine bigger games, later in the season, and warmer weather might make this a more exciting place to watch a game. There is just not much to a Lebanon Valley lacrosse match. Neighborhood 4 Annville is a great little town of a little less than 5,000 about 8 miles east of Hershey, PA. The college is right in the heart of downtown. Funck’s Family Restaurant, Corvette Grille and Bar, and Harper’s Tavern are all local establishments that offer good food pre and post-game. The Pennsylvania chain, Hoss’s Steak & Sea House, is another option right in Annville. The food is good, cheap, and certainly plentiful. J & S Pizza is a decent option within walking distance of campus. Fans 4 The attendees at most games are family members or other athletes. There may be a few local residents who attend the games. The fans are knowledgeable and friendly to visitors. Access 4 Located on Route 422 between Lebanon and Hershey, Annville is easy to find and has no problem handling the crowds for such a small stadium. Expect that on busy game days, you will hit some traffic on Route 422, especially on Bellegrove Road by the athletic complex. There is a good amount of parking, but do plan ahead. The athletic fields are located north of the main campus, separated by a railroad. Return on Investment 5 The games are free to attend. That, along with the free parking, means that you can attend a good-level Division III program at no cost. Extras 3 Check out the John Zola statue on the east side of the stadium. This junior football running back in 1961, was killed during a game at Drexel. His 1961 teammates donated the money for the statue. Make sure to stop into the nearby Arnold Sports Center and check out the LVC Hall of Champions. This museum-like display space commemorates the great individual and team achievements of Flying Dutchman athletics. Peak into the Arnold Arena and see the 1994 National Championship basketball banner. Final Thoughts Arnold Field at Lebanon Valley College is not a fancy stadium but shows why small college athletics is such a treasure in this country. A sports fan visiting central Pennsylvania owes it to themselves to see if a game is going on when they are in the area.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Avenir Centre 150 Canada Street Moncton, NB E1C 0V2 Moncton Wildcats website Avenir Centre website Year Opened: 2018 Capacity: 8,800 The Wild Maritime Hub There is a bit of an argument as to where the hub of the Maritime provinces is in Canada.  Many point to Halifax, as it is the biggest city.  However, the combination of geography and population might just give the nod to Moncton, New Brunswick.  The population of the City of Moncton is almost 80,000 with the metropolitan area coming in at almost 158,000.  The location is much more central to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island than Halifax, which is on the east coast.  In 2018, Moncton further expanded their case by building the Avenir Centre.  With a downtown location, a capacity of 8,800 and their main tennant, the QMJHL Moncton Wildcats, Avenir Centre hosts plenty of concerts and shows that attract people from all over the area.  Avenir Centre has co-hosted the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships and is in the mix for a future Memorial Cup.  The naming rights are held by Avenir Hearing, a local chain of hearing clinics. The Wildcats were founded as the expansion Moncton Alpines in 1995 and played out of the Moncton Coliseum.  After one season they were purchased by local industrialist Robert Irving and renamed the Moncton Wildcats.  For the 2024-25 season, the Wildcats have lured USports hockey coaching legend Gardiner MacDougall to take the reins of the team.  Moncton has seen plenty of NHL alumni pass through including Corey Crawford, Brad Marchand and former coach Ted Nolan.  The WIldcats earned the Presidents’ Trophy as the best team in the QMJHL in 2006 and 2010. Food & Beverage 5 Avenir Centre offers best-in-class concession options.  There is something for everyone available and concession stands are unique and do not all have the same menu.  The expected hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels and the likes are available but there is also so much more.  Big Belly Deli offers a variety of sandwiches including Philly Cheese Steaks and Montreal Smoked Meat; The Hub offers a variety of burgers; Slice of Paradise offers a variety of unique pizza options; Mexi’s Fresh Express has a variety of TexMex options; Sugar Rush has a variety of confection options; Authentic Poutinerie has a variety of poutine options; and Beaver Tails has a variety of the uniquely Canadian treat available as well.  Pepsi products are the soda of choice in the Avenir Centre and Tim Hortons has a stand serving up Canada’s staple coffee.  Moosehead Light has a huge presence at Avenir Centre and would probably be considered the beer of choice. Atmosphere 4 Avenir Centre is a modern, professional looking building.  There is a large plaza at the northeast side of the arena which features some modern sculptures and a small ice rink, and leads to the main entry.  The exterior is a combination of brown, marble-like covering and huge windows.  The north entrance leads to a huge, modern atrium with plenty of natural light able to pour in.  The mascots are available to welcome fans and pose for photo ops and there are banners honouring such Wildcat Alumni who made it to the NHL like Brad Marchand, Keith Yandle and Corey Crawford.  The team store is on the main level at the north entry.  Fans will ascend the staircase to the main concourse, which is bright and wide and clean.  The concourse has a brand-new feel to it and remains a bit sterile.  There are a few things for fans to look at, including a large Tim Hortons Timbits Hockey display and team pictures for all of their years in existence.  There are not a ton of other Wildcats markings. Inside the arena, the ice is oriented from south to north with the centre ice logo picture best taken from the east side.  The seating consists of modern plastic arena seats of various colours and numbers of rows.  The east side has the fewest seats, but does offer two stories of luxury boxes as well as the pressbox.  At ice level on the south side, the seats have been retracted and the Moosehead Light Ice Bar is available for fans.  A modern, four-sided videoboard hangs above centre ice.  On the north side of the arena banners for the 2006 and 2010 Presidents Cup as QMJHL Champions hang, along with banners for division and conference championships.  On the opposite side, the retired number 29 honouring Corey Crawford hangs.  Banners for local legends of a previous era Phillip Doiron, Oscar Gaudet and Bill Riley also hang.  The Wildcats do their best to put together a professional gameday production.  The team enters the ice from the northwest corner through illuminated cat claws.  Classic rock often plays through the crystal clear sound system and the in-game host leads a few promotions.  Finally, organist Lynden Steeves entertains the crowd from the southeast corner box with his musical talents and red, sequined blazer. Neighbourhood 5 Avenir Centre is located in Downtown Moncton.  Moncton is known as a bit of a foodie haven and there are tons of places to grab pre or post game food and drink.  Some options include La Vida Resto-Bar, Chris Rock Tavern, Monk10 Taproom, Gahan House Hub City, Tide and Boar Gastropub, Triiio Restaurant, Gusto Italian Grill, Gallagher’s Irish Pub and Pump House.  Université de Moncton fields athletic teams in USports, specifically hockey at Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque.  Other tourist options include Riverfront Park, Resurgo Park, Musée Acadien and Moncton Highland Games.  Moncton is a bilingual city so there will be plenty of French to hear.  For fans wishing to stay near the arena, Crowne Plaza Moncton Downtown, Delta Hotels Beausejour and the Hyatt are all good choices within walking distance. Fans 4 Moncton fans have turned out to see the Wildcats.  At the time of writing, the Wildcats averaged over 4,900 fans per game.  In the previous season, 2023-2024, the Wildcats averaged over 4,600 fans per game.  In both cases this ranked the Wildcats third in the QMJHL behind Québec  and Halifax . Moncton fans like to use cowbells on Wildcat goals or huge plays, however, they are very quiet during the play and hearing some talk on the ice was not impossible during the game that was reviewed.   Access 5 Avenir Centre is located in Downtown Moncton at the corner of Main Street and Canada Street.  It is a couple of blocks from the junction of Main Street and Vaughn Harvey Boulevard, which is a main north-south artery.  It is quite a distance from the Trans-Canada Highway, so going through some of the city when coming from the north will be necessary.  There is parking on site at a cost and many fans attempt to find other parking downtown.  For fans who wish to take public transit to the game, the Via Rail Train Station is immediately southwest on Canada Street and doubles as the bus depot.  There are also bus stops on Main Street.  Fans should consult the Codiac Transpo  website for fares, maps and schedules. Inside the Avenir Centre, the councourses are wide and bright and it is a very comfortable arena.  Washroom facilities are good for the facility. Return on Investment 4 Tickets for the Wildcats are $25 with discounts for Seniors, Youth and Students.  Fans will probably have to pay around $14 for parking and concession prices are a bit on the expensive side.  However, the Wildcats put together a very professional gameday production and the quality of the hockey on the ice is very high.  Overall, taking in a Wildcats game when in the area is a must. Extras 3 An extra mark for preserving Moncton hockey history with the retired numbers of local legends. An extra mark for the professional environment provided by the Wildcats and Avenir Centre. An extra mark for the Maritime hub location of Moncton. Final Thoughts Avenir Centre provides a maritime hub for plenty of entertainment acts in Moncton.  The Moncton Wildcats are benefitting from this top-notch facility and are putting on a professional-like production, making the Wildcats a must-see event in the QMJHL. