Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Osceola County Stadium 631 Heritage Park Way Kissimmee, FL 34744 Orlando City B website Osceola County Stadium website Year Opened: 1984 Capacity: 5,300 Orlando’s Future Soccer Stars In Orlando, the soccer scene has become a deeply woven part of the city’s sports fabric. Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride may very well get all of the attention, but make no mistake, there are other options in the area. The former indoor Orlando SeaWolves started the soccer craze in Osceola Memorial Park, and now the mantle belongs to Orlando City B. Having moved from Exploria Stadium after the COVID-19 pandemic to the former home of the Orlando Fire Frogs, OCB has found a home and a fanbase to call their own, without any distractions from big brother. Food & Beverage 3 The stadium fare is simple but tasty here. For most games only one concessions stand is open, but it has a wide variety of options. Cheeseburgers, nachos, hot dogs, fries, and various candy and chip selections are available, with drinks including water, bottled sodas, and beer. Pricing is simple and consistent with most stadiums, with drinks in the $4-$5 range and food just over $10 for meals. Atmosphere 3 The stadium itself is a former baseball stadium, playing host to various MiLB and spring training matchups over the years – now it has been converted to a soccer pitch. Seating is all general admission, meaning you can sit anywhere from the top rows down to right along the field. The seats along the sidelines line up well with the pitch and are in the shade for most of the afternoon and evening. However, any seating along what was the right field line will be in the sun and at an angle, when available. Neighborhood 3 The fact that you’re not far from Orlando proper means you aren’t far from plenty of entertainment. However, right around the stadium itself, you will find limited food and shopping options. Rodeo Diner and Chicken Spot are located right next to McDonald’s and Denny’s along US-192, the main road outside the facility. For lodging, Quality Inn & Suites Heritage Park and Travelodge by Wyndham Kissimmee East are your two best options. For seeing the sights, Walt Disney World Resort is only 15 minutes away, while NASA and Cape Canaveral are just an hour east near Cocoa Beach. Fans 3 The stadium may not sell out every game or echo with the chants from the Wall like their bigger counterparts downtown, but Orlando City B has built a loyal fanbase that shows up to their games with passion – signs in the stadium are still common showing their love of Orlando. Younger fans are among the most passionate at games, crowding the lower rows closest to the pitch and cheering with every pass and shot on goal. Another big fan draw is the family aspect of going to an OCB game; even after kickoff families with young fans continued to trickle into the stadium. Access 4 To get to Osceola County Stadium, a simple drive south on I-4 will take you to exit 244. From there a turn to the west on US-192 will lead you right to Osceola Heritage Park, where Silver Spurs Arena is located. Parking is plentiful on-site and free. Signs are also plentiful on-site to help direct you once you get on the property, as there are several different venues located at Osceola Heritage Park, including Silver Spurs Arena , the new home of the Kissimmee Magic. Return on Investment 5 Tickets are incredibly affordable at just $15 a person, and all seats are general admission. Partner this with free parking and affordable concessions, and it is easy to see why Orlando City B games are a hit with local families. Add to this the great action on the field, and the opportunity to watch some of the young stars that are coming up through the ranks in soccer, and you have little reason to skip out on this great game-day value. Extras 3 The stadium features a dedication plaque in the main concourse showcasing the history of the stadium. Fans also can enjoy watching the game from field level on the left field patio. Here, tables and chairs and standing room offer perhaps the most up-close view of any professional soccer experience without having to pay an extra price. Finally, the stadium facility is also the training home for Orlando City SC , and Orlando City B, so you can see plenty of stars in the fields around the stadium, training for future games. Final Thoughts Orlando City B may not have the big-name players or the big-time stadium, but they are no less deserving of your attendance. A great family atmosphere showcasing some of the brightest future stars makes for a perfect night out watching soccer in Orlando, without paying the price for the team’s bigger brother .

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Ford Field 2000 Brush St Detroit, MI 48226 Detroit Lions website Ford Field website Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 65,000 Lions Loyal The definition of sports futility may just be the Detroit Lions. In the conversation for most long suffering fans, the Lions have tortured their fans by only winning one National Football League playoff game since 1957. Most fans forget the dominance of the Lions in the pre Super Bowl era, which is understandable. There may be many who sleep on the Lions as a force in the NFL, however, nobody should sleep on the experience at Ford Field. One of the centerpiece items built to help revitalize downtown Detroit, Fied Field opened its doors in 2002 and signaled the end of the Lions existence at the Pontiac Silverdome. A resurgence in the experience for fans, Ford Field has also hosted the NCAA Final Four, NCAA Frozen Four, Mid-American Conference Championship game and Quick Lane Bowl as well as a ton of concerts and WrestleMania 23. Until 2014 the Lions were under the care of owner William Clay Ford. With his death, the team is owned by his daughter Sheila Ford Hamp. A trip to the Lions will show fans what Lions Loyalty is all about. Food & Beverage 4 The concession scene is very strong at Ford Field. Fans will be more than pleased to find local favorites inside Ford Field including Slow’s BBQ, Hungry Howie’s Pizza and Big Boy. Other options include Taste of Greektown, Hon Cho Poletown Sausage and Lefty’s Famous Cheesesteaks. The Street Eats of Detroit and Goalpost Grille provide more traditional stadium fare. There is little for the fan to desire. Some stands provide “Power Hour” specials which give special pricing from 11 to 12 on a regular 1 pm game. There are plenty of beer options available throughout the stadium. Leinenkugel, Miller Lite and Blue Moon are all available, but the presence of Bud Light is pretty overwhelming. A number of bars throughout the stadium also offer a variety of other alcoholic beverages. Pepsi products are the soft drinks of choice at Ford Field. Atmosphere 5 Ford Field is one of the centerpiece buildings that have highlighted the return to downtown. Built into a former warehouse, Ford Field has maintained some of that industrial charm, heavily relying on a brown brick exterior with some marble inserts with Ford Field and Lions logos. Large, glass atriums at the southeast and southwest corners of the stadium offer great gathering places. Unlike the majority of NFL stadiums, Ford Field is completely enclosed. Some may consider this to be a detractor for the stadium, but the harsh Michigan winters make domed field a welcome feature. A far cry from the Pontiac Silverdome, the roof at Fied Field features huge translucent panels which bring in plenty of natural light. Also, the southwest and southeast corners are open and the light from the atriums help give fans the feeling of being outdoors while enjoying comfort from the elements. The north and south concourses are very different. The south concourse nods back to the industrial roots of the area with wrought iron gates at the entrance of sections and brick walls and cobblestone flooring. The north concourse is the complete opposite with a much more modern feel to it. Posts in the concourses are covered with images of current Lions players and Lions greats of the past. The east-west oriented, field turf field is surrounded by two main tiers of seating. The south side features four tiers of luxury boxes. The fascia of those boxes has the names of the 19 members of the Pride of the Lions ring of honour. Members include Alex Karras, Roger Brown, Herman Moore, Bobby Layne, Joe Schmidt, Doak Walker, Lou Creekmur, Dick Lane, Lem Barney, Dick LeBeau, Dick Stanfel, Jason Hanson, Chris Spielman, Jack Christiansen, Dutch Clark, Yale Lary, Charlie Sanders, Alex Wojciechowicz and Barry Sanders. Opposite, on the north side hang the banners the Lions have earned for various division and conference championships. The American flag is surrounded by the 1935, 1952, 1953 and 1957 NFL Championship banners, earned before the Super Bowl era. Massive video boards hang above the north and south end zones. There are plenty of other screens around and massive ribbon boards encase the southeast and southwest pillars. The south side is where fans will want to be for that perfect fifty yard line logo picture. The fun at a Lions game begins outside in the Pride Plaza. Food trucks and a variety of football related games will welcome fans along with a DJ and short zip line. The Lions drumline, Honolulu Boom performs outside before the game and again inside. Once nearing kickoff, the energy level increases with performances by Honolulu Boom and the Detroit Lions Cheerleaders, leading to the player introductions with entry from the southwest corner. The rest of the gameday experience is what would be expected at any NFL venue with the mascot, Roary, taking part in promotions and on field excitement. Everything is ratcheted up after a Lions touchdown where Theo Spight belts out his rendition of “Gridiron Heroes,” possibly the best fight song in the entire NFL. Spight’s rendition of the classic tune, modernizes the song from the thirties and makes it a critical part of the atmosphere. Neighborhood 4 The last two decades have produced a distinct change in downtown Detroit. Currently, there are plenty of places to go for some pre or post game food and drinks. These include Hockeytown Cafe, Fishbones, Delmar Detroit and Harbor House. It has taken some time to get to this point, but the necessity of heading right to the car after the Lions game is no longer a necessity. Right across the street from Ford Field is Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers . The Pistons and Red Wings play at Little Caesars Arena, which is just on the other side of the Fisher Freeway. Fans of college hoops can head over to the University of Detroit Mercy and take in a Detroit Mercy Titans game at the hidden gem, Calihan Hall. The Fox Theatre, Gem Theatre, and Greektown Casino provide other avenues for entertainment within steps of the stadium. The Hilton Garden Inn and Atheneum Suites provide hotel options within walking distance of the Lions. Fans 4 It is hard to find a group of fans that are more loyal than Detroit Lion fans. To refer to them as long-suffering may be an understatement. In 2022 the Lions have ranked close to the bottom of the league in attendance. However, the 65,000 capacity is pretty small by NFL standards. In 2021, the Lions ranked dead last in the NFL with a capacity below 80 percent. This could be because of the pandemic and the nearby border to Canada being closed. In the end, however, Detroit Lions fans are loud and passionate and have stuck with a team for a long time when the on-field product has given them little reason to return to the stadium. Access 3 Getting to Ford Field can be a bit of a challenge, but some pre-planning can go a long way. Fans coming in by car should be prepared to get there early and maneuver some traffic. There are plenty of parking options within the vicinity. Pre-purchasing parking through a parking app is the best option. There is some tailgating in Detroit and fans driving, who do not want to tailgate should plan well and avoid those lots. The Greektown garage is a pretty good option. For fans wanting to take public transit, The Detroit People Mover loops around downtown Detroit. There are also bus stops that run along Beaubien to the south. Check out the Detroit People Mover , Detroit Department of Transportation and SmartBus websites for schedules, fares and maps. If getting to Ford Field is a bit of a challenge, leaving the stadium can be painstaking. The flood of pedestrians and plenty of traffic in a very small area makes driving out of downtown a real challenge. The NFL has some of the tightest security and getting into Ford Field, even two hours before kickoff, is not super quick. Fans should research before heading out and know the latest security details, including bag policy by checking out the Lions and Ford Field websites. Return on Investment 3 The Detroit Lions are a great experience, but as with any NFL experience, fans are going to pay. The lions are relatively cost effective as compared to other NFL teams. With a fan cost index of over $480, the Lions ranked 29th most expensive in 2021. Fans heading to the Detroit Lions game will undoubtedly enjoy themselves, however, even with a relatively affordable experience compared to other NFL spots, the Lions remain a pricey endeavor. The NFL pushes the "once in a lifetime" pricing model which pushes fans to view NFL games as a necessary luxury. Extras 4 An extra mark for the announcement that the Lions will erect a bronze statue of the likeness of NFL Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders in front of Ford Field before the 2023 season. This would be the first such honour for any Lion. An extra mark for Theo Spight and “Gridiron Heroes” the touchdown song of the Lions which is sung live after each trip to the end zone and victory. The song is old school but sung in a modern, catchy way. An extra mark for the hearty Detroit Lions fans who have endured years of futility and still come out to support their Lions each game. An extra mark for the traditional Lions game on Thanksgiving Day. An NFL tradition for decades. Final Thoughts Whether it is enjoying the fun in the Pride Plaza or belting out Gridiron Heroes with Theo Spight, the fans of the Detroit Lions make the most of their experience each and every game. Not being required to sit through the cold Detroit winters is a plus and the loyalty of Lions is unquestioned after a long drought of on-field success. Taking in a Lions game is something that all football fans should consider in their travels. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram .

Photos by Will Halpern , Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Holmes Convocation Center 111 Rivers St Boone, NC 28608 Appalachian State Mountaineers website Holmes Convocation Center website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 8,325 Basketball Is Growing in Boone North Carolina’s High Country is a unique region, shaped by bluegrass music, beautiful mountainous landscapes, local shops and restaurants, and the many decked-out black and gold supporters of Appalachian State University, which is based in the largest town in the High Country, in the Northwestern corner of the state, Boone. Although the basketball program does play second fiddle to a nationally known football program down the road at Kidd Brewer Stadium, you’d never know it when you see Holmes Convocation Center, the Mountaineers’ home since 2000, a beautiful brick facade that blends seamlessly into the beautiful ASU campus. Holmes Center replaced the aging Varsity Gymnasium that served the team from 1968 to 2000, and still hosts the Mountaineer wrestling program The arena opened nearly two decades ago with a matchup against perennial power North Carolina , and the 8,325-seat arena hosts both the men’s and women’s basketball programs, volleyball, and indoor track and field. The High Country Grizzlies, a minor league indoor football team, also played at Holmes for the 2017 and 2018 seasons before folding. The Mountaineers have not had a March Madness appearance since 2000, right before christening the Holmes Convocation Center, and while the team competes in a deep Sun Belt Conference, the Mountaineer Basketball program is hopeful of building the kind of winning tradition that their football program sees year in and year out. Food & Beverage 3 The Holmes Convocation Center concessions options won’t overwhelm you by any means with its variety – their main concessions stand offers hamburgers or cheeseburgers ($6), hot dogs ($3), chili dogs or cheese dogs ($4), chili cheese dogs ($5), large fountain Pepsi sodas or slushies ($4), small sodas, slushies, or large coffees ($3), and small coffees ($2). Snack offerings include a large popcorn or nachos ($4) with a side of chili or cheese for a dollar extra each; a small popcorn is three dollars. There are a variety of dessert options including Minute Maid Frozen plain or strawberry lemonade and Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge or Cookie Dough ice cream. Finally, if you want something beyond what you can find at the main concessions stand, Woodlands BBQ based out of neighboring Blowing Rock offers sandwiches for six dollars with or without slaw. Prices on everything are reasonable but with the plethora of restaurants nearby, it would be best to grab some food before or after an ASU basketball game. Atmosphere 4 Holmes Convocation Center is not your classic mid-major basketball arena, and that’s what makes seeing a game here an experience. Everything from the white fencing covering the glass windows on the building’s exterior, to the indoor track circling the concourse, to the three colors of chairback seats in the arena’s seating bowl, makes it unique. The Holmes Convocation Center is also different from its counterparts in having a video board jumbotron hanging at center court that is sizable for any mid-major basketball venue. On top of the video board and also above the tunnel where the Mountaineer players come out there is a sign saying “Welcome to Boone Elevation 3,333 Feet”, reminding fans and visitors alike of ASU’s status as the highest elevated Division 1 school east of the Mississippi – giving them a home-court advantage of sorts. While the arena can seat over eight thousand fans, most of the upper bowl seats are curtained off, with the exception of a small section at center court. ASU boasts a talented pep band and cheerleading squad, and the Mountaineer mascot, Yosef, entertains fans throughout the game, while the PA Announcer does a great job in engaging the fans with promotions and contests. All of this contributes to a fun game day atmosphere in a unique basketball arena. Neighborhood 4 Holmes Convocation Center is located on the southeast corner of App State’s campus about a half-mile from King Street, Boone’s main drag. King Street is the place to go before or after any ASU event or if you’re visiting Boone for any reason. King Street has a great food scene, including Our Daily Bread, which offers more than twenty-five specialty sandwiches like the Smoked Ham and Apple Press, Brie BLT, and the ODB Club which features turkey, ham, bacon, and cheddar and swiss cheese with lettuce, tomato, and their special sauce between layers of rye and pumpernickel bread. Another great place to check out is Macados, which offers not only thirty different sandwiches and wraps but also hot dogs and specialty burgers. The menu features also specialty beer and wine, and more than twenty hurricane mixed drinks, along with several big-screen TVs to watch that day’s Mountaineer or other big game. Saebing Boone King offers Vietnamese and Thai cusine, including sushi. There is also Boone Saloon, a local favorite that serves up traditional American bar food with appetizers, sandwiches, soups, and salads including five different types of mac and cheese, and a variety of drink options. All of these places are blocks from each other on King Street, but restaurants and bars are not all you will find on King Street. King Street Creamery serves up delicious ice cream and coffee, while Mast General Store is a two-level outdoor store that offers everything from outdoor equipment, candy, and souvenirs to bluegrass CDs from local and regional artists. Boone Rock-n-roll Emporium is another place to find a hodgepodge of different items, such as t-Shirts, posters, books, and music. Other places to check out when strolling down King Street include Appalachian Antiques, Foggy Pine Books, and High Country Souvenirs, as well as the numerous places to buy t-shirts, hoodies, and other Mountaineer apparel. Boone also hosts many festivals throughout the year including the First Friday Art Crawl, and is also a Mecca for fans of outdoor activities, given its proximity to the beautiful scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. There are countless places to hike, bike, ski, camp, or just relax and have a picnic and enjoy the views; Clawson-Burnley Park and Howard’s Knob Country Park are both less than ten minutes from downtown Boone and the Holmes Convocation Center. Those who want to stay in the area after the basketball game is over can camp at the Flintlock and Honey Bear Camping sites – both just ten minutes from ASU’s campus. Those who are interested in learning how to rock climb should check out Center 45 Climbing and Fitness just five minutes away, and just a fifteen-minute drive from campus is Blowing Rock, with its local restaurants, shops, and outdoor areas. There are a number of places near Holmes Convocation Center and the ASU campus to stay overnight or longer. There are chain options such as Hampton Inn & Suites, Quality Inn, and Courtyard by Marriott, which are all a short five-minute trip from the arena. However, if you’re looking for an affordable but slightly nicer option check out Master Hosts Resorts-Highland Hills Cabins. Offering rustic wooden bedrooms, a hot tub, and an outdoor pool, this quaint hotel is located about two miles from the Holmes Convocation Center. Fans 3 The bar is set incredibly high by the loud, dedicated, and passionate fans decked out in black and gold down the road at Kidd Brewer Stadium, and to be clear, while the basketball program is trying to build to become one of the contenders in the Sun Belt Conference, it is not there yet, and twenty years without an NCAA appearance can leave many in Boone apathetic about ASU hoops. At the last game I saw, the official attendance was just over 2,000 – it looked like only a little more than half the lower bowl was filled (the upper level seats are tarped off). However, the fans who were in attendance were very engaged and loud throughout the game, helping to propel the Mountaineers from an eighteen point first-half deficit to an eventual victory. If the team fortune’s go on an upswing, then the Holmes Convocation Center has the potential to really come alive in the coming years. Access 4 Getting to Holmes Convocation Center is fairly easy; traffic is never a huge problem. As you approach the arena, however, parking can be a little tricky. Luckily there are parking garages nearby, as well as a hill you can park on top of, though if you have trouble walking up or down a steep slope, it might be better to park in the garage and take the short walk. In order to enter the arena, you will need to walk up a set of stairs, although the Southwest entrance has a ramp and an elevator for those who are not able to walk up steps. The concourse is very wide and it’s easy to navigate, there is plenty of ADA seating, and the restrooms are very clean. The closest major airports to Boone are Charlotte-Douglas Airport about two hours away, Piedmont-Triad Airport in Greensboro, and Tri-Cities Airport near Johnson City, Tennessee, the latter two of which are both about ninety minutes away from campus. While nothing is super convenient you have a beautiful drive in or out of Boone to enjoy. If you are looking to come to Boone by public transportation, Sunway Charter offers bus service from Greensboro or Charlotte to Boone for just $34 roundtrip, which drops you off a quarter mile from the Holmes Convocation Center. Return on Investment 4 App State Basketball tickets are ten or fifteen dollars each, though sometimes you can find tickets for less on the secondary market. Concessions are affordable and you are unlikely to spend more than ten dollars, which with complimentary parking puts the price tag of attending a Mountaineers game at only about twenty-five dollars per person. That’s a great value for two hours of hoops in one of the most scenic and vibrant areas you can visit. Extras 5 One point goes to the talented ASU pep band, who played upbeat tunes and kept the fans excited throughout the contest. The second point goes to the indoor track circulating the concourse, which is not super common in college basketball arenas. A third point goes to the team’s entrance through a lit-up smoked-filled tunnel, a nice touch especially at a mid-major basketball game. Point number four goes to the large video board and finally, a point for hosting their football team on the court at halftime, and the football team posters given out in the concourses. Not only did this allow fans to give the football team the support they deserve, but it fired up the fans and the basketball team to make their amazing comeback. Final Thoughts Appalachian State is known for two main things: a picturesque campus and a nationally prominent football program. The basketball team is looking to capture the success of their neighbors on the gridiron, and while both the Holmes Convocation Center and their NCAA Tournament drought has lasted two decades, the program is trying to reach new heights in the High Country, and all it may take is a conference champion or two to move the team and the arena from being an afterthought to a destination in mid-major basketball.

