Photos by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Goodwin Field 800 N State College Blvd Fullerton, CA 92831 Cal State Fullerton Titans website Goodwin Field website Year Opened: 1992 Capacity: 3,500 FULL of Winning When it comes to college baseball prestige the California State University Fullerton squad seems to always be at the forefront of discussions. While the USC Trojans are college baseball’s all-time leaders in National Titles, the Titans continue to compete for that coveted prize year in and year out. To date, Cal State Fullerton Baseball boasts four National Championships, along with 16 appearances to the College World Series. Goodwin Field, formerly known as Titan Field, is now the third home field of the baseball program and continues to evolve into one of the premier parks in all of college baseball. The stadium opened in 1992 and was renamed in 2000 after Jerry and Merilyn Goodwin made a sizable donation to help fund many of the renovations to the stadium. Food & Beverage 4 A single permanent stand that also flows into the school's soccer stadium offers many of the ballpark staples, including beef hot dogs ($4), nachos with cheese ($3.75), soft pretzel ($2.50, add $0.50 for cheese), churros ($2.75), peanuts ($2.25), cheeseburger ($4.50), and a variety of smaller snacks. Pepsi product fountain drinks from 24 to 44 ounces are also reasonably priced ($2.50-$4.50). The food truck featured during this particular game was Barcelona on the Go. For a food truck, the prices for their offerings are also very reasonable. Some of their choices are the Grilled Chicken Sandwich or Quesadilla ($7.50), Pulled Pork Quesadilla ($8.50) and the Barcelona Paella Bowl ($8.50). Some of the sweet treats offered are ice cream bars and sandwiches ($3), deep fried oreos and funnel cakes ($5), kettle corn ($3, $5 and $8) and strawberry banana, pina colada and mango orange smoothies ($5 for a small, $8 for a regular and $10 for a tiki, $6 for a tiki refill). What may go unnoticed is the price of the basic concessions compared to a previous visit actually decreased. It may not mean much to some, but when the cost of stadium food is always on the rise, it’s always good to know when venues, especially one of CSUF’s notoriety, looks after their fans by doing their best to make the stadium dining experience one that won’t put too much of a hole in their pockets. Atmosphere 5 The moment you walk inside Goodwin Field you get a sense of a deep baseball tradition. Upon entry, fans are greeted along the concourse by the Titans Wall of Honor, featuring names and jersey numbers of past Fullerton greats including Phil Nevin, Justin Turner, Kurt Suzuki, Tim Wallach and legendary manager Augie Garrido who is responsible for three of Fullerton’s four national titles. Along the first base dugout is the Pierre Nicolas Wall of Champions that pays tributes to Fullerton’s four National Championship teams as well as their past Golden Spikes Award winners. Also along the first base concourse you also get a full glimpse of the Anderson Family Field, home to the lady softball sluggers. No matter where you are in the yard, you feel a strong baseball vibe all the way to the accolades that adorn the walls of the concourses as well as the outfield fences. Neighborhood 3 The neighborhood around the Cal State Fullerton campus offers a decent amount of off-campus dining, including your standard chains Five Guys Burgers and Panera Bread; Pepe’s Mexican is also a favorite among students for its huge portions and reasonable prices. Oggi's, a brewhouse that not only specializes in pizza but has a full dining area with multiple screens to view other sporting action, has several chains in Orange and San Diego counties, including Fullerton. If you have time to kill before a game, the Fullerton Arboretum , located on campus behind the right field fence, provides a nice nature like setting with trees and plants from around the world inside a 25 acre botanical garden. You will also be glad to know that the House of Mouse is just a short 15-20 minute drive from campus should you and your fellow travelers decide on paying that most famous mouse a visit. Should you happen to do your lodging in Orange County, plenty of options, though some on the pricey side are available surrounding the area around Disneyland and are a short drive from not only the CSUF campus but also Angel Stadium and the Honda Center . Fans 5 It is difficult to question the commitment of the Fullerton fans as they typically rank in the top 30 of college baseball attendance. Regardless of the opponent or day of the week, the larger capacity venue is often filled. With four National Championships, 17 College World Series appearances and frequent NCAA Tournament appearances since 1975, it’s no surprise that fans regularly fill the stands. The loyalty of Titan baseball runs true and deep among the Blue and Orange clad fans. If you get a chance, stop by Section A in the General Admission seats along the right field side. Out there is what fans simply refer to as The Superfan, a bearded fan with a Viking like voice that can be heard throughout the yard, and is at most if not all the games. Stop by and say hi, chances are he’ll not only take a picture with you but he may ask you to help him lead some cheers. Access 4 Titan Field is relatively simple to access via the 5, 57, and 91 freeways. In fact, the stadium is only 7 miles from both Angel Stadium and the Honda Center . Depending on when you go, you may even be able to make a baseball or hockey/baseball doubleheader out of your stay on The OC. Though parking is plentiful, you will want to give yourself ample time to arrive as the lots fill up quickly. Once inside, the concourse above the stands is very pedestrian friendly. The concourse flowing into the soccer stadium where the concession stand serves both venues helps immensely as fans are able to stroll the area there as well. The concourse that flows into the soccer stadium is where fans can purchase their sweet treats as those stands are set up there as well. Return on Investment 4 Tickets for most games are $18 for box seats, $11 for reserved, $10 adult general admission, senior GA $8, youth GA 8th grade and younger $6. With a high caliber program and fans regularly filling the stands, Cal State Fullerton is one of the few schools that take advantage of the premium game pricing. The good news is it’s only a $2 price increase. For games against Stanford, USC, UCLA and 3 game series against UC Irvine, Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara, box seats go for $13, reserved for $13. Adult general admission goes for $12, senior GA $10, youth 8th grade and younger $8. With Fullerton baseball, there are not many down seasons; in fact, there is seldom a losing streak. Rarely do winning traditions equate fans turning away from the value proposition and consequently the stands are often full. Extras 5 After picking up a ticket to the game at the box office, fans will walk up a palm tree lined walkway, definitely providing a Southern California feel to the venue. At the top of the walkway, fans can look out onto the field and take note of some of the unique items the field offers. As you walk toward the press box along the concourse, on the third base side is a tall standup board that displays the starting lineups of both teams. Above the starting lineups on the wall is a display featuring Titan All-Americans, National Players of the Year, and other player accolades as well as honoring their four National Champion teams from 1979, 1984, 1995 and 2004. With a title from each decade since 1975 and Fullerton being a regular in the NCAA tournament, it’s only natural to think CSUF is due for another one before this decade ends. Along the first base concourse is the Pierre Nicolas Wall of Champions, and as you look out to the center field scoreboard, you will see flags of every team in the Big West Conference, presumably in the order of that day’s standings. Along the outfield walls, fans will notice these items: Circles with the year of National Championship teams in them on the left field wall. Close to the right field foul pole, the initials "MC" are listed. This is homage to Mike Campbell, a long time equipment manager who passed in 2011 after a long bout with cancer. A former Cal State Fullerton golfer, he was a staple of the Fullerton baseball program for many years, appearing at many games despite living in Santa Cruz. Lastly, in right-center field is a message that reads "The Saarloos Family says Good Luck Titans; only 1,544 miles to Omaha." This is an obvious nod to past championships and the pursuit of the next with the College World Series taking place in Omaha, NE. Final Thoughts Despite playing in the backyard of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Titans remain one of the hotter tickets in Orange County. With four national championships and a team that is almost always certain to make a post-season run, it’s easy to see why fans here consistently fill up the yard. Of all the college yards I’ve had the chance to visit in Southern California, Goodwin Field, with their loyal fans and fan friendly amenities abound, may arguably be the best.

Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Molineux Stadium Waterloo Rd. Wolverhampton, England WV1 4QR United Kingdom Wolverhampton Wanderers website Molineux Stadium website Year Opened: 1889 Capacity: 31,700 Wandering Around Molineux Ever since seeing relegation from the Premier League in 2012, Wolverhampton Wanderers have plummeted down the English football ranks, playing the 2013-14 season in the third tier, better know as the “Sky Bet League One.” However, under new manager Kenny Jackett, order is looking to be restored, as they are favourites to be promoted back into the Championship. The Wanderers have always been apart of England’s rich footballing history, as they were founders of the Football League in 1888. Not only this, but the East Midlands club can be thanked for the development of continental soccer, as they helped create the European Cup, or what is now called the “UEFA Champions League.” During an eleven year spell, between 1949 and 1960, the Wanderers won the League three times and the domestic cup twice. As for the stadium, Molineux has played host to Wolves ever since 1889, and in recent years, has been renovated to 31,700 in a hope to give Wolves a stable base, something that has always been lacking. As for the ground, it is…well, weird. In 1990, when Sir Jack Hayward took over the club, it paved a way for new developments. He modernised all the stands to meet the FA’s regulations and brought the capacity to 28,525. At the time, it was one of England’s finest stadiums. However, over the years, it has slowly declined–much like the team–and now looks grotty. The Billy Wright and Steve Bull stands are weirdly shaped, almost bending outwards from the pitch. The view from where I sat on the Steve Bull stand was admittedly very good, yet was rather cramped! The newly renovated Stan Cullis on the other hand, looks rather swanky, though it is still awkwardly shaped, placed to the right of the pitch, rather than in the center. Food & Beverage 3 As I say in all my reviews of traditional English stadiums, the food and beverage is poor and overpriced. And Molineux slips right into this category. A beer and hot chocolate came to a staggering £6.50 ($10.75) – one of the highest prices I have ever encountered. Bearing in mind that League One clubs are small, Wolves really do stretch the limit on their prices for fans. As for food, burgers, chicken burgers are £4.50, which is extortionate considering the quality. As for the service, there are many areas to buy food from inside the ground, and the queues are dealt with swiftly. Other foods include £3 ($5) pies, in a range of varieties like “Meat and Pie” and “Cheese and Onion.” Overall, the food is, well, okay, with prices like that of Premier League clubs. The facilities are fine, including the catering, serving a range of Wrights Pies including; Steak and Ale, Chicken Balti, Moroccan Chick Pea (all £3.60), Hot Dogs (£4.50), Sausage Rolls (£4) and Vegan Sausage Rolls (£4), Teas & Coffees (£2.30), Bovril or Hot Chocolate (£2.40). Atmosphere 3 The fans pack the grounds before the match and various vendors set up shop selling merchandise and food. There is also live music and big screen TVs outside the entrance for pre-match party atmosphere. Everyone in the crowd is more than likely wearing a bright yellow kit with the Wolves logo. If every stand sung and roared like the fans on the “Jack Harris” stand, the rating would undoubtedly be five-star. However, this was not the case. Before the match, all the home fans came together to sing “Hi, ho, Wolverhampton” which hit me hard, as the noise was incredible. Yet after that, the atmosphere fell flat. The only exception was the “Jack Harris” stand, situated by the away fans, who sung their hearts out whilst the team were doing well and were incredible. As it’s a small stand, the fans packed together and this really stood out, intimidating the away fans. When the team were losing however, Molineux fell silent and the fans started getting on at the team, which only encouraged the travelling team. Now, I understand that the fans are disgruntled at the situation they currently find themselves in, and this has clearly affected the noise in the ground. When in the Premier League, Molineux was a fortress and it really played 12th man for the team, as Wolves managed to beat teams like Man United , Chelsea , and Liverpool . Neighborhood 3 Around the ground, the area is fine, and I have no complaints. In and amongst the area, there are a few pubs – dominated by home fans as you expect. Eating is fine, as there are a quite a few local takeaways, which I advise as the food is cheaper and an overall better quality. If wanting to make a day out of your visit to Wolverhampton, this can be achieved by visiting Bentley Retail Park. After taking a trip there on a previous day, there is a top class Hollywood Bowl bowling alley, cinema, and other cheap fast food outlets, such as KFC and McDonald’s. Fans 4 After seeing their team be very mediocre for the past decade, it’s easy to understand that Wolves fans are frustrated. However, I have to applaud the Wanderers’ support, as it is just magnificent. Even in League One, fans continue to fill Molineux, which provides a special experience for away fans, as many traveling teams are used to crowds of around 5,000, not 30,000! Wolves have always been a well-supported team and this is shown by the ambition of the owners, as they have plans in the future to extend Molineux to over 50,000, which is a little unrealistic at this stage. As for away days, Wolverhampton are easily the best in League One, filling out away ticket allocations every week. My only issue with the fans is something quite remarkable. The fans in the Jack Harris Stand started hurling abuse at their own set of fans around the ground. Now you’re probably thinking “What?” But this was the case. These fans started ironically jeering and swearing at the other home fans in the other stands when they finally started singing. This amazed and shocked me, as it was really uncalled for. However, if you look at it in another perspective, I suppose it shows that the fans were desperate for the atmosphere to improve and to get behind their beloved team. Access 4 Parking direct outside Molineux is something I heavily advise against, unless you want to get there two hours in advance! The traffic around the ground can be very busy, so if wanting to park, I advise to park around 15 minutes away from the ground and walk the rest, as it saves