Photos by Ron Ford, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 LaHaye Ice Center 1971 University Blvd Lynchburg, VA 24502 Liberty Flames hockey website LaHaye Ice Center website Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 4,000 Liberty, Liberty, Liberty...Hockey The American Collegiate Hockey Association covers most of the college hockey programs that have not been absorbed into the NCAA and usually organizes programs which would not have the budgets normally seen amongst their big brothers and sisters in the NCAA divisions. The ACHA represent 450 programs across the United States. Located on the campus of Liberty University the LaHaye Ice Center is the home of Liberty Universities Division 1 men's and women's ice hockey teams, as well as Virginia Military Institute and Lynchburg Colleges Division 2 schools. Built in 2006 with assistance of a $4.5 million dollar grant by Tim LaHaye, it has been renovated in 2008 and again in 2015. The arena also hosts public skating, broomball and recreational hockey. Food & Beverage 3 Basic arena food with a few extras. LaHaye offers all your basic stadium fare, from hot dogs to cheeseburgers to chicken tenders, all standard preparation with no real frills, fresh popcorn and cotton candy are a nice touch and there is a wide selection of chips and candy. Coke products are available along with some hot drinks. The surprises start in that they offer discounted combos at the main concession stand. Along with a nightly concession special such as $1 hot dogs it might make this the most affordable stadium food I have seen in ages. Exploring further, there are also local businesses offering specialized snacks along the concourse. While these were slightly more expensive they are still not outrageous and fill the void for those who are looking for more sophisticated eats. While limited to mostly snacks and desserts it's still nice to have some truly homemade ice cream or cookies. There does not seem to be any adult beverages on the premises. Atmosphere 4 LaHaye is clean, well lit with simple lines and surprisingly well furnished in terms of private concourse boxes. There are some odd uses of riot gate to separate the general admission from the premium seating. General admission has bench seating with no back, but also access to standing room and glass-side viewing. Premium seating are comfortable (even for larger folks) plastic mold form seating with cupholders. It has a central video scoreboard which allows for professionally rendered and produced video screen introductions, a simple light show during player introductions and also features an ample PA system with a decent selection of arena rock music. which brings me to my next point... Neighborhood 4 LaHaye is located in the Liberty sports complex. Its neighbors are Williams Stadium for football, Worthington field for baseball, Liberty Arena for basketball and various fitness centers. All of these are well lit and well integrated buildings with the lone exception being LaHaye which stands out slightly as a white cement and chrome structure in contrast to the red brick and brass of most of the other stadiums. There are plenty of restaurants including local and franchise names in the strip malls surrounding the sports complex. From Macados to Star Ginger and Crab Du Jour, you are sure to find something to match your pre-game tastes within mere blocks of the arena. Several hotels spot the area surely awaiting out of town parents visiting students. Fans 4 This place is loud. In the best way. In that babies the next town over cry when the hometown scores. The fans are knowledgeable, and dedicated, they have their favorite players, as a community. There are disparaging chants for the introduction of the opposing team, and individual cheers for the players with personalities. D1 men's finished the 2023 season with several consecutive sell outs, which most teams in any level of sport would hope for. Access 4 LaHey is located 2 blocks off 29 in Lynchburg Virginia. My direction app happened to take me on a backwoods adventure through the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Which was honestly a pleasant surprise. I occasionally forget why I moved out to the mountains. And my GPS reminded me. But getting to the arena is a fairly straightforward trip from most towns north and south. All sections of the arena are easily accessible, and there is an elevator for those with mobility issues. Parking is plentiful and free as long as you register for the free parking registration here: https://www.liberty.edu/police/parking/visitor-parking/ Return on Investment 4 There are so many positives here. I could treat a family of 4 to night out of exciting competitive sporting action for less than $ 100. I do recommend getting your tickets early as I was shut out of one game due to the building reaching capacity. There is a great souvenir / pro shop with a wide variety of Liberty University paraphernalia and some hockey and skating gear as well. Having seen hundreds of minor league games in dozens of arenas over the years the sports going experience here is one of the best I've ever had. Extras 0 If visiting LaHaye Ice Arena, keep in mind that Liberty University is owned and operated by the Fallwell family there is a heavy handed helping of religion and politics here. Should you find the presence of either overly intrusive, this might not be the venue for you.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi 2-11-6 Miyagino Sendai, Miyagi 983-0045 Japan Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles website Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi website Year Opened: 1950 Capacity: 23,000 Nothing to Sneeze At Note: The stadium has been renamed since this review. The Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles are the newest franchise in Japanese baseball, having been formed in 2005 to fill the void created by the merger of the Kintetsu Buffaloes and Orix Blue Wave. The irony of replacing the Blue Wave is unfortunate as the Eagles are based in Tohoku, which was devastated by the double disasters in March, 2011. The stadium is located in Sendai which sustained heavy damage from the earthquake before the coast was inundated by the subsequent tsunami. Kleenex Stadium was not spared, suffering structural damage that was only completely repaired recently. The team was forced to play home games at other NPB ballparks during the early part of the 2011 season but returned home in late April, where they became a symbol of the rebuilding process and lifted heavy hearts across the region. Kleenex Stadium Miyagi was opened in 1950 and actually served as the home ground for the Lotte Orions (now the Chiba Lotte Marines) between 1973 and 1977. However, it was very dated when the Eagles were granted a franchise and much renovation was done to modernize it in time for their first game. In fact, when I first went I initially thought it was a new stadium, a testament to the great job done here. The stadium is currently known as Rakuten Kobo Stadium Miyagi. Food & Beverage 5 There are dozens of concessions that sit outside the actual stadium and offer everything from hot wine to the local delicacy, gyutan (cow’s tongue). For those without a taste for the unusual, there was even a KFC stand. Gates open two hours before game time, but get there before then because the outside area is far more active and it will take you a while to see everything. Walk around the stadium to see all the culinary possibilities; early arrivers can easily have two meals here. There are even some seating areas where you can grab a table and relax with your lunch or dinner. The information desk has a great brochure listing all the spots both inside and outside the gates. On the outside, I tried the dim sum box near gate R6 which was pretty average, 3 pieces for 350 yen. My recommendation on the inside of the ballpark is the steak bowl on level 3. It is crowded and takes a while to get the food, but was good value for the price at 650 yen. The Eagles Nest Sports Lounge was very popular, likely for providing some indoor warmth on this chilly April afternoon, and had some tempting options as well. Beer here is available everywhere, including the ubiquitous beer girls that roam through the aisles. Always choose this option as you don’t have to leave your seat. I did notice prices here were slightly cheaper than Tokyo, with a draft going for 700 yen. Atmosphere 3 With fewer than 19,000 showing up (out of a capacity of 23,000) and the weather still in the throes of winter’s last hurrah, there wasn’t a whole lot of fun being had. The home team struggled against a star rookie pitcher and there wasn’t a lot of fan activity during the game, other than the typical outfield cheering sections. Having so much of the food and drink options outside the main stand also keeps fans coming and going and makes it difficult to establish a true baseball atmosphere. The Eagles do have a very active cheer squad known as the Angels consisting of about 16 young ladies who dance on the field during the game and bring a bit of pep to the proceedings. Beforehand they have a couple of shows on a stage located near gate R2, where you can also find the usual hordes of perverts with their zoom lenses. Neighborhood 2 The stadium is located about 20 minutes by foot from the main train station. Unfortunately, there is little to see on this walk, with few, if any, restaurants or bars. It’s mostly a business area that is rather devoid of business on a Sunday afternoon. Sendai Station is where the action is, but even then it is rather muted compared to some other Japanese cities. Most of the restaurants in the area are serving cow’s tongue as all Japanese tourists must eat this while visiting Sendai. The locals tell me they don’t eat it that often, and having tried it a few times myself, I would agree with them. The west side of the station had a few izakayas but in general, central Sendai is one of Japan’s quieter urban areas. Fans 4 Rakuten fans have developed into decent supporters, although they were soundly outclassed by the visiting Chiba fans on this day. To be fair, their team is off to a poor start and the weather was not pleasant in the least, so I’m going to recall an earlier visit where they stayed to the end of a 4 hour 20 minute game (9 innings!) cheering their boys on to an amazing comeback victory. Despite their relatively few numbers, the Lucky 7 balloon time was very impressive, with nearly all of the fans participating. In Japan, supporters of both teams sing the team song and get to release colorful balloons after their team finishes batting in the 7th inning. It makes for interesting visuals as you can see in a couple of pictures in the photo gallery. Access 3 As mentioned, the stadium is a 20-minute walk from the main train station, or you can take the Senseki Line from there to Miyaginohara station, which is known as “Baseball Station” due to its proximity to the ballpark. From there, it is just a 5-minute stroll to the stadium, which lies next to a track and field facility. I bought a field level seat from where the view was poor, so I moved to a better location after a few innings. The field level seats have their own gate and no concessions as well as no other way to access the rest of the stadium. Fortunately, you can move back and forth between the main stand and the field seats as long as you tell them that you are going to get some food. Once I found a seat I liked, I planted myself down. A few innings later, a staff member inquired about my ticket and I said I didn’t have one for this area. She said that’s fine, but please move if the seat holder returns. Well duh! Getting around the main part of the stadium is a pain. The walkway has two gates that force you to go up some stairs and back down on the other side, an unnecessary 30-second detour. These gates are easily moved and vendors are constantly passing through them, so it makes no sense that fans can’t have the same access. The inner concourses are quite small, particularly the third floor which is heavily crowded before the game as fans line up for food. Capacity here is 23,000, about half that of the Tokyo Dome, but it certainly seems much more busy with the small floor space. This stadium is over 50 years old, but the renovations have taken care of many of the problems that bedevil aging facilities. However, increasing concourse space is something that would take away seating, and I don’t think they will be doing that in the near future. Try to tour the stadium early, before the crowds arrive. Return on Investment 3 Tickets here vary widely in price as Rakuten has adopted the variable pricing method, with five categories of games, ranging from Platinum down to Value, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze rounding out the list. The most expensive ticket is called a Golden Seat (yet again with the metals) and costs 7,700 yen for the Platinum games and only 3,100 yen for the Value games. So go to the Value games if you can. There are 18 different seating options, so the ticket matrix lists 90 possibilities, which I will not detail here. My advice is to sit in the infield A seats or upper level seats on the 3rd base side (unlike most Japanese stadiums, the home team uses the 3rd base dugout). One good thing about Kleenex Stadium is that the screen doesn’t extend all the way down the lines so if you are sitting high enough, you can have an unobstructed view of the field from these seats. There are two scoreboards: the main one is the typical Japanese one with lineups and the linescore, but there is also a video screen that shows detailed stats as the game progresses. Definitely something I’d like to see at other parks. Extras 5 Fans arrive early to participate in many special giveaways. I noticed at least 3 long lines, each one for a different promotion. Often one needs to be a member of a fan club or have a special type of ticket to participate. There is always a guy holding a sign indicating the end of the queue so if you are not sure, you can ask him what the line is for. The mascots tour around the stadium before the game signing autographs for the kids. There is also a small train which takes young children around the stadium along with their bemused parents. You can also find a home plate and bases buried beneath thick plastic windows; there doesn’t seem to be any meaning behind them and the windows were covered with condensation so I couldn’t read the plaque inside. Some fans who won a contest are allowed on the field before the game to play catch, and all fans are invited on the field afterwards, although you have to wait 30 minutes after the game finishes. Just before the game starts, an eagle flies in from beyond the outfield fence to first base; a majestic sight that is somewhat ironic given the team rarely soars into the playoffs (only two appearances in nine seasons). Final Thoughts When I first visited here in 2005, I thought it was the best ballpark in Japan, but upon reflection, I think I overstated things then. The food selection is great and there are lots of cool things around, but the location is not that good and once inside, moving around is a hassle. Even with these problems though, it is better than the average domed stadium and certainly worth a trip to Sendai to see the Golden Eagles. **Follow all of Sean’s journeys at Sports Road Trips.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 ZoZo Marine Stadium 1 Mihama Mihama-ku, Chiba 261-0022, Japan Chiba Lotte Marines website ZoZo Marine Stadium website Year Opened: 1990 Capacity: 30,000 Quality, Value, Chiba! In 1990, Chiba Marine Stadium was built on the shores of Tokyo Bay and two years later, the Lotte Orions moved there and became the Chiba Lotte Marines. It didn’t take long for people to realize that building an outdoor stadium next to a large body of water isn’t always the best idea, as the ballpark became famous for its difficult playing conditions whenever the weather turned slightly foul. Swirling winds and bone-chilling temperatures are the norm early in the season and night games sometimes require an extra layer or two of clothing, even in midsummer. In 2011, shopping channel QVC bought the naming rights and the stadium was known as QVC Marine Field. Along with the name change came a newly installed turf and what seem to be some other cleanup projects as the stadium was brighter and more colorful than I had remembered. It is now known as ZoZo Marine Stadium. Food & Beverage 3 As with all Japanese ballparks, you should investigate your dining options before entering. I found a number of interesting stalls, including gyutan tsukune (minced beef tongue on a stick) and sausage and steak tacos. Take your time to explore here and remember that any food you buy can be brought into the stadium. There is also a small picnic area here where you can sit to enjoy your meal. Once inside, the first floor is lined with concessions that offer typical Japanese fare. There’s also a Domino’s (600 yen for a slice of cheese-filled pizza) and Nakau, a fast-food chain that offers udon and donburi and was the most popular stand. My favourite was the honey peanuts from Rie Coffee, a bargain at 250 yen and great for snacking throughout the game. Note that the 2nd floor has limited concessions, so you are better off buying what you want on the 1st floor before walking up. Beer here is served in smaller cups and is consequently a bit cheaper than in the other ballparks. You can also buy cups of shochu, a clear, distilled beverage that comes from wheat, rice, or potatoes for the most part. It is stronger than wine but the distinct taste is one worth trying. For those looking to enjoy a real meal after a day game, try Tony Roma’s on the third floor in the Marive Dining building. Across the street in the Plena complex is the Marines Official Sports Bar, a small outpost that just shows highlights of Chiba games and seems to serve more as a smoking area rather than a full-on drinking spot. There are several other restaurants around here, but nothing that you can’t find at any typical large train station in the greater Tokyo area. Atmosphere 3 The stadium seats only 30,000 but with two seating levels and a relatively roomy upper deck, the atmosphere is not as good as it could be. The upper level is mostly unreserved seating, so fans generally try to spread themselves out. Fortunately the outfield seats are jam packed and it is these cheering groups that keep the stadium alive, particularly when the Marines are enjoying a long rally. As an open air stadium next to the bay, the air is fresh and cool. The sun moves from left field to right during a day game, so you can always find shade if you are looking for it. I found this to be a relaxing and comfortable place to watch the game. Neighborhood 2 The stadium is surrounded by nothing except office buildings and exhibition halls. Only Kaihin Makuhari station provides any entertainment or food options, and even those are fairly limited and uninteresting. My recommendation is to take the train back to Tokyo or over to Chiba to find a more dynamic environment post-game. Fans 4 Lotte fans are infamous in Japan for being tough on their team, but they might also be the most united. The outfield stands are completely white as every fan seems to be wearing a Marines uniform and the energy they showed by jumping up and down throughout the game was fantastic. Even after the game the entire group stayed and continued to cheer as their team had prevailed. The Marines faithful are also famous for their support of one-time manager Bobby Valentine, who spent seven seasons with the club and led them to the Nippon Series title in 2005. When the club announced that they would not retain his services after the 2009 season, thousands of fans signed petitions, wore “Bobby 2010” t-shirts, and waved large signs, all in an ultimately vain attempt to force the team to reconsider. Ironically, the first season after Valentine left, the Marines again won the Nippon Series, this time after finishing third in the regular season but using a strong rotation to win the Pacific League’s Climax Series before besting Chunichi in the final. Access 2 The closest station to QVC Marine Field is Kaihin-Makuhari on the Keiyo Line. It’s about a 40 minute train ride from Tokyo, but then another 15-20 minutes to walk to the stadium itself. Bus service is available from the station for a meager 100 yen, although I prefer to walk; most of the way is via elevated pedestrian walkways. I’m docking points here for a number of reasons. The concourses are narrow and not easy to navigate when crowded. When you go up to the second level, you have to walk through a smoking area, in fact the stadium is filled with them and they should really be moved outside of the concourses. The toilets are limited and you can see right into them, a curious but not uncommon situation in Japan. Even the ladies’ loo was sporting a urinal for some strange reason. Finally, there are far too many checkpoints and you can’t move around the stadium on the lower level before the game without showing your ticket. These minor annoyances, coupled with the distance from the stadium, are why I am giving QVC Marine Field an access rating of just two stars. Return on Investment 3 Tickets here are priced fairly, but be careful of the field level seats, which are on the field but stretch well down the lines, almost to the corners, which seems to be a terrible vantage point. The best option is the second deck unreserved seats at 2,300 yen ($30).You can sit pretty much anywhere in the upper deck, and when the stadium is not full, you can usually get a few seats to yourself. One of the interesting things about QVC Marine Field is the colorful seats. Each section is color-coded in the same way as on the stadium seating map. Red, green, orange, and light and dark blue seats remind you where you are but also provide a welcome alternative to the usual monochrome seating plans. For parents with toddlers, there is a small play area on the concourse which might help pass the time. In other areas, there are not a lot of bells and whistles here. A ribbon board is on the facing of the upper deck and shows the batter’s previous results, while the scoreboard is typically large but provides little more than lineups and the linescore. I do like the wind direction indicator on the right side of scoreboard. It didn’t show higher than 3 m/s at the game I attended, but in the spring and fall, you might see it hit double digits. Another interesting feature is that the batting average and home run stats change immediately after the play, before the next batter is announced. As Lotte is a gum and candy maker, all fans are handed a pack of lemon gum as they enter the stadium. Extras 3 The Marines Museum was a nice surprise as it was not here on my last visit. It is a small Hall of Fame dedicated to the franchise, which has moved around quite a bit. Located just across from the main entrance, the museum is free and only takes a few minutes to explore, but there is a lot of history here. Do take the time to walk through it. The Marine Dance Academy seems to be a cheerleading school that has dozens of dancers from age 4 and up. They were on the field before, during, and after the game. As well, they have a stage outside where the actual team cheerleaders put on pre-game performances that attract mostly guys with zoom lenses. Finally, the day I went was Drug Store Day and they were handing out travel size shampoo and other sundries before the game. It was amazing how long the lineups were for something worth perhaps 50 yen, but in these trying times, every little bit helps. Final Thoughts I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my time here. On a previous visit, the weather was miserable and cold and I hated it, but for an afternoon game, the stadium is pleasant, spacious, colorful , and loud. The friendly staff and few extras mentioned make QVC Marine Field well worth a look if you are in Tokyo or Chiba during the baseball season.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Yokohama Stadium Yokohama Koen Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0022 Japan Yokohama BayStars website Yokohama Stadium website Year Opened: 1978 Capacity: 30,000 Baseball in the City by the Bay (Stars) Yokohama is famous for being the port where Matthew Perry (the admiral, not the actor) landed in 1854 in what turned out to be a successful attempt to open Japan to the world. A century and a half later, the most important American export continues to thrive here, as the Yokohama BayStars do battle in the Central League, one of two circuits that comprise Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Before delving into the local stadium, a bit of background on Japanese baseball is warranted. There are some similarities to the structure of the American game such as having two leagues (6 teams in each, Pacific with the DH, Central without), interleague play, and three playoff rounds. But there are just as many differences: tie games are called after 12 innings, there is no minor league development system (each team has just one junior squad), and teams have at least one day off per week. In comparing fans, you might find the most obvious contrasts. In Japan, fans segregate themselves, with the home team fans sitting on the first base side of the stadium while the visitors sit on the third base side. Each team has its own vocal cheering section, called “oendan,” which occupies the unreserved outfield seating area, singing songs and cheering loudly while their team bats. Each player has his own cheer tune and you have to learn them to fit in. Most fans bring some sort of noise maker and even a boring game will be loud from the first pitch to the last. There are countless other differences that are best left to be discovered when you pay a visit to a Japanese ballpark. And a good place to start would be none other than Yokohama Stadium. Food & Beverage 4 Perhaps the best thing about Japanese ballyards is that you can bring your own food and drink in. Even alcohol is allowed, as long as you empty the can into a cup upon entering. As such, when rating the food at a stadium, the outside offerings must be considered along with the concession stands inside. Yokohama Stadium has more than enough variety, particularly with an excellent selection of food items outside the stadium. A must-try is the Kachi Hosshey (Winning Star), a baked good shaped like a star with lemon icing that was very tasty. This was just one of many items in the Hometown Festival area, a large collection of food and souvenir stands on the north side of the ballpark, which is only set up during weekend and holiday games. Among the many options inside the stadium is Mikan Kori, which is shaved ice topped with mandarin oranges – very refreshing on a humid afternoon. For those with less adventurous taste buds, there’s a McDonalds in the first base concourse and a KFC along the third base side. A good place to grab a bite while sitting down is the Victory Court restaurant inside the stadium. Located on the second level of the concourse behind home plate, this is a cafeteria style eatery where you grab a tray and place your order before carrying it to your seat. Menu items include recipes that are recommended by the players (I tried a beef bowl designed by pitcher Daisuke Miura which was rather unappetizing, hence the penalty point here) as well as your standard stadium fare such as hot dogs (known as the “Bay Dog” here).One clever promotion here is the Harper soda, a combination of I.W.Harper whiskey and soda water.Yokohama currently has Brett Harper on their squad and when he hits a homer, the Harper soda is half price for the rest of the game. If you are in your seat, you may notice vendors walking by with large boxes. These are bento, which come with a variety of small snacks (sushi, chicken nuggets, vegetables are just a few examples) and rice. There are nine different types being paraded around the park, plus a few more available at the concession stands. These can act as complete meals and are reasonably priced. If you want to try something truly offbeat, there is the unagi sushi bento which is steamed eel smothered in a special sauce – a real Japanese delicacy. Finally, Yokohama is famous as the site of Japan’s largest Chinatown, and you can pick up some prepackaged shumai and other Chinese delights that are quite tasty and make for perfect pre-game snacks. In other words, when you come to Yokohama, come hungry. Atmosphere 3 The team doesn’t draw very well. On the absolutely perfect Saturday afternoon I visited, there were only 17,502 in the 30,000-seat stadium. Due to ticket prices being quite high for the good seats, most people sit well down the lines, and with the majority of fans rooting for the home team, the first base side is crowded while the third base seats are relatively empty. I always find this disconcerting, and it adversely affects the atmosphere of the stadium in my opinion. It’s not just Yokohama that suffers from this, but on the day I was there, I really didn’t get a feeling that I was at a pro game. That’s not to say all is bad. There are nice views of the Landmark Tower, an iconic Yokohama building, beyond the left field fence and the staff here are helpful and friendly. If they could squeeze another few thousand people in here, it would greatly improve the overall experience. Neighborhood 5 Yokohama is one of Japan’s best cities and has far more tourist attractions than Tokyo. Chief among them is Chinatown, which is just 400 meters from the stadium. Motomachi, where foreigners first settled, is close by and well worth a look. A few minutes more and you reach Yokohama Port, which includes the Akarenga, or Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Originally a customs house, it is a long, red brick building that houses a shopping mall, restaurants, and event facilities. If you want to enjoy the outdoors, try Yamashita Koen, a narrow park that borders the water and can be quite refreshing on a hot day. All of these attractions are within a mile of the ballpark and close to each other, so if you are taking in a night game, be sure to spend the afternoon here. Closer to the stadium, there is Certe, a Japanese-style shopping mall. It’s easily reached by a pedestrian bridge just outside the north exit of Kannai station and has two spots inside you might want to visit. The first is the BayStars’ team shop, which is on the second floor and hard to miss as you enter the mall from the pedestrian bridge. Team shops here have far more variety than you will find back in the United States, and are great places for souvenirs, and not just of the baseball variety. For example, you can buy chopsticks that are made out of broken bats. The second place that might be worth visiting is Yankees, a sports cafe located on the 6th floor of the building. Don’t be fooled by the name, the friendly owners are unabashed BayStars’ supporters and have a large TV for the live games, with recordings of past games (only Yokohama victories naturally) when the team isn’t playing. The food offerings should appeal to the western palate and there’s plenty of selection, as well as drinks for post-game parties. Just a couple of blocks away from the stadium is BayStars Dori, a small street that contains a commemorative display honoring the team’s 1998 Nippon Series title, the only one in the franchise’s more than 30 years in Yokohama. There are hand prints from each player on team (Bobby Rose and Kazuhiro Sasaki are two names you might recognize) and an etching showing the squad throwing their manager in the air in the traditional Japanese celebration. Fans still flock here before the game to remember the good times. I’ll stop here, but could go on much longer. If you are coming to Japan, make sure to spend at least a full day in Yokohama, one of Japan’s best-kept secrets. Fans 3 Despite having the worst team in the Central League (CL), the fans here enjoy themselves. I went to a Saturday afternoon game and was amazed at how many families were there. I wish there were more of them though. The low attendance was disappointing and the cheering section wasn’t that impressive. To their credit, they handed out the cheer songs for each player so you can participate with even rudimentary Japanese. It may have been the surprisingly hot weather or the fact that their team was shutout, but the fans were pretty quiet except for one promotion, a dance contest. After the 5th inning, the camera scans the crowd and the more outgoing fans dance up a storm, trying to win audience approval and tickets to a future game. This was the most energetic I’d seen them and gets them a bonus point. Access 4 In Japan, fans don’t drive to baseball games, they take trains, so parking is not an issue. Yokohama Stadium has the best access of any stadium in the Kanto area, being just three minutes from Kannai station on the Negishi line. The Yokohama Subway also has a Kannai station just 5 minutes away, while the Minato Mirai line’s Nihon Odori station is just 3 minutes north. There are three ticket windows and each sells tickets for a specific area. If you want to sit on the first base side, use the box office next to gate 2, while visiting fans would use the one by gate 6 to get seats on the third base side. Those who prefer the noisier outfield must use the ticket window between gates 7 and 8. Just behind here is a quiet tree-covered park where you can relax before entering the ballpark, as well as the Hometown Festival mentioned previously. Make sure to enter the gate printed on your ticket. Within the stadium, moving from one seating area to another is not allowed and tickets are checked upon entering the seating bowl, so you will be limited in your wanderings. In particular, you cannot move from the outfield seats to the infield or vice versa. This is common in Japanese stadiums though and doesn’t affect the rating. There are excellent wheelchair seating locations just a few rows from the field but still behind the protective netting. As an aside, Japanese ballparks generally use far too much netting, but Yokohama gets it right, with a full net behind the plate and then a triangle of netting to the dugouts that protects those down low but allows fans in the higher seats a clear view. You can re-enter the stadium should you need to leave by getting a stamp on your hand. On the concourse near home plate, there’s a small kids park for toddlers and their parents who can’t sit through 3 hours of baseball. I saw several families relaxing here and it’s a smart idea that should be taken up elsewhere. At each end of the concourse there is a small raised area reached by a staircase that offers benches in front of TVs. Many people escape the elements and watch a few innings here. The main problem with access is the cramped concourse, particularly on the first base side with all the home fans. Restrooms are also limited and there are lines for the men’s, so a point is docked for these two minor annoyances. Return on Investment 3 There is only one seating bowl here with nine seating options that are mostly described by letters. SS seats are the best, following by S, FA (field level A), FB, A and B; the other three options are unreserved infield and outfield seats and well as two sections of reserved seats in the outfield. The structure of the stadium is unique, with the field level seats being quite flat and facing second base rather than home plate, but the other seats in the infield rise very steeply and offer great views of the field and beyond. Tickets here can be expensive, going as high as 6,500 yen ($80) for the SS seats, which are the dark blue box seats that come complete with drink holders. These seats provide an excellent visual contrast from the old and uncomfortable orange chairs that make up the rest of the seating bowl, but they are a bit much for a Japanese baseball game. The remaining seats range from 5,500 yen for the field level seats between home plate and the bases down to 1,800 yen for the unreserved outfield seats. The best value in my mind are the 3,500 yen B seats, which are the upper level between home and the bases. On a hot day, a breeze blows through that doesn’t reach the lower parts of the bowl but keeps you refreshed if you are sitting up high. The field is artificial turf, except for the areas around home plate and the bases, which are dirt. The infield area is colored brown but the underlying material is the same, so there are no funny bounces. The scoreboard is rather old and has a simple video screen along with the linescore and lineups. There are ads on fences that line the top of the seating bowl as well as on the fence, although this is typical in Japanese parks. Extras 5 This is where Yokohama Stadium and the BayStars really excel. There are so many interesting features that you need to show up well before the game to explore the area. First Yokohama is the only team in the country that doesn’t use a corporate name in their moniker. Other teams are known primarily by their owners, such as the Yomiuri Giants, who are run by a large newspaper conglomerate. Despite trying to change this perception by adding regional names (Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters or Tokyo Yakult Swallows), the business name usually dominates. Yokohama manages to avoid this trap and seem to have a more loyal, local following because of it. Outside gate 3 is YY Park, a small area where the mascots and cheer girls congregate before the game. The dance team instructs fans on cheering and then puts on a 15-minute show to get fans ready. When season ticket holders enter the stadium, they can try their luck on the Hero Photo lottery. A small bingo-like device dispenses a ball and if a special colored ball emerges, you are allowed to take a photo with the game hero afterwards. This only happens if Yokohama wins, so I wasn’t able to see it. Another unique extra is the lights, which are shaped like the letter Y, standing for Yokohama of course. I thought this was a brilliant touch. The scoreboard has a cool app called Sta-Pri, which is short for Stadium Print, as in a photograph. If you are captured on the scoreboard, you are asked to pose and a picture is taken. You can pick up this picture later to keep as an excellent souvenir. There are many other little touches that really make being a fan here special. The BayStars know how to create a fun environment for all types of fans and I hope that they can convince more locals to enjoy the unique experience of BayStars baseball. Final Thoughts This is the first review for a Japanese stadium and it can be difficult to communicate just how different the overall experience is here. I’d like to compare these venues to each other rather than to their counterparts in North America. Certainly most Japanese ballparks are lacking when compared to the newfangled stadiums that dot the MLB landscape, but when looking within Japan, there is no doubt that Yokohama Stadium is an excellent place to get acquainted with the game that arrived on these shores so long ago.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Tokyo Dome Koraku 1-3-61 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-0004, Japan Yomiuri Giants website Tokyo Dome website Year Opened: 1988 Capacity: 55,000 The Big Fried Egg Built in 1988 to replace the outdoor Korakuen stadium, the Tokyo Dome was the first covered baseball venue in Japan. Nicknamed the Big Egg for its egg-like appearance from the air, it has become an icon in the city. It hosts the nation’s most popular pro team, the Yomiuri Giants, as well as dozens of college and industrial league games throughout the year. It also acts as a football stadium, race track, exhibition hall, and Japan’s largest concert venue. Much like the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the roof is a flexible membrane that is supported by slightly pressurizing the inside of the stadium. From outside, the dome is bright and shiny, but the cover belies a rather drab interior that makes it one of the least enjoyable places to watch a game. Food & Beverage 3 The offerings inside the park are fairly typical, with hot dogs seeming to be the most common choice. I saw one stand with 32 different types of bento boxes, so you certainly have your options on that front. The recommended local dish inside is the Big Egg ice cream sandwich, which consists of vanilla ice cream surrounded by a light crust shaped like the dome itself. It is sold by vendors walking around the stadium and is worth the 260 yen simply for the unique design rather than the taste. The best food in my mind though comes from the restaurants that are built into the outer walls of the stadium. There are at least 5 decent eateries here, with my favorite being The Burgers Tokyo. It offers premium burger sets from 880 yen which provide a good pre-game meal and are much better than the pre-cooked patties available inside. The other restaurants are more traditional Japanese fare such as noodles or rice bowls, but I’ve never tried them because I enjoy the burgers so much. As usual, you can bring food and drink into the ballpark and there are a number of shops near Korakuen station, as well as a McDonalds if you are desperate. Atmosphere 2 The dome is fairly lifeless during a Giants game. It’s too big for the fans to really get together and make a lot of noise, even when it’s nearly sold out. The worst thing is the lack of decent air conditioning, which makes walking around the crowded concourse on a hot day a sweaty endeavor. Plastic fans are handed out at the entry and you better take one to keep cool during the game. There are some mascots and a dance team, but they add little to the proceedings. I found the Sunday afternoon that I spent there to be a ho-hum affair and see no reason to return. Neighborhood 4 The dome is part of a larger complex that includes the Tokyo Dome Hotel and Korakuen, an aging amusement park. The hotel has elevators that provide views that can be quite stunning as you race up 43 floors, but otherwise the whole place is fairly bland. It is all located in Bunkyo-ku, a rather non-descript area just north of the Imperial Palace. Suidobashi is the nearest big station, but it doesn’t have a lot of post-game entertainment choices. If I were to suggest one bar, it would be Doma Doma, a cheap but tasty izakaya just a couple of minutes away from the JR Suidobashi station. It’s a chain with dozens of branches throughout Tokyo that offer a wide variety of Japanese food with pictures and English explanations in the menu. Quite affordable for the quality. Kanda is only a couple of stops away and this area definitely has more flavor and is typically Japanese, with some great bars and restaurants. I would advise that you get here and wander the streets, you are sure to find something of interest. Fans 1 Disclosure: I hate the Giants and their fans, who are the worst of the lot here. They are front-runners, rooting for the most popular and richest team. But their cheering section is dull and has no interesting or catchy tunes. Worse, they chanted for a shutout when the other team was batting in the ninth inning, which I consider to be bad form. They also sit on the third base side when the first base seats are sold out, which is downright wrong. Suffice to say I was not impressed with them whatsoever. Access 3 There are four lines that serve the area: Suidobashi has a JR station as well as the Toei Mita subway line while the Korakuen subway station has the Marunouchi and Namboku metro lines. I find the Mita line the best way to come and go as it is the least crowded, but most likely you’ll have to choose based on your starting point. One thing to be aware of is that the Dome is built on some restricted space and the pathways around it get very narrow in some places, particularly near the Korakuen station. After a game, be prepared to move very slowly as thousands of people are forced into a narrow passage. You must enter the stadium at the correct gate. There are 6 gates at ground level (which is actually the second floor, so the gates number from 20-25), 4 gates for the next level (30-33), and 2 gates for the top level (40 and 41). Once inside the stadium, you can walk freely around before the game. However, during the game, you must show a ticket to enter the seating bowl on the lower level. The concourse fills up as game time approaches, so if you want to tour, get there early (doors open 2 hours before the game). You can take the stairs to the top level and back, but again you may be asked for a ticket when you reach the lower bowl. Return on Investment 2 Tickets here are not cheap, going as high as 5,900 yen for the S seats behind the plate, which are slightly more padded than the typical seat. My recommendation is the 2,300 yen C seat, which can be anywhere in the upper deck. These seem to have a bit more room and provide a nice view of the stadium as well as a less crowded concourse. There are also Excite Seats that are on the field down the lines but these were not available at the box office on game day. The outfield seats have no backs but are generally reserved for the cheering sections. There are also standing room tickets for just 1,000 yen but you need to arrive early and save your space with a newspaper or something similar, at least for a popular game. At the game I saw, I was able to find a standing space near home plate in the 6th inning and held that for the rest of the match. As is common in Japan, there is protective netting down the entire baseline, which ruins the view for me and is another reason to sit upstairs. The field itself is turf with dirt around the bases. The scoreboard is fairly standard and there are no interesting between-inning promotions. Essentially the Tokyo Dome is function over form but still costs a bit too much for what you get. Extras 4 The Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame is located here and is the highlight of the entire experience. A bargain at only 500 yen (with a 100 yen discount if you show that day’s game ticket), the HOF boasts an impressive display of awards and memorabilia. The two WBC trophies greet you as you reach the bottom of the stairs, and from there you wander around checking out some excellent displays and a surprising amount of material from the major leagues. There are English explanations for each of the enshrined players, but not for the artifacts such as Jackie Robinson’s bat, so it helps to be accompanied by someone who can understand basic Japanese if you want to get the most out of the visit. An absolute must-see. Within the Dome, the Giants have their own museum on the Fan’s Fun Plaza, a concourse beneath the main concourse. The museum is nothing more than a wall display that contains a few items celebrating the Giants’ successes. It isn’t very compelling unless you happen to be a fan, although it was interesting in that the game I saw had the winning ball from the previous day’s game, which was a rookie pitcher’s first complete game. The Fan’s Fun Plaza also boasts the Star Memorial Plate area, which are plaques along the wall commemorating the past stars of the Giants as well as famous musicians and bands that have played there. Final Thoughts The Tokyo Dome is really not a pleasant place on a hot and humid afternoon, when it should be called the Big Fried Egg. It is still worth visiting if only for the Hall of Fame, but if you do go in the summer, I’d suggest an evening game.

