Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Eddie Stanky Field 307 N University Blvd Mobile, AL 36608 South Alabama Jaguars website Eddie Stanky Field's website Year Opened: 1980 Capacity: 4,500 USA-USA-USA Baseball in Mobile has a very rich and storied history – the Port City can lay claim to more players enshrined in Cooperstown than any other town in the world besides New York and LA, as Hank Aaron, Satchel Paige, Billy Williams, Willie McCovey, and Ozzie Smith were all born, and got their start, playing baseball right here in Mobile. But there is another former professional ballplayer associated with Mobile and his name is Eddie Stanky, the longtime coach for the South Alabama Jaguars. Stanky had a 10-year stint in the Big Leagues for multiple teams from 1943-1953, where he was a four-time All-Star who would play in three World Series and was even teammates with Jackie Robinson. After his playing career ended, he began a 16-year stint as a manager with the Cardinals and the White Sox, and after his firing in 1968, became the head coach for South Alabama. Stanky would put the USA program on the map; he led the Jags for 14 seasons, compiling a 490-195-2 record, and led the program to five NCAA Regionals. During his time with the Jags he took two absences from the team, the first in 1977 when he took a job mid-season to be the manager of the Texas Rangers – he coached one game before deciding to return to Mobile to resume coaching the Jags. He later said he had second thoughts about taking the job, as that meant he'd be away from his adopted hometown of Mobile - his 18-hour stint as manager for the Rangers remains the shortest tenure for a Big League manager in the history of the MLB. The second absence occurred in 1979 when Stanky retired, but as soon as he saw the unveiling of the stadium that bears his name in 1980, he came out of retirement where he would coach for four more seasons. After 43 seasons Eddie Stanky Field has held its age and remains one of the finest facilities in the Sun Belt Conference. South Alabama has been a powerhouse since joining the Sun Belt Conference in 1976 – the Jags are perhaps the most storied baseball program in the Sun Belt, with 27 tournament appearances and 17 conference championships. Over 150 players have been drafted in the program's history, with notable players including Luis Gonzalez, David Freese, Marlon Anderson, Jon Lieber, Frank Bolling, and Juan Pierre. As of the 2023 MLB opening day, three former Jags are on MLB 40-man rosters. Food & Beverage 2 There are two concession stands here, one each down the first and third baselines. These stands offer the usual fare and nothing stands out. Chicken tenders, hot dogs, Conecuh sausage, cheeseburgers, pretzel sticks, popcorn, and candy round out the menu, with prices ranging between $3 and $8. You can purchase hot dog combos with a souvenir soda for $10, or the cheeseburger combo with a souvenir soda for $11. Coca-Cola is the soft drink provider at Eddie Stanky Field, with the South Alabama signature cup selling for $6. Alcohol is sold at Stanky Field with 16 oz cans of Bud, Miller, and Coors Lite selling for $6.50, with Michelob Ultra, White Claw, and South Alabama's special beer selling for $7.50; the special beer is called Spotted Tail Jaguar Ale and is brewed locally by Braided River Brewing. This brand is only sold at South Alabama athletic events. Atmosphere 4 From the outside, it's hard to believe Stanky Field is over 40 years old. At the main entrance, a statue of Eddie Stanky greets you as you enter. Also, as Mobile is nicknamed the Azalea City, a nice garden of azalea bushes lines the outside of the stadium right next to the statue. Once you enter there is a wide-open concourse that goes in both directions under the bleachers, with one set of restrooms and a concession stand on each side. There is also a pop-up truck with a team store, where you can buy a nice selection of South Alabama merch. The Jaguars baseball program does a really good job honoring their success on the diamond. On the walls are banners and pennants of past achievements of the program – the Baseball Ring of Honor is down the third base line and is has a nice little setup there with a bust of former coach Steve Kittrell, along with plaques of other Jag greats. Kittrell was another legendary coach who took over for Stanky in 1984 and led the Jags until Kittrell’s retirement in 2011. Also along the wall is a listing of all 28 Regional appearances the Jags have made, as well as all MLB players who have come out of the program. Seeing the names of all the famous ballplayers from here only add to the intimidation, as you can sense this is a hallowed place. The seating bowl is basic with 15 rows of seats, set up with the outer bleacher-style seating painted red, along with blue chairback seating behind the home plate. The press box is two stories high and includes one suite on the first floor; nicknamed the Stadium Club, this area features TVs and a full-service bar and buffet. The field faces northeast with dimensions of 330-400-330. Fans are scattered throughout the seating bowl, but there are also several party decks in the right field, as well as a standing-room-only area with umbrellas in left field. The right field party decks feature elevated wooden decks with mostly college students grilling out and drinking during the game. Beyond the right field is the soccer stadium, and at the last baseball game I attended here there was a spring soccer match going on at the same time, so many fans were going in between the soccer stadium and the right field area. In the left field sits an outdated scoreboard with a small video board and line score. Neighborhood 3 Mobile is really big and spread out, and one could spend the entire weekend here, as there are numerous things to do for people of all ages. Within walking distance of the campus, you will find numerous places to eat, such as Fuzzy Tacos, Mellow Mushroom, Ollie’s Mediterranean Grill (a Moroccan-themed bar and something different for the area), and Heroes Sports Bar (which has cheap drink specials). If you’re looking for some cheap food, Foosackly’s is located a couple of blocks from Stanky Field and has cheap chicken tenders. Or if you are in the mood for BBQ, Dreamland (an Alabama staple that I highly recommend) has several locations in Mobile. Also, Airport Road and Old Shell Road, the two main roads on campus, have all the typical fast-food restaurants and national chains you could want. All in all, you should be able to find plenty to eat within a couple of miles of the university. About 15 miles east of the college is downtown Mobile, and this is where the college kids like to hang out. Dauphin Street is a smaller Bourbon Street with fewer tourists and is lined with bars that get pretty packed on weekends. Mobile is one of the oldest cities in the Gulf Coast region, having been founded in 1702. In addition, it has been ruled by four different nations since its founding over 300 years ago, so there is plenty to do in town for history buffs. Fort Conde, founded in 1723 and located in downtown Mobile, is a cool place to visit; the area surrounding the fort has many colonial-style buildings that are rumored to be haunted. In addition, the USS Alabama, a World War II battleship, is also worth checking out while in the area – the Alabama is located after the tunnel if you are headed east, in-between the main I-10 causeways. If you are interested in something for kids and families, the Exploreum and IMAX Theatre are worth checking out as well. In addition, if you want to make a beach trip during the weekend, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are each about 45 minutes away. If staying in the area you will find numerous hotels located along Airport Road and Old Shell Road, as well as several high-rise hotels located in downtown Mobile. There are also numerous bed and breakfasts located in the historic antebellum houses that line Dauphin Street, so you should be able to find plenty of places to stay. All in all, Mobile is a nice town, and you can find plenty to do here. Fans 3 South Alabama consistently finishes in the Top 50 in terms of attendance for college baseball. South Alabama is a baseball school and it shows here, from all the history and big-time players that have played for the program – baseball is the most successful sport at South Alabama. In 2022 South Alabama averaged about 1,400 fans per game, but the Jags are also off to a rough start in 2023, with the most recent game I was at having just 1,000. Being that this is the University of South Alabama (a.k.a. USA), it is only appropriate that the team colors are red, white, and blue. So, when fans do come out it almost feels like you are at an Olympic game featuring Team USA. The attendance record at Eddie Stanky Field was set in 2018 when a standing-room-only crowd of 4,500 packed the stands for a game against Alabama; when any school from Alabama visits here expect a raucous crowd, especially if it's Auburn, Alabama, or Troy. In addition, Sun Belt rival Southern Miss also brings a packed house to Eddie Stanky Field. Access 2 There is no easy way to get to campus – USA is located in northwest Mobile on the corner of Old Shell Road and University Blvd, and no matter which direction you are coming from you will encounter numerous red lights en route to the stadium. Mobile can also have horrendous traffic, so it's best to plan for traffic delays. I-10 runs and east and west about 10 miles south of the USA, so that is the main road you will use if coming from out of town. I-10 runs into I-65, which runs north and south; take that for several miles until you hit the Dauphin Street exit, then take Dauphin west for about 6 miles and you'll reach the campus. Once on campus, there is plenty of parking available in the Mitchell Center parking lot right next door. There is also not any congestion on the concourse when moving around the stadium once in the ballpark. Return on Investment 4 The best way to remember the ticket prices is that the red bleacher seats down the first and third baselines are $7, while the blue chairback seats behind home plate are $10. There are also five rows of cushioned chairback box seats located in front of the grandstands, with a price of $15 each. Eddie Stanky Field will rarely sell out, however, so you should have no trouble being able to get tickets. With a program with so much history, I consider a visit a great return on investment – Eddie Stanky Field is a very underrated experience that is usually in the top 50 in the country in attendance every year. Extras 4 One extra for South Alabama naming their facilities after former players; the Jon Lieber Club House sits down the left field line and opened in 2017. Lieber played here in 1991 and 1992, before embarking on a 15-year career in the Big Leagues. Inside is the David Freese Weight Room, named after another Jag great. Freese played here in 2005 and 2006 before playing 11 seasons and winning the 2011 World Series MVP. Also down the left field line is the Luis Gonzalez Hitting Facility, named after the 5-time MLB All-Star and 19-year veteran Luis Gonzalez, who played here from 1986-1988. #5 Gonzalez is the only player to have his baseball jersey retired by the program. Eddie Stanky Field has also hosted the Sun Belt Baseball Tournament 12 times, more times than any other site, with the first tournament hosted here in 1980 and the most recent in 2014. In addition, the 1978 tournament was held on the former field located on the same site as Stanky Field. The Jags have also clinched a Sun Belt Championship 5 times on their field. Stanky Field also hosted minor league baseball in 1994 and 1995 – the independent Mobile Bay Sharks of the Texas-Louisiana League brought baseball back to the Port City after a 24-year absence. The Bay Sharks led the league in attendance, averaging over 100,000 fans per season in each of the two seasons they played here. The success of the Bay Sharks at Stanky Field led affiliated minor league baseball to come to Mobile in 1997 when the Double-A Southern League Mobile Bay Bears began to play at a newly built stadium named after Mobile's favorite son Hank Aaron. The Bay Bears would play 23 years at Hank Aaron Stadium before relocating to North Alabama and becoming the Rocket City Trash Pandas. For a baseball-related attraction, I recommend checking out Hank Aaron's Childhood Home and Museum. His home was moved to the stadium named after him and is located about 3 miles away from South Alabama’s campus. His house has been restored to how it looked on the inside when he lived there in the 1950s. On display in his bedroom are many of his old jerseys and trophies, including the Braves World Series trophy and his home run ball. I highly recommend visiting this museum if you are in town for the weekend for a Jags baseball game.

The Team welcomes Jamie Tozer, who has completed the mammoth quest of visiting all 60 CHL venues. The best; The Worst; The Most Unique … Jamie gives his take on all 60 CHL rinks on the latest episode of the Stadium Journey Podcast. Audio versions of the Stadium Journey podcast can be found by searching HIAC Talk Radio wherever you look for your favorite podcasts. Video simulcasts of all the Stadium Journey podcasts can be found on Stadium Journey's YouTube page. Join us live as we record every other Tuesday night at 7PM eastern at danlaw.tv.

Rumors are in the air about Major League Baseball adding a pair of teams in the near future. The gang discussed their thoughts about who is in line to get a team, ponders if there be any surprises, and where will these new teams play before a ballpark is built? Audio versions of the Stadium Journey podcast can be found by searching HIAC Talk Radio wherever you look for your favorite podcasts. Video simulcasts of all the Stadium Journey podcasts can be found on Stadium Journey's YouTube page. Join us live as we record every other Tuesday night at 7PM eastern at danlaw.tv.

Photos by Talladega Superspeedway and Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Talladega Superspeedway 3366 Speedway Boulevard Lincoln, AL 35096 Talladega Superspeedway website Year Opened: 1969 Capacity: 78,000 The Need For Speed Talladega Speedway opened in 1969 as Alabama International Motor Speedway, a name it kept until 1989. The Speedway is located on the site of a former military airfield, which was chosen due to its proximity to I-20 and its location between two of the South’s largest cities (Atlanta, GA, and Birmingham, AL). Talladega Motor Speedway is often referred to as the “Big One” due to it having the largest oval track at 2.66 miles and its seating capacity for more than 80,000 fans. It has also had the reputation as one of the fastest and wildest tracks in the NASCAR circuit, as it sees racing at speeds in excess of 200 mph and is also known for its spectacular accidents. The Superspeedway is one of the busiest racetracks in NASCAR, holding races at all levels of competition throughout the year. Its main two races are the GEICO 500 held in the spring and the YellaWood 500 held in the fall. Food & Beverage 3 Unlike most sports, Talladega does allow food and beverages to be brought into the Speedway. Walk in fans can bring in food if it is in a sealed and prepackaged container. Drinks must also be sealed, with no glass bottles allowed. Coolers must be soft-sided and no larger than 14” X 14” X 14”. RV’s and campers in the track infield face no limits in what they bring in… resulting in some amazing spreads of food over race weekend. Most of the food options available at Talladega will be of the standard sports event variety (i.e., hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, corn dogs, BBQ sandwiches, biscuits, and Coca-Cola soft drinks.) The concession stands are equally spread out on the concourses underneath the stands and in the infield. However, there are a couple of strictly Talladega creations. The “Big One” meatball sandwich is a one-pound meatball, and it includes mozzarella and pepper jack cheese, pork BBQ sauce with a wrapping of ground beef. It is served with spaghetti or simply as its own dish. The second specialty item is the Talla-Mento Dogwich. This entrée consists of a hot dog, split in two, on a bed of buffalo cheese sauce and topped with pimento cheese. There are some major food stands serving a more diverse menu. These include Big Bill’s, the Garage Grill and the Pit Road Grill. The Bama Bier Garden offers both Budweiser and Miller brand options, along with the local Back Forty craft beer. Fans in the Garage Experience option are eligible for the value pricing of concession offerings. This includes $2 hot dogs and 20-ounce soft drinks, $3 16-ounce beers, hamburgers, BBQ sandwiches, nachos and pretzels, or $4 to supersize any of the above foods. Atmosphere 4 Talladega Superspeedway has the longest track in the NASCAR circuit. This means the stands overlooking the track are not as high vertically, as they extend horizontally the length of the straightway. This results in the fans being much closer to the action than at other tracks. Fans have several options and price points to choose from on seating at the track. Tower seating atop the stands ranges from $105 - $145, and seats at the concourse level are priced at $97- $129. Grandstand seats run $65 - $95. Car parking ranges from free to $20 a day. The price of parking depends on how far the parking space is from the track. Remote lots feature tram transportation to the track. Many fans prefer to make a weekend out of the race and enjoy infield camping. These packages range from $120-$625 with variables including the number of days at the track and other add-on amenities. One popular option is the YellaWood Pit Road Club. This is an elevated area overlooking the pit row action. This costs $470 and includes the Talladega Garage Experience. Talladega Superspeedway conducted a three-year upgrade fan experience project known as the “Transformation”. This project had the goals of creating a package of activities for fans to enjoy, increasing the number of RV spaces in the infield, and the construction of the Pit Road Club. This project resulted in the creation of the Talladega Garage Experience. This package includes the opportunity to watch the pit crews prepping the cars in the garage before the race, access to the pre-race ceremonies, access to special food offerings with a value-priced menu, and access to Iron Alley, which is an area featuring the history of the Talladega Superspeedway. The Talladega Garage Experience costs $89 per day. Neighborhood 4 The sprawling Talladega Superspeedway complex is “the neighborhood” for most race fans. It offers its own temporary lodging options, food services, bathing facilities, and entertainment options. Many race fans will not leave the Superspeedway property between Friday through Sunday night of race weekend. The area outside of the raceway property and along I-20 mostly consists of fast-food restaurants. One seated food option we highly recommend is Rick’s Crossroads Grille located just north of I-20. The food is great, and the prices are quite reasonable. There are two lodging options located at the exits that lead you to the track. They are the Comfort Inn Talladega and the Days Inn Lincoln. The actual city of Talladega is 8 miles south of the track. It is a town of 15,000 people. Most of the food options are of the fast-food variety and lodging options are limited, as there simply is not a demand for lodging except on race weekends. We do recommend a visit to the Davey Allison Memorial Park, which is discussed in the Extras section of this review. Fans 5 A vast majority of the fans who come to the Talladega Superspeedway are there strictly for the racing experience. However, others treat the weekend like a festival or a state fair experience. For those fans, there is nothing that beats the “Big One on the Boulevard”. This event takes place on the Friday night prior to the races. It includes a concert, a parade, jello wrestling, fan participation activities with various sponsors booths, and all kinds of food and adult drinks. We can best sum up this event by saying “What happens at the Big One… Stays at the Big One”! First-time fans should bring their cameras, a good set of earphones/ear plugs as well as sunscreen and a hat. The Speedway action is quite noisy, and the southern sun can bake you on a daylong event. Access 4 The Speedway is easy to get to from I-20, as it is located just south of I-20, midway between Atlanta and Birmingham. From Atlanta: Take I-20 West to Exit 173 in Alabama. Turn left at the exit and proceed two miles. From Birmingham: Take I-20 East to Exit 168 in Alabama. Turn right and proceed 4 miles. Parking lots are located on both sides of the road. Camping sites are in grass fields on land in between the street and I-20. Free trams will transport fans from the more distant parking areas and the track. Parking is also located on the track perimeter as well as in the infield. Parking fees will depend on how close the lots are to the racetrack. The fees also are determined by the number of days the fans are staying at the Speedway, as many fans come as early as the Friday before the race, while others choose to attend only on Sunday, the day of the race. Entry lanes for the Speedway are arranged by the parking area, making the traffic flow run very smoothly. Return on Investment 4 It is impossible to estimate a value on the cost of attending a race at Talladega Superspeedway, as 1) there are so many variables involved, including the number of days at the track, the location of your seats, whether you are seated in the stands or watching from the infield 2) it will depend on what add -on’s you may have purchased. Some of these costs are covered in the appropriate section of this review, while others appear below. Many race fans choose to rent scanners to enhance their race day experience. They are available at the track for a fee of $47.95. The scanners allow the fans to hear the communications between the drivers and their pit crews in the infield. The scanners also provide some protection from the noise generated by the cars on the track. For many race fans, price is not a consideration, as race weekend at Talladega is a family tradition passed down through the generations. In addition to the family reunions, fans look forward to seeing friends at the event on an annual basis. These memories and experiences are priceless. The Talladega Superspeedway operates on a cashless basis. Extras 4 Several movies have been made about the Speedway. They include Stroker Ace and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is located just to the right of the Speedway entrance. It is open year-round and has a huge collection of racing memorabilia and exhibits from all types of motorsports. Track tours also leave from this site. Prices for museum tours are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $7 for children. There is a separate fee for the tours. The tours are $15 for adults and $9 for children. The town of Talladega is several miles south of the Speedway. It does play an important role in the NASCAR world as it is the home of the Davey Allison Memorial Park and the Texaco Racing Hall of Fame. Allison was seen as the future of the sport when he died in a helicopter crash in the Speedway infield in 1993. The Walk of Fame features plaques depicting racing’s top drivers and their career records in a lovely park-like setting just south of the town square. Each year Talladega Superspeedway opens its track to the public. For a $50 donation, you can take 2 laps around the track in your own vehicle. Proceeds from the Track Laps for Charity event go to the Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs of Alabama. Final Thoughts Along with Daytona, the Talladega Superspeedway is one of the longest and most popular tracks in the NASCAR circuit. It is famous for petal to the metal racing, resulting in spectacular wrecks and furious sprints to the checkered flag.