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Northwest Florida State Baseball Complex 100 E College Blvd Niceville, FL 32578 NWF Raiders website Northwest Florida State Baseball Complex website Year Opened: 1992 Capacity: 800 Juco Baseball on the Beach Northwest Florida State College is a large public state college located on the outskirts of Eglin Air Force Base in Niceville, Florida, about ten miles north of the beach resort town of Destin. The college originally opened in 1963 as Okaloosa-Walton Community College, and a temporary campus was constructed on the base of Eglin until the permanent location opened at its present site in 1969. NWF began offering four-year degrees in 2003, changing its name to Northwest Florida State College in the process. NWF is unique in that even though they are a four-year state college they still compete on the JUCO level as members of NJCAA Panhandle Conference. The conference includes 5 schools, all in the panhandle of Florida – NWF, Pensacola State College , Gulf Coast State College, Chipola College, and Tallahassee Community College. Since the first season of NWF Baseball in 1992 the Raiders have been one of the better teams in the Panhandle Conference. The Raiders have won Panhandle Conference four times (1996, 2000, 2011, and 2019), and made 12 FCSAA/Region 8 postseason appearances. Perhaps the best season was in 2015 when they advanced to and won the NJCAA World Series, claiming the Raiders first and only National Championship. Food & Beverage 2 There is one concession stand open at the front entrance of the Baseball Complex that has a limited menu – hot dogs and Gatorade at $3; popcorn, candy, and water at $2; chips and coffee at $1. Canned drinks are also sold for $2 but they only have Coke and Sprite. They also sell NWF baseball hats in three different colors and styles for $20 a hat. I thought it was really cool they sell the hats, as NWF has a really cool logo. Atmosphere 3 Northwest Florida Baseball Complex opened in 1992 and features capacity for about 800 fans The field faces northeast and is located on the back side of campus. There is one main entrance behind home plate, with the main feature that stands out being the large 2015 National Champions sign that greets you as you enter the Baseball Complex. The concessions stand is right under the large brick press box tower behind home plate as soon as you enter the Complex. The grandstand features 10 rows of metal bleacher seating that extend from home plate to the dugouts. It can get kind of crammed here as you cannot see the game from anywhere except the bleachers. There is not a lot of standing room here either as you cannot walk in front of the bleachers; there is just a little space near the dugout for you to stand. So for the most part you are confined to the grandstands. The visitors’ dugout is down the first base line, while the third base line features the home dugout and clubhouse, which includes locker rooms and indoor batting cages for the baseball and softball teams. They also have some outdoor batting cages that the visiting team utilizes. The outfield signage features local business advertisements alongside a crimson picket fence, giving the NWF Baseball Complex a real small, hometown feel. I almost felt like I was at a small-town high school baseball game. A basic scoreboard also sits in left field that shows the line score and says ‘2015 National Champions’ along the top. The school’s athletic facilities provide the backdrop beyond the outfield. The Raiders Softball Complex takes up the left field and is constructed as an exact replica of the Baseball Complex. If you want some good views of the baseball game you can even sit in the softball bleachers that loom over the outfield wall. The school’s basketball home, the Arena at NWF sits in right field next to a large on-campus water tower that provides an impressive view from the bleachers. Neighborhood 3 There’s not much happening in Niceville, as it remains mostly a retirement and military community. The college sits just off base property and the neighboring areas consist of woods and outlying airfields. However, there are few places in the city worth checking out – a few miles south of the college is Turkey Creek Trail, which features a boardwalk over a beautiful crystal clear creek. The trail runs deep into the woods and even has spots where you can hop off the boardwalk and go swimming in the creek. The U.S. Air Force Armament Museum also sits nearby in an old airplane hangar. When driving by you can’t miss the place as giant planes are scattered on the grounds. Inside are 29 restored vintage airplanes as well as the largest collection of artifacts and memorabilia associated with the Air Force. The museum has free admission and remains a hidden gem spot if you are in the area and want to experience something different than the beach life. But if you want to experience this area of Florida at its best you just have to go about 10 miles south of campus to one of the top tourist destinations in the country, the Emerald Coast. Destin remains the most popular resort town on the Emerald Coast, with 80 percent of the over 5 million tourists each year who visit staying in Destin. The beach is what brings most people to the area, but the Destin area has something for everyone. For those who like shopping, Destin has two full-sized outdoor shopping malls, Destin Commons and Silver Sands Premium Outlets. For nature lovers there are two state parks, Henderson Beach State Park and Grayton Beach State Park, with secluded beach access and plenty of camping and bike trails. For family activities, Destin has a water park and two amusement parks with rides and small roller coasters (Big Kahuna’s and The Track). Destin is also known as a sportsman’s paradise with its nickname as the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village. Countless marinas offer public and private charter fishing. You can go 80 miles out in the gulf to fish in deep waters or you can fish in the bay, or take a trip out to Crab Island, a popular sandbar right under the Destin Bridge in the Pass which is only accessible by water and boat. There are also over 20 golf courses in the area ranging from public to private – Destin is known as the “Golf Capital” of Northwest Florida. The area also has many restaurants in all the little beach communities around Destin. You may spot Jerry Jones, Emeril Lagasse, Tim McGraw, or one of the Mannings while dining at one of the many Five Star restaurants in Baytowne Village, or you could visit the more touristy restaurants and bars at Destin Harbor or Okaloosa Island. But to experience Destin like the locals, try some of the upscale seafood restaurants at Miramar Beach or in the Sandestin area, or to experience another famous section check out Seaside, a community which is most famous for being the filming site of The Truman Show with Jim Carrey. Yes, Destin and the whole area have it all and you could spend weeks in the area and have plenty to do. Fans 3 There were only a couple of hundred fans in attendance at my most recent visit. It can get kind of cramped in the bleachers because there is no standing room and everybody is confined to the grandstands. A lot of time you will be stepping over people when getting up and going to the restroom or concessions; luckily at least there is a lot of legroom in the metal bleachers. Because of its beach location NWF also attracts a lot more visiting fans than most junior colleges would. Many players’ parents take advantage of weekend series here by getting to watch their son play college baseball and get a weekend beach trip out of the deal. During my most recent visit, the Raiders played a Junior College from Mississippi and there were more visiting fans than Raiders fans. After talking to some of their fans they told me that they were all staying at the same hotel on the beach for the weekend. Access 2 There are two ways to get to NW; if coming from out of town to the north take I-10 to the Crestview exit, then drive about 20 minutes south on Highway 85. The highway is a rural back road that runs through Air Force Base property so there is little there in terms of scenery. The college is conveniently located on the corner of College Blvd and Highway 85, with the NWF Baseball Complex located on the back side of the campus. But if coming from the south the Mid-Bay Bridge runs right out of Destin and onto Highway 85. The bridge is a toll road and is constantly having work done on it, so the three-mile bridge could take upwards of twenty minutes to cross. Once on campus the stadium is easy to find; just look for the giant water tower and beautiful basketball arena . There are also plenty of parking lots so that shouldn’t be an issue. Once inside the actual Baseball Complex the only areas you are free to move around in is the bleachers, so it could get kind of crammed during a packed game. Return on Investment 4 There is a table set up at the main gate where they sell general admission tickets for $5, and you are free to sit anywhere in the grandstands with these. During the most recent game I was at there was actually a player serving as a ticket taker. I loved the small-town laid-back feel here. You are also free to leave and come back as many times as you want, as I left during the game to ride my bike around campus for about an hour, before coming back to watch the rest of the game. With the cheap concessions one can purchase a ticket, drink, and hot dog for less than $10. Also you get to see some of the top JUCO players in the State of Florida. Early in the season NWF plays schools from as far away as Miami, so you are guaranteed to see some players that will eventually be taken in the MLB Draft. Extras 4 The Raiders have had seven players make it to the Big Leagues in the program’s history. The most notable alumni include Outfielder Jason Michaels who had an 11-year career with the Phillies, Mets, and Astros; relief pitcher Tony Sipp who played 11 seasons with the Indians, Astros, and Nationals, and won back-to-back World Series rings in 2018 and 2019; all-star pitcher Hector Santiago who played with the White Sox, Twins, and Mariners; and Pensacola native pitcher Jeff Farnsworth who was drafted in the second round out of NWF in 1996 and spent the 2002 season in the bullpen for the Tigers. Headed into the current season there are currently six NWF alumni on minor league rosters, as well as one in the Majors. The college also gets in national spotlight every November around Thanksgiving, as the arena in right field hosts the Emerald Coast Classic College Basketball Tournament. The first year of the tournament was in 2014 and usually takes place during Feast Week, college basketball’s version of Bowl season. Ole Miss, Iowa State, Virginia, Creighton, Cincinnati, Florida State, Tennessee, and LSU are just some of the top basketball teams to come through the campus to play games. Another extra for the historical significance of the campus – in the beginning of 1942 Air Force Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle used Eglin AFB and the area where the campus is located as a training ground for a secret mission. Ultimately they were putting the plans in motion to bomb Tokyo in retaliation for Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor. The Tokyo Raid marked a major turning point in the US’ favor during WWII and Doolittle would receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for his efforts. When the current campus opened in 1963 the teams were nicknamed the Raiders in honor of Jimmy Doolittle and his crew. For years the surviving members of Doolittle’s Raiders would hold their annual reunion on the campus. NWF’s mascot is even a World War II era pilot named Jimmy; there is a small historical display at the front of the Arena’s main entrance. Another extra just for the college’s prime location less than 20 miles from some of the whitest beaches and clearest waters in the country. It has to be cool for some of these players to go to college so close to the beach.

Photos by David Hegler, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Warrior Stadium 100 Skyway Dr. 130 San Jose, CA 95111 Map It Valley Christian Warriors website Warrior Stadium website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 56,000 Welcome to Warrior Stadium In an area of the country that is stacked to the gills with tech companies and massive property valuations, Valley Christian High School stands above its peers. With an expansive view of the Bay Area, Warrior Field is the place to be on a Friday night. Watching from the homestands, one can see the distant skyline of downtown San Jose to the left and the rolling hills of Silicon Valley to the right. Indeed, it is a unique view.  Even though the school is loaded with the offspring of corporate big-wigs that are bound for the upper echelon of the corporate world, the Valley Christian football program has continued to produce talented teams and individuals in the midst of one the toughest leagues in the Bay Area, the vaunted West Catholic Athletic League. Ever since taking over the program in 1997, coach Mike Machado has transformed the Valley Christian Warriors into a force to be reckoned with , claiming seven Central Coast Section (CCS) c hampionships and making an appearance in the state championship in 2016. He's done so mu ch, all the while fielding teams with local legends such as Jeff Schweiger, Cameron, and Byron Marshall, as well as the University of Oregon’s Jurrion Dickey.  But Warrior Stadium is much more than the championships won, the greatness imbued, and the memories made. It is an ongoing story that resembles the school’s motto, “Quest for Excellence.” After winning three straight CCS championships from 2002-2004, it still felt like Warrior Stadium was missing something: lights. Finally illuminated in the bright lights of Friday nights in 2005, the Valley Christian Warriors served as a beacon of excellence as they promptly won their fourth straight CCS title.  That four-year span of excellence spurred the campus in a way that their administrators could only hope for. By 2009, the football team had outgrown their tiny weight room that lay beneath the bleachers and erected a massive three-story building right next to the bleachers. Tha t structure w ould ultimately house a training room at the bottom, a larger weight room in the middle, and a couple of classrooms at the top. Five years later, the school added a solar-powered roof to the home bleachers. The new feature was perfect for providing much-needed shade on scorching days during track meets and graduations.  They didn’t stop there. Towards the end of the decade, the Warriors added a large digital video board, and by 2022, they added another weight room directly behind the endzone. Now, the players can lift weights right there on the football field.  Food & Beverage 3 The day of our visit was Homecoming, which means that Valley Christian went all out in creating the perfect party atmosphere. And what party doesn’t have great food? In front of the stadium, they had several food trucks with numerous tables set before a stage where live music was being played. It almost felt like a company picnic. Upon entering the stadium, one was met with even more food trucks as well as a couple of tents for Chick-fil-A and Greenlee’s that were adjacent to the alumni corner, a hub of humanity where food was served for free, and memories were rehashed, and friendships were lit anew as Homecoming festivities roamed around them. While the prices varied, it didn’t seem to deter people from buying those expensive nachos and waffles.  While all this was very entertaining, it’s worth noting that none of this is here every week. Most weeks, Valley has its food options, including a tri-tip sandwich that I’m told is quite scrumptious. Warrior Stadium Food Trucks, Photo by David Hegler, Stadium Journey Atmosphere 4 A Warrior's football game is an unbelievable experience. From the big digital board that consistently announces another first down with exuberance to the flag bearers th at run ar ound the home track as the Warriors score yet another touchdown. In the end, everyone is invited down to the field to congratulate the players and coaches on a job well done. The Homecoming game was a perfect way to end an event that was catered to making the fans feel like family right from the start.  As grandiose as Warrior Stadium can be, it does have one glaring flaw: a biting wind-chill. While it wasn’t too breezy that day, as the day turned to night, you could feel the seasons change from Summer to Fall. It never reached anywhere near below 60 F, but the wind chill made up the difference. If you plan on attending a game, it may be wise to bring a light jacket or sweater. Neighborhood 2 As opulent as Valley Christian High School may be, its surrounding neighborhood is a completely different story. The houses vary from well-kept to near-slum level. The higher you go up the Hill, the cleaner the environment. Interestingly, it’s the back of the Hill where the neighborhood is unkempt and the front of the Hill where the neighborhood is much more affluent and safer to drive through. In case of a fire, there’s a fire station nestled against the Hill. But as desolate as the immediate neighborhood can seem, the surrounding environment is a different story. Just down the Hill on Skyway Dr. and to the left of Snell Ave. is a wide array of popular restaurants. These include places less than two miles away, such as High Five Pizza, McDonald's, and Panda Express, to places just a little farther down Snell, such as Tomo Sushi, Dunkin Donuts, and a second McDonalds, perfect for that McFlurry that you may have forgotten to order before indulging in that Big Mac just minutes before. To say the least, one can hardly go hungry in this environment. There are numerous hotels along the expansive Monterey Highway, including a Days Inn by Wyndham within walking distance from Warrior Stadium and a Clarion Inn just a short drive down the highway.  If you want to make a weekend out of your visit, there are usually several sporting events happening in San Jose and its neighbors. Whether it’s the 49ers , Sharks , Barracuda, Giants (SF) , Giants (SJ) ,  Warriors (G-League), or the Golden State Warriors , it’s hard not to find a weekend that isn’t filled with entertainment options. If you plan wisely, it can be one of the most entertaining weekends of your life.  Fans 4 You can feel a familial sense of community here as generations of fans gather to root for their beloved Warriors while sharing stories of past victories. You can practically feel the earth shake as they stomp their feet, rooting for the defense.  What is interesting is that there is a lot of cheering for the away team on the Warriors’ side of the stadium during the junior varsity game. It’s probably because they don’t provide shade for the away team’s portable bleachers. The varsity game is different as that is played during the night, not during the heat of the day. Access 2 Homecoming or not, parking on the Hill can be dicey for a varsity football game, with spots filling up faster than you can finish this sentence. Thankfully, the school has two satellite parking lots a short distance from campus, with shuttles moving about every 20 minutes. If you’re coming down Skyway Dr. towards campus, all you have to do is turn left or right on the expansive Monterey Highway.  To the left and just past Capitol Expressway is one of the lots, located just to the right off of Fehren Drive. To the right and just past Blossom Hill Road is the other parking lot, located just to the left on Ford Road.  If you don’t plan on driving, either Uber or Lyft are viable options. There are also three bus stops on Monterey Highway that are each a short walk from the Hill.  Once you reach the stadium, the atmosphere is much different than an NFL game. There are no bag checks, and while there is security roaming around, you needn’t worry about going through any screening process. The stadium has relatively clean restrooms underneath the stands. Return on Investment 3 With this being Homecoming, the $12 spent on GoFans.com is well spent. If you want something to eat, your wallet is bound to get lighter. All in all, it’s the environment and the people that make this an evening well spent, a worthwhile investment. . Extras 3 Both the marching bands and cheerleaders are excellent. Along with the flag bearers running around and the video board announcing each touchdown in a spectacular display of both font and color, the school has worked hard to put together the total package of Friday Night Lights.  Final Thoughts If you ever find yourself in San Jose on a Friday night with nothing to do, it will be worth your while to go to a game at Warrior Stadium. Sure, it has its issues. But no stadium is perfect. So brave that shuttle service, bring a light sweater, and get ready to watch some good football in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The Hillsboro Hops have changed course. Originally planning to renovate Ron Tonkin Field to comply with Major League Baseball's new facility standards, the Class A Hops will instead construct a new stadium that the franchise intends will host 300 events annually. The new stadium will be built at Hillsboro's Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, where Tonkin Field currently sits. The design-build team of Mortenson, SRG and Populous will begin construction in late summer 2023. The stadium is expected to open in time for the Hops' 2025 season. In 2020, Major League Baseball imposed requirements for all minor league facilities that include minimum standards for field lighting, player areas, and security. Upon evaluating the costs to renovate Tonkin Field, the Hops' home since 2013, the team and the City of Hillsboro determined that construction of a new ballpark would be more cost-effective. “The City appreciates the Hops as a partner and recognizes the unique value the organization brings to the community. Creating a more robust regional entertainment destination will provide long term benefits to the City as well as the Hops,” said Hillsboro City Manager Robby Hammond in a press release. Construction of the new stadium is expected to cost approximately $120 million -- well more than Tonkin Field's $15.5 million cost when it opened a decade ago. Initial plans call for capacities of 6,000 for baseball games and 7,000 for concerts and other events. The Hops are privately financing most of the cost of the new stadium. The team will have full operational control of the new stadium. The City of Hillsboro will retain ownership and operation of Tonkin Field. Rendering of New Stadium, Courtesy of the Hillsboro Hops

Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 JetBlue Park 11581 Daniels Pkwy Fort Myers, FL 33913 Boston Red Sox Spring Training website JetBlue Park website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 10,823 Red Sox Are Flying First Class JetBlue Park at Fenway South (we will use JetBlue Park for brevity’s sake) opened in 2012 as a replacement for the Red Sox's longtime home at City of Palms Park. City of Palms Park did not offer the ability to have both the game stadium and the training facility at the same site. The Red Sox training facility now surrounds the 11,000-seat JetBlue Stadium, offering six different practice fields. JetBlue’s playing field replicates the exact dimensions of Fenway Park… 310’ to left field, 379’ to left center, 420’ to deep center, and 380’ to right field. It also has its own Green Monster in left field. These identical settings help prepare the Red Sox players for the conditions they will face in home games during the regular season. Food & Beverage 5 Unlike most spring training ballparks, JetBlue Park offers a great selection of food and beverages before you even enter the park gates. It’s their way of recreating the Yawkey Way feel at the Red Sox spring training home. Yawkey Way becomes Fenway South Drive with a menu geared to remind you of New England. In the first food tent, you’ll find Rib City BBQ, Pinchers Crab Shack which offers your favorite crab rolls and crab nachos, as well as Grouper sandwiches and Grouper tacos. Dutchkinz is also on hand, as it offers some great beignets. Finally, Taste of Fenway South offers lobster rolls and Fenway franks. Once inside JetBlue Park, most of your food and beverage choices will consist of traditional stadium favorites. Home Plate Pizza offers up pizza slices ($6), a Wally Bowl of ice cream ($8), chips ($2.75), and candy ($2.50). The 3rd Base Grill serves chicken tenders ($10), Italian sausages ($7.25), cheeseburgers ($7.25), jumbo hot dogs ($6), and French fries ($6.50). The Fenway South stand carries pizza slices ($6), meatball sandwiches ($8.50), pretzels ($5), cotton candy ($3), and milkshakes ($6). Taste of Fenway takes you back to BAH-STON, with a set of Bay State favorites, including lobster rolls ($20), Fenway franks ($5), ice cream helmets ($5.50), and popcorn ($7.50). All stands serve Coca-Cola brand sodas for $7. Bottled water is $5. The beer selection will differ from stand to stand. Atmosphere 5 The designers of JetBlue Park have done a great job of bringing all the things that make Fenway special into a stadium that also needs to take the Florida heat and sun into account. Before you even enter the stadium, you’ll see the familiar statue of Ted Williams that stood at the City of Palms Stadium. Nearby you’ll see a set of numbers on the Hall of Fame Plaza. These numbers belonged to an elite set of Red Sox players, who had their numbers retired after their playing days were over. They belonged to Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Joe Cronin, Johnny Pesky, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, Carlton Fisk, and Jackie Robinson, whose number was retired throughout baseball. Once inside the park, you will continue to see the things that make Fenway Park special. You have the Green Monster on left and the Pesky Pole along the right field foul line. You’ll also notice the unique “triangle” in right field that makes it so difficult for visiting players to play a ball off the wall. If you are sitting in the right-field bleachers you’ll notice a single red stadium seat sitting by itself, well beyond the outfield wall. This seat represents the distance from home plate that the longest home run ever hit in Fenway Park traveled, courtesy of Ted Williams's bat. Neighborhood 3 Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic damage in the Ft. Myers area. Despite its distance from the coast, JetBlue Park suffered damage to its signage, light poles, and padding along the walls. All of that damage was repaired well before the spring training season began. However, many parts of Ft. Myers have still not recovered. Before you head out to a restaurant or attraction in the area, it is a good idea to call ahead and make sure it is open. The immediate space around the Red Sox training facility is being reserved for future development. There are several restaurants lining Daniels Parkway. Fort Myers Brewing Company is a postgame hotspot, as it is only 1.5 miles from the ballpark. Fat Katz Sports Bistro offers another popular postgame site that is especially popular with Red Sox fans. One non-sports attraction in the Ft Myers area is the Edison- Firestone Estate. Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone both had winter homes in Ft. Myers. They are virtually next door to each other. They provide a terrific look into the lifestyles of the rich and famous of yesteryear, but they also provide you with a look at the other inventions Edison created beside the light bulb. Fans 4 Depending on who you talk to, Boston Red Sox fans are either the most obnoxious, conceited fans ever…...or the most knowledgeable, loyal fans in the world. All we know is that half of the Bay State comes to Florida for Red Sox spring training. A ticket to a game at JetBlue Park is by far the hottest ticket in the Grapefruit League. Maybe it’s the stadium…. maybe it’s the food…. All we know is the stadium is packed for every game. There’s no need to worry that the JetBlue ushers and vendors won’t understand your New England accent here…... most of them are retirees from the New England states who moved down to Florida to escape from the region’s harsh winters! The portion of the crowd that didn’t fly down from Massachusetts to catch a few games…. are the locals from Ft. Myers… who decided to retire from their jobs in Massachusetts…and picked Ft. Myers because it is the longtime spring training home of the Red Sox! It also explains why they did not retire to Tampa…. home of the Yankees' spring training facility! Access 4 JetBlue Park is very easy to get to as it is less than 2 miles from I-75. It is also less than a mile from the Southwest Florida International Airport if you are flying in from out of state. Gates at JetBlue Park open two hours prior to the first pitch. This leaves you plenty of time to check out the stadium. Return on Investment 3 JetBlue Park has a wide variety of price points as far as tickets. Due to the popularity of the Red Sox, the tickets are much more expensive than at neighboring Grapefruit League ballparks. Tickets are broken down into Grandstand and Box seats. Grandstand seats are further from the field, while boxes tend to be at field level. The cheapest seats are atop the Green Monster and are considered SRO ($15). The Bleacher seats beyond the right field wall are $19. The Grandstand seats in the right field and along the first baseline are $20. Grandstand seats in the infield are $35, while Grandstand seats behind home plate are $38. Right field and first baseline box seats cost $39. Box seats behind home plate are the most expensive at $68. Oddly enough, some of the hardest tickets to get are amongst the cheapest seats in JetBlue Park. Seats inside the Green Monster are only $35. However, there are only three rows of seats inside it. The area on top of the Green Monster is even cheaper, at $15. However, these are “standing room only” and are limited for safety reasons. Parking at JetBlue Park is $12 in the East and West Lots nearest the ballpark. Credit cards only for payment. Extras 4 In keeping with Fenway tradition, JetBlue Park has a singalong of “Sweet Caroline” in the middle of the eighth inning. When the Red Sox wins the game, “Dirty Water” is played. JetBlue Park is only 6 miles from Hammond Park, the spring training home of the Minnesota Twins. This allows you to get in a day/night doubleheader if you are trying to see as many spring training stadiums as possible during your visit. The scoreboard at the base of the Green Monster has quite a history with the Red Sox. You will notice the number on the scoreboard has to be hand changed at the end of every half-inning by a stadium worker. This very scoreboard was used at Fenway Park before 1934 when it was taken out and replaced by an electronic board. One thing that will not remind you of Fenway Park is the roof at JetBlue Park. It is very modern, with several wing-like sections. The reason for this roof design is simple…. It provides the most shade from the sun of any stadium in the Grapefruit League. The wings also allow the breeze to get under the roof to cool off the fans sitting in the stands. Final Thoughts JetBlue Park has received great reviews for its architectural design, which helps to keep the fans out of the sun and as cool as possible during the springtime afternoons in Florida. It has also been applauded for including the many quirks of Fenway Park in its design. Still, others love the New England cuisine available inside and outside the stadium. Whatever the reason, we must agree that JetBlue Park is a great place to watch a game.