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Sorrentino Gymnasium 101 N College Ave Annville, PA 17003 Flying Dutchmen website Sorrentino Gymnasium website Year Opened: 2003 Capacity: 1,650 Champions Gym Lebanon Valley College is a liberal arts college in downtown Annville, PA. Annville is in Lebanon County, east of Hershey. Founded in 1866 Lebanon Valley has approximately 1,600 undergraduates. The Princeton Review has recognized the college as “A Best in the Northeast” and they have over thirty-five fields of study . Lebanon Valley College is a member of NCAA Division III and competes in the Middle Atlantic Conference. The school has produced 11 all-Americans and was the 2009 and 2011 ECAC Southwest Bowl champions. The school’s teams are the Flying Dutchmen, and its mascot is the Dutchman. The college is known as the home of the 1994 NCAA Division III National Champions in basketball. That 1994 championship victory over New York University was a controversial affair when a Dutchmen shot that won the game may or may not have been by the sound of the buzzer. But no matter what, the school hosts that championship proudly, as they should. Sorrentino Gymnasium is located within the Arnold Sports Center, The headquarters of LVC Athletics. The Arnold Sports Center is home to the Arnold Arena fieldhouse and LVC's pool, as well as offices for LVC's athletic administrators and coaches. The building houses a 196-meter track, and the infield can be converted to four basketball, volleyball, or tennis courts. Food & Beverage 2 There is no real official concession stand at the venue. There is a small vending machine area and the venue has plenty of room for temporary stands if they so choose. You can bring outside food to the venue. Atmosphere 5 The small college pride of Lebanon Valley College was in full effect at this game. The arena was packed and all sides of the gym were filled with fans. The arena is a very nice facility and exudes the energy of a Division I facility. Some cheerleaders help the atmosphere. There is a small, old scoreboard, which may be the only real negative for the venue. A videoboard would pump this venue to the highest levels. Neighborhood 4 Annville is a great little town of a little less than 5,000 about 8 miles east of Hershey, PA. The college is right in the heart of downtown. Funck’s Family Restaurant, Corvette Grille and Bar, and Harper’s Tavern are all local establishments that offer good food pre and post-game. The Pennsylvania chain, Hoss’s Steak & Sea House, is another option right in Annville. The food is good, cheap, and certainly plentiful. J & S Pizza is a decent option within walking distance of campus. Fans 4 The crowds at Lebanon Valley do not disappoint. There is quite a bit of obvious school pride with fans attending in droves. The athletic teams here are supported well and have shown a great deal of ability for their fans. Access 4 Located on Route 422 between Lebanon and Hershey, Annville is easy to find and has no problem handling the crowds for such a small stadium. Expect that on busy game days, you will hit some traffic on Route 422, especially on Bellegrove Road by the athletic complex. There is a good amount of parking, but do plan ahead of time. You can also try to park in downtown Annville and walk over the railroad pedestrian bridge to the athletic fields. The athletic fields are located north of the main campus, separated by a railroad. Return on Investment 4 There is a $5 cash price for admission. The value is good for this high quality of venue. Extras 5 There are so many sports venues in the same area as the gymnasium so check to see if any other sports are going on at the same time. Check out the LVC Hall of Champions. This museum-like display space commemorates the great individual and team achievements of Flying Dutchman athletics. Take a look at the 1994 National Championship basketball banner. The team is supported by a very good cheerleader squad with some nifty cheers. Final Thoughts Sorrentino Gymnasium is one of the finest small college arenas we have seen. sports fan visiting central Pennsylvania owes it to themselves to see if a game is going on when they are in the area.

Staff Photo Courtesy of the San Diego Times-Union Today, ballparks are built to be the centerpiece of a burgeoning district or neighborhood, a venue that will bring people together for more of a social event than just a ballgame. A new ballpark aims to raise the bar for the ultimate social experience and modern amenities every few years. There was one such ballpark built in San Diego over 65 years ago that was ahead of its time in both modern comfort and style, however, the forward progress of the city in obtaining major league status would ultimately prove to be the death knell for Westgate Park. Westgate Park would be the home to the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League from 1958 to 1967; it has been overlooked by many in terms of sentiment; it featured many current amenities and standards for today’s stadiums. Banker C. Arnholt Smith purchased the minor league Padres in 1955 and kept the team in the town after former owner Bill Starr fell into financial problems. The club was playing at Lane Field, an old WPA stadium that according to Smith was “slapped together with old lumber and falling apart”. The stadium was pretty “punk” and infested with termites eating away at the wooden structure providing it with its nickname “termite village”. “We bought the team for about $300,000. Of course, after we bought it, then everybody started screaming that we needed a new stadium!,” After being advised, Smith picked the pastoral land of the undeveloped Mission Valley to erect his new building. At the time, the area was known for its vast farmland, miles away from downtown. However, there must have been a vision of the area’s potential since the city council voted in June 1958 to rezone 90 acres of farmland along I-8 near where the Padres new stadium would be erected. Smith, who also owned the Westgate-California Tuna Packing Co., financed the $1 million stadium out of his pockets and was seen as a baseball savior in San Diego. Attendance at Padres games and ballparks around the country was fleeting due to television and broadcasts of major league baseball games in numerous markets coast to coast.  Westgate Park's electronic scoreboard with the two giant tuna cans to promote the company. (CBS 8 San Diego) Westgate Park would be a state-of-the-art facility that would be the envy of not only the PCL but the rest of the baseball world.  The 8,268-seat ballpark featured theater-style seating with armrests and a steel roof that shaded a majority of the grandstand. Four light towers on the roof leaned forward at about a 60-degree angle.  Smith even gave his ballpark a corporate name after his tuna company. San Diego Union Times  Sports Editor Jack Murphy, whose name would grace a future stadium, wondered if there would be resentment in the “commercialization of the name”, but proclaimed it the finest stadium in minor-league baseball. “Not even Yankee Stadium or Boston’s Fenway Park can surpass the comforts and conveniences of the Padres’ new home on Friars Road.” There were no outfield bleachers; the area was made of grass seating for fans to lay out in the sun to watch the game.  The seating sloped down to field level behind the outfield fence. Photos of the ballpark show a similar setup that would be incorporated into various ballparks, roughly 35 years later. Accenting the ballpark was an array of trees, shrubs, flowers, and tropical plants throughout the ballpark's exterior and interior. Perhaps the most exotic of all these trees and plants were the eucalyptus trees planted on both sides of the scoreboard in left field. “It was well-engineered. We dug it down so as you walked in, you were about halfway up in the seating area and the field was below you, added Smith. “It brought the audience right up close to the team’s activity. You could hear the players swearing and yelling at each other.” Westgate (L-R) had slanted towers, a storage room for peanuts, multiple ticket booths, and theater-style chairs. (CBS 8 San Diego) When it came to concessions, the stadium provided vast kitchens with walk-in coolers for both beer and soda. There was a heat-control storage room for peanuts set to 120 degrees and reportedly held up to 10,000 bags at a time.  Another unusual concept of the era, but very common today, was different and outrageous menu options. The park sold a tubed-shaped item called “tunies”  made out of fish, a fish hot dog. They were originally created in in 1941 as a meat substitute for Catholics on Fridays. Smith produced them at his cannery and loved how the skinless tuna hot dog tasted. He said they looked and tasted better than a hot dog. What is even more bizarre is that it appeared that regular pork or beef hot dogs were not sold, but after a little while the “tunies” were scrapped in favor of the more traditional ballpark staple. Other concessions included hamburgers, popcorn, potato chips, ice cream sandwiches, beer, Pepsi and 7Up products, and cigars. Westgate had a carnival-like atmosphere with c i rcuses, concerts, and zoo animals entertaining fans. These acts would soon relocate to the San Diego Sports Arena, now Valley View Casino Center, in 1966. The next year the San Diego Rockets of the NBA began operations; the times were changing rapidly, and America’s Finest City was fast becoming a major league town. When the Major Leagues expanded in 1961 and 1962, San Diego was optimistic about landing a team sometime soon. That feeling only heightened when 9,000 fans watched an exhibition game between the Milwaukee Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers in April 1962 at Westgate Park. Westgate's outfield walls feature no billboard ads and plenty of green lawn seating behind the chainlink fence. (CBS 8 San Diego) The next year the Braves flirted with relocation to San Diego and blueprints were developed that added a second deck to Westgate to increase capacity to 43,000. However, the Braves stayed in Milwaukee until announcing it would relocate to Atlanta for the 1966 season. The next year a bid was put up to move the Cincinnati Reds to town, but they were sold to a local group that kept the franchise in Ohio. Around the same time, the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League were threatening to relocate up the road to Anaheim if the antiquated Balboa Stadium, built in 1914, was not replaced. Soon there was a push, headed by Murphy, for a brand new 50,000-seat dual-purpose stadium. One would only have to look at the team’s 1966 official program that featured the city skyline and a small banner on the cover that proclaimed San Diego as a city in motion. A few months later on November 2, 1965, a $27 million bond was passed allowing for the construction of a multipurpose stadium that would fit 50,000-60,000 people. Westgate is featured heavily on its game-day programs, notice by 1966 that the team was pushing away from Gateway Park imagery By the time San Diego Stadium’s was completed in time for the 1967 football season for the Chargers, Westgate Park had already hosted its last game. The Padres final year in the PCL would be played at the massive stadium that would serve as the home to the major league Padres from 1969 to 2003. “So after we moved the team to San Diego Stadium, we said, what the hell are we going to do with Westgate?” Ernie Hanh, the Director of the US National Bank, came up with the idea of building a shopping center on the site. It was centrally located and everybody could get there by car. And with that decision, Westgate Park was torn down and replaced with the Fashion Valley Mall. The successful mall opened in 1969 becoming the leading shopping center in the San Diego area, boasting 1.7 million square feet of floor area.  The Padres were the top affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies during its last three seasons and were relocated to Eugene, Oregon. The theater-style seats and lighting poles would be sold to its new home at Civic Stadium which had to be renovated to be up to minor league standards of the day.  The 800 seats would remain at its new home until 1986 when plastic blue, plastic seats replaced them. Westgate Park's demise came from San Diego’s aggressive progress in professional sports. When it opened in 1957, the city did not have a major league club, 13-years-later it had teams in the NFL, MLB, and NBA.  The City in Motion was no longer a minor league town.  The forward-thinking design of grass outfield seating, a sunken bowl, attention to aesthetics, a corporate name, and detail to concessions would become hallmarks of minor league baseball clubs decades later in the 1990s and early 21st century.  It was a stadium that was ahead of its time. One last nod to Westgate’s legacy is in Kissimmee, Florida, where the blueprints were utilized in designing a new Spring Training park for the Houston Astros  Osceola County Stadium in 1985.  Had any of these things worked out differently: 1) the stadium issue doesn’t pass for a major league team, 2) the Chargers relocate to Anaheim, or 3) Buffalo is awarded an expansion team in the N.L.--Westgate Park would have hosted baseball for a longer period and perhaps become much more cherished by San Diegoians and ballpark lovers alike. ---- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .   Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 F & M Bank Arena 101 Main Street Clarksville, TN 37040 Austin Peay Governors website F&M Bank Arena website Year Opened: 2023 Capacity: 5,500 It’s Tipoff Time in Stacheville From its tip in Johnson City with the   East Tennessee State Buccaneers , to its tail in Memphis with the Tigers , Tennessee has a deep love of college basketball that runs throughout the state. Twelve NCAA Division 1 schools represent the state; in Middle Tennessee on the banks of the Cumberland River, the city of Clarksville is home to the Governors of Austin Peay State University. Named after former Tennessee governor Austin Peay, the first basketball team took to the hardwood here in 1929 – this would be the first sport played at Austin Peay.  