Photos by Sean MacDonald Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Meiji Jingu Stadium Kasumigaoka-cho 13 Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0013 Japan Tokyo Yakult Swallows website Meiji Jingu Stadium website Year Opened: 1926 Capacity: 37,933 The Meiji Jingu Shrine (to Baseball) Meiji Jingu Stadium is the second oldest of the Japanese ballparks, having been built in 1926, just two years after Koshien. It’s gone through several renovations since then but is still one of the best stadium experiences you can have in Japan.It is located in the Aoyama district of Central Tokyo and is relatively close to the Meiji Jingu Shrine, the organization that actually owns the stadium. The home team is the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, who play in the Central League, and are owned by Yakult, a company most famous for their yogurt-like drinks. Jingu also hosts countless college and high school games during the year and is one of the most widely-recognized ballparks in the country. Food & Beverage 3 There are a number of small concessions on the very narrow concourse, offering typical Japanese snacks but nothing out of the ordinary. I would recommend the spicy chicken stick at 200 yen, and if you want to try something slightly offbeat, go for the takoyaki, which are small bits of octopus stuffed in batter and then fried. If you are really hungry, try a bento box, which are good value at between 600-850 yen. Drinks can be bought in your seat from one of the dozens of vendors who are carting kegs of beer on their back or on a tray in front. Rather than try the ballpark food though, most fans pick up their eats on the way to the stadium. As you walk up the main street from Gaienmae subway station, you will be presented with several small tables selling sandwiches, noodles, gyoza, and other snacks. Beer is also much cheaper here, but you must pour it into a cup when you enter the stadium (although they don’t actually check your belongings). I highly recommend this option as you get more variety at a better price. The only problem is that it can get quite crowded and you might have difficulty backtracking as the masses walk toward the stadium. If you are looking for some post-game fun, stop in at the Hub Pub just three minutes away, again on this street. It’s one of several branches of a faux-English establishment that serves drinks and pub food at reasonable prices. If you want to enjoy a more traditional Japanese experience, try Toan right next door. It’s an izakaya serving tofu and chicken dishes and is really quite good. However, it is small and fills up quickly, so you might want to make a dinner reservation as you walk to a weekend afternoon game. Atmosphere 4 Jingu is often quiet, particularly during night games which draw fewer fans, but I saw a Saturday afternoon affair with nearly 27,000 filling the ballpark. It was a perfect afternoon for baseball, hot but not humid, the outfield stands filled with cheering supporters, colorful beer vendors parading up and down the aisles, the bright green artificial turf, truly a quintessential Japanese baseball experience. Unfortunately, though, there was one element that the Swallows recently introduced that I found highly bothersome: the stadium DJ. This guy is a glorified PA announcer that spends his time shouting into a mike from 30 minutes before the game right to the end, making every inning break a cacophonic catastrophe. His presence destroys the atmosphere for me, but as he only exists for Swallows games, I won’t dock more than a point. Neighborhood 3 The stadium is part of a larger sports complex that includes National Stadium, a soccer and track facility that hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics, Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, a couple of gymnasiums, and even a smaller baseball field that doubles as a golf range. It is a very central location, but the large number of other venues make it somewhat weak as a true neighborhood. There are restaurants and shops along Aoyama-dori, just south of the ballpark, but little worth noting from a tourist point of view, at least in the immediate vicinity. Once you get more than a mile away though, you can see the bright lights of Shibuya, or the nightclubs of Roppongi, or the two faces of Shinjuku, all within a short walk or subway ride. Fans 5 Yakult fans are among the best, and have the most famous celebration in the country. Whenever the Swallows score, the fans (not just those in the outfield, but almost everybody on the first base side) curse the opponents, break out tiny plastic umbrellas and sing “Tokyo Ondo,” a famous traditional tune. It is a great sight and sound and worth checking out on YouTube. Nothing is more disappointing than visiting Jingu and seeing the Swallows shutout. The game I saw had loud cheering in left field too, with the visiting Nippon Ham Fighter fans providing the noise during the top half of each inning. I also noticed that fans tended to stay seated here during the action, something that I appreciate. Overall, a great fan experience. Access 3 The closest station to Jingu is Gaienmae on the Ginza line, the oldest subway in Tokyo. From here, it’s about a 5-minute walk to the stadium, with the sidewalk quite narrow in some places. This is where you would buy your food or stop at the pub as mentioned above. You’ll also walk by the rugby ground. After the game, the crowd spills out onto the street as you return to the station. The Ginza line train can be quite crowded at this time, so I prefer to walk a few extra blocks to Aoyama Itchome station, which has some other lines that are far less busy. There are several other stations within walking distance but the Gaienmae approach is the best as that is where you can stock up on food and beer. Once inside the stadium, you will find the only concourse to be very narrow. Hey, the place is 85 years old, so no complaining! Even with the tight quarters, I never have had trouble navigating, because most fans spend the game in their seats, since they bring their food in with them. You will need to enter by the gate printed on your ticket, but once inside, you can roam about the seating bowl as long as you haven’t found yourself in the unreserved seats. Those areas are separate and you can’t move back and forth. The facilities here are very limited, and I noticed lines for both men and women throughout the game. If you need to take a break, try to beat the post-inning rush. Return on Investment 4 Tickets at Tokyo Yakult Swallows games are reasonably priced, with the most expensive only 4,500 yen ($56). The single seating bowl is quite flat for the first 13 rows, then slightly steeper for the next 12 rows, before the final 20 rows rise quite quickly. There is a walkway in front of row 14, and the main concourse is in front of row 26, so avoid those rows if you hate having people walking in front of you during the game. I recommend the 2,600 yen B seats that are in the top few rows – the reason being that there is a fence that stretches the whole way down the line, right to the foul pole. Unlike protective netting, this fence really harms the sightlines and is the worst thing about Jingu. There are big bars between each section of fence that can destroy your pictures if you are unlucky enough to have a seat there. Only in the top 6 rows or so can you have an unobstructed view of the action. As you move down the line, the seats don’t face home so you will be craning your neck to watch the action. The low seats beyond the bases are some of the worst in Japan so try to avoid those. The seats are numbered from 0 directly behind the plate and increase in both directions down the lines. I was in seat 154 well down the first base line so you can use that as a guide. For those who wish to sit with the cheering sections, the outfield is a separate area and the cheapest place to sit. Sections A to L comprise the right field side, while M to X takes up left field. There is also one covered section which is called the second floor. On a hot summer’s day, this is the only reprieve you will have from the sun, and it fills up quickly. I enjoy the view from here as the field stretches out beneath you and the city beckons beyond. What I really like at Jingu is that you are afforded the freedom to move around in the main bowl. I never had anybody check my ticket and when it got too hot in my assigned seat, I zoomed over to the cooler side of the ballpark and sat in an open seat without receiving a second glance. Very non-Japanese and makes up for all the poor seating options and hence the ROI is a healthy 4 out of 5. Extras 4 Being such an old stadium, there isn’t much else here besides the ballpark. The scoreboard used to have the batting average and home runs for each player in the lineup but this has been replaced by advertising, which really detracts from its appearance. The relatively new video screen is nice, but nothing extraordinary. On the indoor concourse directly behind home plate, you’ll find a plaque commemorating the stadium along with some signed plaques from an all-star game in 1997. This comes with a roster with pictures of all the players, including a baby-faced Ichiro Suzuki and is worth looking for. The clubhouse is outside the ballpark so the Swallows players have to walk, in uniform, past hordes of fans to get into the stadium. This gives you a chance to take some good shots if you are so inclined, but the fans are respectful and autographs are not sought out here. The actual structure is similar to a Roman coliseum on the outside, with arched entryways that make for a compelling first impression. Sadly, the gates are now strewn with plastic fencing and garish signs that keep fans in order while entering, but ruin the effect of the original architecture. The worst thing about Jingu is the aforementioned fence that stretches from home plate all the way down to the foul pole. It’s ugly and pointless. At the game I attended, a young man sitting in the 10th row was dinged by a line drive which he probably couldn’t see in time due to the fence. Even worse, it took the game staff a while to check on him (he had to leave the game with a bruise). Despite all this negativity, Jingu will always have a special place in my heart, as it was here that I saw the Swallows win the Japanese championship in my first summer in the country, back in 1997. Final Thoughts Meiji Jingu Stadium is a must-see for any baseball fan visiting Tokyo. When the weather is nice and the crowd is hopping, a better baseball experience is difficult to find. And even if it’s not raining, don’t forget to bring your umbrella.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium 2-3-1 Minami Kaniya Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan Hiroshima Toyo Carp website Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium website Year Opened: 1962 Capacity: 56,000 Zoom Zoom Over to Mazda Stadium The Hiroshima Carp are the first team in my time in Japan to build an entirely new stadium to replace an existing one. The previous incarnation was an old-style ballpark right across the street from the Atomic Bomb Dome, and many locals were outraged that it would be replaced. But the new ballpark should silence all but the most strident objectors, as Mazda Stadium is the best baseball stadium in the country, a fitting result as Hiroshima is one of Japan’s best cities too. The official name is Mazda Zoom Zoom Stadium Hiroshima but this is usually abbreviated to just Mazda Stadium, thankfully. It was opened in 2009 to rave reviews and has been called an “American-style” ballpark. This is true to a point, at least as much as possible in rigid Japan. Food & Beverage 5 The food options here are exceptionally varied and it is worth trying as many as possible. I considered the Philly Cheese Steak until I saw the cheese they were using, which was of the melted processed variety and consequently not that appealing. I sampled a number of light options over the three days I spent here and particularly enjoyed the Carp Udon (noodles) for 500 yen. There are tables nearby the concession stand as it is difficult to eat noodles while holding the bowl; one poor lady dropped hers all over the floor and to add insult to injury, her cell phone fell into the pile of noodles as she bent down to clean up the mess. The concourse is rife with different concession stands, each one offering something unique. Definitely take the time to look around beforehand before choosing as you will be surprised at the variety. If you want to bring food in, there are small street vendors selling food items right next to the stadium, including draft beer that you can take inside. It’s half the price you’ll pay once you’ve entered, so well worth it if you plan to imbibe. Atmosphere 3 The cheering sections are separated from the rest of the seating bowl which is a unique layout in Japan and one that I personally prefer, but it might hurt the overall atmosphere for a first-time visitor. I also found the stadium to be extremely hot during day games with little opportunity to cool off. A minor quibble as Hiroshima is a very hot place at the end of August, but I found it tiring. Still, it was packed with great fans for all three games and there is a good local flavor here that is difficult to find in any of the larger cities ballparks. Wear red if you want to fit in. Neighborhood 4 There is little in the immediate vicinity of Mazda Stadium, but within a few minutes’ walk are a number of small eateries that might make for good post-game choices, if you can get a seat. Hiroshima Station is not that far away, but even then, it is not the typical downtown that you see elsewhere in Japan. There’s little nightlife around the station and not much worth seeing. Still, most of Hiroshima’s interesting points are not that far from the ballpark when taking the tram. Do take the time to view the underground shopping area right next to the station though, as there are many Carp-related posters, including some on the poles which shows how crazy this town is about their team. Fans 5 Carp fans are my favorite. They have the most energetic cheer, which involves their fans alternating standing up and sitting down while chanting. Keep in mind that about half stand while the other half sit, then they quickly reverse roles. It is quite an eye-catching act and given that the Carp haven’t made the playoffs in nearly 20 years, they get full points for maintaining good spirits in the face of adversity. Access 3 Mazda Stadium is a 10-minute walk from Hiroshima Station and well-signed in English. Or you can just follow everybody else; there are plenty of red-clad fans making the trek even two hours before game time. As you draw near, you’ll walk up a bridge that leads to the main entrance. However, you’ll need a ticket if you choose this approach as there is no box office here. If you need to buy a ticket, stay to the right of the bridge and walk over to the ticket window, which is not immediately obvious and requires you to cross a couple of streets. Although the gates open 4 hours before game time on the weekend, the reserved seating areas down below are closed off until 2 hours before, which is rather silly. That is a long time to spend walking around, so most fans sit in the shade and wait patiently for the aisles to be opened. When they do, it creates a funny scene as hundreds of fans make their way down the aisles at the same time. The infield concourse is not that wide, particularly when the crowds are meandering before the game. There are other minor annoyances as well. To get to your seat, you have to enter the exact aisle that is printed on your ticket. But they don’t have ticket checkers at every aisle, so they’ve added some fencing and created one entrance for every 3 aisles. This pushes the standing areas back quite a bit and reduces the amount of available space for standing as the pillars now block the view in many spots. As well, once you are in the main bowl, you can’t move from section to section as there is no walkway. So taking pictures in a variety of areas can be difficult once fans are in their seats. Oh, and don’t bother trying to get into a section for which you have no ticket, even well before the game. This is Japan and rules are rules. Restrooms are plentiful and there were no waits at any time, despite a nearly full house. Return on Investment 4 As I was walking back to my hotel before the Friday night game, I chanced upon a kinken shop. These are stores that offer a variety of tickets that involve discounts on items such as shinkansen trips, movies, or drinks. They also have sports tickets on occasion so I decided to see if anything was available. Surprisingly, they had one seat in a section called the Royal Box for 5,000 yen. These tickets are usually not available to the general public, so I was intrigued, but the saleslady wouldn’t show me the ticket itself, which I found peculiar. She pointed out the approximate location on a stadium map, and it seemed to be behind home plate in the first few rows, so I chanced it and forked over the money. Turned out to be a fortunate decision as the seat was three rows behind the plate. The only problem is that the first two rows are those that are shown on TV, so most of the evening I was surrounded by idiots who would come down, get on their cell phone, and then wave as the pitch was tossed. Then, having been spotted by their friend on the other end of the call, they’d leave satisfied with their fleeting fame. Morons. But still a great price for a great seat. Of course, there are plenty of other seating options, 17 in all, which I won’t list here. Some of them are very interesting though; the Coca-Cola Terrace seats are sold in sets of 5 for 20,000 yen and allow you a table to enjoy your food while the Nesoberia Seats are large cushions in the outfield that are sold in pairs only for 7,000 yen. The Carp are a big draw here and most sections are sold out on game day, so if you want to sit in a certain section, make sure to buy tickets well in advance. Otherwise the best bet is the infield unreserved seats at 1,600 yen. These are in the second deck but if you get there early you can pick your spot and sit in the shade for the whole game, and it’s not that far from the field. The cheering groups each have their own special section called Carp Performance and Visitor Performance, which sit as entirely separate areas from the other sections. Brilliant idea that opens the outfield seats to fans that prefer to sit there without the music blaring and also allows for a wider variety of seating options in general. This gets them a bonus point in this section. The unreserved seats in the second deck are open at the same time as the gates since fans want to get there early to save their favorite spot. At this time, you must have a ticket to go upstairs but once the rest of the seating area is open, you can go up to take pictures. There is no upper concourse in the second deck, there’s just a small walkway for getting between the sections. Again you need to know which aisle to use as you can’t walk between sections. Since these are unreserved seats, make a note of your seat number and aisle and leave something on top of it should you wish to go touring. You get a nice view of the surrounding hills and can see the trains going by beyond the left field fence, and it is a bit cooler here too. Extras 4 One of the features I like here is that the scoreboard highlights the baserunners in green so you know who is on what base. Just a little thing but something I’ve not seen elsewhere. In the outfield concourse there are a couple of statues of Soichiro Amaya making great catches, complete with a fake fence. These aren’t related to the two incredible plays that happened during the 2010 season, but just an interesting coincidence. They’ve set it up so that you can pose on this side of the fence and act surprised. There’s even a popcorn tub spilling its load or a soda pop with the contents in the air to complete the illusion. Very cool. After the 5th inning, fans sing a song while doing a silly dance, led by their mascot Slyly. What I found interesting is that all the beer vendors have to do the dance too. Each one goes to the bottom of the aisle, removes his keg, and then dances and sings. We all know that selling beer is the noblest profession and these fine individuals shouldn’t be forced to perform such humiliating antics. One point penalty for that. Final Thoughts Overall, this is a great place to watch a game. A beautiful setting, close to transit, excellent sightlines that aren’t ruined by protective netting, plenty of good eats, and a wide variety of seating options. Yeah, it’d be better if you had more freedom to explore before the game, but what can you do. Mazda Stadium definitely makes Hiroshima a key sports destination in Japan; let’s hope that it begins a trend towards fan-friendly facilities around the country.