so much time. There are many car parks in this area, though what we did was book a spot at a car park in advance online, for only £3 ($5). This saved so much time and was great value, as we were only fifteen minutes away from the ground and was guaranteed a place. The other popular form of transport includes going by train. Wolverhampton Train Station is a fifteen minute walk from the ground and eliminates the obstacle of possible heavy traffic. If wanting to add a special touch to your experience, it is possible to get a train to Birmingham Train Station and then a tram to Wolverhampton, where you can walk to the ground. Return on Investment 4 Ticket prices range in two categories and an adult can attend a game for as low as £25 in Category B. The highest price ticket is £46 in Category A; depending on your price point and the view you want of the pitch, the choose is yours. Tickets for 65 plus range from £15 to £26.60 and fans under 17 can get in from as low as £6 to £26.50. Extras 3 Firstly, Wolves is a unique club, as they have their own museum. Opened in 2012, the museum presents a lot of content for diehard Wolves fans and also the neutral. For example, there are a few interactive activities, like “Beat The Goalie,” in which you compete to score past a computer generated keeper. Outside the ground are three quite stunning statues. The first is of club legend Billy Wright. This bronze figure captures Wright running with a ball tucked underneath his arm, giving the experience a historic feel. The second is of historic manager Stan Cullis and this again gives the overall experience a special feel, as this is magnificent. The third statue is of Sir Jack Hayward who was the club’s owner from 1990 to 2007. Additionally, inside the ground are a number of Sportingbet.com betting parlours. Also, outside the ground is the programme £3 ($5) and admittedly this is a very poor one, as the printing quality is shoddy and the actual material is a cheap paper, which makes it so flimsy. Final Thoughts Overall, I found visiting Molineux a great occasion, as it was special to see a packed house for a third-tier football match. The atmosphere was special throughout the first half, and the quality of football was unexpectedly incredibly high. My only issue is the lack of care for the stands and also the ticket prices. In my opinion, visiting Molineux is something I wouldn’t advise against as it has some nice features, yet this isn’t a ground that stands out as amazing, as it needs a lot of improvements.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Tipton High School Gymnasium 619 Main St. Tipton, IN 46072 Tipton Blue Devils Tipton HS Gymnasium website Year Opened: 1967 Capacity : 3,500 A Great Little Gym in Tipton When the current gym of the Tipton Blue Devils opened along with the high school for the 1961-1962 academic school year the boy’s basketball team finished with its first winning record in 7 seasons that included defeating rival Peru 65-68. The Devils also won its own Holiday Tournament title with a 91-77 victory in the final game against Winchester. Basketball games against other high schools would not be played against other schools until the 1912-1913 academic school year. Those first few seasons saw club teams formed to play against other Tipton students and the nearby Gawayne Castle or outside on the outdoor court of the high school building. However, a few games against other schools were scheduled during the 1911-1912 season “but owing to a misunderstanding” weren’t played. The 1912-13 season resulted in a 7-11 record for Tipton against various schools in the area and within two years became the dominant sport at the high school. Tipton High School has an impressive history of basketball and its 3,000-seat gym is worth a look on a fieldhouse tour in the state of Indiana. The low ceiling, two-level seating section, tasty concession items, and the band on the stage set the tone for a boisterous crowd during the cold winter nights. The Blue Devils program has produced 21 sectional, 18 conference, and 6 regional championships dating in its history. The blend of old-fashion showmanship and Hoosier Hysteria gives the 3,000-capacity basketball gym much-needed pop in the small town of Tipton about an hour north of downtown Indianapolis. The facility features two levels of seats at both ends with a stage situated behind one of the nets that include the school band that has ample space to play throughout the contest. The walls are also decorated with flames, slogans, and numerous championships won by multiple sports programs. Food & Beverage 3 The basics of hot dogs, popcorHoopfestand nachos can be found at the concession stand outside the main gym floor in a separate room. The pretzels and hot dogs cost a buck and a half, popcorn (some of the tastiest in the state) is just a dollar, and nachos are $2 for an additional charge including chili. Coca-Cola products are sold for $2 a bottle. Atmosphere 4 The home of the Blue Devils packs a wallop with a pre-game ceremony that gets the audience standing up in their seats. The team mascot charges around the court waving the school flag and the basketball team follows behind him. The student section then comes out onto the court and forms a line for the players to run through to shake hands and give high-fives as they return to the bench. While all of this is occurring, the school band. perches up on the stage and creates the soundtrack to the evening’s proceedings. The gymnasium feels much more like a high school gym compared to some of the other larger venues located in nearby Kokomo, Frankfort, and Muncie. However, the atmosphere is larger than life for the small town. Neighborhood 2 Tipton has a population of 5,106 people and is part of the Kokomo Metropolitan Statistical Area. The high school and gymnasium are located on Main Street and close to various local, regional, and national chain retail options. The downtown features a square with a courthouse, typical of what you will find in many small towns in the state. The options for dining include Faye’s Northside Restaurant, Izzy & Eddy’s, South Pole Drive-In, and Jim Dandy’s Restaurant. Access 3 Tipton is located miles away from the nearest interstate in the center of SR-19 and SR-28. The gymnasium is very accessible to move around as seats feature two levels with staircases for easy maneuvering. Return on Investment 3 The cost of a ticket is $5 and concession prices range from $1 to $3 at the concession stands. The prices can’t be beaten and are comparable to that of other high school gymnasiums in the state of Indiana. Extras 3 The first point is for the team introduction which begins with the mascot running up and down the court and then having the fans coming out to greet the players. The second point is for the band that remains on the stage and performs throughout the game. Its presence is felt and provides a nice backdrop to the night’s proceedings. The third point is for the student section which is also very dominant, adding to the home-court advantage. Final Thoughts An interesting little spot for high school basketball, the Blue Devils' gym doesn’t pretend to be anything more than what it is, a great little basketball gymnasium.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Paramount Fine Foods Centre 5500 Rose Cherry Place Mississauga, ON L4Z 4B6 Mississauga Steelheads website Paramount Fine Foods Centre website Year Opened: 1998 Capacity: 5,612 Endangered Trout? It was once the house that Don Cherry built. The bombastic, former centerpiece of the “Coach’s Corner” intermission segment of Hockey Night in Canada was bringing Junior Hockey to Mississauga and spearheading the opening of the Hershey Centre. The complex was built on a street named after Cherry’s late wife. The Mississauga IceDogs entered the OHL in 1998 in one of the worst expansion plans ever with teams in Mississauga, Brampton, and Toronto all being added in two years. Cherry would find that he possibly didn’t know as much about running a hockey team as he thought he did and the IceDogs proved to be one of the worst franchises in the league. In 2007, Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors, would purchase the IceDogs to gain control of the arena lease for the then Hershey Centre. The IceDogs were sold off and the Majors became the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors. After several tough years at the gate and hosting a Memorial Cup, Melnyk would sell the Majors to Elliot Kerr and the team would be rebranded the Mississauga Steelheads in 2012. A decade as the Steelheads has passed and hockey in Mississauga once again is at a tipping point. Kerr has made public his frustrations with the lack of fan support and mused that maybe the Steelheads should be elsewhere. Home for the Steelheads is the now-renamed Paramount Fine Foods Centre. The arena is similar to other modern OHL facilities and offers plenty to be positive about. However, Junior Hockey in Mississauga is in trouble and the question as to the location of the Trout in five years is a mystery yet to be answered. Food & Beverage 3 There is some surprising variety when it comes to concessions at Paramount Fine Foods Centre. The expected arena fare can be found, including popcorn, nachos, pretzels, fries, and hot dogs. Poutine, mini-donuts, and chicken fingers. Some surprising, healthier options are available including whole fruit and hummus, and veggies. Soft drinks are Coca-Cola products. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and French Vanilla are available, and necessary due to the cold temperatures in the arena. The beer selection is decent for an OHL venue. Budweiser, Bud Light, Corona, Stella Artois, Mill Street Organic, and Alexander Keith’s are available as well as red and white wine. Atmosphere 3 The Paramount Fine Foods Centre is the centrepiece of a larger athletic complex. The exterior is attractive with a clean look with light brick and siding. The main entrance is on the east side at Rose Cherry Place and brings fans into a small foyer with the main ticket office. After entering the main concourse fans will find the team shoppe, The Bait Shop, to the immediate left. The concourses feature some murals featuring the Steelheads. The Captain’s Wall is around the corner from the Bait Shop one way and team photos can be found in the opposite direction. Inside the seating bowl, fans will find a modern seating facility with plenty of burgundy arena seats; some with padding. The ice surface runs from east to west, with the north side being the best spot to get the Centre ice logo picture. Above the seating bowl on the south side, above the luxury boxes, hangs the iconic painting of Queen Elizabeth II, once a staple found in all Canadian hockey arenas. Behind the seats on the north side is the Budweiser Lounge, which, when operating, is a place fans can stand in a bar-like atmosphere and get a drink and some food. When the lounge is not operating, it is still open for fans to be able to use the space. The four-sided video board is clear and has traditional scoreboards underneath. Hanging in the west end are the 2017 division and conference championship banners, the only ones the Steelheads have earned to date. The Paramount Fine Foods Centre is one of the coldest arenas in the OHL. Fans should be prepared. Gloves are a good idea here. The gameday production is about what one would expect from the OHL. Modern music plays during the down times and minor hockey players play the Timbits mini-game during intermission. The Steelheads mascot, Sauga, can be found around the arena leading cheers or on the ice during the mini-game. Neighbourhood 2 The Paramount Fine Foods Centre is located in an industrial neighbourhood in Mississauga. As a result, there is not much in the way of pre and post-game spots for fans to head to. The Britannia neighbourhood in Mississauga, which is surrounded by Highways 401, 403, and Hurontario, does have a couple of spots including Pane e Vino, Wing Factory, Nirvana, and Mandarin. For a wider variety, fans will need to look elsewhere. Either way, fans are going to need to get in the car and make the drive. Heading over to Square One, which is one of the larger shopping malls in the area, will offer fans more options. Mississauga suffers and benefits from being in the shadow of Toronto. Many fans will head “into the city” for the entertainment options, of which there are nearly countless. In Mississauga itself, however, options are pretty limited. The Paramount Fine Foods Centre is shared with Raptors 905 of the G-League. Other sporting options would be in Toronto as well. Fans who wish to stay near the arena may want to try the Holiday Inn Mississauga Toronto West or Quality Inn Airport West Fans 2 The attendance for Steelhead games is where the experience falls off. In the 2022-2023 season, the Steelheads are attracting under 1,500 fans per game, dead last in the Ontario Hockey League by nearly 1,000 fans per game. Mississauga tends to be near the bottom in attendance annually and need something to change to ensure its position in Mississauga going forward. The team has been fairly strong on the ice but the lack of fan support leaves the experience flat. It feels that there are more visiting fans than home fans and the low attendance is not placated by a small building. Access 4 Getting to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre is not difficult. The arena is surrounded by Hurontario Road, a major Mississauga street, and Highways 401 and 403. There is plenty of free parking on either the north or south sides of the arena. Some parking is reserved for suite patrons and season ticket holders. For fans wanting to take public transit to the game, there is a limited-service MiWay bus route that traverses Rose Cherry Place. Fans should check out the Mississauga Transit website for maps, fares, and schedules. Getting around the Paramount is not difficult due to the low attendance numbers. However, should there be a big crowd, the narrow concourses would be a bit of a problem. The washroom facilities are adequate for the facility and the crowd in attendance. Return on Investment 3 OHL hockey provides tremendous value for the sporting dollar. The on-ice product is top-notch and exciting. The ticket prices for the Steelheads are not out of line with the rest of the league. Adult tickets go for around $25 and premium tickets for $35. There are discounts available for kids. Family packs are also available. The concession prices are not too bad and parking is free at the Paramount. However, the lack of fan support bleeds into the overall experience. Even though the Steelheads do their best to put a good package together, it falls a bit flat when a large percentage of fans, in a building more than half empty, are cheering for the visiting team. Stronger fan support will help create a better atmosphere and a better return on investment. Extras 2 An extra mark for the strong connection the Mississauga Steelheads has with minor hockey in the area. An extra mark for the unique name and strong branding the Mississauga Steelheads bring to the table. Final Thoughts It will be interesting to see what happens with the Mississauga Steelheads over the next five years. An airtight lease agreement with the City of Mississauga has kept OHL hockey in town, however, it is clear that the owner is unwilling to continue to take significant losses on the team and may be ready to find some greener pastures. If the citizens of Mississauga could rally around the Steelheads to ensure Junior Hockey remains the OHL would be a better place. ------ Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on Twitter @profan9 and Instagram .