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57 Twenty Baseball Field 1701 N State St Jackson, MS 39202 Millsaps College Majors website Twenty Baseball Fields website Year Opened: 1913 Capacity: 500 Major League: Back to the Majors Millsaps College is a private Methodist college located in downtown Jackson, Mississippi, in the Historic Belhaven Neighborhood. The small college of 700 students opened its doors in 1890 when Civil War veteran Major Reuben Webster Millsaps donated $550,000 and the land for the college, situated on 100 acres. Named after Major Millsaps, and nicknamed the Majors, the athletic teams here compete at the Division III level in the Southern Athletic Association. Millsaps is the only college in Mississippi that competes in the conference, and they are also the smallest school in the conference. Baseball is one of 18 sports fielded by Millsaps College, and is also the oldest sport here, with the first year of baseball taking place in 1913. The Majors originally competed in D1 during those early years, competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, a precursor to the SEC, and the Dixie Conference until 1954, before moving down to the D2 level. The Majors joined D3 in 1989, joining the Southern Collegiate Athletic Association (SCAC), but in 2013 Millsaps and seven other schools from the SCAC branched off and formed their own conference, the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) – in their first year in the SAA the Majors advanced to their first ever D3 College World Series. After 35 years of competing in D3 the Majors have won 8 SCAC conference championships and 1 SAA conference championship, the latter in 2013 and the same year they went to the D3 World Series. In addition, the Majors have been to the NCAA D3 Regionals 8 times, with the most recent regional appearance occurring in 2015. Food & Beverage 1 There is one concessions table set up down the first base line; the only items on the menu are popcorn, nachos, pretzels, chips, and canned coke products. Nothing particularly stands out on the menu other than food prices range from $2 to $3, with sodas at $1.50. Unless you absolutely have to get something to eat at the stadium, I'd recommend getting something to eat before or after the game instead – there are plenty of Jackson restaurants nearby to choose from. However, you are also allowed to bring your own food and drinks to the baseball games here, which I saw many people doing. Atmosphere 3 The Majors play on-campus at Historic Twenty Baseball Field; the field originally opened in the early 1900s but was re-dedicated in the mid-1980s as Twenty Baseball Field, named after the 20 individuals who donated a minimum of $20,000 each to the college. Twenty Baseball Field is a nice small ballpark nestled between all the rest of the Millsaps sports facilities on the north side of campus. The stadium's facade is a brick press box behind home plate, with a cinderblock grandstand that extends down the first and third base lines. Twenty Baseball Field holds seating for about 500 fans; a bronze plaque sits at the third base entrance with the names of the twenty individuals for whom the field is named, while another plaque pays tribute to former player Tait Hendrix (2006-09), who passed away in 2014 following a motorcycle accident. The grandstand features the typical metal bleachers that extend down the first and third base lines, while about 80 chairback seats sit behind home plate. A cool thing about the bleachers and chairback seats is that they are in the Majors colors of purple and black. The field faces northwest with dimensions of 365-390-365. Along the outfield wall are all the past achievements of the Millsaps Baseball team, including the 2013 College World Series banner that hangs next to the unusually tall batter’s eye in center field. Beyond the outfield wall the field is lined with about 10 15-foot-high pine trees like you would see in the south – the trees were planted in the past 20 years and are just tall enough to peek over the outfield fence, to add that Mississippi feel to the ballpark. The trees do not block the view from the small party deck, which sits in right field. The J. Con Maloney Practice Facility sits down the left field line, which houses locker rooms, weight rooms and indoor batting cages. Maloney, a former ballplayer at Millsaps in the 1960s, is an important man in the Jackson area. He is the founder of the Jackson-based appliance chain Cowboy Maloney's Electric City, as well as being a longtime owner of the Double A Jackson Mets (1975-90) and the Jackson Generals (1991-99). The Millsaps softball complex and tennis courts sit beyond the fence in right field, while the track and field complex sits behind center field, and historic campus buildings, as well as the football stadium, take up the view from behind home plate. The huge stadium that sits across the street and looms over the Millsaps campus is the historic 60,000-seat Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, home of the Jackson State Tigers Football team. Neighborhood 3 Jackson is a beautiful city, with plenty to do for all ages. Just north of campus is the Fondren District; located near the Ole Miss Med School, this is Jackson's nightlife area, and you will find numerous bars and restaurants on this one block strip. You will find lawyers, government officials, and college students hanging out at Fondren Public, a cool bar known for its wide selection of games inside and out in the courtyard, including bocce ball, shuffleboard, giant Jenga, and a multitude of board games to name just in a few. Other popular restaurants in the Fondren District include Pig & Pint BBQ, Walker's Drive In, Highball Lanes Bowling Alley, The Pearl, Saltine Oyster Bar, and Roosters, but another place I recommend checking out nearby is Brent's Drugs – from the outside it looks just like a regular pharmacy, and with its soda fountain it is very reminiscent of a 50s-style diner. However, in the back there is a speakeasy-style bar that was used during prohibition; this bar gets very packed at night. For other bars and restaurants near downtown there is Hal and Mals, known for its live music, Fenian's Pub, known for its Irish setting, the dive pub Old Tavern on George Street, or Underground 119, which is a cool little underground blues club located near the capital. In recent years Jackson has gained a reputation as a not so safe city, but as long as you are aware of your surroundings and don't venture too far away from downtown you should be fine. For those interested in the state's rich history you can visit the state’s Capitol Building, also located downtown. Also nearby is the Old Capitol Building (used until 1904), which has now been converted into a history museum. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum sits nearby as well, and I recommend checking it out as well. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame also sits downtown and is a must visit as well. For outdoors lovers there is the popular Natchez Trace Parkway, which runs just north of Jackson – the beautiful, paved trail runs from Natchez to Nashville and is a beautiful spot to ride a bike. The Ross Barnett Reservoir is a huge lake nearby, popular for boating and fishing, and if you are interested in camping check out LaFleur's Bluff State Park, located just across the interstate from Millsaps campus. Fans 2 For weekday games the Majors average about 100-150 fans per game, while for weekend games expect about 250 fans per game. Many of the fans in the grandstand are family and friends of players, and most of these fans are laid back and relaxed. There are also some people who bring folding chairs and sit along the baselines as well. Many of the students hang out on the Right Field Party Deck, and there are a good number of students grilling out beyond the right field fence. When the Majors play Belhaven expect a few more people – Belhaven is another small D3 school located a block away from Millsaps campus; the two schools share a heated rivalry and meet up every year in the Cowboy Maloney's Electric City Cup every year. Access 3 Millsaps College is conveniently located right off I-55 in downtown Jackson; the campus is located north of the State Capitol and Business District in a mostly residential area of town, a couple of blocks away from Belhaven University. When coming to Millsaps, the Woodrow Wilson Drive exit off I-55 is your best bet – just take rush hour traffic into account, as the interstate tends to back up quickly, especially during weeknight games. The campus can be easy to miss as it is pretty small, but just follow Woodrow Wilson Drive until you get to the State Street intersection, and the campus is right there. There is a small parking lot at the main entrance right next to the ballpark. During school days this parking lot can fill up quickly, so I recommend parking at the parking garage located on campus. The college is really small, so walking from the parking garage to the ballpark won't take long. Once at Twenty Baseball Field you should have no problem getting around. Return on Investment 3 Tickets are free, parking is free, and you are getting to see a really nice ballpark for a D3 facility. In fact, all of Millsaps Athletic Facilities stick out for a small school, and it is possible to view each one of them before the baseball game. There is also a nice disc golf course that goes around all the athletic facilities, which makes for a great thing to do before the game. The odds are you aren't watching any future Major Leaguers on the field, but still this is Mississippi small college baseball at its finest. Extras 3 In baseball the Majors are coached by Jim Page; entering his 38th season as of 2023, Page is the fifth winningest head coach in Mississippi college baseball history. The Majors have had four players play in the MLB, and two players drafted. Perhaps the best player to come out of Millsaps is pitcher Claude Passeau, who played for the Pirates, Phillies, and Cubs between 1935 and 1947. The 5x All-Star and NL strikeout leader in 1939 played football, baseball and basketball for Millsaps from 1928-31, and later pitched for the Cubs in the 1945 World Series. Another famous Millsaps alum is former Yankees right fielder Sammy Vick, who was on the first Millsaps baseball team in 1913; Vick played for the Yankees from 1917-1920, and during that 1920 season he shared the outfield with Babe Ruth. There is a pretty impressive tribute to the baseball team on display in the Maurice Hall Activities Building next door to Twenty Baseball Field – if you have time to walk around before the game they have a nice display filled with old trophies and news clippings showing the history of all the Majors sports programs; they even had a signed Passeau card on display. Millsaps College has quite an impressive history for a small D3 college. The land the college was built on was the site of the Battle of Jackson during the Civil War; the entire campus is also lined with old buildings, historic statues, and cannons from the Civil War, and Major Millsaps is even buried on campus in a huge mausoleum honoring him and his wife. The College also played an important role during World War II, as the school was selected as a Navy training school, and a total of 873 officer candidates came through Millsaps during World War II. One of the notable graduates of the school during this time was late night host Johnny Carson. The College has also played host to Presidential campaigns, welcomed two presidents, and in 1953 welcomed Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin in concert on campus. The college has also played a crucial role in the state's sports history as well – the first golf course in Mississippi was built on Millsaps campus in 1901, although it has long been abandoned. The first night football game in Mississippi was also played on the Millsaps campus in 1931 against Mississippi A&M (now Mississippi State). In addition, the basketball team plays in the affectionately named "Hangar Dome", which is a former airplane hangar from World War II. In addition, from 2006-2008 the New Orleans Saints held training camp on the surrounding practice fields around the track and field complex beyond center field; it could be said that the Drew Brees-Sean Payton era began right here at Millsaps, as 2006 was the first year for both with the Saints.

Photos by Chris Tuck, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Veltins Arena Arenaring 1 45891 Gelsenkirchen, Germany FC Schalke 04 website Veltins Arena website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 62,271 The Colours and Curves of the Veltins-Arena One hour after the final whistle, we sat high up in the SudKurve in an empty and eerie stadium. The view simply took our breath away. Some grounds are at their best when full; indeed a couple of hours earlier the Veltins-Arena was rocking. However as the crowd dispersed and the lights went down, this stunning, futuristic stadium revealed its colours and its curves in spectacular fashion. The city of Gelsenkirchen is in Germany’s Das Ruhrgebiet, in the west of the country, within North-Rhine Westphalia. It would never be described as picturesque or charming, however, its football team, FC Schalke 04, gives this former mining town something to be mighty proud of. Founded in 1904 (you'll see the blue and white '04 branding wherever you go) the club’s fortunes have fluctuated in the same way as the local industry. The region has often been described as Europe’s powerhouse. Recently, FC Schalke 04 is also a powerhouse; playing at a high level in both the Bundesliga and European Champions League. They were founded of course in 1904, and beginning in 1928 Schalke played at Glückauf-Kampfbahn in a proud working class area until the Parkstadion was built in 1973. Then in 2001, the club moved a stone’s throw away to its present home on the edge of the city. First known as the Arena Auf Schalke, a ten-year sponsorship by a leading German brewery means it’s now the Veltins-Arena, holding just over 62,000 fans. It’s a classic circa-200 million euro modern stadium, the retractable roof and removable pitch bring comparisons with others in the United States and the Far East. The Veltins-Arena is now very much home for their passionate fans who travel from miles around to follow the emotional roller coaster that is Schalke 04. Food & Beverage 3 Numerous catering outlets are available within the stadium complex and serve all the usual German favourites. Queues are quite long at times, exasperated by the European norm of having to queue first to put money on a ‘Knappenkarte’ that you then use to pay. For regulars, it’s a case of loading it up once for the season, but for one-time visitors, it’s an absolute pain. Bratwurst, a type of German sausage served in a bun, is a standard for most fans. Here it will set you back 2.90 euros, a very reasonable price. Schnitzel costs 4.20 euros and a Currywurst is 3.40 euros. Gouda am Stiel (cheese on a stick) costs 2.80 euros. Popcorn is available, a sad indictment of how sanitized football is becoming, but please don’t buy any. In Europe, popcorn is for the cinema only; buy it at football and you may as well get the word ‘tourist’ tattooed on your forehead. For drinks, coffee or tea costs 2.60 euros. Veltins will of course be your alcoholic drink of choice (or not) as their sponsorship gives them rights across the stadium’s outlets and will set you back around 4 euros. Veltins and CurryWurst is our recommendation, a decent price, and tasty although the fork didn’t come in particularly handy for the curry sauce. Just outside the stadium, on the corner of Willy-Brandt-Allee and Adenauerallee, is a cinema complex with a McDonalds, Café Del Sol, and Pizzeria, but it is, of course, busy on match days. Atmosphere 4 The vociferous home fans, housed in terraces at the NordKurve end of the ground do their best. As the match intensity grows, both home and away fans rise to the occasion and produce an impressive backdrop to the on-pitch action. The stadium is mostly two-tiered with executive boxes sandwiched in between. The Ergro Tribune (West) stand, where the players emerge onto the pitch, it’s split into three tiers. Clubs really should learn from Dortmund and now Tottenham Hotspur that a large, one-tier stand, uninterrupted by executive boxes, can do wonders for a stadium’s atmosphere. The seating across the stadium is predominantly blue in keeping with proud club colours. In the centre of the stadium, above the centre spot is a 4-screen ‘video box’ suspended from the roof providing updates on substitutions, scores elsewhere, and a few adverts too. Before kick-off, you will hear ‘The Miners Song,’ a reminder of the proud mining history in the area. Then the NordKurve take over with ‘blue and white, how we love you,’ their Tifo displays, their bouncing, and their songs, creating a superb spectacle for those in the other three stands. As with most modern stadiums, there are no bad views. Neighborhood 3 The Veltins-Arena can be found in the city of Gelsenkirchen, very much off of the tourist trail. All advice suggests staying elsewhere and traveling in for the match. When asking Schalke fans about their city, thinking they'd defend it to the hilt, they all replied “Stay in Dusseldorf!” Gelsenkirchen has pubs, restaurants, and hotels, so it’s possible to base yourself here. There is a zoo, a movie museum, and a coal museum. However, always trust the locals so base yourself in Bochum or Dusseldorf. We chose Dusseldorf, an attractive city just 45 minutes south on the train. Don’t forget of course that your match day football ticket will give you that train journey for free, an excellent initiative. Staying elsewhere also allows you to add another game to your trip. With so many clubs around, and tv schedules kick-off times across the weekend, you likely will be able to also visit another German football stadium during a visit. In Dusseldorf head to the Aldstadt where you’ll hear of the ‘longest bar in the world’ so called due to so many bars packed into such a small geographical area. Lanes off of the main drag provide numerous steakhouses, tapas, and pizzerias. We stayed in the heart of the Altstadt in apartments with a (small) sea view but no balcony; reasonably priced they provide a good base for a trip. Fans 4 Older Schalke fans still identify heavily with the working-class area where their Gluckauf-Kampfbahn stadium was located. I also met younger fans who had only ever known the glitzy and shiny Veltins-Arena. Schalke Ultras I spoke to simply lived and breathed their club, but they are down-to-earth and approachable. They know they are a big club, but understand that following football pride there is almost always an ignominious fall. The stadium is full for Bundesliga and Champions League matches, they were Germany’s best-supported club for a few years in the 1970s. These days only Dortmund and Bayern Munich attract more fans than Schalke who averaged over 60,000. Ultra groups choreograph the tifo displays and during the chants, they bring the striking blue and white colours to life through their flags, scarves, and banners. Of course, there is the juxtaposition between the gritty working-class heritage this club prides itself on and this fantastic futuristic stadium. If anything, however, it’s a positive tension. Schalke fans are also hugely proud that their stadium hosted World Cup matches in 2006 and a European Champions League final in 2004. Access 4 Only 85 kilometres separates Cologne from Dortmund, in between, this region is littered with top-flight and Bundesliga 2 football clubs. Forget coal, with at least three airports and the usual fast and efficient train network, this area is an absolute gold mine for traveling football fans. The Veltins-Arena is a long walk from the current centre of the city. It’s reached therefore using tram 302 from Gelsenkirchen Hauptbahnhof. Simply follow the hundreds of fans arriving on the train and drinking just outside the station. If you are driving to the Veltins-Arena, it can be found sandwiched between autobahns 2 and 42. Come off Autobahn 2 at junction 6 and arrive minutes later at the ground which has a large multi-story car park sitting adjacent to the stadium. Tickets for the match can be purchased from the Schalke website, by telephone, or at the stadium itself. Whilst they do sell out most games, if you are watchful and buy early, it’s possible to buy tickets even for some of the bigger games. Expect to scan your ticket at the outer perimeter of the stadium and be searched before you proceed into the stadium area itself. Once inside, access is relatively easy although note there are lots of stairs outside and in, so if mobility is an issue contact the club before you travel. Return on Investment 4 ‘Free train travel’ simply by showing your match day ticket is a superb idea. This makes the return on investment for a trip to Schalke very attractive. Ticket prices are what you would expect at this level and food/drink also is in line with other Bundesliga clubs. The availability of free match day programmes adds to the feeling that you aren't being ripped off. Of course, choose a lower-league match and you will spend less. I’d recommend Bochum just down the road, but a trip to a German top-flight club such as Schalke does not break the bank. Add to that you are visiting one of the world’s finest stadiums and this journey is money well spent. Extras 4 The Schalke museum is built into the corner of the SudKurve and is well worth a visit, on its own or as part of a stadium tour. The Match Day programme is an excellent full-color A4 affair and is given out around the perimeter of the stadium free of charge. Fan shops are also positioned around the ground with blue and white shirts, scarves, and merchandise to help you blend in. There is also now a Schalke app which you can use to gain access to their own tv channel, scores, and merchandise and it will even give you a wake-up call in time for the match. Final Thoughts During the match, songs, curse words, and shouts swirl around this impressive arena. Now as we're the last to leave, the now-empty stadium is still communicating with us. The huge video screen plays the post-match press interviews; but if you listen carefully enough, you can hear the working-class Schalke forefathers whispering, “Don’t ever forget your roots, work hard, don't expect anything for free, support this famous team through thick and thin.....and don't ever buy the popcorn.”

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Turf Paradise 1501 W Bell Rd Phoenix, AZ 85023 Turf Paradise website Turf Paradise website Year Opened: 1956 Live Racing Phoenix Turf Paradise opened in 1956 and offers live horse racing Monday through Wednesday and on Saturdays from November until early May – they occasionally have live racing on Sundays, Thursdays, & Fridays. There is a turf club on the second floor where you can make bets (either using a computer or at a window with a live attendant) and have food and drinks. There is also a clubhouse where you can sit indoors and watch the races, but there are no concessions in the clubhouse. You are also welcome to watch from outdoors, and you can walk up and watch the horses led around before each race, or watch the ceremony in the winner’s circle following each race. Food & Beverage 4 The clubhouse offers tables with servers – each table has a TV on it so you can watch the races; patrons order from the menu and have their food and drinks brought to them. $5 will be added to your bill if you choose to use this tableside service; otherwise, you can walk up to the bar area near the betting machines and order food and drinks from there, and take it with you to eat elsewhere on the property. There is also a bar area outside where a few people sit and watch the races as they eat and drink. Atmosphere 3 The indoor facilities at Turf Paradise are a little dilapidated, and there are not a whole lot of people there – the clubhouse portion is pretty much deserted, although there are quite a few people in the turf club eating and drinking at their tables while watching the races. I will say the staff is extremely friendly and polite, doing little things to make sure you enjoy your visit. The outdoor grounds, however, are gorgeous – beautiful trees and scenery, the signage and gates are nicely painted, and there are wonderful flowers and greenery around the stables and winner’s circle. You can also get very close to the horses as they are being led around, and you can stand right up against the fence to watch the racing, if you like getting close to the action – you can hear the pounding of the hooves as they come in for the finish. Neighborhood 3 Turf Paradise is located on Bell Road on the North side of Phoenix, about 15 miles from downtown. There is a Walmart nearby and some fast food restaurants, as well as a golf course and a couple of parks. Further out you can find the Tonto National Forest, and of course, there are plenty of entertainment options and restaurants to be found if you want to explore downtown, including other sports venues like Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, or Footprint Center, home of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and indoor football’s Arizona Rattlers. There are also plenty of hotels in the area, depending on what price point you are looking for and how far you are willing to drive. Fans 2 There are not a whole lot of fans at Turf Paradise, but the people I met were very friendly and willing to chat and share stories of their gambling triumphs and failures. There is a small amount of cheering for certain horses going on as each race finishes, but horse racing is more of an individual sport as far as the fans go, as most people are there to wager, so you don’t necessarily expect (or want) a lot of crowd noise. Access 4 Getting to Turf Paradise is pretty simple, though Phoenix does have a bit of construction going on right now, including some closures to parts of I-10 and I-17. That said, you may have to take a detour depending on what month or day of the week you are there. Once you get to the venue itself, you can park for free on-site, and getting into the clubhouse or turf club is hassle-free – there are no lines to speak of and there is plenty of room to move around. You might find a bit of a line to make your bet right before the race, but if you go a little early you shouldn’t have a problem. I will say a staff member did make me get my hand stamped when I entered the turf club the first time, but I am not sure why as turf club entry is part of the regular ticket price. Also, there is no one guarding the downstairs entrance, so I could have walked around and used the other escalator to get directly into the turf club, instead of going to the clubhouse first and entering the turf club from there. Return on Investment 5 It only costs $5 to get into Turf Paradise (another $1 for a program), and that price is well worth it. I had a great time – I enjoyed chatting with a couple of other patrons, won a few bets, and enjoyed walking down to see the horses and watching the races. I would recommend a visit to this facility. Extras 2 There aren’t any extras to speak of – folks are there for the betting, and if you happen to want to eat lunch (or dinner) while you watch the races you can do that too. You can also get an up-close look at the horses if you want. I will mention that Turf Paradise is also an off-track betting location (besides hosting its live races), meaning that you can bet on races at other tracks around the country, and watch those races (on TV) as well – there is a large bank of TVs in the turf club showing racing action from all over the country. Final Thoughts If you have never seen live horse racing I recommend it, and Turf Paradise is a great place to do it. The only downside is the building itself is a little dated, but the people are friendly, the outside grounds are beautiful, and you can also get close to the action. Most importantly, though, you can have a fun and easy time betting on the ponies – that matters when it comes to horse racing.