Photos by Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Nagoya Dome 1-1-1 Daikominami, Higashi-ku Nagoya, Aichi, 461-0047 Japan Chunichi Dragons website Nagoya Dome website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 40,500 Dragon Lair The Chunichi Dragons are a long-standing team in Japanese baseball, having begun play in 1936. They used to host games at Nagoya Stadium, an outdoor field first constructed in 1948 which burned to the ground in a tragic fire in 1951. That stadium was rebuilt in time for the 1952 season and the Dragons remained tenants until 1997, when Nagoya joined the dome boom that was sweeping Japan. The Dragons moved in and relegated their old grounds to their minor league team. Despite nearly 70 years of existence, the Dragons have only won two Japan Series, the most recent in 2007. Lately though, they have been the strongest team in the Central League, taking 5 of the last 8 pennants entering the 2012 season. Food & Beverage 4 There are a couple of restaurants outside one of the gates but I would avoid these and go inside where there is more to see and do. You will enter on the lower concourse and this is where the best options for eating and drinking can be found. Typical Japanese stadium fare is available at booths named after their location, such as Snack Home, which sells snacks behind home plate. Of course, this leads to the beverage booth near first base to be called Drink First, a message that might lead recovering alcoholics to fall off the wagon. Avoid these places as their offerings looked rather bland and try one of the specialty spots instead. Torishige, a yakitori stand, was the most enticing option with 5 skewers of chicken costing only 600 yen. I enjoyed the warabi-mochi, a jelly-like dessert that is made from starch and covered in sweet soybean flour and then topped off with brown-sugar syrup. It may not sound appealing, but it is good stuff and worth trying for just 300 yen. For those brave enough, there was a shrimp and avocado salad dog that simply looked disgusting in the picture. If you want more than just a stadium snack, the third floor has a large food court with 6 full-service restaurants, including a sushi place that was packed. Judging from the crowd, this would be worth trying but you probably have to arrive shortly after gates open (two hours before game time) to ensure a seat. Atmosphere 2 The dome is quite nice from the outside with its silver geodesic dome shining in the sunlight. Take note of the roof which has been double glazed to allow natural light through. Each section on the roof can be individually shaded which allows for intricate patterns to be displayed, although this doesn’t happen during the game. The dome is cavernous and it was fairly quiet on the night I went, with about 28,000 fans. Of course, each team has their cheering section and there’s a dance team that tries to entertain during breaks in the action, but I found that this is one of the less-inspiring venues in Japanese baseball. They don’t participate in the 7th-inning balloon release that is featured at nearly every other stadium. Instead, the Dragons’ mascot Doala (a dragon and koala mix I guess) tries to land a running backflip during the 7th-inning break. The team keeps his record of success and failure, so far he is just 2-6 on the young 2012 season. The good news is that there is relative quiet between innings and you are not inundated with announcements or advertisements all game long. Neighborhood 3 The dome is located in a suburb about 15 minutes by subway from downtown. There is nothing here other than a huge shopping mall next door and after the game you’ll want to head back to the center of the city. Close to the main station lies an Irish pub called The Cooper’s which is a welcoming spot underneath a business hotel (3-25-6 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya). They are most famous for their Crazy Guinness contest where you are challenged to drink 3 liters of the dark beer faster than anyone before. The current record is 2m48s; failure to beat that will cost you 5,000 yen. If you want to stay out late, Sakae is your best bet for an all-night party. One club that I found is known as Cream (Santo Bldg 3F 3-10-11 Sakae Naka-ku), an international hip-hop bar that is open until dawn and is hopping with locals and foreigners for most of the night. Fans 3 The Chunichi fans in my area were very supportive and cheered their team all night long. There was a good mix demographically with a number of elderly people along with families with young children. Everybody seemed to be really enjoying themselves and behaving well. The only annoyance was fans leaning forward in the first row of the upper deck and blocking the view of those behind them. Access 4 When the Nagoya Dome first opened in 1997, there was no convenient station close by. That changed in 2000 when the Nagoya Dome Mae Yada subway stop was added to the Meijo line. From here to the dome is a ten-minute walk, first along a long walkway with dozens of historical baseball pictures as well as photos of each player on the roster. Because this walkway is crowded before and after games it is tough to stop and look at everything on display but if you can get there a few hours before the game, it should be easier to enjoy. Once inside the stadium, you can freely move between the upper and lower levels with stairways and escalators easy to find. The concourses are relatively narrow and rather dated but it is still easy to get around. The main problem here is a cramped seating area, with limited leg room, making it difficult to navigate to the middle of the row if other fans are sitting. This might be a problem only in the upper deck as the lower bowl seats does seem to have more space. Return on Investment 3 There are five seating levels, each painted a different color. Sitting down low is more expensive with tickets ranging from 3,800 to 5,800 yen but the view is blocked by the screen all the way down the lines. I chose the cheaper upper deck seat (Panorama A) at 2,500 yen. Even this was not optimal as those in the first row lean over the ledge and block your view from time to time. I did notice that the seats in the lower bowl don’t face home plate forcing those fans to spend the game with their bodies turned sideways. The outfield seats are actually reserved unlike most other ballparks in Japan and cost 1,800 yen. The view is not bad as you are well above the field. There are some other special seating areas including the Prime Twin, a pair of seats meant for couples. Located in left and right field, these go for 8,700 yen for both tickets and include a bento box and a drink. Similarly, the Prime Box is a section in center field where four fans can sit together at a table for 15,600 yen with snacks and a drink included. Above the outfield seats is Arenaview, a restaurant that offers a panoramic view of the ballpark and costs 6,000 per person including dinner, with seats sold in pairs or sets of four. The overall experience here is fairly average but with prices slightly above average for the lower bowl infield seats, your best bet is to get the first row in the upper deck for a clear view of the action. Extras 3 The third floor houses the Dragons’ Museum, a large collection of memorabilia including the 1954 Japan Series championship plaque. All of the explanations are in Japanese only but it is worth visiting as it is free once you have purchased a game ticket. Some of the concession stands have MLB memorabilia above them, including a Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers jersey – whether or not it was authentic is unknown. Regardless, when walking around, keep your head up; there are a few surprises to be found. The roof design is pretty interesting as well and merits one point here. Final Thoughts Overall, this is a decent venue for a dome. I enjoyed the friendly staff and food selection. The seating issues made it difficult to relax though. I think only the first row in the upper deck offers a purely unobstructed view among the infield seats, and those tickets can be tough to get. With no unreserved seating area, you’ll be stuck with whatever ticket you buy, so be aware of that before going to the ticket window. Follow all of Sean’s journeys at Sports Road Trips.

Photo courtesy of the Ohio Valley League For some of us, the wait is over. The Clarksville Whirlybirdz of the Ohio Valley League appeared to have released their logo. However, it is not on the league or team's website but on the Madisonville Miners, another OVL member's page. It was reported by Jason Moragas on his Twitter page. The logo features a baseball-shaped bird head wearing a propeller beanie with the town’s name of Clarksville more prominent than the club's name. The colors are navy blue and silver, with a yellow for the bird’s beak. The Whirlybirdz will play home games at Rossview High School beginning June 3. They will join the Bowling Green Pistons (formerly the Franklin Duelers) as new franchises. The Ohio Valley League is a summer-collegiate loop that is entering its 12th season of operations with 12 league members. The Tennessee town hosted minor league baseball in the Class D KITTY League between 1946-1949 and 47 years later in 1996 in the independent Big South League. MY THOUGHTS I like what I see so far, but I hope there is more from the Whirlybirdz franchise. The Ohio Valley League has a collection of logos that ranges from amateur to professional level, and this one ranks close to the top. The propeller beanie might make an ideal promotional item for kids of all ages at home games, and I can almost envision the mascot walking around the ballpark. It's professional and reminds me a little of the Baltimore Orioles original logos. In that case, it's pretty solid. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Clinton Gym 710 William Carey Pkwy Hattiesburg, MS 39401 William Carey Crusaders website Clinton Gymnasium website Year Opened: 1963 Capacity: 1,300 The Crusaders' Cathedral William Carey University originally opened in Poplarville, MS as the Pearl River Boarding School in 1892. After a fire destroyed the school in 1905 the campus was rebuilt in Hattiesburg as South Mississippi College, before changing its name to Mississippi Woman's College in 1911. The college became co-ed in 1954 and changed its name to William Carey College, named after the Protestant Missionary. In 2006 the college changed its name to William Carey University. Nicknamed the Crusaders, the small school currently competes in the Southern State Athletic Conference of NAIA. The Crusaders athletic programs have become a powerhouse in the NAIA in recent years with two soccer national championships and one baseball national championship within the last 5 years. Despite the small school nature of the college, it is quite large compared to most of the schools in the conference, with an enrollment of 3,200 and spread out over 120 acres in a neighborhood in south Hattiesburg. The basketball team began in 1963 and plays on campus at the Historic Clinton Gym. The 1,300-seat gym has seen its fair share of great basketball moments – the gym is where from 1968-71 a left-handed shooter named Mike Necaise scored more than 2,100 points, and went from the NAIA to the NBA in less than a year as he got drafted by the Seattle Supersonics. The gym is also where head coach Steve Knight's 723 career wins make him Mississippi's all-time winningest college basketball coach. But for every great moment comes a not so many great moment – in the early morning hours of January 21, 2017, an EF-3 tornado ripped through the William Carey campus, ripping the roof off the gym and obliterating the small campus. Now six years later walking the campus, you will notice many of the buildings seem quite new, and that is because many of them have been rebuilt over the past six years, including a completely renovated Clinton Gym. Now it looks like a brand-new college at William Carey, with new buildings and new athletic facilities. Food & Beverage 2 There is a small concession stand located in the lobby as soon as you enter the building. Nothing stands out as just the basics are sold here, but prices are reasonable if you have to get something to eat. You can get hot dogs and nachos for $2, or popcorn, candy, pickles, and chips for $1. Getting a drink is the most expensive item on the menu with a $20 oz. bottle (Coke products) costing $2.50. You could also get a hot dog, drink, and chips combo for $5, which saves 50 cents. However, my recommendation would be driving a little bit further into town and getting something to eat at one of Hattiesburg's many restaurants. Atmosphere 3 The new Clinton Gym is built almost exactly like the previous version of the gym. It is basically a large brick building at the front entrance of campus. Attached to the gym is the Gym Annex that was built in 2017 and houses the team locker rooms, weight rooms, and practice courts where the volleyball team plays. The building is shaped with the court facing east and west, with one main entrance on the east side that opens to a small lobby which houses the ticket booth and concessions. On the wall as soon as you enter is the game-worn jersey #24 of Mike Necaise. When the tornado hit it completely ripped out the east side entrance and sucked the jersey out into the air; luckily they found the jersey during the cleanup, and now the school's most decorated player's jersey sits proudly displayed at the main entrance. Once you enter the spacious and small gym the layout is like a typical high school gym – 12 rows of plastic bench seating line both the north and south sides of the building. The floor at the gym is named Steve Knight Court, after the Mississippi Sports Hall of Famer who has been coaching here since 1982. High above the seating area are banners of various local sponsor businesses, while above the end court on the east side are banners representing the achievements of different sports at William Carey; you'll see the soccer and baseball national championship banners, as well as all the feats of the men's and women's basketball programs. The far west side of the court features a basic-style scoreboard, as well as another banner of the retired number 24 of Mike Necaise, the only retired number at William Carey. Neighborhood 3 The William Carey campus is located about three miles south of the Southern Miss campus, in a residential neighborhood right down Highway 49. There is one small bar called Shenanigans located on the corner of Highway 49 about a mile away from Clinton Gym, but other than that, there is nothing within walking distance of the college, so you'll have to go into town to see anything. Hattiesburg is a typical larger college town with plenty to do for all ages. There is a zoo nearby, a mall with plenty of shopping, and plenty of restaurants spread out throughout the city. If you are into the outdoors the Okatoma River provides an excellent place for canoeing, while the Long Leaf Trace is a popular 44-mile trail that runs through the city. For places to stay there are a ton of hotels located closer to the interstate. In addition, Paul B. Johnson State Park and the Elks Campground nearby remain popular spots for camping, if you are coming to town for the weekend in the spring. Fans 3 William Carey has an enrollment of 2,800 and many of these students live on campus, or in the apartments right off campus. The Crusaders are also very competitive in all sports, with the multiple banners of all the sports hanging above the gym – this turns out great as students living in close proximity, plus the school winning a lot of games, definitely brings out lots of fans. Clinton Gym holds about 1,300 and I would say there were probably 800-1,000 people at my most recent game, with lots of students; I would say 90% of the people at the game were students. In fact the entire north side bleachers was filled with students, and almost all of them were into the game. William Carey also has a small pep band that tries their hardest to make it a rowdy atmosphere inside the building. During timeouts they have different giveaways and have people compete in games for prizes, which was definitely surprising for an NAIA basketball game. Access 3 Hattiesburg is conveniently located less than an hour and a half from New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, Mobile, and Jackson, so getting here should be no problem. William Carey University is located right off Highway 49 about 3 miles from Southern Miss – the small campus is located in a neighborhood east of the main highway. You should have no problem finding a parking spot on campus, as there are plenty of parking lots available. Return on Investment 3 Tickets were free for the most recent game I attended. However, I have been to games here in the past where they have charged for tickets – it's always hit or miss if they are going to be taking tickets or not; sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. When they are taking tickets they usually charge $7 each, and you are free to sit wherever you want. I consider the return on investment about average for this level of basketball; they have really cheap concessions so you can get in, eat, and watch a game for around $10-$12. Extras 3 One extra for some of the more memorable games and moments that have taken place inside this small gym. As mentioned earlier Mike Necaise scored over 2,000 points during his career here, and he would have scored more, but that was all years before the 3-point line was created. Also mentioned was head coach Steve Knight's becoming Mississippi's all-time winningest basketball coach. The small gym was also home to the many "Holy War" matchups in the 1960s and 1970s – it was the Baptists vs. Presbyterians as William Carey took on Belhaven University from Jackson in many memorable matchups. Two things were always certain in the Holy Wars; a prayer before the game and a fight during the game. Clinton Gym also played host to some historic matchups with Jackson State, as William Carey was one of the few places in Mississippi that allowed blacks to play with whites. Jackson State was led by a pair of Hattiesburg brothers, Eugene and Purvis Short, who grew up in the neighborhood near William Carey. Both brothers would later play in the NBA, with Eugene being taken number 9 overall in the 1975 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, and Purvis being drafted number 5 overall in 1978 by the Golden State Warriors. Clinton Gym also had another notable instance happen in recent years – during halftime of a 2013 game, cheerleader Ashlee Arnau performed a halftime time stunt that became famous. With the ball placed at midcourt, Arnau approached with a running start, did a front-flip, grabbed the ball while upside down and then launched the ball towards the basket…and the ball went!!! The crowd of 1,000 or so people went crazy, and the play was featured on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays that night. In addition, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Fox News, and CNN all covered the stunt and interviewed her – see below for a video of the famous play:

Photo by Ken Thorp, Stadium Journey On Friday, February 24th the Harlem Globetrotters brought their brand of basketball fun and family entertainment to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes Barre, PA. While this is normally the home of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey team, the ice was removed, and the hardwood was laid down for the show. The wild and crazy atmosphere they brought with them was electric and captivating to all in attendance. They ran through the crowd telling jokes and goofing around. They danced on the court, performed amazing tricks with a basketball, and brought fans young and old onto the court to get them involved in the show. They even played some basketball in between the comedic acts. So, who are these magicians of the hardwood? What was the experience like for an 11-year-old and his dad? And what did the show and the venue have to offer for the thousands in attendance? Let's find out. On the south side of Chicago, in the late 1920s, a group of men formed a basketball team known as the Savoy Big Five. They were one of the premier acts at the Savoy Ballroom who played exhibitions before dances to try and draw crowds and fight the declining attendance issues the venue was having. After some internal strife, some of the players broke off from the team and formed the "Globe Trotters." Abe Saperstein became the manager and promoter for the team and named the team the New York Harlem Globe Trotters. While we know the Globetrotters today as more entertainment and stunts than basketball, this is a team with a rich history of success and goodwill across the world. On February 19, 1948, the Globetrotters defeated the World Champion Minnesota Lakers of the Basketball Association of America which later became the NBA, by the score of 61-59. A year later they beat them again. In 1950, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton, a member of the Globetrotters became the first African American player to sign an NBA contract when he joined the New York Knicks. The Globetrotters traveled overseas in 1950 on an international tour. On this journey, they played in front of their largest crowd ever at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. There were 75,000 in attendance. After the trip, a letter was written from the U.S. States Department to Abe Saperstein. In the letter, the team was referred to as "Ambassadors of extraordinary goodwill." The Globetrotters have been acknowledged by U.S. Presidents for what they have done for people around the world. In 1985, Olympic Gold Medalist Lynette Woodard became the first female to play for a men's pro basketball team when she joined the Globetrotters. As we entered the Mohegan Sun Arena and picked up our order of chicken (which was described as the best chicken nuggets ever), we found our way to our seats in the 200 section. A cheese steak would have probably been a better choice because they looked splendid, but when you are with a picky eater you are just happy, they found something they really enjoyed. Food prices were about the norm for any venue for a semi-pro team. The seats were good. There were a lot of open seats around the section, so we had the ability to spread out a little. Seats near the entrances to the section can be a little dicey. The safety bars come up a little high above the stairs and can obstruct portions of the viewing area (especially for children). The show itself was incredible. Everyone in the arena knew that basketball was going to be secondary to the stunts and action they were going to see tonight. There was a little basketball played and, spoiler alert, the Globetrotters won. There was so much more than a basketball game going on. Players were chasing each other up and down the isles with buckets of water and confetti and, it appeared, some people may have gotten a little damp. At one point during the first half, the game was stopped, and a gentleman was brought onto the court to dance with one of the Globetrotters. It was like a scene that came straight out of "Dirty Dancing" (he even managed to do a version of the lift). As the game was going on, one of the players actually climbed onto the rim and started waving to the crowd. Football also found its way onto the court as the Trotters not only huddled up, but they also called a running play and executed it past the end line, which acted as the end zone. The referee said he needed to see an instant replay and the team did the entire play in reverse, in slow-motion, not missing a beat, just to re-run it again. Players were spinning the ball on their fingers for what seemed like forever before inviting a young fan to the court and spinning the ball right onto his finger. The ability of the players to seemingly defy gravity and remain in the air as long as they did just to wait for the ball to arrive and slam it through the hoop was mesmerizing. Photo by Ken Thorp, Stadium Journey Halftime was amazing filled with crazy stunts and fun interactions with the players. The team invited the fans to the ends of the court to purchase Globetrotter basketballs. There were 3 to choose from. They had small, large, and the commemorative ball with gold writing. Considering a standard souvenir for most special events is about $20, I did not see the $35 cost for the large ball to be terribly over the top however the $70.00 price tag for the commemorative ball was a bit steep. After the game, fans were invited down to surround the court for a meet and greet with the players. The ball came in handy as they took pictures and signed autographs. My son garnered several signatures on his ball which made for a great souvenir. Photo by Ken Thorp, Stadium Journey Now was this a flawless endeavor--- by no means. Nothing is ever going to be 100% perfect. As I mentioned earlier, there was a minimal issue with the seats but being that we had some freedom to move around that problem was fixed. As we were waiting for a ball during halftime, they claimed they had run out although I did see 3 left in the bin and I was next online. I explained to the gentleman selling them that we were waiting a while and he just brushed me off as if I was not speaking at all. We had to go across the floor to the other stand to purchase one and wait in line all over again. My son did not seem to mind as we walked past the Globetrotters bench, and he said hello. Lastly, the end of the game player experience was a great idea but completely disorganized and could have been handled far better. Crowds were just gathered in front of players who were understandably overwhelmed but handled it beautifully. Parents were worse than the kids as they tried to weasel in front to get a signature. Lastly, if you are going to pay a visit to the venue, GET THERE EARLY! There is one way in and one way out of the parking lot. It is a smaller venue so it sounds worse than it is, but you will have a bit of a wait and miss the beginning of the show if you do not give yourself appropriate time. Once we made it into the parking lot, parking and entering the arena was easy. There are luxury suites available for advance purchase and at certain times of the year, they are half-price. I can speak from past experience and say they are very comfortable and offer great views of the entire event.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Radford Baseball Stadium 101 University Dr Radford, VA 24142 Radford Highlanders website Radford Baseball Stadium website Year Opened: 1962 Capacity: 56,000 Upscale Baseball in Rural Virginia Radford Baseball Stadium in Radford, VA is home to the Radford Highlanders of the Big South Conference. The venue opened in 1986 as Radford Baseball Field, but the name was changed in 2011 after the stadium was almost completely rebuilt during renovations beginning in 2008. The stadium is also used for baseball camps as well as high school baseball tournaments. Food & Beverage 2 The stadium has a single mobile concession stand, which they move around to different sporting events at Radford. Hot dogs are $3, or $3.50 if you add chili, and nachos are $4 for basic and $5 loaded with onions, chili, and jalapenos. Popcorn and peanuts are $3.50, sunflower seeds are $2, and chips and candy are $1.75 – chip options include Ruffles, Bugles, and Chex Mix, while “candy” options include powdered donuts, cookies, Honey Buns, Starburst, M&M’s, Skittles, and Snickers. Drink options include PowerAde for $3.50, Coke products in cans for $2, and bottled water for $2.50. Coffee is also available. Note that the concessions are cash only, and no outside food or drinks are allowed. Atmosphere 3 While small, Radford Baseball Stadium is a decent venue that feels modern, thanks to a brand-new press box and PA system, and bucket-style seats in all areas. The sightlines are good, and you can get really close to the action thanks to the size. The field is built alongside a small rise, and many fans sit or stand there to get a better view of the outfield – admission to Radford baseball games is free, so this is a preference, not a money-saving move (undoubtedly if admission wasn’t free the administration would find a way to prevent fans from watching from there). The field is also adjacent to New River if you are in the mood to take in some nature, and there is a baseball practice field next door that is a hit with the kids. Neighborhood 3 Radford Baseball Stadium is part of the Radford Athletics Complex, which includes the baseball field, softball field, basketball arena, golf course, tennis courts, soccer field, and track & field venue. There are a number of restaurants nearby, many of which offer fast food, but there are also a few small local eateries, and several pizza parlors (it is a college town after all). Probably the best option for before or after the game is BT’s on Tyler Avenue, a happening restaurant near campus that offers cheap beer, daily food specials, multiple TVs, and drink specials between 5 and 9 pm. A little on the loud side, BT’s provides a great atmosphere, and offers your typical bar & grill type fare, including burgers and wings, but also serves up some unique items such as the Porky Potato, a deep-fried spud piled with barbecued pork. Or, if you are looking for something truly unique, stop by Highlander Pizza for a Pizza Cone; Highlander Pizza is a local chain named after Radford’s mascot, and their unique menu item is exactly what its name implies – an ice cream cone made of pizza dough stuffed with cheese, sauce, and pizza toppings. Unfortunately, there isn’t much in the way of sightseeing in the town of Radford, but there are a couple of parks and the Glencoe museum, which is your typical small-town museum showcasing the history of the local area. A potentially more interesting option, if you are willing to drive about an hour east, is the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, which is well worth a visit. Located on Overlord Circle, the Memorial was dedicated in 2001 by then-President Bush and is made up of numerous sculptures across three plazas representing the planning, invasion, and victory. Viewing the Memorial will cost $10 per person, which is tax-deductible. Fans 3 At a typical game, the stadium is probably half or two-thirds full, and the fans are really into the game, cheering on their team and booing the umpire’s bad calls. There are lots of Radford red to be seen, although there are also a number of visiting fans, which makes sense as several of Radford’s Big South foes are located only a few hours away – Liberty University being the closest. The venue is far too small to offer any type of team store, so fans will need to bring their own Highlander hats, jackets, and t-shirts. Access 4 Right off of I-81, Radford University is easy to get to. There are plenty of signs pointing the way, and lots of logos touting the university once you get to campus, so you know you are in the right place. As mentioned earlier, the baseball field is part of the Athletics Complex, so there is plenty of parking because the complex was designed to support much larger venues like the Dedmon Center (home of Radford basketball), which has a capacity of over 5 times that of the baseball stadium, and is located right next door. Parking is free, and the bathrooms are easy to get to since RBS is so small – there are two for women and one for men, and while they aren’t very big, they are more than sufficient to accommodate 700 fans (and usually less). Check out the video below to see more of the complex: Return on Investment 4 Admission is free to Radford baseball games, as is parking. Concession prices are reasonable given the options, in fact, the same items here are much cheaper than they would be at a larger facility elsewhere (most likely because RBS doesn’t cost a lot to run, so additional revenue is not needed). The seats are comfortable and the atmosphere is decent, so a visit to this venue is well worth the cost. Extras 2 One point for the many different vantage points – the rise that runs alongside the third baseline allows for some pretty unique views of the game. Looking down from above provides a unique perspective that you can’t get at most parks, and also lets you get some great shots if you bring a camera (or your Smartphone). Another point for the practice field next to the park – bringing kids can be a hassle for parents since children don’t always have the longest attention spans, so having an activity they can engage in while you cheer on your team is a godsend. Final Thoughts Radford Baseball Stadium is a better stadium than you would expect from a small school in a small town – modernized due to recent renovations, it features great views of the game as well as beautiful natural scenery, and is well worth a visit if you are in the area. The experience is practically free since there is no cost for tickets or parking, so this is the perfect option for an outing with family or friends.

Photos by Google Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 New York Stadium New York Way Rotherham, England S60 1AH Rotherham United FC website New York Stadium website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 12,021 Start Spreading the News in Rotherham The New York Stadium is the home of Rotherham United Football Club. The Millers, as they are nicknamed had previously played at Millmoor, a typical lower league venue for many years and the new venue is a stone’s throw from the club’s spiritual home. Photographs of Millmoor are enclosed within the viewing area and this will give the visitor a gauge with regards to the differences between old and new stadia within the lower echelons of the English game. Surprisingly although the new stadium development brings clubs far more income generation opportunities some older supporters when asked still prefer the historic version. The club temporarily played at the Don Valley Stadium in nearby Sheffield whilst New York Stadium was built after having left Millmoor due to a dispute with the owners of the land. The New York Stadium takes its name from the land it is built on and is one complete build with four joined-up stands with slightly differing heights. The venue has an all-seated capacity of 12,021 with seats in the club colors of red and white. The continental-style floodlights give the stadium a different identity from similar new lower league developments of the last decade so “start spreading the news” . as the Sinatra song goes. A visit to Rotherham’s New York is a welcome addition to the Football League’s stadium list. Food & Beverage 3 Outlets within the stadium sell a range of pies, pasties, hot dogs, and burgers in addition to hot and cold drinks. These are reasonably priced and the food is of good quality. Atmosphere 3 It would take very little to improve the atmosphere compared to the club’s temporary Don Valley experience. However Rotherham United has tried extremely hard to ensure the New York experience will bring supporters back to the club. Home supporters generate most of the noise from the KCM Recycling Stand and with the addition of Cheerleaders the atmosphere is different from that of Millmoor and Don Valley. Neighborhood 3 Rotherham is a small town within the steel city of Sheffield and other than High Street shops there is not much to attract the visitor. Sheffield itself however has plenty to offer with its main attraction being the Meadowhall Shopping Centre. The city is also famous for its Crucible Theatre, the home of the World Snooker Championships. There are three Wetherspoon pubs in the town center with the Bluecoat being in the CAMRA guide and a meeting venue for home supporters. Other than Mcdonald's and Greggs there are only tea and coffee shops in the town centre. Fans 3 Like many lower football league clubs within the English pyramid system, Rotherham United has a loyal band of followers who are the livelihood of the British game. The move to the New York Stadium has seen a rapid improvement in attendance with the first few games sold out. Despite a slight dip in form on the field attendance has held at 7,000, which is a big improvement on what the club has historically been used to. Local rivals are Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United and other Yorkshire clubs such as Barnsley, Huddersfield Town, and Doncaster Rovers. Access 3 The stadium is located off Junction 33 of the M1 by taking signs towards Rotherham Town centre. The ground is a five-minute walk from the centre and Rotherham Railway Station which has connections to the main line in Sheffield. Cheap car parks are available in the town centre but parking at the stadium needs to be booked in advance. The nearest airports are Manchester, Doncaster, and East Midlands. Return on Investment 3 Admission prices for Rotherham games are £18 and £20 for adults with reductions for O.A.P and juveniles if purchased in advance. Tickets bought on the day cost two pounds more. Extras 3 There is a club shop situated by the main entrance to the stadium selling replica shirts and club memorabilia. Betting outlets are available within the stadium and the club produces a match day programme for each game priced at £3.

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Western Financial Place 1777 2nd Street North Cranbrook, BC V1C 7G9 Kootenay Ice website Western Financial Place website Year Opened: 1998 Capacity: 4,654 Kootenay Ice The Kootenay Ice arrived in Cranbrook, B.C. in 1998 after two years in Edmonton. They have subsequently become one of the most consistent and successful franchises in the Western Hockey League, having never missed the playoffs and making it to the Memorial Cup three times, including a win in the national junior finals in 2002. In their relatively brief history, the Ice have produced a number of players who have made the jump to the NHL, including Nigel Dawes, Mike Comrie, Jarret Stoll and Mike Green, making this one of the teams to watch year after year. The Ice have been playing in Western Financial Place since 2000. Formerly known as the Cranbrook Recreational Complex, or Rec Plex, Western Financial Place is a multi-purpose facility housing the hockey rink where the Ice play as well as a public swimming pool, a racquetball court and an in-house restaurant called Coyote Jack’s. Food & Beverage 4 The regular concessions within the arena are pretty standard fare. Popcorn ($3.75 for a small), potato chips ($1.75), pop ($3.00 for a small) and coffee ($2.75 for a small) are all featured on the menus of the four stands in the corners of the concourse. You’ll also find Molson Canadian on tap ($6.00) and a small selection of canned beer and coolers ($6.50-6.75, depending on what you order). Outside of the arena proper in the building’s lobby, you’ll also find two more concession stands. The first is Coyote Jack’s Express, with a paired-down menu from the Coyote Jack’s restaurant menu. Here you’ll find a selection of burgers ($3.99 for CJ’s Classic Burger), chicken ($5.75 for CJ’s Chicken Strips), as well as fries ($2.75) and poutine ($4.75). The other concession is Shivers, which features a variety of ice cream and smoothie choices. A regular cone is $2.75 and a smoothie is $4.50. Your final option is upstairs in Coyote Jack’s Bar & Grill. With a fully appointed menu and a comfortable sports lounge atmosphere, it’s a great place to stop by before or after the game. You can also buy a spot at the windows in the lounge overlooking the rink and watch the game from there, providing you with an excellent view of the action. Atmosphere 4 In the first half of the 2013/14 season, the Ice have drawn around 2,500 fans per game, a relatively small crowd for a WHL team, and all the moreso when you consider the historical success Kootenay has enjoyed. Add in the fact that Western Financial Place seats more than 4,200 and it seems pretty empty in there. Still, drawing 2,500 fans to a game in a town of only 19,000 people has to be considered a fairly impressive feat. As with most of the WHL rinks I’ve been to, the stands remain relatively quiet for much of the game, with pockets of loud-and-proud fans here and there and all the appropriate reactions to both good and bad results on the ice. That means the people there are definitely engaged and knowledgeable, which makes it nice to be in amongst them. Western Financial Place, being the community’s rec plex, has a real community feel to it, a feeling that is emphasized by walls lined with Cranbrook sports-related photos showing the rich history in this town. The place is also clean and tidy, making it quite comfortable overall. Neighborhood 3 Western Financial Place is situated in the middle of a residential neighbourhood, so there isn’t much around it, aside from housing. The good news is that, in a city of 19,000, everything is pretty close by. The downtown is only a couple blocks to the west on 2 St. N and a couple blocks further along from there brings you to the Crowsnest Highway (also known as Cranbrook St. or Van Horne St., depending on where you are) which is the primary run of commercial stores and services in town. Heading north from Western Financial Place will likewise bring you to the Crowsnest Highway on the north end of town. Downtown is a pretty quiet place in the evening, but there is the odd bar or restaurant open for business. Along the Crowsnest Highway you’ll find just about every restaurant chain in Canada as well as a handful of local establishments. We tried the Cancun Mexican International Restaurant (303 Cranbrook St. N.) for supper and it was quite good. The Cancun is situated a block off the highway on the outskirts of the downtown core, and is about a five-minute drive from the arena. One other helpful tip for those who don’t know: Western Financial Place shares a parking lot with the Cranbrook Curling Club. Curling clubs always have a lounge and are generally very welcoming of anyone just walking in off the street, unless there’s a tournament going on or the lounge has been rented for some other special event. If it’s just a typical evening at the club, head upstairs and you’ll find yourself a nice little setup with lots of room to hang out and get your drink on. Fans 3 As noted above, the crowds seem a little small relative to the size of the venue, but they’re clearly dedicated and know what’s going on. Personally, I prefer my crowds to be a little more demonstrative when it comes to showing their enthusiasm, but this crowd seemed fairly subdued for the most part. Again, as noted above, this seems to be fairly typical of junior hockey crowds around western Canada. When all is said and done, though, the fans here seem friendly, pleasant and dialed into the event. Access 4 The parking lot at Western Financial Place appears to be more than adequate for the number of vehicles coming to the game and the $2.00 parking price is relatively nominal, so this is probably your best bet. With the arena situated fairly centrally in Cranbrook, you’re never more than a few minutes’ drive away. There is also a bus stop right alongside the facility, so that is also an easy option. Once inside, the main lobby of the complex is quite roomy and the main concourse also has plenty of space for the crowds. The west concourse is a little on the tight side, with the row of luxury boxes reducing the width of the hallway. Getting out of the parking lot after the game took less than 10 minutes, so the lot and surrounding roadways are well set up to move traffic out and on its way. Return On Investment 4 Seats for Kootenay Ice games are $22 each at the door, a bargain compared to most every professional sport out there. That cost can get you virtually any seat in the house that isn’t owned by a season-ticket holder and they’re all nice and cozy to the ice surface, so there isn’t a bad seat in the place. Or you can grab a spot along the concourse rail where many people choose to watch from the standing room locations. As an added bonus, the mountain scenery around Cranbrook is nothing short of gorgeous so the trip alone provides extra value. Great views plus great team plus great atmosphere equals great value. Pretty simple equation there. Extras 3 As noted above, the walls of Western Financial Place are lined with pictures from Cranbrook’s rich sports history. There are also pictures, biographies, and jerseys of the several Cranbrook natives who made it to professional hockey, including Frank and Danny Spring as well as Rob and Scott Niedermayer. Over the north goal line is the long string of championship banners that the Ice have earned in their short team history giving the arena an extra sense of history and serving as a constant reminder of the level of excellence that this team has consistently delivered to its fans. Team mascot Shivers, an abominable snowman, roams the stands and concourse during the game, entertaining the kids in the crowd and helping with the various giveaways and contests that happen during the game. One thing I was surprised and disappointed by was the lack of a team store on the premises. Apparently there used to be one, but team merchandising has now moved a few blocks away towards downtown to 1st Impressions, a store located at 11a – 14th Avenue S. So if you’re like me and like to get yourself a souvenir of any new venue you’ve visited, you’ll find yourself out of luck. That’s a surprising mistake in marketing, in my opinion. British Columbia has a reputation for being a very green-conscious province, but there didn’t seem to be any recycling bins in Western Financial Place. There is the possibility that all their refuse is sorted and handled off site, but there also don’t seem to be any signs indicating that that might be happening either. I found that a little disappointing as well. Final Thoughts The Kootenay Ice are a very successful hockey team playing in a town with a rich hockey history. That makes for a game-watching experience that brings a lot of high expectations and value to it and Western Financial Place makes the whole experience well worth it.