Photos by Lance Sutehall, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Cramton Bowl 1022 Madison Ave Montgomery, AL 36107 Camellia Bowl website Cramton Bowl website Year Opened: 1922 Capacity: 25,000 Camellia Bowl At The Cramton Bowl When a stadium is over a century old it tends to have a lot of stories to tell and Montogomery, Alabama’s Cramton Bowl is no exception. Opening in 1922 its legacy includes hosting the Blue-Gray football classic, occasional Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers football games, Philadelphia Athletics spring training, and the deciding game of the 1943 Negro League World Series. In the last decade, the Cramton Bowl has added to its legacy by hosting ten editions of the Camellia Bowl. The Camellia Bowl tends to be a matchup between programs from the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference. Of the ten editions played, nine have been decided by one possession or less so odds are it's going to be a very competitive matchup. Food & Beverage  3 Outside the stadium, there are several vendors selling foods such as boiled peanuts ($5), chicken, pulled pork, brisket sandwich plates($12-$16), and 16 oz. beers ($8). At the concession stands inside the stadium, the options include cheeseburgers ($8), hot dogs ($5), nachos ($7), pretzels ($6), water ($5), Powerade ($5), and Coke product sodas ($7). Cash and cards are accepted. Atmosphere  3 The Cramton Bowl is a glorified high school football stadium that is typically not close to one of the teams so the hope is that the fans of the teams playing bring a lot of atmosphere. This was the case in the 2023 edition when both sets of fans seemed to be excited about playing the Camellia Bowl. It also helped that the weather was great which is not normal for an Alabama December. I would have liked to have seen some entertainment during some of the breaks in game action. Perhaps have an emcee, have opposing fans participate in a trivia showdown, pit the fan bases against each other to see which one was louder. It should not be all on the fanbases to provide the atmosphere for a bowl game. The fireworks during each team’s intro and the confetti during the trophy presentation were a nice touch and are worth a point in my opinion. Neighborhood  4 Attached to the South end of the stadium is the Multiplex which hosts several volleyball and basketball events for high schools and smaller colleges and serves as a premium space during the Camellia Bowl. The Cramton Bowl is across the street from Patterson Field, the former home for minor league baseball in Montgomery. The Cramton Bowl is 5 blocks away from the Alabama State Capitol building and the Confederate White House. Go down Washington Avenue and you will pass the Civil Rights Memorial before hitting up the Freedom Rides and Rosa Parks museums.  Keep going towards the Riverwalk and you will find the Hank Williams Museum before seeing Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium , the home of the Biscuits minor league baseball team. If you are planning on spending a couple of days in Montgomery the Riverwalk area provides lodging options such as DoubleTree, SpringHill, and Embassy Suites. For a bite to eat, stop by Bibb Street for pizza, Jalapenos for Mexican, or Wintzell’s for seafood. There are several bars around this area to check out if you are looking for a drink.  Fans  3 The stadium was only half full during my visit and it is not a large stadium but the fans that do show up get behind their teams. The fans dress in their team colors, each fanbase takes over one side of the stadium, and the fans cheer when their teams do a good thing during the game.  Access  3 Parking across the street by Patterson Field requires purchasing a parking pass for $20 in advance online. Street and public garage parking is free on weekends. There is a public parking garage at 100 N Union Street four blocks away from the Cramton Bowl. Once inside the stadium, the walkways are plenty wide enough and there are a couple of bathrooms on each side of the stadium.  Return on Investment  4 Tickets start at $33 ($30 for the ticket, $3 ticket fee) for seats between the end zone and the 30-yard line while midfield seats cost $43. You also have the option to pay $100 for a suite in the north end zone or $150 for access to the ESPN Lounge in the Multiplex with both providing parking and food. If you buy a $30 ticket, pay $20 for parking, and purchase a cheeseburger and a Coke you will spend about $70 solo, $120 for a hangout/date, or $220 for a family of four. This is for a competitive bowl game between MAC and Sun Belt programs. Extras  2 The night before the game each team had a pep rally at the Riverwalk. This is part of a fanfest with music, food, and drinks. The FCS kickoff game is played at the Cramton Bowl and helps kick off the College Football season during Week Zero in August. Final Thoughts The Camellia Bowl is what it is. It’s played at a stadium that is mostly used for high school games. However, it will likely be a great game between two teams looking to cap a season with a bowl victory and will be a great way to spend an afternoon, especially if the weather is nice.

Photos by Andrew Kulyk, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Lake Elsinore Diamond 500 Diamond Dr Lake Elsinore, CA 92530 Lake Elsinore Storm website The Diamond website Year Opened: 1994 Capacity: 6,066 A Storm By The Lake The 2018 season will mark the 25th season of The Lake Elsinore Storm. Prior to becoming the Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres in 2001, the California Angels were the parent organization from 1981 to 2000, taking up residency in Palm Springs until the opening of The Diamond in 1994. Throughout the years The Diamond has served the community well. Aside from hosting the local 9, The Diamond has also been host to the 2015 NCAA Baseball Regional, as well as the 2017 Stadium Super Trucks World Championship Finals and several music festivals, hosting a wide variety of acts from Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, The Beach Boys, A Flock of Seagulls and more! Food & Beverage 3 Nothing out of the ordinary here with your usual ballpark fare. For those looking to stick with the basics, you can grab yourself a Storm Dog for $5 and for the kids, a kids dog at $3. If you want something other than your basic hot dog, they also do sell Philly Cheesesteaks ($10.50) as well as Italian and Cajun Sausages ($9.75). Twenty ounces of 7-Up products are reasonably priced ($4.75), and should you want an adult beverage, domestic and premium drafts are also available ($7 – $8). For the sweet tooth in you, throughout the concourse, Baskin Robbins has a couple of stands as well as a cart offering their usual favorite ice cream in a cone or dish ($5.75), as well as sundaes ($6) and ice cream sandwiches. Atmosphere 4 There’s a fun atmosphere to be found at The Diamond. Children can be seen playing in the designated play area along the right field side, shagging foul flys on the grass berm to rolling down the berm. Most seats are in a rather uniform seating bowl, with spacious fold down seats and plenty of legroom. There isn’t a bad sight line in the house. The press box and luxury suites are elevated far above the field, so much so that if you aren’t looking, you may not notice them. The Storm offers not one, but two daily mascots in the form of Thunder and Jackpot. Thunder the dog leads the way, being the self-proclaimed mascot of the year for several seasons. Not to be confused with the Philly Phanatic, he is a member of the “Canis Thunderus” family and has no problem getting the Storm fans on their feet to show their support. Next up is Jackpot. His presence isn’t quite as impactful as Thunder’s as he spends a good amount of time behind the right field scoreboard, making an appearance during a key moment during the game. Neighborhood 4 One of the nicest things about the neighborhood around The Diamond is the natural scenery, ranging from the Elsinore Mountains to Lake Elsinore, the largest natural lake in Southern California located just a few minutes from The Diamond for the water sports enthusiasts. If you’re looking for a bite around the yard, In-N-Out is nearby, as well as Coco’s. One of the more highly recommended restaurants here is Jack’s BBQ Shack, located about 3 miles from The Diamond. Located along the lake, Jack’s BBQ Shack serves up some tasty ribs in a very casual setting with very reasonable prices. Fans 4 With such a beautiful stadium, fans are likely to be out in good showing nightly. While most fans are at The Diamond for baseball, with a multitude of inflatable games, playground, a berm that they could roll down and Thunder to keep them occupied in a special section of lime green seats behind first base, the younger fans seem to be having the time of their short lives. There are fans that attend from all over Southern California as well as the locals from nearby wine country. Even with the many baseball fans throughout Southern California, the Storm faithful are out in good numbers, cheering their team on until the final out. Access 3 Lake Elsinore is centrally located between San Diego and Los Angeles. The Diamond can be accessed either via the 15 freeway or Route 74. Though The Diamond is not far from the 15 freeway, depending where you will be driving from, you may want to allow yourself extra time to arrive. Southern California traffic, especially if coming from Los Angeles, is unpredictable. The last few times I have come from Los Angeles what would normally be a 1.5 hour drive minus traffic took almost 3 hours so do plan accordingly. Parking is reasonably priced at $5. Upon entering The Diamond from the parking lot, fans walk through a tree-lined walkway toward the grand entrance behind home plate. Greeting the fans as they enter The Diamond is a brick tower, giving The Diamond a signature touch. As you approach the home plate entrance, you will notice a monument paying tribute to those who have served. Once inside the stadium, fans walk through a very spacious concourse, perhaps the widest I’ve experienced in all the Single-A yards I’ve seen. The concourse is so wide that should you attend a day game and choose to seek refuge from the summer heat, you could spend an inning or two strolling the concourse, providing plenty of shade and shelter from the sweltering heat without either losing view of the on-field action or yet preventing stoppage to the pedestrian flow. Return on Investment 4 With prices ranging from $9 for grass berm seating on the right field side to as much as $20, perhaps a bit high for a Single-A game, a day out at The Diamond is still a pretty affordable investment. One option should you come as a party of at least 4 is the Four Tops, located in an elevated section behind both dugouts. The Four Tops, starting at $100 for all 4 fans, come with 4 padded seats along with wait service and a table to place all your food and drinks. The High Tops, located behind home plate, offer bar stool type seating along with a countertop to place your food and drinks as well. Should you want to take home a souvenir, the team store located just behind the first base side of the concourse offers a pretty vast selection. Apparel with the team’s iconic logo consistently ranks among the top sellers throughout all of minor league baseball. Extras 4 If you look out toward right field, you will see that the outfield wall is 36 feet high. Yup, the exact height of the Green Monster in Fenway Park, paying homage to the original, adorned with advertisements aplenty. On the right field side of The Diamond is a children’s playground just outside the physical concourse. In addition, a well-sized grass berm is there for budget-conscious fans who prefer to view the game there atop your favorite beach towel or picnic blanket. Should you plan to view your game here, you may want to beware of kids not so much rolling down the hill at every direction, but you must also be aware of the young ones running about that berm snagging foul balls as well. Final Thoughts One of the biggest draws to The Diamond is the ballparks aesthetic appeal along with its natural surroundings. Over the last several years seating capacity has decreased to create a more intimate and sociable ballpark experience. In speaking with Raj Narayanan, General Manager and Director of Sales for the Lake Elsinore Storm, “We’ve led the league in attendance 7-8 years in a row. It’s great, but we’re not selling out every game. Reducing seats and adding social spaces helps us be at a better capacity throughout the season. When you create less seats and an opportunity for fans to go out and mingle at a game, more fans show up…”. Overall, an experience at The Diamond is one every fan should experience.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Rappolt Field Sullivan Trail Easton, PA 18040 Lafayette Leopards website Rappolt FIeld website Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 1,000 (estimated) Leap Like a Leopard Located in the heart of the Lehigh Valley in Easton, Pennsylvania lies a small school known as Lafayette College. The Leopards of Lafayette play in the Patriot League along with other similarly academic-minded institutions in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. About three miles from Lafayette's campus is Rappolt Field, home of Leopard field hockey. The stadium is part of the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex, which also includes Kamine Stadium , home of Lafayette baseball, as well as stadiums for most of Lafayette's other outdoor sports, except football. Built in 2000 and renovated in 2014, Rappolt Field is named after Bill Rappolt, a 1967 Lafayette alumnus whose donation helped fund the field's construction. Food & Beverage 5 A food truck is located to the left of the bleachers at Rappolt Field and offers a much better variety of food than you see at most field hockey venues. Meals include hot dogs or hamburgers for $9, and a cheeseburger, teriyaki chicken sandwich, chicken tenders, and cheese steak or buffalo chicken egg rolls for $10. While these prices are on the high side, they do include french fries, which improves the value significantly. Nachos are $8, mozzarella sticks are $6, and funnel cake fries are $7. Candy is $3, while Coke products, Powerade, and bottled water are available to drink for $4. Fans are also free to bring their food or beverage into the stadium, and many do. Atmosphere 3 There is one long set of bleachers along the sideline at Rappolt Field, straight ahead as you come in. It is set back quite a distance from the field, with some grass in between. Kids will sometimes play on the grass during the game, getting in the way of fans who are trying to watch the game, and a few fans will bring their chairs and set them down on the grass to be closer to the action. A scoreboard in the far left corner should in theory also show shots, saves, and penalty corners, but these displayed a zero for the entire game when we visited, which was inaccurate based on the actions on the field. There is not much going on in terms of gameday atmosphere besides the game itself and what the crowd brings. (More on that last part later.) The PA announcer will announce the starting lineups before the game and may announce goal scorers, but that is about it. Unlike at some field hockey venues, the PA announcer does not announce the result of team challenges leading to video review. While it may seem like such a result would be obvious based on the referees' signal and what happens on the field, in college field hockey it is not quite so simple. If a team requests a video referral and the original call is confirmed (because video evidence conclusively shows it was correct), the team loses its right to video referral for the remainder of the game. However, if the call merely stands (because the video review is inconclusive), the team retains its challenge, unlike in most other sports. Without the PA announcer saying which one has happened, it is not clear to fans in the stands whether the team has kept their referral. Neighborhood 3 Rappolt Field is located in a residential area several miles from Lafayette's campus and the heart of Downtown Easton. Once you find your way into town, you will find that Easton is a small college town of about 27,000 people located at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers. Most of the action is located close to the college (and several miles from the stadium) and includes Two Rivers Brewing, a popular brewpub on Northampton Street, and Easton Public Market, which includes numerous food vendors ranging from hot dogs to barbecue to a chocolate shop to tacos, noodles, and more. Easton may be a small town but it is certainly a thriving one. Fans 5 Lafayette ranked in the top 20 nationwide in field hockey attendance, drawing several hundred fans a game, and continues to draw well now that the 2024 season is underway. Fans back the bleachers that line the sideline, and unlike at some schools, this is not just a friends and family crowd. Many locals, alumni, and more show up to cheer on the Leopards. There is even a small presence among Lafayette students, who line the fence, shout, and bang on the padding to make as much noise as possible. It is rare to see a sizeable student presence at college field hockey, but they certainly make their presence known here. Access 2 Easton itself is easily accessible via US Route 22 and I-76, though you will have to drive several miles along local roads to get to Rappolt Field and the Metzgar Complex. Once you arrive, you will find that only about half the lot is paved and it is the half furthest from Rappolt Field. If you want to park there, you should have no trouble doing so, but most fans prefer to park in the grass lot adjacent to the stadium. There is a lot of dirt in there as well, so if it rains, it will probably be muddy. If there is bad weather in the forecast, you may want to park in the paved lot depending on how much faith you have in your car and tires. There is construction in multiple areas of the Metzgar Fields Complex, so be prepared to have to walk around construction zones and along gravel paths, because the sidewalk is blocked off. Port-a-potties are located behind the bleachers but there are no real restrooms on site for fans to use. Return on Investment 5 Admission to all regular season Lafayette home games is free, and parking is free as well. Concessions are about average when you consider that almost every option is a combo deal, and it is so rare for a field hockey venue to even have concessions, much less this range of selection, that it would be hard to take points off this rating no matter what the price. If it's too expensive for you, you can always bring your food. Extras 3 Free roster cards are available from event staff as you come into the stadium. A second star for the student presence here, a rarity in this sport. A third star for the chance to see games in multiple sports in one trip to the Metzgar Fields Athletic Complex. If you time your visit right, it's quite possible to see both a field hockey game and a soccer game at two different venues back-to-back. Final Thoughts College field hockey is not often considered a major sport, nor is Lafayette considered an elite school within the sport, but despite this, Rappolt Field still manages to be a great place to see a game. Field hockey fans in the Lehigh Valley area or elsewhere in Eastern Pennsylvania will want to head down here to check out a game.