Photos by Conrad Klank, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Flushing Meadows Corona Park Flushing Meadows, NY 11368 US Open website Billie Jean King National Tennis Center website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 46,900 Aces in the Big Apple The US Open is exactly what it's cracked up to be: the biggest matches on the biggest stage, loud, massive hype, long lines, and best of all, drama under the lights! While steroids in the game of tennis may be illegal, tennis itself is all jacked up on steroids in New York City. In more ways than one, the Open fits in very well with the persona and lifestyle of the city in which it resides. The United States Open is one of four prestigious ATP and WTA Grand Slam events where the winner is awarded 2,000 points towards their overall world ranking. The event is held at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, a spectacular tennis facility, which includes a grand total of 28 hard courts, nuzzled right into Flushing Meadows Park. The heart of the property is Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis specific stadium in the world with a capacity of 23,700. Previous center court, Louis Armstrong Stadium, is just to the east of Ashe and it seats 10,200, with the lower bowl reserved for individual ticket sales. Literally in the shadows of Armstrong, Grandstand Court offers the coziest feel where a fan can seemingly be right in the action. The fourth largest stadium and newest, court 17, will boast the ability to host big matches in a very small area. Grandstand and court 17 have capacities of 6,000 and 3,000 respectively. Most impressively, the facility offers 4 additional small 1,000-seat stadium courts which accommodate good crowds for matches all over the grounds. Food & Beverage 4 There is absolutely no way that a person would have trouble finding a number of delicious options for any meal or time of the day. The selection and variety of food is absolutely spectacular. As you would anticipate, the only issue is the price. One should expect to pay a minimum of $15 per meal, and it can go as high as you can imagine depending on hunger, atmosphere, and classiness. The list of places to eat is never-ending, including: a deli, Chinese, a burger stand, Mexican, a franks stand, seafood, Italian, BBQ, crepes, and ice cream stands everywhere. In addition, they offer public and private, indoor and outdoor, dining plazas, which offer a range of menus. Not sure that you can go thirsty either, with a unique bar, lounge, or patio at every turn, serving unique cocktails only found at the tournament, along with the traditional sodas, water, beer, wine, and even flutes of champagne. Atmosphere 4 Overall, the atmosphere was exactly what I expected except for the monstrosity of the facility. Photos and site maps give you no idea of what it feels like when you're walking the grounds or sitting atop of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Every detail of the tournament is supersized and is given the utmost attention. Even during week two, one will hear uproars of fans from outer match courts where the next big star is battling their way through a dramatic fifth set. This creates a feel of excitement, energy, and everlasting memories. Fans will be hard-pressed to match the paramount of vitality found on the grounds of the US Open. Neighborhood 2 When looking at what directly surrounds the tournament, one will find things very sparse. There is virtually nothing in the direct surroundings of the tournament site other than Citi Field , home of the New York Mets . With that being said, the good news is that the tournament is only a short cab ride outside of Manhattan, New York City, home to thousands of brilliant opportunities to eat, drink, relax, dance, mingle, or to just awe at the aura that is New York life. Fans 5 It can't be expressed enough, this is the most populated sporting event of all sports for a reason. Ultimately, as the players would admit, the fans make this event all that it is. People from every walk of life and nationality come together to dress up, paint signs, scream at the top of their lungs and pump their fist in unison with their favorite player after a huge forehand winner up the line. Giant tennis balls, markers, and autograph frenzies are the highlight of a lifetime even for the biggest kids in attendance. Access 4 The three airports in which you have to choose from are John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, and the closest and most convenient to the tournament, LaGuardia. The access into the park is relatively easy no matter which part of the city you are coming from. If you plan to fly, try to book your flight to New York City as early as possible for cheap flights . The Long Island Rail Road and the Metro 7 are the most cost efficient modes of travel right to the doorstep. Be sure to confirm whether or not your hotel offers a tournament shuttle, extremely convenient. One should be very wary of their surroundings as they travel to and from the facility itself. While the public transit is very safe and monitored, it is important that one does not get too comfortable with those around them. The last option, and least appealing, is driving to the tournament. To put it lightly, driving throughout NYC is not the easiest or relaxing task in the world, however, if you're determined, the parking near the site is respectable. The best options that I would recommend are lot H, lots 1-7, and when there isn't a Mets game, the Citi Field parking areas (all around $20). With the Citi Field option you are able to walk to the East gate very easily, public lots 1-7 have shuttles to the East Gate, and lot H to the South Gate. Here's the link to the Parking Map . The biggest thing that will stand out to the ordinary sports fan once they are ready to find their seat inside Arthur Ashe Stadium is the difficult initial access into the stadium. No matter where your seat is, you will enter through one main gate on the south end of the stadium. From there you will want to figure out just how high you will be taking the escalators. Once you reach your appropriate deck you will look for your gate, which may still be a decent walk depending on which end you are sitting. When it comes to restrooms, be prepared to stand in line (what's new?), but there must be a very large deficit in number of restrooms compared to the number of fans on site. This becomes extremely inconvenient and this is where the deduction comes from. Bottom line, if you are expecting to get from your hotel to your seat in time for the match give yourself a minimum of an hour and a half or more, especially on your first journey to the facility (you'll want plenty of time for trial and error, moments to stop and say "WOW", explore, get food and drinks, enter the stadium, and most of all to wait in lines at every step). Return on Investment 3 Even though tennis fans have come to expect high prices overall for the sport, I'm not sure if you're getting the most for your money here. The cheapest ticket to get you in the gate is a grounds pass for $60, which doesn't get you into Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, for only an extra $10-$20, you can sit in the upper decks of Ashe and still get access to all of the other courts on site. The last option to the general public is a ticket to Louis Armstrong Stadium in the lower bowl for around $100. This has pros and cons. While it's more expensive than a nosebleed seat in Ashe, it does get you a reserved seat very close to the top action, but it's also substantially pricier than a grounds pass, which gives you similar access. The biggest problem of all with paying the big bucks for tickets to Armstrong is that since it's such a dated facility, the access is tough with large crowds, and the legroom at the seats is very difficult with long legs. It's all about preference and which court your favorites are playing on during each session. Food and beverage prices inside the grounds of the tournament reflect those of similar products in NYC, very high. Depending on how long you plan to spend at the tournament each day may impact which meals you plan to eat in advance. However, the tournament offers excellent cuisine, I recommend giving it a try. Similarly to everything else, the souvenirs are very pricey. Having said that, the selection of retail outlets within the grounds is unbelievable. In addition to the official tournament souvenir booths, there are at least 30 more individual vendors scattered about. It all depends on what you're looking for and what you're willing to spend, you'll find more than you can afford for sure! Bottom line here: if you plan to spend a few days at the tournament, budget your funds wisely, and be sure to spend at least one session in Ashe, you won't regret it. Extras 5 Unlike similar Grand Slam events, tickets are fairly easy to obtain in advance through multiple outlets online and at the ticket office. The Smash Zone presented by the USTA is an air-conditioned indoor facility designed specifically to promote tennis and entertainment to kids of all ages. The facility includes a half court, table tennis, photo opportunities, tennis video games, and contests and giveaways of all sorts. The inner-kid is sure to come out in anyone upon entering this wonderful area. The Court of Champions and Avenue of Aces are the two phenomenal main entryways in which you have the opportunity to observe as you enter and exit the park. Each celebrates examples of the deep history that this tournament has to offer. It's worth spending a few minutes to learn a thing or two. In addition to the food village there are numerous shaded courtside patios where one can enjoy a cold cocktail and some tennis. These make for a very unique tennis experience, unlike any other. Final Thoughts Whether you're a tennis enthusiast, a club player, or you can only name a few of the top players, you will get goose bumps and gain an even higher appreciation for the sport after attending a match in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Overall, the US Open is a spectacular event and a definite addition to your bucket list.

Photo Courtesy of SMCGaels.com Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.14 Louis Guisto Field 1928 Saint Mary’s Rd Moraga, CA 94556 Saint Mary’s Gaels website Louis Guisto Field website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 1,500 Baseball In Basketball Country When Saint Mary’s College moved their baseball stadium 400 feet down the right field line from their old stadium, they had big plans. These plans have been slow to materialize but one can definitely see progress. The new Louis Guisto Field is a facility under transition and part of the greater Athletics and Recreation Corridor which will include a gym, swimming pool, locker rooms and additional seating at the baseball stadium. Though they set out to add a 1,500 seat grandstand at Louis Guisto Field after the 2012 season, that hasn’t occurred yet. It’s clear that while the field is in perfect shape, the bleachers are decades old and from the old field. The portable building press box is clearly not yet the “state of the art” one they will have when renovation is complete. Since my last trip in 2012 they have demolished the old Louis Guisto Field to make way for the rest of the Athletics and Recreation Corridor. You can see an artist rendering of the corridor as well as an outline of the new facilities here . You can see that the baseball stadium is at the center of it, with the softball field Cottrell Field beyond its left field wall. The Gaels hope that upgrading the stadium and facilities that go along with it will help propel the program to the top of the WCC. In their brief tenure at the new Louis Guisto Field they have struggled and have been at the bottom of the standings. Food & Beverage 1 One folding table is for concessions and one for condiments. Hot dogs, peanuts, and nachos are the fare. Bottled soda and water as well as coffee, hot chocolate and Gatorade are the drink options. Atmosphere 3 Though the bleacher seating is clearly decades old, the field and surrounding areas are beautiful. The field lies beneath a tree-covered hillside in the quiet town of Moraga. The ping of the bats is the only sounds other than PA system playing walk-up music and announcing the next hitter. Cottrell Field, home of the Gaels’ softball team is just beyond the left field wall. Since I got there early, I caught a few innings of the Saint Mary’s vs Utah Valley game on the softball field. There are 3 seating areas. 2 sets of bleachers separated by the press box and a picnic area down the right field line. All of the bleacher seats have the foul ball netting in sight while the picnic area does not. There is a new scoreboard in right-center field that has basic stats as well as a video board that displays pictures of Saint Mary’s players when they are up to bat. One major problem while sitting in the bleachers is that the new dugouts are in the way of whichever outfielder’s line you are on. The dugout structures seem rather tall and interfere with sightings. If you want to sit in the bleachers, I recommend getting as close behind the plate as possible to minimize the issues with the dugout. Neighborhood 3 It’s tough to judge this neighborhood. Benefits include the closeness to the more happening places in the Bay Area and the beauty of the surrounding community, complete with hiking trails. Drawbacks include a lack of a vibrant, bustling community to take advantage of on game day. The diamond is located on the Saint Mary’s campus in the town of Moraga. Moraga has a population of less than 20,000 and is a quiet, but beautiful place. Rolling hills and tall redwoods allow for beautiful day hikes in the area. Being located on campus, though scenic, is not conducive to grabbing food or drink prior to or after a Gaels baseball game, it’s quite the drive. Your best options are in downtown Moraga or Rheem Valley. Here you can find area favorite Loard’s Ice Cream, Italian restaurant Amaroma, and Asia Palace (mostly Chinese food). Moraga is a mostly sleepy community where you can enjoy being outside, cruising the farmer’s market or catching a movie. You won’t find a row of sports bars where you can catch a game on a big screen. There are many hiking trails within 20 miles of the Saint Mary’s campus that allow beautiful views of the entire San Francisco Bay. Fans 2 Saint Mary’s fans were relaxed for this Saturday afternoon matchup in early 2013. There were a few dozen of them along with about a few dozen LMU fans. It was nearly 50/50 Gaels/Lions fans. It seemed the vast majority of those in attendance were parents and other family members plus a few students. I would have liked to see more students at the game considering it is free for them to attend but I believe it may have also been during spring break when I attended. Access 2 As mentioned above, Moraga is somewhat secluded from the rest of the Bay Area. The nearest freeways (13 and 24) are more than 5 miles away, accessible only by winding roads, with one lane going each direction. During rush hours, the Caldecott Tunnel really backs up as the lanes go down from 4 lanes to two. This tunnel connects most of the Bay Area to Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Walnut Creek, etc. You are usually safe on weekends however. For many Bay Area residents avoiding traffic can be solved by taking a BART train. Unfortunately the nearest station is 5 miles away, so it is not walkable. Riding a bicycle is an option from the train station and would be a nice ride through the rolling hills, but isn’t advisable as there aren’t many street lights from the station into town. Parking is free and plentiful on the weekend but there may be a fee during the week. The parking lot is along the right field line but there is an additional one across the street from the right field wall, next to the soccer/rugby fields. The two grandstands are mirror images of each other and equally accessible. To access the nearest restroom you need to leave the baseball field and walk directly behind home plate about 50 yards and enter that classroom building. Restrooms are on the right hand side, just inside the entrance. Return on Investment 3 I thought tickets were a tad expensive since they were the same rate ($10) as the nationally recognized basketball program. It should be noted that seniors and children are $7 and SMC students are free with valid I.D. It is nice that you can move around to find your favorite spot to sit. Food is inexpensive and with parking free on the weekends you could get by on just a $10, which is well worth the experience. Extras 1 There isn’t much in the way of extras at Louis Guisto Field. I did however appreciate that I was able to catch a softball game on the same day. The Gaels have retired Tom Candiotti’s #49 and that is displayed on the left-center field wall. Unfortunately there aren’t any notes about SMC history beyond that. Lastly, there was an equal amount of merchandise for visiting LMU as there was for Saint Mary’s. I’m not sure if these schools have a unique relationship or if that is consistent across the WCC. Final Thoughts Once the seating area matches the field of play in terms of quality, a trip to Louis Guisto will jump several points on the FANFARE scale.

Photos by Matt Fiedler and Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium 450 Broad St Newark, NJ 07102 NJIT Highlanders website Year Opened: 1999 Year Demolished: 2019 Capacity: 6,200 Bears and Eagles (and Highlanders?) Riverfront Stadium Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium is the home of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders. The stadium is located along the Passaic River in Newark, NJ. The stadium opened in 1999 and was the home of the Newark Bears from 1999-2013. The name of the stadium honors the Newark Bears of the International League, and the Newark Eagles of the Negro League. The Bears folded in 2013, but the remnants of the team are found throughout the stadium. Food & Beverage 0 There are concession stands at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, but they are not open for NJIT games. Fans may bring food or drinks into the park to enjoy. There are also many restaurants and bars in the area to purchase food. Atmosphere 2 This is a former minor league baseball park. Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium is not a normal college venue in that sense. There is a PA announcer who does a solid job of announcing the players, and there is music between innings. There is a great view no matter where you sit in the park. You can see the skyline of Manhattan in the distance. You can also see reminders of the former Newark Bears and Newark Eagles. There is a ring of honor that honors players that have come through like Yogi Berra and Walter Johnson. There are logos and images of the Newark Bears logo all around the ballpark. There are programs that you can pick up when you enter the ballpark. The programs include a roster as well as some season statistics. Neighborhood 2 Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium is located along the Passaic River in Newark. Newark is not the best place to be wandering around. The stadium is located near NJIT, as well as Rutgers-Newark and the Seton Hall University Law School. There are some places to eat that are close by. Public transportation is the best way of travel because it is not a great idea to be walking around Newark, especially if you don’t know your way around. There are also some hotels fairly close by, and the field is close to Newark Liberty International Airport. Fans 2 The announced attendance at the game I attended was 200, but seemed to be less than that. NJIT is not a major program, so you wouldn’t expect to have a large crowd. The crowd seemed to be mainly parents and relatives of the players. The crowd was relatively quiet throughout the game. There were some cheers, but it was mainly a quiet crowd. There were a few opposing fans as well at the game, and there were no issues. Access 5 Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium is very easy to access. The easiest way to get to the stadium is by using public transportation. If you take NJ Transit, you just get off at Newark Broad Street Station and the stadium is right there. It is a quick walk from the station to the stadium. If you are in Newark, you can take the light rail and get off at the Riverfront Stadium stop. You can park on the side street right near the stadium. Return on Investment 3 There is no charge to attend an NJIT baseball game at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. Other than the cost of travel, you won’t have to spend any money to attend an NJIT baseball game. You will see some solid baseball at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. NJIT squares off with teams like Rutgers, Hofstra, and Niagara, just to name a few. There is a good atmosphere, a terrific view, and plentiful dining options in the area. Extras 3 One star goes to the tremendous view of the skyline of Manhattan. You can see One World Trade Center as well as some other skyscrapers. A second star is awarded for the programs and information that NJIT provides to the fans. Also, there is a scoreboard that provides the standard information that fans expect. A final star is awarded for the heritage of Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. The various images of the Newark Bears and Newark Eagles are a great thing to see. Names like Yogi Berra and Walter Johnson are in the Ring of Honor and it is great to see legends names associated with a ballpark. Final Thoughts NJIT is a college team playing in a former minor league ballpark. No matter how well the team does, the stadium will always look empty. The stadium is somewhat in disrepair, but the team does a good job in getting it in playing condition for games. The stadium has links to past baseball greats, and is a tribute to the rich tradition of baseball in Newark. If you find yourself in the area, it is worth a trip to see the NJIT Highlanders.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Kinsman Arena @ Kitchener Memorial Auditorium 400 East Ave Kitchener, ON N2H 1Zy Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club website Kitchener Memorial Auditorium website Year Opened: 1951 Capacity: 1,607 The Home of Brave Lacrosse In 1967, junior lacrosse was founded in Kitchener, Ontario. A hotbed for junior hockey, the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves took their place among the other lacrosse teams in Junior B. The Braves would win the Founders Cup as Junior B Champions in 1987 and 1988 and eventually move up a tier to Junior A in 1991. The rebrand of the league to become the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League in 2021 would pave the way for the modern Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club. The KW rebrand would take place in 2020 as teams across the sport would trend away from Indigenous names. The OJLL operates much like the Ontario Hockey League does, as a feeder system to professional box lacrosse leagues such as the National Lacrosse League. Box Lacrosse legends such as Colin Doyle, Dhane Smith, Aaron Wilson, Ryan Benesch and Steve “Chugger” Dietrich all played under the Braves moniker and cut their teeth in Kitchener-Waterloo. Home for the KW Lacrosse Club is the Kinsmen Arena. Part of the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, the Kinsmen Arena offers a more intimate atmosphere with a modest capacity of just over 1,600 with some standing room availability. Although The Aud itself opened in 1950, the Kinsmen Arena is much newer and opened some time in the late eighties. Paired with the Kiwanis Arena and known locally as the “Twin Pads,” Kinsmen Arena draws its name from the local charity and part of the Kin Canada organization. Although the KW Lacrosse Club has bounced around over the years in different locations, Kinsmen offers a solid venue, the perfect size, for the local version of the fastest game on two feet. Food & Beverage 2 Concessions at Kinsmen Arena are very simple. There is a cart present at games where fans can purchase light refreshments including soda, Gatorade, water and a few different varieties of canned beer. Chocolate bars are also available. Normal concessions that would service the Aud for bigger events are not usually running during the summer months when lacrosse is happening. However, having a licenced venue that serves alcoholic beverages was a surprise Atmosphere 2 Junior A lacrosse is a bit of a hidden gem. The KWLC play at the venerable Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, which is also the home to the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. Rather than playing in the iconic Dom Cardillo Arena, lacrosse is found at the Kinsmen Arena, a much newer and smaller arena in The Aud complex. The arena is not over the top and is fairly simple. Fans will enter the indoor portion of the complex from the Eugene George Way, side of the arena as opposed to the main arena off of East Avenue. The exterior of the building is attractive enough with light coloured brick and an LED ribbon to advertise events. The breezeway from this entrance leads past the main box office, which will be closed, past the memorial dedication plaque and Kraut Line display to the twin pads. Tickets for purchase are just inside the Kinsmen Arena doors at a temporary table. Home to hockey at various levels in the winter months, the ice comes out during lacrosse season and the KW Lacrosse Club finds a solid home for the summer. Kinsmen is located at the northeast portion for the complex buildings. It features a simple, low ceiling and light coloured walls, essentially lacking much in the way of colour. The floor surface runs from west to east, with all of the seating on the south side. Four sections of benches which surround a centre section of traditional arena seats make up the seating area and there is plenty of standing room in the east and west corners and behind the seating area. A simple hockey scoreboard is found hanging in the northeast corner of the arena. It would be beneficial if the Kinsmen Arena felt more like the home to the KWLC. The interior of the arena is as bland as the current branding for the team. The opportunity to showcase some of the history of the team would be great and give fans a better sense of the longevity of the team. The game differs a bit from what one would expect in the National Lacrosse League. The concrete floor, as opposed to green carpet, offers a different experience to the game. The squeaking sneakers, similar to that of a basketball game, creates a different feel and when players hit the ground, they tend to slide, unlike the game on the carpet. The gameplay also differs from the pros as music does not play throughout the play. This offers fans to hear the sounds of the game like the ball cracking off the goaltender’s pads or off of the boards, or the metal smashing of two sticks in combat. The smaller venue gives fans a closer perspective to the game and a better sense of just how fast and tough box lacrosse can really be. The gameday production is pretty simple with some basic music being played before the game and during intermissions as well as for goals. The PA announcer does a decent job of conveying information to the fans, however the PA system has much to be desired and most announcements are lost to poor speakers and poor acoustics. Neighbourhood 3 The Aud is located just east of Downtown Kitchener. For the most part, the Aud is a community arena. There are almost no pre and post game meal options within walking distance. Fans could hike up Ottawa Street to the Tim Horton's or Dairy Queen. Strykerz Kitchen and Bar in the same plaza may be an option, but it is pretty small. The best bet would be to head downtown or take the highway out to Sportsworld. Downtown, fans might want to try The Grand Trunk Saloon, TWH Social, Bobby O'Brien’s or McCabe’s. Out by Sportsworld you will definitely want to hit Moose Winooski's. For a truly genuine Kitchener experience, fans should look into eating a pre-game meal at the Concordia Club or The Metro. Kitchener celebrates the largest Bavarian festival outside of Germany in Oktoberfest. The Friday buffet at the Concordia Club is a great way to experience Kitchener’s German heritage before a lacrosse game! Other sporting options locally would have to begin with the headline Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, who play in the Dom Cardillo Arena on the other side of the hall. When the nicer weather hits, then the Kitchener Panthers can be found on the other side of the parking lot at Jack Couch Stadium. Other options include hopping over to Kitchener’s twin city, Waterloo to catch some local university action. The Waterloo Warriors call the PAC home to basketball, Warrior Field home to football and Columbia IceField home to hockey. The Laurier Golden Hawks play their football games at Knight-Newbrough Field at University Stadium , their hockey games at Sun Life Financial Arena at Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex , and their basketball games at WLU Athletic Complex . Downtown, fans may also want to check out The Museum. Fans who are staying in town overnight should head downtown. The Walper Hotel and Crowne Plaza Kitchener-Waterloo are good selections. Fans 3 Junior A lacrosse has a small, but hardcore following. Assessing fan support can be difficult as attendance figures for games are not published as part of the game sheets. That being said, there were a few hundred people in attendance at the game which was reviewed supporting both home and away squads. A large percentage of those are most likely friends and family, however, the fans in attendance were loud and definitely knew the game and the team. Access 5 The Aud is located in the Auditorium District, which is east of Downtown Kitchener. Getting to The Aud is not difficult. It is immediately west of Highway 7, which is the main artery through Kitchener. There is plenty of parking on both the north and south sides of the complex, which should be entered from Ottawa Street or Stirling Avenue. For fans wishing to take public transit to the lacrosse game, there are buses that travel both Ottawa and Weber Streets. The light rail Ion train is a fair hike from the nearest station, so that may not be the best option. Fans should check out the Grand River Transit website for maps, fares and schedules. Getting around the Kinsmen Arena is no issue at all as the building is not packed and there are not a ton of concession options. Fans with mobility issues are better served in the Kinsmen Arena than the Dom Cardillo Arena as there is not the main staircase to ascend in the Kinsmen. Return on Investment 4 With the rising cost of sports at all levels, finding affordable entertainment for the sporting dollar can be a real challenge. K-W Lacrosse is very affordable at just $10 a ticket. Students and seniors can get in for $5. There are not many places that offer this kind of value. Concessions, although limited, are reasonably priced and parking is free at The Aud. The product on the floor is definitely fast-paced and hard-hitting and fans of lacrosse will enjoy the Junior A level of lacrosse. Extras 2 An extra mark for the long history of the Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club, as one of the oldest clubs in the OJLL. An extra mark for the sensational alumni that have found their way through KW and moved on to stardom in the National Lacrosse League. Final Thoughts Lacrosse will not be taking over the top spot as the favourite sport in North America anytime soon. It remains very much a niche sport. However, the fastest game on two feet is a great way to see some top notch athletes in a way that fans may not be accustomed to. The Kitchener-Waterloo Lacrosse Club provides a window into the future of the sport, profiling the athletes who will one day be professionals in the NLL and it's very affordable! Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram .

Photos by Justin Sutton, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Robert Braddy Field John R Lynch St & Poindexter Ave Jackson, MS 39217 Jackson State Tigers website Robert Braddy Field website Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 800 The Background on Braddy Home to one of the hotter programs in SWAC baseball, Robert Braddy Field offers baseball fans a cheap ticket to catch college baseball in central Mississippi. While the ballpark, named after the former Jackson State athletic director, does not have the thrills that nearby Trustmark Park or the stadiums of the big three in Mississippi have, fans going to Jackson State can still have a quality experience for a fair price when taking in Tiger baseball in the 800 person capacity complex built in 2006. Food & Beverage 2 With signs in the area that concessions and restrooms are available in other places, Jackson State baseball might offer more than what appears in their match-up against Florida A&M. What is there for that game is mainly candy and sodas for sale, and not much else. With the lack of fans in the stands, having a full menu would make little sense in regards to the bottom line of the budget. With outside food and beverages not being allowed in the ballpark (or at least that is what the sign says), fans do not have many options at the game. However, many fans do tailgate behind the outfield wall. Atmosphere 3 The seats at Robert Braddy Field provide a great view of the game, especially those behind home plate, which have many fellow student athletes in attendance. In addition, many parents make it out to the games, so there is an interested crowd. The only downside to the seats is that they are all bleacher seats. While chair backs would be nice, the seats have good sight lines, and fans can bring in some of their own chairs to watch the game, as well. For kids at the game, they can run down foul balls and get close to the bullpens, and they do have plenty of room to run around during the game. However, if the younger fans are looking for lots of entertainment between innings, they are out of luck. Neighborhood 2 There is not much of a way to sugarcoat this. Jackson State is not located in the greatest part of Jackson. However, with the talks of a new domed stadium in the works and the continued work to revitalize the downtown area of the city, this circumstance may change. There is one restaurant within walking distance of the ballpark, The Penguin. A restaurant that was quite popular a half-century ago has worked to make a return to the Jackson night scene. With a kitchen open until 10 pm and a bar open much later, fans can dine before or after the game. The only drawback might be the price, as much of the menu comes in over $15 per entree, but it looks as though some patrons are more than fine with the price given the food and atmosphere. Editor’s Note: It appears Penguins has closed since this review was written. When Stadium Journey makes a revisit, we’ll update this section with other choices. Fans 2 The fans in attendance at the game did their best to enhance the atmosphere, but for the most part, there were many empty spots in the bleachers on a great evening to watch baseball. With the Tigers having recently clinched a share of the SWAC Eastern division crown and having the most wins in conference play when I visited, the lack of fans came as a bit of a surprise. Access 3 Getting to Robert Braddy Field is not much of a challenge for fans traveling to the game. The stadium is about five minutes off of Interstate 20 on the University exit. Parking is located within a two-to-five minute walk of the baseball field. If fans want to tailgate behind the outfield wall, they can park along John R. Lynch Street, and the raised walls beyond the outfield fence protect their cars. The big knock on getting to the stadium is that there are not many signs to help someone unacquainted to Jackson State find their way around. Also, fans have to leave the complex to use the restroom, walking a few minutes to the tennis complex. Return on Investment 5 With tickets only priced at five dollars a person, no one can complain about the cost of attending a game.The Tigers have produced many players drafted in the MLB draft, some of whom were first-rounders.The fellow foes of the Tigers in SWAC play also bring quality local talent and MLB talent to Jackson State. . Extras 2 Robert Braddy Field has quality sight lines, and beyond right field, the skyline of downtown Jackson makes for a great view. The field, which is maintained by the coaching staff, looks great, as does most of the campus, which has been revitalized over the past few years.

Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Soldier Field 1200 N Dupont Highway Dover, DE 19901 Delaware State Hornets website Soldier Field website Year Opened: 1958 Capacity: 500 Dover Diamond The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) is made up of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) located between Florida and Delaware. Only nine of the 13 member MEAC schools field teams in baseball. Bethune-Cookman University has been dominating the MEAC for nearly two decades. Delaware State has been a member of the MEAC since its founding in 1971. Delaware State is the smallest of the MEAC schools with a little over 3,600 students and was ranked 9th among all HBCUs by U.S. News & World Report in 2014. It opened in 1981 as Delaware State College and changed to a university in 1993. One of their most unique programs is the university-based flight school. The Delaware State Hornets baseball teams are one of the strongest teams in the northern part of the MEAC. Their longtime home, Soldier Field, has been open since 1958. Recent renovations have seen work performed on the field, as well as the addition of a 20-foot tall left field “monster” wall in 2009. In late 2017, the facility also saw some new seats added behind the backstop. EDITOR'S NOTE: Delaware State Hornets moved its baseball team to Bob Reed Field in 2022. Food & Beverage 3 The food will not wow you. But they offer friendly service at a small stand located behind the first base grandstand. Hot dogs are a bargain at $2 and the “Hornet Special” is $4 and includes hot dog, chips and either water, soda or coffee. Drinks are $1.25. The best bargain is 10 cents for gum with $1 for assorted candy. Those prices are not found almost anywhere at a sporting event. From talking to the friendly concession staff, there are always changes and additions to the menu, so just ask at the stand for any specials. Atmosphere 4 This is not a high end stadium. But the atmosphere at Soldier Field is perfect for the true baseball fan. And the MEAC conference offers a good quality of baseball. There are two metal bleachers, one on the first base side and one on the third base side. But the best views of the action are not from these seats. There is a very small right field seating section. It is a row and half of plastic seats with seat cushions. They offer a great view of the action on the first base side. Another unique seating section is the single row of wooden seats that run along the third base line past the dugout. It is a hidden gem and also offers great views. A couple rows of new seats have been added behind the backstop. If you do sit in the metal bleachers, you should stop by the shed located under the press box and get a seatback/cushion for the game. This keeps you from killing your back on the metal bleachers. They are free, although you may have to pick through the pile to find one in good working condition. Neighborhood 3 There is not much to the neighborhood. The field is located at the back part of the university between some general facility buildings and in front of dormitories. If you go to the front facing part of the university you will see that the neighborhood consists of the massive Dover Downs Casino and Dover International Speedway NASCAR track complex across the large and busy DuPont Highway. Dover Mall and assorted big box retailers are also in ready view. You can even hear the dogs barking from the local pet supply store. The area is good if you need food and sustenance before or after the game. Legendary local chain Grotto Pizza has a sports bar located across the street at 1159 N DuPont Highway. They have never been a favorite of mine but fans of them will flock there. Other great choices include Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop on Gateway S Blvd, Restaurant 55 at 2461 S State St, La Tolteca Restaurant at 859 N Dupont Hwy and 33 West Ale House & Grill at 33 W Loockerman Street. The Fire and Ice Bar at Dover Downs Casino is another choice for a drink after the game. Fans 3 As with most northeast college baseball stadiums, the bulk of the fans tend to be family or friends of both teams. There are a number of local residents who seem to be regulars at the games. The fans are knowledgeable and friendly to visitors. Access 3 Soldier Field is at the back part of the Delaware State campus. It is not too hard to find, although signage is not well marked. The university is right off of a major road in DuPont Highway. A toll road, Route 1, that takes you most of the way north to Wilmington is also nearby. Dover is about a one and a half hour trip from Philadelphia and Baltimore, and at least two hours from Washington DC. It seems close by on a map but is isolated at the center of the Delmarva Peninsula. If venturing to a shore destination such as Ocean City, Maryland or Rehoboth, Delaware, then Dover may make a quick, enjoyable stop, but as a destination it is not the best. Watch out for NASCAR weekends when traveling in the area; those weekends are not recommended unless you have no other options, as traffic can pile up. There may also be tolls, not just from nearby Route 1, unless you are already on the eastern shore or Delmarva region. If travelling from the DC and Annapolis area you will have to pay tolls across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. If going around the top of the bay from Baltimore you will have to pay very hefty tolls on either Route 40 or I-95. And coming from Norfolk you will need to pay for the Bay Bridge Tunnel. Parking for weekend games should be easy to find in the numerous nearby lots. Weekday games while school is in session may make parking a bit trickier. Be sure to read signs so that you don’t get ticketed by campus police. Return on Investment 5 Soldier Field is free to attend and parking is also free. Those coupled with the cheap prices for food make this a good investment for a true baseball fan. You will use quite a bit of gas getting to the game in somewhat isolated Dover unless you live in the area, but try and plan your game trip with a trip to the shore, or to the NASCAR track and/or casino. Extras 2 The left field 20-foot monster sized wall is a nice treat to see. Also make sure to spend some time sitting in the many quirky seating sections. They are an experience like no other. Final Thoughts This is a quirky, old baseball field that offers a good value to see a good on the field product. It is not shiny and new, but baseball fans will find Soldier Field to be one of the best college baseball experiences around the Mid-Atlantic region.

Photo by Michael Rusignuolo, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Rob Hoffman Vallei Zanderijweg, 1403 XV Bussum, Netherlands Bussum HCAW website Rob Hoffman Vallei website Year Opened: 1971 Capacity: 1,000 Baseball in the Valley Baseball in Bussum has a long history, starting pre-WWII as the HC’38 club in 1938. After some post war name changes, the HCAW club (HonkbalClub Allen Weerbaar) founded officially in 1957 and has been active since then, even absorbing their big league rival the Amstel Tigers in the late 80s, playing as the HCAW-Tigers until 1995, when they became HCAW alone once again. In 1971, HCAW moved into their own complex, “The Baseball Valley.” As with many other Dutch ballparks, this is a multi-field complex for both top-level baseball and softball, along with other fields for lower-level and youth competition. It stands apart, however, because the “valley” was a baseball-only facility, and not part of a multi-sport “sportpark” athletic complex like nearly the rest of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. The 1,000-seat main stadium and the entire valley were more recently renamed to Rob Hoffman Vallei to honor long-time local pitching great, Rob Hoffman. Rob Hoffman Vallei isn’t the biggest or best ballparks in The Netherlands, but it is a baseball-only facility with solid services, good value, and relatively easy to access. [All prices are in Euros. At the time of writing, one Euro is worth about $1.15.] Food & Beverage 3 Keeping with Honkbal Hoofdklasse standard, all food and drinks are served from the team’s clubhouse. A combined bar and grill sit behind the counter in the trophy and memorabilia-strewn building. You can bring the food out to your seat, or park up on picnic-type tables in the clubhouse itself. The standard Dutch ballpark fare is on offer. There’s a selection of burgers, hot dogs, and other sausages (€3 and under), and a selection of Dutch broodjes sandwiches (€3). You can argue selection, but you can’t argue prices. All your drinks come from the same place, with the same limited options and unassailable prices. Heineken, Hoegaarden, Rose, Radler, and Palm (along with wine) are just €2 a piece. Fans load up by the case before the first pitch and bring their empties back in the same case after the game. Coke is the non-alcoholic drink family of choice. You’re in The Netherlands, so you might as well have a Heineken. If you’re not feeling like a hot dog or brat, try out a Dutch broodje and go a little native. Atmosphere 3 Rob Hoffman Vallei is one of the few baseball-only facilities in The Netherlands, but its physical buildings aren’t quite as advanced or top-notch as some others in the league. The fields in the valley are almost all made of chain link fence walls. There are three main buildings by the Honkbal Hoofdklasse field: player locker rooms beyond first base, the clubhouse and team store behind home place, and the attached “Buccaneers Business Club” running down the third baseline. A small press box shed sits halfway between home plate and first base. Unlike many fields in Honkbal Hoofdklasse, visitors can walk around to beyond the center field chain link fence and look in on the game. The main seating area is on a narrow drop from the clubhouse plaza, consisting of two-piece molded plastic seats running in five rows from half-way to first base to half-way to third base. There is an additional row of seats in front of the Business Club on the third base side. A small digital scoreboard just records the score, balls, strikes, outs, and inning in right-center field. Trees rise above the chain link outfield wall, broken up only by the large conditioning and training building beyond left field. Smoking is very much still a thing in the otherwise progressive Netherlands, and there are several picnic tables in the plaza in front of the clubhouse with ash trays built in to accommodate smokers. As is the case in most Honkbal Hoofdklasse games, there are no mascots or between-innings entertainment that permeate all levels of US baseball. You get in-stadium PA announcements, batter walk-up music, and the seventh inning stretch, period. The Dutch don’t even play the national anthem before games or usually fly their flag. Since this is a step up from club ball, however, there are some nice vestiges of sportsmanship. Each batter coming the plate for the first time usually shakes the hand of the umpire and the opposing catcher. You can sit wherever you want except in the dugout, so choose whatever suits your mood. Hang out at the picnic tables with a crate of beer, or grab a seat right behind home plate and see a game closer than you could even dream about in America. Neighborhood 2 Bussum is a small suburb and commuter town, and while it is convenient to transit, there’s not a ton going on by the ballpark. A short distance north in the city center, there are at least a decent selection of restaurants. La Cubanita Bussum, Restaurant LUEK, Nobel, Soigne, Mah Wah, Restaurant ‘tKOOKt, and several others are all to be found near downtown. But there’s not much going on around Rob Hoffam Vallei. The nearest point of interest is the medieval fort city Utrechtse Poort about ten minutes to the north. Seek greener pastures for activities beyond baseball. There are only three hotels relatively close to the park. The closest is the Bastion Hotel Bussum, within walking distance. The Bed & Breakfast Bussum is to the north, and the Hotel NH Bussum Jan Tabak is further to the northeast. There are many more choices to the south in Hilversum. Fans 4 Baseball (or honkbal, as it is known locally) is very much a fringe sport in The Netherlands, and for all of Europe for that matter. The Dutch Honkbal Hoofdklasse is one of the only semi pro/professional leagues on the continent, sharing the distinction with the Italian Baseball League. HCAW seems to draw on the top-end of the average Dutch baseball crowds across the league (between 100-250 people per game). After games and practices at the surrounding fields end, the players and spectators come over to watch the top-level men play their games. Another out-of-the-ordinary status quo is that there are usually pet dogs at every game. It is a welcome change for dog lovers, less so if you don’t like them. The HCAW fan base stands out quite prominently as being ardent fans. They are very into the games and pay close attention to the on-field action. The numbers especially stand out since this is one of the only parks in The Netherlands that charge admission. Access 4 Located in a small town in the central Netherlands, Rob Hoffman Vallei is easy to get to by mass transit and easy to get around in once you arrive. Rob Hoffman Vallei has the benefit of being a short walk from a Dutch train station, Station Bussum Zuid. It is literally one stop from the city center (3 minutes, €2.40), a half hour by train from Amsterdam Centraal (€5.30), and 20 minutes from Utrecht Centraal (€5.10). It is a five minute drive, cab, or ride share from downtown Bussum (or about a 20-minute walk), and about a half-hour drive, cab, or ride share from Amsterdam or Utrecht. There is a small parking lot and street parking by the ballpark, and there is plenty of free bicycle parking. Cabs and ride shares can drop you off right at the entrance. There is one entrance to the facility through the main gate and ticket window. This is the only choke point in the entire park, as it opens out onto a plaza and wide walkways that connect it with all the other fields and facilities in the complex. Return on Investment 4 Ticket prices into the baseball valley are €5 for adult and €2.50 for children. While it is one of the only parks to charge admission in Honkbal Hoofdklasse, it is still quite a value. All of the food and drinks are €3 or under, and you just can’t beat those prices. . Extras 3 As with all the Dutch stadiums, extras are at a minimum. The clubhouse has a selection of baseball memorabilia, as well as club trophies and awards. There is a rather unique baseball couch in the clubhouse that is worth a look. The team store is in an attached building to the clubhouse, selling general baseball equipment and a small selection of team gear, but it is often closed, even during games. There is a screened picture of the valley’s namesake at the entrance to the park, a dedication plaque for the park, and a large team mural on one of the clubhouse buildings that you walk through on the way to the fields. There is also a dedication to Toon Otte on one of the locker room buildings and four retired numbers (1, 10, 12, 24) on the left field wall. As Dutch clubhouse personnel are almost all volunteers, they are polite and helpful to a person and are always glad to talk to and assist visitors. Final Thoughts While Rob Hoffman Vallei isn’t the newest or shiniest ballpark in The Netherlands, it is a baseball-only environment with a sizeable Dutch fan base, great value and access, and all the bases covered.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Chase Fieldhouse 401 Garasches Lane Wilmington, DE 19801 Delaware Blue Coats website Chase Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 2019 Capacity: 2,500 Blue 76ers The Delaware Blue Coats joined the NBA G-League in 2013 as an affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time, they were known as the Delaware 87ers and played at the Bob Carpenter Center on the campus of the University of Delaware in Newark. In 2018, the 87ers rebranded as the Delaware Blue Coats, and in January of 2019 they moved into a new arena in Wilmington, the 76ers Fieldhouse. The Fieldhouse was a joint venture by the 76ers and the Buccini Polin Group and is part of a sports complex which also contains a youth training center and several turf fields. Food & Beverage 3 There is one concession stand at 76ers Fieldhouse on the lower level, serving a somewhat limited but sufficient menu. Main courses include chicken tenders ($7), pizza ($7 for a personal), cheesesteaks ($6) and hot dogs ($5). Snacks include tater tots ($5), and chips, muffins, and assorted snack cakes for $2 each. Drinks include soda, Gatorade, and bottled water for $4 and coffee for $3. Alcohol is also available at a separate stand next to the main one. Cocktails are $9 for a single or $17 for a double, beer is $8-$10, and wine is $8. Unfortunately, the lines at concession stands can move very slowly, so get your food before the game if possible. Atmosphere 4 All seats at the 76ers Fieldhouse are chair backs along the two sides of the court, accessed by walking up from floor level. The one exception is a VIP mezzanine on the second level of the arena. There are two scoreboards, one on each end of the court. One of them shows detailed player stats while the other is more basic. Unfortunately, depending on where you are sitting, it is possible your view of one of the scoreboards will be obstructed by the basket. There are glass windows on three sides of the court which let in a lot of light during day games. The glare can often be distracting. 76ers championship banners hang from the rafters, which are a nice touch but also reinforce that the Blue Coats are always going to be secondary to the Sixers in this area. The team does a good job of keeping the fans engaged. Music plays almost constantly and can get quite loud at times. Unfortunately, sometimes it gets so loud that it drowns out any noise the crowd makes. There is a mascot named Coaty, a blue horse who roams the stands and floor throughout the game. Neighborhood 2 76ers Fieldhouse is located in a business district, but as far as businesses you might actually go to for fun, as opposed to tire shops, pharmacies, and supermarkets, there isn’t much within walking distance other than a Domino’s. Your best bet is to take the bridge across the Christina River where you will find a lot of restaurants on the other side. You can find everything from bars to breweries to seafood joints, but although they’re just across the river from the arena, you will have to basically drive in a circle for two miles to get across and come back down. Fans 3 Although the Blue Coats rarely sell out, they draw well for a G-League team, frequently drawing over 2,000 fans a game. Fans range from young families with small children to senior citizens, reflecting the affordable and family-friendly atmosphere here. Those who do show up are engaged in the game and cheer on the Blue Coats. The team also frequently partners with local youth groups and sports teams to fill up the arena further. Access 3 76ers Fieldhouse is located on U.S. Route 13 Business, just off I-495. This should not be confused with the regular U.S. Route 13, which also runs near the arena but cannot be used to access it directly. Parking is available in a few lots behind the arena for $5. While it can be confusing which lot to park in, staff will do a good job of directing you to the right place. Once you’re in the arena, the concourse is plenty wide enough to allow room to move around. However, one odd quirk is that the path from the court to the locker rooms goes directly across the concourse. As a result, if you are sitting in Sections 6-10, you will need to wait until all personnel return to the locker room at halftime and the end of the game before you can leave the seating area. Return on Investment 3 How much you will pay for tickets depends on where you sit and when you go. Tickets for weekday games range from $12 for seats in the upper rows to $26 for front row seats near center court. On weekends, prices will range from $14 to $31. Parking is a bit pricey for this level, and concessions are about average. If you’re willing to sit in the upper rows, a Blue Coats game can be affordable, but if you want to sit lower down it can get pricey. For what is essentially a minor league, this is a bit much. Extras 2 The Blue Coats have a giant drum which they wheel out before every game to be played by a fan to pump up the crowd. There will often be live music from a local band on the concourse before the game, which is a nice touch and adds some local color to the experience. Final Thoughts Sadly, the NBA has not done a good job of promoting the G-League. However, that doesn’t seem to have deterred the Blue Coats from marketing themselves. As the only professional basketball team in Delaware, and one of only two professional teams, period, there is a large untapped market potential here that the team has taken advantage of. However, as the name of the arena, the giant glass window with the 76ers logo, and the championship banners in the rafters reflect, any professional basketball team here is always going to be second class citizens compared to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Photos by Nolan Searl, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Baxter Arena 2425 S 67th St Omaha, NE 68106 Omaha Mavericks men’s hockey website Baxter Arena website Year Opened: 2015 Capacity: 7,898 A New Era for Omaha Hockey UNO hockey finally has a place of its own. Completed in 2015, Baxter Arena is UNO’s first on-campus arena. Since the program began in 1997, the Mavs have shared the Civic Auditorium and more recently the CenturyLink Center with Creighton men’s basketball. The $90-million arena lies just south of the school’s Pacific Campus and Aksarben Village. Food & Beverage 4 All of your basics are covered at Baxter Arena. For those looking for something a little different, take a walk around the concourse and you’ll find something that grabs your interest. Godfather’s Pizza, a popular Midwestern chain, offers pepperoni and hamburger pizza by the slice. At the 67th Street Kitchen, you can find fries topped with pulled pork and cheddar cheese, loaded tater tots with sour cream, bacon, and cheese, or even “taco tots.” And hockey fans need not worry, Baxter Arena has beer. Shock Top and Stella Artois have kiosks with a few different options to choose from. All of your domestics are available as well at $7.50 for a 20-ounce. Right next to Godfather’s Pizza on the south side of the arena is The Blue Line bar. The lines there get long, so plan for that if you’re looking for some wine or a cocktail. The Blue Line bar is also a local beer option from Infusion Brewing, which is based in Omaha’s Benson neighborhood. Atmosphere 4 This is an arena that was built specifically for UNO hockey. The school’s colors are plastered all around the concourse. Even the concession stands have tied in some of the school’s history. You won’t find a bad seat in the house, either. All of the upper bowl seats have great sightlines and are very easy to access. The upper and lower bowls share the same concourse. It’s always easy getting to and from your seat, no matter where you are at. Throughout the game, there’s a multitude of giveaways and contests to keep everyone entertained. You’ll want to stick around for the Voodoo Taco taco cannon, for sure. Neighborhood 5 Baxter Arena is right across from Aksarben Village, which is a newly developed area of businesses, restaurants, shops, apartments, and student housing. For a pregame meal, Jimi D’s offers up the best food within walking distance. There’s also Dudley’s Pizza and Tavern (a popular place for UNO fans), and DJ’s Dugout, which has huge beers and more TVs than anyone else in town. There’s also Voodoo Taco, Ponzu Sushi, and a few other options. For a post-game drink, Pauli’s has become the go-to spot for Mav fans and visitors alike. It’s your standard neighborhood bar, but it’s always a good crowd after the game, win or lose. The arena is about 10 to 15 minutes from downtown and the Old Market, which is a must-see for any first-time visitor to Omaha. Fans 5 UNO hockey began in 1997, and they have had tremendous support ever since. Maverick fans always show up in large numbers, and they are consistently ranked in the top five nationally for attendance. Most Nebraskan’s are diehard Cornhusker football fans. However, the Mav fans still fill up the building even if the team down in Lincoln is playing at the same time. The “Mav Maniacs” and “The Red Army” are a couple of groups that are constantly coming up with chants and keeping the crowd energized throughout the game. With the arena being right next to campus, more students are going to the games as well. A fan favorite, and unique UNO tradition, happens after the first Maverick goal of every game as a fish gets thrown onto the ice. What started as a rogue operation was eventually embraced by the university and the fans. Once the fish is on the ice, a guy driving a mini-Zamboni with a wheelie bar comes out and scoops it up in a net. It’s pretty hilarious. Access 4 The arena is a short drive north of I-80. The 60th and 72nd Street exits will get you to the arena in just a few minutes. Head north until you hit Center Street, and you will run into the arena at 67th. You can’t miss it. Parking in the arena lots is free, but they usually fill up. Luckily there is more parking available in surrounding neighborhoods. Return on Investment 4 The food and drink prices are pretty standard when compared to other arenas in the area. You won’t be charged an arm and a leg for anything. Free parking adds to the value. You can expect to pay $20-$30 for an upper bowl seat (unless North Dakota is coming to town) and an additional $20-$30 if you plan on eating and drinking at the game. Extras 4 Download the Mav Experience app to get prices, menus, a map of the arena, and game updates. Baxter Arena also has free wifi, which is a nice touch. Another extra point for the university for investing in this arena for its hockey team, and fans.