The university built its first facility dedicated to basketball, Memorial Gym, in 1950. The venue soon earned the nickname “The Red Barn”, partially due to its resemblance to a brick barn, but also possibly in reference to the mule that is rumored to be buried under the court, whose ghost haunted the halls of the building, according to legend. The Govs would spend 25 seasons at Memorial Gym before moving to Winfred Dunn Center, referred to as “The Big Red Barn”, carrying over the moniker. This would be the home of Austin Peay basketball for 47 seasons until the opening of off-campus F&M Bank Arena in 2023. Since moving to the NCAA’s Division 1 in 1962, the Governors were members of the Ohio Valley Conference, but the teams recently moved to the Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun) in 2022, where they remain today.   Food & Beverage   4 Concessions around the arena provide various options that go beyond typical concession menus; the Hot or Cold stand serves chicken tender baskets, either traditional or in a Nashville Hot Chicken style, and can also have mac-and-cheese added. Also available is a boneless pork chop on a potato bun with a side of fries. Another option, the Buzzer Beater Burgers stand, is much more than just that – beyond the obvious burgers, options also include patty melts, cheesesteak, smoked bologna, and footlong corndogs. In addition, a pair of self-serve locations take care of the typical fare such as hot dogs, pizza, and other arena classics. Soft drinks offered at F&M Bank Arena are from the Coca-Cola family of beverages, but fans have many more choices beyond that. Monster Energy, Powerade, Dunkin Iced Coffee, Body Armor, and various iced teas can be found at the grab-and-go locations, while alcoholic beverages include Twisted Tea, White Claw and High Noon seltzers, wine, and domestic beers. Craft beers include Michael Waltrip’s Talladega Light and Bristol Sunshine Tangerine Ale. Clarksville brewers are also well represented, including brews from Blackhorse Brewery and Star Spangled Brewing Co. Also available are both premixed canned and hand mixed liquor drinks. It is refreshing to see that the focus of stadium food here is not what has come to be expected at practically every other athletic facility.   Atmosphere   3 From the front, F&M Bank Arena does appear to be a bit of a smaller venue, due to it being built into the slope of the area. However, it houses not only a full-size arena, but also a practice-size ice rink, all under one roof. A large, four-sided scoreboard hangs over center court and runs a video feed of the game, framed by rotating panels of individual player and team statistics. The facing in front of media row also runs a tally of the current game time and score. One of the challenges of multi-use facilities is they tend to push fans further from the action at the ends of the court; F&M Bank Arena helps counter this with multiple rows of floor seating, which does help bring more of an atmosphere to those parts of the arena. However, the seating in the stands at one end of the arena does feel a bit distant from the action on the floor. Timeouts are mostly filled with on-court contests or fan interactive cams on the scoreboard. Also, when they are not entertaining with fan engagement pieces, the Austin Peay pep band is a featured part of breaks in play. One of the drawbacks of the non-university owned facility is there does not seem to be much, other than the banners in the rafters, that tells the story of the history of Austin Peay basketball. This is not to say there is no Austin Peay branding around the arena, but it would be nice to see more that tells the story of the program.   Neighborhood   4 F&M Bank Arena bridges the gap between the Austin Peay campus and downtown Clarksville, two blocks from the Cumberland River. The area directly surrounding the arena is a mix of new development and repurposed buildings from a previous era – to one side is Shelby’s Trio, a very modern feel of three levels made up of the motor-themed Joe’s Garage, Trattoria Di Cat’s Italian cuisine, and the rooftop Skyline Bar 500, while the opposite side of the arena features Strawberry Alley Ale Works,  Blackhorse Pub & Brewery, and the late night Taproom. If looking to pass some time before an evening tipoff, the Austin Peay campus is a short walk away from the facility. In addition, less than 10 minutes out of downtown Clarksville are the Dunbar Caves, which offer guided tours. Those who might be in Clarksville for more than just the day might want to consider staying at the Double Tree by Hilton; the hotel is directly behind F&M Bank Arena and within walking distance of the area’s shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. The I-24 exit off US-79 also has a large cluster of hotels, but they are well removed from the downtown area.   Fans   3 Austin Peay ranks in about middle of the pack when considering average attendance numbers throughout the A-Sun Conference. When looking for a game with the most fan impact, the match up with nearby rival Murray State  fills the seats of F&M Bank Arena to a raucous level – these rivalry games really fill out the 5,500-seat arena past its stated basketball capacity. The Clarksville community appears to do a good job coming out to support the Governors, but the student involvement appears to be a work in progress. As the program continues to find stability, student engagement can play a key role boosting the game experience at F&M Bank Arena.   Access   3 Interstate 24 runs locally out of Nashville and makes getting to Clarksville rather simple. The streets around the arena do get somewhat congested as game time approaches, and the number of one-way streets in the area can make navigating them a bit tricky at times. With entry points on three of four sides, getting into F&M Bank Arena is made as convenient as possible. Due to the extreme slope of the streets leading toward the river, however, the main entry point on College Avenue comes into the suite level at the top of the arena. The open concourse around the top of the seating bowl allows the energy of the game to permeate the entire arena; this allows fans to leave their seats and still keep up with what’s happening in the game.   Return on Investment   3 Tickets start at just over $20 before fees are added, which, considering the use of Ticketmaster, are kept rather nominal. Parking around the arena is another cost that needs to be factored in when considering the all-in expense. Concessions do seem to be a bit high, but the options at F&M Bank Arena are of higher quality than would typically be found at similar-sized arenas, so this does seem to rationalize the slightly higher prices.   Extras   3 Austin Peay’s mascot, “The Gov”, is active at court level cheering on the Governors, interacting with fans, and accompanying the cheer and dance squads in keeping fans entertained until play resumes. The rafters of the arena showcase the Govs’ conference and tournament championships, NCAA tournament appearances, retired numbers, and the 420 wins in the career of longtime Governors Coach Dave Loos. With new facilities typically come an updated lighting package – the lighting at F&M Bank Arena allows for an impressive pregame show, as well as late game timeouts to help get the fans into a bit more of a frenzied state during pivotal moments of the game.   Final Thoughts There is probably little doubt throughout the A-Sun that F&M Bank Arena is the most impressive facility throughout the conference; the comfort and amenities offered here certainly are second to none. The location in downtown Clarksville is also another feature that simply cannot be rivaled in the A-Sun. There is work to be done here in bringing in a consistent crowd, especially on the student side of the equation, but the current experience is a strong foundation to build upon.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Harford Varsity Baseball Field 401 Thomas Run Rd Bel Air, MD 21015 Harford Fighting Owls website Harford Baseball Field website Year Opened: 2014 Capacity: 1,000 The Fighting Owls of Bel Air Harford Community College is located in Bel Air, MD, roughly in between Baltimore and the Delaware state line. They play in NJCAA Division I, the highest athletic level for 2-year colleges and are a part of the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference. Having played on the fairly worn Thomas Run Park baseball field, Harford wanted to update its facilities. So in 2014 the college began an extensive remodel of the facility. The nearby APG Federal Credit Union Arena also opened in the last few years. The Aberdeen Arsenal of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball played the 2000 season at Thomas Run Park. The Arsenal departed to make room for the Aberdeen IronBirds, the A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles owned by Cal Ripken, Jr. The University of Delaware used the Harford Baseball Field for many home games while their home Bob Hannah Stadium was being remodeled in 2014. Delaware also usually plays against the University of Maryland at least once per season here at Harford Varsity Baseball Field, since it is located nearly halfway between the two schools. Food & Beverage 1 There technically is no food offered at the Harford Varsity Baseball Field, but with the nearby Wawa convenience store a short walk down the paved path between fields, I count it as the field’s own concession stand. The food offerings vary from hoagies, soup, quesadillas, and hot dogs. And the prices are better than most concession stands. Atmosphere 2 The new grandstand is a very nice set of stands with seat backs that wrap from dugout to dugout. Those seats will be behind a netting. There are also older seating sections further down each line that is away from the netting. If you hate to watch a game through nets you may want to move over there, although you will not have seat backs. The field is an artificial surface. This includes the infield, which is artificial turf painted brown. Some true baseball fans may hate that, but it is understandable that a community college may want to keep maintenance cost down by using such a surface. There is not much else in terms of atmosphere as it is a JUCO level baseball game. The team does have a PA announcer and plays walkup music for players. Neighborhood 4 Harford Community College is in a suburban location and has plenty of free parking. The area is safe and has many restaurants nearby. Naughty Dogs is within walking distance and has a fun, cheap bar for pre and post-game refreshments, along with food such as pit beef. JD’s Smokehouse located across the street provides another option for food and drinks and some pretty good barbecue. If you are in the mood for Mexican, La Tolteca is located just a brief distance away and is a consistently good food place. Travel into Bel Air and there are multiple chain and local options. Zen 16 Sushi Cafe and MaGerks Pub & Grill are some great options. A quick drive in the other direction is Aberdeen. Olive Tree is a better version of a well-known Italian chain, while Mamie’s Cafe with Love is an old-school Baltimore-style restaurant that offers free desserts with all meals. Super Chicken Rico is another choice with which you can’t go wrong. Fans 2 The attendees at most games are family members or other athletes. There may be a few local residents who attend the games. The fans are knowledgeable and friendly to visitors. Access 4 Harford is located just a few miles off of I-95, one of the largest highways in the northeast. But State Route 22 can be very crowded with commuters traveling between Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG) and central Harford County. APG has become a very large Army base after the last round of federal base realignment and closure activities. So leave some extra time getting to the campus. There is plenty of free parking. Towson University in Northeastern Maryland is a brand new extension campus of the well-established state university that recently opened across from the Harford campus. Return on Investment 5 Games are free to attend so the return on investment is pretty high. The low cost of concessions at nearby Wawa also make the cost to watch a good level of baseball game pretty high. Extras 2 The Harford Sports Complex also has two other softball fields, as well as a convertible field that can hold softball and/or baseball games. Harford Stadium, home to the school’s lacrosse and soccer teams is also located next door. If you get a chance to peek into the nearby APG Federal Credit Union Arena it is worth a visit as this is quite an impressive facility for a junior college. Final Thoughts The newly designed Harford Baseball Field is an impressive facility that offers high-quality baseball for no cost to the fans. Nothing fancy, but it makes a good stop for baseball fans.