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 McDonough Arena 37th Street NW Washington, DC 20007 Georgetown Hoyas website McDonough Arena website Year Opened: 1951 Capacity: 2,500 A Visit to McDonough McDonough Arena is located on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and is the home to the Hoyas’ volleyball team as well as the women’s basketball team. Previously, it was home to Georgetown's men's basketball team as well, but in 1981, they moved to the Capital Centre in Landover, and later, to Capital One Arena in downtown DC. Stadium Journey has a separate review about the women's basketball experience here , while this review will focus on the experience at a Georgetown volleyball game. Rather confusingly, the event space where basketball and volleyball are played is called McDonough Arena, while the whole building, which also includes training facilities and offices, is called McDonough Gymnasium. Food & Beverage 2 There is one concession stand at McDonough Arena, located at a small window off the lobby to the right side of the main doors. The menu options here are pretty basic. Hot dogs, chips, and candy are basically the only foods, while bottled soft drinks and water are available as well. Prices are reasonable, with nothing costing more than a few dollars, and cash and credit cards are accepted. The concession stand usually sells additional options for women's basketball, such as chicken tenders and burgers, so these may be available for volleyball games from time to time as well. Atmosphere 3 Walking through the front doors of McDonough Gymnasium will put you in the lobby of the building, from which you can check out trophy cases commemorating various athletic accomplishments. The Thompson Center will be down a hall to your right, with additional athletics displays, while the doors to the arena will be straight ahead. There is no need to buy a ticket for volleyball, so you can just walk straight in. All seating is located on the two sidelines and consists of beige risers without backs. However, fans who sit in the top row can lean against the wall. Since a volleyball court is not as long as a basketball court, the bleachers at the ends of the arena will be outside the bounds of the playing area. You can sit here if you want, but be prepared to have your head turned to the side for the whole match. Needless to say, most fans choose to sit in the center sections, and there is plenty of space here for everybody. There is an overhead scoreboard above the middle of the floor, as well as two smaller scoreboards in the corners. All scoreboards are rather basic and show the score of the current set. The overhead scoreboard also shows the number of sets won for each team, in the space that is dually labeled as "Fouls" and "Score". This is a pretty basic experience, with not much going on here other than the game itself. The starting lineups are announced before the game, and the PA announcer will announce substitutes and servers, but that is pretty much it. Even for coach's challenges and video reviews, you're basically on your own to figure out what is going on. Neighborhood 5 McDonough Arena is located in the middle of the Georgetown campus, and you’ll probably have to head off campus to do anything. However, the Georgetown neighborhood (which lends its name to the school, not the other way around) is one of the best in D.C. There are numerous restaurants ranging from casual sandwich shop Booeymonger’s to luxurious upscale restaurants such as 1789, and everything in between. Georgetown Cupcake sells exactly what its name implies, Clyde's of Georgetown is a locally popular American pub and bar, and Chaia is known for its fancy vegetarian and vegan tacos. All of this is located just a short walk or drive away from the University. If you’re willing to head downtown to the National Mall area, the District has so much more to offer, and the best part is that most of it is free. Whether it’s taking in the sights and monuments on the Mall itself, or visiting one of the many museums such as the various Smithsonians, there’s something for everyone. All of the government-run attractions are free, but some of the private ones are not. Just keep in mind if you wish to tour the White House or Capitol, you will need to book in advance. Fans 3 Georgetown draws a couple hundred fans to a typical volleyball game, both friends and family of the players and members of the local community. As mentioned above, most fans sit in the center bleachers rather than off to the sides, so this allows them to consolidate the crowd energy and noise. It can get loud in here at times, such as during long rallies or when Georgetown scores a point in a phenomenal fashion, but there simply aren't enough fans to make that big of a difference. McDonough Arena does have low ceilings, so that helps trap in the crowd noise. Access 4 The Georgetown campus is located just across the Francis Scott Key Bridge from Virginia. Fans coming from that direction should turn left on Canal Road after coming across the river, and the campus is just up ahead after that. Coming from Maryland isn’t quite as easy, but still is pretty simple. Most games are played on Friday nights or weekends, allowing you to avoid the worst of DC rush hour traffic. Still, if coming to a Friday night game, allow extra time. Once you’re on campus, parking is available in the Southwest Garage. There is ample space available, but some of the spaces may be tight, especially for drivers of larger vehicles. Parking is free on Sundays but is $5 hour, up to a total of $25, the rest of the week. You can then enter through the front doors of the John Thompson Athletic Center, the training facility attached to McDonough Gymnasium, and walk through there to get to the arena lobby. The Thompson Center entrance is right next to where you come out of the garage, assuming you use the right elevator. Alternatively, you can walk around the building exterior to the front doors of the arena and enter through there. Either way, it is only a couple minutes of walking. Take your garage ticket with you and pay at the station in the elevator lobby when you return. Restrooms are available in the lobby, with the men's room to one side of the arena doors and the women's room to the other side. You will need to leave the arena properly to access them but will be allowed back in without an issue. Return on Investment 4 Admission to a Georgetown volleyball game is free, and concessions are affordable as well. However, the high cost of parking drives this score down. You can park for free on Sundays, so try to go to a game that day to maximize your value. Extras 2 Be sure to check out the various trophy cases in the lobby honoring not just Georgetown’s volleyball achievements, but their championships in other sports as well. Once inside the arena itself, be sure to check out the banners honoring Georgetown achievements in volleyball and men's and women's basketball. Final Thoughts McDonough Arena is a historic gym that, like many old college basketball arenas, is still used for volleyball. A Hoyas volleyball game is a pretty simple experience, but it's hard to argue with free admission, and you will definitely want to check out all the history while you are here.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 McDonough Arena 37th Street NW Washington, DC 20007 Georgetown Hoyas website McDonough Arena website Year Opened: 1951 Capacity: 2,500 A Visit to McDonough McDonough Arena is located on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and is the home to the Hoyas’ women’s basketball team. Although the men play downtown in Capital One Arena, the women play on campus in McDonough, in a much smaller, more intimate setting. McDonough Arena opened in 1951 and is named after Reverend Vincent J. McDonough, who was also the Hoyas athletic director from 1916 to 1928. According to legend, McDonough was asked what he wanted for the 25th anniversary of his priesthood in 1939, and replied “You give the boys a new gym and I’ll be happy.” Although the Reverend did not live to see it, construction on a new arena began in 1950 and it opened the following year. Rather confusingly, the event space where basketball is played is called McDonough Arena, while the whole building, which also includes training facilities and offices, is called McDonough Gymnasium. Food & Beverage 3 There is one concession stand at McDonough Arena, located at a small window off the lobby to the right side of the main doors. The exact menu varies by game and can be found on a hand-written menu. However, it will typically include chicken tenders, hot dogs, burgers, and fries along with assorted snacks such as chips. Soft drinks (Coca-Cola products) and bottled water are also available. Prices are a bit on the high end, with chicken tenders going for $10, or an extra $2 for fries with that. Burgers and hot dogs are $5. Atmosphere 4 Walking through the front doors of McDonough Gymnasium will put you in the lobby of the building, from which you can check out trophy cases commemorating various athletic accomplishments, pick up a program, or buy your tickets at a table if you don’t already have them. From there, you will need to walk through another set of wooden doors to get into the arena itself. All seating is located on the two sidelines and consists of beige risers without backs. However, fans who sit in the top row can lean against the wall. All seats are close to the action and provide an excellent view. Hoyas fans wishing to sit behind the team bench should sit in sections 110 or 111, while fans of the visiting team can sit in sections 115 or 116 to be behind their bench. There is an overhead scoreboard above the middle of the floor, as well as two smaller scoreboards in the corners. All scoreboards are rather basic and show the score and time. The board in the middle also shows team fouls and timeouts remaining. Unfortunately, it can be hard to keep looking up at it, especially for fans in the lower few rows. There are what appear to be small video boards over the two corner scoreboards, but they were not functional when we went. Before the game starts, the Hoyas are introduced as the lights go off in the arena and flames shoot from the floor. It does a lot to get the crowd hyped up and in the spirit of things. During the game, the cheerleaders and pep band provide a lot of energy to get the crowd into it (except during winter break when a DJ takes their place while the students are away), and entertainment like t-shirt tosses and contests keep the fans engaged during breaks in the action. Neighborhood 5 McDonough Arena is located in the middle of the Georgetown campus, and you’ll probably have to head off campus to do anything. However, the Georgetown neighborhood (which lends its name to the school, not the other way around) is one of the best in D.C. There are numerous restaurants ranging from casual sandwich shop Booeymonger’s to luxurious upscale restaurants such as 1789, and everything in between. Georgetown Cupcake sells exactly what its name implies, Clyde's of Georgetown is a locally popular American pub and bar, and Chaia is known for its fancy vegetarian and vegan tacos. All of this is located just a short walk or drive away from the University. If you’re willing to head downtown to the National Mall area, the District has so much more to offer, and the best part is that most of it is free. Whether it’s taking in the sights and monuments on the Mall itself, or visiting one of the many museums such as the various Smithsonians, there’s something for everyone. All of the government-run attractions are free, but some of the private ones are not. Just keep in mind if you wish to tour the White House or Capitol, you will need to book in advance. Fans 3 The crowd at a Georgetown women’s game is decent enough, given the size of the arena, but unfortunately is only a small fraction of what the men draw downtown. Most of the people in attendance are families with young children, and some of the kids get pretty into it, but others seem more interested in their phones or other electronic devices. The adults in the crowd can get into it too, especially after big plays by the Hoyas. Most fans sit in one of the three center sections on either side of the court, which can make the arena seem fuller than it is, but this is not necessarily a bad thing as it enhances the atmosphere. Access 4 The Georgetown campus is located just across the Francis Scott Key Bridge from Virginia. Fans coming from that direction should turn left on Canal Road after coming across the river, and the campus is just up ahead after that. Coming from Maryland isn’t quite as easy, but still is pretty simple. However, if coming to a weeknight game, you’ll probably be traveling during rush hour. D.C. traffic is among the worst in the country, so allow a lot of extra time if that’s when you plan to come. Traffic on weekends and the occasional weekday afternoon shouldn’t be as bad. Once you’re on campus, parking is available in the Southwest Garage. There is ample space available, but some of the spaces may be tight, especially for drivers of larger vehicles. Parking is free on Sundays but can cost up to $20 the rest of the week depending on what time the game is and how long you are staying. When exiting the garage, you will turn left and walk past the football field. You can then enter through the front doors of the John Thompson Athletic Center, the training facility attached to McDonough Gymnasium, and walk through there to get to the arena lobby. The Thompson Center entrance is right next to where you come out of the garage, assuming you use the right elevator. Alternatively, you can walk around the building exterior to the front doors of the arena and enter through there. Either way, it is only a couple minutes of walking. Take your garage ticket with you and pay at the station in the elevator lobby when you return. Restrooms are available in the lobby, with the men's room to one side of the arena doors and the women's room to the other side. You will need to leave the arena properly to access them but will be allowed back in without an issue. Return on Investment 4 Tickets to most games are just $10 each, which is a great deal. However, concessions are a bit on the high end and parking may cost you more than everything else combined. That being said, a Georgetown women's game in McDonough Arena is still a good value. Extras 3 Be sure to check out the various trophy cases in the lobby honoring not just Georgetown’s basketball achievements, but their championships in other sports as well. Once inside the arena itself, be sure to check out the Georgetown men’s team’s championship banners hanging on the wall, as well as banners honoring women's accomplishments. There are free posters available at a table in the lobby, which is worthy of a third and final star in this category. Final Thoughts Although interest in women's basketball is steadily growing, Georgetown women still do not draw nearly enough attendance to justify playing at a larger arena as the men do. Although they do occasionally play games with larger expected attendance at the Entertainment & Sports Arena (also home of the Washington Mystics of the WNBA), for the most part, they continue to play their home games here on campus. While one hopes that they will eventually outgrow this small gym as the men did long ago, for now, McDonough Arena is an enjoyable place to take in a basketball game in a historic setting.