Photos by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Jackie Robinson Stadium 100 Constitution Ave Los Angeles, CA 90095 UCLA Bruins website Jackie Robinson Stadium website Year Opened: 1981 Capacity: 1,820 Home to Jackie Robinson and the Sons of Westwood Jackie Robinson is a name known throughout baseball, but before becoming famous with the Dodgers , he was a four sport letter recipient at UCLA. Being the first to achieve this feat, it’s only appropriate that a UCLA facility be named for him. The baseball stadium opened in 1981 thanks to a private gift from Hoyt Pardee, a former classmate of Jackie Robinson. The new stadium would be UCLA’s sixth home field in its history and the famous Jackie Robinson statue was dedicated in 1985. The stadium is set on the grounds of the Veterans Health Administration. After some controversy, UCLA recently signed a $300,000 lease with the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs to continue use of the stadium for many years to come, along with other provisions. Food & Beverage 3 Upon entering, most fans ascending the steps will be treated to the smell of hot dogs and onions being grilled just in front of the snack stand on the first base side. The menu is on par for a college baseball venue. A permanent concession stand on the first base concourse serves up hot links and cheeseburgers ($6), hamburgers ($5), hot dogs and veggie burgers ($4), pretzels and nachos ($3 – add .25 for a cheese cup), chips, peanuts and Cup o’ Noodles ($2), assorted candy, cookies and cracker jacks ($1). Other snacking and dining options are available on the third base concourse. A bag of freshly popped popcorn ($2) as well as Turkey and Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches are available from Jersey Mike’s ($9). Coke product beverages are available for $3 while bottled water, coffee, hot chocolate and hot tea are $2. Atmosphere 4 Despite being a stone’s throw from a major freeway and minutes from a large downtown area, the trees that surround the stadium provide a surprisingly suburban feel. Immediately upon climbing the steps to the main concourse, fans are treated to a table that will enhance their experience. There is a frequent fan card (offering a raffle ticket for each game attended during the season), scorecard, baseball bingo card, and opportunities to win free gifts. The baseball bingo card certainly does keep the crowd involved as fans mark off the appropriate boxes based on what the batters of the home team do when the ball is in play. The Bruins recent run of success, including their first ever National Championship in 2013 has certainly increased interest in the baseball program as is certainly noticed in the stands. Neighborhood 3 The surrounding area around Jackie Robinson Stadium really does not offer much in regards to dining and entertainment due to the fact that the stadium sits on the grounds of the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs. In spite of the fact the stadium is only a few minutes from campus, driving towards Westwood Village can still be a pain. If attending a weeknight game, you will definitely want to plan ahead as traffic within the surrounding areas can be, to put it kindly, brutal. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but unfortunately, there is no way around it. Should you opt to head toward the Village after the game, one way to expedite your journey would be to make a left on Sepulveda after exiting the lot and head north two lights toward Montana Ave. Make a right, head east through a residential neighborhood. As the street curves south it will change into Gayley Ave leading you directly into the Village. While I cannot guarantee that this will entirely alleviate your navigational nightmares through our notorious L.A. traffic, this is still your best option, particularly if it’s a weekend game as you will by all means want to avoid driving along Wilshire Blvd, one of L.A.’s major thoroughfares. For your dining, entertainment, and parking options just click on the link provided above. A good majority of the dining and entertainment options are open late. Fans 3 Bruin fans are easily some of the best when it comes to wearing their team colors. Though not as rabid as those at Pauley Pavilion , the crowd is at near capacity. The fans are a very diverse breed, ranging from a mix of older folks all the way to the little league groups. Access 3 The stadium is located just minutes off of the 405 freeway and can be accessed on foot from the UCLA campus. However, I can never stress enough the importance of early planning when dealing with the area traffic, so do plan accordingly. Once inside the stadium, fans will find bucket seating circling between the first and third base dugouts. Should the comfortable bucket seating overflow, there is also a set of bleachers above the concourse between third base and home plate that looks as if it has survived a nuclear war. Parking is listed on the UCLA website as $10, yet it was $8 when I arrived at the lot. I would assume the price varies depending on the magnitude of the game. There is only a single restroom area on site and the men’s room has only three stations. This can pose a problem during high attendance games as the line can back up. With increased interest in the baseball program and more fans attending as opposed to years past, perhaps it would help to alleviate backups if a few mobile unisex bathrooms could be added. Return on Investment 4 The ticket prices are very reasonable, with adult ticket prices at $12 for seats behind home plate, $8 for adult general admission and $5 for youth general admission. The price of parking, at $10, is more than a general admission ticket. However, with few other options, the lot is your best bet. Extras 3 Easily the foremost attraction at the ballpark is the statue of Jackie Robinson along the first base line. The plaque below reads, “The Name. The Legend. The Man.” Alongside the statue is a recently added mural by artist Mike Sullivan depicting Jackie in his UCLA uniform, with references to his playing days as well as his time in the Army. Jackie was the first four letter athlete in UCLA history (football, basketball, baseball and track), and his presence is certainly felt throughout the stadium. All around the concourse, fans can view banners that show recent major league players that formerly appeared in a Bruins uniform. Some of the players that appear on these banners include Hector Embriz, Garrett Atkins, Todd Zeile, Eric Byrnes, Chase Utley, Trevor Bauer, Gerrit Cole, Dave Roberts, Troy Glaus, and Eric Karros. Just next to the ticket office, there is a large ProGrass logo with a patch of the synthetic grass. For fans that have never had a chance to walk on or feel FieldTurf, this presents a good opportunity. It’s funny that Jackie Robinson is largely credited with breaking the color barrier, yet he was not even the first black player on the UCLA baseball team. The man credited with being the first was Kenny Washington, and he would eventually have his number 13 retired. Today, fans can spot his number 13 in left field, honoring the man they called “Kingfish.” Lastly of note is the Jack and Rhodine Gifford hitting facility. Located beyond the right field fence, this area allows fans a peek at the practice facilities and a free view through the fence at the action on the field. Final Thoughts A recent run of success, a national championship, along with some notable enhancements throughout the stadium, including a new state of the art scoreboard with an analog clock reminiscent of old-time yards has added to the game day experience to a stadium that not long ago, was in need of some upgrades. With a recent national title added to the school’s vast trophy case, the interest in UCLA baseball is certainly evident. A visit to Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium should definitely be on any baseball fan’s travel list. Also a must, especially if you are a true fan of historical significance, is the chance to snap some photos of you next to the Jackie Robinson displays along the first base concourse. Aside from showing them off on your social media site, these photos will make for great stories about a true icon that any baseball fan should share and pass down to other future baseball fans. Follow me @good_drei on Twitter & Instagram .

Photos by Will Halpern, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium 1801 Fayetteville St Durham, NC 27707 North Carolina Central Eagles website O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium website Year Opened: 1975 Capacity: 10,000 The Eagles Soar in the Bull City North Carolina Central University was founded a decade after the turn of the twentieth century. Twelve years later, in 1922, the Eagles launched their football program. For five years the team was an independent, before joining the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association for the next 42 years. The team then moved to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference for seven years before rejoining the CIAA from 1979 through 2006. After competing as a Division II Independent program for three seasons, 2010 was the year the Eagles finally joined the ranks of NCAA Division 1, as once again a member of the MEAC, which was a Division II conference when the Eagles were first a member. The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a conference consisting of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); along with the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) they are the two Division I conferences that consist of HBCUs. The Eagles have played on campus at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium since 1975. Food & Beverage 4 O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium offers a variety of delicious culinary offerings, but unlike most sports venues where food is purchased mostly from concession stands around the stadium, the majority of food here is found at food trucks from local restaurants that are all located behind the main concourse. Off the Hook Seafood, based in nearby Rolesville, offers fish, shrimp, or chicken tenders and fries for ten dollars each, or you can pick two or all three with fries for fifteen and twenty dollars respectively. The R&B Grill Food Truck offers a similar menu to Off the Hook, but with the added options of a Pork Chop combo, along with sausage dogs and Philly cheese steaks, all priced between 11 and 14 dollars. For those looking for the more classic stadium fare, JC’s Kitchen Food Truck offers a hot dog for just three dollars or burgers and nachos for four dollars, as well as fish combos and chicken wings. For dessert, Flavor Desserts Bakery, based in both Durham and Greensboro, offers an assortment of cakes and cupcakes, fried Oreos, and Italian ice, and ice cream is also offered. There is also a concessions stand behind the stadium selling snacks and Pepsi products. Atmosphere 3 O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium is a very basic stadium with very few bells and whistles. It holds 10,000 people, which is small even by FCS standards. There is a nice-sized video board but for some reason the video does not take up the whole screen, and instead is only shown in a small square within the screen, making highlights and replays unnecessarily hard to see. The seating consists of metal bleachers on the east side of the stadium and regular bleachers on the west side. There is chair back seating for season ticket holders, with some additional seating behind the south end zone, and lawn seating behind the north end zone next to the track, though this is not technically inside the stadium itself. The main positives are the game day atmosphere. The band, known as The Sound Machine, is fantastic, and the PA Announcer does a great job keeping the energy up without having to do it all on his own, as he often cues the DJ or The Sound Machine to keep the crowd loud during breaks or at big moments in the game. The band even has their own chant after the Eagles pick up a first down; there is truly never a dull moment during an NCCU Eagles football game. Neighborhood 4 O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium is located right in the center of North Carolina Central University, so there are not a ton of places to eat in the immediate vicinity apart from the on-campus dining halls. However, just two miles north of the stadium is downtown Durham, which offers so many different food offerings. Named “Tastiest Town in The South” in 2013 by Southern Living Magazine, whatever you are craving, Durham is sure to offer it, from Pie Pushers Pizza that offers fourteen different specialty pies to King’s Sandwich Shop, a Durham establishment since 1942 selling various sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, and milkshakes. Dames Chicken and Waffles is also a popular southern combination, with different types of waffles and chicken prepared in a variety of ways, along with local brews to go along with any of the ten waffle combinations you can pick from. Finally, you can’t mention the Durham food scene without including Elmo’s Diner on Ninth Street, serving up classic American food, including breakfast. It’s very family-friendly, though you should be prepared for lines to get in. But it is well worth the wait, especially if you are new to Durham. The Bull City has a lot to offer if you are looking to plan a day or a weekend around an Eagles football game. Downtown Durham offers a lot of local stores and boutiques along Main Street, Brightleaf Square, and the American Tobacco Campus. Or, if you are looking for more shopping options check out New Hope Commons shopping center or the Streets at Southpoint (an indoor and outdoor mall), both just ten minutes from NCCU’s campus. Alternatively, those who enjoy being in the great outdoors should head over to Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the campus of Duke University just four miles northwest of the stadium, or Eno River State Park which is a fifteen-minute drive in the same direction. And for those with children, a visit to the Museum of Life and Science is a short ten-minute drive north of O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium, and offers both an indoor museum and a large outdoor play area, including a train you can ride and a butterfly house. The closest hotels to the stadium are downtown, which is not far from NCCU’s campus. There are plenty of chain hotels such as Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton, and Aloft, but if you are looking for something a little nicer, the Unscripted Durham and the 21c Museum Hotel are a three-star and four-star hotel respectively, with both offering a restaurant and the latter offering a spa and art gallery. Fans 3 NCCU has a great fan base of students, locals, and alumni, and Eagle Pride is truly evident throughout O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. My most recent visit was a Thursday night game, and though it was nationally televised, the stadium looked about two-thirds full, with most of the fans sitting on the west side of the stadium (admittedly, it was fall break at the university during my visit).But there was still a good tailgating scene outside of the stadium, and even with the stadium not at capacity the fans were still loud and engaged throughout the game, and with the DJ, PA Announcer, and The Sound Machine riling up the fans, the stadium was fairly loud. Normally the fans at an Eagles game would deserve a higher score, if it had been a regular Saturday at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium. Access 4 O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium is located on Fayetteville Street just five minutes south of downtown Durham. Traffic can be a problem if you are driving on I-85 or I-40 during rush hour, but once you are in Durham the traffic tends to ease up. There is a parking deck for ten dollars not far from the stadium, but most of the other lots are reserved for students, faculty, and Eagle Club members. Handicap parking is available, and there are a number of Go Durham Buses that take you to campus from downtown, including the 5, 7, and 8. Fares are just a dollar each way, and it’s very convenient especially if coming on Greyhound, Amtrak, or Megabus from out of town, as the train and bus station are just two blocks apart. Raleigh-Durham International Airport is less than twenty minutes southeast in Morrisville, and the main gate into the stadium behind the west side is not too crowded and is hassle-free. The bathrooms are clean but could use renovating, however, the concourses are fairly wide and are easy to navigate. Return on Investment 4 Tickets for Eagles games are fifteen dollars in advance and twenty-five dollars at the gate, so it is worth getting them early if you are planning on attending an Eagles game. Food is a little pricey but is local and tasty, and you get a fair amount of it, so it is worth paying a little more for it. Overall an Eagles football game won’t cost an arm and a leg, and with an intimate stadium, a great band, and some high-quality FCS football, it is well worth the price. . Extras 0 The first point goes to the local delicious food offered at the stadium, while the second point is for the PA Announcer who inspires the entire stadium with Eagle Pride .Point number three goes to The Sound Machine marching band that plays throughout the game and gives a great performance at halftime. A fourth point goes to the DJ, which is a rarity in college football, and complimented the band well. Finally, a point goes to the incredible staff and fans. Final Thoughts North Carolina Central University is relatively new to the Division I college football scene; now entering its tenth season at that level, the program has not been intimidated by the rise in rank. The team continues to be competitive in the MEAC, and even played in the Celebration Bowl in 2016, the game which decides the HBCU National Championship. The game day atmosphere at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium is high energy. It is clear, though, that the stadium should be updated. It doesn’t need a major overhaul but updated restroom facilities, some changes to the video board, and a few other tweaks could make the stadium an even more desirable place to watch an Eagles football team.

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14 Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial 1 War Memorial Square Rochester, NY 14614 Rochester Americans website Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial website Year Opened: 1955 Capacity: 11,200 Amerks Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial in Rochester, NY is just about the perfect place to watch minor league hockey. It’s got a great fan base, superb ushers and staff, good hockey, lots of banners, and a memorial to our war veterans. The Rochester Americans, known locally as the Amerks, are the AHL (American Hockey League) affiliate of the nearby Buffalo Sabres . The AHL is similar to the AAA minor league level in baseball. The team began play in 1956. They have played in the Calder Cup finals 16 times, winning six, most recently in 1996. The Amerks are the second-oldest AHL franchise behind the Hershey Bears . The team has always played at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, which opened in 1956. Old-time Rochester residents still simply call the venue the War Memorial, while newer Rochesterians call it Blue Cross Arena. The NLL (National Lacrosse League) Knighthawks make the arena their home, and it also hosts concerts, Disney on Ice, and other forms of entertainment. Food & Beverage 4 Plenty of food and lots of beer are available for purchase. The main concession stands are in alcoves off of the concourse. These alcoves do a nice job of minimizing the already crowded, narrow concourses. Expect lines at concessions between periods. Offerings include The Market Grab & Go where you can get cans of beer and chips. Caraglio’s Pizza sells pizza slices for $6.50 - $7. The alcoves have Fingers & Fries – chicken baskets and buckets and sandwiches ranging from $10.50 - $20 and Burgers & Dogs – burgers, veggie burgers, red and white hot dogs, and baskets with fries for $6 - $13.75. One alcove has tables and chairs to sit and eat; otherwise, you’ll have to carry your food to your seat. Roc City Dips ice cream is very popular with various servings (floats, sundaes, cones, or dishes) and flavors from $5 - $8. Other snacks at concession stands include peanuts, candy, funnel cake, and pretzels ($5 - $9). Soft drinks are Pepsi products, water, and Gatorade ($4 - $5.50). Beers run $11 for a large domestic draft and $12 for a large craft draft. Local Rohrbach Brewery sells five of its brews at the arena. If you like IPAs, A Different Animal is a good choice at $12/$12.75 in a can. Genesee Brewing and Labatt each have counters on the concourse. Genesee provides a $2 happy hour pre-game every Friday. Atmosphere 5 Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial provides a superb game da y experience while also honoring our military veterans. Banners of all the military branches hang in the huge, bright entrance lobby, which is s urrounded by two-story glass windows. The box office is inside the lobby and opens at 11 am. The arena’s seating sections are two levels of blue cushioned seats with a walkway between the two levels. The seats are average width and have average legroom. Suites are above the second level with a few over one goal end. The first level rows go up to letter Q. Two corners have spots with a few high-top tables and chairs where fans can perch and watch the game. A perfect-sized crisp, clear video board shows time, period, SOG, goals, and penalty times. No closed captioning or name of the player on penalty is displayed. The visiting team’s goals and assists can’t be heard and are not on the video board. That’s disappointing for those who keep scoring. Oddly, the video board is over the blue line; not the red line (center ice ). Turns out, it needs to rise into the ceiling for concerts, and that section of the ceiling is the only structurally sound place to store it. Blue Cross Arena Scoreboard over Blue Line, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Lots of banners hang from the rafters; all six Calder Cup championships, division and conference championships, and four retired numbers. Most of these same banners hang in the lobby lounge area. Ushers apply a ‘Wait for the Whistle’ rule in which fans remain on the top walkway while the puck is in play. This helps allow fans not to miss a piece of the action on the ice. The temperature is fine; a heavy jacket or thick sweatshirt should suffice. The music volume is just fine. You can enjoy conversations with your new Amerks friends and neighbors without having to yell to be heard. Typical entertainment such as kiss cam, dance cam, and hometown hero is offered. The 585 Brigade (the Amerks promotional team) bangs drums, starts chants, and even tries to start the wave. Youth hockey teams scrimmage on the ice between periods. Neighborhood 4 Blue Cross Arena is in downtown Rochester, NY along the Genesee River. As of this writing, the city of Rochester is looking to rejuvenate the downtown area by adding a riverwalk along the river that will include green space and benches, and an enhanced walkway. I expect it to be lovely when complete. For now, though, it is a bunch of annoying construction. Recommended restaurants in the area are The Distillery (sports bar), Dinosaur B-B-Q, and The Exchange (sports bar and nightlife). Plenty of others are nearby and within walking distance. Rochester has over 20 breweries. The closest to the arena are Fifth Frame Brewery and Swiftwater Brewing. You can’t go wrong with Rohrbach Brewing or Genesee Brewing either. If you’re spending a few days around the holidays, check out Roc Holiday Village (a winter wonderland). Other notable indoor things to see are the Susan B. Anthony House and Museum, Rochester Museum and Science Center, and the Strong National Museum of Play (good for kids). Several hotels are within walking distance. The Holiday Inn is just two block s away. Across the river are the Hyatt and the Hilton Garden Inn (both less than .5 miles from the rink). If you can drive for an hour or an hour and a half, the NHL Buffalo Sabres are a 7 5-mile drive away . Canisius or Niagara Universities (85+ mile drive) have some D1 sports. And hea ding east, the AHL Syracuse Crunch is an 87-mile drive, and Syracuse University has some D1 sports, too. Fans 4 A very highly energized crowd packs the stands at an Amerks game. Multiple generations and lots of kids support the hockey team which is fantastic to see. Plenty of fans are decked in their Amerks / Americans jerseys. Often the ‘Let’s Go Amerks’ chant is belted out without the video board prompting for noise. By the way some fans complain, they think they are better skaters than the players on the ice. Or a better coach than w hoever is standing behind the bench. This is common in minor league hockey stands. Average attendance in the last ten years is 5K – 6K, though it has dropped a bit since the pandemic. All-in-all they are a first-rate fan base. Access 3 During the 2022-2023 season, plenty of road construction is nearby the arena. Rochester’s finest police officers direct traffic before and after games helping with the vehicle and pedestrian flow. The Civic Center Parking Garage at 55 S Fitzhugh St. is .1 miles fro m the arena and costs $15. The website states you can get to the arena via an underground tunnel which is helpful for those chilly upper NY State winters. Outdoor parking is available at Court Street Municipal Lot 10 (corner of Court St and Exchange St). Rochester has a bus service, even from the airport. For fares and schedules, check RTS The airport is 5 – 6 miles from Blue Cross Arena. Uber and Lyft are easily available. Once inside, fans walk through a security check (clear plastic sports bags 12” x 6” x 12” are allowed) and walk up a flight of stairs to get to the main concourse. The entrance provides an escalator as well. For those with seats on the lower level, entrances are reached from the ground level. The concourses are very narrow and get crowded. Return on Investment 5 Single game tickets are $15 - $35. The $15 seats are not in a great location, but it gets you in the door! The team offers flex pack deals which are 8 or 16 undated ticket vouchers and run from $20 - $28 per game. They also offer Family pack deals and Holiday pack deals. Check their website for details. The refreshment prices are lower than major league prices and are less than other AHL venues. The game day experience and history are so enjoyable it’s worth attending a game here. Extras 4 Several additional features are worth noting. First, game day staff hands out a program upon entry. It contains mostly ads for sponsors but has the schedule, highlights a specific player, and upcoming Amerks promotion s. Second, visit the museum and veterans memorial. A full merchandise shop is off the lobby with shirts, jerseys, hat pins, banners, pucks, stuffed animals, and trinkets. I bet if you want it, they have it. Finally, at the game of this review, the NLL Knighthawks players were signing autographs at the Amerks game. Blue Cross Arena Amerks Shop, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Final Thoughts With the war memorial, the honoring of all military branches, and all the Rochester Americans banners on the rafters, it’s definitely worth a visit or two or three!