Photos by Google Photos Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 John Smith’s Stadium Stadium Way Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 6PG United Kingdom Huddersfield Town AFC website John Smith’s Stadium website Year Opened: 1994 Capacity: 24,949 Home of the Terriers The John Smith’s Stadium was opened in 1994, originally taking the name of its builders Alfred McAlpine. Both of the town’s football and rugby league clubs left their former historic homes to take up residence at the new state-of-the-art stadium. At a time when many new stadiums were being built in England following the Taylor Report, Huddersfield’s new landmark was a breath of fresh air with its vastly different stadium design. Initially opened with two, then three stands and a fourth added some years later, the stadium was constructed with arch-style roofs covering its stands. The South Stand opened in 1996 and the North (Panasonic) Stand began debuting in 1998 bringing the overall capacity of the stadium to approximately 24,500. The estimated cost of construction was £40 million. With unique floodlight bases, this stadium, along with the Bolton Wanderers’ University of Bolton Stadium, were two different additions to the English stadium scene. Huddersfield was founded in 1908 and spent 86 years at Leeds Road. The club was the first to win three straight First Division titles in England from 1924-1926. After the 1971-72 season, the Terriers were regulated from the First Division and spent the next 45 years between the second and fourth divisions before making it back to the Premier League from 2017-2019. Food & Beverage 3 The stadium’s interior concourse is well-equipped with food and drink kiosks. As normal with Yorkshire clubs, top-quality pies are essential and the ones of various varieties at Huddersfield do not disappoint. Hot dogs and beef burgers are also available, as are hot and cold drinks. Pies are priced at £3 with hot dogs selling at £3.20. However, having sat in the away supporters' stand for my last visit it was a nice gesture by the club to sell leftover hot food at two for £1 to supporters on their way out after the game. Atmosphere 4 There is a Fan Zone that fills up before the game and features food and beverage, live music, and the chance to meet Terry and Till Terrier, the club’s two official mascots. There are various food and beer kiosks that offer craft beer and including Promise Land German Lager, High Wire Grapefruit West Coast IPA, Common Grounds Coffee Porter, and Saucey Session IPA. The stadium’s signature feature is the four arched-shaped stands that set the stadium apart from other venues in England. The steel white tubing contours around each stand and then juts down to the ground. The design of the stadium allows each of its corners of the ground to be open. The North Stand and Riverside Stand are both two-tiered and feature a row of executive boxes. Adding to the ambiance are a set of four floodlights and a video scoreboard at the away end. Even when not full, the stadium’s acoustics are good and help add to the atmosphere. The most vocal of the home club’s supporters are located in the North Stand, whilst visiting supporters are placed in the South Stand. The friendliness of the club’s staff and stewards makes a visit here all the more pleasant, adding to the atmosphere of a game and the day out in particular. I have only ever visited for soccer games but would imagine that the atmosphere would be as good if not better for a Rugby League game as it is predominantly a northern sport. Neighborhood 3 Situated halfway between Manchester and Leeds, Huddersfield is an industrial market town that forms part of the West Riding District of Yorkshire. Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson and film star James Mason are the town’s two most famous sons. Other than shopping, the town has little to offer the visitor. Around six miles away in the Pennine Hills the small town of Holmfirth is recommended for a visit. This was the setting for the long-running situational comedy program Last of the Summer Wine. Pubs near the stadium include the Rope Walk, Yorkshire Rose Huddersfield, The Sportsman, Gas Club, and Turnbridge Working Men’s Club. The stadium’s surrounding area offers Pizza Hut, Costa Coffee, Bars, and a multi-screen cinema to fill in the time before a game. The town has many guest houses and both the Premier Inn and Travelodge Hotels are near the stadium. Fans 3 The football club has a hardcore home support of between twelve and fifteen thousand fans. The supporter section is loud and boisterous during the match. The rest of the stands feature friendly banter among the home supporters. Local rivals are Leeds United, Bradford City, and both Sheffield clubs. Access 3 The John Smith’s Stadium is located just off the A62 Leeds Road in the Town Centre. The A62 runs directly off Junction 25 of the M62 motorway. There is plenty of car parking available on the ground, costing between £5 and £7. Other car parks are available within a short walk including that at the club’s Canal Street training ground complex. Huddersfield Railway Station with connections to both Manchester and Leeds is approximately a fifteen-minute walk. The nearest airports are Manchester and Leeds/Bradford. Return on Investment 3 Games rarely sell out and tickets can be purchased on the day or via the club’s website. Prices range between £20 and £32 with a category system in place dependent upon who the opposition is. Yorkshire is one of the cheaper areas to watch sports so this represents good value for the money, especially as you always receive a warm and friendly reception. Wherever you sit within the stadium you are guaranteed an excellent view of the playing area. Extras 3 The stadium is also available for conferences, banquets, and weddings and has much to offer. Both the rugby and soccer clubs have club shops at the stadium. Huddersfield Town now produces a newspaper-style match day program priced at £2, which is cheaper and different from that of most Football League and Premier League clubs who produce a more expensive and glossy version. Final Thoughts The John Smith Stadium is a modern, comfortable football stadium that is inexpensive, features a good range of concession items, and overall has a very good time. The home of the Terriers should not be overlooked when visiting English Football grounds,

Photos by Anluan Hennigan, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 St Andrew’s 78 St. Andrews Road Birmingham, England B9 4RL Birmingham City website St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium website Year Opened: 1906 Capacity: 30,079 I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues St Andrews, home of Championship League club Birmingham City, has had a tumultuous existence. It first became the residence of ” The Blue” in the early 20th century when the club, formed by a group of cricketers, outgrew its previous home. At one time holding up to 75,000 spectators (in the era of terraced seating); it is now one of the more modest top-level grounds. During World War Two, St Andrews suffered horrific bombardment from German forces, eventually hit on 20 occasions. In many ways, it feels like the place is still recovering. Prominence and success gave way to malaise and dilapidation. However, the arrival of owners David Gold and David Sullivan coincided with a long-overdue redevelopment of the ground in the nineties. In 1994, €10m was invested in the development of the Kop and Tilton stands, with fans taking home debris as souvenirs. The new Railway Stand followed five years later. Despite this work, a clamor still exists for further improvement. A brand-new, 55,000-capacity stadium has long been mooted. As of yet, it is far from coming to fruition. Food & Beverage 3 There are various kiosks located throughout the grounds. An indistinguishable pie and drink can be purchased for a fair price which is in line with most Championship League grounds. Fans can also enjoy a selection of burgers, hot dogs, vegetarian dishes, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The black pudding and pork sausage with grilled onions and mushrooms on a brioche bun are not your normal football grounds food items. Also bear in mind that alcohol can’t be taken into the arena. Even roaming the concourse is forbidden, with strict white lines illustrating where you can and can’t go. Atmosphere 2 In many cases, the game drives the atmosphere. In this case, the game was arthritic with, unfortunately for the home fans, the away side in the ascendancy. The main source of virility was frustration at the lack of potency from Birmingham and some entertaining, if unimaginative, bating of the opposition. If you want to experience St Andrews at full pelt, then a trip to see the blood and thunder spectacle of the Second City derby between Birmingham and Aston Villa is recommended. The stadium features four stands: Spion Kop Stand, The Main Stand, Gil Merrick Stand, and the Tilton Road Stand. Away supporters enter through the Gil Merrick Stand and The Main Stand offers both the Cookhouse and Family section. The best spot for the atmosphere is in the Tilton Road Stand but some seats feature an obstructed view. Neighborhood 3 Only a goal kick from the city centre, St Andrews is right in the heart of the action. This is ostensibly a blessing and a curse. Situated in the Small Heath area, the ground is right next to Digbeth, a place that is not worth lingering in for extended periods. Birmingham is a city of tremendous light and shade however and the marvelous Bull Ring shopping area is only a mile or so away. It dominates the city and is one of the most architecturally shocking things you will see anywhere. There you will also find all manner of culinary options to fill the void that the ground creates. It may not always be pretty, but Birmingham is second only to London in size so there will always be things to do. Fans 3 An undoubtedly hearty lot was eventually worn down amid an insipid match and a most unsatisfying conclusion. The poor play was met with redoubtable chants of “Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, we’re going to Wembley” an allusion to Birmingham’s upcoming involvement in the League Cup final. It has given Blues fans good cheer in an otherwise perilous season, with relegation a prevalent prospect. That sense of uneasiness is pervasive on the ground and amongst the fans. Access 3 Once in such a large city, the options available to you are myriad. Train travelers will need to find their way to Birmingham Moor Street station and mount services going to Bordesley. There are numerous buses which stop near the ground also. All in all, however, there is no simpler method than walking. Simply follow the hoards of blue-shirted fans walking up Digbeth and you can’t fail to arrive at the ground. From the Bull Ring, the walk is no more than a mile/20 minutes. If you want to risk getting there in your car, do bear in mind that the queues will be horrendous, so give yourself as much time as possible. Several auxiliary car parks are usually available next to the ground for between €5 and €10. Plenty of time should be allowed for entering the ground also, as I found to my cost on this night. The turnstiles can be particularly cramped and slow-moving, and by the time I had got into the ground, I had missed the first goal. The most pleasing aspect was the lack of queuing in the concourses. It was remarkably easy to get food and drink instead of the usual survival of the fittest experiment. Return on Investment 4 Birmingham must be commended for its ticket structure which offers almost unparalleled concessions. While adult tickets are around the average for Championship League grounds (€30-€40 for a game against one of the top clubs), student tickets are half-price, while children can get in for even less. Subsequently, St Andrews is a particularly attractive option for families. Couple this with the fact you are visiting one of the largest and most eventful cities in England, and a trip to St Andrew's is more than worth your while. Extras 3 One corner of the ground is dominated by a big screen which is a valuable and informative resource, offering replays of near misses, major incidents, and goals. It is something other Premier League grounds greatly lack. Little else is offered to further the match-day experience. Stadium tours are available throughout the year if you wish to delve deeper into the eventful history of the club.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Sullivan Arena 1600 Gambell St Anchorage, AK 99501 Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves website Sullivan Arena website Year Opened: 1983 Capacity: 6,406 The Sully Alaska is a land known for its wonders of the world: the 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the 20,320-foot Mount McKinley (Denali), the 1,390-mile Alaska Highway, the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, and the 5-foot-5 Sarah Palin. But if there’s one place the Last Frontier is certainly not famous for, it is the big block of concrete in the center of Anchorage: the George M. Sullivan Arena. Opened in 1983 and named after a former Anchorage mayor, “The Sully” is Alaska’s largest entertainment venue but also quite possibly one of the least aesthetically pleasing venues for professional sports in the United States. However, the winters here in Alaska are long, cold and dark, which means creative architecture doesn’t matter much to Alaskans. What counts the most is what happens inside, The Sully. In the Last Frontier, hockey is king, and these days Alaskans have gladly perched the Alaska Aces of the ECHL on the throne. The Boys in Blue have raised two Kelly Cup championship banners at Sullivan Arena since 2006, and own the second-most postseason victories (76) among the 23 teams in the league. The Aces share the facilities with the University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves of the WCHA. In addition to sports entertainment, the Sullivan Arena is also home to annual trade shows, the state high school basketball tournament, concerts, high school, and university graduations, and the occasional World Wresting Entertainment spectacle. According to SMG, the company that manages Sullivan Arena, the arena averages more than 500,000 in attendance every year. Food & Beverage 3 Nothing screams Alaska about the food served at Sullivan Arena’s concession stands. You won’t find any reindeer dogs, moose stew, or Alaska salmon here. Expect the typical array of stadium items, such as cheeseburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, popcorn, nachos, French fries, and pizza slices. Prices range from $3.25 to $5. Bottled sodas are $3.50 and fountain sodas start at $4. The Sullivan Arena also has a variety of third-party vendors: Big Burrito, Carolyn’s Caramel Apples, Gilligan’s Shaved Ice, Cafe D’Arte Coffee, Urban Bamboo, Corn Fritters, and Candied Nuts. As far as adult beverages, fans at Alaska Aces games thirsty for beer, wine coolers, or wine, sit on the south side of the arena, otherwise known as the “wet side.” Beers include Budweiser, Bud Light, Rolling Rock, Kokane, Alaskan Amber, Miller, Miller Lite, Coors Light, Molson, Blue Moon, and Mirror Pond ESB. Domestic 12-oz. beers cost $6.25, while microbrews cost $7. Wine coolers are $6.75 while wine is $6.75. Atmosphere 3 The Sullivan Arena promises fans that just about every seat in the house provides a good view for watching sporting events. I’ve sat way up high in the upper nose bleeds and thought it was a great vantage point. I’ve experienced concerts at Sullivan Arena, and like many arenas the acoustics are lousy. But the intimate atmosphere makes up for it. Perhaps my favorite part of Sullivan Arena is the mezzanine level, which provides fans tired of sitting with an option to walk around the arena and stretch their legs. Just make sure you’re carrying identification before you start your stroll – Sullivan Arena employees are sticklers for checking IDs to get into the wet section. The Sullivan Arena is designed to be a multi-use facility complete with an Olympic size ice rink, and an insulated floor covering for basketball, concerts, and trade shows. The total square footage with all telescoping seats retracted is approximately 32,000 square feet. The seating is designed to give versatility to the spectator. For reserved concert seating, the maximum capacity is approximately 8,700; for basketball, approximately 7,800; and 6,500 for hockey. Neighborhood 2 With downtown Anchorage to the north and Midtown to the south, Sullivan Arena is nestled in a shallow valley otherwise known as the Chester Creek Greenbelt. To many hockey fans, Sullivan Arena’s locale is often considered no-man’s land. The only option for a pre-game drink and bite to eat is within walking distance. The total arena is the Crossroads Lounge. Located on the northern side of the valley, the Crossroads is a neighborhood bar that offers one of the best Alaskan atmospheres within the city limits. Its log cabin-like structure, big rectangular bar, and a plethora of flat-screen televisions give ticket holders the kind of comfort they need on those bitterly cold winter evenings before they head down the hill toward the arena. The beer is cheap (one of the few Anchorage bars that still has PBR on tap) and the service is generally great. The best part about the place: hot dogs are free and so is the Wi-Fi. Oh, and there’s almost always a crockpot full of soup, chili, or burger patties that are also free to customers. The Crossroads is also a go-to place for,post-Sullivan Arena events. There’s a pool table, dartboards, and late-night fried munchies that can cost anywhere between $4 and $10. Fans 3 Not long before the Alaska Aces won their first Kelly Cup in 2006, the University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves were the hottest ticket in town. Back in the day, when the Aces were treading water as a professional organization, UAA was the only credible hockey team in town worth watching. But year after year of the Seawolves finishing at or near the bottom of the WCHA, combined with the Aces’ winning ways and the creation of the Cowbell Crew, the tide has slowly turned in the Aces’ favor, making them the current darlings of Anchorage hockey. Losing seasons aren’t the only problem for the Seawolves – they also have trouble drawing more students than old-timers to watch their games. Many have said the problem stems from the fact that the team plays three miles off campus. The Seawolves ranked among the bottom in WCHA attendance, averaging 2,729 fans during the 2012-13 season. The Aces, meanwhile, drew 4,247 per game to rank second in ECHL attendance during the 2012-13 campaign. Access 4 Located on 16th Avenue between the one-way streets of Gambell Street and A Street, Sullivan Arena and its available parking ($6) always depends on the event. Going to a Seawolves game? Expect plenty of open spots. Going to watch the Aces or a concert? Get there early, especially during the spring and fall when multiple venues in the Chester Creek Sports Complex are being utilized. The giant parking lot that makes up the Chester Creek Sports Complex serves not only Sullivan Arena but also four other sporting venues: Ben Boeke Arena (high school/adult hockey); Mulcahy Stadium (high school baseball, Alaska Baseball League); Anchorage Football Stadium (high school sports); and Kosinski Fields (high school/adult baseball). There are two ways to enter Sullivan Arena’s parking lot: 1) Drive north on A Street and turn right onto East 16th Avenue; 2) Drive south on Gambell Street and veer to the right toward Sullivan Arena after crossing the intersection of Gambell and East 15th Avenue. Return on Investment 3 The University of Alaska-Anchorage charges between $13.25 and $18.50 for single-game tickets. The cheapest way to see a game is to attend in a group of 10 or more ($6 general admission, $12 reserved). Taking six credits or more at UAA gives those students free admission and parking to all home games. UAA students are also eligible to buy a companion ticket for $5, which is arguably the best deal in town considering this is Division I hockey. Extras 2 One point extra goes to sitting high in the top row of the balcony section. There is something spectacular about taking in the venue from every possible angle. Another point goes to NHL lockouts, which have been known to temporarily boost the Aces’ roster with Anchorage NHLers such as Joey Crabb of the Washington Capitals, Nate Thompson of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Scott Gomez of the Montreal Canadians. Final Thoughts There’s no getting around the fact that Sullivan Arena is old and in need of upgrades. But living in a state that supports just one professional sports franchise – the Aces – we know that beggars can’t be choosers. Whether it’s an eyesore or not, Sullivan Arena is an ideal place to break cabin fever or get some relief when it’s just too cold to play outside.

Photos by Stephan Hoogerwaard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Carrow Road Carrow Rd. Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1JE United Kingdom Norwich City FC website Carrow Road website Year Opened: 1935 Capacity: 26,034 Canary Paradise Carrow Road is a football stadium in the city of Norwich, England with 26,018 covered seats, home of the Norwich City Football Club of the Premier League. The stadium has the 3rd smallest capacity in the league. Only the Swansea City and Hull City stadiums are smaller. The Carrow Road stadium was built in 1935 when Norwich City had grown out of its old home stadium. The construction lasted only 82 days. Construction started on the 11th of June 1935 and it was open for the Canaries first home game against West Ham United on the 31st of August 1935. The stadium has been steadily redeveloped since the late 1970s, with all four sides of the ground having new stands. The latest stand is the Jarrold Stand (also known as South Stand) which was built in 2004. The Jarrod Stand is an impressive single-tier stand. This stand-alone can house 8,184 spectators. At one of the sides of this stand, there has been an area created to house the away fans. The stadium has the following stands with their capacity in brackets: Barclay Stand (6,107), The Geoffrey Watling City (North) Stand (4,173), Regency Security Stand (5,799), The South Stand (8,184, including the away section), Aviva Community Stand (1,708) angle between the Jarrold Stand and N&P Stand. There are no standing areas inside Carrow Road as these are prohibited in the top flight of English football. This makes the stadium an A-label ground that is required by the UEFA to play European Cup matches in case Norwich City should qualify. Norwich City Football Club have announced that if they stay in the Premier League there are serious plans to replace the Geoffrey Watling City Stand in a newly built double-tiered 12,000-seater stand. This will raise the capacity of the ground initially to 35,000 seats. Later on, there can be a second tier added to the Jarrold Stand, this would raise the capacity to around 39,000 places. Food & Beverage 3 Inside the ground the food is good. There is a large variety of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and pies (amongst the choices: chicken curry pie and steak kidney pie). The drinks are of a similar price to most Premier League grounds which I have visited over the last couple of years. Half a litre of Carling or another brand will cost you just under 4 British Pounds. Atmosphere 4 The atmosphere during against local rivals Ipswich Town is very good, just like you would expect at a derby. During this match the Norwich City fans were more vocal, maybe because the home team won the match or maybe they outnumbered the away support. I estimate that there were 2,000 Ipswich supporters allowed inside the ground. Outside Anglia, the derby is called cynically ‘the Old Farm’ referring to the Anglia countryside (mostly farmers) and the big Glasgow derby which is of course called ‘the Old Firm’. Neighborhood 2 The neighbourhood around the stadium is not spectacular. There is a Morrisons supermarket just behind the ground and a new leisure complex called the Riverside has opened just a little further away. The pubs for home and away supporters are closer to the main railway station and on the edge of the city centre. This is where most of the home fans gather for pre-match analyses. So stay close to the city centre when you visit a match at Carrow Road. Fans 4 Most of the Norwich fans who visit a match of their team are dressed in their yellow and green club colours. The nickname of fans is ‘the Canaries’, not only for the colours the fans wear during a match but this little songbird is also in the team crest. The Tractor Boys (nickname for Ipswich fans) were accompanied by a large police force from the train station towards the stadium, to avoid clashes between both supporters groups which have occurred in the past on various occasions. Access 4 We drove by car to Norwich, the ground is well signposted from the A11 and A47. If you stay in the city centre, just leave your car at the hotel. The ground is located just a 15-minute walk from the city centre. Return on Investment 4 We ordered our tickets via the ticket office and these were held for collection on the day of the match. We were appointed seats on the 2nd tier behind one of the goals (Barclays Stand). Please note that prices for matches can vary because matches are graded in A category matches for top games to D category matches for matches against lesser attractive opponents. Therefore prices may vary from GBP 50,- to GBP 20,- for the Barclays and the North & Peterborough stand (both upper and lower tiers). Extras 2 There are just a couple of extras to mention which aren’t spectacular. The club store is housed in the corner of the Geoffrey Watling City Stand and Norwich and Peterborough Stand. Around the stadium, there are limited parking places available with pass holders only having access. The service of the ticket office is rather good as they were prepared to make a ticket reservation for this high-profile match. Final Thoughts When you are enjoying a stay in the English countryside (Anglia) and if you want something else then visit its beautiful villages, castles ruins, and cathedrals, then a visit to a match of Norwich City Football Club is a welcome break. You can experience the real football atmosphere created by passionate Canaries fans. Though the stadium is one of the smallest in the Premier League, the atmosphere you will experience at Carrow Road is probably better than you will find at some of the top teams in the league.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57 Fiondella Field 200 Bloomfield Ave West Hartford, CT 06117 Hartford Hawks baseball website Fiondella Field website Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 1,000 Home of Hartford Hawks Hardball The University of Hartford baseball team plays on campus at Fiondella Field. It is located alongside the school’s other athletic facilities, including Al-Marzook Field and Chase Family Arena. Baseball has been played at the school since 1958, originally as a Division II school, and in Division I since 1985. Before the Hawks had a permanent on-campus home in 2006, the team would play at various local diamonds, including Beehive Field in New Britain, Muzzy Field in Bristol, Ray McKenna Field in East Hartford and Memorial Field in Simsbury. The ballpark was named in honor of Robert Fiondella and family in 2009. The Fiondellas have been actively involved in promoting athletics as part of the overall educational experience in the greater Hartford area. The Hawks are still waiting for their first appearance in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. Two University of Hartford alumni have reached the major leagues, Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell and Earl Snyder. Food & Beverage 3 There is a small concession stand behind the grandstand at Fiondella Field. A basic menu is featured here, including hot dogs, nachos, pretzels and other snacks. Bottled Coca-Cola products are sold here. Coffee and hot chocolate are popular items on chilly April afternoons. Fans are also welcome to bring their own snacks into Fiondella Field, provided no alcoholic beverages are brought in. Atmosphere 2 The game day presentation at Fiondella Field is typical of most college ballparks in the northeast. It’s a laid-back, comfortable experience without a whole lot of extra noise to distract from the action taking place down on the field. PA announcements are limited to lineup changes and the occasional sponsor announcement. Music is played between innings at a comfortable volume. Fans are enthusiastic about the action taking place, and many enjoy a personal connection to the players on the field. Fans are close enough to hear (and participate) in the chatter going on from the dugouts. It’s a baseball purist’s dream. Neighborhood 2 The University of Hartford is located in West Hartford, surrounded by an affluent residential neighborhood, including the Hartford Golf Club. There aren’t any restaurants located within walking distance of the campus, meaning fans will have to travel a bit to find pre or postgame entertainment and dining options. Downtown Hartford, which contains a great many restaurants and places of interest, is just a ten minute drive away. Likewise, fans looking for a place to stay after a Hartford Hawk game will have to venture downtown for options. Should schedules line up, the brand new Dunkin’ Donuts Park, home of the Eastern League’s Hartford Yard Goats, or the XL Center, home of the American Hockey League’s Hartford Wolf Pack, are located less than three miles from Fiondella Field. Fans 2 Crowds at Fiondella Field for Hartford Hawks games can be categorized as a “Friends and Family” type of crowd. Typically ranging in size from 100-250 people, many of the fans have a close personal connection to the players on the field, and are really involved in the action. Access 3 The University of Hartford campus straddles the towns of West Hartford, Bloomfield and Hartford. Located just a few miles from both Interstates 91 and 84, the campus is easily reached by car. Detailed driving directions can be found here. Visiting fans using public transportation can take CTFastrak Route 153 or CTtransit Route 56, both of which access Union Station in downtown Hartford. More details, including fares and schedules, can be found here. Fiondella Field is located on the northern edge of campus alongside the University of Hartford’s other athletic facilities, including Al-Marzook Field and Chase Family Arena. The facilities all share a concession stand and restroom facilities. Seating at Fiondella Field consists of aluminum bleachers in a grandstand that stretches from first to third base. Netting obstructs the view from all seats, and the poles that hold up the netting provide further obstruction. There is additional standing room down the right field line for fans who wish to take in the action without the obstruction of netting. Fans are welcome to bring in their own chairs if they wish to sit in this area. There is ample parking in the lot next to Fiondella Field. Restrooms are located in the building right behind the grandstand. Return on Investment 4 There is no charge for attending baseball games at Fiondella Field. Parking in the lots adjacent to the ballpark is free, and concessions are reasonably priced. Extras 2 An extra point is awarded for the proximity of Fiondella Field to the other University of Hartford’s athletic fields, and for the opportunity to catch multiple games for no charge should the schedules line up. Jeff Bagwell’s number 27 is retired, and can be found on the right field wall at Fiondella Field, along with a mural of Bagwell from his time at Hartford. There is also a mural of Hartford’s other alumnus to reach the major leagues, Earl Snyder, on the left field wall. Final Thoughts Fiondella Field is typical of many of the college ballparks that dot the northeast. It’s a no-frills, basic facility where the action taking place on the field is the focus. If you like your baseball presented without a whole lot of distraction, you’ll enjoy your visit to Fiondella Field. Fans looking to take in multiple ball games in a single day should visit when the nearby Hartford Yard Goats of the Eastern League or New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League are also home. If planning a trip to the University of Hartford for a baseball game, keep in mind that college baseball season takes place largely in the months of March and April, when the weather in this part of the country can be unpredictable. Postponements, changes in schedule and even changes in venue are common. Be ready to be flexible with your schedule when visiting the area. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Shirley Povich Field 10600 Westlake Dr Rockville, MD 20852 Georgetown Hoyas website Shirley Povich Field website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 1,500 Shirley It Must Be Baseball Time Georgetown University’s baseball team is the school’s oldest athletic program, beginning play informally in 1866 and officially founded in 1870. For their first 130 years, the Hoyas played on campus in various different venues. However, in 2000, the GU Baseball Diamond was demolished to make way for a new athletic building, and the team was forced to find a new home. Since the 2001 season, the Hoyas have played their home games off campus at Shirley Povich Field in Bethesda, Maryland, at a stadium that is also the home to a collegiate summer league team, the Bethesda Big Train. The stadium is named after longtime local sports columnist Shirley Povich, who covered baseball for over 50 years and was one of the last living reporters to have covered Babe Ruth. He began his career with the Washington Post in 1923, and although he officially retired in 1973, he never stopped covering the game. His last column was published in 1998, one day after his death. Food & Beverage 0 There is a concession stand at Shirley Povich Field, but it is only used for Big Train games. There are vending machines that sell soda, water, and Powerade just outside the stadium if you’re really desperate, and there is a café in the Ice Rink at the other side of the parking lot if you’re willing to walk all the way down there, but it may not even be open depending on the public skating schedule. Your best bet is to eat before the game or bring your own food. Atmosphere 2 The atmosphere at a Hoyas baseball game is not particularly impressive. The team does little to add to it other than play music in between innings, and the fact that the stadium is located in a county park surrounded by rec fields makes this feel more like you’re watching a Sunday beer league game than a college baseball game. In fact, other than the “We are Georgetown” banner hung across the outfield fence, there is little here to indicate you are even at a Georgetown game. All of the other signage in and around the stadium is for the Bethesda Big Train. The good news is that every seat in the stadium is a chair back, and they all have a great view of the field. All seats are behind netting, which is unfortunate but necessary given how close they are to the action. There is a scoreboard in left-center field which shows a line score as well as the count, current batter, and the time and temperature. Neighborhood 4 Shirley Povich Field is located in Cabin John Park, which is operated by Montgomery County. There is an ice rink and some recreational fields located in the immediate vicinity of the stadium, all part of the park. A shopping center is located across the street which includes a Five Guys, a taco place, and a number of other shops. Bobby’s Burger Palace is located just down the road and is a local favorite as well. There are several hotels on Democracy Boulevard a couple miles from the stadium, and Cabin John Park also has a campground for those visitors to the area looking to stay in a more natural environment. Washington, D.C. is a short Metro ride away and features various museums, monuments, and other sites. Whether it’s visiting the Smithsonian or talking a walk along the National Mall, there is something to do for everyone in the nation’s capital, and most of it is free. Just keep in mind if you want to visit the Capitol or White House, you will need to book those tours in advance. Fans 2 The fans at Hoyas games are mostly family and friends of the players, and there are often as many fans of the opposing teams as there are rooting for the Hoyas. With the stadium located so far from campus, there are few, if any, students here. The fans who do show up can get loud at times, but there are so few of them it hardly makes a difference. College baseball is just not that big in this part of the country, and it shows. Access 4 Shirley Povich Field is located just off I-270 and I-495. Take the exit for Democracy Boulevard, follow it to Westlake Drive, and the entrance to Cabin John Park will be up ahead on your left. From there, head past the ice rink and the stadium will be up ahead. There are several other baseball fields in the complex used for recreational purposes, but Shirley Povich Field will be very clearly signed. Due to the large complex, there is more than enough parking available. However, the parking lot can be a tight fit and make exiting after the game difficult, especially if people are trying to enter the lot as well to go elsewhere in the park. Unfortunately, Shirley Povich Field is not easily accessible via the D.C. Metro. Restrooms are small but sufficient for the crowd. The men’s restroom can be hard to find as it is hidden off in the corner and not, as one would expect, across from the women’s restroom. Return on Investment 5 Parking and admission are both free, and it’s not like you’ll be spending anything on concessions since there aren’t any available. It’s hard to argue with that. . Extras 0 There are free programs available behind home plate, placed under a brick behind the backstop so they don’t blow away. There are murals behind home plate dedicated to Shirley Povich and longtime Washington Senator Walter Johnson. Johnson was nicknamed “Big Train” and is the namesake of the summer league club that plays here. One final star for the bucolic setting in Cabin John Park. There is so much else to do here, including ice skating, tennis courts, and miles of hiking and biking trails that you could easily turn a visit to a game into a full day in the park. Final Thoughts College baseball is not that big in this part of the country, and the fact that the Hoyas play in an out of the way location miles from campus doesn’t help. However, it is hard to argue with free baseball, whatever the setting, and Georgetown does deserve credit for that. Shirley Povich Field is a nice stadium, and it is a shame that the Hoyas do not use it to its full potential.