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.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Lewis C. Everett Stadium College Rd Farmville, VA 23901 Hampden-Sydney Tigers website Lewis C. Everett Stadium website Year Opened: 2007 Capacity: 7,024 Grey and Garnet Tigers Lewis C. Everett Stadium opened in 2007, and serves as the home field for Hampden-Sydney’s football team. The Tigers compete in the NCAA’s Division III, as part of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Their biggest rival is the nearby Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets, a rivalry that has been ongoing since 1893. Food & Beverage 3 Everett Stadium has a small selection of concessions items, but the prices are great. On the home side you can buy combos for $7, which includes your choice of a burger, hot dog, or barbecue sandwich, plus a large bag of chips and a bottled water or soda. Alternatively, on the visiting side you can get Bojangles – either two tenders or Supremes with a side for $5, or four tenders or Supremes with a side for $10 (savvy buyers might instead order two $5 combos, to get the four tenders with an extra side for the same money). Atmosphere 3 Everett Stadium is a nice facility, with great color all around and some nice touches, including a tiger statue in front of the fieldhouse which the players pat for luck on their way onto the field. The fieldhouse is also open during games, so you can go inside and check out the Tigers Hall of Fame. The seats on the home side are benches with backs, though the facility only has a static scoreboard instead of a videoboard. Neighborhood 2 Farmville, Virginia is not a large town, but it does have a number of restaurants along Main Street north of the stadium; mostly fast food but there is also a Buffalo Wild Wings, which makes a great hangout before or after the football contest. There are also several hotels in the same area. Fans 3 The Hampden-Sydney Tigers have a great fanbase who show up to games at Everett Stadium. There is a solid tailgating scene in the parking lots, which can be seen from the stadium, and a bunch of fans watch from the hillside next to the home grandstand. You will see plenty of Tigers gear being worn as well, and the fans can get plenty loud, more so than you might expect from a small stadium. Access 4 Getting to Everett Stadium is simple enough, except for Farmville being a little off the beaten path. However, you can park for free even if you only arrive a few minutes before kickoff, with plenty of parking spots along the streets right next to the facility. Moving around the concourse is similarly east – the concessions lines are never too long, and it is easy to move from one side of the field to the other. Return on Investment 4 There is no cost to attend Tigers games at Everett Stadium, and with no cost to park and low-cost concessions, this represents a great return on investment for college football. Extras 3 I mentioned the Tiger statue already, as well as the Hall of Fame inside the fieldhouse, but you can also find real bathrooms inside the fieldhouse which you can use during the game. There is also a covered section on the home concourse behind the seats, in case you want to get out of the sun – there is also some shade under the trees behind the end zone.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Historic West Gym 2717 S Morgantown Rd Greenwood, IN 46143 Center Grove HS Trojans website Historic West Gym website Year Opened: 1954 Capacity: 4,000 The Center Grove High School West Gym opened on December 14, 1954, and would serve as the Trojans home for basketball until January 1996, when its current facility, the Vandermeer Gym , debuted. However, like many former venues, the West Gym was not dismantled or left in squalid conditions. It would serve the high school as an auxiliary gym for freshman basketball games and other sporting events. It is that reason why the varsity basketball team will utilize its old stomping grounds from time to time. The gymnasium was designed by Ralph Legeman, who designed several other ‘sunken gyms’ throughout the state. His design was considered one of the best for high school hoops in the Indianapolis area. Legeman also designed the high school that opened for the 1954-1955 academic year, and it helped ease the pain from the loss of the former school and gym two years earlier. A fire broke out on November 1, 1952, at the old high school building. The fire began between 11:00 PM and 12:30 AM after the annual Halloween Carnival had concluded. The flames shot up to 150 feet in the air, and firefighters worked all night to put it out. Sadly, both the school and gymnasium were destroyed. The blaze was determined to be caused by faulty wiring. The basketball team lost all of its equipment except for its white home jerseys and continued playing on the road for the rest of the season. A holding company was created to rebuild a new high school, and residents bought shares to fund the project. $625,000 was raised to build a new school and gym. Today, the school and gym remain on the same site through various renovation projects. Food & Beverage 3 A small concession window offers hot dogs, nachos, Coca-Cola products, popcorn, and candy during games. Unlike other gyms in the state, a visible menu board does not offer prices. The menu board is accessible via telephone, and payments can made via credit card or cash.  Atmosphere 3 The West Gym has been kept in pristine condition and makes for a nostalgic time to enjoy a high school basketball game. The wraparound concourse provides an ideal view of the game from any area. Fans are close to the action towards the button few rows where there isn’t much room between the playing court and stands. The design is identical to many sunken gyms of its kind around the state, but the West Gym does not have any banners, signs, or the little touches of a gym in Edinburg, Connersville, or West Vigo. However, having the gym open for one day a season is a great way to relive a few memorable moments from the school’s past. Neighborhood 3 Center Grove High School is in Greenwood, about 20 minutes south of downtown Indianapolis. It is in a residential neighborhood, close to the Greenwood Mall, 15 minutes east of the high school. This area offers an array of regional and national chain restaurants, shops, and other points of interest. Fans 3 The crowd feels a little different at games in the West Gym. No cheer blocks or student sections were providing a soundtrack to the game. There was more of an older crowd that featured an array of alumni, parents, and others taking a peek inside the old venue. Access 3 The West Gym is located at the southwest corner of the high school off Montgomery Road and close to Pennington Road. There is construction taking place, but there is parking directly in front of the gymnasium. The other option is to park in front of the current gym Vandermeer Gym , and walk over through the school. Once inside the arena, a main concourse wraps around the seating bowl, providing an unobstructed view of the basketball court. A small concession stand and restrooms are available on the concourse level.  Return on Investment 3 The ticket price is $6, and it provides fans a chance to witness a high school game at Center Grove's old gym, where a lot of memories were made. The gym will celebrate 70 years in December 2024, and it is nice to be able to go back and enjoy a game. Extras 2 An extra point is awarded for the West Gym used for select varsity games throughout the season. These games are connected to alumni events that bring back memories for all those attending. A second point is the usage of the historic gym. It still looks fantastic for a gym of its age.  Final Thoughts The Historic West Gym is a pleasant way to enjoy a high school basketball game in the Indianapolis market. The 70-year-old sunken gym still offers a glimpse of the school's past and present. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .  Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Chuck Utech, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Smart Araneta Coliseum Araneta Center, Cubao Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines 0810 Far Eastern University Tamaraws website Smart Araneta Coliseum website Year Opened: 1960 Capacity: 16,500 College Basketball in the Far East What do you get when you combine equal parts of fan fervor, a league of rich history, the most popular sport in the country, and a venue that has hosted everything from John Cougar Mellencamp concerts to Papal visits from Pope John Paul II to arguably the most famous boxing fight in history? You get a basketball game between Ataneo De Manila University (ADMU) vs. Far Eastern University (FEU) in The Philippines. The University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is a sports association home to eight universities: Adamson University, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Far Eastern University, National University, University of the East, University of the Philippines, and the University of Santo Tomas. Established in 1938, it is one of the oldest athletic conferences in the country and has emerged to be the most popular inter-university sports association today. The eight member universities compete in three divisions (Seniors, Juniors, and Women’s) in fourteen sports. Basketball, by far the most popular of the sports offered, begins the action each season. The UAAP plays its basketball games at both Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Mall of Asia Arena rather than on site at the respective universities. Since its establishment in 1928 by founder Dr. Nicanor Reyes, Sr., FEU has been recognized as one of the leading universities in the Philippines. The mascot is a tamaraw. A tamaraw is a hooved mammal similar to a water buffalo that is an endangered species. Smart Araneta Coliseum is located in the Cubao district of Quezon City, the largest city by area in Metro Manila, and the most populous in the country. While known for hosting the “Thrilla in Manila,” “The Big Dome” as it is also known, is host to scores of concerts, sporting events and culturally significant events annually. Food & Beverage 4 Once inside the venue, concessions are abundant. There are plenty of options for those wanting standard American fare. Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, and Pizza Hut all have stands on various levels. For a more local feel, try a Jamaican Pattie for 60 PHP ($1.40 US). There are vendors for all of the establishments that make rounds during the game in case one does not wish to leave their seat. There are no alcohol sales at this event, but water, soda, tea and juice are available throughout the coliseum. Atmosphere 5 Entry is gained through the main gate at the west side of the arena. Tickets can be purchased online or at the main ticket booth. These events are very popular and buying tickets early is recommended. There are scalpers (locally they are called fixers), but purchasing through them is highly discouraged. Seating runs from 100PHP ($2.65 US) for bleacher seating at the outer reaches of the dome to 300PHP ($8 US). I have been fortunate to attend sporting events in America of all four major sports including Game One of the 2013 Stanley Cup (triple overtime). I have been to many major college basketball games in venues known specifically for being the most raucous. Without question, this is the loudest sporting event I have ever attended. The crowd started roaring at the beginning of introductions; it did not cease until the final buzzer. Aiding in the delirium of the fans are rival drum corps that play constantly during game action. Both squads have cheer squads that would bring comparison to the cheerleaders of the first half of the 1900s. While sitting amongst the FEU faithful, cheers are led by guys emphatically yelling “DE-Fense!” and “Go Tamaraws!” during play. At halftime, both cheer squads give individual performances court side. The score is posted on a large overhead scoreboard above mid-court. Due to the high decibel levels, the PA announcer is not always clear. This did lead to a touch of confusion when a review late in the contest resulted in the addition of one point and although an explanation was given, the roar of the crowd was overwhelmed. Lighting is superb. Sight lines of the entire arena are generally unobstructed. Neighborhood 3 Located in the Cubao district, the Big Dome is surrounded by three shopping complexes. Farmer’s Plaza, Gateway, and Ali Mall are all within one block of the coliseum. In addition there is a market (Farmer’s Market) just west that offers fresh produce, additional shopping and a dampa, which is a fresh fish market. One simply points to the seafood they wish to purchase and it is cooked to specification. Within two blocks of the arena itself there are probably 100 eating establishments to choose from featuring flavors of the world. Cubao is not considered the safest of areas within Metro Manila and one should be cognizant of their surroundings, especially after dark. Walking outside of the immediate area is not recommended. That being said, there is a high level of security at the shopping areas and the arena itself. Fans 5 The crowd is quite knowledgeable, which is to be expected as basketball is the country’s favorite sport. They are also quite friendly. The local fans make visitors feel right at home. The fans shriek at every turnover and three pointer. The crash of the drums is a constant heartbeat for the crowd as they enthusiastically follow each bounce of the ball. Access 3 Depending on where one is arriving from, Smart Araneta is easy to get to, whether by taxi, bus, or jeepney. A 30 minute taxi ride is approximately 175 PHP. There are jeepney stops nearby and the bus terminal is located one block south, across from Ali Mall. For visitors unfamiliar with the area, a taxi is recommended. It can drop off immediately outside the arena. In addition, it has been found easier to tell the taxi driver “Cubao, Farmer’s.” This limits any confusion and allows for a drop which is close to the main entrance and ticket booth. There are public parking ramps nearby for those brave enough to drive. Inside, the venue is very handicap accessible. Elevators bring patrons to their correct level and the concourses are fan friendly. There are plenty of security guards and attendants to ensure a pleasant experience. Smoking? One is allowed to leave and re-enter by showing a hand stamp. Return on Investment 5 An event ticket, food, beverage and roundtrip fares can be had for a total of around 500 PHP ($11 US). One can indulge in some shopping or some fine dining nearby and still not expect to break the bank. Extras 3 Although there are no concessions or programs, the local schools do have merchandise booths with a decent selection of team gear for purchase. Restrooms are easy to access and are clean. The staff is numerous and handles a large crowd well. Final Thoughts This was the most raucous event I have ever attended. It is well recommended for anyone who wants to take in an event that combines a historically significant venue, the national pastime of the Philippines, and the passion of a large fan base for not a large sum of money.