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Lancaster Bible Baseball Field 901 Eden Rd Lancaster, PA 17601 Lancaster Bible Chargers website Lancaster Bible Baseball Field website Year Opened: n/a Capacity: n/a Bible Chargers Lancaster Bible College is a private Bible college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that is also home to the Capital Seminary and Graduate School. The college was founded in 1933 as the Lancaster School of the Bible. The school became a college in 1973 and started offering Bachelor of Science in Bible degrees in 1981. The college now grants six bachelor's degrees, one associate degree, and two one-year certificates in addition to six master's degrees, nine graduate certificates, and three doctorate programs in Leadership, Biblical Studies, and Ministry. Lancaster Bible College teams are members of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. In the NCAA, The Chargers are a member of the NCAA's United East Conference. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. The Baseball Field is the on-campus home for the Lancaster Bible baseball team. The field sets behind the Horst Athletic Center. Food & Beverage 0 There are no food offerings at the baseball field. Atmosphere 3 There is not much else in terms of atmosphere as it is a Division III-level baseball game. The team does have a PA announcer and plays walkup music for players. There are some simple metal bleachers around the first base side of the field. They offer decent views of the game, although through chain link fencing. There is also a small mound of grass that seems to be a popular place to set up a chair. Neighborhood 3 The college is located in a suburban area of Lancaster. You may want to venture to downtown Lancaster for interesting options pre- and post-game. Besides downtown, the main commercial areas of the Lancaster area are the outlets area east on Route 30 and surrounding the Park City Center Shopping Mall north of downtown. Nearby Lititz is also a good option as it has numerous food and shopping options. Fans 3 The attendees at most games are family members or other athletes. There may be a few local area residents who attend the games. The fans are knowledgeable and friendly to visitors. Access 4 Lancaster is an easy area to navigate. Routes 30 and 222 are well-known, large roads that any tourist visitor to the area will be more than familiar with. Even though the college is located in a busy town, you will seldom find traffic to be too bad.  Lancaster is located about half an hour from the state capital Harrisburg. It is also about an hour and a half to Baltimore and the same distance to Philadelphia. There are many parking spaces around the college. Return on Investment 4 The games are free to attend. That, along with the free parking, means that you can attend a good-level Division III program at no cost. Extras 2 The college is an interesting visit on its own. There is a nice soccer stadium and other sports facilities nearby. There is a nice little disc golf course right near the Horst Athletic Center. Final Thoughts Lancaster Bible College plays at one of the lower levels of college baseball, but the games presented here are fun and it is certainly an experience that a true sports fan should experience if in the area.

Photo by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey When we travel we love to find sports-related locations to expand our sports journeys. It is what we do. In Alberta and Saskatchewan, we found a great couple of sports halls of fame that are worth a visit. Our first stop was in Red Deer, Alberta at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Located at #102 - 4200 Highway 2 the Hall of Fame is open every day of the week except December 24-26, New Year's Day, Good Friday, & Easter Sunday. There is an Art Gallery, Hall of Fame, Ice and Snow and Alberta Hockey Galleries, multiple exhibits, and our Orest Korbutt Theater. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youth. There is also discount pricing for students, seniors, and the military. The Hall of Fame was created in 1957 by the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union (AAAU), taken over by Sport Alberta in 1973, and has been maintained by the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Society since 1997. Notable inductees include Lanny McDonald, Stu Hart, Bryan Hall, Red Dutton, and "Father of Modern Rodeo" Earl W. Bascom. #102 - 4200 Highway 2 Red Deer, AB T4N 1E3 Phone: (403) 341-8614 https://www.albertasportshall.ca/ Later on, we traveled to Regina, SK where we found the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. Located downtown at 2205 Victoria Avenue the Sports Hall of Fame has three featured galleries. Hours are Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Saturday Noon – 4:00 p.m. Admission is free with donations suggested upon entry. The Hall of Fame was created in 1966 as the Molson Sports Hall of Fame but was renamed the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1974. As of 2022, there were more than 500 inductees in the Hall, including 247 athletes and 127 championship teams across 53 sports. Notable inductees include Rueben Mayes, the 2013 Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club, Wendel Clark, and Kimberly Bergey Kaip. 2205 Victoria Avenue Regina, SK S4P 0S4 Phone: (306) 780-9232 https://sasksportshalloffame.com/ At both of these halls of fame, we found interesting exhibits along with fun interactive activities. We did not need to be super knowledgeable about the local sports scenes of these areas to enjoy the museums. We suggest that in Alberta and/or Saskatchewan you stop in for a visit. We also suggest that you look for similar exhibits along your own sports journeys.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 CFG Bank Arena 201 W Baltimore St Baltimore, MD 21201 CIAA website CFG Bank Arena website Year Opened: 1962 Capacity: 14,000 A "New" Arena For Charm City The arena now known as the CFG Bank Arena has a long and storied history. It opened in 1962 as the Baltimore Civic Center. During its time as the Civic Center, the arena hosted legends such as The Beatles, Martin Luther King Jr., and Led Zeppelin, as well as being the home floor of the Baltimore Bullets of the NBA until their move to near Washington, DC in 1973. The indoor soccer team, the Baltimore Blast, as well as various sports teams have also made the venue their home over the years. The late 1980s remodel saw a name change to the Baltimore Arena. It also spent most of the early 21st century with the corporate name First Mariner Arena. and then the Royal Farms Arena. The Oak View Group, which was chosen by the City of Baltimore to manage the venue, closed down the arena in early 2022 to perform a massive renovation on the aging arena. The CIAA Tournament is the first event since the remodeling work was done. The official grand opening was the April 7, 2023 concert by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) is a collegiate athletic conference, mostly consisting of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). CIAA institutions play at the Division II level of the NCAA. The CIAA is the first NCAA Division II conference to have its tournament televised as part of Championship Week on ESPN and it has become one of the largest college basketball events in the nation. The last day of the tournament is known as “Super Saturday” in which the men’s and women’s tournament champions are crowned. For 15 years, the tournament was held in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 2021 event was the first in Baltimore. The yearly event has now been extended through 2025 for Baltimore. Food & Beverage 4 There are only two major food stands open, along with various grab-and-go locations, for the event. This may change once the final renovations are done. It does appear that the arena is going to be more of a concert and entertainment venue that just happens to host a few sporting events along the way. This means the food and drink options are more aimed at the drinking crowd element than food. The Big Chicken and Koko's Bavarian Biergarten Brewery offer simple menus but the food offerings are quite good. Prices are not cheap but are at usual arena price levels. Atmosphere 5 The CIAA had been a major event in the past for Charlotte. It looks like the event is having the same kind of effect on Baltimore. Besides the tourney, there are concerts and events throughout the city during the event. A 14,000-seat venue is not a large arena, but not small either. A benefit of the unique design of this facility is that it tends to make it feel more intimate than it really is. Even the largest events there can feel like smaller ones. The effect of this also means that even less attended events can feel loud. Being a long, multi-day sporting event you will see varying amounts of fans in the stands. Some games will be more packed than others. There are alumni from all the schools attending the event and offering their cheers. There will be bands, mascots, cheerleaders, and dance squads for all of the schools, and they all offer a great addition to the atmosphere. There are some unique changes to the arena since last year. The main concourse has now been moved to the level above the main seating bowl. Walls have been removed to make this concourse now an open view to the action in the arena. This is a massive change to the venue. There are other changes in the seating bowl, such as walkways having been removed and new entry points being added. The arena had a single suite before the renovation and now has several suites and theatre boxes along with some private and premium club spaces. The arena has also gotten fresh paint jobs everywhere. The arena now has a grey and black modern look and feel. Neighborhood 3 The CFG Bank Arena is right in the heart of downtown Baltimore, with its numerous entertainment and food options close by. But the arena is a few blocks from the more touristy sections of town. And those few blocks can make a difference. I am not saying it is unsafe, as talk like that is far overblown in the city. One just needs to use caution and watch their surroundings. The 2015 riots in Baltimore City should not be forgotten, nor should they stop you from attending an event at the arena. Just be aware of where you are. If you do have some time before the game (or after…) a visit to the Pratt Street Ale House is only about a block away. They have good brews and food. Try the crab pretzel for a serious Maryland food experience. Venturing further away from the arena one of my favorites is the Abbey Burger Bar right near the Cross Street Market. The beer selection is good and they offer a dizzying array of burger choices, all of which are likely to satisfy. For slightly more upscale cuisine a visit to the 1100-1200 blocks of North Charles Street