Photos by Google Photos Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Cardiff City Stadium Leckwith Rd. Cardiff, Wales CF11 8AZ Cardiff City FC website Cardiff City Stadium website Year Opened: 2009 Capacity: 26,828 You Won’t be Blue in Cardiff City The Cardiff City Stadium was built in 2009 on the site of what was previously the Leckwith Athletics Stadium. This venue had also hosted UEFA Cup soccer having once been the home of Inter Cardiff. To compensate for the loss of the Leckwith Stadium, a similar venue was built across the road from the new development that in addition to athletics also serves as the home of Cardiff City's Academy team and Welsh Junior side Cardiff Grange Harlequins. Cardiff City's former stadium, Ninian Park, was adjacent to the new stadium and has now been demolished to make way for new housing development. The stadium is shared with Cardiff's Rugby Union club Cardiff Blues and the city's most famous venue the Millennium Stadium is also within a ten-minute walk report on this and the Sophia Gardens Cricket Stadium will follow in the future. Food & Beverage 3 Outside the stadium and before kickoff fans can enjoy burgers and hot dogs from #BurgerBar and a pint from the Tap and Hammer. Inside fans can enjoy a few interesting varieties of hot dogs that include the New York Dog (grated cheese, onions, and a choice of sauce), the Dallas Dog (chili, fried onions, and grated cheese), the Boston Dog (bacon and fried onions), and the American Dog (fried onions and a choice of sauce). Each hot dog sells for between £4.5 to £6. Other options inside the stadium include tea & coffee (£1.60), Coke products(£2), beer (£3.50), and pies (£3.10). The Grazing Shed is home to their "super tidy burgers" and is located at USW Stand and the Ninian Stand in Kiosk 111. The burgers are made from locally sourced Welsh ingredients on homemade buns baked fresh daily. The Bunga Bunga features blue cheese fondue, smoked bacon, cajun mayo, red onion confit, ketchup, and lettuce. The El Toro is topped with honey-glazed goat’s cheese, chorizo, mayo, hot chili, and lettuce. Atmosphere 3 In terms of facilities, the new stadium cannot be faulted, and when full one would imagine the atmosphere to be intimidating. This particularly would be the case when Cardiff hosts their arch enemies Swansea city. However, as with most new British Stadiums, the atmosphere never lives up to that of a club's previous home, which is mainly due to the lack of old-fashioned British terraces. The Bluebirds stadium is comprised of the following four sections: The Canton Stand (North), The Ninian Stand (East), The Grange Stand (South), and The Grandstand (West). Away supporters are tucked in the corner of the stadium between the Grange and Ninian stand. Inside The overall experience is common to what one would expect at a modern stadium. The seating is comfortable the views are great on the pitch, and the facilities are spacious and easy to get around. The stadium is spacious and offers pre-game entertainment and live music, and fans' supporters will cheer before the match and throughout the 90-plus minutes of football. There are two video screens on opposite ends of the pitch and various signs to visit Asian countries of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Singapore are evident on the upper level of the building. Neighborhood 4 The Capital City of Wales offers everything that a Soccer, Rugby, or Cricket supporter could wish for. Excellent sporting facilities, excellent Bars and Restaurants, excellent shopping, River Walks, and a Castle are all within twenty minutes walk of each other. The city also offers plenty of choices of both budget and executive hotels. Outside of the city, the valleys and coastline of Wales are well worth exploring, making a sporting visit to the city ideal for combining into a vacation. The neighborhood surrounding the stadium is a mixture of old and new development with the Retail Park being ideal for whiling away an hour before kick-off. However, most visitors tend to head for the City Centre or Cardiff Bay. Cardiff Bay is the regenerated area of the Docks previously named Tiger Bay, the area of Cardiff where a young Shirley Bassey was raised and one which gains a mention in the Ian Dury song "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick" This area of the city has museums, small shops, and bars and is popular amongst locals and visitors. The new shopping retail park development next to the stadium offers plenty of variety for food and drink. Greggs Bakery, Subway, Mcdonald's, KFC, and Costa Coffee offer plenty in the fast food range. If you are looking for pub food then Toby Carvery provides the traditional British Sunday roast for £3.99. Cardiff City Centre a mere fifteen minutes' walk away is well populated with Bars and Restaurants offering food to serve all nationalities. Fans 3 During the 70s and 80s, Cardiff City had a reputation for having some of the most notorious hooligans in the British game. Although a small element of this remains, the club has been successful in re-branding its trouble-free image over the past ten years. A game day now normally goes off trouble-free with only the local derby game against Swansea City having the potential for crowd trouble. These fixtures are normally moved to a Sunday Noon kick-off with heavy travel restrictions in place. Access 3 The stadium is easily reached by a kick-off car exiting Junction 33 of the M4 motorway which runs between Swansea and London. Take the A4232 towards Cardiff and exit for the B4267 and the stadium is immediately on the side. Parking is available at the stadium for £5 or in any of the City Centre car parks and nearby side streets. Please be aware that parking in the Retail Park is limited to ninety minutes and heavy clamping fees apply if you exceed this. Cardiff Central Railway Station is approximately twenty minutes walk although local branch lines from this station will take you to Ninian Park Halt which is a mere five-minute walk. Return on Investment 3 Unless Cardiff is playing Swansea then tickets can be easily purchased over the internet using the club's website or on the day of the game from the stadium ticket office located by the main entrance to the stadium. Tickets will be more difficult to purchase if the club is promoted to the Premier League. Tickets are priced as low as £9 up to £30 and are £2 cheaper if purchased in advance. In today's climate, this is good value for your money but again I suspect there would be a big price hike if the club gains promotion. Extras 4 There is a large superstore situated by the main entrance to the stadium selling a wide range of both Cardiff City and Cardiff Blues souvenirs. As normal with most British Football Clubs, a match day program is available which provides plenty of pre-match reading and is a good value for £3. Cardiff is one of the few Championship and Premier League clubs that let smokers depart the stadium at halftime into a controlled area for their fix. Final Thoughts Cardiff City Stadium comes alive on match day with local pubs and restaurants near the grounds packed with fans. Once inside the stadium, the crowd becomes electric against bigger opponents but halftime takes for a fine day of footy on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Photos by Google Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Stadium of Light Millennium Way Sunderland, England SR5 1SU Sunderland AFC website Stadium of Light website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 49,000 Sunderland 'Til I Die The Stadium of Light, one of England’s biggest stadiums, was built in 1997, providing a home for Sunderland A.F.C. The Black Cats moved here from their previous home, Rocker Park, Sunderland’s home for 99 years. The name “Stadium of Light” is a tribute to the former mining industry, which was a huge part of Sunderland’s history. Originally, the Stadium of Light was built as a 42,000 all-seater stadium, but in 2002, it was expanded to 49,000. This resulted in the North Stand being extended and now has a reputation for being a huge stand, much like Tyne-Wear Derby rival Newcastle United’s St James’ Park. As it is a simple design, the stadium can be further developed to a 63,000 all-seater ground, which would make it the third-largest soccer stadium in England. Not only are soccer matches played here, but it has played host to many concerts and has also been put forward as a venue for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Food & Beverage 3 English soccer stadiums aren’t renowned for the greatest of grub, and this falls in this category. Various pies but the price at £2.50, which is fairly reasonable, and sausage rolls and pasties will set you back £2. Beverage-wise, a pint is £3.60, which is very good for a soccer stadium, while a soft drink costs £2.00. Unlike many other stadiums, the Stadium of Light offers a variety of meal deals. For a child, the £5 meal deal includes a small chocolate bar, a packet of crisps (or chips if you’re American), a soft drink, and a sausage roll. Now, that is by far the best children’s meal deal I’ve seen at any other soccer stadium! The other meal deals include a pint, a packet of chips, and a sausage roll for £5.50, or you can change the sausage roll for a pie, which would be an additional 50p. Atmosphere 2 If I was basing this review on when Sunderland played Newcastle, I would possibly give it 6 stars, but I’m not. When Sunderland battle against Newcastle in the “Tyne-Wear Derby,” a fierce and crazy loud atmosphere is created. But as you may know, this only happens once a year at the Stadium of Light. As the team slowly declines, the negativity in the stadium rises. During the 2012-13 season, the Black Cats have been probably the most depressing and lifeless teams in the Premier League, and the fans just can’t get behind a team who have won only four times at home this season. A couple of years ago, because the Stadium of Light was a fortress and for an away team visiting, a draw would be a good result. Now, the hostile environment that the away players were used to just isn’t there, and anything less than a win is disappointing. No songs are sung by the home supporters anymore, and it seems like they just can’t be bothered, and I can’t blame them. It’s sad to see such a great stadium have so little noise. Neighbourhood 4 The surroundings of the stadium are pleasant, and there is nothing that can be faulted. On offer for the away fans is a pub and barbecue tent area, which proves extremely popular! The locals are very helpful if you are lost. Also located right outside the stadium is a fantastic aquatic complex. From an overnight point of view, just 0.2 miles away is a highly-rated hotel called “The Chase Guest House.” This is not from highly-rated experience scores, but from looking at reviews, it has a 9 out of 10 scores and is also not too expensive. If you’re wanting to make a weekend out of a trip to Sunderland, Europe’s largest shopping mall, The Metro Centre, is easily reached from the stadium. Fans 3 The team has been very poor over the last couple of years. This has resulted in a dip in crowd scores. However, that said, 40,000 people still turn up week in and week out, which is very creditable. The noise made by the fans can be deafening when they are on the counterattack, though understandably, boo their team more often than not. When Sunderland beat a major team (Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United), I have to admit that it’s something that you have to witness. The passion attendance shown by these supporters is unbelievable. Last year when Man City came to town, that exactly happened. Just watch this video and be amazed. Overall, the Black Cats fans are a friendly, loyal bunch who will stick with their team through thick and very thin. Access 5 Getting to the stadium is very easy. In and around the stadium is a lot of traffic, but is dealt with quickly and isn’t a problem at all. If quickly by train, you’re in luck. The train station is a stone’s throw away from the stadium, and that seems to be a popular choice of transport. Additionally, I recommend getting to the ground early and parking in the train station car park. I can’t remember exactly how much it is, but it is only a few pounds. From the station to the stadium, it’s about a quick five-minute walk. Otherwise, you can get a spot in the other car parks around the stadium or on the streets by the housing estate. Return on Investment 3 Although the team is pretty dismal, the ticket prices are very good. It seems like The Black Cats’ target audience is childrentravelingfive-minute because, for an Under 16, it’s only £12, which must be one of the cheapest tickets in the Premier League. For an adult, it starts at £27, which is fairly expensive for the quality of football you’re watching. The team has a lot of young, budding players, but at the moment, the excitement level is quite bad from the team. I would pay to watch Sunderland pay, just to get the experience of being at a Premier League game. Extras 4 Around the stadium are a few statues. The first one is of 1973 FA Cup-winning manager Bob Stokoe, which was unveiled in 2006. Located at the entrance, the other statue is of a Davy Lamp, a tribute to the mining industry. Also, a large “Red Wheel” is just outside the West Stand – something the miners used to use. On a game day, a couple of activity destinations are dotted around the stadium for the kids. One of them is a penalty shoot-out stall, and the other is a target shooting stall. I found this quite fun and the first I had seen at a Premier League ground. Also, a club shop is just outside the ground, and a programme is on sale for £3. It is a great read and has been regarded as among the best in the league throughout the years. Final Thoughts Visiting the Stadium of Light is something you should do. It’s a program ground, which at times can be very full of atmosphere. My only problem is that when you get there, you will be disappointed with the contest. However, overall I would recommend visiting this stadium, as it is reasonably priced to get in and has well-designed many-around all-around features that not many other stadiums have.

Photos by Google Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 bet365 Stadium Stanley Matthews Way Stoke-on-Trent, England ST4 4EG United Kingdom Stoke City FC website bet365 Stadium website Year Opened: 1997 Capacity: 28,383 Make Your Best Bet Bet365 Stadium is home to English Premier League Stoke City and was opened in 1997 following the club’s relocation from its historic Victoria Ground less than a mile away. The stadium’s name is taken from its sponsors and has an all-seated capacity of 27,598. The venue is a multi-purpose arena with banqueting suites and Delilah’s bar. It has hosted the likes of Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, and Elton John concerts. The stadium consists of four cantilever stands with the L-shaped Boothen and East stands being of a separate structure from the rest of the stadium. The main West stand, consisting of two tiers, houses the club's corporate and media facilities. The legendary Sir Stanley Mathews who officially opened the stadium had his ashes buried under the stadium’s centre circle following his death in 2000. Statues outside the stadium show his career at different stages. Food & Beverage 4 If you are feeling peckish on your approach to the stadium, the extra ten-minute wait until you are inside will be worth it. Sports stadium food in Britain often leaves a lot to be desired. This is not the case at the Britannia. The club now offers alternatives to the traditional food on offer within its new food courts. Separate kiosks are selling different ranges of burgers, hot dogs, pie, mash, peas and gravy, and curry and rice pots in addition to the normal range of food. These are all reasonably priced with meal deals on offer at £6.50 with a soft drink or £8.50 with a pint of beer or cider. The food is piping hot and of good quality. Atmosphere 4 The atmosphere generated at the Britannia is renowned for being one of the best in England’s top flight and has often been the 13th man when Stoke has beaten some of the country’s biggest clubs at the stadium. Neighborhood 3 Made up of six separate towns, Stoke on Trent is the home of the Pottery Industry and the area is commonly known as the Potteries. There are many museums to mark the city’s pottery and coal mining industry. Festival Park houses the water park and Trentham Gardens with its Monkey World and is a mere five minutes drive from the stadium. The Potteries Shopping Centre in Hanley has all the major stores with a good selection of Theatres and Cinemas also near. The Alton Towers Theme Park Resort is the area’s best-known attraction and this is a thirty-minute drive away near the town of Uttoxeter. Port Vale is the city’s other football team located in Burslem and plays in League Two of the English Football League. Although there is a Holiday Inn and Harvester by the ground there is little to do in the vicinity of the stadium. Fans 4 The club is once again established in the top flight of English football. Stoke has hard-core support and gates held at 15,000 even when the club sunk to the third tier of English football. Stoke supporters have been officially recognized by the football authorities as the noisiest supporters in the Premier League. Access 3 The stadium is located at the Junction of the A500 and A50 which is within a five-minute drive of the M6 Junction 15. Stoke-on-Trent railway station is also well-served by trains between London and Manchester. There is plenty of parking on adjacent roads and the stadium also has plenty of parking, although delays after the game are commonplace. Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham airports are all within a one-hour drive of the city. Return on Investment 3 Like all Premiership clubs, ticket prices are high and range between £35 and £45 for league games with discounts for children and O.A.P. F.A. Cup, League Cup, and Europa League games are often cheaper depending on the opposition. Big games tend to sell out early but, if planned, getting into the stadium should not be a problem. Extras 4 There is a club superstore next to the ticket office selling a wide range of merchandise. Betting Shops are also located on the stadium concourse in the vicinity of the fast food outlets. Stadium tours are available on request and programmes and fanzines are printed for each game.