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Queen's Cup Steeplechase 6103 Waxhaw Hwy Waxhaw, NC 28173 Queen's Cup Steeplechase website Year Opened: 1996 Steeplechase on the US side of the Pond The Queen’s Cup is held every year in May at a turf course outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Unlike traditional flat racing in the US, which is usually held on dirt courses, steeplechases are run on grass and include jumps over water, ditches, and other hurdles. The races take up to 5 minutes, and may require the horses to go around the track more than once, depending on the length of each race. I had never been to a steeplechase before (only American flat racing), and I have to say it was quite an experience. Many people arrived dressed to the nines, like you might imagine they do in English racing circles, and a fun time was had by all. Food & Beverage 2 Most attendees bring their own food and drink to the races here, including alcohol – there are certain sections, like Member’s Hill, with much higher ticket prices that include catered food and free drinks, but the majority pack in what they want for the day. There are only two concession stands, a BBQ food truck plus a popsicle stand near the center of the infield, although the souvenir tents do sell bottled water and canned sodas for $2 each. Also, after the races are over for the day, all attendees are invited onto Member’s Hill for free hors d’oeuvres and bottled water/soda (plus a cash bar) at the Hot Walk Party, but that is not until after 4:30 pm or so. That said, you may want to bring your own food, as there isn’t much on site during the day – coolers are allowed, and you will see many people dragging or carrying them in, even taking them along on the shuttle bus rides. Atmosphere 4 The atmosphere is absolutely festive, especially early in the day – there are many activities besides the racing, including Corgi races, free pony rides, tailgating, a hat contest (remember I said many people dress to the nines), and you can also walk up to the paddock before each race and see the horses led around before the jockeys mount. There is also the Hot Walk party after the races which I mentioned above, which includes a live band and dancing, as well as the free food and open bar. There is also a military display by members of the National Guard, the walking of the hounds, and a pipe band as part of the opening ceremonies. The gates open at 10 am, and a lot of the festivities I mentioned above happen before the racing begins, which will be around 1 pm or 1:30 (the opening ceremonies start at 12:30). There are five races on the card, with about 35 to 40 minutes between racing, so there can start to be a little bit of boredom later in the afternoon as you wait around between the races. Fortunately on the day I went it was a little cloudy and there was a nice breeze, so it wasn’t too hot nor too sunny, but if the sun is out you may want to find some shade, especially if you are dressed up in coat and tie or hoop skirt (there are plenty of shade trees around). Of course, if you bought a ticket in one of the tented areas you will be protected as well. The racing itself is fairly exciting – you can walk right up to the fences and hedges all around the course to see the horses close up, less than 1 foot away from you (you can feel the pounding of their collective hooves as they thunder by), and the announcers do a great job in calling the race and making it the event even more exciting. I will say, however, that there probably isn’t anywhere you can sit or stand that allows you to see the whole race – the course is over a mile long, and as there is no grandstand on site you likely will only be able to see part of each race. The best place to stand is probably near the finish line, which is near the paddock and winner’s circle; there are a couple of jumps there, so you should still be able to see some of the “good parts” if you are near the finish. You can also walk across the course when the horses are not running, if you want to get a different view for a different race. Neighborhood 2 The Queen’s Cup course is located in Waxhaw, NC in what many might consider the middle of nowhere – there is very little around, except for a couple of gas stations and some Dollar General stores, so if you plan to be in town for the weekend you may have to go into Monroe (about 10-15 minutes away), to find any restaurants and hotels. Downtown Charlotte is about forty-five minutes away, so that could also be an option if you are looking for some more interesting attractions. For something off the beaten path, there is a two-by-two petting zoo near Waxhaw called Why Not an American Ark (WNAAA), where you can pet exotic animals – some of which I didn’t even recognize – and dogs and farm animals as well. Fans 2 The fans at the Queen’s Cup are decent, but most of them seem to be there just to party and hang out – they don’t appear to care much about the racing itself. Don’t get me wrong, they enjoy dressing up and tailgating, including all the typical things that go along with it like cornhole and drinking (I didn’t see any grilling so I am not sure that is allowed), but the racing itself was be a little ho-hum for most. There is a little cheering that happens at the finish, and there are rumors of friendly wagers occurring (but technically wagering on horses is not legal in North Carolina, so there is nothing official of course), but most attendees just seem to be there enjoying the day out. Access 3 Getting to the Queen’s Cup is a little rough, and getting around is as well – there is a lot of traffic backed up on the country roads around the track, so instead of waiting endlessly at the traffic lights, I ended up backtracking and going far out of my way to find a clear path; I did this when I arrived as well as when I left. That said you may want to try and arrive early. Once you park, there are shuttles that take you from the parking lots to the course itself, but it was a bit of a wait, so on the way in I just ended up walking, which worked out fine, it wasn’t too terribly long (I did take a shuttle on the way back, as I happened upon an empty one right when I left the course). Note that the parking is in giant, slightly hilly grass fields, so an SUV or Truck helps if you have one. Once you get to the course the only way to get around is by walking, so most people just stayed in their assigned areas – there were not many people who walked over to the middle of the infield, for example, for food and souvenirs, nor to see the Lamborghinis, military vehicles, and weapons displayed there, nor to participate in the free pony rides. There are a ton of people at the event, and you can see the myriad tents on the outside of the course, as well as the huge swath of people tailgating by the lake, but most of them just stay in those spots. On the plus side, this meant that the concession lines and bathroom lines (port-a-johns only) were very short. Not very many people walked over to the paddock or finish line either; most people just watched from the hedges around the course that were near their spaces. Return on Investment 5 The cheapest ticket to see the Queen’s Cup is the $75 general admission fare ($100 if you buy at the door, so buy early). For that price I think it was absolutely worthwhile, especially if you have never seen a steeplechase before. Parking is included in that price, and since you can bring your own food and drinks you don’t have to spend anything on concessions. There are much more expensive tickets, however – spaces on Member’s Hill run $395 per person (yes, close to $400), although they include catered food and free drinks. There are also a number of other options, including tailgating spots in the infield (some tented, some not) and tented tailgate spots on the outer ring of the course, and you will see many of those tents with a car or trucked parked underneath – I am not sure how much those cost, but I am not sure about them; I would rather spend less money and get to enjoy the activities near the infield, rather than sitting in one place all day, but to each their own. As I mentioned, all attendees get to attend the Hot Walk part after the races, including those with the $75 tickets, so that certainly adds to the value you are getting here. Extras 4 I mentioned the Hot Walk party; I mentioned the free pony rides and Corgi races, as well as the Lamborghinis and military displays in the infield. It is also a plus that all patrons can walk up to see the horses parade around the paddock before each race, and not only those with a Member’s Hill pass. The lake view is also nice, and the numerous shade trees are a blessing. Final Thoughts I would highly recommend a visit to the Queen’s Cup – be aware of the concessions/access set-up so you know what you’re getting into, but if you plan ahead you can make it work a little more smoothly (for example you can buy the close parking if you plan far enough ahead, which I did not). But even if you don’t it will work out fine – I was running late due to the traffic, but I was still able to make it in with plenty of time to spare before the first race. Also, I thought the steeplechase racing was phenomenal – on one hand I missed the grandstand seating where I could have seen the whole race more easily, but on the other hand, I got to see the horses up close and personal at the jumps, and feel the pounding of their hooves; I can’t say enough about that. Despite the minor challenges I had a great time, and I know you will too.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.71 Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie 1000 Lone Star Pkwy Grand Prairie, TX 75050 Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie website Year Opened: 1997 North Texas Turf Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie is one of only 4 tracks in the state of Texas that offer live horse racing and is considered by many to be the best of the bunch. Opened in 1997, Lone Star Park hosts thoroughbred racing from April thru July, and Quarter Horse racing from September thru November. The facility has a mile-long dirt track in addition to a seven-furlong turf course, which sits inside the larger dirt oval; on a typical race day might see both courses in use. Food & Beverage 5 There is all manner of food and beverage options at Lone Star Park, starting with hot dogs, ice cream, pizza, and Mexican on the lower level, as well as several bar areas with full selections of alcohol. Prices vary widely, with main dish items such as hot dogs and slices of cheese pizza starting at $6, and you can also get snacks or desserts like packaged candy and cookies starting at $2. There are also better options, including full-service restaurants, on the second and third floors if you want to purchase premium seating. Most of the food is located inside the main building, but there are a couple of kiosks outside with very small selections of alcohol, plus bottled water and popcorn. Atmosphere 5 The facilities at Lone Star Park are stellar – there are inflatables for the kids, multiple seating areas inside and out so you can get as close to or as far from the action as you want, and there is even a live band playing during the races. But like any horse racing course, certainly, the name of the game is the wagering, and you will find plenty of betting windows (staffed with live attendants to take your bets) and betting machines inside the venue (as well as a couple of ATMs – please bet responsibly). I prefer the live staff option, as I am not always certain what some of the betting terms mean. The wagering lines can get a little long at times, especially just before the off, so you are better off going right after the end of each race. There is a walking ring on the other side of the facility from the track, where you can see the horses parade around before they go onto the track, and you can also see the winning relations (and horse) in the winner’s circle following the race. The seating areas include partially covered seats with chairbacks, or you can sit at tables in the sun closer to the track if you need space to set your food or drink, or to peruse your racing program. There is also a large area of covered seating about 200 feet away from the main building, which has additional tables and chairs – this is near where the stage is for the live band, just outside the west entrance of the main building. Neighborhood 4 Lone Star Park is located about halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, nestled in between Arlington and Irving. There is some construction going on in the immediate vicinity to create a major league cricket stadium on the site, and there is also an entertainment venue already on site called Texas Trust CU Theater which hosts concerts and other events. Additional development is also planned on the property, so in a couple of years, you can expect to see a variety of new restaurants, shopping options, and hotels, making this a bit similar to the Texas Live! entertainment district (currently being built but partially completed) next to Globe Life Field in Arlington. If you are looking for additional entertainment options, there is plenty to be seen in Dallas proper or in Fort Worth. For example, you may be able to catch other sporting events on the same weekend if you want to make a doubleheader of it – baseball season is in full swing, and the NBA or NHL may have some games nearby if the Mavericks or Stars make the playoffs. You are also in the right season for spring football, with both the Arlington Renegades of the XFL and the arena football Frisco Fighters having games nearby if you choose the right weekend. Fans 5 There are plenty of “fans” in attendance, making wagers and taking a look at the horses – you will hear plenty of cheers (as well as a few screams of agony) urging on the right horse (or bemoaning the loss of a favorite). People here really seem to be enjoying themselves as they walk around taking in the sights, listening to the band, or enjoying a drink or some good food – you will see plenty of smiles on people’s faces as they enjoy the beautiful day at the track. The folks here are also very friendly, and are very willing to share tips or stories of success and failure; you will also see many groups of friends and families out and about, enjoying their time. Access 4 Getting to Lone Star Park is pretty easy – there is not much around the venue at present, so traffic in and out of the site is almost non-existent, and you can park for free in the “outer” parking lot. Parking in the lot closest to the facility will run you $20, but in my opinion, that option is not worth it; the further parking lot is empty enough that you can park near the front, and with only a few extra steps of walking save some money. Once inside there are plenty of bathrooms, and in general, there is plenty of room to move around the concourse and the track. Most of the concessions don’t have any lines to speak of, given how many different options there are – the only downside is you might have to wait in line at one of the betting windows or betting machines or for the ATM. A pro tip here – there is a much less used ATM on the far side (away from the West entrance where most people enter from the parking lot), so if you go over there you shouldn’t have to wait, although the betting windows and betting machines on that side seem to be about the same. Return on Investment 5 The cost to get into Lone Star Park is only $15 for basic admission, plus $5 for a racing program if you want to see the odds and scratches. The price for the 2nd and 3rd levels runs a little bit more, and on some days they will sell out of those better seating options – on the plus side if you sit on the upper floors you can watch from the inside and get a better view of the race since you are higher up, but you can’t get as close to the horses that way. Extras 5 I already mentioned the live band and the number of different seating options, but the grounds are also beautiful. Being able to see both turf racing and dirt racing on the same track is also a plus (note that the turf racing here is slightly harder to see than the dirt racing, given the turf course is inside the dirt track). There is also a little gift shop inside if you want to grab a souvenir, and there are some statues around which you can get pictures of; you can also pet some of the horses (not the racehorses but the horses ridden by the park staff). And finally, I have to mention the hat contest – you will see plenty of people dressed up in their finery to go racing, including many, many elaborate and beautiful hats being worn. Final Thoughts I would recommend a visit to Lone Star Park if you can make it; this is the best race course I have ever been to and the best racing experience I have ever had.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Pechanga Arena 3500 Sports Arena Blvd San Diego, CA 92110 San Diego Strike Force website Pechanga Arena website Year Opened: 1966 Capacity: 12,000 South Cali Football Pechanga Arena opened in 1966 and holds 12,000 fans for indoor football games. The arena is home to the San Diego Strike Force of the Indoor Football League (IFL), as well as the San Diego Gulls minor league hockey team, plus indoor soccer and the San Diego Seals lacrosse team. The facility looks modern enough on the inside, but seems a little dated based on its exterior. Food & Beverage 3 Pechanga Arena only has 3 concession stands open during San Diego Strike Force games – there are many more concession stands inside, which may be open during other events at the venue, but they are not open during indoor football. The first concessions stand is Nicolosi’s, an Italian restaurant which offers meatball subs, mac n cheese, or giant meatballs, all of which cost $13.50, as well as a few other traditional items such as nachos, hot dogs, pretzels, churros, candy, and popcorn. However, Nicolosi’s actually has more items on its beverage menu than on its food menu, including margaritas, Mai tais, mules, draft beer, wine, bottled water, coffee, energy drinks, iced tea, soda, and Powerade. The second concessions stand inside Pechanga Arena is called Pizza Port, and it offers 4 types of pizza (cheese, pepperoni, jalapeno pepperoni, and BBQ chicken), packaged candy, and most of the same beverage choices offered by Nicolosi’s, while the third stand is more of a full bar with many draft beer choices, as well as a limited number of wine and mixed drink choices. Atmosphere 2 There is not much in Pechanga Arena during San Diego Strike Force games except the football itself – there is no dance team, no mascot, and the field itself looks a little worn; it is obvious that the turf itself was a hand-me-down from a prior incarnation of indoor football. On the plus side, all the seats are chairbacks and there is a 4-sided videoboard hung above midfield so it is easy to see replays, and they play lots of fun music throughout the game to try and keep fans engaged. There are also the typical fan contests, such as having 2 father-and-son pairs race each other back and forth across the field carrying a pizza box, and there is also a team gear stand on site. Neighborhood 4 Pechanga Arena is located near Old Town San Diego – there is actually a sizeable antique mall across the street which is fun to walk around, and the Mormon Battalion Historic Site is less than 5 minutes away. The Mormon Battalion was a group of LDS soldiers from the Mexican-American War, who didn’t end up fighting in any actual battles, but did build some wagon trails during their service which helped settlers move west, most notably a trail from Santa Fe to San Diego (hence the location of the historic site), which eventually became the route the railroad went through. SeaWorld San Diego is also across the river from Pechanga Arena, less than 5 minutes away. Fans 2 There are very few fans at San Diego Strike Force games, although admittedly the most recent game I attended was on a Sunday afternoon, so that probably contributed to the smaller numbers. There are a few diehards in the front rows who are really into the game, and the rest of the fans cheer at all the right moments, and seem to enjoy the game and the fun music being played, but the arena does seem very empty, especially given that the upper level is not curtained off like it is at many similarly-sized venues. Access 3 Getting to Pechanga Arena is easy enough given its proximity to SeaWorld and Old Town, but getting into the venue is a little frustrating – there are four entrances into the stadium, but only the entrance on the North side is open for San Diego Strike Force games, and there is no signage directing fans to that entrance. There are also no signs around most of the building identifying it as Pechanga Arena, so you can easily drive right by it and not realize what it is. There are also lots of barrier poles scattered around the parking lot, which doesn’t seem necessary given how empty the parking lot seems to be; on the plus side fans do get to park for free. The most frustrating part of attending a Strike Force game, however, is buying your game ticket – you have to buy tickets using the AXS ticketing app instead of Ticketmaster, which is nice because it saves you a little money in fees, but the arena doesn’t sell tickets online on the day of, meaning you have to walk up to the ticket office, pay for your ticket, and then download it using the app. There are no paper tickets like you can buy at other venues on the day of, and it also doesn’t make sense to cut off online sales if fans are required to use the app regardless. Return on Investment 3 If you enjoy football, attending a game at Pechanga Arena is a decent experience – just don’t expect a lot of extras. The overall cost is fairly reasonable, and probably lower than similar IFL venues; while concessions are a little on the high side, tickets start at only $13, and you can park for free. Extras 2 Pechanga Arena has an interactive display inside highlighting all the teams that play here. The Stella Artois Lounge (basement level) is also open to all fans – this full bar with plush seating is a nice place to hang out during the game, and there are a couple of TVs inside so that you can keep track of the action on the field.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Reckling Park 1968 University Blvd Houston, TX 77005 Rice Owls website Reckling Park website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 7,000 Rice Owls – Reckling Park One of the most prestigious academic institutions in the country, Rice University has a long history of fostering educators, Nobel laureates, and Pulitzer Prize winners. The school also has a long history of success in athletics, as well, including on the baseball diamond. The Rice Owls fielded their first baseball team in 1913, and beginning in 1914 they were members of the fabled Southwest Conference until its collapse in 1996. Since 2006 – until this next season when they will level up to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) – Rice has been a member of Conference USA. In the latter half of the 20th century up until the middle of the 21st, the Owls have seen a tremendous amount of success on the field. Led by such former big leaguers as current head coach Lance Berkman, Jose Cruz, Jr., and Norm Charlton, the Owls have won 18 regular season conference championships (the most recent happening in 2015), made the NCAA Tournament a whopping 23 times, and in 2003 they completely climbed the metaphorical mountain and were crowned National Champions. Since 2000, Rice has done its winning from within the friendly confines of Reckling Park. Tucked inside the campus of Rice University and within eyesight of the skyline of the Texas Medical Center, Reckling Park is quite frankly a gorgeous spot to see a ballgame. Food & Beverage 3 When it comes to food and beverages, Reckling Park does enough to scratch your ballpark itch by playing the proverbial hits. There are two main spots in the park to get your grub and drink on. The main concessions area is located on the concourse behind home plate, and offers the usual suspect lineup of ballpark favorites – you can get hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, candy, popcorn, soft pretzels, sunflower seeds, canned beer, bottled water, sports drinks, and fountain sodas. Nothing flashy, nothing spectacular, but solid. The second spot is a little more upscale, as down the first base line is The Roost. A de facto beer garden, this stand offers up the same food and drinks as the other stands, but in a covered patio area. The ballpark also has a Kona Ice shaved ice truck parked inside that is quite popular with fans, which makes for a nice treat during the hot, humid days of early spring in H-Town. Atmosphere 4 I will say right off the bat (no pun intended) that I’m a sucker for stadiums with a nice, clean brick façade. To me that just screams old school elegance, and harkens back to the golden age of sports. For baseball, a sport steeped in nostalgia and history, facilities like Reckling Park add to the gravitas of what is happening on the field. Once through the main gates as you take the short steps up from the main concourse to the seating area, the field opens up and you are transported into what makes baseball special. The open skies, the green grass (field turf, to be fair), and young fans crowding the fence line looking for autographs and/or foul balls; Reckling Park has all of it. In addition to the overall aesthetic, the park has a few nice features to add to the atmosphere; there’s the Roost area as well as some berm seating for fans in left and left-center field. The Owls prominently display their championship wins – naturally including the 2003 National Championship – on signage in the outfield. Also, on the main concourse is the Rice team store, for those looking to get their team/school gear. Neighborhood 5 As mentioned, Reckling Park is right in the middle of the lush and beautiful Rice campus. The tree-lined walkways leading to the ballpark are populated with public art, and crisscross the campus and its stately academic buildings. Within eyesight is historic Rice Stadium, and within walking distance is Tudor Fieldhouse. With baseball and basketball overlapping seasons, you have a good chance of double-dipping sports at Rice. That’s also totally doable if you’re interested in checking out a Houston Astros or Houston Rockets game while you’re in Space City. Speaking of Space City, the reason the city has earned this moniker is something everyone should visit at least once when heading to Houston – Space Center Houston is the hub for space exploration in the United States. Home to NASA, Space Center is a fantastic site to take in before or after catching an Owls game. Consistently rated as the top tourist destination in the city, Space Center has something for everyone. When you’re looking for food and lodging options, Rice Village, the area around the university, has plenty to offer you. Restaurants such as Miller’s Café – specializing in burgers, sandwiches, and salads – and Poke in the Bowl – which offers, of course, poke bowls – are just a couple of options that are a short drive from the ballpark. For lodging options abound, including most of the recognizable chains; within a five-minute drive from Reckling Park are Westin Houston Medical Center and Hilton Houston Plaza/Medical Center. Fans 2 For a program that has found as much success as the Rice Owls, it is quite unfortunate to see how sparsely attended their games regularly are. Since 2014 the Owls have drawn just under 3,000 fans per game; this is just about half the capacity for the ballpark. Baseball inherently needs a crowd to keep the energy up for a game. Most fans in the stands are decked out in their Rice purple, however, there are also quite a few sporting Astros gear. It will be interesting to see how the attendance is impacted when Rice moves to the AAC next season. Access 3 Rice University, like many of the other sporting facilities in H-Town, is quite convenient to get to. The campus is located between Interstate 69 and State Highway 90, and there is plenty of signage telling you how to get to the school – once you enter Rice Village you can’t miss the athletics compound. Once you get on site, parking is plentiful; I’d recommend parking near the football stadium and strolling through the campus if time permits. Parking there will cost you $10, which is a nice bargain. If you choose not to drive, ridesharing options are a good option, as is Houston’s public transportation service. As always, I like to offer the advice to visitors to Houston to be wary of the city’s notorious traffic. You will be stuck in it, that’s just a fact, so, plan accordingly when heading to the game. Return on Investment 4 Single-game tickets for Owls games start at $10 for general admission ($15 for premium matchups). The Owls regularly play host to some of the biggest and best baseball programs in the state, including the ones from Austin and College Station. You can also expect the competition to ramp up even further next season with the move to thee AAC. Given that, the low cost for parking, plus some of the most affordable concessions I’ve seen, and you are getting a really great bargain at Reckling Park, especially when you also consider the great ballpark itself. Extras 3 Baseball doesn’t normally lend itself to Extras, outside of a few things. However, Reckling Park isn’t without some special offerings to make the in-game entertainment that much more special. The main one that is offered up is a play area for kids just outside the third baseline – this area is full of inflatable bounce houses that are sure to entertain really young fans. One small feature that I truly enjoyed seeing, and it is such a small detail, are the boards behind home plate that have the day’s handwritten lineups for each team, as well as the current conference standings. Again, it is such a small detail, but it reminded me of simpler time in baseball history. Final Thoughts This was my first visit to Reckling Park, but I can pretty much guarantee it won’t be my last. The park, if I haven’t made it clear yet, is really beautiful. I can only hope more fans will start coming once the move to the new conference takes place. I can only imagine what it would be like to see it filled. Regardless, if you’re a baseball fan or just a sports fan looking for something fun to do, catch an Owls game at Rice when you can. Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Southern Miss Softball Complex 500 N 25th Ave Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles website Southern Miss Softball Complex website Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 1,000 Welcome to the Lady Eagle's Roost The Southern Miss Softball program is one of 15 sports, and one of 8 women's sports, sponsored by the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. For the 2023 Softball season the Golden Eagles join the Sun Belt Conference, after competing since 1999 in Conference USA. The first season of softball at Southern Miss began in 1982 when the Golden Eagles began play in the Metro Conference – due to financial issues the softball program went on hiatus after the 1992 season. When softball was reinstated in 1999, Southern Miss did the unthinkable by advancing to the College World Series back-to-back in 1999 and 2000. The Golden Eagles were led by the arm of perhaps the greatest softball player to ever come through the program in Courtney Blades. If advancing to the Womens' College World Series in their first year back wasn't enough, the Golden Eagles also didn't have a place to call home until the opening of the Softball Complex in 2002. The softball team had a lot of different homes prior to the opening of the Softball Complex – they used the now intramural fields located on campus until 1992, and in 1999 they played at local city parks. In 2000 and 2001 they played at a local sports complex in Oak Grove called Optimist Park, about 15 minutes away, and since those early years the Golden Eagles haven't had much success on the diamond, winning only two C-USA Tournaments in 2000 and 2001, and winning the C-USA Regular Season in 2000 and 2004. The Lady Eagles have only been to four Regionals, with the most recent one coming in 2004. Food & Beverage 2 The Southern Miss Complex has one concession stand at the main entrance to the facility; Eagle Bites is the name of the stand and it just sells the basics, such as hot Dogs, hamburgers, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, and assorted candies round out the menu, with prices ranging between $2 and $4. Coke is the official soft drink provider of Southern Miss Athletics with a souvenir cup costing $5, or you can get a 22 oz. soda for $4, or Smartwater for $3. There is also a nice a little area at the front entrance where you could eat your meal at one of two picnic tables. Atmosphere 3 The Softball Complex sits about a block off campus to the northeast, tucked away along the Long Leaf Trace. The Trace follows the route of a former railroad and is a beautiful, paved trail that runs right through town and continues west for 44 miles. The Trace runs directly through the parking lot at the Softball Complex and continues down the first base line. It is quite scenic on this stretch of the Trace, as on any given spring day you can find many people riding bikes, jogging, or walking dogs along the wooded path. The main entrance is behind home plate, and you enter into the concessions area. Once inside, the grounds around the complex are kept up and well-manicured. In addition to the small picnic area near the concessions area, there is also a paved pathway under the grandstand on the first base line with rose bushes and ferns lining the path, where you walk up to your seats. Under the third base grandstand is a metal ramp to get to your seating. The Softball Complex has a dark grey brick exterior with seating for about 1,000 people. Directly behind home plate are about 250 chairback seats, with the rest being metal bleacher seating. The dimensions of the Field are 200-220-200; Southern Miss uses the third base dugouts while the visiting team uses the first base dugouts. A small digital scoreboard sits in left field, while the view beyond the outfield is nothing but trees, except the small party deck in left field under the scoreboard – this is the Diamond Club seating, which is a booster club for the softball program. On any given you day you can find about 15-20 fans out there, with a few of them grilling out. If you look the opposite direction towards campus, the view may look a little better as you have a nice aerial view of campus and M. M. Roberts Stadium in the distance. There is a table at the front entrance where they give out magnetic softball schedules and posters, and they also have a media guide typed up for that night's matchup. Neighborhood 3 Hattiesburg (aka The Burg) is a decent-sized city of about 50,000 people, so it has everything you could want in a city and still retains that college town feel. The Burg has a wide selection of bars and restaurants, but unlike most college towns they are not located near each other -- instead they are spread out throughout the city. Within walking distance of campus you'll find places like Patio 44, Brewsky's, and 4th Street Bar – if you’re looking for vintage Southern Miss memorabilia than 4th Street Bar is your place, and is located right on the Long Leaf Trace in front of the Softball Complex. Another popular spot on the Trace about a quarter of a mile away from the Softball Complex is Colludium Brewing Company, Hattiesburg's newest brewery; they have a nice outdoor patio overlooking the Trace which makes for a great spot to have a beer before a softball game. Closer to downtown you'll find popular spots like Keg & Barrel, The Porter, Hattiesburger, Fairley Wings, and Nostalgia. As a southern city, Hattiesburg has its fair share of restaurants centered on the local fare; popular spots include Crescent City Grill, Brass Hat, Midtown, Chesterfields, Ed's Burger Joint, Stricks, and Murky Waters BBQ. There is also plenty to do for all ages – for families there's the Hattiesburg Zoo and Serenghetti Springs Water Park, while downtown has the popular Pocket Museum, Mississippi's tiniest museum. Located in an alleyway downtown, the popular museum has a different theme each month – we can't tell you where the alley is because that's part of the charm of the Pocket Museum, i.e. being able to find it. For shopping there are plenty of chain stores and Turtle Creek Mall. Another popular spot is the Lucky Rabbit; located downtown, it's a two-story vintage thrift store with tons of antiques and local Southern Miss memorabilia. If you are into the outdoors, in addition to the Long Leaf Trace there is also Paul B. Johnson State Park, just south of Hattiesburg, which is an excellent spot for camping, while another popular pastime is rafting down the Okatoma River that runs right through Hattiesburg, all the way to the Coast. Fans 2 Southern Miss averages about 700 fans for softball matchups, which is about average for the Sun Belt Conference. The Complex only holds about 1,000 fans, so it rarely sells out, and you should always be able to find a seat somewhere. The only time the Softball Complex will sell out is when SEC teams come to play here, especially when Ole Miss or Mississippi State visit. The attendance record was set in 2022 when 1,570 people were in attendance for an Alabama matchup. Softball games do attract a lot of visiting fans, especially for some of those early season non-conference matchups with some of the schools from up north. I attended a game where they played Yale, and there were more Yale fans who had traveled with the team than there were Southern Miss fans. I also attended a conference matchup with Louisiana, and there were more Ragin’ Cajun fans who made that trip as well. Access 3 Getting to Hattiesburg shouldn't be a problem, as it is one of the more accessible cities in the state, located about an hour and a half from the Coast, New Orleans, Jackson, or Mobile. If coming from out of town the main road into The Burg is I-59; once in town the main two roads in Hattiesburg are Highway 49 and Hardy Street, with Southern Miss’ campus sitting right on the corner of the two. Depending on the time of day Hattiesburg is notorious for traffic, especially on Hardy Street, so plan accordingly, as many of the weekday softball games start in the mid-afternoon. The Softball Complex sits tucked away on the back side of campus to the east of Highway 49. The best way to get to the Complex is to take the 4th Street exit off Highway 49, and the Complex sits right behind 4th Street Bar. There is plenty of parking on site, and once inside the stadium you should have no problem moving around. My favorite way to get to the Softball Complex is to park on campus and bike down the Long Leaf Trace to the game. Return on Investment 3 Tickets are $8 for a General Admission ticket, which is about average for this level of college softball. You are free to sit anywhere you want in the stands, which is always a plus. The stadium is the perfect size to see everything, and if you want to sit in one of the 250 chairback seats you are free to do so. I considered this a good return on investment – there is a chance you could be watching a potential Women's College World Series team as well. The Golden Eagles are off to a hot start in 2023, and who knows? This might be the year the Golden Eagles make it to Oklahoma City for the third time. Extras 4 One mention for Southern Miss advancing to the Women's College World Series in back-to-back years in 1999 and 2000. The closest the school has ever gotten to a National Title in any sport was in the 2000 Women's College World Series, when the Lady Eagles made it to the WCWS semi-finals, but lost to UCLA 6-0. The Lady Eagles are also one of three teams in the Sun Belt Conference who have advanced to the Women's College World Series (James Madison and Louisiana are the other two schools) – James Madison went once in 2021, and UL has been six times between 1993 and 2014. The Southern Miss Softball Complex has also hosted the C-USA Softball Tournament once in 2017, which was won by Louisiana Tech. Southern Miss also hosted the C-USA Softball Tournament in 2000, but it was played at Oak Grove Optimist Park. The 2000 Tournament had two teams make it to the WCWS that year, the other being DePaul, who also went in 1999. I recently made the trip out to Optimist Park and found the field that hosted the Softball games that season; I have included a picture of it here: And of course, a mention for the Long Leaf Trace providing the scenic backdrop of all the Southern Miss athletic venues. I always enjoy it when the Southern Miss baseball and softball teams are both playing home games on the same day; it is possible to hop on a bike at the Softball Complex and ride all the way to the baseball stadium , Pete Taylor Park , along the Trace.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Queen’s University Athletics and Recreation Centre 284 Earl St. Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Queen's Gaels basketball website Queen's University Athletics and Recreation Centre website Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 1,900 Tri-Colour Hoops On February 6, 1904 Queen’s University played McGill University in basketball. It would be the first ever basketball game played in what is now known as USports. Formerly Canadian Interuniversity Sport, USports has a long tradition with basketball and especially the tri-colour Queen’s Gaels. Queen’s maintains one of the deepest set of traditions in athletics. Located in historic Kingston, Ontario, Queen’s was established in 1841, before Canada gained independence and currently boasts an enrollment of over 24,000 students. Queen’s plays in the Ontario conference of USports known as Ontario University Athletics or OUA. The current home for the Gaels is the fairly new Athletics and Recreation Centre. Replacing the Bartlett Gymnasium in 2009, the ARC, as it is commonly known, is a bright, shiny home for the Gaels. It is not a stretch to say that Queen’s is a football-first school with the Gaels faithful providing one of the most unique and traditional experiences in all of Canadian football. On the other hand, basketball has not seen a ton of success over the years. The Gaels have claimed five Wilson Cups over the years as Ontario champions, with their last one coming in 1957. The deep-set traditions that fans find at Gaels football games are vacant from the basketball scene, however a Tri-Colour basketball game is an enjoyable affair in one Food & Beverage 2 Concession options at the Athletics and Recreation Centre are not earth shattering. However, if you are looking for a snack, you will be just fine. There is one concession stand at the south end. There you will find hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels, pizza from Pizza Pizza, chocolate bars and chips. Slushies and frozen lemonade are also available. Soft drinks available are Coca-Cola products and are in plastic bottles. Powerade is also available. There are some vending machines close by as well if the selections at the concession are not good for you. Prices are decent and there are combos available combing pizza, hot dog or popcorn with a soda. Quality and selection won’t blow you away, but if you are someone who needs to munch during the game, then you will be satisfied. Atmosphere 3 The Athletics and Recreation Centre is a fully functional recreation centre for the students of Queen’s University. The main gym in the ARC is the host for Queen’s basketball. The ARC is inside the Queen’s Centre. From the exterior, the Queen’s Centre is a little difficult to find. Signage is not overwhelming from the exterior and some research is necessary for newcomers to the Queen’s campus. Upon entry to the ARC fans are welcomed by inflatable Queen’s promo items including the giant Q and inflatable tunnel. Entry is on the south side of the ARC and fans are welcomed to the north-south configuration of the basketball court. In the south concourse is where fans will find Queen’s trophy cases and walls honouring Academic All-Canadians and Athletic Award winners. There are a couple of lounges at the south side as well under the watchful eye of a large mural of the iconic Queen’s tri-colour flag and Queen’s fans. The seating area in the main gymnasium is bright and clean. There is seating on the east, west and south sides of the court. Seating on the east and west sides are plastic contoured bleacher benches with four rows of plastic seats on both sides of centre court. There is ample standing room behind each of the three seating areas as well. On the west side of the gymnasium, above the grandstand, hang all of the championship banners for all sports. Included in that group is the basketball banner honouring the 1924, 1926, 1930,1936 and 1957 Ontario Conference Championships which resulted in the Gaels bringing home the Wilson Cup. Unfortunately, the Gaels have yet to bring home a National Championship in basketball. On the east side, above the grandstands, hang banners honouring the 1922, 1923 and 1924 Grey Cup Champions and recognizing Richardson Stadium as the site of the 1922 Grey Cup. These show great history for Queen’s athletics, but are football related and seem a bit out of place in the ARC. On the north wall is the scoreboard, which is decent, but pretty standard for this level of basketball and does not feature a videoboard. The game day production at Queen’s is far different for basketball than football. At Richardson Stadium, football game days are steeped in Queen’s traditions which have been handed down through the generations. There are no such traditions with basketball. Overall, the basketball production is fairly modern, with modern, student-chosen, music during the down times and student run promotions and contests. The Queen’s Competitive Dance Team performs between the quarters and helps distribute promotional items in the crowd. The Queen’s mascot Boo-Hoo did not make an appearance at the game that was reviewed. Neighbourhood 5 The ARC is located at the north end of the main campus of Queen’s University. Queen’s is located just west of downtown Kingston, one of the most interesting and vibrant neighbourhoods that you will find. Head towards the river and Princess Street to find just about everything you could want. A number of national restaurant chains can be found all along Princess, Queen and Brock Streets, but there are also a ton of independent spots that will peak your interest. Woodenheads Gourmet Pizza, Sir John’s Public House, The Merchant Tap House, Chez Piggy, The Toucan and Grizzly Grill are all worth checking out. Kingston is a fantastic spot to be, especially in the summer. The Haunted Walk is interesting and Confederation Park is along the Rideau Trail right by the waterfront. The ferry to Wolfe Island is right there also. Across the river, at the top of the hill is Old Fort Henry, which has a number of activities during the summer and fall. Bellevue House was the home of Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. Fans looking for other sporting options within the city will not have to look far. Queen’s fields a full slate of athletic programs including their legendary football stadium that plays at Richardson Memorial Stadium. The Queen’s hockey team plays a few blocks away at the Kingston Memorial Centre. The cross-town rivals for the Gaels, the RMC Paladins play just across the water at Constantine Arena. Also, the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL play right downtown at Leon's Centre. There are a number of places to stay if you are staying in Kingston. By the waterfront you can find the Confederation Place Hotel, Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront and Delta Waterfront Hotel. All are good spots to stay. Fans 3 Assessing fans at USports basketball games is challenging. Usually, attendance numbers are not published, and discerning league attendance averages is almost impossible. That being said, USports basketball fans would assuredly be measured in the hundreds and not thousands. At the game that was reviewed there were over five hundred fans in attendance, all of which were corralled on the east side of the gymnasium, which makes for more of an event feel, but doesn't make for great pictures. The fans that are in attendance are decent supporters of the Gaels but are not over the top crazy. There is a decent percentage of students in the crowd, but not nearly as significant as universities south of the border. Access 4 Getting to Queen’s and the ARC are not too difficult. The ARC is located on the main Queen’s campus and a significant distance south of the main highway into Kingston, Highway 401. Getting to Queen’s from out of town will require a significant drive through the city . For fans interested in public transportation to the ARC there is a bus stop on Earl Street at University Ave, right by the ARC. Check out the Kingston Transit website for schedules, fares and maps. The Kingston Trolley may also be an option for you to head to the ARC. Check out the Kingston Trolley website for details. Right by the Earl Street entrance to the ARC, there is a large underground parking garage. Parking can run up to $6 which is on the pricy side for university basketball. Pay and display on nearby streets is also an option. Having a plan is a pretty good idea when heading to a game. The markings for the underground garage are not very good as are the markings for the ARC. The Queen’s University and Gaels athletics websites are pretty good at filling in the gaps. Getting around the ARC is not a problem considering the number of fans in the stands. Washrooms are also adequate for the crowd numbers in attendance. Return on Investment 5 There is great value in a Queen’s Gaels basketball game for little investment. Adult tickets purchased in advance will run $8 or $10 at the door. Discounts are available for students and youth. Children under five are free as are Queen’s University students. All tickets are doubleheader tickets with entry into the women’s game included. Parking prices aren’t the greatest but concession prices are okay. The product that Queen’s puts on the floor is high quality and exciting and absolutely worth the very insignificant investment a fan is asked for. Extras 3 An extra mark for Queen’s playing in the first ever interuniversity basketball game in Canada. An extra mark for the Gaels players and coaches linking during the singing of O Canada. A definite nod to the Oil Thigh, which is a deep-set Queen’s tradition. An extra mark for the Public Address announcer for the Gaels. During the play the name of the opposing player who scores is not announced, only the team name. A unique feature that nudges up the home court advantage just a bit. Final Thoughts Although Queen’s Gaels basketball does not offer the vast array of traditions that can be found at a Queen’s Gaels football game, basketball does have some tri-colour history. The Athletics and Recreation Centre is a wonderful facility that should help with recruiting for years to come. Tri-Colour Hoops is well worth checking out when in Kingston. Che Gheill!! Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre 2000 Simcoe St. N Oshawa, ON L1G 8C4 Ontario Tech Ridgebacks basketball website Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre website Year Opened: 2007 Capacity: 2,000 New Dawgs on the Block Canadian University basketball welcomed a new entry in 2019. The newly rebranded Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, Ontario sent a basketball team to the court for the first time ever and the Ridgebacks became the 18th team in the OUA. Ontario Tech is a small school of around 10,000 undergraduates and is relatively young among Ontario universities. Ontario Tech joined the OUA as the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and iced a hockey team for the first time in 2006. The university has grown significantly over the years becoming more prominent in academic fields. They share facilities with Durham College, most specifically the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre. Opening in 2007, the Campus Centre is spacious and bright and a good place to attract a whole host of new fans to Ontario University Athletics basketball. Food & Beverage 2 Concessions at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre are extremely simple. Inside the gym, a tent has popcorn, soda and candy for sale. Prices are low but selection is very limited. For a little larger selection, vending machines can be found outside the gym area. Other than a quick snack, don’t expect anything huge. Atmosphere 3 The Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre is one of the newer basketball facilities in the OUA. It was built in 2007 and has a capacity of approximately 2,000. Like nearly all of the other basketball facilities in the conference, the CRWC doubles as the recreation facilities for Ontario Tech University and Durham College. There are many other parts to the facility rather than simply the gym for basketball. The exterior is inviting yet not overwhelming. Large windows welcome natural light into the atrium entrance and team markings build team spirit quickly. Upon entry to the main gym, fans will immediately be struck with how wide open and spacious it is. The court runs from west to east with bleacher seating on the south side. Overflow bleachers are available for the west and east ends however for the most part they are not necessary. The gym has a hanging track around the gym, high above the floor which is where the student run media are setup. The east endzone also features an excellent kids club complete with giant checkers, Jenga, connect four, cornhole and basketballs. The west end has the main scoreboard hanging on the wall with the ability to track player fouls and points also. There is a secondary scoreboard on the east wall. The gameday atmosphere is fairly simple for an OUA basketball game, and Ontario Tech is no different. Neighbourhood 2 The Ontario Tech Campus Ice Centre is located on campus, which is in the north part of Oshawa, a fair distance from highway 401. The Ice Centre is also at the north end of the shared campus of Ontario Tech and Durham College. In the immediate area, there is not too much that will interest travellers. On Simcoe St, just south of campus, there is a St. Louis Bar and Grill. Fans are better off heading further south on Simcoe Street. Shoeless Joe’s and other chain restaurants can be found at Simcoe and Taunton Road. Being so close to Toronto, there are not a ton of exciting entertainment options in Oshawa. Hitting Simcoe Blues & Jazz for some live music may be of interest. Checking out the Canadian Automotive Museum might also be of interest. The other sporting option in Oshawa is of course to take in an Oshawa Generals game at Tribute Communities Centre. Ontario Tech also ices a hockey team. The hockey Ridgebacks call the Campus Ice Centre home, just across campus. There is not much in the way of accommodations near Ontario Tech. The best bet for travellers would be to head to downtown Oshawa where there are a few options, including a Holiday Inn Express. Fans 3 It is very difficult to assess OUA basketball fans. More often than not, attendance figures for basketball are not published and it is difficult to see attendance trends in OUA basketball. Combine that with the Ontario Tech program being so new that it is even more challenging to assess. The number of fans that were in attendance for the game that was reviewed was not out of line for most OUA basketball programs. The fans were into the game, but fairly quiet, like most Ontario fans. It will be interesting to see what the long-term support for the Ridgebacks looks like. The hockey Ridgebacks have done fairly well in their tenure so hopes are high for the basketball Ridgebacks as well. Access 4 Ontario Tech University is located in the north end of Oshawa. Although the campus is not very large, the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre is fairly central to campus as well, making it easy to find. Essentially between highway 401 and the express toll road 407, Ontario Tech will require a very significant drive through Oshawa to get to campus. The 407 is a better option, but as far as toll roads go, it is very expensive. There is plenty of free parking available at the CRWC. North and south there are large parking lots where fans can park for free. For fans looking to get to the arena with public transit, route 401 of Durham Transit brings patrons to the Ontario Tech campus. Check out the Durham Transit website for maps, fares and schedules. The CRWC can be entered from the north and the atrium is large with plenty of natural light. Considering the number of fans in attendance, getting around the arena is not a big challenge. The washroom facilities more than adequate for the facility Return on Investment 4 As with most University Sport experiences, a trip to see the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks is a very affordable scenario. Tickets to see the Ridgebacks go for $10 for adults with a 50% discount for seniors, students, staff and alumni. Ontario Tech students and kids are free, so the opportunity for family friendly entertainment at a very affordable price is definitely on the menu. Parking can be found on campus for free and concession prices are pretty good. As far as the product on the court, the Ridgebacks are essentially an expansion team in their first season, but they play hard and it won’t be too long until Ontario Tech enjoys some more success in the win column. The game that was reviewed saw the Ridgebacks keep pace with the perennial powerhouse Carleton Ravens. Extras 2 An extra mark for starting up a new basketball program at Ontario Tech. An extra mark for all of the extra things for kids to do while at the Ridgebacks game. Final Thoughts The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks are definitely the new kid on the block in the OUA. Their home in Oshawa at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre is a good one. It is bright and spacious and relatively comfortable. Ontario Tech seems to be taking the right steps towards ensuring a strong product and one that is family friendly. It will be interesting to see where the journey takes the Ridgebacks in the future, but so far, they appear to be on the right track. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Fort William Gardens 901 Miles St Thunder Bay, ON P7C 1J9 Lakehead Thunderwolves website Fort William Gardens website Year Opened: 1951 Capacity: 4,680 The Only Game in Town There is no Ontario university that is more isolated than Lakehead University. Located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, on the northwest shore of Lake Superior, Lakehead is 700 km by land from the closest competitor in Ontario University Athletics (OUA), the Ontario conference in U-Sports. It is a wonder that a university so isolated from its competition is able to field athletic teams, however, the Lakehead Thunderwolves are a force to be reckoned with, especially in hockey. The Lakehead hockey program dates back to 1964 with a tumultuous existence most of the time playing schools from Manitoba. The team, known as the Norwesters would fold in 1985. The Thunderwolves were established in 2001 and have a fairly unique structure. The hockey team is not run by the university itself, but is part of a partnership between Lakehead University and the Lakehead Thunderwolves Varsity Hockey Corporation, a nonprofit organization. There are a few other situations like this in U-Sports, namely Laval Rouge et Or, Regina Rams and Carleton Ravens football. The organization of the Thunderwolves offers a unique relationship between the university and private sector. It can’t be lost that this situation is further advanced by the status of Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey as the premier sporting event in Thunder Bay. Lakehead is a small university with approximately 7,800 students in Thunder Bay, a city of approximately 108,000. The Thunderwolves enjoy the premier attention of Thunder Bay as there is little to no local competition for the sporting dollar. Major junior hockey and minor league hockey have no real presence in Thunder Bay and the Thunderwolves enjoy not only the attention of Thunder Bay residents, but the attention of the Thunder Bay media as well, something many other U-Sports programs would kill for. With consistently the strongest attendance figures in the OUA, the Thunderwolves’ hard work was rewarded with the 2006 Queen’s Cup as OUA champions. Home for the Thunderwolves is Fort William Gardens. A local arena with a capacity of 4,680, the Gardens is large for OUA hockey, but also serves as the main arena for all of Thunder Bay. Built in 1951, the city owned Gardens have undergone a number of facelifts over the years and did an excellent job hosting the University Cup to crown the Canadian National Champions in 2009 and 2010. A trip to see the Thunderwolves when in Thunder Bay is THE thing to do and provides a unique experience in Canadian university sports. Food & Beverage 3 The food options at the Fort William Gardens are better than you would expect for OUA hockey, but are not over the top compared to other professional or junior hockey venues. Standard concession options include hot dogs ($3.7 5), popcorn ($3.50), chips, candy and chocolate bars. All concessions come in under the $5 mark. As far as soft drink options go, Pepsi products are available in either bottle ($2.75) or fountain ($2.50) form. Unlike many OUA hockey venues, alcoholic beverages are available at the Gardens. The Outpost, the Lakehead student bar, has a presence in the Gardens and offers Molson Canadian, Coors Light, Budweiser or Thunder Bay’s own Sleeping Giant beer ($3/$4). The concessions at Fort William Gardens would normally warrant a lower score, however the opportunity to find a local craft beer at an OUA venue is very unique and bumps the score up a smidge. Atmosphere 4 Being the only game in town, the Fort William Gardens is a great place to watch hockey with a nod to the historic. The exterior of the Gardens is unique in and of itself. Definitely showing it’s age, the Gardens features red, white and green siding covering what is definitely a barn-like structure. The main entrance can be found on Miles Street. Upon entry, fans are immediately greeted by a seat from Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, which sets the tone for the feel of the arena. The concourses are covered in blue and white, and it is clear that the main tenant is Lakehead. Team pictures can be found in the concourses and give the arena a bit more life. Inside the seating bowl fans will notice the simple score clock hanging above centre-ice. Nothing fancy, but it does the trick. Also hanging above the arena fans will notice a banner honouring the 2002-2003 Division Championship, in only their second year back as well as a banner honouring the 2006 Queen’s Cup Championship team. The ice-surface is oriented from north to south and the seating bowl is an eclectic mix of the old and new. The seats have all been upgraded over the years to standard, plastic arena seats that are comfortable. The more modern amenities continue with press box and alumni box, another unique feature for OUA hockey. The modern standards are contrasted with the classic architecture with barn-like, triangular wooden ceiling with wood beams which have all been painted a classic, Northern Ontario white. The feeling of hockey history and community can not be missed upon entering the Gardens. The gameday production is about what you would expect from a team in this league. The expected promotions can be found throughout the game, including chuck-a-puck, and Wolfy, the Lakehead mascot, has a presence both on and off of the ice. Neighbourhood 3 Fort William Gardens is located a solid five kilometers south of the Lakehead University Campus. There are a couple of pre and post game spots to find something to eat or drink near the Fort William Gardens. Just across Miles Street fans will find Excuria, a decent spot to grab a drink. The cocktails are known across the city of Thunder Bay. Another option fans may want to consider is Man Vs. Meat, which is a block south of the Gardens on Victoria Ave. The best burgers and sandwiches in town can be found here. Thunder Bay is generally viewed as an outdoor recreational community and golf, skiing, fishing and snowmobiling are all popular at various times during the year. Fort William Historical Park and Mount McKay are destinations fans may consider. As far as other sporting options go, the best idea is probably to head to the Lakehead University Campus to catch some Thunderwolves basketball at the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse. Fans who are looking to stay in Thunder Bay will want to try the Valhalla Inn. It is Northwest Ontario’s largest hotel and is a 10 minute drive to the arena and close to the airport. The Holiday Inn may also be a consideration. Fans 5 There are no fans in OUA hockey quite like Lakehead fans. Lakehead does enjoy being the only game in town are rewarded with the most ardent and true fans in all of U-Sports hockey. Lakehead has consistently lead the OUA in attendance, most of the time hovering around the 3,000 fan mark. In a conference where the strong majority of programs measure the number of fans per game in the hundreds rather than thousands, Lakehead is head and shoulders above the rest. It is a point of pride for the Thunderwolves and their fans that they top the league in attendance as it is plastered all over various articles and promotional materials on the Thunderwolves website. Lakehead fans are a microcosm of the people of Thunder Bay. Lakehead fans are tough. They are tough on the players, coaches and referees, while showing any visitor that they are a long, long way from home. Lakehead fans are loud, proud and intelligent and give the home team a home ice advantage unlike any other in U-Sports hockey. Access 2 Fort William Gardens is located south of the Lakehead campus, not far from the waterfront. It is a fair distance east of Highway 61 and southeast of the Trans-Canada Highway. Getting to the Gardens can be challenging as travellers will have to traverse through Thunder Bay to a fairly residential area. Parking for Lakehead games can be very difficult. Although the arena lot is free, it is totally inadequate for the number of fans in attendance. Parking on local streets or other surface lots force fans to search hard for spots to park their cars. Public transit is available in front of the Gardens. Buses run every fifteen minutes and may be the way to go to get to the Thunderwolves game. Check out the Thunder Bay City Transit website for fares, maps and schedules. The main ticketing windows are large and lines move quickly. Seats are reserved, which is also unique for the conference. Getting around the arena is no problem at all. Concourses are surprisingly wide considering the age of the facility. Washroom facilities are adequate to handle the crowds that the Gardens see. Return on Investment 5 OUA hockey continues to provide a top notch return on investment. Thunderwolves tickets go for $13 and students and children are $8. This may be on the expensive side for OUA hockey, but it is not that far out of line from other programs. Concession prices are what is to be expected and parking, if you can find it, will be free. Combine that with the opportunity to take in high quality hockey in a community that loves university hockey like no other, and at a historic venue and fans will not be disappointed the Lakehead Thunderwolves. This is a true Northern Ontario hockey experience. Extras 3 An extra mark for the unique university and private sector partnership that has brought the Thunderwolves to life and helped them rise to one of the premier hockey programs in the country. An extra mark for the Terry Fox Memorial and Lookout. On the outskirts of Thunder Bay, Canadian icon Terry Fox was forced to end his 1980 Marathon of Hope where he had run across Canada to raise money for Cancer research. Terry ran on an amputated leg and completed 5,373 kilometres in 143 days. He was forced to end his run as cancer had returned to his body and would eventually take his life. The Marathon of Hope continues to this day and Canadians have raised over $600 million, eclipsing the $1.7 million Fox earned in his initial trek. An extra mark for the most unique Lakehead statistic. In their final season in the Great Plains Conference, the Lakehead Norwesters made it to the playoffs with an 0-24 record. Brandon University was suspended for making illegal payments to athletes paving the way for Lakehead’s entry. Final Thoughts If there is a bucket list item in Canadian university athletics, a trip to Thunder Bay to take in the Lakehead Thunderwolves might just be it. A totally unique experience, visiting fans will get a full Northern Ontario experience in the best university hockey atmosphere in the country. Sure the Thunderwolves benefit from being the only game in town, but it can’t be a coincidence that other leagues are a little shy to attempt to take up residence at the Fort William Gardens and compete with the Thunderwolves. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Excite Ballpark 588 E Alma Ave San Jose, CA 95112 San Jose Giants website Excite Ballpark website Year Opened: 1942 Capacity: 4,200 A Giant of a Gem Take a historic stadium that oozes memories of the past greats with architecture that harkens back to baseball’s golden age. Mix in a loyal fanbase that is among the best in the Bay Area. Sprinkle in some stellar weather and add a pinch of minor league magic. This may well be the recipe that one would use to create the magic that is the San Jose Giants. This gem of a ballpark features everything that makes minor league baseball the wonderful draw that it is. This single-A affiliate for the San Francisco Giants has seen over 200 players make it to the big leagues via their home in San Jose, which is part of what makes this team such a draw for locals. Food & Beverage 5 Tackling the menu at the home of the San Jose Giants means bringing a hefty level of hunger. As usual, the standard baseball stadium fare can be found, thanks to a menu of hot dogs ($7-$9), nachos ($7), chicken tenders ($12-$14), and the like. Drinks are also plentiful with water, soda, and Gatorade ($5) easily found. However, unique finds are also available, including wine ($14), local beers ($11), and even alcohol-infused ice cream ($12). But without a doubt, the biggest draw is the BBQ at Turkey Mike’s along the third base line. Fans line up for some of the best stadium food you will find. This world-famous offering includes special ticket packages that include reserved seating and a BBQ meal. Atmosphere 4 The stadium itself harkens back to baseball’s golden age. Simple in design and layout, it features one lower concourse with concessions and restrooms, with first and third-base line seating patios. A large trophy case greets fans who come through the main entrance, showcasing the rich history of success the Giants have had in San Jose. In the outfield, countless flags fly for the team’s numerous championship titles. It is hard to understate how great the aesthetic is here as it relates to old time baseball. While not modern in design, it remains a simple and clean place to watch baseball under the California sun. The outfield also features a large video scoreboard, ensuring nothing gets missed by the fans in the stands. Neighborhood 4 The area around the stadium features other sports facilities, including Sharks Ice at San Jose. Across the street is Kelly Park, featuring a zoo and gardens. The stadium is also not far from downtown San Jose, which features historic buildings, hotels, dining, and shopping. Not far to the north is San Francisco and Oakland, with San Jose Airport your closest airport of choice. Numerous state parks are in the mountains just to the west, featuring hiking and camping for those who want to experience the redwood forests of California. Fans 4 The fans at Excite Ballpark are among the best in the minor leagues. Routinely filling the stands on weekends and specialty nights, the Giants rank among the top of the California League. Even during midweek games, the fans who attend are loyal, knowledgeable, and absolute diehards. Without a doubt, the fans here make the game day experience as enjoyable as it is. Every range of fan can be found, from the longtime fans who record every play on a scorecard, to the youngest fans watching tomorrow’s stars. Access 3 To get to the stadium you have multiple options via the local freeways. Exits from US-101 and I-280 are nearby, and parking ranges from free at some home games to $15. Getting around the stadium itself is easy, as signage is plentiful. The downside is of course the Bay Area’s notoriously heavy traffic – a drive from San Francisco airport would normally take 30 minutes without traffic, but can take upwards of an hour and a half at times with the heavy congestion on the roads. Return on Investment 5 Tickets to Giants games are inexpensive, ranging from $5 to $29. The season also features numerous themed nights, giveaways, and special packages for fans. The price of tickets and parking together make for an affordable night out with the family. Extras 3 The left field line features a team store that offers an impressively wide variety of items for a minor-league team. There is also a kids play area outside the stadium’s left field area that features bounce houses and games. Finally, a walk through the inner concourse might as well be a museum to baseball in the bay area, with trophies, stadiums, and photos all over. Final Thoughts Going to Excite Ballpark may be an exciting adventure into baseball’s history. While many still call it Municipal Stadium, this ballpark continues to impress regardless of the name. A must-see for any Giants MLB fan, or baseball diehards in general, the San Jose Giants have cultivated an atmosphere that is among the best in baseball. Quaint, cozy, historic, and full of character, a visit to this home of Bay Area baseball will not go unrewarded.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Loeb Stadium 1915 Scott St. Lafayette, IN 47904 Lafayette Aviators website Loeb Stadium website Year Opened: 2021 Capacity: 2,600 Welcome to the New Loeb Stadium From 1940 to 2019, the original Loeb Stadium in Lafayette, Indiana, was the home for baseball. It served as home to the Lafayette-Jefferson High School baseball program, the Colt World Series, various minor league baseball teams, and since 2016 the Lafayette Aviators of the Prospect League. That changed when the ground broke on August 27, 2019, on a new ballpark that would open for the 2021 high school baseball season. The $22 million renovation plan would include a press box, multiple concession stands, and bathrooms, stadium seats, a terrace level with hospitality suites, and new turf. The grandstand was rotated 180 degrees from its original position, and its main entrance is now at the corner of Main and Waters Street. The new ballpark also houses a video scoreboard, a beer garden, and a wraparound concourse. Construction took 19 months, which included a three-week shutdown for the pandemic, in April 2020. On March 31, 2020, the first event took place when the Lafayette-Jefferson Brochos debuted at the ballpark. The construction was paid using an economic development income tax, rather than property tax. Its development hopes to serve as a gateway to visitors to the downtown corridor about three miles north of the stadium. The high school team will be the primary tenant during the springtime and house tournaments, summer collegiate ball, and hopefully a soccer club. Food & Beverage 3 Two main concession stands offer the same variety of ballpark staples and include hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, chicken finger baskets, fries, and beverages. There are a few kiosks around the concourse that feature flavored ice. People’s Brewery Company sponsors the beer garden in the right-field corner. The prices range from $4 for a hot dog to $7 for a grilled chicken sandwich. The beer prices appear to be a better value, with four varieties of People’s costing $6 for a draft and three more varieties in a 12-ounce can for the same price. Bud, Miller, Coors, and Yuengling cans and drafts are $5 at the two concession stands. Atmosphere 4 A packed house welcomed the Aviators to their new digs, with the local Lafayette-Jefferson High School band playing outside the stadium as part of the pre-game festivities. Once through the gates, staff members welcome you with a souvenir plastic cup, and plenty of local business people with tables hawking their services. Before the game, the crowd watched the mayor throwing out the first pitch, three skydivers landing onto the field amid reddish smoke, and the team mascot Ace arriving by a makeshift landplane. The audience was ready for summer collegiate baseball in its fancy, modern baseball facility. The design of the stadium, similar to other ballparks, bears a striking resemblance to the nearby Kokomo Municipal Stadium. However, with only a 2,600 capacity, compared to Kokomo’s 4,000, the New Loeb feels just about ideal for summer collegiate baseball. American Structurepoint was the architect behind both buildings, and there were a few notes of inspiration taken for their latest project in Lafayette. According to its website, The design takes its inspiration from the stadium’s original 1940s-era Art Deco architecture by using architectural precast concrete colonnades, traditional brick facades, and exposed structural steel. The colors of sandstone, dark brown, and brick provide an eye-popping aesthetic and break away from the ballpark colors of brick red and forest green. Fans can also enjoy a walk around the entire concourse which includes a well-balanced lawn seating area behind the left-field wall and a beautiful view of the Tropicanoe Cove water slide. However, as you make your way to the right-field side, the playing field is cut off by a narrow walkway and tall screen protection from fly balls crashing into the nearby Columbia Park offices and parking lot. The Aviators official team store is located near the entrance, offering an array of merchandise from replica jerseys, team caps, mini baseball bats, and both men's and women's t-shirts. Many at the ballpark snatched up quite a bit that include ball caps starting at $20. Neighborhood 3 Loeb Stadium is adjacent to the Tropicanoe Cove Waterpark and Columbian Park Zoo. It is also about three and a half miles away from the campus of Purdue University. The zoo features close to 200 animals, and the cost is free, but donations are encouraged. The rest of the park offers walking and biking trails, playgrounds for the children, shelters, and picnic areas. Within the visibility of the outfield walls are two popular spots before or after the game: Arni’s Pizza and Original Frozen Custard. The custard stand has been a tradition since 1932, featuring custard, milkshakes, hot dogs, tenderloin sandwiches, phosphates, and Coca-Cola drinks flavored with marshmallows and Tiger Blood (coconut and cherry) syrups. It’s the perfect place for a pre-game meal and a post-game dessert. If you would like to venture around the town of Lafayette, a few suggestions would be South Street Smokehouse, Black Sparrow, and East End Grille. Triple XXX Family Restaurant is a popular destination among locals and tourists and has been on Food Network. Their homemade root beer is worth a glass or two when in town for the game. Fans 4 A packed house was on hand for the Aviators home opener, others were there for a night out with friends and family, but others for a baseball game. The club has been around since 2016 and cemented itself within the community. Now, with a bright new building, they should feel great about having possibly the best ballpark in the Prospect League. Access 4 Getting around the stadium is simple, and there is more than enough room to maneuver to various areas in the building. If you still want to stay clear of a large audience, most, if not all, were without masks, grab a spot in the lawn section. There are also a couple of methods off I-65 to the ballpark, about 5 miles from each exit. A free parking lot is a couple of blocks south of the ballpark, and there is plenty of street parking in the surrounding neighborhood that consists of residential housing. The traffic runs smoothly, but arrive early for a close spot and do not park in the frozen custard parking lot where they charge $50 per car (it’s a joke, yet effective). Return on Investment 4 The price of a ticket is $8 for General Admission and $10 for reserved seating. The parking is free, the beer is between $5 and $6, and merchandise runs reasonably inexpensively. The only complaint might be the price of a hot dog at $4. When you add this all up, it’s quite a budget-friendly night of baseball. Extras 3 The New Loeb Stadium earns a point for its view of the water slide behind the left-field lawn seating, adding a sweet aesthetic to the game. The second point is for the custard stand, roughly the same distance from a throw from second to first base, which is a must either before or after the game. The last point is for the ballpark’s colors and comfort that is not too big and not too familiar to other buildings of its kind. Final Thoughts The New Loeb Stadium is everything the previous building wasn’t–modern, comfortable, and stylish. The ballpark should open up a great new tradition during the baseball season in Lafayette and provide a catalyst to host other events throughout the year. It’s an exciting place for a game that is cozy and friendly. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Georgia State Baseball Complex 2819 Clifton Springs Rd Decatur, GA 30034 Georgia State Panthers website Georgia State Baseball Complex website Year Opened: 1986 Capacity: 1,092 Georgia State Baseball Complex – Georgia State Panthers In what might be the perfect pairing of neighborhood and university nickname, the Georgia State Panthers baseball program has called the Panthersville neighborhood of Atlanta, more precisely Decatur, home since 1986, when it opened the Georgia State Baseball Complex. Unfortunately, there is no connection between the neighborhood and the GSU mascot. Members of the Sun Belt Conference, the Panthers rank toward the middle of the conference when it comes to attendance per game. The Georgia State baseball facility itself does not lend to large crowds given its size, but the four to five hundred fans per game does create a cozy evening of baseball. Food & Beverage 3 There is not a vast selection of concessions, but there is just enough that it could be considered a variety. Fans can choose from hot dogs or sausages, or hamburgers or cheeseburgers, as a main entrée. Side items include fries and chips. Of course, with it being Atlanta Coke products abound, along with PowerAde and bottled water. Items are well priced and will not put a major dent in the wallet. Atmosphere 3 The Georgia State Baseball Complex is a rather simplistic, yet charming facility. Fans in their tailgate chairs and oak trees lining each side of the field creates a feel of a throwback-to-youth baseball days, when trees almost lining the field was more commonplace than a rarity. The grandstand is made up of roughly ten rows of aluminum bleachers, with a pair of half bleachers on the visitors side of the field. The home side consists of a handful of picnic tables that are shaded by the surrounding trees. Most fans choose to bring their own tailgate chairs to sit in along the left field line or around the backstop. Georgia State’s royal blue is featured prominently throughout the field – from the blue cinderblock backstop to the blue outfield wall, there’s no mistaking the colors of the GSU Panthers. The outfield wall was reportedly salvaged from the former Fulton County Stadium to be repurposed for the Panthers. Due to the woods that run behind the field, the fence is a hodgepodge of distances running 330’-375’-385’-360’-335’ from left field around to right. The short center field wall is made a bit more challenging with an outfield fence that is close to fifteen feet high. Neighborhood 2 The Georgia State Baseball Complex is in the Decatur neighborhood of Panthersville; the stadium itself is in a partially wooded, residential area, and is neighbored by the local school district’s bus depot and football stadium. While the Georgia State Baseball Complex is directly behind its Dekalb campus, the field is 10 miles from Georgia State’s main campus. Along with the Dekalb County football stadium and bus depot, the field is neighbored by several warehouses and the Dekalb Regional Youth Detention Center. To say the least, the area does not give off a lot of warm and fuzzy vibes. When it comes to amenities in the immediate area, the choices are a bit limited. There are a handful of restaurants, both chain and local, but when it comes to accommodations or points of interest there are not many options. The best bet would be to head to Atlanta or to Decatur town center; the latter is just under seven miles to the north. Fans 3 Considering the distance the field is from Georgia State’s campus, and the university’s modest number of on-campus residents, Georgia State baseball draws decently well relative to its size of enrollment. Even though the Panthers cannot compete attendance-wise with the handful of programs in the conference that average one to two thousand fans per game, there are enough fans to create a feeling of a comfortable and caring fanbase. Fans are a bit tame when it comes to giving the business to the opposition, but are actively supportive of their Panthers. This is a bit refreshing when it comes to simply enjoying the game and not having to worry about fans becoming irate over borderline calls, or even the occasional blown call. Access 3 Fans going to Georgia State baseball games are at the mercy of Atlanta traffic – the field itself is less than two miles from the Atlanta Perimeter, I-285, and 3 miles from I-20, which runs east to west though the metro area. Atlanta traffic is known to be rather finicky, where even the slightest traffic problem can cause significant backups, making getting to the field a bit troublesome. Traffic aside though, getting in and out of the area is rather straightforward. Access into the field is pretty simple – the only issue of significance tends to be with mid-week games and Friday games, when fans tend to arrive at the same time the school district buses are coming back from their afternoon runs. Return on Investment 4 With no admission or parking costs and concessions no higher than $5 per item, fans would be hard pressed to find a better deal in college baseball. When looking for ways to invest your time in the Metro Atlanta area, Georgia State baseball is an enjoyable experience, but might also rank low on the list of activities of interest around Atlanta for the average fan. Extras 2 The tree coverage is not something you will find at most southern college baseball fields, but it does provide a great deal of shade during bright, sunny afternoon games, and is a reminder of the simpler days of the game. The jersey number 30 of long-time head coach, and recently passed Mike Hurst, is retired on the right field wall. Final Thoughts In a time when college baseball programs are in a constant competition to outdo their foes by one-upping them when it comes to facilities, the simplicity of the Georgia State Baseball Complex is welcomed. Fans in their own tailgating chairs, or watching from the comfort of their vehicles, is definitely a unique experience. The days of the Georgia State Baseball Complex might be numbered, which is not necessarily a bad thing for the program. Since the university purchased the former Turner Field and surrounding property, which includes the site where Fulton County Stadium once sat, plans have been created to move Georgia State baseball closer to their downtown campus. The biggest feature of the new site will be how to properly honor the home run king, Hank Aaron – at the moment, the university is in the fundraising phase and planning with Billye Aaron to ensure that the legacy of her husband Henry is properly celebrated.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Greyhound Park at Bill Bright Field 1410 National Ave Indianapolis, IN 46227 UIndy Greyhounds website Greyhound Park website Year Opened: 1976 Capacity: 750 Release the Hounds at UIndy's Ballpark Greyhound Park at Bill Bright Field is the home of the UIndy Greyhounds baseball team in Indianapolis. The Division II program has called the stadium home since 1976 and consists of 700 bleacher seats and standing-room areas against the fence down each foul line. It is standard for this level of baseball but not far different from many on Division I baseball in the Midwest. The giant indoor track bubble looms large over the right field fence, and a small press box houses the media staff. The Hounds have captured 16 GLCV regular season titles and have appeared in 15 NCAA Tournament appearances. They reached two World Series in 2000 and 2012. The team made national news when pitcher Brady Ware tossed a no-hitter and hit for the cycle. Food & Beverage 0 There are no food stands in the ballpark, but fans are encouraged to bring something to eat. You will have fans, both young and old, snacking on fast food burgers and sandwiches or even a cooler of food and beverages. This is a similar vibe to ballparks of this size across the area and beyond. Atmosphere 3 The gameday atmosphere did not feel any different than many of the ballparks of this kind in Division I baseball. The grandstand wrapped around the infield and provided close-up views of the diamond, fans were decked out in school colors, and there was heavy banter from each dugout. The final out of the no-hitter and cycle game, Photo by Edward Bujdos There are also the sounds that provided the soundtrack to the ballpark. You will hear the cleats against the concrete with players fetching foul balls that land in the parking lot, the ping of the ball off the aluminum bat, and the whip of the pitch from the bullpen down the left or right field line. Neighborhood 3 The 65-acre campus is located south of downtown Indianapolis and is home to 4,063 students. There is not much within proximity of the university except fast-food restaurants, but less than 5 miles north of campus is Fountain Square. The eclectic and funky neighborhood features some of the city’s best restaurants and sports to grab a drink. Kuma’s Corner, Bluebeard, Chilly Water Brewing Company, Hotel Whiskey Tango, Siam Square, Three Carrots, and World Famous Hot Boys are among your choices for dining. There is also duckpin bowling in either authentic 1940 or 1950s decor at Atomic Bowl Duckpin. Fans 4 There are quite a few fans in the stands rooting for the Hounds and the visitors from Grand Valley State. Others pulled up lawn chairs and sat down the foul lines, while a few perched on a small hill down the left field side of the stadium. In total, close to 160 people were in attendance for the Sunday afternoon game we attended. They were more than just the parents of the players, and there was plenty of action on the field to create a buzz in the stands. Access 4 UIndy is easy to access on Interstate 65 on Hanna Ave just south of downtown Indianapolis. Once on campus, look for the giant bubble, and you will find the ballpark next to the football, softball, and basketball venues. Return on Investment 4 Our game witnessed two home runs and a play at the plate, which means the baseball can be well above average. Admission is free, and parking is ample, making it a nice escape for baseball purists on an unseasonably warm late winter afternoon in Indianapolis. Extras 2 After each homerun, the Hounds would welcome the hitter as he crossed home plate to jump up and down in unison. The giant indoor track bubble behind right field adds to the aesthetics of the small ballpark. Final Thoughts Greyhound Park is a splendid way to spend the afternoon on abnormally warmer winter days where all you need is a sweater. The admission is free, the fans are friendly, and the vibe is infectious for an honest day at the ballpark sometime in February or March. _____ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunterand his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

A few months back Stadium Journey reviewed the CIAA Basketball Tournament held at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, MD. The arena had went through an amazing renovation and technically closed again after the tournament to finalize updates in time for the official grand opening, a April 7, 2023 concert by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. "Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack I went out for a ride and I never went back." Well...you will want to go back... The arena now known as the CFG Bank Arena has a long and storied history. It opened in 1962 as the Baltimore Civic Center. During its time as the Civic Center, the arena hosted legends such as The Beatles, Martin Luther King Jr., and Led Zeppelin, as well as being the home floor of the Baltimore Bullets of the NBA until their move to near Washington, DC in 1973. The indoor soccer team, the Baltimore Blast, as well as various sports teams have also made the venue their home over the years. The venue is also on the site of the Henry Fite House, which became known as "Congress Hall" when it briefly served as the new United States of America's seat of government from 1776–77. The Oak View Group (OVG), which was chosen by the City of Baltimore to manage the venue, closed down the arena in early 2022 to perform a massive renovation on the aging arena. The venue is the seventh arena launched by OVG in 16 months. OVG was formed by Tim Leiweke and his business partner, Irving Azoff. The arena is no longer the outdated dump of arena that is in so many people's memories. Renovations to the arena included new cushioned seats in the bowl and 38 new suites, refurbished concourses and upgraded concessions. The building’s signature spiked roof was preserved. Next-generation touchless and self-serve technologies for food and beverage and merchandise purchases were added, as well as numerous behind the scenes changes. The existing stage area was changed to accommodate the larger size needs of modern events. Stadium Journey attended a recent concert by Lizzo to see how the arena runs as a concert venue. While an occasional sporting event may be held at the arena, it is obvious the changes were largely made for entertainment and not sports. The lack of an updated scoreboard demonstrates this, as sports would want a version better than exists now. It is a bit strange for guests who have been to this venue before as the old 100-level has now been merged into the old 200-level which created a larger "new" 100-level. The concourse above this 100-level has had it's walls removed and a more open concourse was created. They will use large curtains to keep it somewhat separated for concerts where with sporting events they will likely keep it open. The old corner seats that faced away from most of the action has now been changed to be like a more normal corner, curved seating area. The acoustics were very good and on the higher quality end for concerts at a large arena. If you want to see an event in Baltimore, do not let memories of the old Baltimore Arena hold you back. This is a world class venue that will be making history for quite a long time.