where The Brewers Art and Sammy’s Trattoria offer good food at decent prices. Baltimore is home to many touristy attractions such as Harborplace, Fells Point, and Fort McHenry. The American Visionary Art Museum on Key Highway is located on the way to Fort McHenry and should not be missed, although its unique collection will not be for everyone. Fans 5 Tournaments will have varying fan bases, so it may change from game to game. I would imagine the extremely located schools have trouble filling the stands. Pep bands, mascots, and cheerleaders also make the atmosphere rival a big-time college environment. Access 4 The CFG Bank Arena is located in downtown Baltimore about a block from the Baltimore Convention Center and two blocks from Camden Yards. It is close to I-95, with only a couple of turns from the arena putting you on the highway home. Parking garages can be found in all directions from the arena. One garage is even physically attached to the arena. Look for parking deals to come with some event tickets. Street parking is not a great option. Return on Investment 3 The best value seems to be the all-tournament pass at $225. There are day tickets available and they do appear to be more expensive than in years past. Extras 4 Even with the updates to the arena, there are still some cool and unique seating structures around the venue. The weird old squared corner seats still exist but have now been rounded until a better format. The view should be much improved from those seats. It is things like that which will make the old-school design elements a feature in themselves. The fans themselves are an extra at an event like this. They support their respective teams very well and will make this an enjoyable event to attend. Check out the dance and cheer squads as they get the crowds excited. Final Thoughts This is not the same old Baltimore Arena that many may remember. The massive renovation work has transformed the venue into a state-of-the-art entertainment venue. And with a party-type event like the CIAA Tournament, you WILL have a good time here.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Murray Center 600 6th Street North Providence, RI 02911 Rhode Island College Anchormen men’s basketball website Murray Center website Year Opened: 1995 Capacity: 8,000 Anchors Away! Rhode Island College is a public college in Providence, Rhode Island. Founded in 1854 as the Rhode Island State Normal School, it is the second oldest college in Rhode Island (after Brown University). The school was located in different spots throughout the state before moving to its current location in the Mount Pleasant section of Providence in 1958. Today the school has an enrollment of 5,800 students who study in 120 combined graduate and undergraduate programs across five schools. Starting in 1965 Rhode Island College played their basketball games at Walsh Gymnasium, which burned down in 1992. Its replacement, built on the same site, was originally named the Health, Physical Education and Athletic Center. It was renamed for sisters Mary F. and Catherine T. Murray, members of the Rhode Island College of Education classes of 1933 and 1934, following substantial donations by the Murray Foundation. Both sisters taught in Rhode Island public schools following their graduation from RIC. The RIC teams, named the Anchormen (and Anchorwomen), compete in the Little East Conference, made up of nine Division Three teams from around New England. The Anchormen have qualified for the NCAA tournament eleven times, reaching the Elite Eight in 2007 and the Sweet Sixteen 2010 and 2011. The Anchorwomen have qualified for five tournaments of their own, reaching the Final Four in 2023 and the Sweet Sixteen in 2024. Food & Beverage 2 There is a small concession stand located just off the lobby. The menu is hardly extensive, but it will do the job if you need a snack. Plus, no item costs more than three dollars. Visiting fans will find hot dogs, various snacks and drinks here. Pepsi products are featured. No alcohol is sold at this on-campus facility. Atmosphere 2 As you might expect at a smaller facility like the Murray Center, there isn’t exactly a dynamic game day experience to be found. As is the case at many small gyms, a basketball game is a more laid-back experience than at the bigger facilities. Most of the noise at the Murray Center comes from the proud parents in attendance cheering on their children. This is actually a good thing, because the sound system is really sub-par. It's very difficult to make out anything said by the PA announcer during the game. There are scoreboards on either end of the gym. The larger scoreboard on the far end displays more detailed game statistics. There's a decent turnout by the student body, who can really get into the game when the Anchormen get rolling. You won't find other standard basketball features here, such as a pep band or cheer squad. It's a basic presentation, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Neighborhood 3 Rhode Island College is a self-contained campus located in a residential neighborhood. There are not any dining or lodging options close to campus. However, given the school’s location in the capital city of Providence, there are plenty of options just a short drive away. More information on local attractions can be found here . Smith Street runs in an east-west direction from the RIC campus to downtown Providence. Some favorite local spots here include LaSalle Bakery and New York System, home of the world-famous Rhode Island Coney Island wieners. Following Smith Street a few miles into downtown will allow visiting fans to experience all the best dining and lodging options Providence has to offer. The campus of Providence College is just a mile and a half away on the other side of Smith Street. Fans 3 A typical Anchormen basketball crowd can be accurately described as a “friends and family” crowd. Average attendance generally runs around 300 fans, and based on Stadium Journey’s most recent visit, this count is pretty accurate. RIC’s enrollment in the Little East Conference and a schedule littered with local rivals ensures that there is a strong family presence for players from both teams. There is no designated student section, but there is a decent turnout by the student body, who scatter in familiar spots around the gym. Access 3 The Murray Center is located on the western edge of the Rhode Island College campus, which straddles the Providence/North Providence line. Downtown Providence is about three miles away. No highways serve the RIC campus directly, but Route 6 passes close to the campus, providing the most direct route. Most fans will drive to RIC, and RIPTA busses provide service to campus. Complete information can be found here . Ample parking is located adjacent to the Murray Center. The entrance to the building is on the opposite side of the building from the parking lots, facing the main quad. Fans will enter into a small lobby, which contains the ticket booth, rest rooms and concession stand. The entrance to the basketball court is on the opposite side of the lobby. Seating at the Murray Center is located on either side of the court. Once side has individual stadium seats and the other side has wooden bleachers. Unfortunately, the seating is pushed back a ways from the court. Return on Investment 5 Admission to Anchormen games costs just three dollars, with tickets discounted a dollar for seniors and an additional dollar for children. With free parking and no concession item priced at more than three dollars, a night at Rhode Island College is a very affordable entertainment option for Rhode Island sports fans. Extras 2 Banners hang at the Murray Center on either side of the court honoring Anchormen tournament appearances, retired numbers and 1,000 point scorers. The RIC Athletic Hall of Fame is located on the second floor of the Murray Center. The Anchor Loge overlooks the court. Unfortunately, Stadium Journey has never been able to explore this area during any of their three vists here. Final Thoughts Basketball fans who dismiss small gymnasiums like the Murray Center are truly doing themselves a disservice. Combining intimate venues, affordability and quality hoops, hidden gems like the one found here in Providence provide hoop heads with a quality Stadium Journey far off the beaten path. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Aitken University Centre University of New Brunswick 20 MacKay Drive Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3 University of New Brunswick Reds website Aitken University Centre website Year Opened: 1976 Capacity: 3,278 The Red Standard In many walks of life there is reference to the “Gold Standard” which refers to the best of the profession, the standard to which all strive.  In Canadian university hockey, USports, there is the Red Standard, as in the UNB Reds, the best modern program in the country.  Since 1998, the UNB Reds have brought home 10 National Championships, including 7 since 2010.  The Reds have also brought home 22 conference banners. The University of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton.  It is the oldest English language university in Canada, established by seven Loyalists who left the United States in 1785.  The Fredericton campus has over 10,000 students, a significant number compared to the modest population of 79,000 in the capital city of New Brunswick.  UNB first iced a hockey team back in 1897.  By 1956 the student newspaper labeled the university’s different athletic teams with unique names.  The hockey team was dubbed the Red Devils.  A rebranding in 1991 saw a unification of all athletic teams under the Varsity Reds brand.  In an effort to make UNB athletics feel more accessible and less elitist, in 2018 the brand was once again retooled and they are currently the UNB Reds. Home for the Reds is the Aitken University Centre, which is owned by the University of New Brunswick, and doubles as the main arena for the City of Fredericton.  It opened in 1976 and has a capacity of 3,278.  It is named after Sir Maxwell Aitken, the former Chancellor of UNB from 1964-1982. It was also the home of the Fredericton Express and Fredericton Canadiens of the AHL. Food & Beverage 4 The concession options at the Aitken Centre are a solid step above what one would normally expect from a Canadian University hockey venue.  There are two main concession stands in the concourse, on either side of the building, with a couple of smaller stands that focus on beverages and small snacks.  The menus of the concession stands are inspired by local eateries Monk’s & Jonesie and The Snooty Fox.  Fans can find typical arena items on the menu including hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels and pizza.  Some of the more interesting items include a number of naan bread items like donairs, hot dogs and chicken, as well as some signature nachos, burgers and hot dogs.  A limited selection of alcoholic beverages are available at both stands and Pepsi products are the soft drink of choice at the Aitken Centre. Atmosphere 4 Aitken University Centre is definitely of a 1970’s vintage.  The exterior features brown brick on the lower portion while the upper portion consists of brown, corrugated siding.  The main entry is on the north side and features a banner listing the gold, silver and bronze medals earned in the University Cup tournaments the Reds have participated in.  The south side features banners for the 10 National Championships the Reds have won, and can be seen from the highway. Entry from the north brings fans into a small breezeway which houses the ticketing office. It becomes immediately obvious that Aitken Centre is first and foremost, the home of the Reds.  There are Reds markings all over this breezeway and into the concourses.  Collages for the Reds’ National Championships, the Reds All-Canadians and other markings are plastered all over the concourse walls.  Getting to the arena a bit early to peruse all of this is well worth it.  