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 City Ground Pavillion Rd. Nottingham, England NG2 5FJ United Kingdom Nottingham Forest website City Ground website Year Opened: 1898 Capacity: 30,576 The City Ground, Nottingham Forest Soaking in tradition, history and success, Nottingham Forest are one of the sleeping giants of English football. Under the legendary leadership of Brian Clough – who now has a stand named after him – the club won 11 trophies between 1978 and 1991. Since those halcyon days, the club’s fortunes have dwindled, remaining outside of the Premier League for the last decade or so. The first official football match was played by the club in 1866 and they settled at the City Ground in 1898 after a nomadic period in which the club hopped between various grounds in the city. The refurbishment of the Trent End represents the most recent development of the ground, raising its capacity to the current level in preparation for being a host ground as part of England’s hosting of the 1996 European Championships. Plans were mooted for a re-development of the ground in light of England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup. However, the bid’s failure has put paid to this for the near future. Food & Beverage 3 There isn’t a great deal to be excited about with the normal cheap (at least by football’s standards) and cheerful fare on offer. A portion of chips can be purchased in the perimeter of the ground for £2. Once inside, a combo of hot dog, crisps and a drink is on offer for £5.40 while a pint of lager is £3.40. Luckily, there are much better options available to you in the nearby city centre. Bear in mind that, as with Premier League grounds, you cannot take alcohol into the arena. Atmosphere 3 Nottingham Forest appears to be one of a phalanx of clubs that has fallen victim to creating a manufactured atmosphere by blaring out a flurry of music through the loudspeakers. The fans were treated to an eclectic blend of U2, Underworld and the theme tune of the British version of The Apprentice. Luckily, this is a ground that still retains an intimately authentic hue and this created a fine atmosphere as the game progressed and the music died. Before the game, the ground – situated on the South Bank of the River Trent – made things relatively idyllic. A rip-roaring victory for Forest didn’t do any harm either. Neighborhood 4 On route to the ground, you should discover a diverse range of eating and drinking options. If you want something more upmarket, the Riverbank restaurant offers three courses for £17 with the City Ground only a 10 minute stroll away. In the city centre, I picked up a delightful Ostrich burger at The Ostrich Grill for £3.50 which is no more than you will pay for a burger at the ground. Moreover, you can have certainty that it is actually made of meat. In the immediate vicinity of the ground, the Southbank bar on the corner was predictably brimming with activity. It was naturally the place to go for those looking for a quick pre-match refreshment. Do remember that all pubs near the ground should be assumed to be for home fans only. Away fans generally recommend a visit to the Olde Trip to Jerusalem 12th century pub for a charming and enlightening drink before the game. Fans 4 The fans were in fine voice, buoyed by Forest’s elevated position in the Championship table and the eventfulness of the game. Furthermore, the visitors on this occasion were Leicester City meaning it was a local derby. Thus the traveling support was healthy which always contributes to the fervour during the game. Access 4 The public transport links are frequent and consummate. Nottingham rail station is just a 20 minute walk from the ground. Once outside the station, signs for the City Ground will be almost immediately visible. If traveling by air, East Midlands Airport will be your nearest destination. Do note that parking is not available at the ground itself on match days. Finding a space nearby shouldn’t be a problem however provided that you arrive early. The official club website offers a detailed guide to all the available options. Return on Investment 4 Adult tickets vary between £20 and £30 with prices separated into various categories depending on the quality of opposition Forest are playing – this is a common procedure at English clubs. Under 18 tickets are £12 while Under 12s can enter for £6. Forest’s prices are not terribly out of sync with their contemporaries. For a visit to the home of one of English football’s most historic clubs set against the backdrop of one the country’s most vibrant cities, you will certainly get a return on your investment. Extras 3 There is not a great deal to speak of here, at least during the game. An LCD display gives you information relating to the match as the game progresses as well as displaying birthday messages. Official programmes, which are always an excellent souvenir, are available for £3. Stadium tours are offered on the last Friday of every month, costing £6 for adults and £2 for children, offering a fine opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich history of the club.

Photos by Google Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Vicarage Road Vicarage Rd Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0ER Watford FC website Vicarage Road website Year Opened: 1922 Capacity: 20,877 Up Close and Personal at Vicarage Road Vicarage Road is a stadium in the English town of Watford (Hertfordshire) in the greater London area. The nickname of the stadium is ‘The Vic’ and that name has been adopted by most of the Watford FC supporters. Since the completion of the new Sir Elton John Stand in 2014, the stadium offers seating for 20,877 spectators. Since 1922 Vicarage Road has been the home of Watford FC. The first match ever to be played at ‘The Vic’ was on the 30th of August 1922 against Millwall. Between 1997 and 2013 the stadium was shared with the rugby club Saracens. In January 2002 Watford became the owner of the stadium, but due to financial problems they had to sell the property, and the stadium was rented again. Thanks to donations from supporters and former owner Sir Elton John it was Watford FC took over the stadium again in September 2004. Vicarage Road has four different stands. The stadium has been rebuilt stand-by stand in the past three decades. The only two-tiered stand at The Vic is the Graham Taylor Stand, built in 1986, with a capacity of 5,771 seats. Behind the goals, you will find the Vicarage Road Stand (1992, 5,796 seats) and the Rookery Stand (1995, 6,960 seats). The newest stand is the Sir Elton John Stand which was opened in 2014. It is by far the smallest of the four stands with a capacity of just 3,100 seats. Food & Beverage 4 The stadium offers a wide range of food selections that have improved in recent years and you will find your basic everyday football snacks along with some local traditional dishes. The prices are a little bit higher compared to other venues in the league ranging from £4.50 to £7.50 The hot food includes a wide selection of pies from the traditional steak, chicken balti, and butter and bean. There are also vegetarian pies and vegan pasties, sausage rolls, hot dogs, and cheeseburgers; fans can add chili or barbecue chicken toppings to their hot dogs and burgers for an additional price. The variety continues with pie, mash, and gravy along with hot sub rolls, and chicken or beef curry served with rice and naan bread. Southern fried chicken and chips, vegetarian Jackfruit curry, and chips with cheese or chili or barbecue chicken are also available at the concession stands. As with any other venue in the league, fans can pick up a bag of crisps or confectionaries for a small price. The stadium offers is tea, coffee, and hot chocolate for those colder games along with soft drinks and water. All draft pints and red ales are £5 with half-pints fetching £2.80. Carlsberg and Somerby’s bottles sell for £5.20 and the wine sells for £6.20. Fans can also get pre-mix spirits and mixers for £6.20 served in the Vbar only. Atmosphere 4 As you might expect of a ground having one of the smallest seating capacities in the league, the inside of the stadium feels compact. Whilst empty, all seats inside the stadium are in the club colours: red, black, and yellow. There’s very little room beyond the sidelines and behind the goals which gives Vicarage Road an intimate character. The stands (which are almost fully enclosed) are right on top of the field making Watford fans feel like they are truly part of the action. The home fans are housed in the Rookery Stand and are most vocal in this part of the ground. The away supporters are located at the Vicarage Road Stand of the stadium. The Rookery Stand includes both restaurants the View and the Gallery along with matchday offices. The Graham Taylor Stand includes the Sir Elton John suite along with restaurants Horizons, the Grill, and the Carbon. The Sir Elton John Stan is home to a sensory room for fans on the spectrum along with the Hornets Shop team store. The Vicarage Road Stand is home to both the family stand and visitor supporter section. The 100-page program sells for £3.50. Neighborhood 2 Vicarage Road borders residential homes at the Watford General Hospital and does not feature the abundance of watering holes and restaurants that some fans might be abundant accustomed to at other grounds in the league. However, there are few places to grab a pint of a bite to eat before or after the game that is within reasonable distance by foot or near mass transportation stations. O’Neill’s, formerly The Flag, is near the Watford Junction Station and is home to a large outside seating area that is perfect early in the season. They also have a large selection of beer and a great food menu. The Mood Under Water is a casual eatery with small plates and local cuisine. The No. 8 Red Lion is the closest pub to the grounds. The Horn offers live music and an outdoor patio, and The Oddfellows is ideal for a pint or two. The Warner Bros Studio Tour offers tours of actual film sets and learn the special effects tricks used in the Harry Potter films. The Lincolnsfields Children’s Centre is home to the Forties Experience, an exhibit with 1940s artifacts, period decor & music, open to the public one Sunday per month. Fans 4 The nickname of the Watford fans is ‘The Hornets’ and their club mascot is Harry the Hornet. During the 2014-2015 season in the Championship Watford had an average home gate of around 17,500, but will surely sell out every home game in the Premier League. Their rivals are Luton Town, but they are playing in League Two at the moment. The closest Premier League ground to Vicarage Road is White Hart Lane, home of Tottenham Hotspur FC. Access 3 Driving by car to the stadium is easily reached via the M25 ring road London (exit 5 of the junction M1 motorway). Upon entering the town via the city center it will take less than 10 minutes to get to the stadium. There is no parking on the grounds and street parking is restricted for on which residents on match day. Waterford town center does have several car parks including Church Car Park, Gade Car Park, and Sutton Car Park which are all within a 10-minute walk of Vicarage Road. Watford High Street is a 10-minute walk Watford Junction is a 20-minute walk in the metropolitan line of the London Underground and is 10 to 20 minutes and one mile from the stadium. Return on Investment 3 Prices at Vicarage Road vary from £32 for a seat behind one of the goals ends, to £32 for the Sir Elton John Stand and £38 for the Graham Taylor Stand with concessions for O.A.P’s and under 16’s. We find these ticket prices quite expensive for attending a football match in the second-highest league of English football. Extras 3 The club offers stadium tours, but there are many more interesting grounds in the greater London area. The Vicarage Road stadium has also a club shop (which is located inside the Vicarage Road Stand). second-highestoffersMatchday programmes are on sale for every game priced at GBP 3.00. We were fortunate enough to be at the match where fans ran onto the pitch after the team secured their promotion to Premier League status, adding to our particular experience. Final Thoughts Watford fans are great and this is a nice stadium overall The grounds are at near capacity crowds that are up close and personal to the players on the pitch. The cheering echoes throughout the stands and the atmosphere is full of history at the facility that blends both modern and classic styles.

Photos by Michael Davis Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 The Depot at Cleburne Station 1906 Brazzell Road Cleburne, TX 76033 Cleburne Railroaders website The Depot at Cleburne Station website Year Opened: 2017 Capacity: 1,750 All Aboard to The Depot at Cleburne Station The Depot at Cleburne Station is a multi-use facility for the city of Cleburne, Texas. The facility opened on May 18, 2017, for $20.7 million. The opening of the 1,750 fixed-seat ballparks brought professional baseball back to Cleburne after a 95-year absence. Cleburne, Texas was an important hub for the Santa Fe Railway when trains would bring in cattle to push north along the Chisholm Trail to Kansas in the late 1800s. The history of professional baseball here dates back to 1906 when the original Railroaders joined the Texas League. The 1906 Cleburne team won the Texas League Championship with the talent of nine Major Leaguers, including Hall of Famer Tris Speaker. The team folded after the 1906 season. However, Cleburne would return in 1911, again with the Railroaders but this time in the Texas-Oklahoma League. The Railroaders would win their second league championship, but as before would not defend their crown the following season. Cleburne returned to the Texas-Oklahoma League 10 years later as the Cleburne Generals, playing for 2 seasons without a championship and then folding again in 1922 – Cleburne professional baseball then went dormant until the current Railroaders began to play in 2017. The Depot at Cleburne Station is a synthetic field with a dirt pitcher’s mound. The field size is asymmetrical with the left field being 335ft, while the right field is shorter at 320ft. The power alleys are 383ft (left-center) and 375ft (right-center), with the center field being 400ft. The home team occupies the third base dugout and both teams’ bullpens are in right-center hidden behind the kid’s zone. The Depot at Cleburne Station has already added an accolade to its resume – the Depot was voted by fans as their favorite independent baseball ballpark according to Ballpark Digest’s Best of the Ballparks in 2017. Food & Beverage 4 The Depot has two main concession stands, one serving each side of the baselines. The concessions are a surprise for the size of the ballpark – there is plenty of ballpark fare from peanuts, popcorn, and pretzels to candy, nachos, and hot dogs. All prices are under $5, with the items a little more expensive by $1 being the hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, and sausage dogs. There are also a couple of specialty carts; one serving Wagyu burgers for $10 and jalapeno cheese sausage for $9, and the other brisket tacos for $8, or a brisket baked potato for $9.50. There are also plenty of sweets inside the ballpark, but a staple treat is the Artic Buzz (Vodka Ice Cream) for $9. Dr. Pepper products are featured at The Depot – fountain drinks prices are $3.50, bottled water is $2.75, and sports drinks are $3.75. In addition, there are plenty of adult beverages at a reasonable price of $5.50 for Coors Light, Bud Light, Shiner Bock, Michelob Ultra, and many more. There are also specialty beers from local breweries Revolver and Houston’s Karbach brewery that improve the beer selection for $1 more than the national domestic beer. Beer is available in both cans and on draft, and Crook and Marker flavors are available for fans who want a different type of alcoholic treat. Finally, there is an alcohol special for fans that attend Saturday night games – this is the Saturday Saturday night special, a $3 16oz can of Natural Light. Atmosphere 3 The Railroaders are on target with providing a great atmosphere for fans. The Depot is set to entertain the smallest fans with the team’s mascot, Spike, or even younger fans with shorter attention spans who can shoot a few basketballs while at the ballpark. There is the expected in-between innings entertainment with race contests as well as a ringing train bell for outs and runs. Every game can be a different perception of the atmosphere for many reasons, however, if you want to have a fun night with a small amount of money then a game at The Depot is one of the best atmospheres around. Neighborhood 2 The Depot at Cleburne Station is located on the northern outskirts of the city, at the intersection of US 67 and Chisolm Trail Parkway. Cleburne is a city with a population of around 30,000; the city is named in honor of Patrick Cleburne, a Confederate general. Cleburne is approximately a 1-hour drive from DFW International Airport, 30 miles south of Fort Worth (45-minute drive), or 75 miles north of Waco. Cleburne’s downtown area features several chain restaurants on W Henderson Street. The best food option in Cleburne is sampling the local flavors, so Tex-Mex at La Cima Mexican Cuisine or a small-town American diner such as Heroes Café would be good choices. The lodging near the ballpark is basic hotel chains such as Holiday Inn & Suites-Cleburne or La Quinta Inn. However, for a more unique recommendation, check out Liberty Hotel in the center of Cleburne. Attractions around Cleburne center on outdoor activities at the 498-acre Cleburne State Park or the 1,550-acre Lake Pat Cleburne. Or, on days when the Texas heat is not safe, the Layland Museum is showing the area’s historical relics, early Texana, comprehensive Indian artifacts dating from pre-Columbian cultures, fossils, and genealogy records. Fans 4 Cleburne went 95 years without professional baseball, so in the inaugural season of the return of Railroaders, it was 100% sold out (1,780) throughout the season. Of course, that season a former Texas Ranger, Rafael Palmiero, was playing alongside his son as the main attraction. The Cleburne baseball fans embraced having professionals back in Cleburne, but last year (2018) the attendance did drop 28% to 1,285 fans per game. But this 2019 season the team averages around 1,531 fans per game despite being the smallest ballpark in the league; the average attendance is now above others in the American Association. Although the crowd at The Depot may not be on par with larger ballparks, the fans are very vocal and engaged throughout the game. The fans at The Depot at Cleburne Station are also very community-oriented, with the locals being either diehard baseball fans or families enjoying the summer at the ballpark. Local fans have waited almost a century for baseball to return to Cleburne, and the strong pride of having baseball return coupled with an already proud connection to the past means professional baseball in Cleburne has a solid path to travel on well into the future. Access 3 Cleburne is about an hour’s drive from the DFW airport, on the Fort Worth side of the Metroplex. Using Interstate 35W south from the DFW area, The Depot at Cleburne Station is located off US HWY 67 at the Nolan River Road exit, or the south end of Chisholm Trail Parkway 27 miles from Fort Worth, Texas. A large parking lot is surrounding the ballpark, as Cleburne Station has yet to be fully constructed to its potential. Fans can enter the ballpark through one of two gates, the largest being the main gate behind home plate. This entrance is the center of The Depot and contains a historic chief engine train, pre-game entertainment, and box offices. Just inside the main entrance are the pro shop and the Cleburne Baseball Museum. The other entrance is a small entrance that connects the parking lot to the first base side of the concourse. The concourse is located above the seating bowl and houses the concessions and restrooms for the ballpark. The seating bowl at The Depot has safety netting that stretches from the right field general seating berm to the third base seating berm. This will most likely be the future of baseball safety and Cleburne is leading the safety-first campaign. The ballpark does have a party view patio and suites overlooking the lower bowl of seats and the concourse, and there is also a picnic patio along the right field line that has more trains. There is also a kid’s zone located beyond the right field fence that can be seen from the general seating areas, but the kid’s zone’s premier attraction is a basketball court. The team’s bullpens are located beyond the kids’ zone. The reason access is ranked as average is the distance of Cleburne from the DFW area, but once at the ballpark access is top-notch from the parking and gates to the concourse and seating areas. Return on Investment 4 Tickets for Cleburne Railroaders games range in price from $8 for berm admission to $12 for baseline reserved seating and $14 for reserved seats around the home plate; there is also the Suites party deck or the Rahr Bar table for $15. The cheapest seating is the picnic tables on the first base side for $6.25. Parking is free in the lots surrounding the ballpark, and concessions are surprisingly reasonably priced for a sports venue, making the overall ROI on a Railroaders game above average, and providing an affordable night out for the family. Extras 4 The Railroaders name connects not only Cleburne’s baseball past but also the history of this small Texas city, and the ballpark theme and future development at Cleburne Station is a great concept in continuing Cleburne’s history. Also, the Cleburne Baseball Museum located inside the main entrance is a great place to read about Cleburne baseball’s past teams. The ballpark itself is small, but is a perfect fit for Cleburne, and will give local baseball fans the enjoyment of watching the game for years to come. Final Thoughts The Depot at Cleburne Station is the headstone of future development around Cleburne, and the brand-new ballpark has the potential to keep professional baseball in Cleburne for many years to come. While Cleburne, Texas may not be a tourist hot spot, what it does have is an immaculate ballpark for any baseball fan. Any sports traveler in the Dallas-Fort Worth area should make a road trip to Cleburne and get aboard the Railroaders train at The Depot at Cleburne Station.

Photos by Google Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 The Den Zampa Rd London, England SE16 3LN Millford FC website The Den website Year Opened: 1993 Capacity: 20,146 Let ‘Em All Come Down to the Den When you think of Millwall a couple of thoughts may come to mind. It might be the reputation of violence during matches that has been formed by decades of events, most recently video footage of an Everton fan being slashed across the face during the FA Cup. The Millwall Community Trust has worked effortlessly to change such notions about the club. You may also think of them as giant killers who as of this writing are tied with Southampton with 25 victories of higher division clubs in the FA Cup. The Lions defeated five out of seven Premier League clubs that included the 3-2 victory over Everton in January 2019. The club has had 14 such knockouts since the end of World War II. The Den is the home to the Millwall Football Club and was built a quarter of a mile from its predecessor many now called The Old Den. The stadium was significant in many ways as it was the first constructed after the Taylor Report on the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 and the first new professional football stadium built in London since 1937. The £16 million structure was designed with being able to manage crowds with escape routes being precise and quick in case of a situation. The old Den had a reputation for hostile crowds for certain matches. Plans called originally for 25,000 to 35,000 people but were scaled down to 20,000 where it currently stands at this time. Millwall has been resident most of the time in the EFL Championship except for the two seasons in League One from 2015-2017. The club captured League One playoff championships in both 2010 and 2017 and last played in England’s first division in 1990. The club was founded as The Millwall Rovers by workers of J.T. Morton’s canning and preserve factory in 1885. The club moved into the Football League in 1920 through the creation of the FL Third Division. The club won 59 home games without a defeat from August 1964 to January of 1967. The Lions have been known as Cup Killers this century reaching the final game in 2004, the semifinals in 2013, the quarterfinals in 2017, and 2019. Food & Beverage 3 The food options have improved in recent years and fans will be delighted to find a selection of pies from the Pie Factory that includes steak and ale, chicken balti, cheese and onion pasties, and sausage rolls. Burgers and chips are also available on the main concourse as well as a selection of ales. Atmosphere 3 The Den is a simple design but it was carefully crafted for English Football. The grounds consist of four separate stands that are double-tiered and covered from the elements. All of the views for the stands provide a close and accurate view of the pitch with limited obstruction. The crowd at the game is focused on the match and hand and belts out songs and chants, most notably the Clash’s “London’s Calling” and “Let ‘Em Come.” The east stand is known as the Dockers Stand, a tribute to the city’s earlier history and supporter-based Thames dockers. The south stand is called the Cold Blow Lane Stand and is named after the street which led to the former stadium. The Barry Kitchener Stand is in honour of Lion's longest-tenured player. These stands are for the Millwall supporters and if you are a visitor, it would be wise to find a spot in the north stand. The North Stand is where visiting supporters sit and offers seating for 4,000 people. The stand also houses the executive suites, press box, and family enclosure. This might be the best view of the pitch and with away supporters restricted to this stand, it might also be the safest place to watch a game at The Den. A lot has changed since the 1980s when visiting fans were known to get into scuffles and sustain injuries to Millwall’s “naughty” fans and that reputation still exists to this day. Like many other football stadiums in England, it is safe for visiting fans for a majority of games at The Den. However, it would be proper to take precautions as the grounds can be intimidating before and after the match. The Club Shop was renovated at the beginning of the last decade and offers a selection of merchandise and has a more modern feel inside its doors. Kits, shirts, scarves, and match day programmes can be found on sale for fans looking to add to their collection. The club also employs a giant lion mascot named Zampa who offers hugs and photo opportunities to fans of all ages before, during, and after the match. Neighbourhood 3 There are not many places to eat or visit near the stadium but there are various spots on your way from the London Bridge (more places to sit down and have a meal) area and Cross Gate tube station. It should be noted that if you are wearing visiting colors you should stay out of supporters' bars. The Yellow House Bar and Kitchen specialize in pizzas, sandwiches, and even vegetarian and vegan options. The Elite Fish bar offers fish and chips for a fast meal before or after the match. Fourpure Brewing Company has a location close to the stadium offering pints of craft beer. Other places for a pint include The Shipwrights Arms and Bunch of Grapes Pub two supporter bars. The Barrow Boy & Banker and the Shipwright’s Arms are two popular venues with away supporters. The Borough Market is next to the London Bridge Underground Station and is renowned for its food, drink, and other products. The Brindisa Stall is known for its chorizo roll, Kappacasein features the cheese toastie, and Portena is known for its beef, chicken, and chorizo empanadas. Hobbs Roast Meat serves baguettes, wraps, and buns full of things you’d usually find in a roast-bring napkin. The Den is near many tourist attractions in London and just across the Thames in London Tower which offers guided tours. The Walkway at Tower Bridge offers breathtaking views of London from atop the bridge. The Tate Modern Art Gallery, Imperial War Museum, and the Royal Observatory at Greenwich Park are other options nearby the grounds. Fans 3 Millwall fans have a historic association with football hooliganism that gained notoriety in the 1980s. Depending on who you ask, the fans can be the most passionate groups or some of the roughest core in England. The home fans are among the most knowledgeable and have a great sense of wit and keen observation of the game. There have been reports, videos, and articles on the violence before and after matches, and is fine to take precautions. Away supporters have their mass transit link to keep them away from home supporters. However, one could attend a game and not run into any problems and perhaps keep away club colours at home. Access 3 The best way to access The Den on game day is through public transit. There are very limited parking lots near the facility and there is not an official lot for supporters of the Lions. If you do decide to drive there, arrive early to find street parking but that fills up quickly. You can book parking spots at private lots that range from a 7-20 minute walk from the grounds. The Den Stadium lacks any official parking, meaning that on-street parking is the only real option for drivers. However, these spaces can fill up quickly, and it is best to book your parking space in advance of any match day. The nearest station to the ground is South Bermondsey Railway Station, which is just a 5-minute walk from the ground. The nearby Calmont Road is the home of the under-18s team who do their training here. Return on Investment 3 Ticket pricing is divided into three categories of A, B, and C, and differs based on age, membership, and service in the arm forces. Also, depending on when you purchase a ticket can be the price point. The average price for an adult ticket in category A is £29.50, category B £26.50, and category C £24.40. Ticket pricing for other groups is slightly less and children under 12 years of age are as low as £5 for category C. Concession pricing is also reasonable and along with the same price points as other grounds in the league. Extras 3 One point for the fans who are renowned for their terrace chant “No one likes us, we don’t care”. There are also a few more chants that are sung by supporters that include “Let ’em Come” and “Shoeshine Boy”. A second point is for the current renovations that provide fans with some of the best views in English Football. Final Thoughts The Den offers great views from almost every part of the grounds and is the perfect size for being close to the action. It is clean, comfortable, and a serviceable stadium that has shown its age in certain places but offers an array of food kiosks and social quarters. The Den and its supporters have their reputation but for the most part, makes for an ideal afternoon for football in London.

