Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Fred P. Rullo Stadium 631 S College Ave Newark, DE 19716 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens website Fred P. Rullo Stadium website Year Opened: 1998 Capacity: 2,000 Fred's Turf in Newark Located on the University of Delaware campus in Newark (pronounced New-ARK with the accent on the second syllable), Fred P. Rullo Stadium is home to the Blue Hens' field hockey program. The stadium opened in 1998 and seats roughly 2,000 fans. The Blue Hens have been one of the more successful teams in the CAA (Coastal Athletic Association, formerly the Colonial Athletic Association) in recent years. Heading into the 2023 season, the Blue Hens had won nine conference titles in ten years, although that streak will come to an end this year as the team failed to qualify for the conference tournament. The high point of the Blue Hens field hockey program came when they won the national championship in 2016, upsetting number one overall seed Duke and perennial power UNC on their home turf along the way. Food & Beverage 2 Food and drink are available for sale at Fred P. Rullo Stadium at a small table by the entrance. Beef hot dogs are available, as are assorted snacks such as beef jerky, hot pretzels (Philly style), cookies, Rice Krispie Treats, and potato chips. Soda and bottled water are also available to drink. Prices are reasonable - the beef jerky bag costs $9 and a one-liter bottle of water costs $6 (with smaller bottles available for less), but nothing else costs more than $4. In addition to the usual options, there will occasionally be promotions with free food giveaways. Once a year, fans can get free ice cream from the UDairy Creamery, made right here on campus. Check the schedule for more information. Atmosphere 4 Fred P. Rullo Stadium has a basic layout, with a large set of bleachers on one side of the turf field. None of the seats have backs, but some fans in the top row can lean against the press box. All seats offer a good view of the action, although the top rows are higher up than they would be at most field hockey stadiums. The Blue Hens offer many promotions and giveaways throughout the season to keep fans engaged, something you don't often see in college field hockey. After every Blue Hens goal, the fight song plays over the PA system as fans celebrate the accomplishment. It is good to see the school keeping fans engaged. Field hockey is not a major focus of the athletic departments at many schools, but it is here. Neighborhood 3 Newark is a typical East Coast college town. Your best option is to head downtown to Main Street, which offers numerous options including Grotto Pizza and the Deer Park Tavern. You can also head towards Christiana Mall or check out The Border Café, known for its Tex-Mex food and large “EAT” sign. Fans will also want to check out the UDairy Creamery, which makes ice cream right on campus. Fans 5 Although Blue Hens fans will rarely fill the 2,000-seat stadium, they show up in numbers and are a rowdy bunch. They cheer on the team throughout the game and regularly engage in call-and-response chants such as "BLUE! HENS!" to cheer their team on to victory. It can get quite loud here, louder than most college field hockey stadiums, despite the fans being spread out over too large an area. Coordinated chants are not something you often see at college field hockey games, but they show just how impressive this fan base is. The Blue Hens have one of the best fan bases in the country, perhaps the best outside the traditional power conferences, and it shows in the matchday experience. Access 4 The University of Delaware campus is located just off I-95. If coming from the north, take Exit 1, the last exit in Delaware, and the campus will be right there. If coming from the south, you are better off taking Exit 109B in Maryland. Although this will add a couple of minutes to your trip, it will save you the $4 toll that you will pay when you enter Delaware. Once you get on campus, there are several lots near the stadium where you can park. There is one lot in front of Bob Carpenter Center and another one behind the stadium, by the soccer and softball fields. Either way, parking is free and it's a very short walk to the stadium. There are no permanent restrooms at Rullo Stadium, but there are a few port-a-potties on the concourse behind the bleachers. Real restrooms are available next door in the Bob Carpenter Center for fans who would prefer to use them. Return on Investment 5 Admission to all regular season Blue Hens field hockey games is free of charge. There may be a charge for conference or NCAA postseason events as those are organized separately. Concessions are affordable and parking is free. This makes a Blue Hens field hockey game a great value. Extras 3 Look for the banners along the fence honoring the Blue Hens' conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, as well as their national championship in 2016. A second star for the various promotions the Blue Hens offer throughout the season. Events include ice cream giveaways, free t-shirts, and more. Check the athletics website for more details. A third and final star for how engaged the fans are. It's not often you see such organized chants at college field hockey, but Blue Hens fans are some of the best in the country. Final Thoughts Fred P. Rullo Stadium is a field hockey venue well worthy of Delaware's recent successes. The Blue Hens have a loyal and passionate fan base and a stadium to match. With large crowds and high fan engagement, the Blue Hens have built something special here and look to maintain it for years to come. This is one of the best college field hockey experiences in the country, and perhaps the best outside of the traditional power conferences.

Photo Courtesy of the Appalachian League Huntington, West Virginia, will be home to an Appalachian League in 2024 and call the stadium at Marshall University home. It marks the first time the city has been represented in the league since 1995. The news comes a month after reports of the Princeton Whistle Pigs ceasing operations. The ball club will play its home games at Jack Cook Field, the future home of the Marshall Thundering Herd baseball program. Currently under construction, the stadium is scheduled to open on March 1 for the school's first game. The last ballpark to house an Appy League club was the St. Cloud Commons, built in 1910. The Commons featured a covered grandstand, and a set of bleachers down the first base line but was well past its prime as a viable ballpark when the Huntington Cubs called it home. The stadium included a giant cardboard cub, named Harry Beary, in centerfield that would move up and down after the Cubbies scored a run or made a great play. The Cubs drew 66,402 to the stadium in its first season in 1990 and were among the league leaders, averaging crowds of 1,658 per game for the five seasons of operation. The Cubs pulled out of town in 1995 and were replaced by a co-op team named the River City Rumblers. Attendance fell to 20,631 for the year, with a dismal 616 fans per game. The independent Heartland League relocated the Altoona Rail Kings to town, but it folded midway through the 1998 season due to poor attendance figures. Huntington is 2.5 hours away from its nearest opponent in Bluefield, West Virginia, and 4 hours north from the cluster of teams in the Eastern Tennessee markets of Greeneville, Johnson City, Kingsport, Elizabethtown, and Bristol. When the Huntington Cubs called the market home from 1990-1994, the plan was for a new ballpark to be erected - 30 years later - a new stadium would be built. Stadium Journey readers and travelers will have the opportunity to visit a new team this summer, along with the university club, during the spring months of 2024. The stadium’s features will include an open concourse, synthetic turf, and a capacity for 3,500 people. Organized baseball has been around in town since 1910, and a slew of ball clubs have called the city home from the Boosters, Babes, Redbirds, Jewels, Aces, Blue Sox, Rail Kings, and the River City Rumblers. The organization will announce a team name and colors in the future, but it will use the Tri-State moniker. The Tr-City team is scheduled to open on June 15. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Emma Sutherland, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Stoffer Fox Stadium 1150 Fulton St Newburg, OR 97132 George Fox Bruins website Stoffer Family Stadium website Year Opened: 2014 Capacity: 2,800 George Fox Football Located in Newberg, in Oregon’s beautiful wine country, Stoffer Family Stadium provides a great experience for college football. Built in 2014, the stadium holds 2800 fans and is home to the DIII Northwest Conference George Fox Bruins football. Food & Beverage 4 Local food trucks at each GFU football game provide several food and beverage options. While the vendors vary from game to game, you can typically find corn dogs, barbeque, Asian-style street food, and a local favorite: Hannah’s Popcorn, which sells several different specialty flavors of popcorn. Beverage options include water and Coca-Cola products sold by the stadium, as well as various drinks from each of the vendors. The boba tea from Bobablastic is my personal favorite! Alcohol is not permitted at the stadium, and therefore is not served at any of the vendors. Atmosphere 4 All three of the grandstands at Stoffer Stadium are close to the field to keep you in the game. While the general admission bleachers are not covered, the main grandstand for season ticket holders is covered. Fans are free to move around the stadium, and there is plenty of room at the end zones to stand and watch the game. The GFU Cheer and Stunt Team, as well as the Drumline, are located in front of the student section and keep the crowd cheering throughout the game. You may even spot Pennington, the school’s mascot, wandering throughout the crowds and ringing the bell when the Bruins score a touchdown. Pennington at Stoffer Family Stadium, Photo by Emma Sutherland, Stadium Journey Neighborhood 5 With downtown Newberg just a 10-minute walk away, Stoffer Stadium is close to several great restaurants and local shops. Newberg itself has been ranked as one of the safest places in Oregon, and with it being extremely walkable, everything you need is within a few blocks. Newberg provides a wide variety of dining options. A few personal favorites include Thai the Knot (just down the street from the stadium) and Old Town Bar and Grill . Several fast food restaurants are located on the other side of town, which is just a short drive away. Besides great restaurants, Newberg has several local shops, which include antique and clothing stores. Velour (vintage clothing and decor) and Wine Country Antiques are two of my favorite places to shop. A movie theater as well as a drive-in theater also can be found in Newberg. If you are looking to drive a bit, Portland is about 40 minutes from Newberg and has endless options for entertainment, including the zoo, OMSI , as well as many restaurants and bars. Options for lodging in Newberg include a Best Western and a Holiday Inn. Fans 4 Stoffer Stadium is full of excitement on Family Weekend, when student’s families have the opportunity to visit the university and attend the home game Saturday evening. Besides family weekend, each game has a theme where students dress up and pack the student section of the stadium. While family weekend attendance is more than usual, students and local fans will fill most of the stadium for a Saturday night game. Fans stay involved throughout the game, and if you are near the student section, it can get loud! Access 5 With Stoffer Stadium being on the smaller side, everything is extremely accessible. The food trucks are located right as you walk out of the stands, and restrooms are located close by in other campus buildings. Fans are welcome to walk around, and there is plenty of room to stand at both end zones. While there is no longer public transit service in Newberg, the town is small enough to be easily walkable anywhere around the stadium. Uber and Lyft rides are available in Newberg. Parking is available directly next to the stadium off of Fulton Street. Other parking lots are available around campus off of Villa and Meridian. Street parking is also available near campus, but usually fills up quickly. Ticketing gates open 90 minutes before games, and the only entry is located between the student section and the main grandstand. Tickets can be bought prior to the game. Getting through security is easy. There's no bag policy, though security personnel do random checks. Umbrellas are not allowed, and seat cushions can be up to 18 inches wide. Return on Investment 5 With ticket prices being $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 18, seeing a Bruin football game can be an affordable way to spend your Saturday afternoon. There is even a family pack option for $20 which includes 2 adults and kids. Season tickets range from $110-$120, and can be worth it for the covered seating area on rainy Oregon days. Parking on campus or in the neighborhood is free. Extras 3 Merchandise is available for purchase at games, located just outside of the stadium near the food trucks. During the autumn months, the GFU campus is full of beautiful fall colors. And did you even visit George Fox if you didn’t get a picture with Mama Bear, the large bronze bear statue? She is located in the Alumni Plaza on the south side of the stadium. Mama Bear at Stoffer Family Stadium, Photo by Emma Sutherland, Stadium Journey Final Thoughts Bruin Football at Stoffer Stadium is a great way to experience college football with a small-town feel. Newberg is a great community to visit, and the close proximity of the stadium to town makes everything you need within walking distance.

Courtesy of the Oakland Ballers There might be another ballpark to visit this summer for Stadium Journey readers. The Oakland Ballers have plans to keep baseball alive in town as an expansion club in the independent Pioneer League. The Oakland B’s expansion club is “stealing baseball back” and set to join the independent Pioneer League for the 2024 campaign. It is co-founded by Entrepreneur Paul Freeman and Bryan Carmel, a veteran writer and producer. They have scheduled a 2 p.m. ET news conference on Tuesday with Oakland Mayor Sheng Tao and other city officials. The B’s hope to play at Laney College's baseball stadium in downtown Oakland. The venue has a limited seating capacity and will be more than likely expanded for the new franchise. It is the site the A’s had once planned to build a new ballpark before announcing their decision to relocate to Las Vegas, NV. The franchise has raised $2 million from investors and started a fundraising campaign to invite others to become part-owners of the team. The ball club has introduced its primary logo and team colors of green and gold, similar to that of its major league counterpart. The B's will be the first California entry in the loop. The PL consists of 10 teams - spread across Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah - and play a 96-game schedule from May to September. The emphasis is to draw more fans to home games this summer than the A's at the Oakland-Alameda County Stadium. "Unlike the A's, the B's vow to never leave The Town," the Oakland Ballers said in a statement. "The Oakland B's will be for Oakland, by Oakland, and forever in Oakland. The Oakland B's believe that sports teams should serve their communities — not the other way around." ---- 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 Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Tori Bowe & Marshall Bell Soccer, Track and Field Complex 620 Meadowlane Drive Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles website Southern Miss Soccer Complex website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 1,500 Soccer at the Eagle's Nest The Southern Miss Soccer Complex opened in 1997, which was the first year of soccer at Southern Miss. For the first 25 years the Lady Eagles competed in C-USA, but beginning in 2022 Southern Miss athletics began their transition to the Sun Belt Conference. After 27 years of soccer action the Lady Eagles have advanced to 7 C-USA Tournaments and 1 Sun Belt Conference Tournament as of the 2023 season, with the best season being the 2018 season when they advanced to semifinals of the C-USA Tournament. Also located within the complex is the Marshall Bell Track, named after the former track and field coach at Southern Miss for 18 years. The track is home to the men's and women's track and field teams. In 2016 the entire facility was officially dedicated and renamed after Tori Bowie, the most decorated Olympic athlete from Southern Miss – the track and field star competed at Southern Miss from 2008-2012 and later won three Olympic Gold medals at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Food & Beverage 2 There is one food truck at the main entrance to the Complex and it just sells the basics. Sausage dogs, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, peanuts, and candy round out the menu, and with prices ranging between $3 and $7 there is nothing that stands out or breaks the bank. Coca-Cola is the official soft drink provider of Southern Miss Athletics, and you can get bottled drinks for $5. However, my best advice for food options would be to instead get something to eat or drink next door at the Colludium Brewing Company, which is located in the parking lot probably 100 feet from the Soccer Complex. Atmosphere 3 The Soccer Complex is kind of hidden on the back side of campus, in quite a peaceful setting away from the noisy campus and the busy highway that runs right by it. The pitch runs north and south with an 800-seat grandstand located on the west side; 20 rows of metal bleachers make up the seating on that side. A small press box with a cool spiral staircase is located at the top of the bleachers – nothing really stands out regarding the seating except that all the seats are painted in the Southern Miss colors of black and gold. There is one main entrance into the Complex located under the bleachers, as well as a small gathering area behind the bleachers at the main entrance. The main entrance has a small table with posters and magnet schedules, and you can also find a plaque dedicated to Olympian Tori Bowie there as well. You can't beat the views from the bleachers – to the south you'll see the Long Leaf Trace bike trail that runs directly in front of the Complex. The Trace is a 44-mile paved trail that was once the site of a railroad that went into downtown Hattiesburg; the old looking building you can see to the south in the parking lot was once an old railroad storage warehouse. Today it has been renovated and is home to Colludium Brewing Company. To the north of the pitch you’ll see the locker rooms of the soccer and track teams. Once the match starts the atmosphere is pretty laid back, typical of a soccer match. They only play music during halftime and pre-game, and the PA announcer only speaks when Southern Miss scores. Don't come expecting any promotions or any fan engagement; instead the focus is squarely on the soccer match. Neighborhood 3 Hattiesburg (aka The Burg) is a decent-sized city of about 50,000 people, so it has everything you could want in a city and still retains that college town feel. The Burg has a wide selection of bars and restaurants, but unlike most college towns they are not located near each other – instead they are spread out throughout the city. Within walking distance of campus you'll find places like Patio 44, Brewsky's, and 4th Street Bar; if you’re looking for vintage Southern Miss memorabilia then 4th Street Bar is the place, located right on the Long Leaf Trace just down the street from the Soccer Complex in front of the Softball Complex . Another popular spot on the Trace and in the Soccer Complex parking lot is Colludium Brewing Company, Hattiesburg's newest brewery. Here they have a nice outdoor patio overlooking the Trace and the Soccer Complex, which makes for a great spot to have a beer before a soccer match. Closer to downtown you'll also find popular spots like Keg & Barrel, The Porter, Hattiesburger, Fairley Wings, and Nostalgia. In Hattiesburg there is also plenty to do for all ages – for families there's the Hattiesburg Zoo and Serenghetti Springs Water Park, while downtown has the popular Pocket Museum, Mississippi's tiniest museum. Located in an alleyway downtown, this popular museum has a different theme each month; we can't tell you where the alley is because that's part of the charm of the Pocket Museum, i.e. being able to find it. If coming to a match during October be sure to check out the Pocket Museum's Halloween display as well as Boo Zoo, located about a mile away from the Soccer Complex. For shopping in town there are plenty of chain stores, as well as Turtle Creek Mall. Another popular spot is the Lucky Rabbit – located downtown, it's a two-story vintage store with tons of antiques and different vendors with all kinds of little displays; this is a one-of-a-kind store and a must visit if you are coming to Hattiesburg. It also has a ton of Southern Miss memorabilia, and Hattiesburg also has a really cool Halloween theme with scary movies being shown in the street, plus giant skeletons all around town. If you are into the outdoors there is also Paul B. Johnson State Park, just south of Hattiesburg, which is an excellent spot for camping, while another popular pastime is rafting down the Okatoma River that runs right through Hattiesburg, all the way to the coast. Fans 3 You can usually find a couple hundred fans at a Southern Miss Soccer match; the grandstand holds about 800 seats and fills up pretty quickly, especially for weekend games. If you can't get a seat in the bleachers, the grass along the fence line makes for a great place to watch the game. I saw many fans bring folding chairs and sit along the fence line – you can even get closer to the action this way. Many of the visiting fans sit in the grass as well, to the north of the bleachers. The Southern Miss soccer team is pretty diverse, with the 2023 team having members from 7 different countries. A cool thing they do here is have flags of all those countries on display at the top of the bleachers, so as you enter the Soccer Complex you will be greeted by the flags of Hungary, Iceland, France, Ireland, England, Canada, and the U.S flying high above the bleachers. The Southern Miss student body also has many students from other countries who come out to support the soccer team – students from those countries are encouraged to bring their own flags as well, so you will see other flags flying such as Mexico or Sweden. Access 3 Getting to Hattiesburg shouldn't be a problem, as it is one of the more accessible cities in the state, located about an hour and a half from the coast, New Orleans, Jackson, or Mobile. If coming from out of town the main road into The Burg is I-59; once in town the main two roads in Hattiesburg are Highway 49 and Hardy Street, with Southern Miss’ campus sitting at the intersection of the two. Depending on the time of day Hattiesburg is notorious for traffic, especially on Hardy Street, so plan accordingly, as many of the weekday soccer matches start in the mid-afternoon. The Soccer Complex is tucked away on the back side of campus to the east of Highway 49. The best way to get to the venue is to take the 4th Street exit off Highway 49; when you see the softball field behind 4th Street Bar, go a little further east and you will see Colludium Brewing Company, with the Soccer Complex sitting behind it. For weekend matches parking is extremely limited – the Brewery shares a parking lot with the Soccer Complex, so when Colludium is packed it will be hard to find a parking spot. My recommendation would be to park at the Softball Complex and walk down the Long Leaf Trace to get to the Soccer Complex. Return on Investment 3 Tickets are free, parking is free, and concessions are cheap – the only issue is the limited parking in the parking lot, especially for weekend games. However, I consider this a good return on investment, and the facility being named after an Olympic Gold Medalist is always a plus. There isn't a lot going on besides the soccer match either, so don't come expecting a lot of music or giveaways, but you will get to watch a soccer match in a beautiful setting. Extras 3 One extra for the complex also housing the Southern Miss Men's and Women's track and field teams; the track also hosted the 1997 C-USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, as well High School State Championship meets. Another extra for the facility being named after Tori Bowie – the Pisgah, MS native was a two-time NCAA long jump champion during her time here, followed up by winning three medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics (gold in the 4 x 100 m relay, silver in the 100 m, and bronze in the 200 m). She also took bronze and gold in the 100 m at the 2015 and 2017 World Championships. Sadly, Tori would pass away in April 2023 at the young age of 32; it is quite fitting that the most decorated athlete to come out of Southern Miss, and probably one of the most decorated Olympic athletes to come out of Mississippi, will forever have her legacy honored at the track where she had so many memorable runs en route to the Olympics. One extra for the Long Leaf Trace and Brewery providing the backdrop to the Soccer Complex; it is possible to bike here from almost anywhere in Hattiesburg via The Trace, and almost all the Southern Miss athletic venues are located along the old railroad which is now a paved trail. The Trace provides a scenic way to bike to the Soccer Complex, especially on a crisp cool fall night for a soccer match.