Above the eye level, above door height, all around the concourse are posters from the nearly 50 years of events held at Aiken Centre.  Although the concourses do travel a full 360 degrees around the arena, fans are limited to a horseshoe shape as there is no bypass around the north entrance breezeway.  The ice surface is north-south oriented with seating all the way around.  Approximately 15 rows of wooden seats surround the ice surface, with some makeshift boxes at the top of the arena.  The seats are most definitely the original ones from the seventies, but they are in very good shape and surprisingly comfortable.  The ceiling is littered with championship banners, too numerous to count.  Banners of note are the 10 National Championship banners that hang at the north end of the arena and the three honoured Reds just north of the scoreclock.  Banners for coach Gardiner McDougall, who won 9 National Championships in 25 seasons, athletic therapist Joe Glenn and the retired number 17 for Mark Jeffrey stand out among the plethora of conference championships.  The biggest drawback of Aitken Centre are the two video screens that hang on the north wall with projectors.  The technology is well past its prime and it is difficult to see the images. The gameday production at a UNB game is solid.  The Reds have an in game host who leads promotions and keeps fans interested during stoppages.  A 50/50 draw happens near the end of the game.  The speaker system is excellent and the PA announcer does a solid job. Neighbourhood 4 The Aitken Centre is located on the UNB campus in the College Hill neighbourhood of Fredericton.  As a city, Fredericton has a good vibe and is fun in both the winter and summer months. There are a number of places that are close by for pre or post game food and drink.  Some options include Wayback Burgers, Pickle Jar, El Mariachi, Maxwell’s Steak and Seafood and Picaroon’s Brewery.  UNB benefits from being pretty much the only game in town.  The Reds also dress a basketball team as well as other university sports.  Other tourist options in Fredericton include Quartermain Earth Science Centre, Fredericton Region Museum, School Days Museum and the New Brunswick Legislature.  The Best Western and Holiday Inn are close by for fans wishing to stay near campus. Fans 5 The Reds have been the dominant program at the turnstile as well as on the ice.  At the time of writing, for the 2024-2025 season, the Reds averaged over 2,800 fans per game, which ranks first in the conference, and probably first in all of USports.  It is of note, that the Reds also do not have a signature rivalry game at a larger venue that will skew the average attendance a bit.  UNB has averaged about the same for a number of seasons.   Access 4 Getting to the Aitken University Centre is not that difficult.  It is located on the Fredericton campus of the University of New Brunswick in the College Hill neighbourhood.  It is on MacKay Drive, 4.5 km north of the Trans-Canada Highway and immediately north of NB highway 8.  There is free parking on campus, and UNB does provide parking attendants to aid in getting fans parked.  For fans who wish to take public transit, there are Fredericton Transit bus stops on campus.  Fans should check the Fredericton Transit  website for fares, maps and schedules.  Inside the arena, the concourses are a bit on the snug side and the washrooms, although plentiful, are also on the small side. Return on Investment 5 Tickets for the Reds start at $12 with discounts for Seniors, UNB Staff, Youth and Students.  Kids under 5 are free and UNB Students are also free.  A unique feature of Reds hockey is that seats are reserved as opposed to General Admission.  Purchasing tickets ahead of time is a good plan.  Parking is free and concession prices are not too bad.  On the ice, the Reds are one of the premier teams in USports and it is not possible to be much more successful than they already are.  UNB puts together a gameday atmosphere that is as close to a major junior or professional hockey experience as you can get.  In comparison, the price for this experience is excellent.  Extras 4 An extra mark for UNB putting together a major event feel and treating their team as a major junior or pro team. An extra mark for the welcome Stadium Journey received from the Reds. An extra mark for being the main game in town. An extra mark for the remarkable success that the Reds have enjoyed both on the ice and at the turnstile. Final Thoughts It is difficult to find a program that has been as dominant as the UNB Reds have been in USports hockey.  They put together a very professional product both on the ice and in the gameday production.  When in the Maritimes, taking in some UNB Reds hockey at Aitken University Centre is a great plan.  All fans should see a program that sets the Red Standard for the others to aspire to. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Family Arena 2002 Arena Pkwy St. Charles, MO 63303 St. Louis Ambush website Family Arena website Year Opened: 1999 Capacity: 9,643 Family Arena The St. Louis Ambush of Major Arena Soccer League is a resurrection of the former franchise that operated in the National Professional Soccer League, first in Tulsa in 1991, from 1992-2000. That organization appeared in four championship series while calling the Scottrade Center home, winning its lone title during the 1994-1995 campaign. In 2013, the name and colors of teal and black were once again revived for a new franchise to operate out of the Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri, a 30-minute drive from downtown St. Louis. The Family Arena debuted on October 3, 1999, at a cost of $27 million in order to provide an alternative for sporting events and concerts in the St. Louis metro area. In 2013, there were over $800,000 into renovations to improve the facility; two large video boards and ribbon boards were added at each end of the seating bowl. The arena has seen its share of minor league hockey, indoor football, and concerts from Taylor Swift to Judas Priest. The arena’s capacity is officially 9,643 for indoor soccer games, but only the lower bowl is open for Ambush games. The arena itself is nestled close to the St. Charles River and a few miles away from the town’s historic downtown shops, bars, restaurants, and museums. The game of indoor soccer is fast pace and the club provides a nice little alternative to the sporting action that takes place in downtown St. Louis. Food & Beverage 3 The arena features the usual concession items such as hot dogs, brats, pizza, nachos, pretzels and popcorn at various permanent stands on the main concourse. A few of them are closed for games, but there is more than enough options to choose from at the game. A few of the more notable items include supreme nachos that are topped with chili and pulled pork and chicken tenders basket with fries. The options are basic and not over the top, but the prices are honest and on par with other venues of its caliber. The prices range between $4-$6 for most items, the supreme nachos are $8. There is a wide variety of beer and spirits that include Seagram’s wine coolers, Jack Daniel’s coolers, party bomb shots, wine, Lime-a-Rita, and wine slushies between $6 and $10 each. Draft beer sells for $6, mix drinks are $8, and double mix drinks are $14. If you are driving or do not drink, Coca-Cola products sell for $5 each. Atmosphere 3 The arena is broken up into two seating sections, with the concourse closed off to the public. The main seating bowl houses the majority of the fans, along with a high school band playing its own in-game music throughout the contest of the match. The field level seats are table tops and are located adjacent to the Ambush bench. Fans have an up close and personal view of the game and enjoy a buffet of deep-fried mini tacos and fried ravioli among other drinks and concession items. There is always active during stoppage of play including local high school cheerleaders and dancers, on-field contests for lucky fans, and various announcements. When there is in-game music piped through the speakers it’s a mix of house, remixes, and pop songs of the past 30-years. The Ambush even piped in “Midnight Express (The Chase)”, a 1980s staple at the Checkerdome during the old St. Louis Steamers days in the MISL Bushwacker is the team’s lively mascot dressed in team colors of teal and black; he is extremely active and greets fans young and old throughout the game. He even shows off some wicked dance moves when he introduced before the game. However, be careful of his mustache, its big. Halftime also provides various events and activities including a family soccer match, a bowling contest with soccer balls, a wedding proposal by an Ambush player, and a touching tribute to St. Louis legend and Indoor Soccer Hall of Famer Slobo Ilijevski whose family was on hand for bobblehead day in his honor. Neighborhood 4 The Family Arena is located a good 30-minutes from downtown St.Louis; however, the city does have a historic neighborhood along the St. Charles River that includes restaurants, shops, and bars. It is recommended to visit the picturesque little town. The options include Hendricks BBQ, 2865 Brewhouse, Amerisports Bar and Grill, and Big Woody’s BBQ. Sugarfire Smokehouse makes some of the best barbecue in the area and offer a wonderful Asian slaw and corn souffle as side options. The Old Mill Stream Inn has a fantastic patio to enjoy dinner or drinks during the warmer months of the year. A fun and relaxing way to get through town is to take the St. Charles Trolley which provides service with a 30-minute loop ride through the historic downtown. If you are looking to venture outside of downtown, the area is known for its many vineyards and wineries. Fans 4 The fans at the game enjoy themselves in various ways. They cheer on the Ambush in hope of a goal, talk with friends and families, or dance in their seats when certain music is played or when the camera is looking for fans to show on the two main screens at the arena. No matter what, the crowd is always in the mood for fun and show a lot of love towards the Ambush players. Access 4 Arriving at the arena is best by car off State Road 364; there is clear signage for the arena near the exit and it’s visible as you approach the parking lot entrance. Once inside, the main concourse wraps around the entire arena providing clearly marked signs for bathrooms and seating sections. The upper concourse hallways are draped off and the first 7 rows of seats from the bottom provide the best legroom for patrons. Return on Investment 3 The price for tickets begin at $15 for general admission tickets and top off at $47 for VIP seats on the field adjacent to the playing boards. The price of a ticket depends on your price point, but with the cost of parking set at $10, a night at an Ambush game is on par with a majority of other league franchises. However, if you are frugal like me, grab a $15 ticket, find your seat, and enjoy the game. Extras 4 1 star for the Northwest High School Pep Band that adds a college/high school atmosphere throughout the contest and also make for a nice change of pace from the dance and house music that is usually played at the arena. 2 stars for the various activities that take place during stoppage of play. There are ball tosses, free pizza to a lucky fan, and shirts thrown by staff into the stands between quarters of play. 3 stars for the table top VIP seats next to the Ambush bench. The fans are provided with food and beverage and have the best seats in the house. 4 stars for the variety of music played during the game. The in-game music is a staple of indoor soccer and what’s being played at the Family Arena is a collection of the various club, dance, and pop standards of the past few decades. Final Thoughts The St. Louis Ambush provide a wonderful experience at each home match for diehard fans and ones who are just there for a night out of fun. The music, on-field activities, concession prices, and interaction with players make it a hidden gem among the sporting events that take place in the St. Louis area.