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Louisville Slugger Field 401 E Main St Louisville, KY 40202 Louisville Bats website Louisville Slugger Field website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 13,131 Louisville Slugger Field is New & Improved The city of Louisville has rich baseball history since the 19th century. Its first major league club, the Eclipse, was a member of the American Association from 1882 to 1891 before changing its name to the Colonels after the 1884 season. The Colonels would join the National League in 1882 and remain in the league for the rest of the decade before owner Barney Dreyfuss acquired a controlling interest in the Pittsburgh Pirates and allocated 14 members to the Bucs in 1900. One of those players was Hall of Famer Honus Wagner. The Colonels would operate as a minor league club as members of the American Association until the league folded after the 1961 season. Six years later, the Colonels were back as members of the International League as a Boston Red Sox affiliate but would relocate to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, after the 1972 season. In 1981 baseball would be back for good with the Louisville Redbirds, and the St. Louis Cardinal affiliate would become the first minor league ballclub to attract over one million fans in a season in 1982. The Redbirds rebranded as the RiverBats in 1998 and then shortened the name to the Bats a few years later. In 2000. the 13,131-seat Louisville Slugger Field debuted along the Ohio River. It would be one of the top drawing facilities in minor league baseball for the next decade. A key design feature of the $40 million ballpark is the integration of a historic rail freight depot at the main entrance. The restoration of the late 19th-century depot station is a vital component that houses everything from weddings, and meetings and a children’s play area. The 2021 season included $7 million worth of renovations that transformed the outfield concourse removed the bleacher seating, and transformed the area into a social area for fans during the game. The additions included new outfield bars, an expanded kids area, and tiered lawn seating. There were other improvements in other areas of the ballpark, including premier seating behind home plate, net extensions, and three new LED video boards. Food & Beverage 3 There are more than 50 different menu options at Louisville Slugger Field, providing a combination of wonderful smells inside the ballpark as customers are delighted by the ballpark staples of hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, and beer. There is a Mexican stand that allows visitors to create their own large nachos portions including toppings of tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, melted cheese, and sour cream. Louisville Links include the grand slam dog, spicy Italian sausage, fried bologna sandwich, and the slugger dog. The First Base, Homeplate Snacks, and Third Base Grill stands feature burger platters, chicken tenders, veggie burgers, nachos, soft pretzels, soda, and domestic bottled and draft beers. River Falls Pizza is located on the 3rd base side with garlic cheese bread and individual cheese pizzas. Number Juan Tequila has a small window stand with mixed drinks, beer, and bourbon. Graeter’s Ice Cream and other sweet treats can be found at the ballpark. The Overlook Grill features kettle chips with beer cheese, sausage and cheese bites, pretzel bites, popcorn, and peanuts. The Louisville Hops stand in centerfield offers local beers from Atrium, Against the Grain, and Fall City. There are also Slugger-ritas, frozen margaritas. Atmosphere 4 The ballpark stands out among its contemporaries in the league with an expansive brick exterior. The main entrance of the stadium was once a train shed and home to the Brinly-Hardy warehouse. The historic building structure was preserved and incorporated into the ballpark’s design. Guest entering through the main entrance will walk through the old train shed. This creates an indoor space for inflatable rides for kids, and window cases with memorabilia that includes jerseys, photos, accolades, and championship banners. Once inside the stadium, fans will take notice of the views of Louisville’s skyline, which includes the various bridges crossing the Ohio River into Indiana. The outfield concourse went through a $7 million renovation before the 2021 season and includes the Miller Time Tap House that houses cushion lounge chairs and tables, an outdoor bar, curved railing for views of the game, and a variety of beers on tap. The right field corner has tier grass seating, where seating once stood, that includes trees and a neighborhood park atmosphere at the game. The kids’ zone right behind the grass seating has been updated with modern playground equipment that includes slides, swings, and other fun for the children. The main concourse behind the infield features legacy banners of former players hanging from the ceiling, large concessions and kiosks, and the Bats Team Store that features a variety of caps, shirts, and other team spirits. Seating in this area also provides a great view of the stadium and the skyline behind the outfield walls. Buddy Bat, the official mascot, roams the ballpark offering hugs, high fives, and photo opportunities. Neighborhood 5 Louisville Slugger Field is located within steps of the Louisville Waterfront Park and blocks of the KFC Yum! Center. The Troll Pub serves typical pub fare, but in a dungeon-like atmosphere where you can also take a picture with a ceramic troll. Adjacent to the Troll Bar is the Sidebar, where bourbon and bourbon-inspired cocktails are in fashion. A few blocks away is the popular 4th Street Live, a one-stop destination for retail, dining, and entertainment, local restaurants are abundant in two levels of fantastic nightlife. Louisville is a foodie town and local restaurants are abundant opening that not only fans of visitors, but that of the local populace. Royals Hot Chicken and FeaThe feasts are both located in the East Market District of the city and offer affordable and delicious cuisine. Feast is known for its barbecue, but it also has excellent desserts (s’mores chocolate chess pie, sides (vinegar slaw), and drinks (bourbon shakes). Another favorite is the Garage Bar, housed in a former auto service garage, serving up ice-cold beer, bourbons, wood-fired pizzas, and Southern menu items. Also, a great spot for a few rounds of cornhole or table tennis. If you are still looking for more options in the neighborhood check out Grind Burger Kitchen and Akasha Brewing Company. Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen offers great soul food and live music. Holy Grale is a unique gastropub featuring a long, rotating beer list & locavore fare in a 1905 former church. The Louisville Slugger Museum, Churchill Downs (racing after dark during June and July), the University of Louisville, and the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience are not your typical bourbon trail tour. You will be able to keep yourself busy in town before or after a baseball game. Make a weekend out of the visit and enjoy this great city. Fans 3 The Bats attracted over 600,000 fans for each of its first 12 seasons at the ballpark. Those numbers have dipped down a bit in the past few seasons, but the team has averaged a very respectable 7,000 plus per game during that time. A Louisville fan enjoys a good night out, but maybe even baseball a little bit more. The crowd is old-fashioned gear, both new (blue and red) and old (purple and black), and can be heard talking with good old-fashioned baseball lingo. Everyone in attendance is there for a great night out of baseball, food, and drink. Access 5 Whether you are crossing into Kentucky over the Ohio River from Indiana on either I-64 or I-65, Louisville Slugger Field is visible from the interstate. A quick distance from Exit 136C you can find either parking on the streets (meters expire at 6 p.m.) or in lots across the street from the stadium for $6. The choice is yours, but I have been lucky enough to find free parking at the meters for evening games a few blocks away from the stadium. It is well worth saving some money for a short walk. Return on Investment 4 Tickets to a Bats game begin at $9 for lawn seating and then $13 for seating down each baseline. The first two rows behind the home plate are $55 and include $10 at the Team Store or concession stands. The price to park is $9 to $10 in the adjacent lots of the stadium, but there are less expensive lots and free street parking (depending on the day and time). Concession and team store pricing is comparable with other minor league ballparks on the Triple-A market. Extras 4 Against the Grain is connected to the stadium down the right field line. The fully operational restaurant is open year-round and offers barbecue, handcrafted beers, and life urban. The smell alone would merit an additional star and so could the outdoor patio seating that is full of life before and after games. The Kentucky Hi-Five–a shot of bourbon and a pint of lager for $6 as of this writing. The historic freight rail train depot is an enclosed section of the building that is draped with the various championship pennants won by the club since 1901 and is used for various events all year long. The Miller Time Tap House is in the center field and provides spectacular views of the city’s skyline, bridges, river, and the game itself. The renovations have made it a relaxing spot to view the game and take in views of the city skyline. Thursday night features live music before the game in this area of the stadium. The organization does an incredible job of providing a link to its predecessors and the rich history of baseball in the city with pictures, banners, trophies, and artifacts all on display inside the main entrances. A glorious statue of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and Louisville native Pee Wee Reese adorns the main entrance. There are photos of the city’s former ballparks that include bricks from Parkway Field creating a frame for the black and white photo and a larger-than-life picture of Honus Wagner who began his career in town in 1897. Final Thoughts A visitor can expect a great time at Louisville Slugger Field. The Bats provide affordable ticket pricing, an amazing food selection, wonderful views of the game and city, and history inside the ballpark. It is a classic-looking baseball stadium situated in a great part of the city. ---- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at marc@stadiumjourney.com

Photos courtesy of Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium King George St Annapolis, MD 21402 Navy Midshipmen website Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium website Year Opened: 1962 Capacity: 1,500 Anchors Aweigh Located in a scenic location along College Creek near its confluence with the Severn River, Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium has been home to Navy Midshipmen baseball since 1962. Named after former Navy baseball coach Max Bishop and Naval Academy graduates Ron and Bruce Terwilliger, the stadium seats 1,500 and has a playing surface that is entirely turf except for the pitcher’s mound and the areas around home plate and the bases, which are dirt. Food & Beverage 2 There is one small concession stand located behind home plate. You can see the field from there, which is a big plus as you don’t have to miss any of the action. The only things that could be the main course are hot dogs for $3 and burgers for $6. A box of popcorn, a hot pretzel, and Dippin Dots all cost $4, assorted candy is $2, and chips are $1. To drink, bottled water, coffee, soda (all Pepsi products) and hot cocoa are all $3. During Stadium Journey's visit in spring of 2021, only credit and debit cards were accepted to minimize touch surfaces during the COVID pandemic. It is unclear if they have begun accepting cash again. Atmosphere 4 Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium is a beautiful stadium in a beautiful setting. College Creek runs along the first base line behind the visitor’s dugout and many rowboats from the Academy can be seen docked there. Just beyond the outfield fence, College Creek flows into the Severn River, which itself flows into the Chesapeake Bay a few miles downstream. Parts of the Naval Academy are also visible beyond the outfield fence. As for the stadium itself, all seats are chairbacks and have an excellent view of the field. As it is a small stadium, all seats are very close to the action. The entire seating bowl is behind a net but in this setting with aluminum bats, that is necessary to ensure fan safety. There are several other interesting locations where you can watch the game from. There is an entrance plaza down the leftfield line where fans can stand around and watch the game, as well as an elevated standing room area on top of the team’s indoor batting cages just to the left of that. Some fans also watch the game from atop the grass hill beyond the left-field fence. There is a large scoreboard in left-center field. In addition to the linescore, this board has video capabilities and will show other graphics about the game such as lineups when it is not being used for that. Such elaborate scoreboards are commonplace at bigger college baseball stadiums but almost unheard of in the Patriot League. The game itself involves the standard things such as announcements, between innings music, and not much else, but being in such a nice stadium really adds to the atmosphere. Considering the Patriot League is in the lower tier of Division I and college baseball stadiums in this part of the country are usually not fancy at all, that makes this even more impressive. Neighborhood 5 Annapolis is the capital of Maryland and there is plenty to do here. From checking out Sandy Point Beach along the Chesapeake Bay to heading downtown to the many restaurants, there is so much to do here. Miss Shirley’s is a local favorite and open for breakfast and lunch, and Buddy’s Crab’s and Ribs serves exactly what is in the name and also is known for their buffet on weekends, at least in non-COVID times. Tours are normally offered by the Naval Academy and are well worth it, but at the moment they are suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans 3 The Midshipmen currently average a couple of hundred fans a game, and while officially they averaged about 600-700 pre-pandemic, the real number was likely closer to what they draw now than what they claimed to draw. Many of the fans that show up are often fans of the other team, but the Navy fans who do show up are passionate and will cheer for the Mids throughout the game. Again, many college baseball stadiums in this part of the country don’t even draw that many fans, especially in the lower tiers of Division I like this is. Access 3 There are several cramped lots surrounding Max Bishop Stadium, but at least on a weekend, you should be able to find a place to park. The lots also serve several other buildings which are closed on weekends, but they may be more crowded for weekday afternoon games. Overflow parking is available for $5 at nearby Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium with shuttle bus service available for Patriot League games only. This presents a rather paradoxical situation, as Patriot League games are typically played on weekends, when it is easier to park close to the stadium for free and fans would have little reason to park at the football stadium, while non-Patriot League games are typically played on weekdays, when the parking situation at the stadium is more challenging. That being said, parking is available at the football stadium for non-conference games, it’s only the shuttle that isn’t, and it’s only about a 15-minute walk. Return on Investment 5 Admission is free, parking is likely to be free, and concessions are affordable. Throw in the ability to watch baseball in a beautiful stadium and the added value offered by the frequent doubleheaders the Patriot League plays, and a visit to Max Bishop Stadium is a great value. Extras 3 One star for the scenic setting offered by views of College Creek, the Severn River, and the Naval Academy itself. A second star for the large flagpole in centerfield reminding you of the fact that you are attending a sporting event at a service academy. A third and final star for offering multiple unique vantage points to watch the game in addition to the conventional seating bowl. Final Thoughts Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium is a beautiful stadium in a beautiful setting. Navy has been at or near the top of the Patriot League for many years so you’re going to see some good baseball here. Throw in the history of the Naval Academy and all there is to do in Annapolis and a visit here has a great deal to offer even the casual fan of college baseball.

Photos by Ryan Rohde, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Roos Field 1136 Washington St Cheney, WA 99004 Eastern Washington Eagles website Roos Field website Year Opened: 1967 Capacity: 8,600 Welcome to the Inferno! Just a few minutes west of Spokane, Washington in Cheney, Washington is Roos Field, the home of the Eastern Washington Eagles. A member of the Big Sky Conference of the FCS, the Eagles have propelled themselves into the national spotlight by having much success since they won the 2010 National Championship. The Eagles house the only red turf in the entire college football landscape. Let’s take a look at what makes Roos Field, or “The Inferno” as it is called up here, a very good venue for FCS football. Food & Beverage 3 You’ll find two concession stands at Roos Field. One is located behind the press box and the other is located behind the video/scoreboard behind the south end zone. You’ll find the usual stadium food with some extra selections. Hot dogs can be served with chili ($5.25) or without ($3.50), also served is deluxe nachos, teriyaki chicken and rice, BBQ beef sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese. Pepsi products are served in bottle form along with bottled water, hot chocolate, and coffee. Credit/debit cards are accepted at both stands. Roos Field also offers a beer garden named the Coors Light Climb on Club. Atmosphere 4 Roos Field has a great atmosphere for small town college football. Roos Field is fully open to all the elements and just in general. There are stands below the press box, which is the main seating area, is the biggest one. You will only find bleacher seating here. There is also a seating area behind the north end zone and the visiting fans section behind the east sideline. One of the downsides to the field is that no matter where you are sitting, you are far away from the action. An eight lane track surrounds the football field. The Eastern Washington Marching Band takes up a section of bleachers in the north end zone seating and stays active throughout the games. Cheerleaders and music that can be clearly heard as well as the student section keeps the fans into the game. Roos Field has a crystal clear video/scoreboard that shows the game in real time on whatever network is providing the game on TV without the delay. Neighborhood 2 This is where EWU gets a bad score. Cheney is a college town, but the area around the arena is the campus itself so housing and buildings housing the classrooms such surround the area. The only hotel located close to the arena is a Holiday Inn Express and Suites about 1.5 miles from Reese Court otherwise be prepared to stay in Spokane, Washington which is about 16 miles from the arena. Fast food is your main option close to the arena. McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Carl’s Jr. are about 1.5 miles from the arena. A place I would recommend trying is El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant which is located about one mile from the arena as well. Fans 4 The fans for Eastern Washington are definitely the hardcore type. You’ll find many of them tailgating using their trucks and trailers in the parking lots behind the stadium and even on the east side behind the visiting bleacher section. The home bleacher seating is usually full and is dominated by the student section that is in the first seven rows of the seating underneath the press box on the west side. The fans constantly stay in the game. What is unique is these fans can leave the stadium at halftime and go back out to the trucks and trailers or meet up with friends on the outside. Some of the fans that tailgate stay outside the stadium and watch the game on TV and have food and portable fire pits to stay warm. It really is a one of a kind experience for football fans in the Pacific Northwest. Access 3 Accessibility is the tough thing as parking behind the field in the parking lots is reserved for RV’s and media personnel. Most people find parking on the side streets and a few blocks away from the stadium itself. You can take a Spokane Transit Authority bus from the Downtown Spokane STA Plaza to Eastern Washington. EWU does check bags as you enter Roos Field, but entry is smooth and simple. Single game tickets are sold online via TicketsWest and run to about $20, but games against rivals such as the Montana Grizzlies can run up to $50. TicketsWest offers Will Call and Print at Home ticket options for games. Return on Investment 2 The return on your investment for attending a game at Roos Field isn’t terrible, but it definitely could be better. For the price of a ticket, you get bleacher seating like you are going to watch high school football. Also, you really don’t have that many options when it comes to food, but on the bright side you probably won’t run into super long lines at either concession stand during halftime or even before the game as most of the fans tailgate and are able to go out to their trucks and trailers during halftime. Extras 2 Roos Field gets a couple extra bonus points: One extra point for “The Inferno” team store located by the concession stand behind the press box. In there you will find at your Eastern Washington gear needs. Another extra point for the history of the program on the back side of the press box right when you walk into the main gate. Including the huge 2010 National Champions sign. Final Thoughts Roos Field is a great place to catch a game and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see the red turf and catch a great small town college football atmosphere. The fans are great and are so involved in watching their Eagles play and with the recent success of the Eastern Washington program, I would expect them to just continue upward. Hopefully, a remodel to Roos Field is in the works so that way fans can be a little more comfortable during the game and have more amenities. Come catch a game at The Inferno!