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium 1 Ira Errett Rodgers Dr Morgantown, WV 26506 West Virginia Mountaineers website Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium website Year Opened: 1980 Capacity: 60,000 Take Me Home, Country Roads The last time I attended a football game at West Virginia was in 2007 – several years before Geno Smith, five years before they joined the Big 12, and long before the 2016 stadium renovations. Since that time the football experience at Mountaineer Field has just gotten better and better; the fans are passionate, the concessions are solid, and the band is top notch. The only challenge is getting in and out. Food & Beverage 4 Mountaineer Field boasts a wide array of concessions items from football-themed stands, with names such as Red Zone Grill and Sideline Stands. However, stands with the same name have different items around the stadium, which means you will have to hunt around for the items you want – ranging from burgers, hot dogs, nachos, chicken tenders, pulled pork, pizza, and even pepperoni rolls. Besides the main stands you can also find smaller stands all around the facility, offering snack items such as peanuts, popcorn, glazed nuts, and ice cream, as well as stands selling beer, wine, and seltzer. The prices for all these items are very reasonable for this level of football – for example you can find hot dogs, popcorn, and candy for only $3.50, bottled water for $4, and alcohol starting at $8.50, which is a lot less than you will pay at many similar venues. Atmosphere 5 West Virginia has a great atmosphere, and it starts with the marching band – the band does all sorts of formations during pre-game and during halftime, for example the WVU logo, state flower, shape of West Virginia, and even a football. The best thing about these formations is that the band flips them around so both the home and visiting stands can see them right-side up; the band wears white with dark blue capes, so you will see the formations done in both colors as they switch between sides. Besides the band there are also plenty of pyrotechnics for fans to enjoy – cones of fire and smoke when the team comes onto the field, as well as fireworks during the National Anthem, whenever the Mountaineers score, and after the game. West Virginia also has a great mascot, and all the traditional fan engagement activities, such as field goal contests and a t-shirt Gatling gun to shower fans with swag. There are also two huge videoboards so you can watch all the replays. Neighborhood 4 West Virginia University hospital is right behind the north end zone, and there are a bunch of restaurants beyond that, including an Applebee’s; sports bars such as Kegler’s, Smokin’ J’s, and Buffalo Wild Wings; Sam’s Pizza; and plenty of fast food restaurants as well – all of these are within 1-2 miles of the stadium. Hotels are not quite as numerous as the restaurants, but you can find several well-known chains such as Marriott and Hampton Inn. Morgantown does lack a little in terms of attractions for those who want to spend the day or weekend, but you can find interesting stops such as the Don Knotts statue and the USS West Virginia mast and bell, as well as several parks for the nature lovers. Fans 3 There is a great tailgating scene at West Virginia – from inside the stadium you can see tents and tailgaters expanding out quite a ways, and many fans stay until the end to sing Country Roads and to watch the band march out. The stands are also pretty full – not a sellout by any means but not very many empty seats either, especially for Big 12 matchups. The stands do tend to thin out a little as the game goes on, though, so there will be fewer by the fourth quarter than you will see during the second. Access 3 I will be honest – getting to Mountaineer Field is tough. Morgantown is just off I-79, but a little far from other major towns, so it may take a while to get here depending on where you are coming from. Also you will probably have to park pretty far from the stadium – you can find parking starting at $10 near where the restaurants are if you are willing to walk a bit, and the prices go up from there the closer you get to the stadium. Note that you will need a pass to park on the hill next to the facility, and if you do park on that hill, it will still take time to get back to your car, either waiting for one of the shuttles or walking back up the hill. Once inside the stadium, the lines are long for the concessions and restrooms, even before it hits halftime, though the lines at the entrances are not too bad; there is a long line right before the gates open of all those who came early, but once that rush is over it gets easier. You can’t really see the game from the concourse due to the tunnels that go up and down to the seats, which block your vision of the field. On the plus side they have TV screens all along the concourse, so you can still keep track of the game while waiting in line to get food or use the restrooms. Getting out after the game is also a bit challenging – the local police try to help by re-directing traffic; blocking certain streets and making other streets one way, meaning both sides go the same direction, allowing some people to drive on the “wrong” side of the road as they exit. But having certain streets blocked means you may have to loop all the way around to go in the direction you want to go in, and traffic is pretty heavy nearby for 30-60 minutes after the game. One option to note is West Virginia does have an elevated train consisting of boxy little vehicles, which shuttle folks from campus to the stadium and back – due to the issues with driving mentioned above, if you are able to use that train it is probably worthwhile, and should save you some time. Return on Investment 4 Tickets to West Virginia football games start at $65 on their website (conference games), but you can likely find them on third party websites for a little cheaper given they don’t usually sell out (the stadium has a capacity of 60,000 – for most games lately they are at two-thirds or three-quarters of that). That is a fair price for big-time college football, and given the reasonable concessions and low cost parking options, makes attending a game at Mountaineer Field a good return on investment. Extras 3 Being able to see the band march out after the game is a plus, and the setting is very nice, with the hills and trees in the background. The scenery on the drive up is pleasant as well – through the mountains of rural West Virginia, a part of the country many folks have never seen; a nice break from the hustle and bustle of city living. Final Thoughts Mountaineer Field has a great atmosphere with lots of amenities for fans, especially the pyrotechnics, and the recent upgrades to the stadium have improved things quite a bit. As long as you plan ahead in term of getting in and out, you should have a great time.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Scotiabank Arena 40 Bay St Toronto, ON M5J 2X2 Canada Toronto Maple Leafs website Scotiabank Arena website Year Opened: 1999 Capacity: 18,800 Leafs Forever Founded in 1917 as the Toronto Arenas, the Toronto Maple Leafs have as rich a history as any team in the National Hockey League. The proud holders of eleven Stanley Cup Championships, nine after they rebranded as the Maple Leafs in 1927, fans of the Maple Leafs are filled with angst and dread as they eagerly await the next trip to the finals. It would be the first since 1967, the final year of the “Original Six.” Suffering through some of the worst ownership groups in sports history, see Harold Ballard, the Leafs are currently on solid ownership ground under the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment banner. MLSE is a conglomerate controlled by the odd partnering of Rogers Communications, Bell Media and Larry Tannenbaum. They also have the coveted superstar with Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews leading the charge. Finally, the Leafs have one of the premier venues in the NHL, which although opened in 1999, has received several renovations to keep it at the forefront and state-of-the-art. The venerable home for the Leafs for decades was the “Cashbox on Carlton,” Maple Leaf Gardens. In 1999, the Leafs moved closer to the lake, directly west of the CN Tower to the former Toronto Canada Post Delivery Building, which is currently known as Scotiabank Arena. It is difficult to argue that there is a better-located facility in the NHL, and the building is constantly changing for the betterment of the fan experience. All that remains is for the Leafs to get that elusive Stanley Cup back under the blue and white banner. Food & Beverage 5 Concessions at Scotiabank Arena are among the best in the NHL, and a focal point of the operators. The menus are consistently examined and upgraded and the incorporation of new technology is also a priority. Concession providers are a mix of local favourites and interior exclusives. National brands like Tim Hortons and Pizza Pizza have a strong presence. That is balanced with internal options like St. Patties and Hogtown Gourmet Hot Dogs. Fans can find just about any sort of cuisine in Scotiabank Arena that they desire. St. Patties features a variety of burgers; Mac and Cheese Boutique features gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and macaroni and cheese inventions; Noodle and Bao has several roti options; Edo Sushi has a variety of sushi; Porchetta & Co. and Panini each have a variety of sandwich options; and Hogtown Gourmet Hot Dogs has several interesting hot dog concoctions. Of course, arena staples like popcorn and nachos are found in several concession stands as well. The integration of technology is found in the Grains & Greens area. A long, narrow, convenience store setup has patrons tap their credit card to go in. They pick up their items and then exit, charges automatically taken. The selection of beer and alcoholic beverages in Scotiabank Arena will rival any of its contemporaries. Typical national brands are joined by favourites like Creemore Springs, Rickards Red and Sol, to cover the tip of the iceberg. Seltzers, Smirnoff Vodka, wine and Crown Royal are also available at a variety of bars and stands. The Molson Canadian Brewhouse on the 100 level has a huge bar and is a perfect meeting place once inside the Scotiabank Arena. There are also other bars throughout the arena on multiple levels. Coca-Cola products are the soft drinks of choice and Tim Hortons provides hot beverages. Scotiabank Arena takes it to the next level with possibly the best, most up-to-date website there is, providing a ton of concession information for patrons to take in before heading to the arena. Atmosphere 5 Scotiabank Arena provides one of the best atmospheres in the NHL. Located on Bay Street, the Scotiabank Arena really should be approached from the west, which is Maple Leaf Square. The main entrance from the square features a massive video board above the entrances. Maple Leaf Square is the location where fans of the Leafs and Raptors congregate to watch the game outside during the playoffs. Highlights of the Scotiabank Arena exterior are the “Search Light Star Light Spot Light'' structure, which is part of the original Air Canada Centre logo, and Maple Leafs’ Legends Row. The most honoured Maple Leaf players are immortalized in a series of bronze statues that not only cross eras but seemingly interact with each other. Frank Mahovlich, Wendel Clark, Dave Keon, George Armstrong, Johnny Bower, Red Kelly, Charlie Conacher, Teeder Kennedy, Tim Horton, Turk Broda, Syl Apps, Mats Sundin, Borje Salming and Daryl Sitler are all part of the fantasy team. Upon entering the Scotiabank Arena fans are greeted with decent-sized concourses with a plethora of concession options. For fans who enjoy the treasure hunt, there are some photos and portraits on many of the walls featuring key moments in Scotiabank Arena, Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs history. There are not many spots where there is empty wall space. Even stairwells are home to some classic pictures. The main team store is large and crowded and can be found on the north side of the building. It can be accessed during non-game hours from the Galleria, which also hosts the ticket windows and links directly to Union Station. Markings of the old Toronto Postal Delivery Building along with a history of the building can be found here. The Captain's Wall, which is becoming more prevalent throughout hockey venues, traces the lineage of those honoured enough to wear the Captain ‘C’ right up to the current captain, John Tavares. When entering the two-tier seating bowl, fans are bombarded with the history and accomplishments of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The two early Stanley Cup banners from the Arenas in 1918 and 1922 as the St. Pats, hang at the north side of the arena, starting from the east. These are followed to the west by the nine Maple Leafs Stanley Cup banners including 1932, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1962, 1964, and 1967. Each banner features a picture of what the trophy looked like when presented that year. On the opposite, south side hang the banners of the retired numbers for the Maple Leafs. Hockey legends Frank, Mahovlich, Wendel Clark, Dave Keon, George Armstrong, Charlie Conacher, King Clancy, Ace Bailey, Red Kelly, Johnny Bower, Turk Broda, Hap Day, Bill Barilko, Tim Horton, Teeder Kennedy, Syl Apps, Mats Sundin, Borje Salming Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmour all have a home here. These banners have an appropriate home right in front of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Gondola, where the various press sit. The ice runs from east to west with the perfect center ice picture coming from the south side. The gameday presentation of the Toronto Maple Leafs provides a bit of a quandary. The Leafs are forced to find a balance between the classic and modern, historical and modern. The massive, state-of-the-art video board is used magnificently and the video montages produced by the team are top-notch and do a good job of balancing the old and new. Jimmy Holmstrom plays the organ during specifically featured breaks, however, it seems that the organ is featured less than in previous years. Carlton the Bear partakes in some promotions and traverses the arena, interacting with fans. The Leafs employ an in-house DJ and have in-game hosts, which lean more toward the modern. The 2023-24 season has been fraught with controversy with regards to the Leafs goal song. For the last number of years, the goal song was “You Make My Dreams (Come True)” by Hall and Oates, which received props as being original and refreshing in this publication. The Leafs began the season with a more contemporary goal song which was met with vitriol as a result of concerning lyrics in their selection. Since then, the Leafs have gone with “Dup Dup” by Mickie Krause, which is just another bland, electronic song like so many other teams employ. The Leafs have gone from being a leader and original to a team following all of the others in this manner. It is curious why the Leafs can’t get an original song written by one of the plethora of musical artists who frequent Leaf games. Neighbourhood 5 Scotiabank Arena has a prime location that is second to none in the National Hockey League. Scotiabank Arena is located right in the heart of the excitement in Toronto, one of the top tourist cities in North America. Toronto is a vastly cosmopolitan city that offers just about anything that visitors could want. The restaurant scene in Toronto is fantastic and there are a multitude of pre and post-game spots for food and drink within mere steps of Scotiabank Arena. Real Sports is located right in Maple Leaf Square as is e11even. The Loose Moose, The Fox, Miller Tavern, Taverna Mercatto, and Kelly's Landing, to name a few, are all great options that are within walking distance. A unique dining experience fans could choose to partake in is at the top of the CN Tower which features excellent food and the best view of the city there is. Toronto is also a sports fan haven as there are a ton of other sporting options. Scotiabank Arena is shared with the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. Just down the road is Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays of MLB. Heading west along Lakeshore Blvd. will bring fans to Exhibition Place which has BMO Field and Coca-Cola Coliseum on the grounds. These are the homes of the Toronto Argonauts , Toronto FC and Toronto Marlies . A pilgrimage to the old Maple Leaf Gardens may be of interest. The hockey and basketball teams of Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) can be found here. Just north is the University of Toronto where the Varsity Blues have a variety of athletic teams including hockey , basketball and football . There are plenty of other tourist destinations in the immediate area. The CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium are worth checking out. The Eaton Centre is an iconic Toronto shopping destination and there are always events going on at Harbourfront. However, any fan reading this review must take a trip to see the hallowed Hockey Hall of Fame. Just a few blocks from Scotiabank Arena, it is arguably as good as Cooperstown and warrants multiple trips. For fans wishing to stay near the Scotiabank Arena, the Westin Harbour Castle is close. However, any downtown option will be on the pricey side. Fans 4 The Maple Leafs enjoy one of the strongest set of attendance figures over the years. The Leafs consistently attract more than 18,700 fans per game and enjoy over 100% capacity most years. In the 2022-2023 season, the Leafs had the fifth-highest average attendance. That figure has dropped to sixth in 2023-2024, however, the top team includes an outdoor game, which slightly skews the data. Over all of the years of poor teams and close calls, Leafs Nation has shown up at the turnstile or tuning in on television making the Leafs one of the most valuable teams in the NHL. Fans in Scotiabank Arena are typically late arriving and the most expensive seats remain empty well into the first stoppage of the period. Fans are also typically quiet, being more reactive than proactive. The well-worn “Go Leafs Go” and reactions to goals or close calls are the extent of Leaf fan interaction. Access 4 Getting to the Scotiabank Arena by car will force fans to traverse the Toronto traffic, which can be a real challenge. The Lakeshore is quite far from Highway 401 in the north, so using Lakeshore Blvd or the Gardiner Expressway to travel east or west along the lake will be required. There are plenty of parking options around which can be found for $20 or more. The real travesty is that the City of Toronto has not taken any lessons from other cities when events are put on. Upon exiting Scotiabank Arena, Toronto Police are not present aiding in the movement of traffic, leaving drivers on their own to get out of downtown. On the plus side, public transit downtown is very good. Union Station is attached to the Scotiabank Arena. TTC subways and GO Transit trains along with Via Rail trains can be found here. Fans should check the TTC or GO Transit websites for maps, fares and schedules. Getting around the Scotiabank Arena is not difficult, however, fans need to keep in mind that there is rarely less than a full house in the arena and intermissions will be congested. Washroom facilities are more than adequate but will have lineups during intermissions as well. With security protocols and procedures in constant flux, Stadium Journey strongly suggests visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs and Scotiabank Arena websites for the most up-to-date security information before heading to the arena. Return on Investment 3 The Toronto Maple Leafs are the most expensive experience in the NHL. According to the 2022 Fan Cost Index, the Leafs are at the top of the NHL heap at nearly $700. Ticket prices are part of dynamic pricing, as are for many pro teams. Tickets for a Saturday game or against an Original Six or Canadian team will increase prices significantly. Obstructed standing-room spots are going for between $98 and $189 on the primary market. Secondary market tickets are in many ways all that is available and come with the increase in ticket prices that are expected. Prices can go up over $700 in some cases. It will cost some money to park the car and concessions, although high quality, will be on the expensive side. The Leafs do what they can to provide the best possible environment for hockey and there will not be a game where the seats are empty. However, the return struggles to meet the significant investment fans are required to put out for a Leafs game. Extras 3 An extra mark for the change in fortunes for the Leafs on the ice. They are once again in a relevant position in the Toronto sports scene. An extra mark for the vast history of the Leafs and their position as a member of the fabled NHL “Original Six.” An extra mark for the continued rivalries the Leafs have with so many teams including the Red Wings, Senators, Sabres and of course, the Canadiens. Final Thoughts All hockey fans should consider making a pilgrimage to see the Toronto Maple Leafs and extend the trip to see the city of Toronto and especially the Hockey Hall of Fame. Scotiabank Arena remains among the premier venues in the league and MLSE has done a spectacular job keeping the arena relevant for the last two decades and continuing to revamp and upgrade the experience. ---- Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads and Instagram @profan9.