Photos by Terry McCutchen, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Memorial Stadium N. Harbin Drive Stephenville, TX 76401 Tarleton State Texans website Memorial Stadium website Year Opened: 1951 Capacity: 24,000 Tarleton State Football - Memorial Stadium Stephenville is a city of approximately 20,000 people located in north central Texas. Known affectionately as the Cowboy Capital of the World, Stephenville is home to numerous world-renowned horse trainers and top-level professional rodeo athletes, most notably Ty Murray. Murray is a nine-time PRCA world champion cowboy and co-founder of the Professional Bull Riders Association (PBR). In 2023, no less than 42 (31%) of the qualifiers for the National Finals Rodeo came from the Stephenville metro area. In addition to professional level cowboys, Tarleton State University sponsors championship level rodeo, stock horse, and animal judging teams to solidify the town’s claim to the western themed title. Not just a one-horse town, Tarleton State University sponsors 15 intercollegiate sports programs at the NCAA Division 1 level – this season is the first full year as a D1 school; having begun the transition from NCAA Division II competition in 2020. The Texans football team currently competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS); the team qualified for postseason competition in their first season of eligibility. Memorial Stadium, home of the Texans football team, originally opened in 1951 and was named in honor of 179 former students and faculty members who lost their lives during World War II. At the time, the concrete structure had 32 rows of steel bleachers and seated 6,000 fans. As the result of several renovations and updates through the years, the most recent in 2022, the stadium now sports a turf playing surface, premium suites, an expanded concourse, various concessions, and a state-of-the-art press box, for a total seating capacity of 24,000. The commitment level of the university to compete at the FCS level is evident in the quality of the facilities here.   Food & Beverage   4 There are plenty of full-service concession stands and standalone kiosks along the concourse of the stadium selling various snacks, entrees, and drinks. While there are no major specialty items, there are enough options available for any fan to be satisfied. Souvenir cups are also available, and can be filled with a fountain drink, popcorn, or local favorite Texan Rider draft beer. Soft drinks are Pepsi products with Starry being substituted for Mountain Dew. Other beverages include Gatorade, bottled water, Celsius energy drinks, Peak tea, and several brands of beer, including Coors Light, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, the aforementioned Texan Rider, a blonde ale from Revolver Brewing  specifically created for the Tarleton fanbase. In addition to the expected snack items such as candy, popcorn, chips and pretzels, patrons can also purchase cotton candy, Dippin’ Dots, or pickles to satisfy their cravings. To extinguish a larger hunger, items such nachos, hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, and walking tacos are plentiful; local eateries Chick-fil-A and Blaze Pizza provide their signature items as well. I would suggest a Texan Dog (sausage link on a hot dog bun) topped with ketchup, mustard, and relish chased by a cold Texan Rider draft.   Atmosphere   5 Football can arguably be compared to an organized religion in the state of Texas – the passion of fans to generate such parallels is present in Memorial Stadium on game day when the Tarleton Texans are playing. Hours before the gates open, fans arrive to begin tailgating, sharing food, and preparing for the game. The team is led onto the field with the band lining the field, cannons exploding into the air, and the Texan Rider racing down the sideline on his horse, reining circles in the middle of the field before departing as the crowd roars. The players then race out of the field house and begin preparation for kickoff. During the game, students stand at attention the entire game behind the visitor’s bench, screaming in full voice attempting to play their role in every snap. LED lights, loud music, and a high-definition scoreboard work in unison to create an environment where the energy is highest, and game play is at maximum potential. The most recent game I attended was not decided until the final seconds; both teams’ crowds were electric until the final buzzer. As the visiting team’s defenders knocked down the potential winning touchdown pass in the end zone as time expired, the visiting fans rushed the field, a sight I had never witnessed before in person.   Neighborhood   4 Tarleton is set in the center of Stephenville, which is a small town of approximately 20,000 people. The area around campus is mostly residential with many restaurants and fast food choices within a few minutes’ drive. The best options include Hard 8 Bar-B-Q , Grump’s Burgers , Don Nico’s Mexican Food , Newton’s Saddlerack , or   Caam’s Pizza Restaurant . Should you prefer an old school diner experience, Jake and Dorothy’s is a locally owned joint that dates back to 1948, the place where waffle cut fries were invented and chicken fried steak is their calling card; just carry cash as they do not accept credit or debit cards. There are plenty of hotels to choose from in town; some of the more highly rated choices include Hampton Inn and Suites ,   La Quinta Inn and Suites , and   Best Western Plus , among others. If you prefer short term rental options, there are several small houses and cabins available in and around Stephenville. On busy weekends, however, availability can be an issue.   Fans   4 Memorial Stadium is the center of attention on campus on many fall Saturdays. Official tailgating takes place in Texan Alley, located in the RV parking lot northwest of the stadium and bordering the track facility – this area is packed with tents, barbecue trailers, music, and plenty of beverages to quench any thirst. Most hosts are friendly, and the experience is well worth the trip. Once inside the facility, the student section is active and loud. Located on the visitor’s side behind the opposing team, this area also includes the organized groups such as the Plowboys, The Sound and Fury Marching Band, and the Texan Stars dance team.   Access   4 Stephenville is approximately three and a half hours north of San Antonio via US-281, or three hours from Austin via Interstate 35. From the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, it is only a little over an hour’s drive. Once in town the university is easily accessible, with ample parking around Memorial Stadium. There is no commercial air travel into town and public transportation is rideshare only, which is limited at best. The best option if flying into the region is to fly to either DFW airport or Love Field in Dallas, Austin-Bergstrom airport in Austin, or the San Antonio airport, and then rent a vehicle to drive. Parking within a block of the stadium is reserved for VIP and suite ticket holders. Paid lots a two or three-minute walk from the stadium, near Wisdom Gym , are open for $10 via the ParkMobile  website. Beginning next year, however, there will be a new parking garage open on Washington Street. Free parking is also available across Washington Street in the baseball and softball complex, an approximate five-minute walk from Memorial Stadium.   Return On Investment   4 The time and expense of attending a Tarleton Texans football game is well worth the investment – with no bad seats, general admission tickets starting around $30 are sufficient. This is the average price one would expect to pay for playoff-caliber FCS football regular season games. Concession prices fall within the lower end of the price range for comparably sized colleges. With the quality of food and variety of choices here, the ROI for concessions is above average. Parking at $10, or free, within a five-minute walk is not unfair at all; all of this helps make the total package of attending a game at Memorial Stadium well worth the cost.   Extras   4 The passion the fans bring makes for a huge home field advantage. Student groups lead the student body to be loud and active the entire game; it is easy to see why football is the most popular team sport in the state of Texas, and the life force of student culture. The option for free parking within a short walk to the stadium deserves a nod – this allows fans to save a few dollars to purchase a Texan Rider or Oscar P Pretzel. Multiple drink and food options, along with plenty of concession stands and standalone kiosks, helps minimize time waiting in line, maximizing time watching the action on the field. The presentation of the stadium team, involving lights, scoreboard, music, and the announcer creates an atmosphere that is fun and energetic. There is an old West Texas saying that is applicable to the gameday atmosphere at Memorial – “If this doesn’t light your fire, your wood is wet!”.   Final Thoughts Tarleton State football, though a new participant at the NCAA Division 1 FCS level, provides a quality game day atmosphere. Replete with energetic students, supportive alumni, and high quality in-game presentation, Texans games are top notch events. It is well worth the time required to attend a Tarleton football game in the future; after a few hours of meeting new friends in Texan Alley, you can grab a snack and drink, then prepare to watch an exciting football game in an older stadium that has been renovated to meet modern demands. This is a sports stadium, though somewhat off the beaten path, that is well worth a visit.

All Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey This month, fans have seen the All-Star competition's good, bad, and ugly. The NBA was the ugly, the NHL’s Four Nations was the bad, and the Professional Volleyball Federation was the good. The league kicked off its first match at the Fishers Event Center near Indianapolis. About 7,000 fans were there this past weekend. There was plenty of excitement the moment fans walked through the front entrances of the arena. Life-size cardboard cutouts of players in the concourse greeted many. Others could pose for photos with family and friends. Two guys dressed as if they had certain connections with an infamous organization handed out game-day towels at the entrances. The teams were not divided into east v west, but by different means. Team Shondell, led by Purdue’s Dave Shondell, faced Team Collier, coached by Georgia Tech’s Michelle Collier. The All-Stars wore black and gold uniforms and waved to the cheering crowd as the announcer called their names. Coaches, league staff, and 10,000 online votes chose the two 12-team squads. Player introductions, Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Fans in the stands wore gear from the Grand Rapids Rise, San Diego Mojo, Orlando Valkyries, Vegas Thrill, and Omaha Supernovas. Many made the trip to the Indianapolis area. The loudest fans were from the Atlanta Vibe. They cheered for their four teammates on the team. The hometown Indy Ignite was there too, showing their support. Team mascots from the Indy Ignite, Orlando Valkeires, and Vegas Thrill were on hand to greet fans, participate in pre-game contests, and then put on a few moves of their own. The game featured a DJ, dance team, and live musicians playing during the breaks. If you have never attended a professional volleyball game, it is quite an experience. A quick look at the seating bowl showed some empty seats. Media crews gathered near the court. Young fans cheered with enthusiasm. Many reached for souvenir mini volleyballs tossed into the stands. CBS made a little bit of history by broadcasting the first women’s pro volleyball match on a traditional U.S. over-the-air network. The game featured NBA star Jalen Rose and Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson East hosting the league's festivities. Team Shondell celebrates a point in the first game, by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey At the end of the afternoon, Team Shondell defeated Team Collier by a total score of 58-47. Team Shondell won the first sets 25-22 and 25-20 and only needed to reach 8 points in the third set to clinch the victory. That came when Team Shondell took an 8-5 lead but completed the third set with a 15-10 triumph. After the game, Vegas Thrill setter Alisha Childress felt excited. She looked forward to future all-star events in the league.  “We want to continue this not just this year, but for years and years to come. We feel that energy; we can feel that that’s what we’re doing here. We’re older and we’re playing, and to see the younger generation get to look up to us, it’s our responsibility but it’s one we take very seriously to make sure they see volleyball at a high level all the way.” Members of the Atlanta Vibe cheer on their teammates from the stands, by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey The league returns to action later this week in its eight cities until early May, followed by a post-season tournament. Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .  Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Super Bowl LIX Week has come and gone, and New Orleans showed out in a major way for its record tying 11th Super Bowl to host. Sure, the game was a blowout as the Eagles drummed the Chiefs 40-22, but the game itself was an afterthought, as nothing in it really stood out besides being the most lopsided Super Bowl in recent memory. What did stand out was the constant influx of parties, perfect weather, concerts, and fan events that overtook the city – New Orleans city was abuzz all week, from the spectacular opening night to the thrilling NFL Experience and the unforgettable parties that lit up the Crescent City, the city was on display like never before. This week felt more like a celebration of New Orleans than an actual football game. They call New Orleans a city of resilience, as there aren’t many cities in the U.S. that have had to overcome as much adversity. Whether it’s the frequent hurricanes, flooding, oil spills, crime, or the horrendous events that unfolded on the morning of January 1st. But Super Bowl week unfolded without a major hitch, thanks in part to the many law enforcement personnel standing on every street corner in the French Quarter. On the world’s biggest stage, the Big Easy proved why it is the perfect city to host big special events. I’ve never seen the city transformed like this before, from its huge billboards and Super Bowl signage hanging on every building, to the projected lighting on the St. Louis Cathedral each night. This year New Orleans was lit up like never before. Photo courtesy of the New Orleans Saints It all started on Monday night with the spectacle that was Super Bowl Opening Night – the final touches of the Superdome’s $500 million renovation were on display, as fans who couldn’t purchase tickets to the game were able to go inside the Dome and get a sneak peek at the Super Bowl signage on the field and concourse. This star-studded affair was broadcast on NFL Network and featured live music, special guests, and both the Chiefs and the Eagles coming out to take questions from the media. On Wednesday the Super Bowl Experience opened at Morial Convention Center and lasted until Saturday. If you’ve ever wanted to test your strength in an NFL combine-type workout, this would be your chance – they had bench presses, accuracy throws, kicking games, high jumps, vertical jumps, 40-yard dashes, and many more. Anything NFL related was on display here, from past Super Bowl rings and helmets to current and former players signing autographs. The Pro Football Hall of Fame even had an exhibit that looked like they brought the entire Hall of Fame from Canton. Flag football games also took place on the makeshift field, but the highlight of the night was seeing Michael Vick jump in and play quarterback for a random game that was going on. The pageantry of the NFL Honors was felt Thursday night at Saenger Theatre, where the best players of the year were honored. The red carpet was rolled out and the stars were on hand for the event, hosted by Snoop Dogg. Josh Allen went home with NFL MVP honors, while Saints legends Drew Brees and Steve Gleason presented the award for Walter Payton Man of the Year to Jaguars DE Arik Armstead. On Saturday the Super Bowl parade rolled through the French Quarter; nobody does Mardi Gras like New Orleans. With so many fans from all over the world converging on the city, what better way than give them a New Orleans-style parade with a Super Bowl theme? The king of the parade was Raising Cane's founder Todd Graves, and if that wasn’t enough to have kept you entertained, at night there were exclusive private and public parties, with concerts ranging from Chris Stapleton and Post Malone to Travis Scott during the weekend. At Mardi Gras World they had a collection of different festival-like parties going on, with Shaq’s Fun House taking place on Friday, a carnival-like atmosphere complete with games, rides, and concerts hosted by Shaquille O’Neal and Ludacris. Also on Saturday was the Sports Illustrated and Maxim Magazine Super Bowl party, followed on Sunday by Chef Guy Fieri’s Tailgate Bash before the big game. A celebration of New Orleans’ spirit and culture was even on display for Sunday’s game for the world to see – the pre-game show opened with a touching Nola Strong tribute to the victims of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack. Lady Gaga’s voice belted throughout the French Quarter as she played the piano from the Bourbon Street Memorial, with the NOPD standing next to Roger Goodell along with Saints legends like Drew Brees and Sean Payton. Jazz singer Harry Connick Jr. began the show in the Superdome with a jazz performance complete with the famous Mardi Gras Indians, followed by New Orleans music legends Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle’s performance of ‘America the Beautiful’. Another New Orleans legend Jon Batiste then displayed a soulful rendition of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’. Emotions were running high when some of the victims’ families were on hand to present the coin toss, including the family of 27-year-old Lafayette, LA native Tiger Bech, and the family of 25-year-old Superdome video producer Matthew Tenedorio, who was also scheduled to work Super Bowl LIX. The best part about the whole week was the walkability between all the venues hosting the events; it is less than a mile from the Convention Center to the French Quarter and over to the Superdome. In that triangle you would find over 100,000 football fans from all over the world, as well as fans of all 32 teams converging on the city for the week. Even if you had no intention of checking out any of the Super Bowl events, you could have a good time just walking around the French Quarter checking out the sights, or people-watching the fans from all 32 teams. You couldn’t ask for better weather either, with each day being sunny in the high 70s. It’s hard to believe that 3 weeks before the big game, a record blizzard left New Orleans covered in 3-4 feet of snow; in a way the snow kind of cleaned the city up just in time for the Super Bowl. The big week had a huge economic impact on the entire Gulf Coast region, and was exactly what New Orleans needed after the terrorist attack on January 1st. With all the big celebrities in town, though, the biggest star of the week ended up being New Orleans itself. Not a day went by during the week without a famous celebrity or social media personality raving via Tweet about the city’s atmosphere. On the world’s biggest stage, the Big Easy proved why it is the perfect city to host big special events – whether it was the perfect weather, excellent food, or Southern hospitality, Super Bowl Week was a huge success. Hopefully it won’t be another 12 years until New Orleans sees another Super Bowl.