Photos by Jim Flannery, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.47 Rogers Place 10220 104 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T5J 4Y8 Edmonton Oilers website Rogers Place website Year Opened: 2016 Capacity: 18,347 The Oilers’ Fabulous Place The Edmonton Oilers went to the Stanley Cup finals in 2024, falling one goal short in the deciding game seven matchup against the Florida Panthers. This was the fifth-straight trip to the playoffs for the Oilers and the first time they reached the finals since 2006.  Needless to say, expectations are high in the city once again. And those high expectations carry over to their home venue. It would be pretty easy to rest on your laurels if you run a well-liked facility like Rogers Place. But management has chosen not to do that, instead continuing to work on improving the fan experience for anyone who comes to the arena to see the Edmonton Oilers play. At almost a half billion dollars, the downtown arena has spared no expense in making sure every trip to the building is an event, over and above whatever sport or concert you’ve come to watch.  Rogers Place has many design features that reflect the experience the fans have asked for. Its modern design matches well with the new generation of exciting hockey players now coming through the Oilers system while also paying homage to the Oilers Stanley Cup dynasty of the 1980s. Food & Beverage 5 Food and beverage services are a top priority for Rogers Place. The food here is excellent. But it’s also pricy, so be prepared.   Before you even enter the main concourse, in Ford Hall on the south end of the building, you’ll find the Molson Canadian Fan Deck, with a full-service bar and many of the same food choices you’ll find inside the gates, but at more modest prices—Molson Canadian and Coors Light are both $6 per glass here; a brisket grilled cheese sandwich is $12. If you’re going to be spending some money on food anyway, you might want to give Studio 99 a try. It is located on the PCL Loge Level, filled with a ton of sports memorabilia, and has an excellent pre-game buffet (reservations recommended). Seating is open to anyone in attendance. The buffet includes traditional sports bar-type food taken to the next level, plus some high-quality dining options, such as chicken wings, fries, a variety of salads, pasta dishes, and prime rib. Studio 99 is open all game long as well. It’s $64 per person, but it’s also all-you-can-eat, so bring an appetite. Regular concession stands have a relatively small selection to choose from, but each location has a slightly different menu, so have a look around before you settle on something. Rogers Place has entered into a relationship with KFC, so you’ll find their products on most menus.  You’ll find all the expected options, from Nathan’s Famous hot dogs to burgers, fountain pop to bottled water. Most concessions also have some basic adult beverage choices, if you’re looking for a glass or can of beer ($14 and up, depending on brand and whether it’s in a can or a cup).  These options typically also include a couple of premium beers as well.  There are also a couple of specialty stands around the several levels of concourse that feature interesting fare such as Montreal smoked meat sandwiches or perogies. You’ll also find Pizza 73 locations around the building. If you are looking for a self-serve option, check out the AI-powered Grab + Go Drinks and Snacks kiosks where you can pull what you want from the selection and pay quickly. This seems to be under-used, so you might be able to save some time by giving this a try. If you’re looking for something a little more special, there are a few more places to check out. In the lower concourse, available to fans in the lower bowl, there are two club-style areas known as the Coventry Homes Club and the North Mezzanine Club, complete with tables for fans to gather around between periods. The concessions in these areas have an upgraded menu with some more exotic selections.  Fans in the PCL Loge Level have access to the River Valley Grill.  Sky Lounge is a premium seating club on the west end of the upper concourse which has a special menu and in-seat beverage service. Directly below it is the Sportsnet Club which also features premium seating and a unique menu. Atmosphere 5 The managers of Rogers Place do know how to put on a show for the fans.  Just approaching the rink is an experience. If traveling to the arena via Light Rail Transit (LRT), you can either get off at the MacEwan Station, right outside the north entrance to the arena, and adjacent to the Essential Tree art piece, further described below.  Alternatively, you can jump off at the Bay Enterprise station and walk the three blocks north to Rogers Place. If you stay on 104 St, you’ll be treated to a walk through Edmonton’s Neon Sign Museum, an open-air display of some old classic neon signs from days past, displayed on the walls of a couple buildings framing the road. Alternatively, you can detour a block east and come up through Ice District Plaza, where the south entrance to Ford Hall is located, as well as the Oiler’s Official Team Store, several restaurants, plenty of walking space and, when the weather permits, a public skating rink. The arena itself is decorated with images from Oilers history, reminding fans of Edmonton’s proud hockey tradition. Just to the west of the main entrance along 104 Ave. is a Wayne Gretzky statue. Through the glass behind the statue, you can see the Oilers Hall of Fame room, which features memorabilia from the Hockey Hall of Fame, located in Toronto, ON. This is also where all pre- and post-game interviews are conducted, giving fans an up-close look at the head coach and players.  Whether you enter Ford Hall from its main entrance in the plaza or through the main doors, this is a beautiful gathering area for fans prior to walking through the gates into the arena itself. Ford Hall is open year-round so folks visiting Edmonton’s downtown core can stop by and check it out.  The main concourse is quite wide and several stories high, giving it an open, roomy feel. Once inside the seating bowl, you’ll also get a sense of spaciousness, from the wide seats (19”-22”, depending on where you’re sitting) and ample leg room to the significant elevation from ice level to the top of the upper bowl. Seats still don’t feel that far away from the game action, however, due to the upper levels being cantilevered out over the lower levels, bringing them much closer to the middle of the arena, giving even upper deck audiences a sense that they’re right on top of the game.  The energy in the stands is also good. While the game is underway, ambient sound levels indicate a steady buzz of excitement, which can quickly spike when a goal is scored, a fight breaks out, or something else exciting happens.  Neighbourhood 4 Rogers Place is situated on the north end of Edmonton’s downtown core in what is now known as the Ice District. To the west of the rink is the main campus of MacEwan University. If you stick to those areas before and after games, you should have no troubles at all.  To the north of the arena is Central McDougall, which is slowly gentrifying, including the addition of some parking space directly north of the rink, and an open air festival space to the east, called Fan Park. Two blocks east and south of the arena is Sir Winston Churchill Square, a central gathering place for the city which is framed on three sides by Edmonton City Hall, the Art Gallery of Alberta, Winspear Centre for Music, and the main branch of the Edmonton Public Library. Very nice location to check out. On the southeast corner of Rogers Place is the Grand Villa Casino, so patrons of Rogers Place can stop in and try their luck at the slots or table games before or after seeing the Oilers. There are also two restaurants in the casino, adding to your dining options right in the main building. Match Eatery and Public House has a classic British Pub vibe, while Atlas Steak + Fish is a more upscale place where it is rumoured some of the Oilers players have been known to visit after games. If you’re looking to grab a bite or a drink before or after games, you have a ton of good options within just a couple blocks of Rogers Centre.  You can always try the Molson Canadian Hockey House right in Ford Hall, if you want to eat right outside the main gates. In Ice District Plaza you’ll also find several places to dine. Kindred Food is located on the main floor of the JW Marriott building. Across the plaza from there are two bars: Canadian Icehouse and The Banquet , stacked on top of one another. If Italian food is your thing, there are a couple good choices. Pazzo Pazzo is a traditional Italian restaurant with all the dishes you’d expect to find. Just a couple blocks away you’ll also find Edmonton’s downtown Old Spaghetti Factory which also features a full Italian menu, including nine different spaghetti variations.  The Joey Restaurant in the Bell Tower is an excellent option which fills up quickly before games but serves great food. Really, this is just scratching the surface. There are many, many more places nearby. Fans 5 Oilers fans are pretty hard core. For the decade leading up to Rogers Place opening its doors, Oilers fans sold out every home game. In the new barn, the Oilers are now drawing over 1,500 more fans per game, and once again are selling out every night.  The crowds get excited at all the appropriate moments, showing they are engaged in the action, and they’re pleasant to be around, whether in the stands or the concourse, with no anti-social behavior observed. Many, if not most, of the fans are decked out in Oilers orange and blue, proudly showing off their dedication to their team.  Access 4 Getting to and from Rogers Place is fairly easy. There are a ton of parking spaces close to the arena, including the Ice District Central Parkade, to the south of the Ice District Plaza. There is also parking to the north of the facility, and a number of other options throughout the downtown core. You probably want to book in advance to get in on parking on game nights as these spaces do fill up quickly. The other popular option for getting to any sporting event in Edmonton is by way of the transit system. The MacEwan LRT station is physically connected by a walkway to Rogers Place’s north side, while three other LRT stations —Bay Enterprise Square, Central, and Churchill—are all located within 10 minutes of the building. There are also 40 bus routes that come within a couple blocks of the arena. Transit tickets are $3.50 for adults, while children under 12 ride for free when accompanied by a paying adult.  Once inside Rogers Place, having five floors of concourse helps to spread people around a bit, although the Mezzanine (lower bowl), luxury box, and PCL Loge level concourses are underused, as you have to have a seat in that area to be granted access. The main concourse remains very busy between periods and the upper bowl’s concourse can also get quite full, moving slowly, but steadily.  A concern that has been heard more than once is that lineups to both the men’s and women’s washrooms are long. Plan your restroom visits accordingly. Return on Investment 4 According to bardown.com , the Oilers have some of the most reasonable ticket prices among Canadian teams, with an average of $86.34 per seat. That’s actually pretty good to see elite-level professional sports. This is a beautiful arena and a young, dynamic team, but a family of four could easily run up a cost well over $500 dollars for the event. In the grand scheme of NHL teams, that’s actually not bad—and compared to some other pro sports, like the NBA or NFL, it’s quite reasonable—but it might limit some fans to only one or two games a year, if they’re not season ticket holders.  Extras 5 Over and above the hockey game, there are a ton of other things that add to the experience at Rogers Place. There is a Designated Driver program available onsite for fans that might have had a few drinks too many. This is an excellent idea that should be seen in more venues. Free Wi-Fi access is available to fans throughout the building, allowing fans to live Tweet games, check their emails and otherwise interact with the World Wide Web while onsite. Oilers mascot Hunter helps keep the fans entertained around the arena. He is named after original Oilers owner “Wild Bill” Hunter and looks like a Canadian lynx, a wild cat that is fairly common in the Edmonton area. The Oilers Hall of Fame room is located right at the front of the building and can be seen through the glass by fans walking along the sidewalk in front of Rogers Place. Tours of the room allow fans to get an even closer look at all the cool stuff in that space, including Wayne Gretzky’s rookie uniform and many other pieces of Oilers history. On the northeast corner of Rogers Place is the Edmonton Downtown Community Arena. Accessible from corridors inside the building, this arena is now home to the MacEwan University men’s and women’s hockey teams. It also serves as the Oilers’ and Oil Kings’ practice ice and it is also available as a public skating rink. There are TVs all over the building, so even if you step away from your seat for a few moments during a game, you can probably still keep an eye on the action from wherever you happen to be. Speaking of video, Rogers Place features the one of the largest indoor scoreboards in the North America. At 14 metres wide by 11 metres tall, it dominates the space above the rink and provides a spectacular image from every angle.  Several interactive touches are located around the concourses, such as a couple life-size Oilers bobbleheads that attendees can get their pictures taken with.  