Photo Designed by Jason Moragas This past November a series of baseball teams and leagues introduced new branding to the market in hopes of attracting fans to their organization and a few more to purchase merchandise. Each November brings out a wave of new franchises, rebranding, and logo updates. The month has become known as Logovember. Jason Moragas tracked down every league’s new styles on his Brand Identity Checklist and joined me on a recent episode of the Ballpark Hunter . Here is what we thought were the five best logos from the offseason, so far. Rome Emperors - South Atlantic League Marc - "I am not sure there is a negative complaint about this rebrand. The former Rome Brave ball club went from a vapid-sounding name to one that evokes that of Ancient Rome. The Studio Simon-designed emperor penguin has the right smirk on his face and dons enough aesthetics to make Julius Caesar blush. The colors of red, black, and gold have been a hit across the country, with merchandise sold in all 50 states." Jason -“Even among Dan Simon’s portfolio, this is some top stuff. The penguin logo appeals to little children, and the name is not over the top. It does a great job of appealing to everyone and isolating no one. I love the use of the old Roman columns, the wardrobe, and the penguin's smirk on his face. This brand writes itself.” Ft. Collins Foxesv - Rocky Mountain Baseball League Marc- "I was worried that after the ball clubs' hiatus, they might not return; instead, they unleash an update on an old classic and come very close to beating Rome in the Logovember Wars. The two shades of orange and the teal coloring make the logo pop. If you are doing a reboot with your club, this is how to get it started." Jason- “What a statement after taking last year off. The Foxes come back with a really impressive logo in a league that does offer powerful branding. The colors of orange and teal are electric. The real fox is commanding. This logo is the only one that could truly rival the Rome Emperors.” North Platte 80s - Pecos League Marc - "Leave it to the Pecos League to find one of its teams on this list and one that came out of the blue. The club isn’t named after a particular year but after "The Decade of Decadence". The logo looks like it was created in 1986, but it feels fresh for baseball fans to rock in on a trucker’s cap in 2024." Jason - “The 80’s is a good logo. It is one of my favorites of the off-season. It's like an 80s logo. They are trying to bring in the culture and the vibe of that era of baseball. That’s good and that sounds a lot of fun.” Saskatoon Berries - Western Canadian Baseball League Marc - "You can’t help but like the cute little logo of the expansion of Saskatoon Berries of the Western Canadian Baseball League. The emblem, designed by Brad McLeod, works for the company that owns the Berries, Sask Entertainment Group. The colors of purple and sky blue give this a fresh look for the club bringing back baseball fun in the summertime in Saskatchewan. Jason - “I love this one. It’s a nice, cute logo, but this little berry with the eye black, white cap turned backward like Ken Griffey, Jr., with his bat over his shoulder is great for the league. I’m a sucker for purple, and it’s a good logo for a baseball team. You love to see a logo like this for a collegiate summer league.” Northwest Arkansas Naturals - Texas League Marc - "I love the colors and secondary marks, and the rooster logo is a great addition to the new branding of the ball club. The oversized logos are not my cup of tea, but this new branding makes you realize how outdated the old logo was. There is a lot to enjoy from the Naturals new imagery." Jason - "The new Naturals logo dials back on the business of their old primary mark to create a new visual identity that puts the scenic views of NWA at the forefront. The blue, yellow, and red color scheme of the club creates a stunning portrait of a sunset sky over a natural landscape. I'm also a big fan of the oversized secondary marks that truly pop on caps. The oversized cap logo look seems to be in (see the Tampa Bay Rays Devil Ray throwbacks), and the Naturals certainly do not miss that mark. Overall, this is a massive improvement, in my opinion, and I cannot wait to see the new logo set hit the field." --- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com Follow Jason Moragas on Twitter @jasonxxiv

On July 3, 1974, Ralph Legeman passed away a day after he turned 70 years old. The Evansville-based architect had designed general buildings since 1922 but would later innovate a new direction of building basketball gymnasiums throughout Indiana and Illinois. His contributions to the high school basketball game go unnoticed, but the facilities thankfully do not. If you ever attended a high school basketball game at New Castle, Boonville, Connersville, Indiana, or Jacksonville, Murphysboro, Herrin, Illinois, you are sitting in one of the 37 Legeman gymnasiums. A design that was implemented in many small-town high schools that were revolutionary at the time of their construction. We call them the sunken gym design today, back then, they were called 'underground bowl gyms' or, as a few school officials referred, "wing-dings". However, after initial hesitation by school officials, Legeman was able to convince schools that his innovative basketball gym would be the way to go in basketball-starved towns of Indiana and Illinois. Three-fourths of a century later, it's not hard to find them. I never met Legeman, nor has there been an array of articles honoring his dedication to the game of basketball, but when you sit in one of his designed structures, it's easy to see why they became popular. They were inexpensive, provided unobstructed views, the main concourse allowed additional seating and a running track during school hours, plus multiple exits through the various doors after the game. His concept was used first in Herrin, Illinois, where school officials were looking for a cost-effective gym to hold a high capacity of fans to replace its aging gymnasium. In 1946, Legeman woke up in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm and copied down his thoughts on a piece of paper. The next day, staff at his architectural firm came up with the blueprint that would soon be tested at the high school. His design would allow fans to enter at street level, not interrupt the action on the court below, players entered through a tunnel at courtside from an adjoining building not to run into people. In case of an emergency, fans walk up the aisle through copious exit doors - much more efficiently than hurrying down aisles to the exits. A 6,000-seat building could be emptied within 7 minutes. The president of the Herrin school board was a civil engineer, saw the possibilities that the gym could have on his school, and agreed to have the radical new gym built. The gymnasium opened in November 1949 with 10- rows of bleacher seating in an octagon pattern; soon, other school officials began asking Legeman to consult and design a similar venue. By next year, four more would be constructed in Owensville, Indiana; Norris City and Murphysboro, Illinois; and an additional gym for Herrin Junior High School. "It's something that we're really proud of," said Herrin basketball coach Sayler Shurtz on a podcast for Clubhouse Athletics. "When they built the new school, the gym was so important that they built the school around it." The Owensboro Bowl was the first in Indiana, with a capacity for 2,000 people. The venue helped the school wrangle the sectionals away from other schools and attracted 12,228 fans for five games in 1951. The gym would be the host site for the tournament for five seasons before the games moved to Princeton in 1955. Huntington Memorial Fieldhouse still houses the Southridge Raiders, Photo by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey. His second gym in Indiana would be the Huntingburg Memorial Fieldhouse, dedicated in November 1951. It is the largest of its kind, with a capacity of 6,002 and 17 rows of seating. The cost was between $250,000 to $350,000 to build. In comparison, the Kokomo Memorial Gymnasium cost $680,000 in 1949. “Without a doubt, this new Memorial Gymnasium is the latest thing in modern design and is the most outstanding building in this area. It must be seen to be fully appreciated,” a local sports writer stated at the time. “Without a doubt, this new Memorial Gymnasium is the latest thing in modern design and is the most outstanding building in this area. It must be seen to be fully appreciated,” a local sports writer stated at the time. The in-the-ground design allowed the bleacher seating to be built directly onto the sloping dirt side of the excavation, saving money on building stands for the bleachers and making them impossible to collapse because they rest on the ground.  The new gyms were also a source of pride within their community. Many high schools were moving away from the “cracker box” style of gyms that would overflow with people during the basketball season. New Castle moved from the tiny Church Street Gym that held 1,800, built in 1924, to the New Castle Fieldhouse that sat 9,352 people, making it the largest high school basketball gym in the world. Orleans High School was proud of its new building that opened on Valentine's Day in 1958. A description of the gym is as follows from that year’s yearbook.  “Comfortable bleachers provided seats for 2,000 persons in the 130 by 154 room. Above them, temporary bleachers can be set on the broad concrete walkway. Vision obstructed by a post is a thing of the past as the view of the floor is completely unobstructed. A good P.A. system, tiled dressing room, attractive public restrooms, concession booths, and the tunnel ramp, which ends the need for players or officials to mingle with spectators--all these and much more-- add up a gym that should be adequate for years to come.” Legeman patented his stadium construction design in 1956, and by the end of the decade, 28 gymnasiums would be constructed using his blueprint. The majority of the designs were from schools in Southern Illinois from east to west in Indianapolis and south in Indiana.  A new court for the JHS Bowl, Photo Courtesy of Jacksonville High School The JHS Bowl in Jacksonville, Illinois, continues to be used with pride for the Jacksonville Crimson. It was funded through $188,00 in public funds and opened in November 1952. It is considered one of the most prominent buildings and one of the most distinguished in the Midwest.  It has hosted a myriad of events, from professional wrestling and boxing matches to MMA fights, and is home to the Class 1A Super-Sectional tournament. “Our guys love playing at The Bowl,” said former head coach J.R. Dugan. “The history of the teams that have played here and all the different events that have gone on here has always made the place exciting. I feel like we have one of the best gyms in the state, not a bad seat.”  Legeman’s last gym in Illinois was the Duff-Kingston Gym in Eldorado. The 4,850-capacity facility opened on February 15, 1958, and was later renamed in honor of basketball standouts Mike Duff and Kevin Kingston. They were members of the Evansville basketball team tragically killed in a plane crash on December 13, 1977. The annual Eldorado Holiday Tournament has taken place since 1964. The influx of people is an economic boom to the town that, in three days, becomes the center of basketball in southeastern Illinois. A total of 26 games are held during the tournament, featuring 16 teams with crowds of up to 4,000 for the championship tilt. “Duff-Kingston Gymnasium is a proud focal point of our town,” stated school AD Greg Goodley, who added that the tournament is a must to attend every year. “It is one of a kind in high school sports, with the ability to allow 5,000 people to view a game and for everyone to have a great seat or even have a great view standing round the top of the gym.” Warm-ups at the Duff-Kingston Gymnasium, Photo Courtesy of Eldorado High School Booneville Stadium in Indiana has become a mainstay in the community since its construction in 1958. The 5,650-seat gym pried away sectional games from Lynnville High School, which had its sunken gym constructed in February 1952. Booneville attracted 8,255 people to sectional games in 1959, while Lynville attracted 6,822 to the same amount of games the year before.  High School Athletic Director Kevin Davis said the building is a community icon. It has hosted the Harlem Globetrotters, and President Bill Clinton; it is a great place for shooting baskets. However, its sunken court design does lead to some fine tutelage when it comes to the maintenance of the gym, like screwing in a light bulb. “We can't easily get a lift or equipment down on the floor to fix lights or redo the floor. The gym is shut down for a couple of days if we want to do any bulb replacement or fix a light fixture. People do not realize how much manpower and work it is to fix a bulb.” Sadly, Loogootee, now known as the Jack Butcher Sports Arena, would be the final facility designed after Legeman's vision in 1968. A new kind of gym would become the rage heading into the 1970s called the “box gym” that would feature two levels of seating with roll-out bleachers and stair-cases allowing fans to move to the upper level from an exterior concourse. Many of these gyms still hold a lot of passion for people years after they stopped operating. The old North High School Gym in Evansville was dedicated in 1957 and would be home to the Huskies until the new school opened 9 miles north in 2012. The move also included a new gymnasium with a capacity of 3,457. The Academy for Innovation Studies Diamond Branch would move into the old campus and use the gym for storage.  The former Owensville Bowl is now a museum of sorts, Photo Courtesy of the REH Center The Owensville Bowl would host basketball until 1974 after the school merged with three others to form Southern Gibson. The building was saved from the wrecking ball in 1992 and turned into the REH Center a year later. It is the oldest of its kind in Indiana and is busy from November 1 to the end of March hosting church basketball leagues, pick-up games, senior walkers, sale auctions, town meetings, volleyball, and parties. The gym is also a museum, and its walls are plastered with a collection of memories from the old high school. It includes old varsity jackets hanging on the walls, photographs, game day programs, yearbooks, newspaper clippers, and trophies. For a gym that is no longer in use, it still provides a service to its community.  The West Gym at Center Grove High School is almost 70-years-old and was replaced by the Vandermeer Gym in January 1996. The gym was constructed along with a new school in 1956 and held 4,000 people in a community, which at the time had a population of 5,000. The West Gym was saved as an auxiliary gym and is used for volleyball and freshman basketball games. Occasionally, it returns as the home of the varsity team when scheduling conflicts or during county tournament games. The annual. throwback game draws a big crowd to the West Gym at Center Grove, Photo by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey. The gyms sold themselves due to low cost and it allowed many small communities the opportunity to afford them for civic pride, to attract more players to basketball, and to host sectional and regional tournaments. Many of the gymnasiums were larger than the communities they were built in according to L.V. Phillips, Indiana High School Athletic Director in 1956. "Indiana basketball didn't need a shot in the arm, but these fine new gyms in communities that have been able to afford them have done it anyway. Basketball all over the state already feels like a stimuating effect. We thought that nothing new could be added, but it has been." Many are still in use, and only two have been razed: Roberts Stadium, the former home of the University of Evansville basketball program, and Ridgway, Illinois. The gym in Lynnville, Indiana appears to have been turned into apartments or storage as of this writing. The Racer Arena on the campus of Murray State has been the home to its volleyball team and the second-largest of its kind in college sports. He must have been proud of his design since in 1965 he similarly designed his home in Evansville. The house is still standing and has the trademark trusses on the exterior of the structure. An image exists through Google . Ralph Legeman passed away almost 50 years ago, and he is somewhat of an unknown man, but his buildings are not. It is hard to tell the story of high school basketball in both states without mentioning his sunken gym courts. How many folks know that they are a result of one man's dream? They are his legacy for many basketball communities in the two states. His first innovative gym design will celebrate 75 years of celebration next November, and even if you don’t remember his name, you won’t forget his basketball gyms. Not bad for his 'wing-dings'. ---- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter  and his YouTube channel.   Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.29 New England Sports Village 1395A Commerce Way Attleboro, MA 02703   Johnson & Wales Wildcats hockey website   New England Sports Village website   Year Opened : 2016 Capacity: 1,000   Johnson and Wales Hockey Johnson and Wales University is a private university with its main campus in downtown Providence, RI. Founded in 1914 by Gertrude Johnson and Mary Wales as a business school, JWU has a total enrollment of over 7,000 students spread out over its four campuses. Today the school is best known for its culinary arts and hospitality programs. Several celebrity chefs, including Emeril Lagasse and Aaron Sanchez, are alumni of JWU. New England Sports Village is a community ice center containing two full-sized NHL rinks, a ¾ sized “studio rink” and a goalie pad. The hockey rinks at New England Sports Village were planned to be the first piece in a larger project that was to eventually contain facilities for soccer, tennis, and swimming in addition to a hotel and field house. However, this additional development has yet to materialize, and the owners of the complex filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2021 to stave off a foreclosure auction.   Varsity hockey has been played at Johnson & Wales University since 1997. The team competes in the New England Hockey Conference, a Division Three hockey-only conference featuring teams from New England and New York. The Wildcats have yet to qualify for the national tournament.   Food & Beverage 2   The Blue Line Café, located in the main lobby, offers a basic menu for visiting Wildcats fans who need a snack. Hot dogs, breakfast sandwiches, muffins, and snacks can be purchased here. If your timing is right, you may find pizza slices, assorted sandwiches, or chicken tenders available. The prices are cheap and the quality is decent. Should the café be closed during your visit, there are several vending machines in the lobby.   Pepsi products are featured at NESV. Coffee and hot chocolate are popular items in the chilly complex. Fans are welcome to bring in their snacks if they wish.   Atmosphere 1   As you might expect in a simple community rink like the NESV, there’s not a lot to the game day presentation. The staff here does the best with the limited tools at their disposal, but are limited by a poor speaker system, which makes PA announcements almost unintelligible. A small scoreboard hangs at center ice, which displays basic game information. With youth hockey games going on at the other rink, you’ll be sure to find lots of kids running around the facility, giving the place a certain energy.   One of the best things about seeing a game at a small rink like the NESV is that you can hear the sounds of the game. You can hear coaches shouting instructions to their players, the officials making their calls, and the players chirping at each other. It’s very enjoyable for serious hockey fans.   Neighborhood 2   The New England Sports Village is located in a suburban neighborhood with nothing of interest in the immediate vicinity. Fans looking for a bite to eat can head to nearby Route 1, the primary business district in Attleboro, where multiple shopping and dining options can be found. Most of the options here are national chains. The local outpost of 99 Restaurant or Miller’s Roast Beef should suit your needs. If you are looking for fine dining, head to Providence, which is known as one of the better mid-sized cities in the country for dining options.   Fans looking for nearby lodging will find several options along this same stretch of Route One, including a Best Western, a Holiday Inn Express, and a Hampton Inn.   If visiting during the holiday season, a trip to LaSalette Shrine is a must. The facility is decked out in lights and is a popular local destination during the holidays.   Fans 1 At Stadium Journey we often use the term “friends and family” to describe smaller crowds. A JWU hockey crowd certainly fits this description. Stadium Journey attended a game on a Saturday night, and a crowd of under 100 fans were in attendance. On the plus side, you know that virtually everyone in attendance will have a personal connection with the athletes down on the ice and will be very knowledgeable and enthusiastic in their support. Since the NESV is so far from campus, you won’t find many students here. With the Wildcats’ schedule featuring mostly local teams, you’ll find a good turnout from visiting team fans as well.   Access 4 The New England Sports Village is located in Attleboro, MA, a Providence suburb located about 12 miles from the Johnson & Wales campus. The facility is located just off Interstate 95, making access to and from the facility easy. The parking lot and the main entrance are located at the rear of the building as you approach from Commerce Way.   The Wildcats usually play in the “Premier Rink,” which is straight ahead as you enter the building. Since they are not the primary tenants at the NESV, their games may occasionally be shifted over to the secondary rink. Seating consists of metal bleachers without backs raised about eight feet over the ice surface. Nets run the length of the rink, obstructing views from all seating areas. There is a bit of standing room available at ice level. Fans wishing to escape the cold of the rink may choose to watch the action from tables located in the lobby, which have a view of the ice.   The cafeteria and restrooms are located in the main lobby. While the three ice surfaces here are in constant use, lines are not an issue and the facility is clean and attractive.   Return on Investment 5   There is no charge for Wildcat hockey games at the NESV, and parking in the adjacent lot is also free. Concessions are inexpensive, which all adds up to a very affordable night of entertainment for local sports fans.   Extras 1   An extra point is awarded for honoring local high school player A.J. Quetta by naming the premier rink for him. Quetta was a local high school player who suffered a spinal cord injury in a 2021 game at the facility. There's also an inspirational quote from Quetta on the rink's wall. "If there is a will, there is always a way, my friend."   