Stadium Info FANFARE SCORE: 3.29 Gila River Arena 9400 W Maryland Ave Glendale, AZ 85305 Map It Arizona Coyotes website Gila River Arena website Year Opened: 2003 Capacity: 17,799 Los Yotes The Arizona Coyotes hockey team began as the Winnipeg Jets in 1972. Due to financial troubles, the Jets team moved to Phoenix in 1996 and became the Phoenix Coyotes. (Thankfully, Winnipeg now has a successful NHL team – one not to be missed when visiting NHL arenas). In 2014, the Coyotes changed their name from the Phoenix Coyotes to the Arizona Coyotes to be all-inclusive of Arizona and for marketing purposes. The Coyotes first played at the America West Arena, now named the Footprint Center, before relocating to the Glendale Arena (now known as Gila River Arena) midway during the 2003–04 NHL season. The lease with the city of Glendale expires at the end of the 2021-2022 season. The city is not offering to renew it. In September 2021, the team submitted a proposal to the city of Tempe for a $1.7 billion arena and entertainment complex. Many fans are excited about a new hockey arena on the east side of town. That motion is still in the works and plans for a temporary home while a new building is under construction have not been announced. Stadium Journey says one final goodbye to Gila River Arena. Food & Beverage 4 Gila River Arena has a wide variety of food selections; much more than your standard stadium fare. The arena is leaning towards using local restaurants for their concessions. The choices are much more preferable and varied on the first level than on the second level. Examples include: Blue Line Deli sells tasty chicken Caesar salad, meatball heroes, and soppressata Caprese sandwiches ($12 – $13). Brat Haus (home of the big weenie) provides brats, burgers, and beer. Gadzooks sells its signature tacos. Streets of New York Pizza sells chicken wings and personal size pizza (including gluten free) for $7 – $13. The Goal Line and the Center Ice stands provide the standard stadium fare of hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, and candy, which run from $5 (candy) to $13 (souvenir popcorn). Various carts like Wetzel Pretzels and Maui Wowi line the concourses. Domestic and premium beers cost $13 – $14; Pepsi products are a pricey $8 with bottled water $6. Not quite sure why the city of Glendale didn’t put an Arizona Brewery stand on the concourse but instead one from San Diego – Saint Archer Brewing Company. It offers cocktails, hard seltzer, and draft beers. All concessions are cashless. Atmosphere 4 Gila River Arena and the Coyotes provide a noteworthy game day experience. The arena has three levels of seating with suites between the first and second levels. Drink rails are provided on the second level (quite nice); though there are none on the first level (too bad). Loge Boxes and Loge Tables are in place of where drink rails would be on the first level. Fans can walk the entire concourse on both the first and second levels. The steps are very steep on the second level; handrails are provided. Fans enter at the top of the concourses and then walk down to their seat rows with row A the closest row to the rink. The seats themselves are average width; there is almost no leg room between the rows. In 2018, the city of Glendale (owner of the arena) and ASM Global (the organization that operates the Coyotes) installed a respectable, larger center hung scoreboard; it is the perfect size for the arena and provides fans with nice clear, crisp images and video simulcasts and replays. Closed captioning was not offered at the game Stadium Journey visited, but we were told it is normally on the ribbon board in the four corners of the rink. The concourse columns have player images imprinted on them. Arizona high school, college, and club team jerseys are attractively hung in the main entrance area of the concourse. Seven former Coyotes players and Wayne Gretzky are recognized in Ring of Honor displayed on the facing above the top level of seats. Shane Doan #19 is the only Coyotes player’s number retired so far. The temperature is quite pleasant in the arena. More NHL hockey arenas should take note. It is not cold in the rink and only a sweatshirt or jacket is needed. The music volume level is acceptable. Fans can have conversations during stoppages of play without yelling at each other except, of course, after a Coyotes goal when there’s a loud cannon boom and a whole lot of noise and welcomed cheering. Neighborhood 5 The neighborhood is the Westgate Entertainment District, an outdoor mall and leisure activity zone which includes the rink, a movie theater, restaurants, live music, breweries, bars, shops, people watching, hotels, and more. These are all situated across the plaza of Gila River Arena. Places in the district for a pre-game meal or drink include Yard House, State 48 Funk House Brewery, Fat Tuesdays, and McFaddens. Be sure to check their website for happy hour specials; some of them do not include event days or weekends. First Watch (breakfast/lunch), Manna Korean BBQ, Opa Life (Greek), Salt Tacos y Tequila, Whiskey Rose, Hot N Juicy Crawfish are all just steps away from the arena. Plenty of fast food establishments like Chipotle, Crumbl (cookies), Cold Stone Creamery, Dutch Bros Cofee, Five Guys, etc. are also in the mall area. For other things to do, a Dave and Buster’s and an AMC movie theater are in the mall area. The Desert Diamond Casino – West Valley is less than a mile from the arena. Historic Downtown Glendale is just about five miles from Gila River. It has a few blocks of shops, antiques, crafts, a civic center, places to eat, and more. During hockey season, the weather is almost always pleasant, so visiting downtown is a way to pass an hour or two. Hotels within walking distance of the arena include Hampton Inn and Suites, Home2Suites, Renaissance, and Aloft. More affordable hotels are just across Glendale Ave (still less than a mile distance) and include Residence Inn, Staybridge, Townplace, and Holiday Inn Express. Other sports nearby during hockey season include the Arizona Cardinals football (across the parking lot from Gila River Arena). Grand Canyon University is a little over eight miles where sports fans can watch their baseball and very successful basketball teams. Peoria Sports Complex is eight miles north on Loop 101 where the Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres hold their spring training. The LA Dodgers and Chicago White Sox play their spring training games at nearby Camelback Ranch. Both of those stadiums also host Arizona Fall League games. Fans 3 Arizona Coyotes fans are a faithful bunch. You’ll see all kinds of the various Coyotes team jerseys worn as well as many other NHL team jerseys. The fans are polite and enjoy their team. No worries about getting hassled if wearing an opposing team’s jersey. Attendance dropped down to about 75% capacity in the late 2010s, but when Alex Meruelo took over the ownership in 2019, and with a winning season, attendance grew to 85% capacity (until COVID hit). Arizona Coyotes fans are excited about the new ownership as they had experienced instability and even bankruptcy in previous ownerships. Access 2 Gila River Arena isn’t in downtown Phoenix but 13 miles in the northwest suburb of Glendale, right off Loop 101 and right next door to State Farm Stadium (home of the NFL Arizona Cardinals). The closest airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, about 20 miles. Parking is abundant at $15 to $75 a spot surrounding the venue and the adjacent mall. Park at the mall and spend the $15 mall parking fee on food or drinks at participating venues, and those venues will take the parking fee off the receipt. The mall parking lot closes off many of their aisleways so it is a nuisance to find the best way to enter. If you don’t mind walking ¼ mile, park at the Tanger Outlets on 95th St for free and walk over. Traffic getting out of the parking lot after games is a mess. Hang out 15 – 30 min after the game for all that to settle. Six gates are available for entry, with Gate 4 the most popular and directly in front of the Westgate Entertainment District and plaza area. Public transportation is not available at all to the arena; driving is the only method. Gila River Arena has a mystifying, absurd no bag policy where fans are not even permitted to bring a clear 12“ x 6” x 12” bag into the building. Stadium administration told me fans in wheelchairs (who carry a bag larger than 4” x 6”) or fans with other medical items that don’t fit in 4” x 6” purse have to travel all the way to Gate 1 to enter the arena. It’s almost like the city of Glendale doesn’t want visitors at their venue, especially those with medical conditions. Here’s hoping the new arena does a better job. Return on Investment 2 Food and drink costs are the standard higher amount stadium prices and no ‘value item menus’ are offered at Gila River Arena. Coyotes tickets range from $23 to $549+ (depending on the day and visiting team). Depending on visiting team, these are more affordable than other NHL teams. With the no bag policy, no public transportation, and the distance from downtown Phoenix, it’s not quite worth the sports dollar investment. Extras 3 The team has varied its logo over the years, beginning with a kachina-style coyote, then a howling coyote, and a crescent moon. The Coyotes have returned to the slick-looking kachina-style coyote for their last season in Glendale. The Coyotes Den merchandise shop is large, bright, with plenty of room to walk around. It sells an abundance of clothing choices (all logos), and other items, including the prohibited clear stadium bags. You can buy them, but you just can’t use them here. Located in the Westgate Entertainment District deserves an extra mention. Enjoy the water fountain displays in front of the arena. Final Thoughts With a new owner and a winning record, the Coyotes are drawing more crowds. The baffling and unfriendly arena entry rules and lack of public transportation make getting to Gila River Arena a difficult trip for some. If you’re a hockey fan and want to make one last trip to Gila River Arena, do it this 2021-2022 season.

Photo by Michael Rusignuolo, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Sportpark Pioneers Nieuwe Molenaarslaan 10, 2134 AS Hoofddorp, Netherlands Hoofddorp Pioniers website Sportpark Pioneers website Year Opened: 2004 Capacity: 1,000 Fit for the Majors The Pioniers don’t have as long a pedigree as some other Dutch baseball teams. The club was founded in 1966, a relative latecomer, but they quickly picked up a corporate sponsor, Konica Minolta, in 1969 and were known as the Konica Minolta Pioniers until as recently as 2010, when the sponsorship ended. Looking to bounce back after the separation–and returning to their original name of Hoofddorp Pioniers–the Pioniers started an ambitious new stadium project that looked to lure the MLB to Dutch shores. The 1,000-seat Sportspark Pioneers opened in 2014, but it is extendable to seat over 30,000. The $13-million stadium is the newest in the league and the only one to compete with Rotterdam for title of the best in the country. They went all-in on catering to the MLB, even going so far as shipping in tons of American clay for the playing surface foundation. Sadly for them, London won out for the 2020-1 MLB series, but they still hope to attract the MLB in the future. Sportpark Pioneers is the newest and best baseball facility in the country, but it both benefits and suffers from its location in a suburb right next to Schiphol Airport, though it is an unbeatable value. [All prices are in Euros. At the time of writing, one Euro is worth about $1.15.] Food & Beverage 3 Even if this ballpark is designed to attract the MLB, the food and drink options are on a small scale. All the consumables are found in the “DuckOut,” the bar/lounge on the second floor of the clubhouse. The food selection is a little limited, but it is cheap and tasty. There is a wide selection of cold and hot sandwiches and sausages (€3.50 and under), as well as small, medium, and large pizzas (€3.50/€6.50/€8.50). There is a requisite selection of frites (€2.30 and under, a gigantic “team-sized” basket is €16), as well as Dutch meatballs in 10, 20, and 30 pieces (€4.95, €9.95, €15.00). Beer is served up at the large U-bar in the DuckOut. There is a small selection of mostly regional brews (Hertog Jan, Jupiler, Corona) as well as wine, but for alcohol prices topping out at €3, you really can’t complain too much. Coke rules the roost for your non-alcoholic beverages. Take your pick of local beers and try some Dutch meatballs (€4.95 for 10). Popping these while watching the game may make you a convert from corn dogs. Atmosphere 4 Sportpark Pioneers is one the premiere baseball facilities in The Netherlands, with only Rotterdam to contest them for the title. Most of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse stadiums are about the level of Rookie-level ball in the American minors, but this stadium is easily on the AA facilities level. The seating area of the park is located behind a three-level building that serves as the stadium facade. An automatic rotating door provides access. On the ground floor are the small team store, restrooms, and access to the player areas. Getting to the second level, there is a long corridor, holding the “business lounge” and patio, and further down the hallway, the DuckOut clubhouse bar and grill. Doors lead out onto the main deck overlooking the field. The third level is taken up by a professional announcer’s booth that has the best view of the field. Smoking is still quite popular in The Netherlands, and the patio overlooking the seats has several picnic tables with ashtrays built in, as well as two small plazas at either end of the building, to accommodate smokers. Stairs run down at intervals to the one row of seats that runs from about first base above the home dugout to about third base above the visiting dugout. The seats themselves are modern fold-down models, a rarity in a league with mostly molded plastic monstrosities. A digital scoreboard sits in left-center above the outfield wall, against the backdrop of trees and a few buildings. As is the case in most Honkbal Hoofdklasse games, there are no mascots or between-innings entertainment you will have come to expect in all levels of American baseball. Sportpark Pioneers goes further than most, for in addition to the batter walk-up music and Seventh Inning Stretch, the press box will also throw in minor league standard sound effects, such as breaking glass when a foul ball heads towards the parking lot, for example. The Dutch don’t even play the national anthem before games or fly their flag. Since this is a step up from club ball, however, there are some nice vestiges of sportsmanship. Each batter coming the plate for the first time usually shakes the hand of the umpire and the opposing catcher. You can sit wherever you want except in the dugout, so choose what suits you best. Spread out on a picnic table on the plaza or grab a seat behind home plate so close you can have a legitimate beef with the umpire. Neighborhood 3 There are the good and the bad with being right next to the airport. On the one hand, you do okay with restaurants and really well with hotels. On the other, it is a bit of a cultural wasteland. There are a good number of restaurants a short distance from the park, mostly in central Hoofddorp. Right by the park is the hip eatery Toolenburg Restaurant Long Island. In Hoofddorp itself, there is the Trattoria Buoni Amici, Arabesque, Restaurant Elders, PLEIN 14, Da Rosario, and Nooristan Restaurant. The locale by the airport doesn’t provide much for attractions. There are a couple of minor historic sights nearby, but all your points of major interest lies in Haarlem to the northwest and Amsterdam to the northeast. Being this close to the nation’s major airport means that there are hotels aplenty. Closest to the park is the Floriande Bed & Breakfast, and just to the north are Courtyard by Marriott Amsterdam Airport, Bastion Hotel Schiphol Hoofddorp, B&B Schiphol Airport, and the Hotel Restaurant De Beurs. There’s a dozen more slightly further to the east and perhaps a hundred within a short drive, so take your pick. Fans 3 Baseball (or honkbal, as it is known locally) is very much a fringe sport in The Netherlands, and for all of Europe for that matter. The Dutch Honkbal Hoofdklasse is one of the only semi pro/professional leagues on the continent, sharing the distinction with the Italian Baseball League. The Pionier’s regular season games get the average Dutch crowds across the league (between 100-250 people per game), but on the higher end of that range. After games and practices at the surrounding ball fields end, the players and spectators come over to watch the top-level men play. Another out-of-the-ordinary status quo is that there are usually pet dogs at every game. It is a welcome change for dog lovers, less so if you don’t like them. Those fans that are there (both home and visitor alike) are into the game. A small fan base is generally a dedicated one, and they are into the action as the game went on to conclusion. Access 3 Although it is only a short distance from the nation’s main airport, it is pretty hard to get to Sportpark Pioneers unless you drive. Given the overall efficiency of Dutch public transit, it is difficult to get to Sportpark Pioneers, even from the airport. You have to use two buses (Connexxion Bus 300 to Connexxion Bus 169 to Sportc. Kon. W-Alexander stop, €3.51) taking over a half hour and for a relatively expensive price. You’re better off driving or taking a cab or ride share from the airport, which is only a 10-15 minute trip for not a lot more money. The stadium has its own parking lot attached to the stadium, there is plenty of free bicycle parking, and cabs and ride shares can drop off right at the front gate. The only entrance to the stadium is the main gate outside the parking lot. Entrance to the seating areas are either through the main building grandstand or stairs at the end of either terminus. There is a large plaza outside the park that lets you walk around and access the other fields in the complex. There is a spacious walkway at the top of the grandstand leading down to the seats and ending in two raised plazas at either end of the clubhouse. Return on Investment 5 There is no admission fee for Sportpark Pioneers. (They’ll need to fix that situation if they want the MLB to show up.) Most of the food and drinks are €3.50 or under, including alcoholic drinks, and only the larger, shareable food items are more than that (and well worth the cost for what you get). You simply can’t beat those prices. Extras 3 As with all the Dutch stadiums, extras are at a minimum. The clubhouse has a selection of baseball memorabilia, as well as club trophies and awards. The team store in the first level sells a selection of generic baseball merchandise and a small set of team and league goodies. There is a small playground outside the park for kids, and the main facade of the stadium has a whimsical giant bat column holding it up. There are several memorials, including five retired numbers on the outfield wall, the plazas on either side of the grandstand named in memory of local baseball luminaries (Van Zullien and Fysio Cura), the plaza in front of the park named for another local baseball legend (Koene), and two plaques in the building honoring softball sponsors and the Club of 100. As Dutch clubhouse personnel are almost all volunteers, they are polite and helpful to a person and are always glad to talk to and assist visitors. Final Thoughts Sportpark Pioneers was built to attract the attention of the MLB, and it certainly can turn heads with its new, modern facilities. As with most Dutch baseball, it has an unbeatable value, but it is hard to get there without driving, and it must content with the double-edge sword of being right next door to a major airport.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Gray-Minor Stadium Anderson Dr Lexington, VA 24550 VMI Keydets website Gray-Minor Stadium website Year Opened: 2007 Capacity: 1,400 K is for Keydets The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is located in Lexington, Virginia, and is one of six Senior Military Academies in the United States. The SMAs represents a sort of middle ground between the service academies and civilian universities. Of the six academies, VMI is the only one that does not also admit civilian students, but all of them share some common traits. All SMAs have a Corps of Cadets with military standards and training comparable to the service academies, but unlike service academies, students are not required to enlist in the military upon graduation. Nonetheless, many choose to do so and have served the United States in wars around the world. Unlike the service academies, senior military academies are not tied to any one branch, and VMI graduates have gone on to serve in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Many VMI cadets and graduates also fought in the Confederate military during the American Civil War, and it was referred to as the “West Point of the Confederacy” at the time. VMI’s athletic teams are known as the Keydets, which is a way of saying “Cadet” with a southern drawl, and the school’s baseball team has called Gray-Minor Stadium home since 2007. The stadium is named after two VMI graduates, Elmon T. Gray, a former Virginia State Senator, and Gil Minor. The stadium replaced Patchin Field on the same spot, which now lends its name to the soccer field next door. Food & Beverage 2 There is one concession stand at Gray-Minor Stadium, located across the concourse from the press box. The selections are basic and include hot dogs ($4), pretzels ($3.75), nachos ($3.50, extra cheese for $1 more), candy ($3), and soda and water ($3). Credit cards are accepted, as is cash. Keep in mind the stand closes relatively early, so get your food and drink in time. Outside food and beverage may be brought in as well. Atmosphere 3 Nestled in the scenic Shenandoah Valley, Gray-Minor Stadium offers a view of hillsides and trees beyond the outfield fence. Inside the stadium itself, you will find two levels of seats on the first base side of the field, chairbacks below the concourse, and benches above. Only the lower chairbacks are available on the third-base side. A scoreboard beyond the left-centerfield fence shows a linescore as well as basic graphs and animations, but no video. The Keydets do put some effort into the atmosphere here. Each player has their walkup song and they also play canned organ music (obviously not from a real organ) and sound effects at the appropriate time, such as the Roadrunner “Meep Meep” sound when the Keydets steal a base. Neighborhood 1 Lexington, Virginia has been given the rather cynical and ironic nickname Lex Vegas. Unlike its Nevada counterpart, Lexington is a small, quaint, conservative college town in Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley. Even more unlike the real Vegas, the entertainment scene here is almost non-existent. There are many ways to take in the natural beauty of the Valley in and around Lexington, plus some historic sites on and around the Institute, but that’s about it. Fans 3 The Keydets typically draw a few hundred fans a game, although this can vary widely depending on the weather and what else is going on. The fans seem knowledgeable about the team as well as life on the VMI post in general. There is a small but extremely passionate and vocal group of student cadets who will typically sit to the right of the press box on the third-base side. They are notorious for heckling opposing players and umpires. If there were more an about a dozen of them this could be an extremely hostile atmosphere for opposing teams to play, but despite their small size, they still manage to contribute greatly. Access 3 To get to VMI, you will need to take Interstate 64 to Exit 55. Fans coming from the north or south will need to first take Interstate 81 to Exit 191 for I-64 – Exit 55 is the next once you get on. From there, it is a short drive to the Institute. Once on campus, you will need to park in the lot outside Paulette Hall, then walk down a pathway and up a flight of steps to reach the concourse. There is ample space to move around once you get up there. Restrooms are located to the right of the concession stand and are of a more than ample size for the crowds. Return on Investment 5 Admission to a Keydets baseball game is free. Concessions are affordable and parking is free. The only downside is you’re probably going to have to spend a bit on gas to get here. With a good atmosphere in a scenic setting, a trip to Keydets baseball is an excellent value. . Extras 2 One bonus star for the extreme energy brought by the cadets cheering on their team, even if there are only a few of them. There are plaques on the back of the press box honoring the stadium’s namesakes, Elmon T. Gray and Gil Minor. Final Thoughts Although the Virginia Military Institute is far from the first school that comes to mind when you think of college sports in Virginia, the Spirit of VMI is alive and well at Gray-Minor Stadium. Taking in a baseball game in a scenic setting on a historic campus is well worth it for any visitors to the area.