The Oilers Store can be found in a number of locations around the building giving fans an opportunity to stock up on all the Oilers clothes and souvenirs they can carry. If you’re an art fan, Rogers Place has several special pieces for you. The floor of Ford Hall is adorned with a giant circular mosaic called Tsa Tsa Ke K’e (Iron Foot Place) by local artist Alex Janvier. The northwest plaza, adjacent to the MacEwan LRT station has a large sculpture called Essential Tree by realities:united, an art collective in Berlin. The northeast plaza features a red circular sculpture called Skater’s Arch by Saskatchewan artist Douglas Bentham. And directly above the main entrance to the Downtown Community Arena is a piece that combines sculpture and painting called 9 Figures In Motion With A Puck by local artist Al Henderson. As an added bonus, you’ll also find a cell phone charging stations in the concourse for Rogers Mobility customers with low batteries. Rogers Place is the first NHL rink in Canada to be LEED-Silver certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This makes it one of the most environmentally friendly arenas in North America. Final Thoughts Rogers Place is a worthwhile place to visit even if you’re not there for a hockey game. There is so much to see and do in and around the building without ever walking through the gates that you could spend a couple hours just checking the place out. This is continuing to get better as more features get added. Once you’re through the gates, this is a beautiful building with truly state-of-the-art features that should impress most everyone. If you’re a hockey fan and you’re looking for the chance to see one of the hottest arenas in the NHL, Rogers Place is definitively a place to check out.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Pioneer Field 131 Shiloh Rd Greeneville, TN 37745 Tusculum Pioneers website Pioneer Field website Year Opened: 1965 Capacity: 3,500 A Trek to Pioneer Field Home to Pioneer Soccer since the facility was built in 1965, and home to Pioneer football since 1991 when that sport was brought back to campus, Pioneer Field received a major upgrade in 2000 when a new press box was constructed, along with new lighting, new concessions areas & restrooms, and updated seating. The venue now holds 3,500 fans – 2,500 on the main side and 1,000 on the visitor’s side – and includes a Bermuda grass field and a brand-new fieldhouse behind the west end zone. New Press Box at Pioneer Field, Photo by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Food & Beverage 3 Pioneer Field offers concessions on the south side of the field only (meaning fans in the visitor section will have to walk all the way around), including Chick-fil-A sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and candy bars, ranging in price from $2 to $6. They also sell bottled water and bottled Coke products for $3. Concessions lines move pretty quickly, and the food is high quality. Atmosphere 4 Pioneer Field has a great atmosphere and a beautiful setting – most notably I love the Tusculum décor splashed all the way across the field, including the word ‘Tusculum’ stretching from 30-yard line to 30-yard line and the Pioneer logos at the 25s. The trees surrounding the field are also a great touch, providing a great rural feel especially during night games. I would also mention the unique brick architecture, including brick columns embedded in the fencing around the field – when you walk up to the stadium you can’t even really tell it’s a stadium, which is a great design feature, as the facility blends smoothly right into its surroundings. Tusculum also has a great mascot to entertain fans during games. Named Zeke and reminiscent of Daniel Boone, he can be found walking around the main stands interacting with fans. There is a cheerleading squad as well, and team gear can be purchased near the main entrance if you want to get your Pioneers swag on. This is a really great facility overall; the only downside is that the venue doesn’t have a videoboard yet (just a static digital scoreboard) – a videoboard will be a great addition when it comes. Tusculum Pioneers Mascot, Photo by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Neighborhood 4 Tusculum, TN is not a large town, but there are plenty of restaurants a few miles away from Pioneer Field along Highway 321 – a couple local favorites include Old Oak Taproom, Whistle Stop, and Fatz Café, which is a small local chain with locations in TN, NC, and SC. One tourist stop you should also check out while in town is the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in nearby Greeneville – now run by the National Park Service it consists of four different sites: the visitor’s center, the early home, the homestead, and the cemetery. And if you need a hotel while you are there, there are several hotels near Pioneer Field such as Hampton Inn and Quality Inn. Fans 3 Pioneer Field has great fans, averaging around 2,000 per contest, including a decent number of opposing fans, which is more common at this level of football given how close the schools tend to be to each other. At the game I most recently attended there wasn’t much of a student section, as a lot of the students were working the race events at nearby Bristol Motor Speedway , but at a typical game you will see a lot of energy from the students. Access 4 There are few football stadiums that are easier to get into and out of than Pioneer Field – located only a few miles from the larger city of Greenville, there is free parking right in front of the facility and plenty of room to move around the concourse. The concessions on the south side face the field, so you won’t miss any of the action, and the lines there are short. There are also more than enough bathrooms to accommodate the size of the crowd. The only downside in terms of access at Pioneer Field is that the home stands (south side) and visiting stands (north side) are not connected, so you must walk all the way around if you want to sit on the visitor side, which as a reminder doesn’t have any concessions either. However, there is plenty of room on the south side so you are welcome to just stay there – the main stands have orange chair backs in the first few rows in the middle, orange seats without backs above that, and bleachers without backs on the ends, while the visiting stands only have bleachers without backs. Return on Investment 5 Tickets to Tusculum football are just $15, which is a great deal for the beautiful facility you get to enjoy – the trees all around, the great décor, the unique architecture, the free and close parking, and the low-cost concessions. Extras 3 A big plus for the great music played by the PA announcer, including some great dance music. There is also tailgating in the parking lot in front of the stadium, most notably the large white tent sponsored by the Pioneer Club, but also plenty of individual fans soaking up the pregame atmosphere.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Ted Reeve Community Arena 175 Main Street Toronto, ON M4E 2W2 Toronto Beaches website Ted Reeve Community Arena website Year Opened: 1954 Capacity: 1,350 Life’s a Beach East of Downtown Toronto, the historic neighbourhood of The Beaches can be found.  In the Beaches community, lacrosse has a deep and storied history.  It is possible that the Toronto Beaches Lacrosse Club dates back to one of the first field lacrosse games in Toronto in 1867.  The formal history of the club dates back to 1915.  The Beaches played a Junior B box lacrosse circuit from 1979 to 1983.  The modern Toronto Beaches joined the Junior A loop in 1991, folded in 1997 and restarted in 1998.  Success has been fleeting for the Beaches in the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League, but they did make two Iroquois Trophy Final appearances in 2002 against the St. Catharines Athletics and 2022 against the Whitby Warriors . The home for the Toronto Beaches is definitely a community experience in The Beaches.  The Ted Reeve Community Arena is a hub for the community.  Built in 1954, Ted Reeve Arena has a long, illustrious hockey history.  It is named in honour of Ted Reeve, who lived his entire life in The Beaches.  Ted Reeve served in World War I and won two Grey Cups as a football player, and a Mann Cup as a lacrosse player.  He also won three Yates Cups at Queen’s University as a coach.  He is a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and was well established as a writer. Food & Beverage 3 The west end of the Ted Reeve Arena has an enclosed snack bar and seating area that looks out to the floor.  Burgers, hot dogs, fries, bagels, popcorn, chips and chocolate bars are all on the menu.  Pepsi products, Gatorade, water, and smoothies are the soft drink options, as well as a full coffee bar.  Inside the arena in the southwest corner, beer and water is also sold. Atmosphere 3 The Ted Reeve Arena is part of a larger community park which includes a sizable playground and ball diamonds.  The building is definitely on the older side and the exterior is fairly nondescript with a large sign over the west entrance.  Light brick and a rounded roof  delineate the exterior features.   A large mural is painted on the east side of the building near the parking lot.  A memorial stone is found at the west side commemorating Ted Reeve and his contributions to sport. Upon entering at the west side, patrons are greeted with a massive painted mural honouring the arena's hockey and lacrosse history along with Ted Reeve.  Once tickets have been purchased at the temporary table at the entrance, fans will head to the arena concourse.  Immediately the history of the Ted Reeve Arena will become obvious with numerous trophy cases filled with trophies and memorabilia that go back decades.  Unfortunately for the lacrosse fan, everything is focused on the vast hockey tradition at the arena.  There are some Toronto Beaches markings around the arena, including two large banners on either side of the east end scoreboard.  The roof of the arena is a simple arched roof with silver insulation, seen in so many arenas around Ontario.  The floor runs from east to west and the north side of the floor is the spot to be for a centre logo picture.  With playing surfaces not exactly consistent in the OJLL, Ted Reeve Arena features a polished concrete floor, which is not the greatest.  The seating bowl encircles the entire floor and has 3 rows of old, plastic, stadium seats.  The seats are actually from Exhibition Stadium, which was the former home of the Toronto Argonauts and Toronto Blue Jays.  There is no rhyme or reason to the numbering of the seats in Ted Reeve Arena. The gameday production at a Toronto Beaches game is very simple.  There is no music during gameplay like is normally seen in the National Lacrosse League.  The PA system is very good and it is easy to hear announcements. Neighbourhood 5 Ted Reeve Arena is located in the Upper Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto, surrounded by Main Street, Gerrard Street and Ted Reeve Drive.  It is just east of what would normally be considered Downtown.  There are a number of places to eat and drink in the immediate area.  Some places include Bodega Henriette, Beach Hill Smokehouse, Red Tape Brewery and Prologue Cafe. For sports fans, Toronto is heaven.  There are a tremendous number of sports options.  Just west of Ted Reeve Arena are the homes of the Toronto Blue Jays , Toronto Raptors , Toronto Maple Leafs , Toronto Marlies , Toronto Argonauts  and Toronto FC .  The University of Toronto is just north and home of the Varsity Blues ( hockey , football , basketball ) and Toronto Metropolitan University, home of the Bold ( hockey , basketball ) and further north is York University, home of the Lions ( basketball , hockey , football ).  For fans of lacrosse, the OJLL’s Mimico Mountaineers  home, Mimico Arena, is a short drive away.  Also, Toronto Maple Leafs  baseball can be seen for free during summer months.  Other tourist options in the Beaches neighbourhood are Balmy Beach Park, and Woodbine Beach.  Of course there are other tourist options in the City.  For fans who wish to stay near the arena, the Toronto Don Valley Hotel & Suites is close. Fans 3 It is difficult to assess the fan support of OJLL venues as the league does not publish attendance figures.  At the game that was reviewed there were a fair number of fans and considering the Monday Night schedule, the number of fans was higher than expected.  There are a number of minor lacrosse players in attendance and players are granted free entry.   Access 4 Ted Reeve Arena is located in the Upper Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto.  Adjacent to Downtown Toronto, it is not the easiest place to drive to.  Traffic can be a big challenge coming from the east, west or north.  There is some free parking on the site of the arena, but with plenty going on with the ball diamonds and two arenas, a plan to be at the arena early is a good one.  For fans wishing to take public transit to the game, Ted Reeve Arena is a block south of the Danforth GO Transit stadion, which also services the TTC.  Fans should consult the GO Transit  and TTC websites for schedules, fares and maps.  Ted Reeve is an older arena, but it is not terribly difficult to get around.  Washroom facilities are adequate for the number of fans in attendance. Return on Investment 5 Toronto Beaches lacrosse, along with the other experiences in the OJLL, offers tremendous value for the sporting dollar.  Tickets for the Beaches are $10 each with some discounts for kids and seniors.  Toronto Beaches minor lacrosse players get into the game free of charge.  The action on the floor is high calibre and fans will definitely have a good time.  Extras 2 An extra mark for the long history of the Toronto Beaches Lacrosse Club. An extra mark for the seats in Ted Reeve Arena being reused from Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Final Thoughts Taking in some Junior Lacrosse in the Toronto neighbourhood of the Beaches is a great way to take in a neighbourhood that tourists may not normally head to and to get a flavour of a part of Toronto.  