Final Thoughts   It’s not unusual to see teams at this level of play utilize community rinks as their homes. While the New England Sports Village may not be the most convenient place for this downtown Providence school to be playing, it serves as a decent home for the Wildcats. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Brantford & District Civic Centre 79 Market St. S. Brantford, ON N3S 2E4 Brantford Bulldogs website Brantford & District Civic Centre website Year Opened: 1967 Capacity: 2,952 The (Temporary?) Dog House New to the 2023-2024 Ontario Hockey League landscape is the Brantford Bulldogs.  The franchise was established in 1981 as the Belleville Bulls.  With his AHL Hamilton Bulldogs facing losing their affiliation agreement with the Montreal Canadiens , owner Michael Andlauer purchased the Bulls in a shocking transaction.  The Bulls were rebranded as the Hamilton Bulldogs  and played out of the FirstOntario Centre in the OHL from 2015 to 2023.  After numerous battles over an appropriately sized arena for the Bulldogs, Andlauer found out that his team would be homeless for at least two seasons as massive renovations to the FirstOntario Centre would commence in 2023.  Andlauer found a landing spot in Brantford, Ontario, famously the childhood home of Wayne Gretzky, and signed a lease with the city for at least three years. The new doghouse is the Brantford and District Civic Centre.  Commonly referred to as the Brantford Civic Centre, the city-owned arena was built in 1967 and is the former home of the Brantford Alexanders of the OHL.  The Alexanders would move from Brantford in 1984 and are currently the Erie Otters  franchise.  With the move of the Bulldogs, the Brantford Civic Centre received $9 million in renovations split between the Bulldogs and the city.  Speculation is running rampant in the OHL that the move to Brantford may be permanent for the Bulldogs. Food & Beverage 3 The concession options at the Brantford Civic Centre are fairly pedestrian.  Hot dogs, chips, and chocolate bars can be found at some of the concession stands underneath the grandstands at the ice level.  Pizza Pizza slices are also available.   Pepsi beverages are the soft drink of choice at the Brantford Civic Centre and a small selection of beer includes Budweiser, Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Michelob Ultra.  Two concession stands can be found on ice level at the front of the building while four smaller concession stands are found in the corners of the concourse level. Atmosphere 3 Approaching the Brantford Civic Centre, fans will not be blown away by an elaborate exterior.  The main entrance is at the east side and does feature a tree-lined path from the road.  The exterior is dominated by black siding with yellow trim and the city’s coat of arms on the north and south corners.  Immediately there is a feeling that this is the home of the Bulldogs with the colour scheme and front sign.  Upon entering at the south end, fans enter at ice level and are greeted by a new mural featuring important Bulldog moments. Fans won’t be able to stay in this area very long as it is very crowded, a theme throughout the arena.  Fans then ascend to the concourse level, which empties out to the seating area. The main concourse wraps a full circle behind the seating bowl, with small, elevated concession stands in the corners.  The ice is oriented from east to west and for fans who want that perfect center ice picture, it can be taken from the south side of the arena.  On the far east wall, the 2018 and 2022 J. Ross Robertson Cup banners hang, both won while the team played in Hamilton.  Making its way from Hamilton to Brantford is the large, three-dimensional “Bulldogs” sign with faux flames, which is found on the west wall.  The single tier of red and blue arena seats is enough for nearly 3,000 fans.  There are also a number of designated and reserved standing spots along high railings behind the seating bowl.  Sightlines are excellent in the Civic Centre.  Above the centre ice logo is a brand new, small but clear, four-sided video board.  A traditional hockey scoreboard splits the championship banners on the east wall.  It seems that upgrades at the Brantford Civic Centre include new LED lights and a new sound system. The gameday production is on par with other OHL experiences.  The Bulldogs make good use of their new sound system, coloured projection lights, and video board.  The Bulldogs’ mascot, Bruiser, can be found moving around the arena, interacting with fans, and posing for pictures.  The Bulldogs feature a large Canadian flag which is passed along by the fans in the stands, in a practice that is not unique, but not overly common either. Neighbourhood 3 The Brantford Civic Centre is located in the north corner of the Eagle Place neighbourhood in Brantford, just south of downtown.  Several places are closed for a pre or post-game meal.  There are a number of fast food and chain restaurants on Icomm Drive, including Boston Pizza, Sunset Grill and Tim Hortons.  Fans who are looking for something a little more unique can head north into downtown.  The Rose & Thistle, Hudson Public, and The Works are all good options. The best option might be Uncle Sam’s BBQ Smoke House. For fans looking for other sporting options, there are a few in Brantford.  There are other junior hockey options in town with the Brantford 99ers of the OJHL and Brantford Bandits of the GOJHL, both of whom play in the Wayne Gretzky Sportsplex.  The summer finds the Brantford Red Sox  of the Intercounty League taking up residence at Cockshutt Park.  Other tourist options in Brantford include Elements Casino Brantford, directly across the parking lot from the Civic Centre, and Earl Haig Family Fun Park.  For fans wanting to stay in Brantford, they will have to head to Highway 403 where they will find a Comfort Inn and Best Western. Fans 4 For the inaugural campaign, the Brantford fans have turned out to support the Bulldogs.  For the 2023-2024 season, the Bulldogs have averaged over 3,000 fans per game as of this writing.  This puts them in 16th place in the 20-team OHL for attendance, however, the meager capacity of the Brantford Civic Centre shows that the Bulldogs are averaging over capacity.  The fans in Brantford are loud and right into the game.  The only factor that keeps this from being a perfect score is the lack of longevity in Brantford.  A few more years of this and the mark will improve.   Access 3 Getting to the Brantford Civic Centre is not difficult at all.  The Brantford Civic Centre is located in the north corner of the Eagle Place neighbourhood, just south of downtown.  It is surrounded by Icomm Drive and Market Street, with the Grand River just to the west.  It is located significantly south of Highway 403 and fans will have to traverse the city a bit to get to the arena.  However, the drive through Brantford is not difficult and traffic moves smoothly.  There is plenty of parking in the immediate area, which is free.  For fans wishing to take public transit, there are bus stops near the arena.  Fans should consult the Brantford Transit  website for schedules, fares and maps.  Inside the Brantford Civic Centre is a bit of a different story.  Getting around the arena can be difficult and it is very crowded.  Fans will be required to traverse stairs to get up to the concourse level.  The washroom facilities are at ice level, forcing fans to traverse more stairs. Return on Investment 4 The return on investment for OHL hockey is excellent and Brantford falls right into place along its brethren in the league.  Tickets for the Bulldogs are $28 each and $23 for standing room.  This is a bit on the expensive side for the OHL, but not over the top.  Parking is free and concession prices are what one would expect.  The product on the ice is top notch and the fans help create a great hockey environment that new fans will love. Extras 2 An extra mark for the history of the Brantford Civic Centre.  In the eighties, the Brantford Civic Centre was the regular venue for WWF tapings and the home of the “Maple Leaf Wrestling” program which aired each weekend. An extra mark for Brantford as the hometown of Wayne Gretzky. Final Thoughts The Brantford Bulldogs are enjoying a strong initial outing at the turnstile as of this writing and the fans in Brantford have embraced the team as their own.  Time will tell if the Bulldogs return to Hamilton once the renovations there are complete, or if they find a new, permanent doghouse in Brantford. ----- Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

The home of the Orlando Magic and Orlando Solar Bears is getting a new name. After Amway's title sponsorship was not renewed, Kia, the NBA's official auto sponsor, has been named the new naming rights holder for the arena. The Kia Center, as it will now be called, will give the venue a new name for the first time since it opened in 2010. “The Orlando Magic and Kia America have been proud partners for several years and we share in the excitement of Kia’s success and growth,” Magic CEO Alex Martins said. “We look forward to our expanded partnership which allows Kia to drive its brand forward and deliver a direct, impactful message to our fan base and beyond using the power of the NBA.” Amway, owned by the DeVoss family, which also owns the Magic franchise, had been the name of the arena and its predecessor facility for nearly two decades. Signage for Amway has been slowly removed over the past few weeks ahead of the new Kia partnership announcement.

When discussing the Baltimore Ravens, the guys welcome pinch-hitter, Stadium Journey's Richard Smith to discuss the most poetic team in the NFL. Is the experience as good as the Orioles? Is Baltimore a football or baseball town? Grab a beer and join Dave and Paul and settle in for the latest episode of Stadium Journey's Obstructed Views. 🏈 You can find Stadium Journey's review of M&T Bank Stadium and the Baltimore Ravens game day experience here.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 The Coliseum 325 W Georgia Drive Carrollton, GA 30117 West Georgia Wolves website The Coliseum website Year Opened: 2009 Capacity: 7,000 The Coliseum – University of West Georgia Wolves The University of West Georgia Wolves christened their new home, The Coliseum, in 2009, which serves as the home of the West Georgia basketball and volleyball teams. The 2023-24 season will mark the final season for the Wolves as a part of the Gulf South Conference and NCAA’s Division II, as they make the jump to Division I as members of the Atlantic Sun Conference.   Food & Beverage   2 There are two concession stands built into the arena, but only one seems to be typically used. The stand is conveniently located in the northwest corner of the concourse, just around the corner from the main lobby. The menu does seem a bit limited with hot dogs and nachos being the main courses; candy, chips, and popcorn are also available.  When it comes to beverages, Coca-Cola products, Powerade, and bottled water are the go-to choices. Even though the options are not overly eye-opening, there are no menu items over $3 – these low prices make grabbing a bite to eat a bit more enticing.   Atmosphere   3 The Coliseum is a rather modern-looking facility that incorporates a glassed entryway into a high-ceilinged, open lobby. As soon as they pass through the doors, fans are greeted with the unmistakable squeak of sneakers on hardwood, the repetitive thud of the ball on the floor, the blasts of referee whistles, and the arena horn. The entry point lobby is open to the playing area, so one of the first glimpses of the court fans have is of the large four-sided video board that hangs above the center court; the board gives fans a feed of the live broadcast. A second video board is suspended high above the eastern end of the court and shows live statistical totals, and in addition to these first two impressive video boards, smaller scoreboards that provide time and score information are affixed to the inside walls of the sideline seating. The Coliseum is probably bigger than it needs to be for West Georgia basketball, but the facility is also used for many events throughout the year, including the high school state basketball playoffs, concerts, graduation ceremonies, and several other large community events. So, while the size of the arena does make for a bit of an empty feel during basketball games, the fans here do well in making the stands seem much fuller than they are. Most breaks in the action are accompanied by a performance from West Georgia’s large (more than 30 members) cheer squad, typically followed by a short musical interlude from the West Georgia pep band – the combination creates a classic basketball atmosphere. Neighborhood   4 The Coliseum is less than 2 miles from downtown Carrollton, which is sneaky exciting with several shops, restaurants, and a brew house. On weekends the area is frequently bustling with activity, from the local eateries to town events. Maple Street, which runs along the front of the West Georgia campus toward downtown, also has several restaurants along its length. The Coliseum is tucked into the back of West Georgia’s campus, neighbored by the school’s baseball stadium, Cole Field, and several of West Georgia’s administrative buildings; the location does help promote a “college campus” feel and fanfare that makes college basketball so special.   Fans   3 An initial look at attendance numbers may make it seem like the Wolves struggle with fan support, but that is not necessarily the case. Attendance tends to be five to six hundred per game, which for the Gulf South Conference is just about in line with other programs.   What boosts the Wolves’ basketball experience, though, is that despite what appears to be a lack of attendance, there is a very supportive fan base. The most ardent of fans tends to be a group of students near court level across from the visiting bench, who are ready to celebrate each 3-point basket and dunk from the Wolves. Students tend to populate the southern seating area, while fans from the community and alumni typically sit in the northern bleachers, which are across from the main entrance. Access   3 The West Georgia campus is in the Georgia town of Carrolton, in the outer reaches of metro Atlanta.  For those heading to West Georgia from outside of the immediate area, getting to Carrolton can be a bit of a challenge, as many fans would likely be using Interstate 20. For weekday games, this can take more than a handful of patience, as Atlanta traffic is notorious for its unpredictable and uncooperative nature. Once on the West Georgia campus, a large parking lot sits just across the street from The Coliseum, just a short walk away from the venue. Upon approaching the front doors, a sandwich board instructs fans to scan a QR code to purchase tickets, since there is not a staffed ticket office selling them. Just after passing through the main entry, a table is set up to scan the entry tickets – the process is not difficult, but it might be wise to try and purchase tickets ahead of time just to not have to deal with the hassle of setting up a Wolves purchasing account. Once in the arena, the main lobby is very spacious and easy for groups to navigate. Alums and fans from the community usually sit behind the team benches by proceeding to the concourse straight ahead, while students occupy much of the seating across from the team benches, accessible by taking a sharp left upon entering the facility. There are no designated seating areas for students and alums, but the seating seems to shake out that way anyway. The concourse is open to the court from the baseline around the top of both sides. Though the concourse does continue completely around the arena, it is a bit deserted around the walkway at the opposite end.   Return on Investment   5 Seating is general admission and runs $10, which is extremely reasonable for college basketball tickets. If those rates are not good enough, West Georgia also offers ticket deals like ticket four packs for just $30. When factoring in free parking and the concession prices, it would be difficult to find a better deal in college basketball, short of free.   Extras   3 Banners celebrating the successes of the University of West Georgia athletic programs line the rafters along both sides of the court; included are banners from the NAIA National Championship the basketball program won in 1974. A trophy case just to the right of the lobby area displays the hardware of much of the Wolves' successes as well. The Red Clay Rivalry is an all-sport competition between the Wolves and the Valdosta State Blazers – the basketball portion of the rivalry creates a fun atmosphere, as the passion of the fans is a bit more amped up during those contests than normal. The West Georgia mascot, Wolfie, is a frequent participant in welcoming fans to the arena and during pregame festivities. Wolfie also makes several appearances with the cheer squad for off-court activities on the concourse, as well as for some of the on-court routines. Final Thoughts The Coliseum is a beautiful facility and should fit in seamlessly as the Wolves move from Division II to Division I. As with several programs in similar situations, there are typically growing pains that go along with such a move, but the Wolves of West Georgia appear to have solid footing upon which to build.

Photos by Matt Colville and Lance Sutehall, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Hancock Whitney Stadium 500 Stadium Dr Mobile, AL 36608 68 Ventures Bowl website Hancock Whitney Stadium website Year Opened: 2020 Capacity: 25,450 Bowling in Mobile For the past quarter century Mobile, Alabama has hosted an annual bowl game currently known as the 68 Ventures Bowl. This game is a matchup between programs from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference. It was originally known as the Mobile Alabama Bowl and has also been called the GMAC Bowl (2000-10), GoDaddy Bowl (2011-15), Dollar General Bowl (2016-18), and the LendingTree Bowl (2020-22). For most of the game’s existence, the game was played at Ladd-Peebles Stadium until 2021 when the game moved to its present location on the campus of the University of South Alabama. Food & Beverage  4 There are plenty of choices for concessions at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The standard stadium fare includes pizza ($5), burgers ($7), hot dogs ($5), nachos ($5), candy ($4), and pretzel sticks ($5) as well as Conecuh sausage ($8), BBQ sandwiches ($12), and BBQ nachos ($12). There is also a Foosackly’s chicken finger stand that sells a 3-finger plate ($6.50) and another stand that sells hot chocolate ($6). Coke is the soft drink provider with options including Dasani bottled water ($5), 22 oz. drinks ($4), or 32 oz. souvenir drinks ($6). If you want to wash down your food with alcohol your options include Bud Light, Coors, Miller, and Micelob ($7.50) or craft beers ($8.50). Keep in mind the concessions are cashless. Atmosphere  3 Entering the stadium it looked like I was entering a South Alabama Jaguars football game, not a bowl game (It should be noted South Alabama was one of the teams playing during the game I attended). I personally would have liked to have seen more “68 Ventures Bowl” signage outside.  Once inside the stadium the Jaguars logo and the Sun Belt’s logos are covered by “68 Ventures Bowl” logos letting you know a bowl game is being played. I liked that both teams' entrances featured an LED light show and smoke machines as well as the national anthem featuring a flyover by the Coast Guard. Neighborhood  3 Mobile is Alabama’s second-largest city and has a lot of attractions to see during a visit. Unfortunately, Hancock Whitney Stadium is a 20-minute drive west of the attractions I would recommend visiting. If you only have time to do one thing in Mobile I recommend getting a tour of the USS Alabama battleship. Located by Mobile Bay, it was in use during World War II. The Battleship Park also has a gift shop and an aircraft pavilion that contains planes that were in use during several wars. Other attractions to see in Mobile include Fort Conde, a replica of a 1700s fort, the GulfQuest National Maritime Museum, and the Exploreum.  Restaurants to check out in Downtown Mobile include Dumbwaiter for Southern dishes, Roosters for Latin American meals, and Wentzell’s for seafood. If you are looking to visit a bar, stay on Dauphin Street and options include The Haberdasher, Hayley’s, and the Alchemy Tavern down Joachim Street. If you stay in downtown Mobile lodging options include Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, and a Renaissance Hotel. If you want to stop by Gulf Shores and/or Orange Beach, they are about an hour's drive from downtown Mobile. Fans  4 Given that the game was played on the campus of one of the participants it should not be surprising that there was a large crowd for the game. The Jaguars fans made the game feel like it was a regular season home game and not a bowl. The only knock on the fans is that the game was not a complete sell out given that one team was playing a home game. Access  2 Hancock Whitney Stadium is not the easiest stadium to get to because it is at least 10 minutes away from the interstate. If you’re coming from Downtown Mobile or I-65 get on Spring Hill Avenue then turn left onto University Blvd. For $20 parking make another right at Old Shell Road and turn right at the baseball stadium. If you want to park for free you can park by USA Drive and walk 15 minutes to the stadium. Once inside the stadium, the concourse is wide open, concession stands are all over the place, there are plenty of restrooms, and the walkways are well lit. Return on Investment  4 Tickets start at $15 for end zone seats, go up to $45 for sideline seats, $65 for chairback seats at midfield, and $125 for a Hargrove Club seat. If you buy a $15 ticket, pay $20 for parking, grab a burger and a beer you would spend about $50 by yourself, $80 for a date/hangout, and $140 for a family of four. Extras  5 The 68 Ventures Bowl has seen players such as LaDainian Tomlinson and Ben Roethlisberger. In 2001 the then GMAC Bowl involved the Marshall Thundering Herd overcoming a 38-8 deficit to defeat the East Carolina Pirates in double overtime 64-61. As of the writing of this article that remains the highest scoring bowl game in history. Mobile is the birthplace of the Mardi Gras celebration and there is a Mardi Gras parade the night before the game that features the team's bands and cheerleaders. The teams also have a pep rally before a street party begins with a DJ and food trucks. Mobile is also famous for hosting the Senior Bowl, college football’s most notable all-star game. Representatives from all 32 NFL teams come down to Mobile to scout future NFL players. This game has been played in Mobile since 1950 and moved to Hancock Whitney Stadium the same season the 68 Ventures Bowl moved. One more thing to add is that the Azalea Trail Maids make an appearance at the game. These 50 high school seniors wear bright dresses meant to resemble Azalea flowers, a symbol of Mobile hospitality.  Final Thoughts There is a reason Mobile, Alabama has hosted a bowl game for the past quarter of a century. It is a game that is organized well, the fans enjoy coming to Mobile, and it is a good way to spend an evening.