Photos by Michael Davis, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.72 Reed Arena 730 Olsen Boulevard College Station, TX 77843 Texas A&M Aggies website Reed Arena website Year Opened: 1998 Capacity: 12,989 Aggieland Basketball Reed Arena is in College Station, Texas, in the Texas A&M University athletic complex, near the west side of campus. The facility is home to Texas A&M’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, the volleyball team, major concerts, commencement ceremonies, and a variety of other events. The two-level arena has a single concourse with a seating capacity of 12,989. Reed Arena opened in the fall of 1998 and is named for Houston veterinarian Dr. Chester J. Reed and his wife, Billie Jean (Dr. Reed is a 1947 graduate of A&M). Unlike all the other athletic facilities on campus, Reed Arena operates under the Department of Finance, not the Athletic Department. Reed Arena was the home court for the 2011 NCAA women’s basketball National Champion Texas A&M Aggies and has also served as the site for both the men’s and women’s first round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). The largest crowd for a men’s basketball game here (13,888) took place on January 19th, 2016 versus LSU. Food & Beverage 3 Reed Arena has nine permanent concession stands located on the concourse level, along with various temporary stands. The concessions here offer all the expected stadium fare at typical stadium prices. At the regular stands, Aggie nachos are $10, while regular nachos cost $5, and you can add extra cheese or chili to either size for an additional $1.75. There are a couple of food values as well, such as a combo including a hamburger, chips, and a souvenir soda, or a souvenir popcorn, for $10. You can also find Slovacek sausage and bratwurst for $6, or an Aggie dog (a basic hot dog), peanuts, or candy for about $5 each. A standard stadium pretzel costs $6 while the popcorn is a dollar less unless you buy a souvenir popcorn for $10. In addition to the main stands, there are temporary stations that provide different menu options than what you can get at the regular stands. For example, the Aggie Hospitality stand provides California nachos, topped with black beans, Pico de Gallo, cheese sauce, pulled pork, black olives, salsa, and sour cream, or you can get a high-calorie, foot-long chili cheese dog with the hefty price tag of $12. There is also a very good BBQ sandwich for $10, or a slice of pizza for $8. All the fixed concession stands accept credit cards. The soda products offered inside Reed Arena are Pepsi products. The concession stands offer two sizes – regular for $4, or large, which comes in an Aggies Arise souvenir cup for $6. Aquafina bottled water costs $4 for a large and $2 for a regular. While Reed Arena may not offer a significant number of novelty concessions, you should find plenty to choose from to satisfy any appetite while attending an event inside the venue. Atmosphere 4 The atmosphere at Reed Arena is above average, and although it may not be on the same level as Kyle Field , the 12th Man and the Spirit of Aggieland are alive and well among the “Reed Rowdies.” The Reed Rowdies consists of a student group that promotes Aggie basketball on campus. However, any student attending a game at Reed Arena is considered a Reed Rowdy – the Reed Rowdies are found on the baselines wearing white t-shirts, and can be seen waving towels to rally the team and their fellow onlookers. These students, along with the Texas A&M Yell Leaders, keep the Aggie spirit and tradition thriving during each basketball game. The most recognizable Aggie tradition comes alive at the beginning of each half, and after the game is over – this is The Aggie War Hymn , when you’ll witness Aggie upon Aggie linking arms and legs and swaying back and forth, in a motion like that of a saw blade. This motion is to symbolize “sawing Varsity’s horns off,” referring to Texas A&M’s most-hated rival, the Texas Longhorns. Legend has it that the Longhorns mascot (a Texas steer) used to be named Varsity, but in 1917 a group of A&M students snuck into Austin and branded him with a 13-0 mark, the score of A&M’s 1916 gridiron victory over Texas. UT students are said to have hurriedly responded by adding some branding of their own, turning the 13-0 into the word BEVO (the 1 and 3 became a ‘B,’ the dash became an ‘E,’ and the ‘V’ was added), which is the current name of the Longhorns mascot. Nevertheless, since tradition is king at Texas A&M, the Aggies continue to sing the original lyrics. Their yells and songs still refer to the university as Texas AMC, about the fact that Texas A&M University used to be Texas A&M College. Some games at Reed Arena feature the Corp of Cadets supporting the team from a section on the baseline, near where the Aggie Dance team is situated; the Aggie Dance team performs choreographed routines during timeouts and at halftime. In addition, since Texas A&M doesn’t have a traditional cheerleading squad, the Yell Leaders and the Reed Rowdies get the crowd to participate in A&M’s signature “yells” – the Yell Leaders use hand signals to tell the crowd what yell to do next, by signaling to the front row and then having the fans pass it back up to the top of the arena, so that all the fans can do the yell in unison. Texas A&M’s Yell Leaders are a group of five students, elected by the student body, who lead yells at A&M sporting events. Overall, the atmosphere here at Reed Arena can be spectacular, especially if Texas A&M has a competitive team on the court. But no matter the opponent, the atmosphere is above average, because of the Spirit of Aggieland. Neighborhood 3 Reed Arena is located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, just off George Bush Drive on the corner of Olsen Boulevard and Kimbrough Boulevard. College Station and nearby Bryan are in East Central Texas, about one-and-a-half hours northwest of Houston. The two cities together are referred to as the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area, and this “twin city” makes up the 16th largest metropolitan area in the state of Texas, with a population of approximately 170,000. College Station is constantly listed among the great college towns, and just north of Texas A&M University, on the other side of University Drive, is the Northgate District. The Northgate District provides many restaurants and bars that have an amazing pre or postgame atmosphere, such as the Dixie Chicken. Commonly referred to as “The Chicken,” this restaurant/bar has been serving College Station since 1974 and is located directly across from Texas A&M’s campus. The Chicken is a great place to grab a beer before or after the game and listen to live country music. Not only is the Dixie Chicken known to be a favorite watering hole among Aggies, but the bar also claims to serve the most beer per square foot of any bar in the United States, and also has a variety of food selections at reasonable prices. For the craft beer lover, just around the corner from The Dixie Chicken is the Blackwater Draw Brewing Company. Or, if you’re looking to find some BBQ in the area, avoid BBQ 13-0, as it is not a good test of Texas BBQ – 13-0 is more for A&M students who need a late-night BBQ sandwich to absorb their earlier alcoholic beverages. But College Station and Bryan have a few much better BBQ places to enjoy, such as Fargo’s Pit BBQ, Kreuz Market, and my personal favorite, C&J BBQ, which has three locations within a few miles of campus, and of which are worth your time. Alternatively, on the south side of campus, there is a well-known College Station burger place, Koppe Bridge. Koppe Bridge has two locations, but the original is on Wellborn Road – originally an old feed store, this restaurant opened in 1992. For history buffs, some of the original timbers on the floor are from the old Koppe Bridge that spanned the Brazos River until the late 1920s, when the bridge was destroyed by flood waters. Texas A&M University’s campus is a great way to spend time before or after a game. The one place on campus that is truly a must when visiting College Station is the Bonfire Memorial, located next to the TAMU golf course. This memorial represents the bond that Aggies have with one another, and embodies the spirit, history, and traditions long celebrated and honored by Texas A&M students and former students; the memorial is a tribute to the individuals who lost their lives or were injured during the tragic 1999 bonfire collapse. The campus is also home to the George Bush (senior) Presidential Library and Museum. Fans 4 Aggie fans are unique compared to those at other schools, in that there is a bond among Aggies. Texas A&M University is recognized as the Home of the 12th Man, a football reference, because the crowd stands throughout the game to show support for their team, each Aggie waiting (figuratively) to be called onto the field to play in the game if needed. This tradition goes back to 1922 when a former Texas A&M football player named E. King Gill was called from the stands during a football game after several players were injured. Gill suited up and sat on the bench for most of the game, but never needed to go in. His willingness to serve, however, ignited Aggie fans to loudly and energetically support their team forevermore; a larger-than-life statue of E. King Gill now stands at one corner of Kyle Field. However, the Aggie Spirit is felt not just in football, but in basketball as well; there are no bandwagon fans when it comes to Aggieland. When you visit Texas A&M you’ll learn that being an Aggie is about much more than just buying school apparel; either you’re an Aggie or you’re not. Despite this extreme loyalty, however, you’ll typically find Aggie fans to be polite and respectful to visitors. Access 3 Reed Arena is located on the campus of Texas A&M University near the intersection of Olsen Boulevard and Kimbrough Boulevard, not far from Blue Bell Park and across from the Davis Diamond softball field. The campus parking lots in the area are reserved or require permits, so it is better to follow the signs for general parking; general parking is cash only at $5 per vehicle. Reed Arena is surrounded by four parking lots, which hold a combined 1500 cars, and the venue is also within walking distance of a 3,750-capacity parking garage. Overall, you should have no problem finding parking, but be aware that while access to Reed Arena is excellent, be prepared to wait at least half an hour in the parking lots after the game, due to the traffic congestion afterward. Reed Arena’s main box office is located at the main entrance, across from the Student Rec Center on Olsen Boulevard. There are also satellite box offices at each of the other entrances, making it very easy to just walk up and buy a ticket. The doors open one hour before tip-off. It is easy to get into Reed Arena from any of the four entrances, and handicap access and restrooms are easily accessible. The concourse is wide and there is plenty of signage to help you find your section, regardless of whether you’re sitting on the lower level or the upper. Texas A&M University does have a clear bag policy for all Aggie athletics home events; to be clear on what bags are allowed into Reed Arena, you can click on www.12thMan.com/BeClear . Return on Investment 5 TAMU men’s basketball ticket prices are very affordable for top-notch college basketball; the price depends on where you want to sit. The best seats in Reed Arena are priced at $25 for courtside, with the rest of the lower bowl at either $20 or $22; balcony seating (upper level) is between $15 and $20. There is also general admission seating for $10 in sections 210-216, which is a great price considering that on most nights you will be able to move over to a better seat. In addition, parking is only $5 and is located right outside the arena, and the concessions prices are very reasonable. Overall the Reed Arena experience has a high return on investment, and Texas A&M University also participates in Flash Seat ticketing, which is a paperless way to manage your tickets. Extras 3 Texas A&M University is one of only six senior military colleges in the United States, and TAMU’s Corps of Cadets is the largest uniformed body outside of the military academies. While all colleges have their unique traditions, at Texas A&M it is a rite of passage to be an Aggie. The song The Spirit of Aggieland speaks of a spirit that “can ne’er be told,” which is not merely a punchline to use at sporting events, but a deep passion that seeps into every Aggie that comes to Texas A&M. In addition, this spirit passes not only throughout the world but even into space, as The Aggie War Hymn was used as a wake-up call on Day 11 of space mission STS-121, for Texas A&M former student and mission specialist Mike Fossum. The people of the Bryan-College Station area show Texas Pride and practice real Southern hospitality, and do not merely preach it, from the simple “Howdy” instead of hello to the “Welcome to Aggieland” water tower and signage throughout TAMU’s campus. Final Thoughts Reed Arena is an incredible venue to see top-level SEC Basketball, with sight lines that are perfect for basketball. And even though basketball isn’t the premier sport at Texas A&M, it says a lot about the program and fans here that the announced attendance was only 2,000 less than capacity for a recent Saturday night game against the #1-ranked Tennessee Volunteers. Reed Arena is also easy to access, has low ticket prices for top SEC games, and boasts the Reed Rowdies continuing the Aggie traditions. College Station is a wonderful college town, but witnessing the Spirit of Aggieland will amaze you. There is a little something here for everyone, but most of all, a simple Howdy from Aggieland makes it worth the trip.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Alice P. McDermott Convocation Center 4301 Broadway St San Antonio, TX 78209 Incarnate Word Cardinals website Alice P. McDermott Convocation Center website Year Opened: 1989 Capacity: 2,000 UIW Cardinals – McDermott Convocation Center As the largest Catholic university in Texas, with a student body of over 9,300, the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) has a long and storied history. Founded by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, the school’s athletic teams are known as the Cardinals . They began the school’s basketball program in time for the 1980-81 season. After much of their existence in the NCAA’s Division II, where they made the postseason tournament in 2002, 2009, and 2010, they moved up to Division I and are now members of the Southland Conference. Since that time they have made it to one postseason tournament, the Collegeinsider.com Invitational Tournament (CIT) in 2015. Since 1989 the men’s and women’s basketball teams, as well as UIW volleyball squad, has called Alice P. McDermott Convention Center their home. The venue’s namesake, the late Alice P. McDermott, was a longtime supporter of education in South Texas and San Antonio – especially UIW. The cozy venue is the metaphorical heart of the Cardinals’ athletics complex. Food & Beverage 2 When it comes to concessions, there really isn’t much to write home about at McDermott Convocation Center – there is one concessions stand located at the front of the venue as soon as you walk through the main entrance. The only offerings available here are stadium-style nachos, a hot dog combo, kettle corn, candy, and bottled sodas and water. Beer is also available for purchase. Everything is relatively low-cost, with a hot dog combo running you around $7. It’ll do in a pinch, but if you’re looking to really get your grub on, you’d be better served to eat prior to the game, or wait until afterwards. Atmosphere 3 The venue has the feel of a high school gymnasium, and that helps out with the atmosphere somewhat. Since just 2,000 fans can fill this place to capacity, even a fraction of that seems like a good-sized crowd. The design of it also helps acoustically, as the crowd noise just seems to be bottled up, which makes it louder than it should be. Inside the venue there are banners hanging from the rafters denoting the Cardinals postseason success. Flanking each side of the concessions stand there are trophy cases, one highlighting the overall success of UIW athletics, and the other being the Cardinals Hall of Honor. The main draw, in terms of atmosphere, is the aesthetic and beauty of the campus. UIW is truly a beautiful university, with its tree-lined walkways and bridges that span the headwaters of the San Antonio River. There is also a lot of public art interspersed among the many red-brick buildings; I would advise anyone taking in a game at McDermott Convocation Center to make time beforehand to spend some time on the campus grounds. Neighborhood 5 McDermott Convocation Center, as mentioned, is the central heart of UIW athletics. It is within eyesight of both Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium and Sullivan Field , home to the Cardinals football and baseball teams, respectively. Depending on when you make your visit, you might be able to double-dip and see an additional game at one of these other venues. Regardless, the UIW campus itself is located in a great spot in the city, just a short drive up one of the busiest thoroughfares to the Alamo City’s vibrant downtown . Along the way, however, are a bevvy of exciting entertainment and dining options. Starting with entertainment, I highly recommend all visitors to S.A. stop in and see the Witte Museum – the most-visited museum in the city, it chronicles South Texas’ history through exhibits on culture, science, and nature. It has large exhibits on the Texas Rangers (not the baseball team), a science treehouse, and even dinosaurs! If you’re looking to stretch your legs before your visit to McDermott Convocation Center, plan a stop at Brackenridge Park , home to hiking and biking trails, the oldest golf course in Texas, the Japanese Tea Garden, Sunken Garden Theater, and San Antonio Zoo. There is also a driving range, soccer and baseball/softball fields, and a Starbucks for those in need of a quick caffeine fix. For dining options, I have a couple of recommendations that are personal favorites. First is Hung Fung Chinese Restaurant – in business for over 80 years, Hung Fung has introduced Chinese cuisine to generations of San Antonians. Hung Fung plays all the hits, such as lemon chicken, beef and broccoli, and sweet and sour pork, and it does them really well. Another recommendation that I’ll offer is Broadway 5050 ; offering up one of the best burgers in town, the Broadway 5050 is a classic hangout spot. Come for the burgers and beer, stay for the atmosphere. If you’re looking for places to stay while in town, downtown San Antonio is loaded with options for all price ranges. If, however, you’re looking for something even closer to UIW’s campus, there are options. None are within walking distance, but several are less than five minutes away by car; these include Holiday Inn Express and Candlewood Suites . Fans 3 As mentioned, McDermott Convocation Center could be considered on the small side compared to other Division I programs. However, the school has a strong alumni base and good representation from the student body at basketball games. The crowds may not be large, but they are loud and passionate. Also, if you attend a game on the weekend, you’re really going to see a larger crowd than during the week. Access 4 As mentioned, UIW is in a great location in the Alamo City. With it being so close to Ddwntown, it is centrally located, and since it is located off a main thoroughfare, it can easily be reached from any point in town. It is also located – thanks to a very visibly marked exit sign – off State Highway 37/281. This also puts it at a 14-minute drive from the San Antonio International Airport. Once on site, parking is plentiful and free in the athletics compound lots. Signage also marks the way to the gym. The city’s public transportation option, VIA Metropolitan Transit also makes frequent stops to the UIW campus for those who don’t want to drive. Return on Investment 3 Single-game tickets for UIW Cardinals games start at $10 per person and go up to just $15 per person. This is a nice bargain for Division I basketball. Their home schedule doesn’t usually draw in many “blue blood” teams as part of their non-conference schedule, but it is still a good bargain; this is especially true when you account for the low-cost concessions and free parking. Extras 2 There isn’t much in the way of extras at Cardinals basketball games. They do have contests in between timeouts and toss t-shirts to the crowd periodically, but the venue just doesn’t lend itself to much more. The Cardinal Red Basketball Band does perform throughout the game and the Cardinals Dance Team performs during breaks in the game; that’s about it though. Final Thoughts McDermott Convocation Center is a fine venue for what it is. It could give the impression of a high school gym, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The real draw, I think, would be the campus itself. The UIW campus is truly beautiful. If you have the chance to visit and possibly double up with another game, that is something sports fans should try to do. It’s not a bucket list venue, but you will still enjoy yourself in a visit to UIW for basketball. Follow Eric Moreno’s Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477. Visit Eric Moreno’s writer’s portfolio site at ericmoreno.contently.com .

Photos by Chris Tuck, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Stade Pierre-Mauroy 261, Boulevard de Tournai, CS 70678 59656 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France Lille OSC website Stade Pierre Mauroy website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 50,000 A Visit to Les Dogues Planning permission for this futuristic-looking stadium was gained in December 2009, with construction beginning in March 2010. A total of 51,100 seats were installed in April 2012 and the stadium was completed three months later. Initially known as Grand Stade Lille Métropole, the stadium changed its name in 2013. The new name was to honour Pierre Mauroy, a French cabinet minister and local politician who died earlier that year. Lille OSC was founded back in 1944 as a merger between Sporting Club Fivois and Olympique Lillois. They’ve played at various stadiums over the years including Stade Henri-Jooris and Stade Grimonprez-Jooris. During that time Lille won the top French league (Ligue 1) on three occasions, the most recent in 2010/11 with a certain Eden Hazard pulling the strings. ‘Les Dogues,’ as they are known, have also won the Coupe de France on six occasions and the UEFA Intertoto Cup once (2004). The stadium was used for six games during Euro 96 and has hosted concerts by Celine Dion, Rihanna, and Depeche Mode amongst others. It can also be adapted into five different configurations to host rugby, basketball, handball, and even Davis Cup tennis. Food & Beverage 4 Outside the stadium, restaurants and kiosks provide good nourishment options. The Stade Mauroy is an ‘out of town stadium,’ but the norm seems to be to head to the ground and soak up the surprisingly chilled atmosphere. An English-style pub called The Factory, a wine bar, Japanese cuisine, and pizza are all found in an area called the terraces opposite the main club shop. Additional food outlets include a quick burger restaurant, a panini café, and a Subway. You can eat from a stall serving sausage & chips, beer, and soft drinks and sit outside, catching the last of the day’s sunshine. Inside, there are the usual catering outlets ready to take your money. Each seems to serve something different. The queues move very slowly, so you’ll have to be patient or very hungry to eat at the stadium. Prices for a Parisienne or rosette baguette and a soda is 7 Euros. Atmosphere 4 Architect firm Valode & Pistre, together with Pierre Ferret, were involved in the designs for this striking modern stadium, and they did a fine job. The roof is retractable (in just 30 minutes). The pitch is sunk one tier below ground level and so from the outside the stadium does not look particularly imposing. Incredibly, the playing surface is built on massive tracks that hydraulically lift the pitch, making a more intimate capacity of 30k, all in the top stand. There is a huge screen built into the outside of the stadium which has a covering of around 12,000 polycarbonate tubes and 70,000 LED lights. Solar panels on the roof help to make the stadium self-sufficient. Inside the stadium, there are three tiers, with numerous hospitality boxes situated at the back of the second tier. The noise is generated from the ultras behind both goals, starting with a rousing rendition of the club anthem to the tune of ‘Amazing Grace.’ The view from the corner of the third tier is good. The lower tier has quite a meagre incline, but in the top tier, the steep steps ensure that you feel part of the action. Neighborhood 4 During our visit, we had the choice to eat in the centre of Lille, outside the stadium, or inside the stadium. We chose all three! In Lille, there is a fantastic rooftop restaurant called ‘Le Garden’ situated in the historic centre, Vieux-Lille, On a sunny day, you’ll find a relaxed atmosphere, helpful service, and excellent cuisine. Hotels, restaurants, and large car parks are all available on the footprint of the stadium meaning if time is tight, you can avoid the city completely. The recommendation however is to make time. Lille is the tenth-largest city in France and fourth largest metropolitan area. In 2004 it was named the European Capital of Culture and is often known as the ‘Capital des Flandres.’ Visit the excellent tourism website before you set off. Here you can find details for the 24 and 48-hour City Tourism Pass, which provides unlimited access to 28 attractions across Lille and admission to the local metro, tram, and bus. Be sure to spend some time in Vieux Lille (old Lille), the medieval city centre. It is the cultural heart of the city with cafes, restaurants, museums, old cobbled streets, and some great architecture. Make sure you tick off Lille’s UNESCO world heritage site – the 104-meter-high Bell Tower attached to the Hotel de Ville. It provides excellent views over the city and is one of 23 belfries in the north of France (and one in Belgium) recognised by UNESCO. The city has numerous museums and art galleries. The Palais des Beaux-Arts Museum is a beautiful-looking building and second only to the Louvre in Paris. Pop in to catch a glimpse of a Rubens or a Rembrandt. Lille was traditionally a textile city and if you or the partner want to shop, head to the ‘Grand Place’ area of the city and you will find thousands of shops wanting to help you part with your Euros. If you prefer markets, the Wazemmes is the one to head for. For accommodations, the Mercure Lille Centre Grand Place is in a good location and has some good reviews. If you want to stay out near the ground, then the Tulip Inn or the Park Lane are within a stone’s throw. Still near the stadium, but a bit cheaper, is the Hotel Premiere Classe. Fans 3 In April 2018 it was reported that Lille players were forced to leave the field after being attacked by their fans following a 1-1 draw with Montpellier. Security failed as hundreds of fans invaded the pitch after the full-time whistle to confront the home team. Lille Ultras groups met with owner Gerard Lopez, who purchased the club in 2017, to agree on a way forward together; the subsequent pitch invasion suggests not all is well between fan and club. One factor is the heightened expectation after the 2011 title win and another is five managers in four years. Their main rain rivals are Lens – two big northern clubs, perhaps divided by class Lille (middle) and Lens (working). Geographically they are just a 30-minute drive apart. Average attendance peaked in the first season at the new stadium at an average of 40k. The following two seasons it fell to 38k then 36k. The highest attendance during that time was 48,960 in 2014 v PSG. From 2016-2018 the average attendance has hovered around 30, 000. Access 3 The stadium is approximately 6 km outside of Lille town centre in an area called Villeneuve d’ Ascq. If you are flying, then you need to travel to Belgium not France. Head for Brussels South Charleroi Airport, and then it’s just over 100 km west over the border by car. Whilst here though you should also head 50 km north on arrival at the airport and visit the site of the Battle of Waterloo. When travelling from the UK you may take the excellent Euro Tunnel which whisks you under the channel in just over 30 mins. From there it’s just over 100 km to Lille. Eurostar of course also calls at Lille and takes just 90 minutes. Keep a look out for cheap return tickets from London St Pancras which come up from time to time. Once in Lille, use the local transport system. The #18 bus towards Versailles will get you close. On the (driverless) metro, head for Cite Scientifique for the stadium or Les Pres for a shuttle bus service that will take you straight to the ground. Alternatively, you could get a taxi for around 20 Euros. If you need to park near the ground, then be careful. The car parks can end up quite full and some of the parking isn’t necessarily legal. This can lead to long and frustrating delays as you try to leave. The Stade Pierre Mauroy website suggests booking your parking in advance and describes the various parking options provided. You may also be able to find a side street easily enough and exit the area in good time. Tickets are simple enough to get ahold of. The surplus of tickets is generally available means you can buy them on the day from the ticket office or the club shop in the town centre. Buying in advance, prices range from 15-65 Euros and are available through the club website. Buying via the Lille website is straight forward and e-tickets will be in your email inbox within a minute after purchasing. Return on Investment 4 Take advantage of special ticket deals, which provide an excellent return on investment. The match day programme (Reservoir Dogues) and club newspaper (LOSC in the City) are also both free. Prices for food and beers are expensive in the centre of Lille as you’d expect, but overall the trip can be done relatively cheaply. Extras 3 Guided tours are available for individuals, lasting approximately one hour. Book ahead via the Villeneuve d’ Ascq tourism office. For a group tour, download the booking form on the Pierre Mauroy stadium website. A club toaster is a highlight when looking for eclectic gifts in the club shop. The shop is well stocked but the queue seems to take an age. Final Thoughts In its 6th year, the stadium is beginning to look a little worn on the outside, but overall it’s an impressive modern arena to watch a game. With the 2024 Olympic Games set to use the Pierre Mauroy as part of its football competition, it could be argued its best days lie ahead. Eden Hazard, a former player still very much in love with his old club, tweeted his support during the recent turbulent occurrences. Another iconic Lille son, Charles De Gaulle, the famous French general, would have been proud of the fight shown by the Lille side who ensured this first-rate stadium remained a Ligue 1 ground for one more year at least.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Cooper Field 37th St NW & O St. NW Washington, DC 20057 Georgetown Hoyas website Cooper Field website Year Opened: 1994 Capacity: 3,750 A-Hoya, Mate, it's Georgetown University Football Georgetown University has called many stadiums home over the years, but currently plays its home games at Cooper Field in the middle of its Washington, D.C. campus. The history of Cooper Field is a complex one. It originally opened as Harbin Field, a soccer facility, in 1994. In 2003, the Hoyas’ football program began to play there as well, but it wasn’t until 2005 that it was properly converted to a football facility. Known at the time as Multi-Sport Field, the venues played host to several other Hoyas’ teams as well, and still is home to the field hockey and lacrosse programs. Renovations to Multi-Sport Field had been planned for many years, as it was sorely lacking compared to other FCS facilities, and they finally occurred during 2018 and 2019 thanks to a donation from Peter and Susan Cooper. The stadium was renamed in their honor and expanded from 2,500 to 3,750, and permanent restrooms, concessions, and a concourse were added. Food & Beverage 3 There is one concession stand located just inside the entrance to Cooper Field. Hot dogs are $6, while hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and smoked sausage are $7. Snacks include cotton candy ($5), candy ($2), hot pretzels ($6), and churros ($7 for two.) Drinks include bottled water and soda ($3), iced tea and Powerade ($4), and hot chocolate and cider ($3.) The lines can get long during the game, so we suggest getting food early if possible. . Atmosphere 4 Although once regarded as one of the worst venues in FCS, the experience at Cooper Field has improved significantly since the renovations. A proper concourse is now located under the bleachers, and fans can walk up steps or a ramp to their seats. All seats are bleachers which can get a bit uncomfortable, but as the stadium is small and the front rows are elevated, you will have a great view of the action from anywhere. A small scoreboard is located behind the end zone to the left of the bleachers. Cooper Field Scoreboard, Photo by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey The Hoyas have a small pep band, although they do not march on the field like at many other football stadiums. They do play music during breaks in the action, but it can often be hard to hear, especially since they will sometimes play music over the PA system at the same time. As the stadium is located in the heart of the Georgetown campus, many of the historic buildings are visible from the stadium. Some fans elect to watch the game from the walkway outside the McDonough School of Business rather than enter the stadium and watch from the bleachers. Neighborhood 5 Cooper Field is located in the middle of the Georgetown campus, and you’ll probably have to head off campus to really do anything. However, the Georgetown neighborhood (which lends its name to the school, not the other way around) is one of the best in D.C. There are numerous restaurants ranging from casual sandwich shop Booeymonger’s to luxurious upscale restaurants such as 1789, and everything in between. Georgetown Cupcake sells exactly what its name implies, Clyde's of Georgetown is a locally popular American pub and bar, and Chaia is known for its fancy vegetarian and vegan tacos. All of this is located just a short walk or drive away from the University. If you’re willing to head downtown to the National Mall area, the District has so much more to offer, and the best part is that most of it is free. Whether it’s taking in the sights and monuments on the Mall itself, or visiting one of the many museums such as the various Smithsonians, there’s something for everyone. All of the government-run attractions are free, but some of the private ones are not. Just keep in mind if you wish to tour the White House or Capitol, you will need to book in advance. . Fans 5 Although Cooper Field only seats 3,750 fans, one of the smallest Division I venues in the country, Hoya fans pack the bleachers and the stadium is nearly full every game. Some of the fans come decked out in the Georgetown blue and gray, while others are just looking to take in a football game at a more affordable price than what you’d pay for the professional team in DC. This means that the fan base will range in knowledge from those who know every player on the team to those who could be heard telling their kids that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones played football at Georgetown, which he most certainly did not. Regardless of their familiarity with the Hoyas, the fans are passionate and will cheer for Georgetown, particularly following big plays. The attendance numbers may be small, but they do not tell the whole story. The fans at a packed Cooper Field can be as good as anywhere else, even if there aren’t that many of them in absolute terms. Access 4 Parking is conveniently available in a garage that is right at the stadium if you use the right elevator to exit. Unfortunately, this bank of elevators isn’t clearly marked, but even if you use the wrong one, you shouldn’t have to walk more than a minute or two. Parking in this garage used to be free on Saturdays, but now costs between $15 and $25 depending on what time of day you get there. For an early afternoon start, it will cost $25, but if the game starts in the evening, you may be able to get away with paying only $15. The concourses are easy to navigate and a massive improvement on the way it used to be here. Restrooms are available off the concourse and are of a sufficient size for the crowd, though some toilets were not working by the end of the game when we visited. Unfortunately, the Washington Metro does not run to the Georgetown neighborhood and the closest stops are several miles away. There are buses that stop nearby, but your best bet is to drive or take an Uber or Lyft if driving is not an option. Georgetown is nowhere near downtown and is just across the river from Virginia, so you do not have to worry about city traffic coming in. Return on Investment 4 Tickets are only $10, and just $5 for youth, and concessions are affordable as well. However, the parking that can cost more than twice what a ticket does brings this down a notch. A family of two adults and two children will pay almost as much to park as they will for their tickets. For smaller groups or fans traveling alone, the price to park may make up the majority of the cost of going to a game here. Extras 2 One bonus star for the gorgeous setting of Cooper Field in the middle of Georgetown’s campus. The field is surrounded by historic buildings which remind you of the college setting. A second and final star for the Jack the Bulldog statue near the entrance. Jack is the Hoyas’ mascot, and although neither the live nor costumed versions made an appearance during our visit, the statue is a nice touch. Jack the Bull Dog Statue, Photo by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Final Thoughts When most people think of Georgetown athletics, they think of the men’s basketball team once led by Patrick Ewing as a player, and now led by him as coach. Few think of the Hoyas’ football team, and many don’t even realize they have a football team. Part of this is because the Hoyas are among the worst teams in FCS, and until recently their stadium was among the worst in the country. Although the team still ranks near the bottom of the country, the stadium experience has vastly improved since the renovations. Although Cooper Field is small in size, and not particularly fancy, a visit here is still a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon watching football at an affordable price.