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Bob Davis Gymnasium Walker Complex Brock University University Rd W St. Catharines, ON L2T 4C6 Brock Badgers basketball website Bob Davis Gymnasium website Year Opened: 1973 Capacity: 2,400 Brock is the Rock In 1964 Brock University opened its doors in St. Catharines, Ontario. Since then the university has blossomed into an institution of over 18,700 students and has a solid reputation as an academic institute. The school was named after Major General Sir Isaac Brock, a British General who led the defence of Upper Canada against the Americans in the War of 1812. Although victorious, Brock would die in the Battle of Queenston Heights, which was not far from the current location of the university. Some of the distinguished alumni from Brock in the world of sports include former NHL player Dennis Hull, North Bay Battalion head coach Stan Butler and current Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager and wunderkid Kyle Dubas. Athletics would take the field at Brock in the late sixties and the Brock Badgers basketball team would first take the court in 1967. In 1971, Brock would join the OUAA, the precursor for the OUA, their current conference. The Badgers would toil near the bottom of the standings for the bulk of their early existence, but the hiring of head coach Ken Murray would change the fortunes of the Badgers in 1986. The Badgers would become a consistently competitive team for the remainder of their existence up to the present and claim the Wilson Cup as conference champions in 1992 and 1995. Brock would shock the Canadian basketball world on two separate occasions claiming the National Championship in 1992 and 2008. Home for the Badgers is the Bob Davis Gymnasium. The gym is named after the Badgers’ number one fan and former Athletic Director for three decades, and first president of the OUA. The home of the Badgers is known as one of the more intimidating venues in the OUA for opposing teams. Brock has also earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the best travelling fan bases in the conference, often sending bus loads of fans into enemy territory. When in the Niagara area, checking out the Brock Badgers and Bob Davis Gymnasium is worth a look and a rock solid OUA basketball experience. Food & Beverage 2 The concessions options at the Bob Davis Gymnasium are pretty limited. Just outside the main entrance, popcorn and cans of soda are available. The prices are pretty cheap but the selection is obviously limited. For fans who are interested in something a little more substantial, walking through the Walker Sports Complex will bring fans to the Hungry Badger, which has many more options including Pizza Pizza. Atmosphere 3 The home for Brock Badgers basketball is the Bob Davis Gymnasium, located inside the Walker Sports Complex. The Walker Complex is a nice looking facility from the outside. First time fans will be surprised when they find out that the gymnasiums (which can be seen from University Avenue) and the huge glass windows are not where the varsity basketball teams play. Fans will need to enter the Walker Complex and meander through to the Bob Davis Gymnasium. The Badgers do a great job of advertising their famous sports alumni and currently have a few banners showing current Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas. Other Brock memorabilia can be seen on the trip through the complex. When the Walker Sports Complex was originally built in 1973, it is clear that Gym One, which is now known as the Bob Davis Gymnasium, was built to mostly facilitate classes and recreation. Outside, there are some Brock Badger markings to build the atmosphere, but inside the gymnasium is very simple. The basketball court runs east to west with bleacher seating on both the north and south sides. A simple rectangular design, the Bob Davis Gymnasium is a throwback to high school facilities that so many fans are familiar with. The best descriptor of the gym is cozy. On the east and north walls hang a plethora of championship banners. Most of them are for wrestling and rowing, however the 1991-1992 CIAU Basketball National Championship and 2008 CIS Basketball National Championship banners hang proudly. Although the Badgers have retired four numbers for honoured members of the Badgers basketball teams, nowhere in the Bob Davis Gymnasium is that evident. A simple scoreboard with tracking for players hangs on the west wall. The most iconic image in the Bob Davis Gymnasium, however, is the massive, red Badgers logo on the south wall. The game day production for a Badgers game is simple. They don’t try too hard and successfully embellish the atmosphere. Music selection is what would be expected and Brock does not bother attempting fancy lights or anything like that. The Badger cheerleaders cheer from behind the baseline and perform a stunt or two during stoppages in play. Overall, the Badgers put together a game day package that is perfect for their venue. Neighbourhood 3 The Bob Davis Gymnasium is located in the Walker Complex on the campus of Brock University. The campus is in the Glenridge neighbourhood of St.Catharines on the southern border of the city, just west of Thorold. Many may not think of St.Catharines as a great tourist destination, but with close proximity to the tourist Mecca of Niagara Falls makes it worth the trip. There are a few spots for fans to get pre and post game food and drink near the Bob. Isaac’s Bar and Grill is the on-campus pub and may be worth a look. Cracker Jack’s, Cat’s Caboose and Johnny Rocco’s are other spots of interest. The Badgers hockey team plays at the Seymour-Hannah Sports Complex, which is off campus and may be able to provide a doubleheader opportunity with basketball. Also, the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League play in the relatively new Meridian Centre for other sporting options. Other entertainment options in the area include the Welland Canals Centre / St.Catharines Museum / Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Also, the Niagara winery scene is world famous and there are tons of vineyards in the area that are worth touring. Rockway Vineyards is close to campus. For fans that need a place to stay, the Stone Mill Inn and Four Points St.Catharines Niagara are good choices. Fans 4 Assessing fans for OUA basketball is difficult. In most cases, attendance at basketball games is not reported. That being said, Brock does a pretty good job bringing fans out to the game. There are plenty of students in the gym for Badgers games, which can be a real challenge for many OUA teams. The cozy nature of the Bob lends itself to the size of crowd that shows up. Brock also has a reputation for being one of the best travelling fan bases in the province. Bus loads of fans have been known to hit up a rival location or two. Access 4 Getting to Brock is not very difficult. The campus is located south of the Queen Elizabeth Way and west of highway 406 so getting to campus is very simple from out of town. The Bob Davis Gymnasium is located inside the Walker Sports Complex. The Walker Complex is located on the edge of campus on University Road West. There is plenty of parking on campus, however there is a charge depending on the lot. For fans who are interested in public transit, there are buses that go right on the Brock campus. Fans should check out the St.Catharines Transit website for fares, schedules and maps. With the vastness of the Walker Complex gives plenty of space to get around. The Bob Davis Gym itself is a little on the tight side and there is not a ton of room to move around. However, the moulded plastic bleachers are fine and decent once you are settled. The washroom facilities are adequate for the size of the crowd at Brock games. Return on Investment 4 OUA basketball continues to be a fabulous value for the sporting dollar. Tickets for Badgers basketball are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Brock University students are free of charge. Each ticket is a doubleheader with the women’s basketball team playing before the men. Parking on campus will have a charge and concession prices are not very expensive. For that small investment, fans get excellent basketball action, close to the game amongst some of the best fans in all university sports. Put it all together and the return more than makes up for the small investment. Extras 2 An extra mark for possibly the best travelling fans in the OUA. An extra mark for the success Brock has earned on the court, an accomplishment for a small school for sure. Final Thoughts Going to a Brock Badgers basketball game at the Bob Davis Gymnasium will not blow fans away with anything too fancy. The gym is simple and cozy and the production befits the venue. Brock provides great value for the dollar and have one of the best fan bases in the conference. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey. Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Ravens’ Nest 9376 University Drive Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 Carleton Ravens basketball website Ravens’ Nest website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 1,500 The Definition of Dynasty Eight conference titles since 2000. Nine national championships since 2000, specifically 9 of the last 11 years including a streak of five in a row. This is a resume that Duke or Kansas or any other big-time NCAA school can not claim. This resume belongs to the Carleton Ravens of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). Carleton’s nine championships puts them atop the CIS for most ever, which is shocking considering their short run. The Ravens’ run can be directly linked to the arrival of head coach Dave Smart, who joined the team in 1997 as an assistant and 1999 as the head coach. Located in Ottawa, Ontario, Carleton University has formed a bit of a renaissance in athletics. What was formerly looked at as a program with nothing much going on, and heading in the wrong direction, Carleton has rebuilt its athletics portfolio on the back of men’s basketball. In the last decade, Carleton has christened hockey teams, which have seen recent success. In 2013, the Ravens fielded a varsity football team for the first time since 1998 when the program was dropped. Carleton has also sponsored the CIS Final 8 Basketball National Championship four times at what is currently known as the Canadian Tire Centre, and will host again in 2014. CIS Basketball does not have the flash or buzz that their counterparts south of the border provide with the NCAA, but there is quite a story brewing at Carleton, and even as a travelling fan you would be remiss if you passed by an opportunity to catch some Ravens basketball. Food & Beverage 2 There are many things that you would go to Carleton for, but the culinary experience is not one of them. The Ravens’ Nest features the most basic of food offerings; basically what you would expect in a local arena snack bar or vending machine. The south end of the gym is where you would find the concession stand which features soda, popcorn, chips and candy. What gives the concessions a slight bump up is that there is a licensed area roped off where you may purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. You can’t take your drink to your seat, but for those fans that have to have their beer, it is a small price to pay. Atmosphere 4 Almost all CIS venues are multipurpose and designed more for physical education and kinesiology classes first, and hosting sporting events second. The Ravens’ Nest is one of the best facilities for watching a CIS basketball game in Ontario. Both the east and west sides of the gym feature bleachers with either benches or seat backs. You can actually reserve seating in the Nest if you wish, rather than taking your chances with general admission. With such a small capacity, sightlines are no issue at all and you are right up close and almost in the action. You get all of the sounds of the game that you will not get in a big facility without having to sell your children to pay for the tickets! The north side of the gym features the OUA banners that the Ravens’ have won as conference champions, and the east side features the nine CIS banners as National Champions for the Ravens. Also in the north side, beyond the basket and end bleachers is the kid zone, which is a great spot to stash your child with a short attention span so you can catch the game. The kid zone features games and activities put on by the Carleton students for the children of spectators. At the southeast side of the gym the Carleton Conspiracy Pep Band sets up shop, which is a nice touch and not common for CIS athletics. The Ravens’ Nest even features a decent media area behind the stands on the west side. This is not a big deal for most people, but it does keep the gym looking neat and organized and overall, more professional. The scoreboard is very simple and shows the basics. It would be nice to see some player stats including points and fouls, which is not unheard of at this level. Where the Ravens’ Nest really has it over many competing schools is upon the entrance to the Ravens’ Nest. The concourse in the main athletics building is sparkling and Carleton has done a fantastic job of showing off their recent basketball history. Neighborhood 3 The Ravens’ Nest is located on the campus of Carleton University. The campus is south of the Trans-Canada Highway and south of downtown Ottawa and the Parliament buildings. There is not much in the immediate area of the campus in the way of pre and post game meals, but you are not too far from a ton of interesting places. One must stop on your Ottawa journey is to head north and check out the Elgin Street Diner, which is open 24 hours a day and has some ridiculously good poutine, as well as other options. There are numerous museums all over Ottawa as well as Parliament Hill. If you are there in the winter, then make sure you bring your blades and take a little skate on the Rideau Canal which is very close to Carleton, just to the north. Fans 3 CIS basketball is not measured in tens of thousands of fans, or even thousands of fans for that matter. Many times the box scores will reveal no attendance figures at all. It is fair to say that the attendance for Ravens games is quite strong as compared to their compatriots. Carleton routinely attracts over 500 fans per game and announced a crowd of 600 for the game that was reviewed. When the Ravens play their crosstown rivals from the University of Ottawa, they frequently play at the Canadian Tire Centre and attract a larger crowd. The crowd at the game in the Ravens’ Nest is knowledgeable and energetic, making for a fun experience. Access 4 Getting to the Ravens’ Nest is not that difficult. Carleton is located south of the Trans Canada Highway and the Rideau Canal. Bronson Avenue will get you to campus from either the north or the south. The Athletics building can be accessed from University Drive and is close to other athletic facilities including Keith Harris Stadium and the Carleton Ice House. There are public transit options available including the O-Train and public buses. The concourse is large and easy to get around, and the washroom facilities are solid. Return on Investment 4 CIS basketball is a great investment with a huge return. Reserved seating can be had for $17 at the door with discounts available when you purchase online or for students, seniors, alumni and staff. Tickets for children five and under are free. Parking in the lot by the athletics building is only a couple of bucks and the concession prices are very reasonable. Match that with the opportunity to see history in the making and a legendary streak of success and you can’t go wrong when you take in a Ravens game. Extras 3 An extra mark for the impact that Carleton basketball has had on the rest of the athletic programs and the creating of new teams in hockey and football. Two extra marks for the legendary run of success that the Ravens have shown on the court. Final Thoughts It is not often that you can say that you were there or that you saw something legendary. In Ottawa, the basketball dynasty is well under way at Carleton. The Ravens are proving to be one of the greatest basketball programs ever put together and you should make sure you get to see it in person. Any trip to Ottawa would be more than complete with a trip to see the defending (2013) CIS National Champion Carleton Ravens. Follow all of Dave’s sports journeys on twitter @profan9.

Photo Courtesy of Thunder Bay Tourism Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse 983 Oliver Road Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1 Lakehead Thunderwolves basketball website C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 1968 Capacity: 2,000 Thunderdome Hoops Co-Written with Jordan Scorgie For fifty years the C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse has been the home to Lakehead Athletics. Located in the most remote of locations in the OUA, Thunder Bay, Ontario provides some special travel challenges for the Thunderwolves, but Lakehead has proven to be hearty, providing competitive teams routinely in both basketball and hockey. The Thunderwolves have been playing basketball since 1964. Previously known as the Nor’Westers, Lakehead as a school was founded in 1965 and was formerly known as the Lakehead Technical Institute from 1946 to 1965. Participating in the OUA, the Ontario Conference for USports, Lakehead is a fairly small school with an enrollment of 7,800. The Thunder Bay community is not huge either, with a population of 121,000. Lakehead is really only close to Algoma, which is in Sault Ste. Marie, but is really equidistant to Winnipeg. The Thunderwolves have seen some basketball success, culminating with the 2011 Wilson Cup as conference champions. The C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse is the main athletic facility at Lakehead. It is named after local philanthropist, Carl J. Sanders. The gym is affectionately known as the Thunderdome, Lakehead self-proclaims to have the “Best Fans in Canada.” Considering the turnout that Lakehead gets for basketball and hockey games, they may just be right! Food & Beverage 2 The Thunderdome features a typical menu for an OUA facility. Popcorn, candy, chips and a slice of pizza is available for $3. Water or pop are available for $2.50. No alcohol is available at the game. This is different from the Thunderwolves hockey games, where the local brewing company has beer available. Atmosphere 3 Built in 1968, C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse is not a typical gymnasium to see an OUA basketball game. Due to its age, basketball games have had to adapt to its hanger-like design. This has created a unique but cramped visual experience. Lakehead has forced as many stands and viewing areas into the gymnasium as possible. Despite more limited seating compared to other OUA gyms, this increases the fan noise level and interaction. For example, the benches are an arm’s length away from the fans and players have little room on the sidelines to escape the noise. The most unique aspect of the venue however is the observation track around the gymnasium. This allows fans to really be on top of the action and be a major factor in the game’s outcome. It is intimidating for a visiting player to drive to the bucket and see many fans leaning over and booing directly in front of his shot. On the down side, the seating and viewing areas in the gymnasium are cramped. Even though a game might not be at full capacity, the Fieldhouse can make a fan feel overwhelmed and frustrated to find a good seat or standing spot with enough room. With most court side seats reserved for season ticket holders, it can be a mad dash to find a seat before the game. Neighbourhood 3 Located on Lakehead’s main campus, fans going to C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse have limited nearby options for food. The closest and best option is the campus pub, the Outpost, which has a typical pub menu of burgers, wings, appetizers and beer. The Outpost is a 5 minute walk from the gymnasium, located right beside the campus store. It is best to go here before the game, though, as the restaurant usually closes at 8. If fans are looking for a spot with classier food options or drink varieties, or a place to go after the game, the Caribou Restaurant and Wine Bar is a good choice. It is a 10 minute drive from the gymnasium. Its drink menu features a variety of beers, wine and cocktails, while its food menu features many options including steak, pasta, lamb and duck. The wood oven pizzas are a solid choice. There are not a ton of other sporting options in Thunder Bay. Being a hockey town, the Thunder Bay North Stars, a Tier II Junior A team, are a bit of a draw. However, the top team in TBay is the Lakehead Thunderwolves hockey team, who play in the Fort William Gardens. Even in the winter, though, Thunder Bay is very much an outdoor city. There are plenty of winter activities to keep busy during the season including nordic and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing. It is imperative for all visitors to see the Terry Fox Monument, commemorating the historic Canadian’s ending of the inspiring Marathon of Hope, which happened just outside of Thunder Bay. The Sleeping Giant is also a local must see. For fans who need to try to make a few extra bucks, the Gateway Casinos Thunder Bay is also available. For fans who require a spot to stay near Lakehead, the Holiday Inn Express and TownePlace Suites are good options. Fans 4 Lakehead fans are some of the best in the OUA and make playing in the Thunderdome a truly home advantage. Being so close to the action, the Lakehead fans are truly a factor in the basketball game. From the moment “Thunderstruck” plays to introduce the players to the final buzzer, the Lakehead fans create an atmosphere worth seeing. They know their basketball and they cheer on their team well. One unique aspect of the fan experience is the “Lakehead clap.” After the tip off occurs, it is the Lakehead tradition that the home fans will stand and clap in unison until Lakehead scores a basket. This is a great experience, especially when it takes Lakehead a few minutes to finally get a lay up. Access 3 The C.J. Sanders Fieldhouse is located at the west end of the Lakehead campus. It is just east of Highway 17, the main artery out of town and part of the Trans-Canada Highway. Getting to Lakehead from the highway is not a problem at all. There is a large parking lot right beside the gymnasium for parking. The rate for parking is $1.25 per hour, so a few dollars does the trick to park your car and see the game. Although the parking lot is large, try to arrive 15 to 20 minutes early to get a spot, as the parking lot fills up quickly. Alternatively, the bus system and U-Ride, Thunder Bay’s version of Uber, are available to and from campus before and after the game. Fans wishing to use public transit should check out the Thunder Bay Transit website for fares, maps and schedules. Washrooms in the Fieldhouse are limited and crowded, a drawback to most older arenas and gymnasiums. Also, being an older building, the Fieldhouse is cramped and not as accessible for handicap access as it should be. Getting down to the stands would be difficult for anyone in a wheelchair. Return on Investment 5 An adult ticket to a Lakehead basketball game is $10. Considering the great fan atmosphere, this is a fair price for an OUA basketball game. If interested, Lakehead also offers season tickets for $165. Season ticket holders receive a guaranteed specific seat, complimentary coffee and snacks, right to first refusal on playoff tickets, 2 complimentary admissions and a chance to win the season random draw. Extras 3 An extra mark for Lakehead overcoming the travel challenges of being the most remote team in the conference. An extra mark for significant success found on the court. An extra mark for a strong following aided by being one of the only sporting draws in town. Final Thoughts When in Thunder Bay, a trip to the Thunderdome to see some Lakehead Thunderwolves basketball just might be the ticket to a great evening. The opportunity to see some high calibre basketball in a community that really cares about their team is well worth the minimal investment in a ticket. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Burridge Gymnasium at Ivor Wynne Centre 120 Forsythe Ave N Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 McMasters Marauders basketball website Burridge Gym website Year Opened: 1966 Capacity: 2,250 The McMaster Way What exactly is the McMaster Way? According to the markings inside the David Braley Athletic Centre, the McMaster Way is about leadership, innovation, commitment, integrity and responsibility. Outsiders would probably say that the McMaster Way is all about success. The McMaster Marauders have a number of successful athletic programs as a part of the university located in Hamilton, Ontario, and one of the most preeminent is the basketball program. McMaster has seen a great deal of success on the basketball court winning Wilson Cups as OUA (Ontario University Athletics) champions in 1970, 1972, 1987, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2006. The Marauders have yet to bring home the USports National Championship as the best team in all of Canadian university basketball, but they have made a number of appearances in the Final 8 tournament. History for the Marauders runs deep as they are a charter member of what was then the CIAU, the first formal organization for Canadian interuniversity athletics. In 1904 McMaster helped found the CIAU, which would eventually become USports as of 2016. With over 25,000 students, McMaster is a decent sized university which has done well with student support for their athletic teams. The home for Marauders basketball is in the Burridge Gymnasium in the Ivor Wynne Centre. The gymnasium is named after Arthur Burridge, the first Athletics Director of the Marauders. Like the former home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Ivor Wynne Centre is named after a McMaster athletic alum who would go on to succeed Arthur Burridge as Athletic Director at McMaster, and further build the athletic program to be one of the best in the country. The lineage of athletic directors continues to current AD, and former General Manager of the Toronto Raptors, Glen Grunwald. The McMaster Way continues to be all about putting winning teams on the court and that is worth checking out in Hamilton. Food & Beverage 2 Concession options in the Ivor Wynne Centre are pretty limited. Candy, chocolate bars, chips, cotton candy, caramel corn, nachos, popcorn ($2), and hot dogs ($4) essentially make up the entirety of the concession options. A portable table in the Ivor Wynne Centre in the concourse south of the gymnasium is where you will find concessions. Soda is also available ($1.50) in plastic bottles. If these choices are really not working for you, an alternate consideration may be the Tim Hortons and Booster Juice, which can be found in the attached David Braley Athletics Centre. Atmosphere 3 The Burridge Gymnasium is a solid OUA venue for basketball that just lacks that something more to make it really elite in the conference. The way to get to the Ivor Wynne Centre is essentially through the David Braley Athletics Centre. Named after former Canadian Senator, McMaster Alum and former owner of multiple CFL teams, the Braley Centre is the newest member of the McMaster athletics facility family. The Braley Centre is definitely worth walking through. On the way to the Ivor Wynne Centre and Ron Joyce Stadium, the Braley Centre is the place where all athletic teams are honoured. The McMaster Athletics Hall of Fame can be found here which members include Arthur Burridge, Ivor Wynne, David Braley and legendary hockey icon Syl Apps among others. Recent championship banners and murals for championship teams are found in the halls of the Braley Centre on the way to the Ivor Wynne Centre. The Ivor Wynne Centre is a little more non-descript. Attached to the north of the Ivor Wynne Centre is Burridge Gymnasium. Open windows adjoining the Ivor Wynne Centre to the Burridge Gymnasium gives the gym a more open feeling and gives basketball the opportunity to catch the eye of those passing by. Ticketing, merchandise and concession tables are found in the Ivor Wynne Centre. A dedication plaque greets fans as they enter the gym. The basketball court in the Burridge Gymnasium is in a north-south configuration and fans that want the perfect picture with the centre court logo need to ensure they are sitting on the east side of the court. Twin east and west bleachers are where fans will find themselves sitting on contoured, plastic benches. Bleachers are divided into upper and lower sections, which is fairly common. The centre court sections on both the east and west grandstands feature full, plastic stadium seats, which are more comfortable than the benches. The east side of the court also houses the press boxes above the seating area. The vaulted ceilings of the Burridge Gymnasium create a feeling of a venue that is much larger than it really is. The south side of the gym has a large scoreboard which includes player stats for those on the courts, which is standard in this league. There are also small, simple scoreboards on the east and west side of the gym. The game day production at a Marauders game is about what you would expect for a team in this conference. Most of the production is student run. In one of the south windows, fans can find DJ Jukebox, who provides music and sound effects for the game, including the eagle screech every time Mac scores a basket. What the Burridge Gymnasium is lacking is a real sense of history. Built in the sixties, the venue has held up well and does not look its age, but inside the gym there is a number of permanent advertisements visible, but not one banner for one of the seven Wilson Cups that the Marauders have won. The Marauders history is over 100 years strong and there is not much for fans to see or experience in that sense. Neighbourhood 3 McMaster is located in the Cootes Paradise neighbourhood of Central Hamilton, west of downtown. There are a couple of options in the immediate walking distance from Burridge Gym, but for the most part, you are going to have to hop in your car and head elsewhere. On campus you will find the TwelvEighty Bar & Grill which is owned and run by the McMaster Student Union. If you head just east of the university, to the Westdale neighbourhood, you will find a couple of interesting spots. Along King St W, you may want to try Basilique, The Snooty Fox or Grapes & Hops. If you are looking for other entertainment options in Hamilton, you will have to head closer to downtown. The Lincoln Alexander Centre and Hamilton Place offer a variety of concerts and shows. For something more family oriented, head just out of town to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, near the Hamilton Airport, just south of the city. There are other sporting options available. McMaster fields a number of other athletic teams, including a strong football program that plays at Les Prince Field at Ron Joyce Stadium . CFL football is king in Hamilton, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats play east of downtown at Tim Hortons Field. You can also catch some OHL junior hockey at the FirstOntario Centre, home of the Hamilton Bulldogs. If you are looking for a place to stay in the Hammer, then the Visitors Inn or Admiral Inn are options that are close to the McMaster campus. Fans 3 It is very difficult to assess fans in USports basketball as many teams do not do a great job reporting attendance numbers for games. That being said, all games in the conference draw fans in the hundreds rather than the thousands. McMaster has decent support from the students and community as compared to other programs in Ontario. McMaster averages between 200 and 350 per game. The fans in attendance are supportive of the Marauders but not over the top excitable or vocal. Access 4 Getting in and around Burridge Gymnasium is not too difficult. McMaster is located west of highway 403 and north of Main St W. It is close to the highway for those who are coming out of town. The best way to get into Burridge Gymnasium is through the David Braley Athletic Centre. From there street-like signs will lead to the Ivor Wynne Stadium and Burridge Gymnasium. If you are looking for public transit to the stadium, HSR buses travel right into the campus at McMaster. Check out the HSR website for maps, fares and schedules. There are a number of surface lots on campus where fans may park. There is a cost and most lots require a ticket exit. However, the price is not way over the top and parking can be paid for at the ticketing desk for a reduced price of $3. Getting around the Ivor Wynne Centre is no problem as there is plenty of room for the number of fans in attendance. Washroom facilities are also adequate. Return on Investment 5 Like most USports experiences, McMaster Marauders basketball does not require a large investment and offers a pretty solid return. Marauders tickets run $10 for adults with McMaster students getting in free and non-McMaster students costing only $5. Parking will run you $3 if you pay inside the Ivor Wynne Centre and concession prices are not terrible. OUA basketball is exciting and much better than you may expect. Extras 2 An extra mark for the strong teams that the Marauders have put on the court over the last 30 years. An extra mark for naming the athletic facilities after important McMaster athletic figures like Arthur Burridge and Ivor Wynne. Final Thoughts The McMaster Way has brought great success to the Marauders on the court. The Burridge Gym is a solid spot to catch some university basketball. If you are in Hamilton, take some time and check out the McMaster Marauders and you won’t be disappointed. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey. Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Robert J. Surtees Student Athletic Centre 100 College Drive North Bay, ON P1B 8L7 Canada Nipissing Lakers basketball website Robert J. Surtees Student Athletic Centre website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 1,200 Starting From Scratch It was with humble beginnings that Nipissing University was born. Relatively young, Nipissing received its university charter in 1992. Previously known as the North Bay Teachers College for a number of decades, Nipissing University is a very small university even by CIS standards. With an enrollment of approximately 6,300 students, many of them Education students who are only on campus for certain weeks during the semester, Nipissing is in the bottom third of the CIS for enrollment, the 4th smallest school in the OUA conference and the 2nd smallest basketball school in the OUA. For many years, athletic teams at Nipissing University competed in the OCAA, which is primarily the athletic home of Ontario Community Colleges. When Nipissing decided to field an ice hockey team in 2009, the plan to move athletic teams to the CIS was sprung. The 2014-2015 season marks the first ever season for the Nipissing Lakers basketball team. Previously, the Lakers competed in the North Bay city league. With the expansion of athletics in North Bay came the expansion of the already fairly new Robert J. Surtees Student Athletics Centre. The RJS was named after founding faculty member, history professor and former athletic supporter Robert J. Surtees. Having numerous athletic achievements in North Bay, Surtees was also the coach of the Lakers for 20 seasons. The expansion tripled the size of the original facility and made it one of the state of the art facilities for CIS basketball and Nipissing students. Although it is difficult to start a program with marketing, recruiting and academic issues all combined with very little success initially on the court, the Lakers are making their mark and their experience is comparable to any other CIS basketball experience. Food & Beverage 2 The concessions at the RJS Athletic Centre are very limited. As is common in facilities of this size, the menu is very small. In this case, the entire menu consists of soda (mainly Coca-Cola products), coffee, tea, water, popcorn, hot dogs and pizza. Two really unusual options would include Michelina’s individual pasta dishes and Cup-A-Soup. Although the menu may not excite you the prices can’t really be beaten. Everything on the menu goes for either $1 or $2. Another fairly unique feature for this level of competition is the ability to purchase alcohol inside the gymnasium itself. Bud Light and Smirnoff is available for $4. Atmosphere 3 The facilities in the CIS for basketball are not even close to being huge. The capacities are small and the experience is intimate. The Lakers provide one of the nicer atmospheres in the league. Outside of the facility, patrons will see a smart looking, red brick facility that will not blow your mind with beauty or unique features, but it wouldn’t be considered an eyesore either. Entering from the cold, patrons are warmly welcomed by the smart and simple décor of the concourse where students sit at a temporary table to sell or take tickets. At the far end of the facility is the access to the fitness centre and locker rooms for students. There is also an extremely small store at the far end offering a limited variety of Lakers swag. The concourse features some Lakers advertising, specifically their PRIDE athletics mantra (passion, respect, integrity, dedication, excellence). There are also a variety of trophy cases which house mementos from various Laker athletic achievements, including one of the Olympic torches that were carried across Canada for the Vancouver Olympics. Upon entering the gymnasium, you are welcomed with a very bright and bold atmosphere. The newness and cleanliness of the facility is not lost on the patron, as is the simplicity of the presentation. The RJS Athletic Centre features one set of bleachers on the north side of the gym with contoured plastic benches. The south side of the building houses the fitness centre, and students in the fitness centre can look upon the gymnasium through the frosted window with the school name and colours. The north side of the gymnasium, behind the bleachers, features athletic banners celebrating various athletic achievements for Nipissing, mostly volleyball from their days in the OCAA. There are also banners commemorating All-Canadians who have played for the Lakers. On the east and west sides of the gymnasium are the scoreboards. Both are simple, but the board on the east side also features player numbers for those on the floor as well as their points and fouls. A unique feature for this league is the video board which is on the north wall. The Athletic Centre is a teaching facility. Unfortunately they have a plethora of lines on the basketball court for various configurations and lack traditional basketball markings at centre court and along the sidelines and under the baskets. The game day presentation is fairly simple, as is expected. Basketball games are student-run and the student presence is strong throughout. One of the best features of the experience is definitely the St.Joseph-Scollard Hall Band. This high school band plays throughout the breaks and even some of the defensive spots during the game. It is rare to find pep bands in the CIS, let alone a band at a basketball game. Neighborhood 3 North Bay is a small Northern Ontario city, often referred to as the “Gateway to the North,” with a population of over 53,000. It is a long and skinny city which stretches along the coast of Lake Nipissing. Nipissing University is located at the northern tip of the city on the top of a significant hill. Other than The Wall, the on campus student pub which has significantly limited hours, there is not much of anything in the surrounding Nipissing neighbourhood. If you are looking for places to eat, you will definitely have to stray from campus. There are a number of chain restaurants not too far on Algonquin Avenue. Some more unique places you may want to try could include the Fox and Fiddle, Burger World or Colonel Hoagie’s Diner. I would recommend trying Wacky Wings on Seymour or even heading out to nearby Sundridge to Danny’s Justa Pasta. There are plenty of other entertainment near or in North Bay, especially if you are an outdoor enthusiast. In the summer, North Bay is near prime fishing and cottage areas. Some cottage accommodations can even be found right on Lake Nipissing, close to downtown. In the winter, snowmobiling can be found nearby and Lake Nipissing is a top spot for ice fishing. Laurentian Ski Hill is pretty small, but within the city. Lakers basketball could be a great ending to the day after participating in some outdoor activities during the day. Other sporting options include Nipissing Lakers hockey and North Bay Battalion hockey, which can both be found at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. Fans 2 It is very difficult to measure the fan support that the Lakers have received in their inaugural season. Many CIS teams do not publish their attendance figures in their box scores and the Lakers are included in this group. With a small capacity at Surtees, having a cavernous facility with a small attendance is not a big problem. The Lakers are probably drawing hundreds of fans to their games as compared to the thousands or tens of thousands the NCAA schools are drawing, however this is not out of place for the league. The fans that were in attendance for the game that was reviewed were supportive of the Lakers and enthusiastic and loud at times. Even though the Lakers, at the time of publication, were looking for their first ever win, Laker fans were still there for their team. Hopefully, Nipissing can continue to attempt to capture the interest and intrigue of their community and fan support for the Lakers can steadily increase over time. Access 4 Getting to Nipissing is not difficult. It is located at the northern tip of the city, on top of a large hill. The Trans Canada Highway runs right through the centre of the city and during non-peak hours, getting through North Bay isn’t too bad. Nipissing is located very close to Highway 17/Trans Canada Highway. The campus of Nipissing is quite picturesque in a rural, Northern Ontario way, but very small. Finding the Athletic Centre on campus is no problem at all and there is sufficient parking in the adjacent parking lot. Inside, the concourse is large, and travelling through it is not difficult. The washroom facilities are also adequate for the attendance. Return on Investment 4 Lakers basketball has a very low investment involved. Tickets are $10 for adults with 50% discounts for non-Nipissing students, seniors and alumni. Children are also free. Concession prices are very cheap, and parking on campus is free for game time. The return for that low investment is fairly decent. Nipissing provides an intimate sporting experience, in a clean and bright facility. This mark would be a full five stars if the Lakers were able to provide a better product on the floor. Once the program gains a solid footing and is able to better compete after its initial years, the return will even more outweigh the investment. Extras 3 An extra mark for the St.Joseph-Scollard Hall Band which offers something fresh to the Laker basketball experience that you don’t find in many CIS basketball experiences An extra mark for the Olympic torch in the trophy case which was run through North Bay on its way to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics. An extra mark for Nipissing making the tough transition from the OCAA to CIS and bringing basketball in North Bay to a whole new level. Final Thoughts CIS basketball does not offer the sheer size of a Kentucky or North Carolina experience. Nor does it offer the pageantry and history that Duke offers. What Nipissing and CIS basketball offers is an intimate experience that allows the patron to get up close and personal to the game without having to worry about a crazy student section or having to offer up two mortgage payments for tickets. The Lakers have made their mark in their inaugural season and will hopefully continue to make strides into the future. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport 100 Devonshire Place Toronto, ON M5S 2C9 Toronto Varsity Blues website Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport website Year Opened: 2014 Capacity: 2,000 The Gold(ring) Standard Along with McGill and Queen’s, the University of Toronto formed what would become USports in 1906. The Varsity Blues would take the court for their first basketball season in 1907 and the rest is, as they say, history. Or is it? A team that has not been blessed with a tremendous amount of success as compared to other Toronto programs, the basketball team is entering new territory in the OUA (Ontario conference of USports) through technology and their facility. Toronto has surprisingly never brought home a National Championship in basketball, but has brought home the Wilson Cup as Conference Champions in 1995. For the balance of their existence, the Varsity Blues called the Athletic Centre on Harbord Street home. Slightly removed from their other athletic facilities in Varsity Centre, the University of Toronto was prepared to bring Varsity Blues basketball back home in a sparkling new athletic facility. With a very significant donation from the Goldring Family, the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport was born, just across the street from Varsity Centre. Former Varsity Blues basketball player Ron Kimel added a donation of his own and part of the Goldring Centre was the Kimel Family Field House. In 2014, the Kimel Family Field House at Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport opened to the Varsity Blues basketball program and the over 88,000 students enrolled at UofT. A unique design and using technology like no other program in the province, the Varsity Blues now have the Gold(ring) standard when it comes to basketball facilities. Food & Beverage 2 Concession options at the Goldring Centre are not massive. Pizza, hot dogs, popcorn, candy, chips, chocolate bars and protein bars are the totality of the food menu. Soda, water, coffee, tea and hot chocolate are the options for beverages. Coca-Cola products are available for soda options. What the Goldring Center lacks in variety, is made up for with value. There is nothing over $5 on the menu and most items fall below the $3 mark. Soda is sold for a cool $1.50. The concession stand is below the main atrium, outside Kimel Field House and also sells some Varsity Blues swag. Atmosphere 4 Directly across the street from Varsity Centre, the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport is sleek and clean. A huge recreation facility that also houses University of Toronto fitness facilities, the exterior has huge windows and lots of natural light pours into the upper atrium. The fitness centre can be seen from outside and the shades of greys and blacks are carried throughout the building. Tickets are scanned in the atrium and fans are directed to the Kimel Family Field House, which is two levels below. Just outside of the Field House, the stark colours and creative use of light continue and the sleek, modern look is not lost. A table with attendant is ready to greet fans with programs and other promotional materials. The attendant actually gets up and greets, welcoming fans, which is a very pleasant surprise compared to many other experiences, both professional and amateur. Entering the Kimel Family Field House, fans are struck with the most unique of basketball venues. Toronto keeps with the sleek and modern look, and technology that is ahead of the curve in the OUA is present. Black is the predominant colour around the court. The walls of the Field House and the entirety of the upper levels are all dark black. The court runs from south to north with the east grandstand the spot to be for the perfect picture. The seating area consists of twelve sections of folding bleachers that surround the court. Most games see a few sections that remain folded. The centre court sections feature comfortable, folding, plastic stadium seats with the remaking seats being moulded plastic buckets. An upper level is available for media, production and special groups. Current championship banners from various sports hang over the balconies but none are for sports that actually play in the Field House. Considering the vast history of Toronto basketball, a nod to Wilson Cups that the Varsity Blues have captured over the years would be a welcome addition. At the north end of the court is a modern video board which Toronto uses very well in a modern fashion. The south end of the court also features a ribbon board on the fascia of the balcony. The game day production for the Varsity Blues is fairly simple. The player entrances and introductions are done with the house lights off and aided by spotlights. The Blues’ mascot, True Blue brings a giant UofT flag to centre court for the opening video and introductions. The Toronto Pom team performs during breaks and aids in the pregame festivities. Music played is a mix of modern rock and hip-hop, which is to be expected. Neighbourhood 5 The neighbourhood surrounding the Goldring Centre is excellent. The Goldring Centre is on the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus in the University neighbourhood of downtown Toronto. It sits in the shadows of Toronto’s iconic CN Tower, which can be seen across the stadium from Bloor Street. There are plenty of spots along Bloor for pre and post game food and libations. The Duke of York, Bedford Academy, Hemingway’s, the Museum Tavern and Proof are all options within a two minute walk. Possibly the best option would be Gabby’s, a laid back spot with great food. Favorites like Tim Hortons and Starbucks are also right there among other chains. Among the other university buildings, the Royal Conservatory of Music is right next door to Varsity Centre and the Royal Ontario Museum is on the same block. Queen’s Park and the Ontario Legislature are not far off and heading toward the lake will bring patrons through Toronto’s theatre district. The iconic Eaton Centre is not far off for shoppers and Harbourfront has a plethora of other entertainment options. Not to be missed would be the Hockey Hall of Fame. For fans looking for other sporting options, there are a multitude. The Toronto Varsity Blues field a full range of athletic teams and football is found right in Varsity Centre at Varsity Stadium. Varsity Centre is also the home to Varsity Arena, home of Toronto Varsity Blues hockey. A twenty minute walk will bring fans to the Mattamy Athletic Centre which is the home of the Ryerson Rams and the former Maple Leaf Gardens. Rams basketball is played inside at Coca-Cola Court while hockey is played above at Mattamy Home Ice. Toronto’s third university, York University is located at the north end of Toronto. York Stadium is home for York Lions football, the Tait McKenzie Centre is home for basketball and Canlan Ice Sports York is the home for hockey. There are, of course, a multitude of professional sports options in Toronto also. The Scotiabank Arena is home for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and Toronto Rock. The Rogers Centre is home to the Toronto Blue Jays. Over at Exhibition Place, BMO Field is shared by the Toronto Argonauts and Toronto FC, while across the parking lot, the Coca-Cola Coliseum is home for the Toronto Marlies. There are also a ton of accommodation options for fans wishing to stay in Toronto. Some of the closest to Varsity Centre include the InterContinental Toronto Yorkville and The Windsor Arms Hotel. Fans 3 It is difficult to assess the fan situation at OUA basketball experiences. In most cases, attendance figures are not reported so comparing average attendances for different teams is nearly impossible. Also, OUA basketball fans are measured in hundreds and not thousands. That being said, the game that was reviewed probably had a couple hundred fans in attendance, which is not out of line for this league. The fans in attendance were engaged and supportive of the Varsity Blues. A small group of student supporters led the fans with their drum. Access 4 The St. George Campus of the University of Toronto is located in the university neighbourhood of downtown Toronto. It is north of the Gardiner Expressway, west of the Don Valley Parkway and quite significantly south of Highway 401. Getting to this part of Toronto by car can be a little tricky. Traffic is always an issue. There are a number of surface lots that surround the university and parking can be found at a reasonable rate. Probably the best way to get to this part of Toronto would be the subway. There are two subway stops within a block of Goldring Centre and they are connected to both main subway lines. Buses and streetcars are also not too far away from Goldring Centre. Fans interested in public transit can check out the Toronto Transit Commission website for maps, schedules and fares. The ticketing window is on Devonshire Place, on the outside of Goldring Centre. Lineups are not an issue, which is a good thing because lining up outside in the Toronto cold can be cumbersome. Getting around the Goldring Centre is pretty easy, however fans will have to traverse a few staircases. Washrooms are on the same level as Kimel Family Field House and heading to the washroom is not much of a hindrance. Return on Investment 4 USports basketball remains a fantastic value for the entertainment dollar. The Toronto Varsity Blues are no exception. Adult tickets for a Varsity game run $8. Staff, seniors, youth and students are a mere $5. Children under 9 get the big discount and are free. Although getting to Goldring Centre can be a little pricey compared to other USports basketball experiences, Toronto basketball does provide a solid return for the investment. Extras 3 An extra mark for the Varsity Blues’ rivalries with the Ryerson Rams and York Lions. The rivalry with Ryerson is getting stronger with Ryerson seeing improvements on the court to coincide with their own new athletic facility. An extra mark for the deep history of the University of Toronto and their place as a founding member of USports. An extra mark for the University of Toronto pushing the envelope and creating a basketball venue that rivals any in the country. Final Thoughts There is absolutely no comparison between the Goldring Centre and the old Athletic Centre. Toronto now has one of the top basketball facilities in the country. It will be interesting going forward to see if Toronto can capitalize on their facility and translate that into better recruiting classes and stronger teams on the court. However, it is undeniable that the Goldring Centre and Kimel Family Field House have given Toronto a new gold standard. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Physical Activities Complex 200 University Ave W Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Waterloo Warriors Basketball website Physical Activities Complex website Year Opened: 1967 Capacity: 1,957 The Warriors That Built This Town When your facility was built in 1967, there comes a time when renovations are necessary. The drably named Physical Activities Complex at the University of Waterloo has been in need of a major facelift for a long time. The first step began when the old, wooden bleachers were replaced with modern plastic seating. The latest renovation at the PAC, completed for the 2021-2022 season, has injected new energy into the once drab building, worthy of the decent basketball history the Waterloo Warriors have enjoyed. The Warriors have hit the hardwood, representing the University of Waterloo since 1958. Currently enjoying conference play in the OUA (Ontario University Athletics) as part of the larger USports organization, regulating university sports in Canada, the Warriors have enjoyed Wilson Cup victories as conference champions in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1983 and 1986. The highlight of the Warriors basketball history was the 1975 CIAU National Championship won at the PAC against the Manitoba Bisons. Although the basketball fortunes on the court for the Warriors have not compared to the seventies and eighties, fans can expect a great experience going to a Waterloo game, especially in their new/old digs. Food & Beverage 3 This review was completed during restrictions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The mark for food takes into account previous concessions scenarios. Pre-COVID concessions consisted of simple snacks sold from a temporary table in one of the corners of the PAC. Soda, popcorn and chocolate bars dominated the limited menu. With the renovations to the PAC, a food court outside of the entrance in the main lobby is one of the featured improvements. Subway and Jugo Juice are among the featured restaurants and fans can bring food into the PAC with them. Vending machines are also on site. It will be interesting to see if the food court will suffice for concessions in the future, or if there will be a return to the previous concession options inside as well. Atmosphere 3 The University of Waterloo is in the final stages of a significant renovation to the PAC that has seen some pretty significant changes to the atmosphere. A child of the sixties, the PAC was a cold, soulless, concrete cavern … at least that is what it has been in the modern era. A main entrance has been created on the eastern side of the building which offers an attractive glass entrance, covering up the former brick and concrete that is found around the other three sides of the building. This does force fans who park in Lot M, just north of the PAC, to walk around to the opposite side that they are used to. However, this is a small price to pay for what is a better entrance overall. The main entrance brings fans into a bright, clean concourse which is a far cry from the drab concrete stairs that were what passed for welcoming in the old days. After passing through security and having the tickets scanned, fans ascend to the PAC and enter the main seating area. Many OUA facilities just seem like a simple gymnasium which is as much a home to PE classes as they are to Varsity Athletics. The PAC does have a bigger feel to it, with the right crowd can produce some significant energy. New lighting and flooring to go with the updated seating, which was installed a few years ago, give the PAC a brighter, cleaner, bigger-event feel to it. Those hideous, old wooden bleachers that were among the worst anywhere have been converted, smartly, into a welcoming Warriors sign fans can see before entering the PAC. The court runs from southwest to northeast, with each of the four corners labeled according to the four directions. The southeast side of the court is where to get that perfect picture, while the more comfortable, stadium chair seating is found on the northwest side. Another new, and desperately needed feature that was part of the major renovation is the bridge which links the north and east corners of the PAC. History has been embraced at Waterloo with the naming of the court after longtime Athletic Director, Carl Totzke. The northeast wall features a plaque dedicating the court and explaining the importance of Carl Totzke to the Warrior family. The southwest wall features a simple, yet effective, basketball scoreboard, complete with player information. The scoreboard is surrounded by a plethora of Warrior provincial championship banners, including six Wilson Cup banners. The 1975 National Championship banner also hangs proudly on the southwest wall. The adventurous and the historians will want to look in the north corner of the court to find the marked spot where Phil Goggins hit the game-winning shot to defeat the Manitoba Bisons to win the 1975 National Championship game. One of the greatest players to play at Waterloo was Mike Moser, whom the USports basketball MVP is named after, tragically died in 1975, before the Warriors had their playoff run. His number has been retired by the Warriors. Waterloo needs to take the next step to fully embrace their history and display that retired number in the PAC. The numbers of Peter Savich, Bill Jones and Jaan Laaniste are also retired from basketball and should be on display. The gameday experience is about what one would expect for an OUA basketball game. The gameday operations are mostly run by students, including the video streaming, play-by-play, colour analysis, camera work and PA announcing. A variety of music is played in warmups and during stoppages. Neighbourhood 5 The PAC is located at the north side of the campus of the University of Waterloo, minutes from Uptown Waterloo. The Student Life Centre is now joined directly to the PAC and there are some food options there. The University Club is just a quick jump across the parking lot and does have some limited seating times. Uptown is where there is far more to consider. The Huether, The Pub on King, Ethel’s Lounge, Beertown and Morty’s Pub are just a few of the culinary options that can be found on King Street. University Shops Plaza is a little closer to the opposite end of campus and has a number of options including Lobster Burger Bar, Williams Fresh Cafe, Mel’s Diner and Molly Bloom’s are all good options. There are a bunch of other sporting options in the area. The Warriors field a full complement of athletic teams and the PAC is shared with the women’s basketball team and volleyball teams among others. On the other side of Columbia Street is the Columbia IceField Arena, home of Warriors hockey and Warrior Field, home of Warriors football. Just “up the street” from the University of Waterloo, is Wilfrid Laurier University. The Golden Hawks compete in basketball at the Athletic Complex, football at University Stadium and hockey at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex. Heading to the other side of the twin cities border will bring fans to Kitchener, home of the Kitchener Rangers and their home at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The Duke of Wellington and Jazz Room on King Street offer fans live music on weekend nights. Taking the train to the town of St. Jacobs for the market may be of interest or walking through Waterloo Park if the weather’s nice is fun also. Oktoberfest is the busiest time in Kitchener-Waterloo and the largest German party rages on around Thanksgiving. For fans wishing to stay near the PAC, the Inn of Waterloo is just north on King Street and the Delta by Marriott Waterloo is a short drive away. Fans 3 It is very difficult to assess OUA basketball fans as attendance figures are not normally published. The Warriors, it seems, draw a couple hundred fans per game. Keep in mind that all Warrior basketball games are doubleheaders with the women playing first and the men playing after and there are plenty of people coming and going. That being said, with the renovations that have been completed, there is an audible increase of energy in the building that has been sorely lacking for years. It feels more like a spectator sport rather than a rec league game that just happens to be happening. Access 4 Getting to the PAC is not terribly difficult. It is located at the north end of the campus of the University of Waterloo, which is easily accessed from Columbia Street West. It is a significant distance from the Conestoga Parkway and driving through Waterloo will be required for those coming from out of town. Parking at the PAC is an option as Lot M is at the top of the hill, very close to the Columbia Street entrance. Other lots are not too far and most have a $5 or $6 charge. Lot X, on the other side of Columbia Street, is free on weekends. For fans wishing to take public transportation to the PAC, there are a couple of options. Grand River Transit buses travel the entire Ring Road, which circles the campus. The University of Waterloo stop for the ION light rail is also a short walk through campus to the PAC. Fans should check the GRT website, if interested, for times, maps and fares. The flow of people through the PAC has drastically improved with the renovations. With a dedicated entrance, fans are no longer confused as to which of the four corners of the building would be unlocked for admittance to the basketball game. Also, there are now washroom facilities at the level above the main seating area, which is much better than the previous system where fans were required to go all the way to the basement to find a washroom. The bridge linking the north and east corners also improves the flow of fans and allows for a more intimate experience with fans on both sides of the court. Security protocols and Covid protocols are consistently in flux. Stadium Journey implores fans to consult the Waterloo Warriors website for up to date information before heading to the game. Return on Investment 4 OUA basketball is very affordable. At $10 a ticket for adults, with discounts for children, seniors and students, the price is just right, especially in this world of rising ticket prices. It is a little unfortunate that there is a charge for parking, which is a hit or miss affair for the league. Concession prices are what one would also expect. The product on the court is at a high level and the atmosphere and fanbase seems to be consistently improving. Overall, heading to a Warriors basketball game will not disappoint. Extras 4 An extra mark for the recent renovations of the PAC, improving the gameday atmosphere and access to and in the building drastically. An extra mark for the student-run event, especially their work for online broadcasts. An extra mark for the increased embrace of Warrior basketball history with the marking of the 1975 National Championship spot and dedicating of the court. An extra mark for Roly Webster and Ari Grossman. A couple of former Golden Hawks have taken the helm of the Warriors athletic programs and pushed the re-investment in the facilities and programs and are hoping for some big results on the court. Final Thoughts In the sixties and seventies, the PAC was the place to be, with some of the best basketball support in the country. Times have drastically changed, not just in Waterloo, but across the league. On the bright side, the University of Waterloo’s investment in their athletic facilities has shown a commitment to the program and hopefully the results on the court will follow. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Alumni Hall Lambton Drive London, ON N6G 5R8 Canada Western Mustangs basketball website Alumni Hall website Year Opened: 1966 Capacity: 1,200 Behind the Giant Purple Curtain In the CIS most of the basketball facilities are fairly similar, built more for classroom and recreation functionality rather than spectator sports. Although CIS basketball is ridiculously underrated as a spectator sport, it can’t be denied that it is not a significant drawer of revenue that necessitates the creation of huge arenas with a spectator first mentality. However, every once in awhile an ardent traveler will come across a facility that is truly unlike any other in its class. Sometimes all you have to do is pull back the giant purple curtain to find something that adds to the experience just because it is there. Western University is located in the Southwestern Ontario city of London boasting over 35,000 undergraduate students. Although the Western is generally viewed as a football first institution, the Mustangs have done a solid job of building a top flight athletic department across programs. Not the least of these programs are the basketball Mustangs. Having had great success over time which includes 25 conference championships and one National Championship, the Mustangs can date their success all the way back to the 1920s. Home for the Mustangs is Alumni Hall, easily one of the most unique facilities in all of college basketball featuring a giant purple curtain. Most CIS basketball facilities are multi-use gymnasiums which were built for physical education classes on equal footing, if not more pressing focus than spectator sports. Built in 1966, Alumni Hall is different than the rest. More theatre than gymnasium, Alumni Hall offers a unique experience in college basketball, one that is worth pulling back the giant purple curtain and checking out. Food & Beverage 1 Alumni Hall is definitely not known for its culinary experience. There are very few food options at Alumni Hall. Temporary tables with students selling pizza, popcorn, cotton candy and soda are all that you will find here. There are also some soda machines in the concourse, but there is nothing that will blow your mind away. There is something for you to snack on here in an emergency, but your best bet is to find somewhere to eat before or after the game. Atmosphere 4 Alumni Hall offers a unique atmosphere among CIS facilities. The exterior of Alumni Hall matches perfectly among the other buildings of Western University. The grey brick matches the surrounding academic buildings in a classic university manner. It is located at the main entrance of Western at the roundabout at Lambton Drive. Inside Alumni Hall patrons are greeted with a smart looking entrance that is dark brown and classy looking. Alumni Hall is more of a theatre, with a large stage and curtain with a basketball floor between the upper seating and stage. The concourse is on the northwest side of the building. Upon entrance, patrons are greeted with the opportunity to see something special. The J.P. Metras Sports Museum is full of artifacts from various Mustang athletic teams and individuals. It is smartly decorated and Mustang fans could spend hours pouring over pictures and memorabilia. The concourse also features many pictures for those enshrined in the Mustangs Athletic Hall of Fame. The 1878 Societies display recognizes donors to the university in a classy manner. Upon entering the seating area, fans are immediately struck with the uniqueness of Alumni Hall. The basketball court runs from southwest to northeast with all of the seating on the northwest side. Team benches and game operations are on the southeast side of the court and behind them is the stage and giant purple curtain. The remaining three walls are covered with wood paneling that attempts to have a classic look, but looks a little worse for wear. The northeast is where the players enter from which features a giant, inflated Mustangs logo. Above the court is a simple scoreboard which can retreat into the ceiling. Unfortunately, there are no banners or easily seen honours for the 25 Wilson Cups as conference champions, or the 1991 National Championship. The in-game production is fairly simple at a Mustangs basketball game. A recording of the band playing the Mustangs fight song leads the players onto the floor, followed by the traditional Western horse whinney. Game operations are student-run. Hanging in front of the curtain is a large video board, which the Mustangs use with multiple camera angles. Students are used for ushers, event staff, camera operators and radio and video commentators. The seating bowl is a tapered theatre setting. The seats are cushioned with barely enough leg room. The slope is such that people in front of you should not be an issue. However, like the wood paneling, the seats have seen better days and are in need of replacement. Seating is general admission, so finding a good seat should not be difficult for fans. Neighborhood 3 Alumni Hall is located fairly central in the Western campus. There are a few interesting places that you may want to get to. The campus pub at Western is The Wave. If it is a place that you are considering then make sure you do your research and consider the limited hours that they are open. The Barakat Restaurant is located to the west of the arena on Western Road. If you head north of the arena, the best choices can be found. You may want to consider the Waltzing Weasel Pub or Beertown Public House. The campus of Western is located northwest of downtown London. There are a number of other food options there, but you will also find some more hockey options, specifically the OHL’s London Knights at Budweiser Gardens. Other sporting options on campus include Mustangs football at TD Stadium and Mustangs hockey at Thompson Arena. If you want to do some shopping, then check out Masonville Place, which is also close by. There are a few places to stay around campus. Windermere Manor offers something a little out of the ordinary and may be worth a try. If you are looking for something a little more mainstream, then head downtown for a more recognizable chain. Fans 3 Assessing fans for CIS basketball is extremely difficult. Teams often do not report game attendance and there are often significant fluctuations in attendance. You can expect to see a few hundred fans in attendance for Western Mustangs basketball games. The attendance at the game for this review was over 325. It is difficult to compare this to other programs, but a few elite programs regularly draw closer to between 600 and 1,000. There is definitely room for improvement at Western and with a seating capacity of 1,200, there is room within Alumni Hall. Those fans that are in attendance are fairly reserved and quiet, but do get excited and vocal when the game dictates that. Access 4 Getting in and around Alumni Hall is not very difficult. Alumni Hall is located on Lambton Road, right on the roundabout, pretty much the centre of the campus at Western University. Western’s campus is located a fairly significant distance from highways 401 and 402, which would be the major arteries in and out of London. Western Road is a large road that moves fairly quickly, but if you are coming from out of town to Western, you will have to do some significant driving through the city. Public transit is available that travels on Western Road and Sarnia Road. London Transit Commission buses stop right on the roundabout in front of Alumni Hall. Check out the LTC website for rates, schedules and maps if you are interested in public transit. There is plenty of parking on Western’s campus and unattended lots are free on the weekends. Probably the most convenient parking is in the large lot to the south of Alumni Hall that can be accessed from Huron Drive. Getting around Alumni Hall is not a problem at all based on the number of fans that are usually in attendance. However, like much of Alumni Hall, washroom facilities are dated and in need of an upgrade. Return on Investment 5 Western Mustangs basketball provides good entertainment for very little investment. Tickets for Mustangs basketball go for a mere $8 a person. There are also discounts for seniors, non-Western students and youth. Kids 5 and under are free. Combine the low ticket price with free parking and decent concession prices and you have a recipe for a very affordable brand of entertainment. CIS basketball is high calibre and fast paced. It is well worth your time. Extras 3 An extra mark for Mustang Days. Mustang Days are a celebration of Mustang athletics with as many athletic events packed into one weekend as possible. An extra mark for ample opportunity to pair Mustang hockey with Mustang basketball for an awesome CIS doubleheader for little money. An extra mark for the display of Mustang history at Alumni Hall and specifically in the J.P. Metras Sports Museum. Final Thoughts Alumni Hall is a unique facility that plays as a great backdrop for university basketball. Although it is in need of a bit of a facelift, a Mustangs game at Alumni Hall will not disappoint. Take some time and pull back the giant purple curtain and check out what you are missing in London. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Tait McKenzie Centre 1 Thompson Rd Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada York Lions website Tait McKenzie Centre website Year Opened: 1966 Capacity: 1,200 These Lions Do Yeoman’s Work With over 40,000 students, York University in Toronto is the second largest university in Ontario and the third largest in Canada. When sports teams were established in 1968, the teams were called the Yeomen after the British guards, also referred to as Beefeaters. In 2003 the university decided to replace Yeomen with the gender neutral Lions. Over time the Yeomen/Lions have had a mixed bag of success. In the late seventies and early eighties the Yeomen did have some significant success in basketball with six Wilson Cups as Ontario conference champions. Unfortunately for York, those great teams were met in the National Championship tournaments with the juggernaut from the University of Victoria that won National titles from 1980 through 1986. The York Lions play on the Keele Campus of York University at the Tait McKenzie Centre. The Centre was named after R. Tait McKenzie who was a renowned physician, sculptor, athlete, soldier and scouter. He was also a childhood friend of the founder of basketball James Naismith. CIS Basketball could probably be compared to NCAA Division II in the United States as they are similar in facility size and attendance. The games are pretty much student run, right down to the public address announcer, cameramen, and commentators. Food & Beverage 1 A simple snack bar is all that you will find at a York Lions game. The downside is that you are looking only at soda, chocolate bars, candy, popcorn and water. On the plus side everything is only a dollar. If you are feeling really saucy you can pay $2 for a Vitamin Water. You will not be able to find culinary works of art at a Lions game and you better bring cash if you are eating, but it doesn’t seem out of place. Atmosphere 3 First and foremost, Tait McKenzie Centre is a teaching facility for students. It was designed with students in mind and although it is not a bad facility to watch a basketball game, spectators were not at the front of the line when considerations in the design were made. Upon entering the Tait McKenzie Centre you will be greeted immediately by a temporary table selling tickets and select merchandise. Your credit card will work at this desk, but this is the only one. You then must pass security and go up to the main gymnasium where the Lions play ball. The entrance to the gymnasium is adorned with doors painted with the Lions logo and splits two large sets of bleachers on one side of the gymnasium. Your snack table is in this spot between bleachers as is a promo table and a table offering free game day program line-ups and free basketball yearbooks. The bleachers are mainly plastic seat type benches with no backs with the exception of the top three rows which offer chairs with backs. The three other walls in the gym feature championship banners over the years from all of the Lions teams, most of which were won when the team was the Yeomen. These banners include the six conference championships the Yeomen won in basketball in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984 and 1985. There are also three large rectangular promotional banners that help give the gymnasium some character and colour. The scoreboard is better than most in the league. It is a simple scoreboard, but also features a line-up and tracks fouls. The Tait McKenzie Centre is a simple facility, but it is more than adequate for the fans that are there. It is fairly comfortable and has a bit of vibe to it during the game. The game day presentation is also student run. Promotions, direction and music selection are all covered by students. They keep things pretty simple and do a good job. Neighborhood 3 York University is located in the part of Toronto formerly known as North York. The campus is at the northern edge of the city, just a couple of blocks from Vaughn. Toronto being a huge city offers many other sporting and cultural options. However, most are a pretty significant distance from York. If you remain on campus, Canlan Ice Sports houses York hockey teams and York Stadium is the home of York football. York also houses the top tennis and track and field facilities in the province. If you want to see other teams, you are around 20 km from downtown Toronto. There you could find other university sports like Ryerson Rams basketball or hockey at Mattamy Athletic Centre, or Toronto Varsity Blues football at Varsity Stadium or hockey at Varsity Arena. Toronto basketball also has a new home at the Goldring Centre. Professional sports are also in abundance downtown with the Maple Leafs, Raptors and Rock calling Air Canada Centre home, the Blue Jays and Argonauts playing at Rogers Centre, the Marlies playing at the Ricoh Coliseum and Toronto FC playing at BMO Field. As far as pre or post game meals are concerned you are going to want to keep your car. York University has a huge campus and walking may not be an option. Being so close to Vaughn and the Vaughn Mills Shopping Centre there are numerous options available there. These include Alice Fazooli’s, Dave & Busters, and Chilli’s just to name a few. If you are looking for something a little closer, try Hoops Sports Bar on Keele, or La Risata on Steeles. Fans 2 The CIS does a very poor job publishing the game attendance for basketball and hockey games. Therefore it is difficult to get a true handle on the number of fans that are going to games and how it compares across the league. It is fair to say that there are a couple hundred fans that show up to see the Lions. With such a small capacity at Tait, a small crowd does not look too out of place. The fans that are in attendance are loud and proud and support their team with vigour. There is definitely room for more fans, but it does not feel as if the place is empty. Access 4 Getting to York University is not too difficult. For those coming from out of town, York is east of Highway 400 and just south Highway 407 ERT. If possible, when driving take the highways. Steeles Avenue, which is very close to York, is one of the busiest streets in Toronto and can be very slow if you are travelling it during the wrong time. There is plenty of parking on campus, and there is a lot right behind the Tait McKenzie Centre. A little research with a campus map will help you find exactly where you want to be. For those of you interested in public transit, there is a GO station right on the York campus which is a hub for all types of TTC transit. Inside, the washrooms are extremely small and crowded. Choose your washroom visit time very carefully, and avoid halftime if possible. Return on Investment 4 CIS Basketball offers very little in the way of investment. The top ticket to see the Lions is $10. There are discounts for Non-York students, seniors, staff and alumni. Children under the age of 13 are free. Tickets are available at the door or online. Concession prices are very cheap and parking on campus will run you $5. The game action may not be professional or NCAA power conference level, but it is good quality and provides a fun night out with not much hassle. Extras 3 In a league where pre-game introductions simply include music and introductions, two extra marks goes to York for going the extra mile. Player introductions at York include a spotlight, entrance through a York tent and a pair of red, rotating hockey lights. It may not be much, but it’s a little something more. An extra mark goes to the student volunteers at York who run everything including the streaming internet video feed. Final Thoughts York Lions basketball probably won’t be your greatest sporting adventure in life. However, York does provide a solid, family-friendly product and a very cheap price. Getting to see the York Lions is a fun evening and you won’t regret it. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and Instagram.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Varsity Stadium University of Toronto 299 Bloor St W Toronto, ON M5S 1W2 Toronto Varsity Blues website Varsity Stadium website Year Opened: 2007 Capacity: 5,000 Varsity Blues The Toronto Varsity Blues have a ridiculously long history when it comes to football. The origins of the football program at the University of Toronto are murky at best. Many believe that the first ever game at University of Toronto, maybe even in Canada, was on November 9, 1861. Through more than 150 years of football at Canada’s largest university, the road has been filled with ups and downs. The Toronto program lays claim to winning the first ever Grey Cup in 1909 and count former Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson among alumni who helped coach the Varsity Blues. Home for the Varsity Blues program has been Varsity Stadium since its inception in 1911, when the original stadium was built. Varsity was also home to the Toronto Argonauts until they moved to Exhibition Stadium in 1959. Varsity has hosted 21 Vanier Cup games as the National Championship game for university football in Canada, as well as 30 Grey Cups. The third Grey Cup ever played was hosted at Varsity, where the game would be a staple for years. The Varsity Blues have seen their share of success including Grey Cup Championships in 1909, 1910, 1911, and 1920. When the Grey Cup would become an exclusively CFL trophy, the Blues would go on to win Vanier Cups in 1965 and 1993. The Blues also claim 25 Yates Cup Championships as conference champions between 1898 and 1993. Unfortunately, the Varsity Blues program has fallen on hard times. In 1992, the program was nearly cancelled and the miracle that was the 1993 Vanier Cup victory was followed with a fairly sharp decline of performance on the field. The Varsity Blues have not posted a winning record or made the playoffs since 1995. Between 2001 and 2008 the Varsity Blues would claim a record 49 game losing streak. During this period, Varsity Stadium would be torn down and rebuilt. The centre of controversy with plenty of rumblings of the Argonauts making a return to Varsity, the new Varsity Centre would be completed in 2007 with a modest 5,000 seat grandstand and modern facilities. The new Varsity Stadium provides the Varsity Blues with one of the nicer venues in the OUA and the football program has seen some improvements in recent years. However, the new Varsity Stadium and latest coaching staff of the Toronto Varsity Blues has not yet been able to change the tune at Varsity away from those Varsity Blues. Food & Beverage 2 The concessions at Varsity Stadium are not overly spectacular. Under the grandstand, there is a small concession stand. There you will finds a fairly limited variety of snacks. Hot dogs ($3), burgers, chips and candy are all available. Soft drinks that are available are Pepsi products ($2.25) as well as water and a few different iced tea flavors. On a cool evening coffee or tea may be the way to go, which are also available. Further south under the grandstand there is a licensed area where alcoholic beverages can be purchased. Molson Canadian, Coors Light and Alexander Keith’s IPA are available for sale but may not be brought out of the enclosed area or to your seat. Atmosphere 4 Varsity Stadium is one of the nicest venues in the OUA, but it lacks that visible history which may be expected. From the outside, Varsity Stadium is a nice enough venue. Wrapped in red brick and wrought iron, the field can be seen easily from Bloor St. On Bloor Street you will see the main piece of history at Varsity. Dividing the stadium from Bloor St, just under the videoboard, is an original brick wall from the 1911 incarnation of the stadium. At the west end of the wall there is a Heritage plaque outlining the significance of the Grey Cup. Also at the west end of the stadium, at the corner of Bloor and Devonshire, there is a small square, which is a great meeting place before the game and a spot where you can peek through the fence and see some football action. After entering the gate at the northeast corner of the stadium, patrons are led under the grandstand. The field is north-south oriented and the seating area is on the east side. The concourse is pretty nondescript and doesn’t offer too much that is interesting. The southeast end of Varsity Centre also encompasses the historic Varsity Arena. The seating area at Varsity Stadium is fairly simple. Metal benches with backs are found throughout the grandstand. The slope is significantly steeper than other stadiums in the conference and sightlines are very good. Varsity Stadium is also home to the Varsity Blues Track and Field program and also encompasses a full eight lane track, which brings the fan a little farther from the football action. At the north end of the stadium is the videoboard, an item that is still a bit of a novelty in the conference. That being said, the videoboard is older and nowhere near the quality that can be found at the professional level. From your seats, if you look to the south you will find the Varsity Centre Pavilion, and beyond that, the iconic CN Tower can be easily seen from the stadium. The gameday production is about what you would expect for football in the OUA. The production is student-run with typical promos and contests. The PA system at Varsity Stadium is excellent and announcements are clear and crisp. The game that was reviewed was scheduled for the Thursday before the Thanksgiving weekend, a time that students are traditionally leaving campus, and it seemed like a bit of a skeleton crew working. The Toronto Engineering Society provides the Lady Godiva Memorial Band, a band with an interesting history, however they were not in attendance at the game reviewed. The game does begin with the firing of the cannon which will take those unaware by surprise for sure. The Varsity Blues make good use of their videoboard, often boasting of more National Championships than any other school, however there are few obvious reminders of that history within the stadium. Considering the difficulties the Blues have had on the field, they should embrace their history and do a better job putting it on display. Neighbourhood 5 The University of Toronto neighbourhood is second to none in the entire CIS. The St.George Campus, which hosts the athletic facilities, is at the north end of what is still considered part of Downtown Toronto as well as part of Old Toronto. In the immediate walking area, there are a ton of options for pre and post game fare. Signatures, Gabby’s, Madison Ave Pub, Duke of York, and Fox and Fiddle are all options that are very close and worth a look. There are also a number of large chains and fast food that can be found on Bloor Street. There are a ton of things to do in downtown Toronto and you can’t go wrong with a weekend or even a week in the area. Varsity Centre is located right beside the Royal Ontario Museum, which requires a number of hours for a good visit. On the other side of the stadium the Bata Shoe Museum can be found for something very different. The St. George Campus of University of Toronto is also a short subway trip to the heart of downtown Toronto where you will find the Harbourfront, CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium and the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Eaton Centre is also not too far and the centre of Toronto’s shopping scene and the Theatre District is also right there. If you are looking for more of a sports fix then you are in luck. The University of Toronto also fields a whole host of other athletic programs including hockey at Varsity Arena, also part of Varsity Centre, and basketball at the brand new Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. Varsity Blues rivals the Ryerson Rams host their athletics out of the former Maple Leaf Gardens and play hockey at the Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens and basketball at Coca-Cola Court. The pros are also not far away with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and Toronto Rock calling Scotiabank Arena home, the Toronto Blue Jays calling Rogers Centre home, the Toronto Marlies calling Coca-Cola Coliseum home and Toronto FC and the Toronto Argonauts playing at BMO Field. There are a number of fine hotels to stay at in Toronto. Probably the most convenient is the Holiday Inn, located right across the street from Varsity Centre. Fans 2 Let’s face the facts, the Toronto Varsity Blues football program has not been a good one in decades. With the last winning season for the Blues coming all the way back in 1995, getting fans to come out to Varsity has been a real challenge. The Blues have shown a little bit of life in the last few years, but are still a ways from a playoff appearance. In 2016 and 2015 the Blues have struggled to draw more than 1,500 fans per game and rank near the bottom of the conference in average attendance. During the 2014 season, the Blues attracted an average of over 2,200 fans per game and ranked 8th in the OUA. There is a great deal of room for improvement and the University of Toronto needs to do a much better job attracting students to football games and to make the Varsity Blues football experience part of the Toronto student experience. The fans in attendance that are cheering for the Blues can only be described as die-hard, as the product has been so poor over the last few decades. Varsity Stadium is a great venue for visiting fans, however. You will often find many travelling fans who are in attendance to see their team, who happens to be playing at Varsity. Access 4 Toronto traffic can be a real challenge and getting to Varsity Centre can be a bit of a pain. Varsity Centre is located a fair distance from all major highways in the area. Almost equally distant from highway 401, 427 the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway, driving to Varsity will involve some very slow going through the city with many lights and stop and go traffic. What Varsity lacks in challenges for getting there by car, they make up for with proximity to public transit. Varsity is located near stops for two different subway routes which makes getting there not too terrible with public transit. Check out the TTC website for fares, maps and schedules. There are a number of parking options around Varsity Centre. Rates are not terrible and you can probably park for $10 for the duration of the game. A little research on parking options will go a long way before heading into the city by car. The ticketing window and main gate are at the northeast side of the stadium off of Bloor Street. Credit card services are available and there is very rarely any sort of wait at the box office. Getting around the stadium is no problem, mainly because there is often not close to a capacity crowd. The space under the grandstand is more than adequate for getting around. The washroom facilities are also more than adequate for the number of fans that are typically in attendance. Return on Investment 3 Tickets for Toronto football will run $12 for General Admission and $20 for reserved in the centre section. There will be a charge for either parking or public transit. Concession prices are decent also. OUA football can offer a fantastic return for your sporting dollar. However, decades of poor teams can make it a bit of a crapshoot as to what type of game you will get. Blowouts are commonplace at Varsity and the stadium can empty at halftime if the game gets out of hand. Extras 3 An extra mark for the alumni and friends of the Varsity Blues program who saved the program in 1992 and led to the miracle 1993 Vanier Cup team. An extra mark for the annual Red and Blue Bowl where the Varsity Blues take on their crosstown rivals, the York Lions. Both teams are often struggling in the standings and the game can often be entertaining and close. An extra mark for the Toronto Varsity Blues attempting to rekindle a classic cheer. Final Thoughts The Toronto Varsity Blues have had a rough road through the CIS for decades. They have a great facility in a fantastic, big market city, which should help both at the gates and in recruiting. Be selective when choosing a game and try to avoid a mismatch. If you can do this you will have a great time in Toronto. Otherwise, you may just be singing the Varsity Blues. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and on Instagram.