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Jerry Richardson Stadium 8701 Phillips Rd Charlotte, NC 28223 Famous Toastery Bowl website Jerry Richardson Stadium website Year Opened: 2013 Capacity: 15,314 A Toast to the Famous Toastery Bowl There are two perspectives one could take when reviewing the Famous Toastery Bowl – the first looks at what is missing. When the Bahamas Bowl  needed to be relocated for a year due to ongoing stadium construction and renovations at Thomas Robinson Stadium , ESPN Events chose Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte. The home of the Charlotte 49ers , the stadium seemed like a perfect fit for a smaller bowl like this one. However, many of the things one expected were not here; there was little sponsor activation, signage around town was minimal at best, and the massive crowd wasn’t exactly filling every open seat. A change of perspective can alter your perception, though – everything at the stadium was immaculate, the staff was friendly and welcoming, tailgating was in full force even in the parking garages, game logos were all over the place, and they even had a celebrity coin tosser in Daytona 500 winning NASCAR driver Michael McDowell. By the end of the game, many in the stands were echoing what had become a common thought: “I hope they keep this game here for next year”.   Food & Beverage   4 For a smaller stadium, the food and beverage options here are numerous. Multiple concession stands exist in the stadium and all of them are open. The main draw is the Bojangles stand where you can get their famous chicken in baskets ($9.50) and have mac and cheese bacon bites ($8) or jumbo pretzels ($5 + $2 for cheese). Large souvenir cups with free refills of soda or iced tea run $6.25, while bottled water ($4-$6), Powerade ($4), and Monster Energy ($5) are also available. Beer ($8-$9) and wine ($9.50) are also available, including a local brew themed after the Charlotte 49ers. In addition, various other food carts are located throughout the concourse offering similar options.   Atmosphere   4 The stadium itself is simple enough; a single level to the bowl, fans enter the facility along what is currently the upper concourse, meaning you walk down to your seats. The architecture matches that of the buildings on campus nearby, a mix of classic colonial aesthetic and “Morrocroft Special” brickwork from Hanson Brick. The new LED scoreboard is visible from almost every seat in the stadium, and most seats are backed bleachers or individual chairback seats. The backdrop of the stadium features stunning campus buildings and trees – the campus itself is heavily wooded, making for a verdant college look.   Neighborhood   4 UNC Charlotte is a beautiful campus, filled with lakes and forested areas over 1,000 acres. Immediately across the street from the stadium is a Marriott hotel. The immediate neighborhood of University City features plenty of shopping, dining, and lodging for visitors, and the campus itself is beautiful to walk around. In downtown Charlotte, you can visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame, as well as various race shops in the cities to the north in Mooresville.   Fans   3 The fan attendance at the Famous Toastery Bowl is smaller than some of those at bigger bowls, partially a result of the game’s tie-ins, which usually result in smaller schools from mid-level conferences being invited – Old Dominion  and Western Kentucky  highlighted the most recent match-up. Fans nonetheless can get a taste of the pageantry of bowl games. Also, the smaller stadium means the fans fill in a lot more than at larger facilities, putting them closer to the action. n. Everyone in attendance also made the most of their attendance, making for roars during scoring plays that could be heard far away from the stadium itself, despite its smaller size. Access   5 Getting to the Famous Toastery Bowl is incredibly easy; located equidistant from I-85 and I-485, the stadium lies right off the main roads of Highway 29 and Route 24. Parking is plentiful on-site, and signage on the nearby roads directs fans to the entrances. Additionally, pre-game info on stadium parking and entrances for various lots was readily available for fans and was well communicated.   Return on Investment   5 Tickets to the Famous Toastery Bowl are incredibly affordable, starting at just $25 for end zone seats and topping out at $60 for sideline seats at the 50-yard line. Parking is also available, with various lots and garages around the stadium open, as well as having fan shuttle service available. With this in mind, the Famous Toastery Bowl may be the best value for bowl season.   Extras   4 The stadium features a large statue outside Gate 3 sculpted by artist Jon Hair – the “Go Long” statue honors the team’s ongoing history in college football, and serves as a great photo spot for fans. The game also features various giveaways, both for fans entering the game and for fans inside. You also can purchase Bowl Game merchandise at several sales stands around the facility, and finally, the stadium features plaques around the venue honoring university benefactors who helped fund its construction, as well as those whom the stadium was named after.   Final Thoughts The Famous Toastery Bowl has the potential to be a great bowl game in the future. Should it become a new bowl and remain in Charlotte, there is little doubt it will become a great option for sports fans. Incredibly high affordability offers fans the option to take in a bowl game without breaking the bank, and the stadium itself is a wonderful site.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Audi Field 100 Potomac Avenue Washington DC 20024 DC United website Audi Field website Year Opened: 2018 Capacity: 20,000 A Real Stadium For United D.C. United is a charter member of Major League Soccer, joining the league for its inaugural 1996 season. For the first two-plus decades of their existence, the Black & Red played in cavernous, run-down RFK Stadium, which also served as a baseball and football stadium at various points in its existence. After many discussions of a new stadium, D.C. United finally got one in 2018, moving into Audi Field, a soccer-specific stadium located on Buzzard Point. This long-awaited home was intended to revitalize the atmosphere at D.C. United games, and for the most part, it has done so. Food & Beverage 5 Audi Field has a wide range of concessions that should satisfy any fan’s palate, many of which are provided by celebrity chef Jose Andres. In addition to classic options such as burgers and pizza, fans can pick from more unique options such as pupusas and arepas. Given that soccer’s fanbase skews towards those of Latin American descent, it is nice to see concessions that reflect this diversity. Prices can be quite high, with one meal costing $20-$25 between the meal and a soda or water, even more if you are planning to drink alcohol at the game. Atmosphere 4 Other than the Supporters’ Section (more on that later), every seat in Audi Field is a chairback, and no matter where you watch the game from, you will have a great view of the action. There are two levels, although 200-level seats are only located on one sideline, above the suites. There is a large videoboard behind the Supporters’ Section, although fans on that side of the field may have to turn around to look at it. There is a board on the other side which also shows score and video, but the video is very small and almost impossible to see from all the way across the field. As for the Supporters’ Section, this is where a lot of the energy is. Due to popular demand, the club converted these sections behind the north goal from benches to safe standing a couple years ago. The Supporters (with a capital S) in this section are loud, raucous, and rowdy for the whole game, cheering, waving flags, and really contributing to the atmosphere. The energy in the stadium is less than it was when it first opened and the place was routinely selling out, but is still palpable. That being said, when compared to other MLS stadiums built around the same time, the experience at Audi Field is much more basic, both in terms of the energy and the fan amenities. Neighborhood 4 Audi Field is located in an up-and-coming part of D.C., near Buzzard Point. There is currently a lot of construction going on around the stadium, so expect it to improve even more in the future. For now, All About Burger is a popular local burger place located a few blocks of the stadium, and there are other options closer to Nationals Park. Of course, you are in Washington, D.C., so there is plenty to do if you head towards the National Mall, and much of it is free. Just keep in mind if you want to tour the White House or Capitol, you will need to book that in advance. Fans 3 With D.C. United finishing towards the bottom of the league table the last few years, they are not drawing the crowds they used to. Many of the fans have been following the club since its inception in1996, while others are newer to the team. That being said, the real fan energy comes from the Supporters Section. There are several Supporters Groups, including Barra Brava, District Ultras, 202 Unique, La Banda del Distrito, Rose Room Collective, and Screaming Eagles. These fans are located in Sections 135-137 and can be expected to stand, cheer, chant, wave flags, bang drums, and more for the entire game. The Supporters bring raucous energy for the full 90 minutes, although they no longer fill the section like they once did. For many games, they will make a tifo (large, handmade banner) that they unveil pregame to support the team or various team-related causes. Other fans can get involved too, of course. D.C. United fans, in general, are knowledgeable about the game and the team, and while they’re not afraid to get on the refs’ case when a close call doesn’t go their way. All fans will celebrate D.C. United goals (except for traveling supporters of the visiting team, of course) but none get into it like the Supporters Section. Access 3 When going to Audi Field, your best bet is to use public transit or a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft. If taking Metro, take the Green Line to Navy Yard-Ballpark and walk about ten minutes to the stadium. Keep in mind, however, that there is often trackwork on Metro, particularly on weekends and during the summer, resulting in single tracking and/or the closing of stations entirely. Be sure to check in advance. If driving in, you can park at one of the stations in suburban Maryland and take Metro from there so you do not have to contend with D.C. traffic. Crowds will be large on the train after the game, although if you park at the Branch Avenue station in Southern Prince George’s County, you will be taking the Green Line in the opposite direction from most fans so it will be far less packed once you board. If you do arrive at the stadium by (whether one driven by you or an Uber/Lyft driver) there is a lot of construction surrounding the stadium right now so it may be hard to figure out how to get right there, although an Uber/Lyft driver should be able to get you close. Parking is very limited and can be purchased in advance through SpotHero, but the cheapest spots will cost about $45 and can be located a 15-minute walk from the stadium. To get closer will cost you twice that. There is still no dedicated team-run parking lot, in contrast to the spacious lots at RFK. Return on Investment 2 Tickets are sold with dynamic pricing, so the exact price will depend on the day you go and the opponent, but in general, they range from somewhat affordable to ridiculously expensive depending on where you sit. The cheapest seats are behind the goals and can cost about $30-$50 depending on the game. Keep in mind many of the “seats” behind the north goal are actually safe standing in the Supporters Section. These are clearly marked when buying through the team, but if you buy these, prepare to stand for the entire game (there aren’t even any seats to sit in) and possibly have your view obstructed by flags at times. However, if this is not for you, there are plenty of seats available behind the south goal for roughly the same price. Sideline seats will start at about $60-$80 depending on the game, and go up to about twice that. Premium seats such as suites will cost you even more but may come with food and beverage. These prices are slightly more expensive than most MLS ticket prices, and with D.C. United being a middling team in a stadium far less advanced than others built around the same time, there is little to justify this. Getting to the stadium will be extremely pricey if you do not want to deal with Metro delays, and concessions are expensive as well. While good value can be had if you are willing to go on a weeknight, for the most part a trip to DC United game is quite the pricey endeavor. Extras 3 One bonus star for the murals throughout the stadium honoring DC United history as well as the history of other soccer teams that have played in Washington throughout the years. The Heineken Rooftop Bar behind the north goal provides a unique vantage point to watch a game. A third star for the many unique concession options here. Final Thoughts D.C. United fans had been waiting a long time for a true soccer stadium by the time Audi Field opened in 2018. While Audi Field is a vast improvement over RFK Stadium, it has sadly left off many of the developments seen at successful MLS stadiums built around the same time. The team has remedied some of these, such as by honoring the history of soccer in the nation's capital, but Audi Field remains below the standard we have seen at other venues in the league recently.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium info FANFARE Score: 2.71 James A. Calhoun Gymnasium 1678 Asylum Ave West Hartford, CT 06117 University of St. Joseph men's basketball website James A. Calhoun Gymnasium website Year Opened: 2021 Capacity : 800 A Tiny Gym With a Big Name   Jim Calhoun is a legendary figure in college basketball. As coach of the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team, he won three national championships, in 1999, 2004 and 2011. He finished his career with 873 victories in Division One, good for 11th all-time at the time of his retirement. Considered to be one of the best coaches in the history of college basketball, Calhoun was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.   The University of St. Joseph was founded in 1932 by the Sisters of Mercy Connecticut. Originally known as Saint Joseph College, it is a private Roman Catholic university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. This small school was founded as a women-only college, becoming co-educational in 2018. The school currently boasts an enrollment of just under 2,500 students.   Jim Calhoun was hired as coach of the newly formed men’s basketball program in 2018. Calhoun coached the team for three seasons. A member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, the Blue Jays have qualified for three NCAA Division III tournaments in their short history, advancing to the sweet sixteen in 2023.   Food & Beverage 1    There is no concession stand at the O’Connell Center. Fans needing a snack during a Blue Jays game can bring their own into the facility or utilize the vending machine located in the lobby.   Atmosphere 2   Stadium Journey visited USJ for their annual Holiday Tournament during the 2023 semester break, which might have held down attendance and excitement. Fans who frequent Division Three basketball games will find a familiar, low-key game presentation here at Calhoun Gymnasium.   Missing during Stadium Journey’s visit were the student body, cheerleaders, pep band, mascot and most of the extras that breathe life into a small college gymnasium. The gym features a modern, crystal-clear sound system over which music is played during stoppages. Scoreboards at either end of the gym provide basic game information.   With its intimate setting, it’s easy to see how Calhoun Gymnasium could provide a great home-court advantage when filled with boisterous Blue Jays fans. Otherwise, it’s a clean, comfortable place to catch some affordable, quality college basketball.   Neighborhood 4   The University of St. Joseph is located in a residential neighborhood in affluent West Hartford. Niche.com recently named West Hartford the best place to live in Connecticut. Downtown Hartford is a short ten-minute drive away. For visitors looking to stay outside the city, West Hartford Center is located just a couple of miles away and contains many dining and shopping options. More options are available at the newly developed Blue Black Square. More information about things to do in West Hartford can be found here .   Fans 3   As mentioned earlier, Stadium Journey visited USJ during the semester break, which held down attendance despite the tournament setting. During Stadium Journey’s visit, crowds were small, estimated at about 200 fans by the eyeball test. Many of the fans present were there to support the other teams in action. This could very accurately be described as a friends and family type of crowd.   While interacting with several students who were working at the game, they spoke of the gymnasium being packed with standing room only crowds for big games in recent years. We’ll take them at their word and split the difference with our rating.   Access 4   The University of St. Joseph is located in West Hartford, a town of 64,000 residents. The USJ campus is just 3.5 miles from downtown Hartford. In fact, if you follow Asylum Street to the east, you’ll find yourself at the XL Center in about ten minutes. The town center is located just a couple of miles from campus. USJ’s suburban campus in a residential neighborhood is easily reached via Interstate 84. For fans using public transportation, CT Transit  serves the USJ campus. Maps, directions and local points of interest can be found here .   USJ’s 84-acre campus contains 19 buildings designed in the Georgian architectural style by the Olmstead Brothers. The Calhoun Gymnasium is located in the O’Connell Athletic Center on the northern edge of campus alongside the school’s other athletic facilities. Parking is available in lots adjacent to the O’Connell Center.   Seating consists of molded plastic bleachers on either side of the court. There is no seating on either end of the court. This intimate gym seats only 800 fans, so all seats feature excellent views of the court. Rest rooms and vending machines are located nearby in the lobby.   Return on Investment 4   Tickets to basketball games at Calhoun Gymnasium cost $10. During conference games, one ticket is good for admission to both the men’s and women’s games. Parking is available at no cost in lots adjacent to the O’Connell Center.   Extras 2   There is a trophy case in the O’Connell Center lobby which displays the hardware won by various Blue Jays teams over the school’s history. Flags commemorating championships and tournament appearances by the men’s and women’s basketball teams and volleyball teams hang on the gymnasium walls.   Another extra point is awarded for the upgrading of the school’s facilities. The new gym, opened in 2021, doubled the size of the old facility and was dedicated to Coach Calhoun upon his retirement.   Final Thoughts   The University of Saint Joseph is a new basketball program with an already impressive resume. With a gym named for a basketball Hall of Famer and multiple post-season appearances under its belt, this cozy facility is a great place to catch some quality basketball at an affordable price in an intimate setting.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Capital One Arena FANFARE Score: 2.86 Capital One Arena 601 F St NW Washington, DC 20004 Georgetown Hoyas website Capital One Arena website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 20,356 Georgetown A-Hoya The Georgetown Hoyas are one of the most storied programs in college basketball history. With players like Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo, Patrick Ewing, and Alonzo Mourning, the Hoyas dominated the Big East for many years. They have reached five Final Fours, including a national championship victory in 1984. For many years, the Hoyas played on campus at McDonough Arena but moved off campus to the Capital Centre in Landover, MD in 1981 to accommodate the bigger crowds. McDonough is still home to the Hoyas’ women’s basketball team. In 1997, the Hoyas moved back to the District into what was then called the MCI Center and is today known as Capital One Arena. This arena is also the home of the Washington Wizards of the NBA and the Washington Capitals of the NHL. Georgetown’s colors are blue and gray and were chosen after the Civil War to promote unity between northern and southern students, many of whom had served in battle for one side or the other. Blue and gray were, of course, the colors of the Union and Confederate military uniforms, respectively. Food & Beverage 3 Seeing as Capital One Arena is a professional sporting venue, it does have quite a wide selection. However, the flip side of this is that what they have is quite expensive for a college venue. Additionally, many of the stands, including most of the specialty stands, will be closed for most games due to the smaller crowds compared to the Wizards and Capitals. That being said, fans certainly won’t go hungry. Main course selections include cheeseburgers and chicken tenders well as items such as sausage and hot dogs. Snacks include popcorn and hot pretzels. Drinks include bottled water and fountain soda.. Keep in mind that fountain beverages no longer come with lids or straws at Capital One Arena in an attempt to reduce environmental waste. Since Capital One is an off-campus arena, it is not too surprising that alcohol is available as well. Prices are very high, as this is a professional arena. As part of the naming rights deal, all Capital One credit or debit cardholders get a 10 percent discount on concessions throughout the arena, but this does not come off automatically and you must notify the cashier. Atmosphere 2 Capital One Arena is a perfect example of why bigger isn’t always better. Although the arena seats over 20,000 fans, it is rarely even close to full. Although the Hoyas’ former on-campus home is way too small at only a few thousand seats, it seems like there should be a happy medium somewhere. The arena is far too big and has a tendency to mask the crowd noise from the few thousand fans who show up. That being said, there are no plans to build a new arena on or off campus at any point in the future and the Hoyas seem content with playing at Capital One despite the thousands of empty seats at each home game. The Hoyas do at least try to keep fans engaged. Before each game, the Hoyas are introduced as spotlights and strobe lights light up the court. These lights continue during all media timeouts, which can get quite annoying, although they do not turn the lights out in the arena except at the beginning. There is a pep band as well as cheerleaders and a dance team to pump up the crowd, and contests on the court during TV timeouts. The Hoyas’ mascot is a bulldog named Jack, and there is both a costumed version and a real live dog version. The most popular Georgetown chant is “Hoya Saxa,” which literally means something to the effect of “What rocks!” in a combination of Greek and Latin. Fans can expect to hear it several times a game. Neighborhood 4 Capital One Arena is located in the Chinatown neighborhood of DC, though the area has gentrified significantly since the arena was built. The Greene Turtle is a popular sports bar located right around the corner. while the Gallery Place shopping mall is also right around the corner and includes numerous stores and a movie theater. Unfortunately, a lot of other businesses in the area have closed in recent years, between COVID and rising crime in the area. The neighborhood is still pretty safe despite public perception to the contrary, but you are in a major city so be aware of your surroundings. Your best entertainment options will involve traveling a bit away from the arena, but not far. That’s because you’re in DC, the nation’s capital, and there’s a lot to do. The best part is that most of it’s free. Whether it’s checking out the many memorials and monuments on and around the National Mall, visiting one of the numerous museums, or simply taking in the historic sights, there’s something for everyone here. All government-run attractions are free to the public, though some private ones are not. Keep in mind, however, that if you wish to tour the Capitol or the White House, you will need to book that in advance. Fans 2 Georgetown only draws a few thousand fans a game in a 20,000 seat arena, which is not a good look. Gone are the days when the Hoyas dominated college basketball and played before large crowds. The fans who do show up can get loud at times, but there simply aren't that many of them, especially in such a large arena. It is unfortunate to see just how far this fan base has fallen. Access 3 Capital One Arena is located just steps from the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station on the Red, Green, and Yellow lines. While this may seem like an amazing thing, the unfortunate reality is that Metro is difficult at the best of times and unusable at the worst. The last few years have seen numerous construction projects shut down several stations for weeks or even months at a time. Even if one of these isn’t ongoing, there is track work almost every weekend that increases headways on many lines and often closes several additional stations. The result is that there could be 24 minutes or more between trains, and that’s assuming everything functions properly, which it frequently doesn’t. The good news is that even people coming from outside the immediate DC area can take the Metro by parking at one of the suburban stations. Keep in mind that you will need to pay for parking with the same SmarTrip card you paid your fare with or you will be subject to a much higher rate at certain stations. If you don’t want to chance it with Metro, you can drive to the game. Ample garage parking is available but is costly. The exact cost varies by the day and based on availability, but expect to pay at least $20 and probably much more. You can also take a rideshare such as Uber or Lyft. Once you’re in the arena, the concourses are wide enough to allow for easy navigation. There can be long lines at concessions or restrooms during halftime, but if you leave as soon as the half ends, you should be back in your seat by the time the game resumes. Of note, Capital One Arena has a no bag policy. Even clear bags are not allowed, unless they are wallet sized or required for medical reasons. Bags which meet these narrow requirements are allowed whether they are clear or not. This makes things extremely difficult for fans. Return on Investment 3 The Hoyas use a dynamic pricing method for their tickets, meaning pricing varies based on demand, opponent, and other factors such as the day of the week the game is being played. Good seats can be had for as little as $10 for non-conference games against lower-tier opponents, but if you want to see a top-level Big East school like Villanova, expect to pay at least $30, and possibly over $100 if you want lower-level seats. If you don’t care who you see the Hoyas play, you can have a chance to watch Big East basketball and get great seats for far less than what a comparable location would cost for other events in the arena. Tickets are still relatively affordable for the bigger games, but you’ll be paying more for worse seats. All that being said, you can often find better deals on the secondary market, especially closer to game time or if Georgetown is playing a weak opponent. Concessions are extremely pricey as well, this being an NBA arena and all. When combined with the mediocre fan experience, a Georgetown basketball game is average value at best. Extras 2 A team store is located on the 100-level concourse and sells Georgetown gear. :The pregame introductions, with spotlights illuminating the court, are impressive, though the continued use of light shows during all media timeouts gets irritating. Final Thoughts The Georgetown basketball program has fallen on hard times in recent years. Attendance is down, performance on the court is down, and this has all contributed to significantly reduce the quality of the fan experience here. Georgetown plays its home games in a cavernous arena that is mostly empty for the typical game, and that is simply not conducive to a good fan experience.