Hi Corbett Field 1947, Photo Courtesy of Arizona Daily Star Our next of several features on former Cactus League spring training facilities, some of which still exist and some do not. Opened in 1928, Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, AZ (known as Randolph Municipal Baseball Park when first built) served as the spring training home for the Cleveland Indians (1947 – 1992), and the Colorado Rockies (1993 – 2011) in the Cactus League. It is one of a few former Cactus League ballparks still in use as it serves the Pac-12 Arizona Wildcats baseball team. The facility today is drastically different from when it was initially built just before the Great Depression. In the very early days of Class D and Class C minor league, teams in the Arizona State League and then the Arizona-Texas League (circa 1927 – 1951) played at Randolph Municipal Baseball Park. Considered one of the finer parks of the era, the park had a grass infield where the other parks in those leagues had gravel and hard dirt surfaces for their infield. Grandstand seating was only in the infield. Second level seats did not exist nor were there bleachers or seats beyond the infield baselines. And at that time, no such thing as a grassy berm existed. Located beyond the bases, the dugouts were, quite frankly, ‘dug out’ and below the field level. When the Cleveland Indians came to town in 1947, they, along with the then New York Giants (at Old Phoenix Municipal Stadium), established the beginning of Cactus League spring training. The park received some renovations at that point. Hi Corbett Field – Cleveland Indians Spring Training 1950’s, Photo Courtesy of Arizona Daily Star I discovered the original configuration had an adobe outfield wall where fans sat and watched the games for free; I have not yet discovered when that outfield wall was erected (or dismantled). Hiram Steven Corbett, a long-time Arizona state senator and president of the Tucson Baseball Commission, played a key role in luring the Indians and spring training to Tucson and the city renamed its ballpark in his honor in 1951. Hi Corbett Field Exterior 1963, Photo Courtesy of Arizona Daily Star Besides spring training, it served as home for the Arizona State League Tucson Waddies, Cowboys, Missions, and Lizards and beginning in 1969, the Tucson Toros (AAA – Pacific Coast League and later the Golden Independent League). Hi Corbett Field served as the host of filming the spring training scenes from the 1989 movie Major League . Players from the University of Arizona baseball team acted as extras in the film. In 1997, a $3.77 million renovation to the stadium included new seating and expanded clubhouses as well as a team store and ticket office. Hi Corbett Field – March 2010, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Hi Corbett Field – From First Base Dugout. March 2010, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Spring training ended in Hi Corbett Field when the Rockies moved to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick beginning the 2011 season. Beginning in 2012, the University of Arizona Wildcats baseball team made the field their home. They promptly won the College World Series that same year. Like the ASU Sun Devils and Phoenix Municipal Stadium , the Arizona Wildcats have a history of playing games at Hi Corbett Field from the 1940s – early 1970s. The Wildcats often played double headers where the afternoon contest was played on campus at UA Field and Hi Corbett Field, with its lights, hosted the nightcap. Rivalry games with the ASU Sun Devils and NCAA District Playoffs were commonly played in the evenings at Hi Corbett. Now, down each foul line are additional oversized grandstands with bleacher seats, and down the right field foul line is a grass lawn with shade trees. In 2017, under a 25-year agreement with Tucson, the University of Arizona took over the day-to-day management of the baseball stadium. That year, enhancements included a new hitting center, a retrofitted clubhouse with new branding and graphics, and installation of a new backstop netting and video board. Hi Corbett Field Exterior Sept 2020, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey The ballpark sits in Gene C Reid Park, a 131-acre urban park which also features the Reid Park Zoo, baseball practice fields, picnic areas, a bike trail and duck pond, municipal golf courses, a tennis center, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Photo by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Meridian High School Stadium 121 Mustang Alley Falls Church, VA 22043 Virginia Dream FC website Year Opened: N/A Capacity: 2,000 Soccer Dream Cloud in Falls Church Virginia Dream FC is a semi-professional lower division soccer team based in Falls Church, Virginia, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. The Dream play their home games at the stadium of Meridian High School, which serves the Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS). This stadium is also nicknamed "The Cloud" when the Dream play here, although this is not official. As is often the case at the lower levels of American soccer, there are several teams competing under the Virginia Dream moniker. A club in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) competes during the fall and spring, while a club in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) competes over the summer. This review will focus on the experience at an NPSL game. The NPSL, together with the UPSL and the confusingly named USL League Two, comprise the fourth division of American soccer. They are the highest level that is not fully professional, and consist mostly of current college soccer players and recent graduates. The pay is structured in a way that allows current athletes to retain their amateur eligibility if they are competing in the NPSL over the summer. However, occasionally some aging former professional who just wants to continue playing somewhere will show up in the NPSL. At the time of writing, former USMNT and DC United goalkeeper Bill Hamid is the starting goalkeeper for the Dream. Food & Beverage 4 Concessions at a Virginia Dream game are sold out of a food truck from local taco truck La Raza. Tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos, and elotes (Mexican street corn) are available with a variety of meats, or with vegetables. Tacos cost $3.50 each, elotes are $5, and the other options range from $9-$13 depending on your choice of meat., Steak and cheese or chicken and cheese sandwiches are available for $12. Various sodas are available to drink, including Jarritos, a popular Mexican brand known for their fruity flavors in glass bottles. So is bottled water. For those with a sweet tooth, tres leches cake is available for dessert. Atmosphere 3 Although there are bleachers on both sides of Meridian High School Stadium, fans at Dream games typically sit on the one on the same side as the entrance. Although separated from the field by a running track, these seats still have a great view of the action. There are also areas to sit on the concourse, either in your own chair or on some concrete blocks that are large enough to be used for seating. The bleachers themselves are metal without backs, although fans in the top row may be able to lean against the press box. The PA announcer at Dream games is lively without being too over the top, and tries to keep the fans engaged. However, there is no announcement of goal scorers or recipients of yellow or red cards, which can make the game difficult to follow. If you are attending the game with small children, game staff often roam the stands before the game looking for volunteers to serve as ball kids. If this is something your child would be interested in, get to the game early. Neighborhood 5 Meridian High School is located on the western end of the City of Falls Church, which like all cities in Virginia, is not part of any county. It is sometimes nicknamed "The Little City" as it is much smaller in terms of population and area than the surrounding jurisdictions. In fact, by area, the census bureau considers it the smallest county-equivalent in the United States excluding some obscure areas of outlying territories. That being said, there is plenty to do here in Falls Church and the surrounding area. Your best bet is to look along Route 7, known as Broad Street in the City of Falls Church and Leesburg Pike in the surrounding area (much of which also has a Falls Church address despite being in Fairfax County.) Mike's Lazy Sundae, located at the intersection of Haycock Road and Leesburg Pike just down the road from Meridian High School, serves ice cream, sundaes, and comfort food such as burgers and fries. (Think a similar concept to Dairy Queen, except way, way better.) Sfizi Cafe in the City of Falls Church is a popular Italian place. Whatever food you want, you can probably find it somewhere in the surrounding area. The Falls Church area has excellent places of almost all cuisines, including Thai, Bolivian, and just about everything else. Eden Center in Seven Corners, a few miles down Route 7, is a shopping center with numerous Vietnamese restaurants, and some have said this area has the best Vietnamese food in the world outside of Vietnam. Pho 75 is located on Arlington Boulevard, not in Eden Center, but has been highly praised as well. Keep in mind many of the Vietnamese places, including Pho 75, are cash only. Fans 2 A few dozen fans attended the Dream game that Stadium Journey visited, and considering this is the fourth division of American soccer, these are typical crowds. The crowd consisted of a mix of young families and older fans. They were not particularly involved, but this is unsurprising for this level. Access 4 Meridian High School is located just off Route 7, near the interchanges with I-66 and I-495 (the Capital Beltway.) Parking is available for free in a lot near the entrance to the school. There is a garage as well, but this is privately owned by nearby businesses and you will have to pay. Stick to the lot. The parking lot for Virginia Tech's Northern Virginia satellite campus may appear to be closer to the stadium than the high school lot, but the area is fenced off, so you will need to walk around if you park here. It also costs money, so there is no reason to do so. The West Falls Church Metro station on the Orange Line is located right next to the high school, although you will have to walk around a ways so it will take about 10 minutes. Return on Investment 5 Tickets are just $10 to Virginia Dream FC games. Children under 12 get in free, as do Falls Church City Public Schools students with valid ID. This makes a Dream game an excellent value. Extras 0 There are no real extras here. Final Thoughts Taking in a Virginia Dream FC game under the lights on a warm summer night is a fun experience for the whole family. While the team doesn't draw the largest crowds, one hopes that will change over time as the club builds up a following. Even so, soccer fans in Falls Church and the surrounding areas will want to head to "The Cloud" to check out a game here.

Pittsburgh is one of the smallest U.S. cities in professional sports. However, it has earned the right to call itself the city of Champions. Pittsburgh has won league championships in nearly every sport where the city has a franchise. The city is rather compact, which makes it easy to navigate and get around to multiple sites related to its sports heritage. One of the best places to begin this sports journey is through a visit to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Heinz History Center. The sports museum features two floors of memorabilia and exhibits related to the many teams and individuals linked to the Steel City. The exhibits include the Super Steelers, A Great Day for Hockey, the Immaculate Reception Turns 50, and Friday Night Lights. Baseball has played a major role in the Pittsburgh area since the 1880s. The museum tracks the Pirates team through its history at Forbes Field, Three Rivers Stadium, and its present home at PNC Park . The Pirates section of the center also includes exhibits about Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Honus Wagner. Pittsburgh also has a great football heritage in the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pitt Panthers. Western Pennsylvania has also been seen as the "Cradle of High School Football", as the region has produced top signal callers including Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, and Dan Marino. We begin our sports journey on the North Shore side of the Allegheny River. This area has been home to both the Pirates and the Steelers. They shared the Three Rivers Stadium from 1970-2001. The Steelers also called Three Rivers Stadium home.  It served as the team’s home field during many of their Super Bowl Years. It was in this stadium that both teams won multiple championships. Though the stadium was demolished, both teams have displays about the multi-sport stadium in their new homes. Three Rivers Stadium is also where Tony Dorsett set several NCAA records during his time as a running back for the Pitt Panthers. The North Shore is now home to a pair of major league venues. Acrisure Stadium  (formerly known as Heinz Field) opened in 2001. It serves as the home of both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pitt Panthers . During your visit to the home of the Steelers you can visit the FedEx Great Hall on the east side of the stadium and its Hall of Honor. Displays in this area cover the history of the Steelers from their inception in 1933 to the present. It has exhibits covering the top players in the franchise’s existence, the top achievements of the team over the years, and the retired numbers worn by their star players. It has a huge amount of Steelers memorabilia on display in the 10,000-square-foot facility. The second North Shore sports facility is PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 2001. It is always mentioned as one of the top baseball stadiums in the MLB. This is due to the proximity of the seats to the field, a terrific food and beverage program, and the dramatic views of Downtown Pittsburgh over its right field wall. Make sure to visit the statues of Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, and Honus Wagner that ring the exterior of the ballpark. As we cross over the Allegheny River into Downtown Pittsburgh we come to the Clemente Museum. Roberto Clemente was a sports icon. He was a Hall of Fame outfielder, a terrific hitter, and a great humanitarian. He lost his life in a plane crash while delivering much-needed supplies to his native Nicaragua when it was struck by an earthquake. The museum is privately run, and tours are only given by appointment. Our next stop is also located in downtown Pittsburgh, as we visit the PPG Paints Arena , home of the NHL Penguins. Once inside you can check out the displays saluting Penguin greats, including Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, and Marc-Andre Fleury. The Penguins have won five Stanley Cups over the years, so make sure you check the championship banners hanging from the rafters. The original home of NHL hockey in Pittsburgh was the Civic Arena/Mellon Arena. It was located across the street from the PPG Paints Arena and served as the home of the Penguins from 1967-2010. The first three Penguin Stanley Cup Championships came while they played at the Civic Arena (aka the Igloo). It was torn down in 2012. Basketball seems to be the only sport without a deep history in the Pittsburgh area. The Civic Arena/Mellon Arena also served as the only home for Pittsburgh’s lone foray into professional basketball. The Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) won the inaugural ABA Championship in 1968. They then moved to Minnesota due to low attendance. The team returned to Pittsburgh as the Condors in 1973. The team folded after one season. Forbes Field served as the home of the Pirates from 1909-1971. It also served as the early home of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Negro League baseball. The Pirates played here for more than 61 seasons. It is probably best known as the stadium where Bill Mazeroski hit a dramatic home run in the World Series 7th game to bring a World Series pennant to the Steel City. Forbes Field was torn down in 1970 to make way for an expansion of the University of Pittsburgh. Today all that is left of Forbes Field is a short stretch of the outfield wall that Mazeroski’s bash flew over to win the 1960 World Series. There is also a historical marker posted next to the wall. It is located along Roberto Clemente Drive. The last major sports facility in the Downtown Pittsburgh area is the Petersen Events Center at the University of Pittsburgh. It serves as the home of both men’s and women’s basketball programs. It has seating for 12,500 Pitt Panther fans. Petersen Events Center is in the Oakland neighborhood in Downtown Pittsburgh. The end of our Steel City sports journey is located on the South Shore of the Monongahela River, across from Downtown Pittsburgh. Highmark Stadium  is in the Station Square Complex, and it serves as the home of the USL Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The soccer stadium opened in 2013 and has served as the home of the Riverhounds ever since. The stadium has a capacity of 5,000 fans. Station Square is also the home of the Josh Gibson Heritage Park. The park honors not only Josh Gibson, but also honors Negro League stars Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, Cum Posey, and both the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords, two legendary Negro League teams based in the Steel City. A great way to end your tour of the many sports venues of Pittsburgh is to stop at Yinzers in the Burgh in the Strip District. It carries the largest line of Pittsburgh sports memorabilia in the world. After touring the Steel City’s many sports facilities and heritage sites, we know that you’ll agree that Pittsburgh is a championship city with a great sports history.   Links to various sites:   Civic Arena/Mellon Arena https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civic_Arena_(Pittsburgh)    Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum www.heinzhistorycenter.org/visit/sports-museum Three Rivers Stadium www.sabr.org/park/three-rivers-stadium Acrisure Stadium www.acrisurestadium.com PNC Park www.mlb.com/pirates/ballpark Clemente Museum

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Dwyer Arena University Dr Lewiston, NY 14305 Niagara Purple Eagles men’s hockey website Dwyer Arena website Year Opened: 1996 Capacity: 2,100 Purple Pride On Ice Lewiston, New York is a small town just on the other side of Queenston, Ontario, and north of Buffalo. It is a sleepy sort of town in the winter, and the seasonal businesses and closed boat launches give you the impression that it is very different in the summer than it is in the winter. What is there to do in the winter for the locals who want something of their own, and not having to head out to Buffalo? Enter Niagara University. Niagara is a small university of only around 5,000 students, that has received a bit more attention for its accomplishments on the basketball court, than its endeavors on the frozen pond. Make no mistake, however, this part of New York state has a strong affinity for ice hockey, and the Purple Eagles of Niagara fit the bill. Playing in a fairly non-descript arena, the Robert and Concetta Dwyer Arena, commonly known as the Dwyer Arena, the Niagara Purple Eagles have entertained students and college hockey fans since becoming a varsity team in 1996. In 2010, the Purple Eagles moved on to Atlantic Hockey, after being a charter member of the now-defunct College Hockey America. During their tenure, they have made appearances in the NCAA tournament four times, including now-defunct013. Purple Pride remains as strong on the ice as it is on the hardwood. Food & Beverage 3 Concessions at Dwyer Arena are pretty much what you would expect for a small college arena. However, don’t stray too far from what you would find at the nearby Gallagher Center , home of Purple Eagles basketball. They the immediate entrance, there is a small snack bar where you will find your basic concessions including soda, popcorn, pizza, and fries. There are also numerous vending machines around the lobby where you can find soda and candy bars. Inside the arena, there is also a small concession at the ice level. As with numerous NCAA venues, there is no alcohol for sale in the main concessions, however, there is a licensed club behind the goal. Atmosphere 3 Dwyer Arena does not blow you away at first glance. The exterior looks like any other local arena, surrounded by parking, and other parts of the complex. It is pretty non-descript, but not hard on the eyes. Upon entering the lobby, you will find the main concession as well as a small pro shop that sells some Purple Eagle merchandise. Having the concession in this area is an advantage as patrons can get something to eat before the doors to the main arena open. Upon progressing up the stairs to the main seating area you will hopefully notice the plaque dedicated to Robert and Concetta Dwyer, whom the arena is named for. The Dwyers provided a generous gift of $3 million to provide significant upgrades to the arena. The entrance is at the top of the seating level, which is a wide platform-like space. At the back end of the seats are raised platforms, of act as the press box. Seating is only on one side, and the far side of the arena roof is on a steep slope, similar to the home of the Ottawa 67’s . Possibly the worst feature of the arena is the metal benches used for seating. The center sections have backs, as does the last row. This is not normally an issue, however that the temperature in Dwyer Arena is more like a small arena rather than a big one, meaning it is darn cold. The coldness hits you when your butt hits the cold metal benches. The regulars bring cushions or blankets to sit on, so visitors would be wise to follow suit. The rest of the arena is fairly simple, with a basic scoreboard at one end to keep score. Unfortunately, the scoreboard does not keep track of shots. Above the ice level, there are 9 banners commemorating various tournament and conference championships, including 3 banners for tournament appearances. The far end of the area features large banner-sized team photos for the teams that made tournament appearances. The largest is for the 1999-2000 team that made it to the Elite Eight. Neighborhood 2 Lewiston is more of a summer town rather than a winter hot spot. There are some places down by the waterfront only open during the summer months. Combine this with the fact that Niagara University is pretty removed from the town of Lewiston, and you have a situation where finding interesting places to eat is difficult. Your best bet is to head into Buffalo for a plethora of choices. Another possibility, a little off the beaten path would be the Riverstone Grill on Grand Island. They have great food and were featured on the hit show Man vs. Food. Fans 4 Considering that the game reviewed was during a time when most of the students were not on campus, the crowd was surprisingly large. It became clear quickly that Niagara hockey has a strong attachment to the community of Lewiston, and is not just an outlet for the students. This is an especially good formula when you can fit nearly half of the student population in the stands. The N-Zone which houses the student fans was understandably sparse during my most recent visit in early 2013, but the rest of the crowd that was in attendance showed intelligence and was behind the Eagles one hundred percent. Access 4 Getting to Niagara is no problem at all. It is located between Robert Moses Parkway and I-190. There is plenty of parking in the lot surrounding the ice complex, and it is free. The large platform behind the seating area makes travel during the game easy as well. Washroom facilities are adequate. Return on Investment 5 Tickets for Niagara hockey are ridiculously affordable. If you are willing to go without a back to your chair, then tickets can be found for just $12, while kids are a mere $7. Add an extra $5 if you feel that the backs are a necessity. Concession prices are what are to be expected. If you scour the schedule carefully, you can find a doubleheader, with the possibility of taking in a Purple Eagles basketball game at Gallagher Center as well. Extras 4 An extra mark for the connection with the community, beyond the student body, that you see in such a small town with such a small university. Two extra marks for the banner that hangs above the ice retiring the number 6 for Meghan Redenbach. Meghan was an honorary member of the Purple Eagles men’s ice hockey team after winning an essay contest. Meghan lost her battle with cancer at age 15 and has been an inspiration for the Purple Eagles ever since. An extra mark goes to the public address announcer at Dwyer Arena, who REALLY sounds like legendary boxing announcer Michael Buffer. Too bad he never said, “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!!” Final Thoughts A trip to Niagara University to see the Purple Eagles play hockey is a great way to spend an afternoon or an evening. The price is right and the product is great. Being in a quaint, small town, on the campus of a very small university is just part of the atmosphere. If you’re not careful, you may just find yourself beaming with some purple pride yourself. -------- Follow Dave’s sporting journeys on Twitter @profan9.