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Reitz Arena 4501 N Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21210 Loyola (MD) Greyhounds website Reitz Arena website Year Opened: 1984 Capacity: 2,100 Greyhound Hoops Loyola University may not be as well-known as Loyola in Illinois. Or Loyola in New Orleans. Or Loyola Marymount in California. But this university began in 1852 as Loyola College in Maryland. It is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university located in Baltimore, Maryland. Previously an all-male college, Loyola became coeducational in 1971, following its joining with Mount Saint Agnes College. Currently, Loyola is located right next door to Notre Dame of Maryland University, which also just became a coed school in 2023. Loyola has a strong liberal arts program, as well as a fine education school and the Joseph A. Sellinger School of Business and Management. Reitz Arena replaced the original 1926 Evergreen Gymnasium on the campus. Notable alumni include Tom Clancy, author of The Hunt for Red October, Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down, and ABC Olympics commentator Jim McKay. Food & Beverage 1 You should try and eat before the game. Why? There is a simple temporary food table set up in the entranceway to the game. There is no real lobby to the arena, so there is no room for additional offerings. The small amount of food sold is done so at a good price, but just too limited. Atmosphere 4 The arena changed the seats from all bench seating to a mixture of chairs with seatbacks and plastic bench-type seating. The arena is small and there is not much space. That means it is loud if there is any type of crowd. There is just not always a big crowd. Reitz Arena’s scoreboard layout is extremely impressive, especially for an arena of its size and age. There is not a center-hung scoreboard. Instead, there are four large video boards, one in each corner of the court. One board on each baseline displays time, score, and informative stats. The adjacent board shows replays and close-up shots when appropriate. Neighborhood 3 Loyola is in a very good part of Baltimore City. The problem is that there is just nothing much around the local neighborhood. Luckily Baltimore is a big city that is not too big to get around. Miss Shirley’s at 513 West Cold Spring Lane is noted for their great breakfast and down-home food. Also relatively close to the university is the Mt. Washington neighborhood that straddles I-83 South (known as the Jones Falls Expressway, or the JFX, by locals). The Mt. Washington Tavern is an excellent restaurant with both a fine food and bar food type of menu. The place is large, and there always seems to be room for more. Parking is the biggest problem here, so it would be worth paying the nominal valet charges. Radisson Hotel at Cross Keys is the closest hotel and has a lobby restaurant which is another option. Venturing further from campus, one may want to try out the suburb of Towson with its variety of shops and restaurants. Try the Charles Village Pub (19 W Pennsylvania Ave) in the heart of downtown Towson for good food and drinks. Fans 3 Reitz Arena usually does not fill, but it can still get intense during a tight game. The fans are very supportive of their Greyhounds, which once again is a product of a tight-knit religious school. We attended a game between semesters so it was light on students. A semester game will see much more of a student presence. Reitz Arena will get as loud as any other mid-major arena in crunch time of a hotly contested game. Access 2 Reitz Arena certainly has issues with access. First, the campus is located in a quiet north Baltimore neighborhood. That means that getting to the campus is not easy. The best route is to travel I-83/The JFX, south and get off at Cold Spring Lane. Other options include exiting I-695, the Baltimore Beltway, and driving south via York Road or Charles Street. York is the busiest route, but may be easier than the high-speed curves of Charles Street. Second, when you get to campus, you will need luck finding parking. Not only will you have trouble finding close parking, but you may have trouble finding any parking. If it is a weeknight game during the semester, you may be sorely out of luck. Look for spaces on Cold Spring Lane or one of the small lots around that area. There is a small paid visitor lot right off Cold Spring Lane. Then once you have found that parking space, you will need to find the arena. There are very few markings for Reitz Arena. Look for the Andrew White Student Center. The arena is actually above the art gallery and the campus cafe in the student center. And it gets even weirder at times, as the ticket windows are far away in the student center and not at all near the arena doors. The doors to the arena itself are a pair of doors back near the cafe. Frankly, finding an arena should not be this difficult. Return on Investment 4 Tickets are relatively decent for a Division I program. You should be able to get a ticket for less than $20. You may have to pay for parking, but the price may not be that high. Extras 2 The maze of an entrance is almost an extra on its own, as it is so unique. But seriously, look at Diane Geppi-Aikens Field just outside the Andrew White Student Center. This is the former home to the men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse teams. Geppi-Aikens was a former star athlete and women’s lacrosse coach at Loyola who died of brain cancer in 2003. Located just outside of the Reitz Arena, the field is a valuable space, so visit it while you can. Hopefully, if they do remove the field, the university can still find a way to honor the beloved former coach. The Loyola campus was designated an accredited arboretum by the Morton Register of Arboreta. The 80-acre campus boasts more than 2,200 trees that represent 84 varieties. Final Thoughts Reitz Arena is a small arena hidden away on a pretty campus. The small size of the facility can make it a nice place to see a game if you can find your way to the arena.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Cecil College Gymnasium One Seahawk Drive North East, MD 21901 Cecil College Seahawks website Cecil College Gymnasium website Year Opened: 1970: Remodeled 2010 Capacity: 1,500 Basketball Seahawks Cecil College is a community college in Cecil County located just outside of the town of North East, Maryland. It was founded in 1968 and was known as Cecil Community College until 2007. The athletics programs at the college are known as the Seahawks. Nine sports teams on campus compete in Division II of NJCAA. The Seahawks won the NJCAA Division II national championship for basketball in 2006. They are a member of Region XX of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference, The gymnasium is located on the first floor of the Physical Education building (Building E) on the North East campus. Food & Beverage 2 There are no real food options available at the arena. We are giving much credit to the vending options, which include a hot pizza vending machine. We attended after a major snowstorm and between semesters so the machine was not working, but we are hoping it is as awesome as it sounds. Atmosphere 2 There is not much else in terms of atmosphere as it is a JUCO-level basketball game. There are some simple PA announcements and music played. There is only one grandstand in the gymnasium with nice comfortable seats. Technically there is also a small 4-row set of stands behind the benches but we think it is usually only used by the athletic trainers. Neighborhood 3 North East is located between Philadelphia and Baltimore and is named from its direction on the Maryland map. Downtown North East offers many great shopping opportunities as well as wonderful food. Woody's Crabs and its sister restaurant across the street, Woody's Tacos, are our choices for meals when in town. The college is located across I-95 from the town and there are some other food options as well. Fans 2 The attendees at most games are family members or other athletes. There may be a few residents who attend the games, as well as other local teams fans. The fans are knowledgeable and friendly to visitors. Access 3 The college is located almost directly off of I-95, one of the country's busiest and most well-known highways, so getting to campus will not be difficult. There is plenty of free parking on the campus. If classes are in session you may expect to park a bit further away from the building. You can enter from both sides of the gymnasium as there will be people charging for tickets at both entrances. Return on Investment 4 There is a simple $5 admission charge, paid in cash. That small price, along with the free parking, means that you can attend a good-level JUCO program at no cost. Extras 1 Cecil has a good number of trophies and other things that show their past accomplishments throughout the arena and building. Look for the National Championship trophy. Final Thoughts The Cecil College Gymnasium is a simple affair but serves as a decent, albeit simple, venue for intercollegiate sports.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Thompson Arena 4 Summer St. Hanover, NH 03755 Dartmouth Big Green hockey website Thompson Arena website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 3,500 Big Green Pucks   Thompson Arena was designed by noted architect and structural engineer Pier Luigi Nervi, the “Poet in Concrete,” renowned for buildings he designed for the 1960 Rome Olympics. It was built in 1975 to replace Davis Rink, the home of Dartmouth hockey from 1929 to 1975. The facility was named for Dartmouth class of 1928 alumnus Rupert C. Thompson, who was a major benefactor of the arena.   Dartmouth adopted a shade of forest green as its official color in 1866. Starting in the 1920s the school’s athletic teams were referred to as the “Indians” until the nickname came under criticism in the 1970s. The nickname “Big Green” refers to the Dartmouth Green in the center of campus.   Hockey has been played at Dartmouth since 1906. The Big Green have qualified for four NCAA Tournaments, most recently in 1980. The squad has reached the Frozen Four every time they have played in the tournament, reaching the finals in 1948 and 1949. Eighteen Big Green alumni have played in the National Hockey League.   Food & Beverage 3   There are concession stands in opposite corners of the arena. Basic stadium fare is served here, with hot dogs, pizza slices and nachos anchoring the menu. There’s a good selection of snack items available, including popcorn, pretzels, churros and ice cream novelties. You can even pick up a piece of fruit should you be so inclined.   Coca-Cola products are featured at Thompson Arena, along with a selection of hot beverages which come in handy on a cold New Hampshire winter night. No alcohol is sold at this on-campus facility.   A bit of variety is achieved in the concessions menu with the inclusion of the Boloco stand, which features a variety of burritos. Hungry fans can choose from chicken, steak or vegetarian fillings.   Atmosphere 2   Thompson Arena is a fairly old-school facility without a lot of modern amenities. For example, the rink still employs an old dot-matrix scoreboard hung at center ice. As you may expect, the game day presentation is pretty basic and reserved, especially when compared to the many newer arenas in the area.   The Dartmouth athletic staff do a lot right here, with a nice sound system and an enthusiastic PA announcer keeping fans appraised of the action and the energy level up. T-shirt tosses and youth skates during intermissions keep casual fans involved. However, without a strong presence from the student body and arena staples like a pep band, there’s only so much energy a small crowd can generate.   Still, the fans are into the game, knowledgeable about their team and enthusiastic in their support. Many fans in attendance have been coming to Big Green games for decades and will gladly tell you about the good old days when Dartmouth squads were more successful. The compact footprint of the ECAC means that there is likely to be a strong turnout from visiting fans during your visit. Visits from traditional Ivy League rivals bring out a stronger fan presence throughout the season.   Neighborhood 5   The village of Hanover, New Hampshire boasts a population of about 9,000 citizens, not much larger than Dartmouth College’s enrollment of 6,350 students. As you would expect, there is a great small-town feel to Hanover. The Dartmouth Green acts as a focal point for all town activities and the campus is worth a stroll to experience its classic Georgian architecture.   Located just a five-minute walk from Thompson Arena, Main Street features a bunch of shops and restaurants and is a great place to explore during your visit. Highlights include the Dartmouth Co-Op, where you can pick up some Big Green gear, Lou’s Restaurant and Bakery for a snack, and Murphy’s on the Green for a traditional pub experience. There are a good dozen eateries located within a few blocks here on Main Street.   Should you wish to stay in Hanover, there are lodging options located in this area as well, including the Hanover Inn and Six South Street Hotel. Visitors looking for other things to do in the area will find a wealth of outdoor options, including the Appalachian Trail, which runs right through Hanover. In the snowy winter months of the hockey season, several ski resorts are located just a short drive away.   For a unique and quintessential small-town New England experience, cross the Connecticut River into Vermont and visit the Norwich Inn. It’s said to be the inspiration for the television series Newhart. The Inn features a quaint, small pub that seats about 25. Despite its small size, the Inn brews their own beers and features an excellent pub menu.   Fans 3   In the seasons since the pandemic, Dartmouth has averaged about 2,200 fans per game at Thompson Arena. This ranks them around 40th among all the teams in Division One, just under the national and Ivy League averages.   While hockey is the marquee winter sport at Dartmouth, there’s not a huge presence by the student body at most Big Green hockey games. Much of the crowd in attendance is made up of locals and families out to enjoy an affordable night of entertainment. Fans are enthusiastic and supportive, but not rowdy. You can feel comfortable bringing the family to a Dartmouth hockey game. With the compact footprint of the ECAC conference, it’s not unusual to see a decent turnout from visiting fans.   Access 4   Dartmouth College and the small town of Hanover, New Hampshire may be well off the beaten path, but that doesn’t mean it’s difficult to get to. Located just a few miles from the intersection of Interstates 89 and 91, Thompson Arena is located to the southeast of the Dartmouth campus, near the school’s other athletic facilities, including Memorial Field , Red Rolfe Field at Biondi Park , Leede Arena  and Scully-Fahey Field .   Driving is easily the most efficient method to arrive in Hanover, but there are bus and car services that run from Manchester, located an hour to the southeast, and to Logan Airport in Boston. Also, Amtrak has a train station just across the Connecticut River in White River Junction, Vermont.   There is a large parking lot adjacent to Thompson Arena. The main entrance to the rink is on its west side. Fans will enter into a small lobby, where the ticket booths are located. After a quick security check, fans will find themselves on a 360-degree concourse that wraps around the top of the seating bowl. All seats in Thompson Arena are plastic bleachers with backs. The steep pitch of the seating bowl ensures great sight lines no matter where you sit. There is plenty of standing room all around the facility, along with accessible places for fans.   Concession stands and rest rooms are located in opposite corners of the facility. Lines can get long during intermission, so plan your trips wisely.     Return on Investment 5   All seats at Thompson Arena are priced at $15. Youth aged 3-15 can purchase tickets discounted to $10. Parking is free in the lot adjacent to the hockey rink. Concessions are moderately priced, with no single item at the main stands costing more than five dollars. Free roster sheets and posters are available for all visiting fans. Put together, a night at a Big Green hockey game is a most affordable entertainment option for local sports fans.   Extras 3   As you might expect from a team that’s played as long as Dartmouth, there’s a lot of history to the program. This history is displayed throughout Thompson Arena. On the east end of the building are banners commemorating conference championships and tournament appearances from both the men’s and women’s teams. Sharp-eyed fans will also see a bunch of banners honoring figure skating titles on the west end of the rink.   Photos of alumni who have played in the National Hockey League and who have represented their countries in international competitions line the concourse. There are also displays chronicling the history of Dartmouth hockey, hockey Hall of Famers and more.   If you happen to visit Hanover for a matchup with rival Princeton, be prepared for a barrage of tennis balls to rain down onto the ice after Dartmouth’s first goal. Why? During a road game against Princeton in 1998, a Princeton student threw a single tennis ball at the Dartmouth goaltender after the Tigers scored their first goal. When Princeton came to Dartmouth later in the season, the Big Green student body responded by throwing not just one tennis ball onto the ice after the first Dartmouth goal, but several hundred. The tradition continues to this day.     Final Thoughts   Thompson Arena is one of those unique old hockey barns that make Stadium Journeys so interesting. While Dartmouth fans will gladly tell you about the Big Green’s good old days, they continue to support the team through thick and thin.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex 550 Belsyde Ave Fergus, ON N1M 2W5 Fergus Whalers website Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex website Year Opened: 2023 Capacity : 1,200 Hail To The (Junior C) Whale In Ontario, hockey can be found all over the province, in all manner of size and shape. Junior hockey is often the lifeblood of the small town and in 2023 it returned to Fergus, Ontario. Northwest of Guelph, Fergus can be found in the Township of Centre Wellington and boasts a modest population of just over 20,000. Junior hockey had been absent from Fergus since the departure of the Fergus Devils in 2015, partially due to travel issues. Jason Baier brought the expansion Whalers to Fergus and the Provincial Junior Hockey League where they compete for the Schmalz Cup at the Junior C level. Home for the Whalers is the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex.  It's a larger community hub that also houses a second ice pad, gym, meeting rooms and a pool has been added on and renovated a few times.  The main ice pad, Pad A, was built in the seventies and then was added on in the two-thousands.  Fergus is famous for its annual Scottish Highland Games and the Whalers are counting on being a big part of life in Fergus. Food & Beverage 2 Concession options at Centre Wellington Sportsplex are fairly minimalistic. A concession stand outside of the ice pad, in the rec centre that was not open during the game that was reviewed. Many fans brought their own fare from Tim Hortons or Starbucks. Drink and snack vending machines are available outside of Pad A. Other beverages, including beer and spirits are sold in the beer garden in the upper end of the arena. Atmosphere 3 The Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex, like many venues in junior hockey, is part of a larger community hub which includes a variety of sporting facilities.  The exterior is fairly nondescript with a long brick and grey siding exterior where the original arena was.  The main entrance, accessible from Belsyde Avenue, is clearly a more modern addition.   Upon entering the Sportsplex, the ice surfaces will be on the right, while opposite the arena entrance is the donor wall, which brings some artistic value to the area with a natural rock look to it.  Immediately to the right upon entering the Sportsplex is the Community Hall of Fame, a long hallway on the northwest side of the arena complete with numerous trophy cases full of artifacts from various Fergus sports.  It is clear that lacrosse is quite popular in the area.  Fergus product and NHL player Jamie McGinn has a framed jersey and entry into the Fergus Sports Hall of Fame.  Outside of the ice pad entries, the Whalers play in Pad A, temporary tables are set up for fans to purchase tickets and programs.  Entering Pad A, fans will immediately notice the change in temperature as the arena is quite cold.  The ice surface runs from northeast to southwest with seating on the northwest side, wooden benches on concrete steps.  Fans should select their seat wisely and situate themselves under the propane powered heaters or bring their own blankets.  The simple hockey score clock hangs at the top of the southwest side of the arena.  The opposite wall from the seating is where numerous youth hockey banners hang, as well as the Intermediate C Champions banner from the 1980-81 Fergus Flyers.  A unique feature of the Sportsplex is the lounge at the northeast end of the ice.  The glass that looks out to the ice surface is the same glass that is along the boards.  Trophy cases are also found in the lounge, which is a good place to watch the game and avoid the cold, as well as a framed jersey of Dan Crone, a former Fergus Devil player who died in 1993 while a member of the team.  Above the lounge is the Beer Garden, which also allows for the game to be watched in a warmer temperature. The gameday production at the Whalers game is very simple.  Promotions include the 50/50 draw, chuck-a-puck and program raffles.  The PA system in Pad A is not terrific and it is difficult to hear the announcements at times.  Music is played during down times, but the Whalers have latched on to their roots with The Fables’ “Heave Away” as their goal song, a nod to their Scottish roots.  Also, the team enters the ice to the classic Hartford Whalers tune “Brass Bonanza.” Neighbourhood 3 Fergus is a small town of 20,000 and has small town offerings. The CW Sportsplex is on the east end of town a few blocks from Highway 6, where most of the commercial options are found. Many chain and fast food restaurants are found on Highway 6, but for those looking for some less corporate options, Offside Sports Bar and The Goofie Newfie are choices to consider. The Whalers are pretty much the only sporting option in town for spectators. In the summer months the Junior C lacrosse Fergus Thistles may be of interest. Otherwise, heading southeast to Guelph for other sporting options would be the best other option. As far as other tourist options, Fergus is most well known for August’s Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games. The Fergus Theatre may also be of interest. For those wishing to stay in Fergus, the Best Western is available. Fans 3 In their first season, the Fergus Whalers have drawn between 150 and 350 fans per game. The top teams in the PJHL draw between 500 and 1000 fans per game. By no means are the Whalers at the bottom of the league in attendance, there is plenty of room for growth. Fans in attendance are pretty quiet, which is not unusual for Ontario fans.   Access 4 Getting to the Centre Wellington Sportsplex is not difficult.  It is located on the east side of Fergus not far from Highway 6, the main entry to the town.  Traversing through Fergus will be required and fans should be careful of passing the school zone with its slow speed limit on the way to the game.  There is plenty of parking at the Sportsplex and there is no charge for it.  There is no public transit in Fergus, which is not surprising due to the size of the town.  Getting around the Sportsplex is no problem at all and the washroom facilities are very good.  Ticketing is done at a temporary table outside of the entry of Pad A.  There are no physical tickets or online ticket purchasing options. Return on Investment 5 PJHL hockey offers great value for the dollar.  Tickets for the Whalers are only $10 for adults and $7 for students and seniors.  Parking is free and there isn’t much in the way of concessions.  The product on the ice is decent and fans will have a good time watching the Whalers.  Extras 2 An extra mark for the return of junior hockey to Fergus. An extra mark for using the most underrated goal song ever, Brass Bonanza . Final Thoughts Time will tell if the Fergus Whalers will be a long term success in the PJHL.  It is a great opportunity for Fergus residents to take in some hockey.  Catching a game at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex is a great way to spend an evening in small town Ontario. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Fant-Ewing Coliseum 4319 Northeast Dr Monroe, LA 71203 Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks website Fant-Ewing Coliseum website Year Opened: 1971 Capacity: 7,085 Warhawks Hoops In Northern Louisiana, east of Shreveport, is the small city of Monroe.  The centerpiece of higher education in Monroe is the University of Louisiana at Monroe.  Part of the University of Louisiana system, ULM was founded in 1931 as Ouachita Parish Junior College.  By 1969, the college had morphed into Northeast Louisiana University and was renamed the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 1999.  With a small school population of under 9,000 students in the small city of Monroe with a population of 47,000, ULM athletics has the opportunity to be the centerpiece of the city’s sporting scene.  Louisiana-Monroe participates in NCAA Division I basketball, as well as other sports, in the Sun Belt Conference.  ULM began fielding a basketball team in 1951.  Previously known as the Indians, ULM adopted the name Warhawks in 2006 as a response to the NCAA pushing the removal of Indigenous nicknames and mascots.  The name Warhawks was chosen as a nod to Major General Claire Lee Chennault, an alum of LSU, who flew Curtis P-40 Warhawks with his World War II Air Force unit. Home for the Warhawks is Fant-Ewing Coliseum.  Located on campus and owned and operated by ULM, Fant-Ewing Coliseum is named after newspaper publisher Wilson Ewing and basketball head coach from 1957 to 1978, Lenny Fant.  The Coliseum was built in 1971 and has a capacity of 7,085, nearly large enough to house the entirety of the university student population. Food & Beverage 3 Concessions at Fant-Ewing Coliseum are fairly basic.  Hot dogs, burgers, nachos, sausage, candy, peanuts and popcorn constitute the majority of food options.  Coca-cola products represent the soft drink of choice at the Coliseum and bottled water is also available.  A limited selection of major beer brands are also available, mainly Coors Light and Miller Lite.   Concessions are provided by Aramark.  Fans will not go hungry at the Coliseum, but there are no original or must try items either. Atmosphere 3 Fant-Ewing Coliseum was built in 1971 and does not stray too far from the architectural designs of the time.  The Coliseum is circular and the exterior is a simple combination of red grey siding.  The main entrance is at the south side of the building, along Northeast Drive, although from the exterior, there is little to differentiate the main entrance from other entrances. Entering the south entrance fans are welcomed by the ticket office and the ULM Sports Hall of Fame plaques.  The placement of this is unfortunate as fans will be past the ticket takers and unable to have a good look at the entries.  It may be better placed inside the Coliseum concourse.  The concourse has light painted blocks and is circular but does not offer very wide spaces for traveling, however, this is probably not a big issue due to the attendance and presence of an interior walkway in the seating bowl.  There is not much in the concourse and any trophy cases present are empty.  Entry into the seating bowl does feature some murals and team markings to bring the spirit up a bit. Inside the seating area, the circular nature of the arena continues and is immediate.  The basketball court runs from west to east and the best spot for the center logo picture is from the south.  The seating bowl has red, orange and yellow seats that are split by a single walkway around the arena.  On the north and south sides of the court the seats do not conform to the court shape and are very far from the action.  ULM does place some courtside premium seats, high-top directors chairs, for those interested.  The Warhawks hang a number of banners honouring their basketball accomplishments. The men’s banners are yellow and include conference championships, conference tournament championships and post-season appearances.  The Warhawks have been to the NCAA tournament seven times.  There are also banners honouring former coach Mike Vining and his 402 wins from 1981 to 2005, and Glynn Saulters, who participated in the Olympics and played a season in the ABA.  In the centre of the domed roof hangs a simple basketball scoreclock, without any video capabilities. The gameday experience at ULM is similar to many college basketball experiences.  The game that was reviewed was during the winter break and there were not many students in attendance.  The ULM band plays from the west end and adds to the fun with their chants and antics. Ace the Warkhawk is the school mascot, however, was not in attendance during the game that was reviewed.  ULM also has a cheerleading team that performs at basketball games, but was not in attendance for the game reviewed. Neighborhood 3 The University of Louisiana at Monroe is located at the northeast inlet of the city of Monroe, immediately south of a huge greenspace and north of the Bayou DeSiard.  For pre and post game food and drink options, fans will be required to head across the bayou via Warhawk Way.  There are a number of chain options along Sterlington Road and Desiard Street.  Some unique options fans may want to consider include The Cookout, Waterfront Grill and Catahoula’s For other sports options in Monroe, they also focus on ULM.  The Warhawks play football  and baseball  mere steps from Fant-Ewing Coliseum.  Other colleges that are close by include Louisiana Tech and Grambling State.  As far as other tourist options, fans should consider the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum.  For fans wishing to stay in the area, the Hampton Inn is not far. Fans 2 Louisiana-Monroe has not enjoyed the strongest support for basketball.  For the 2022-2023 season the Warhawks averaged 1,800 fans per game.  This ranks 10th in the Sun Belt Conference.  At the time of writing, the Warhawks have attracted an average of 800 fans per game for the 2023-2024 season, dropping them to 14th in the Sun Belt Conference.  The game that was reviewed was during the winter break and there were very few students in attendance.  Hopefully, the Warhawks can draw stronger crowds to improve the experience at ULM basketball.   Access 4 Fant-Ewing Coliseum is located on the campus of ULM, just north of the Bayou DeSiard.  Getting to the arena is not difficult.  It is located north of highway 80 and east of highway 165.  Interstate 20 is a few kilometers south.  Once on campus, there is plenty of parking in the area for free.  For fans who wish to take public transit, there are Monroe Transit bus stops on the south side of the Bayou.  Fans should consult the Monroe Transit  website for schedules, fares and maps.  Inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum, getting around is not difficult.  Although concourses are narrow, the low attendance won’t make that an issue.  Washroom facilities are adequate for the fans in attendance. Return on Investment 4 Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks basketball is very affordable.  Reserved tickets are available for $15 each and General Admission tickets are $12.  Parking is free and concession prices are about what one would expect.  The product on the court is Division I basketball and ULM does what it can to put together a good gameday experience.  A higher attendance would add greatly to the vibe and push the return on investment for the Warhawks even higher. Extras 2 An extra mark for the rivalry Louisiana-Monroe shares with nearby Louisiana Tech in Ruston. An extra mark for the historical significance of the Warhawk nickname, which was well thought out and fitting. Final Thoughts A trip to see the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks is definitely affordable and a good opportunity to take in some Division I college basketball.  Better attendance at Warhawk games would improve the experience for the fan and most likely make Warhawks tickets more highly sought after. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

The Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) have a rich history with baseball dating back to 1859. A new book, Historic Ballparks of the Twin Cities by Stew Thornley, provides a fascinating look at the various stadiums in the Twin Cities that housed the minor league, major league, and university-level baseball teams over the last 160-plus years. The first recorded baseball game in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area was in1859. In these early years, these games took place in open fields with no fencing to regulate the attendance of fans. The first stadium to enclose the playing fields was Red Cap Park in 1876. It served as the home for several teams, as the sport was made up of neighborhood or company teams. It would be 1884 before the first organized teams competed in a regulated league. At first, the two Twin Cities were in a very competitive battle to recruit a major league team to their area as it would be a major feather in their (baseball) cap in promoting the city. St. Paul’s first ballpark was known as the West Seventh Street Grounds. It had a capacity of 2,400 and featured hitching posts for the fan’s horses. Minneapolis answered by building the Portland Park Grounds, with a capacity of 3,300 and hitching posts for 100 horses. It was also located near the trolley line that served the city. In 1889 Minneapolis opened Athletic Park with space for 3,000 fans. Unfortunately, the wooden venue was destroyed by fire shortly after it opened. It reopened in 1894 and served the city for more than 15 years. A group led by Charles Comisky, who later owned the Chicago White Sox, then built the Dale and Aurora Grounds, also known as Comisky Park, in St. Paul. A replacement was built in 1903 and was nicknamed the “Pillbox” due to its small size. Eventually, St. Paul and Minneapolis were in the same league and were competing on the field as well as off the field. The Minneapolis team played their home games at Nicolett Park, while the St. Paul squad called Lexington Park home. Lexington Park was a keeper, as the St. Paul Saints would call it home from 1897 to 1956. It was eventually torn down in 1958. Minneapolis also built a long-term ballpark at Nicollett Park. It would play there from 1896- 1955. Eventually, the Minneapolis side of the ballpark war won out, as the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington was chosen to host the former Washington Senators in a new ballpark named Metropolitan Stadium. It opened in 1957 as the home of the Minnesota Twins. In a way, Minneapolis delivered an olive branch to St. Paul, as the team nickname and logo referred to the area as the Twin Cities. In 1961, the Minnesota Vikings expansion franchise was added as a stadium tenant, making Metropolitan Stadium one of the first stadiums to host both an MLB and an NFL franchise. Both teams would play at Metropolitan Stadium through 1981 when they both moved to the indoor Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome. Metropolitan Stadium was torn down and the Mall of America now occupies its footprint. The Metrodome allowed both the Vikings and the Twins to play indoors, as it increased the fans’ comfort in a temperature-controlled environment. It also eliminated any games lost to bad weather. They would be joined by the University of Minnesota football team and the Minnesota Timberwolves as tenants at the facility. The Timberwolves were a short-term rental, as they were just waiting for the Target Center to be built. The Metrodome became famous for the noise level generated by fans in one of the first indoor football facilities. The Metrodome did have some drawbacks, as its air-supported roof collapsed twice under the weight of the snowpack that had formed on top of the roof. The baseball field also had issues, as the turf caused unpredictable bounces that led to many errors. The Metrodome would serve these teams from 1982- 2009, with the Twins moving to Target Field and the Vikings eventually returning to the site when the new Vikings stadium was built on the footprint of the Metrodome. Target Field has been a huge success, as it has reenergized development in the downtown Minneapolis area. Its innovative design has been recognized, and it has also achieved LEED Gold status for its “green” design. St. Paul has not stood still in ballpark development. The St Paul Saints moved from their longtime home at Midway Ballpark to CHS Field in downtown St. Paul. It offers an increased amount of seating, wider concourses, and more shade from the sun than its predecessor. The stadium also includes the City of Baseball Museum, which does a fantastic job of educating fans about baseball in the Twin Cities. Historic Ballpark of the Twin Cities is a must-read for any ballpark chaser or baseball fan. It offers a timeline/roadmap for historians and sports fans alike. Fortunately, the modern-day ballparks are all located along the light rail system in the Twin Cities, making it easily accessible for sports travelers.

Photos by Lance Sutehall, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Devlin Fieldhouse 6811 Freret Street New Orleans, LA 70118 Tulane Green Wave website Devlin Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 1933 Capacity: 4,100 Roll Wave The oldest active college basketball arena in the south is Tulane’s Devlin Fieldhouse. In use since the 1930s the Devlin Fieldhouse is the home of Green Wave basketball and volleyball. It was built with the proceeds from the football team’s appearance in the 1932 Rose Bowl and the nickname “Rose Bowl Gym” was given to the venue as a result. The Tulane Green Wave men’s basketball program was involved in a point-shaving scandal in the 1980s that led to the program being dissolved for four seasons. In 1989 the program was revived with the arena getting a renovation and was named for Tulane alum Avron Fogelman.  The Green Wave made the NCAA Tournament in 1992, 1993, and 1995. The Green Wave has not made the big dance since the 1990s but with Ron Hunter at the helm of the program things are looking up. They compete in the D1 American Athletic Conference. Food & Beverage 3 There are two concession stands in the arena with one being in the lobby while the other is in the upper concourse. Standard stadium fare includes popcorn ($5), nachos ($5), hot dogs ($5), burgers ($7), peanuts ($4), and pretzels ($4). Coca-Cola is the soft drink provider with bottled drinks costing $4 and beer is also sold for $8. The concession stands are cashless. Atmosphere 4 Devlin Fieldhouse is a small arena and if not for the fact that a sign says “Devlin Fieldhouse” you would not know you are entering a Division One college basketball arena. The lobby inside is small with a bell and a Tulane logo before you walk through a glass door to the seating bowl.  There is a lot of green in the arena including the out-of-bounds area on the court, the seats, the walls, and the banners. The seats are all close to the court with the furthest seat on the sideline only 14 rows away, thus creating an intimate atmosphere for Green Wave basketball games.  The students are on one side of the court and they give opposing teams a lot of grief. The band and cheerleaders also definitely play their part in keeping the energy up during games. I will add an extra point for the LED light shows during breaks in game action. Neighborhood 5 Tulane University is located in one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. On the campus of Tulane is Yulman Stadium, the home of Green Wave football. Yulman Stadium was built on the site where Tulane Stadium used to be and where three Super Bowls, Saints games, and Sugar Bowls were played. Across the street from the campus of Tulane University is Audubon Park and the Audubon Zoo. This area is perfect for a family-friendly outing. Restaurants near the Tulane campus include Jamila’s Cafe for Tunisian food, Ted’s Frostop Diner for burgers, and Dat Dog for hot dogs. Bars to check out include The Boot, Phillip’s, and Bruno’s Tavern. Lodging options a couple of miles away include the Adler Hotel, Hampton Inn, and St. Charles Inn.  If you are planning to stay in New Orleans for a few days you should consider heading towards downtown and the French Quarter for the full New Orleans experience. Fans 3 Tulane does not have the largest fanbase and the Devlin Fieldhouse is not always packed. The game I attended had a packed crowd but at least a third of the crowd was pulling for the visiting team. That being said the fans that do pull for the Green Wave get invested in the game and cheer and jeer when appropriate. I will give a point for some of the chants the students gave the refs.  Access 3 To get to the campus of Tulane University from I-10 Westbound you turn off Exit 234C onto Highway 90. Turn left onto State Street before making another left on Freret Street. From I-10 Eastbound turn off on exit 232 onto Carrollton Street before turning left onto Nelson Street and an immediate right on Short Street. Turn left on Claiborne Avenue and make a right on Broadway before making a left on Freret.   Free parking is at the Loyola RecPlex garage which is across the street from the Tulane campus. There are enough restrooms inside but the lobby can get cramped during a game with lots of spectators and there are only two concession stands. Return on Investment 5 Tickets go for $8 for bench seating on the baselines or $18.50 for chairback seating by the sideline. With free parking, reasonable concession prices, and a historic venue to check out this is a great deal! . Extras 4 In 1969 and 1970 the venue was home to the American Basketball Association’s New Orleans Buccaneers.  President Gerald Ford announced the end of the Vietnam War in Devlin FIeldhouse in 1975. Ford would not be the only President to speak at Devlin as then Senator Barack Obama gave a speech in 2008 during his presidential campaign. During the 2021-2022 season, the arena was home to the NAIA’s Loyola Wolf Pack basketball teams. The Wolf Pack men’s team ended up winning the 2022 NAIA National Championship. Final Thoughts Catching a Tulane Green Wave game at Devlin Fieldhouse may not be the first thing on your list when visiting New Orleans. However, it is an underrated venue and experience given that you are attending the oldest active Division One men’s basketball arena in the South.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium 601 Cummings St Spartanburg, SC 29303 Wofford Terriers website Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium website Year Opened: 2017 Capacity: 3,400 Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium – Wofford Terriers The roots of what is now the home court of the Wofford Terriers started on the gridiron during the mid to late 1950s, when tight end Jerry Richardson established himself as a standout on the field for the Terriers. It was in the business world though where Richardson would experience his greatest professional achievements – after starting multiple successful businesses and serving as a CEO, Richardson brought professional football to Charlotte, North Carolina as owner of the Carolina Panthers . Through all the professional successes Richardson enjoyed, he gave much of the credit to the time he spent at Wofford. Jerry Richardson’s accomplishments in the business world put him in a position to give back to the college he held so dear; Richardson would give an estimated $250 million back to Wofford, including the $40 million to build what would end up being Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Since joining the Southern Conference at the start of the 1997-98 season, the Terriers have established themselves as one of the top teams in the conference, tied with Chattanooga for the most NCAA tournament appearances (5) during that span. The crowning moment for Wofford came in 2019 when the 7th-seeded Terriers stunned the Big East's Seton Hall Pirates to reach the NCAA Tournament's Round of 32 for the first time in program history.   Food & Beverage   4 Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium houses two concessions stands with a decent variety on their menu, offering chicken sandwiches and tenders, burgers (including a veggie option), Papa John’s pizza, and several snacks. The real eye opener on the menu, though, has to be the fried pickles, which you are not going to find at most stadium concessions stands. The 51 Club, exclusive to Terrier Club donor season ticket holders, provides fans with some bit higher end food options, along with beer, wine, and mixed drinks. Coca-Cola products are the beverage of choice, with Powerade and Dasani bottled water offered throughout the general seating area. Other than the suites and the 51 Club, alcoholic beverages are not available.   Atmosphere   4 The exterior of Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium oozes sophistication – limestone and sleek black accents frame tall, narrow windows, creating a modern yet classic feel, while the soaring foyer welcomes fans with a marble floor, emblazoned with a simple “W” underscored with “Wofford”. Staircases flank each side of the entrance leading to the concourse level. Ticket offices can be found on either side of the main level. The charm of the parquet floor with the Wofford W at center court perfectly complements the overall elegance of the arena. In a time when gaudy floor designs appear to be in vogue, the simplicity and classic feel of the parquet almost seems comforting. Rather than the center hung, four-sided scoreboards common at most arenas, Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium has four large rectangular boards, one hung in each corner, providing fans with a live feed of the game and real time statistics. Each one also has a ribbon board below giving the time, score, and team foul information; this definitely opens up the playing area, keeping it from feeling too small. Wofford provides diverse seating choices throughout the arena, ranging from traditional courtside chair backed stadium seats to the student section bleachers dubbed, “The Boneyard”. In addition, luxurious, open-air suites are situated in each of the corners, which have the feel of theater box seating. A second level of seating along the sidelines provides fans with a view not often seen in the Southern Conference. Additionally, a drink rail encircles the seating area, providing a convenient option to enjoy the game without a feeling of being confined to your seat.   Neighborhood   4 Wofford College is situated within 2 miles of downtown Spartanburg, providing a number of dining, accommodation, and entertainment options just minutes away from the campus. West Main Street, running alongside Morgan Square, has been transformed by the closure to make way for parklets, enhancing the appeal of the lively downtown district. Within the campus, the athletics district on Wofford's eastern edge hosts Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium, along with Russell C. King Field  for baseball and Gibbs Stadium ,  which serves as the home of Wofford football. The Wofford campus is amazingly designed with stunning architecture and meticulously maintained grounds.   Fans   3 Typically, attendance ranges from 1,200 to 1,800 fans, but in-state rival Furman draws near sellout crowds of students, alumni, and opposing fans, creating an electrifying atmosphere. Casual fans planning to attend a Wofford game would want to mark this particular match-up as a must see. On a game-by-game basis, Wofford students consistently turn out and contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere right from the tip. With an undergraduate enrollment of just over 1,800 students, the student section, consisting of around 300 students, represents a substantial portion of the student body.   Access   4 Located at the crossroads of two significant interstates, Spartanburg, South Carolina benefits from I-85 connecting Atlanta and Charlotte, as well as I-26 linking Columbia, South Carolina, to Asheville, North Carolina. With these key arteries running through the southeastern region, the area is readily accessible. Parking is plentiful at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium in the gravel and grass lot opposite the stadium, requiring only a brief walk. The grassy parking may be a bit tricky for some, particularly if contending with rainy conditions. Upon entering, ticket scanners for fans are positioned on both sides of the grand entry point, which serves as the sole entrance to the arena. Majestic staircases on each side of the entryway guide visitors to an internal concourse encircling the top of the main seating area. Visitors with mobility limitations can access the second level by use of the escalator on the left side of the foyer. The concourse level gives fans plenty of space to navigate. The area above The Boneyard, where students gather before heading to their seats, around to the 51 Club can become somewhat narrow, especially with fans standing along the drink rail. While these obstacles may not pose an issue for most games, popular match ups that draw large numbers of fans can lead to some congestion.   Return on Investment   4 Starting at $10 for kids and $16 for adults, ticket prices are reasonable but on the higher side for SoCon – when factoring in free parking, however, the overall cost is in line with expectations for the conference. Additionally, concessions are reasonably priced, making the overall experience a worthwhile investment.   Extras   4 A tribute to Jerry Richardson, whose financial support and commitment to Wofford College served as the driving force behind the construction of the $40 million facility, includes a replica of his Wofford football jersey and a brief biography detailing Richardson's journey from Wofford tight end to NFL player, to co-founder of Hardee's which ultimately led to becoming the owner of the NFL's Carolina Panthers . This tribute is situated in an alcove overlooking the grand entry. On the opposing side of the entry foyer, a matching alcove proudly showcases the trophies and nets that the Terriers cut down, commemorating the five Southern Conference Tournament titles they have won. As a tribute to Wofford, after the game players, staff, and the cheer squad line the 3-point arc, joining the students of The Boneyard and the WOCO BAND in singing the school's alma mater. Unlike many colleges and universities whose pep bands are made solely of students, the WOCO BAND includes not just students but also alumni, fans, local high school students, and other community members looking to make a commitment.   Final Thoughts Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium is a facility that if you didn't know what you were looking for, could be easily overlooked as the campus basketball arena – at first glance its majestic architecture may give the impression that it is one of the college's buildings designed for hosting formal galas, rather than basketball games and volleyball matches. The elegance and sophistication of the building is evident in nearly every aspect of the arena, from the entrance to the suites to the general seating, and even down to the meticulous detail of the fully encircling drink rail. The entire game experience at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium goes beyond giving fans a basketball game in a beautiful facility; it highlights everything there is to love about college basketball.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 PPL Center 701 Hamilton St Allentown, PA 18101 Lehigh Valley Phantoms website PPL Center website Year Opened: 2014 Capacity: 8,578 Phantom of the Hockey Arena Located in Downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania, is the PPL Center, home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL). Since 2014, the Phantoms have been the top-level minor league hockey affiliate of the nearby Philadelphia Flyers. Previously, the Phantoms played in Glens Falls, New York, and before that, at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, which they had moved into after the Flyers moved out. The PPL Center seats just over 8,500 fans and is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary as the home of the Phantoms. Food & Beverage 5 The PPL Center has a wide range of concessions that will satisfy every fan. Traditional items such as hot dogs and burgers are available, but you will find many specialty items as well. Q BBQ sells several barbecue options, including pulled pork, brisket, and nachos topped with barbecue meat. Donnybrook Sausage sells several different kinds of sausage. Burger Prime sells not just classic cheeseburgers but multiple specialty burgers as well, with a wide range of toppings. Fans can also buy pizza, chicken parmesan sandwiches, and much more. For those with a sweet tooth, Italian ice, and frozen custard are available at the Rita's stand. Alcohol is available for those of age as well. Atmosphere 4 The PPL Center is a raucous atmosphere right in the middle of Flyers Country. The orange and black color scheme shared by both the Phantoms and the parent club can be seen throughout the arena. All seats have a good view of the ice, and you will hear every hit against the boards, every smash of the puck, and more. The Phantoms have a mascot named meLVin (yes, that is the correct capitalization), who is a bright yellow character full of mayhem in the same vein as Gritty and the Philly Phanatic. Whether it's annoying fans of the visiting team, causing chaos in the crowd, or heading out onto the ice before the game, meLVin is sure to cause beautiful chaos in the arena. Before the game, the Phantoms starting lineup is introduced as flames shoot from the ice and players emerge from a cloud of smoke. Multiple pregame hype videos get the crowd roaring and ready to go. After every Phantoms goal, the PA announcer will announce "Phantoms...." and the crowd will shout "Goal" in response before the announcer says the scorer. Neighborhood 3 The PPL Center is located in Downtown Allentown, and while you may pass through some questionable neighborhoods driving to the arena, the immediate area should be safe. Chickie's and Pete's, a legendary Philadelphia area sports bar and crab house chain, is located right next to the arena. Fagley's Allentown Brew Works is a couple of blocks away. The Renaissance Hotel Allentown shares a parking garage with the arena for fans looking for a place to stay overnight. Fans 4 The Phantoms have consistently ranked in the top 10 of the AHL in attendance. Phantoms fans are proud and loud, and the fact that most of them are also fans of the parent club, Flyers, certainly helps. The crowd noise can get quite loud here at times, and when the Phantoms score, the arena will erupt with cheers. Expect to see an arena full of fans wearing orange and black, whether those are Phantoms or Flyers jerseys. The crowd here loves their team and isn't afraid to show it. Access 3 The PPL Center is located in downtown Allentown, several miles from I-78 and US 22, so fans will have to drive on city streets to get to the arena. There are several parking garages and surface lots located near the arena, which can be reserved in advance and cost between $5 and $10. We recommend using the lot that is directly attached to the arena. You can just take the elevator to the ground floor and walk through a door that will put you in the lobby of the arena. Keep in mind that although the Arena Garage allows drivers to back into their spaces, the other garages, which are owned by the City of Allentown, do not. Keep this in mind if you're one of those drivers who insist on backing into parking spaces. The concourses of the PPL Center are wide enough to accommodate even sold-out crowds but sometimes take meandering routes around luxury suites. Fortunately, it is very clearly singed where to go. Return on Investment 3 Tickets for Phantoms games start at $23 for upper-level seats, and standard seats go up to about $55 at center ice. VIP club seats will cost more. Concessions are about average price, and parking is reasonably priced as well. All in all, a Phantoms game is a decent value for your money. Extras 3 One bonus star for meLVin, one of the most exciting mascots in the AHL. Look for the display of the concourse featuring photos of every member of the team, including meLVin. A team store on the concourse offers a wide range of Phantoms merchandise. Final Thoughts The PPL Center can be a fun place to take in a minor league hockey game. With a crazy mascot and a loyal fan base that rocks the team colors every game, the Phantoms experience is well worth checking out for hockey fans in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Most people assume that the history of baseball parks in Los Angeles got its’ start in 1962 when Dodgers Stadium opened. After all, everyone knows that it is the third oldest stadium in Major League baseball. But did you know that Angels/Anaheim Stadium is the fourth oldest ballpark in the majors?  How about the fact that a Wrigley Field existed before the iconic home of the Cubs was built in Chicago? These and many other interesting facts are available in the book Los Angeles’s Historic Ballparks by Chris Epting. California was a mecca for baseball at the majors, minors, and company levels due to its year-round comfortable weather. Before either major league stadium was built, the city had been used for several major league spring training camps. The Cactus League in Arizona had not yet come into existence. The earliest ballpark in Los Angeles dates to 1887. It was known as Chutes Park and was located inside of an amusement park. In 1911 it moved next door to become Washington Park Stadium, where it operated from 1912-1925. Brookside Park was another early ballpark. It opened in 1914 in the Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena, where it served as the spring training home of the Chicago White Sox. In 1988 it was renamed in honor of its hometown baseball legend, Jackie Robinson. The first Wrigley Field opened in 1925 as the home of the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. It served as their home park from 1925-1957. Among the baseball immortals to play at Wrigley Field were Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle who were on a barnstorming tour by the Yankees when they played several Pacific Coast League teams. The stadium was also used as a stand-in for movies/ television shows including Pride of the Yankees, Angels in the Outfield, and Home Run Derby . The stadium featured an Art Deco style of architecture with a red tile roof, so it would fit in with the residential neighborhood that surrounded it. It had a capacity of 20,500 and included a feature that would be copied in Chicago… the outfield walls were covered with ivy. An early program used at the ballpark listed the following concession items and their prices… beer for 35 cents, hot dogs for 25 cents, Coca-Cola’s for 15 cents, and popcorn for 15 cents. Those were the days! Catalina Island also served as a spring training home for the Chicago Cubs from 1922-42, 46-47, 50-51. The players would arrive by ship for the training camps. Another early ballpark was Gilmore Field, which was the home for the Pacific Coast League Stars from 1939-1957. It was also popular with the Hollywood Stars, as its opening was attended by Jack Benny, Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, and Gary Cooper. The stadium also hosted spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The space it occupied is now home to CBS Television City. The suburb of Burbank was home to Olive Memorial Stadium from 1947 -1952. It served as a PCL stadium and as the home park for the St. Louis Browns spring training camp. One of the earliest industrial leagues in the country was in the Los Angeles suburb of Long Beach. It featured a stadium built by Shell Oil Company for its workforce. It was a very basic facility, as the borders of Shell Oil Field were outlined by the Model T cars surrounding the playing field. Oil derricks lined the outfield fences. No word on whether the early pitchers were “oiling up” the balls! Other cities in the greater Los Angeles area that had ballparks were Las Palmas, San Bernadino, and Palm Springs. Each of these ballparks served as a spring training home for a major league team. We’ve now come full circle to the present major league residents in the Los Angeles area. The Brooklyn Dodgers were the first to arrive in 1958. Dodger Stadium had not yet been built, so the Los Angeles Coliseum served as its first West Coast home from 1958-1962. The Coliseum is oval-shaped, which resulted in a very unusual layout for the field. The left field fence was only 251 feet from the plate. A net was hung atop the fence and a ball had to go over the net to be a home run. Meanwhile, fans in right field were sitting more than 700 feet from the plate. The outfielders had a lot of ground to cover! The Dodgers went to the World Series the second season they played in the Coliseum, and as a result, were able to reach an attendance record of 93,103 for one of their games. The Dodgers would move on to Chavez Ravine and Dodger Stadium in 1962. The Angels were created as an expansion team in 1962. They would share Dodger Stadium with the Dodgers until their stadium in Anaheim opened in 1966. Los Angeles’s Historic Ballparks does a superb job of covering the early ballparks in the City of Angels. Many of these park sites have been obliterated by time, development, and the Los Angeles freeway system. Fortunately, Chris Epting was able to travel to many of these sites before they disappeared. His photos accompanying each chapter bring alive the history of these early ballparks and the many baseball immortals that played on their fields.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Hanner Fieldhouse 590 Herty Drive Statesboro, GA 30458 Georgia Southern Eagles website Hanner Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 1969 Capacity: 4,325 Final Curtain Call for Hanner Following the 2023-24 basketball season, the Georgia Southern Eagles will be leaving their home of the past 55 years for a new $64 million facility, the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center . While the new facility comes with much anticipation, there is also much to appreciate and look back on in fondness as the Eagles leave their nest. Initially established as the Georgia Teacher College Professors, the school transitioned to the Georgia Southern College Eagles in 1959. The Eagles have played as members of the Sun Belt Conference since the 2014-15 season, having previously been a part of the Southern and Trans-Atlantic Conferences, as well as spending time as an independent program upon their jump from NAIA to NCAA in 1970. Since joining the NCAA, Georgia Southern has played in three NCAA tournaments (‘83, ‘87, ‘92), have been selected for three Post Season NITs (‘88, ‘89, ‘06), and have played in one CBI tournament (‘17).   Food & Beverage   2 Concession stands can be found in the court level lobby down the stairs from the main entry point. The menu offerings are somewhat limited, featuring typical stadium fare such as hotdogs, soft pretzels, popcorn, chips, and various candies. Beverages include various options from the Coca-Cola family, with Dasani water also available. For those looking for alcoholic beverages, Hanner Fieldhouse offers a selection of Budweiser products, including beer and seltzers. For a bit more flavor, craft beers from Wicked Weed are also available, as are Cutwater premixed cocktails.   Atmosphere   4 From the outside, the brick and concrete facility might be a bit less than impressive, but once they step into the playing area, fans are seemingly teleported back to a time when towns shut down for games because the entire population was at the gym. Upon entering the seating bowl the fold-down, wooden seats along the upper level of sideline seating, not to mention the wooden benches at each end of the court, give the feeling that Jimmy Chitwood ( Hoosiers ) might run out from the locker room to take the floor. Court level seating, while a bit more comfortable, does not have the same charm as the wooden relics in the upper seating area. A row of court side seats run the length of the sideline opposite the team benches, only broken up by the center court press table. Regardless of your seat, you will be close to the action and have a clear view of the floor. However, the railings of the stairs in the upper seating area, along with the clear plastic used in the openings, can slightly interrupt the view of the court for those seated in the first few rows of the upper level. Due to a low roof line here, the use of an overhead scoreboard is impractical. Instead, LED ribbon boards span the width of the court on either end, serving at the arena scoreboards. While this setup may pose some minor limitations for certain in-game features, it brings a sense of relief as fans are spared from being bombarded with ads and commercials during breaks in the action. The promotions staff wonderfully engages fans through on-court contests, primarily featuring the Eagles youngest fans, and by simply allowing the pep band, cheer squad, and dance team to “do their thing” in entertaining the crowd until the ball is back in play. The simple act of giving these groups the stage to showcase their talents significantly contributes to energizing the fans and keeping them actively involved in the game.   Neighborhood   4 Downtown Statesboro has every ounce of charm that would be expected from small town America. A mile from the northern edge of Georgia Southern’s campus, Main Street Statesboro is home to several shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. The recently revitalized Blue Mile, connecting campus to downtown Statesboro, is dotted with bars and restaurants. Notable establishments like the well-regarded BBQ joint Dolan's, and the popular nightlife spot Gnat's Landing, are found along this path. On the opposite side of campus, Dingus MaGee's is another favored spot for grabbing a bite and a pint. For those seeking a larger city atmosphere, the Georgia port city of Savannah is conveniently located about an hour east on I-16.   Fans   4 Georgia Southern fans are a loud and supportive bunch – it is not uncommon for those in court side seats to be a bit more reserved, but at Hanner Fieldhouse they might be some of the more rambunctiously supportive groups. The Georgia Southern student section, the Hanner Hooligans, do a lot to bring a lively atmosphere to Hanner Fieldhouse. Though they do have a section all for themselves, it seems as if the students are more spread out than that, albeit mostly concentrated in the court level seating behind the team benches. As a whole, the Georgia Southern fan base shows a high level of appreciation and participation when it comes to the cheers and chants led by the spirit squads. Eagles fans contribute to a unique and vibrant experience inside Hanner Fieldhouse, an atmosphere that might be overlooked in a larger venue, but undeniably adds to the distinctive charm of Hanner.   Access   2 Statesboro can be a bit challenging to get to. The closest bigger city, Savannah, is still an hour's drive away, while the next closest Georgia city, Macon, is nearly 2 hours. Fans coming from central and northern Georgia will definitely get familiar with the Georgia countryside along Interstate I-16. Once in Statesboro, the core of its athletics neighborhood is wedged into the northern reaches of the Georgia Southern campus on the south side of town. Parking is available in the large lot along Fair Road, behind the tennis complex and baseball’s J.I. Clement Stadium . This leaves a short walk to the front doors of Hanner Fieldhouse – parking directly in front of Hanner Fieldhouse is reserved for season ticket holders and doners. While there are some interesting quirks to navigating Hanner Fieldhouse, one being the only concession stands are located in the court level lobby, downstairs from the main concourse, there is one concourse that encircles the break between the upper and lower levels of seating. This walkway is wide enough to accommodate fans moving in different directions, but with endline seating starting in the concourse, there is a bit of having to navigate around the legs of those seated in the front rows.   Return on Investment   4 Tickets start at $10 for general admission seats at the ends of the fieldhouse, while reserved seats with sideline views will run $15. There is also a $3 service fee added to the transaction. While this fee is a bit of an annoyance, it is better than the Ticketmaster fee that is added to each ticket sold on top of the total transaction. Tickets are not outrageously priced to the point that it would be a deterrent to attending a game. Concession prices seem comparable to most smaller sports venues; as expected there is a premium markup on alcohol. Cash payment is not accepted here, so prices might be subject to convenience fees, which does not tend to be all that coinvent.   Extras   4 The wooden seating around the upper level of Hanner Fieldhouse is a rarity, and creates a very special atmosphere that is almost a time capsule of basketball history. GUS, the Georgia Southern mascot, is an active part of the game experience, and often leads the crowd in chants during breaks. Banners of retired numbers in Georgia Southern basketball history recognize the careers of Scotty Perkins, Chester Webb, Jeff Sanders, and Michael Curry. Following the game, in an ode to their university the cheerleaders and pep band join with alumni to sing the Georgia Southern alma mater.   Final Thoughts While new facilities are generally much anticipated and create a great deal of excitement for a fan base, there is always a bit of historical relevance that is left behind that can never be duplicated. There are definitely aspects of Hanner Fieldhouse which are either outdated or inconvenient, due simply to limitations in being able to improve them, which moving to a new facility can remedy, but one thing that will be difficult to recreate is the air of special basketball that is Hanner Fieldhouse.