Toronto Beaches lacrosse is a great way to catch some high calibre lacrosse at a price that is very palpable. Ted Reeve Arena is a historic neighbourhood arena with a significant amount of charm.  Head out! Life’s a Beach! Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Mahaney Diamond Long Rd Orono, ME 04473 Maine Black Bears website Mahaney Diamond website Year Opened: 1980 Capacity: 4,400 Black Bear Diamond Baseball has been played at the University of Maine since 1881. For years, the team played in several locations around the Orono campus. In the early 1980s the school built Mahaney Diamond for the Black Bear baseball team. The field is named for Larry Mahaney, an area businessman and philanthropist who graduated in 1951. His donations allowed for several renovations to the park. In addition to serving as home of the Black Bears, Mahaney Diamond has served as home of the Bangor Blue Ox and Bangor Lumberjacks of the independent Northeast League. The field has also served as host of NCAA Northeast Regional and America East Conference Tournament. UMaine has qualified for 16 NCAA Tournaments and seven college World Series. Nineteen former Black Bears have played in the major leagues. Food & Beverage 2 There is a small shack behind the grandstand which houses a snack bar. Choices are limited here, but it is nice to have food available. It’s an option not many college ballparks in the area enjoy. Hungry Black Bear fans can enjoy snacks including hot dogs, pretzels and nachos. Popcorn, assorted candy, cookies and whoopee pies are sold here. Coca-Cola products are sold at Mahaney Diamond. Perhaps the most popular items sold here on cold Maine spring afternoons are cups of coffee and hot chocolate. A small merchandise table is set up behind the grandstand, offering assorted UMaine t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts. Atmosphere 2 Fans looking for an elaborate game day presentation may be disappointed by the laid back, relaxed atmosphere at Mahaney Diamond. PA announcements are limited to lineup announcements and an occasional sponsor message. The focus here is on the game going on down on the field, which is something that will surely be appreciated by baseball purists. Neighborhood 2 The University of Maine is located in the small town of Orono, which is located in the center of the state. With a population of just over 10,000 permanent residents, the town is actually smaller than the University. Downtown Orono is located about two miles from the UMaine campus. Several fine restaurants can be found on Mill Street, including the original location of Pat’s Pizza, a Maine pizza institution. UMaine students flock to The Family Dog for gourmet burgers. Fans looking for a more traditional pub experience can check out the Orono Brewing Company, Woodman’s Bar and Grill, or Bear Brew Pub. Many fans will choose to travel to nearby Bangor, Maine’s third largest city, where there are more options for dining, lodging and entertainment. Be sure to stop by the giant Paul Bunyan statue for a photo, or visit famous Bangor resident Stephen King’s house. Fans 3 UMaine draws between 400-500 fans for the typical weekend Black Bears game. You have to be a dedicated fan indeed to watch a baseball game in the typically brisk Maine springtime. The Black Bears do have some surprising support from the community and student body. What the student section lacks in numbers they make up for in enthusiasm. While the students who attend Black Bears baseball games can’t compete with the “Maineiacs” who pack Alfond Arena for hockey games, they can be quite entertaining. Access 3 Mahaney Diamond is easy to get to from Interstate 95. Simply take exit 193 (Stillwater Ave.), turn towards the shopping center, take a right onto College Ave., and turn left onto Munson Rd. at the first University of Maine sign. The campus is located about two miles from the highway. All the athletic facilities are grouped together on the northern edge of campus. Mahaney Diamond is tucked in behind Alfond Stadium. Parking lots are located a short walk from the ballpark, adjacent to and in between the hockey arena and football stadium. Most of the seating at Mahaney Diamond consists of metal bleachers with backs. In an unusual twist, the seats further down the line have the fancier seats, as there is a section down either baseline that consists of individual folding plastic seats. Much of the area behind the grandstand consists of dirt paths, which can become muddy during the Maine thaw. Fans would be well advised to walk carefully around the ballpark. Return on Investment 3 Tickets for Black Bear baseball games cost six dollars, with a two dollar discount given to youths and seniors. UMaine students are admitted at no charge. While six dollars is not a steep price to pay to catch some quality college baseball, UMaine is one of the few schools in New England that charges an admission fee to attend games. Parking in the lots near Mahaney Diamond is free, and the prices at the snack bar are inexpensive. An afternoon at a Black Bears game will certainly not break the bank. Extras 2 An extra point is awarded for the Mahaney Clubhouse, an indoor training facility down the left field line. A party deck is built into the side of the building and is rented out to groups on occasion. The field turf playing surface ensures that Mahaney Diamond is playable even during the cold, short Maine spring. Final Thoughts While far off the beaten path (the closest division one baseball school is a four hour drive away), Mahaney Diamond is a quality ballpark. Just remember, this is New England, where the spring weather can be extremely fickle and unpredictable. Postponements, cancellations, changes in schedule and even changes in venue can and do happen regularly. The weather in Maine usually doesn’t turn until after the college baseball season is almost over. If planning a visit to Orono, be flexible. Follow all of Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter @PuckmanRI .

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey One of the most fun parts of watching indoor football, usually, is that any ball that leaves the field of play can be kept by the fan who catches that ball – hence there is usually a mad scramble for these loose balls, and fans will often crowd the first row behind the end zones, to try and catch balls as they slide down the net, or fans will sometimes line up in the upper rows behind the end zones, in case any field goals or extra point balls make it over the net. Fans are also warned to keep alert for loose balls, and often reminded that they can keep the ball if they catch it; some PA announcers have even been known to mock fans who try to give it back. You will also sometimes see stadium staffers retrieve loose balls that don’t quite make it into the stands, and hand them to a lucky fan (usually a little kid, not that this writer is at all jealous). Unfortunately, at the San Antonio Gunslingers game on June 4th, 2023, it was announced that due to a league-wide ball shortage for the National Arena League fans would not be able to keep any balls that left the field of play during the game – staffers were on hand to make sure the balls were returned, and before seemingly every kickoff or extra point, the PA announcer reminded fans of this fact; this same announcement was made over a dozen times during the game. This writer was not able to determine the reason for the shortage, nor for how long the situation might continue. I will mention, however, that I also attended a West Texas Warbirds game on June 3rd, and though no announcement was made about the ball shortage, I did notice fans returning the loose balls to staff members during that game as well. I also noticed that no official-size balls were sold at either game (only souvenir-sized ones), and none of the NAL team websites listed any footballs for sale (only clothing, hats, and glassware). It is unfortunate that the supply chain issues we all heard about during Covid, but most thought were over, may now have touched our sport of football – it is this writer’s sincere hope that the issue will be resolved quickly so that fans will once again be able to enjoy one of the best parts of indoor football.

Photos by Meg Minard Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Michelob ULTRA Arena 3950 Las Vegas Blvd S Las Vegas, NV 89109 Map It Las Vegas Desert Dogs website Michelob ULTRA Arena website Year Opened: 1999 Capacity: 12,000 New Dogs in LAX The Las Vegas Desert Dogs are the newest members of the NLL (National Lacrosse League), joining the league in the 2022-2023 season. The team is co-owned by several well-known sports individuals: Wayne Gretzky, Steve Nash, Dustin Johnson, and Joe Tsai. They play their home matches at the multi-purpose Michelob ULTRA Arena, attached to the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, NV. The arena also hosts the WNBA Las Vegas Aces as well as concerts, college basketball tournaments, and other entertainment. Box lacrosse is a fabulous, non-stop action indoor sport. It’s one that even leaves fans exhausted after watching a match. The Desert Dogs organization provides a fun, exciting few hours of sports entertainment. If you’re in town in the winter or spring, be sure to check out a game. They only play nine regular season home games, so plan your trip well. Food & Beverage 4 The arena offers a decent variety of food, snack, and drink choices. The concourse includes both stationary stands and carts. A burrito stand offers yummy looking burritos, tacos, and quesadillas ($8 - $14). A burger stand sells fresh burgers ($13.95 - $15.95). Brockwood Farms BBQ provides real pit barbeque pulled pork, beef brisket, and roasted turkey sandwiches with chips and a pickle for $10.50. There’s even a create-your-own ‘you top it’ hot dog stand which offers hot dogs, brats, and seven or so toppings ($11.25 - $11.50). The arena also offers traditional hot dogs ($7.50), nachos ($7.75), and candy ($5.50). The Loop and Kernel sells artisan pretzels ($8) and gourmet popcorn ($6/$8). Another cart sells lemonade and cotton candy. Michelob ULTRA Arena is a Pepsi facility with sodas running $6 - $7.50. Multiple brands of beer are offered - both domestic and craft - on tap and in cans. Hop & Olive sells adult beverages. Cocktails cost $17 or $24 for a double and wine is $15. A bomber beer is $17, with a 16 oz selling for $13. There’s plenty here to keep a lacrosse fan from starving. Atmosphere 4 Box lacrosse is always a fun, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat game day experience, and a Desert Dogs match is no different. There’s non-stop action on the court and it’s generally a high-scoring game. A DJ constantly plays music throughout the game and strobe lights circle the crowd. Smoke erupts from the scoreboard and corners of the court after a Desert Dog goal. Fans bang on the glass like in hockey. An emcee riles up the crowd, though he’s not always understandable. Players bang their sticks when the 30-second shot clock is about to run out. A crisp, clear scoreboard shows the video of the game, score, quarter, time left, saves, SOG, and penalties. It does not provide closed captioning. Entertainment during the game includes your usual high-pitched screeching female promotions person. Non-game entertainment at the game Stadium Journey visited was a wing-eating contest, T-shirt tosses, a howl cam, and much more. The game day operations staff provides plenty of activities to keep fans entertained during the rare game downtime. Sparkly cheerleaders/dance team with pom poms cheer on the team at breaks, in the aisles, and behind the glass. The seating area is two levels with most fans entering from the concourse and then walking up or down to their seats. Handrails are provided every few rows with more in the upper level. The arena has 13 – 15 rows of grey cushioned seats on both levels around the entire court. The seats are narrow and there’s absolutely no legroom between the rows. A VIP area (The Dog House) with high-top tables, its own bar, and a DJ is behind one of the goals. Michelob ULTRA Arena Seating, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Neighborhood 5 You’re in Las Vegas so there’s an abundance of other entertainment activities, restaurants, casinos, and shops. Within Mandalay Bay, near the arena, a comfortable family-oriented place for a bite to eat is The Citizen. The Border Grill (Mexicana BBQ) has more of a bar-type atmosphere; it’s a hopping place for drinks and appetizers. It closes at 10pm, so if the game runs late, you won’t be able to stop here for an after-game meet-up or drink. Libertine Social Gastropub is also very close. It’s a more upscale place and may not be the best choice for lacrosse fans. Other entertainment at Mandalay Bay includes visiting the Shark Reef Aquarium or a Michael Jackson One by Cirque du Soleil show. And there’s a wedding chapel in case you want to get married or renew your vows. The casino is next to the Luxor (iconic pyramid-shaped casino) which has many of its own entertainment choices. Other sports teams to visit while in town include the NHL Vegas Golden Knights , UNLV basketball or baseball, and the Henderson Silver Knights (minor league hockey). Fans 3 The fan base is certainly into the game, cheering, chanting, and applauding great saves and goals. Desert Dog attire is seen throughout the crowd. The team drew over 7,000 fans for the first game they played at the arena. The other few home games so far have seen 5,000 to 6,000 fans in attendance. It’s still a new team, so time will tell if lacrosse captures more sports fans’ interest in Las Vegas. I suspect it will. Access 4 The arena is in Mandalay Bay Resort on the south end of the strip between the Luxor and Delano Resorts. It’s across I-15 from Allegiant Stadium. Harry Reid International Airport is in its backyard, three to five miles depending on the route. Vehicle traffic in Las Vegas is pretty awful, like most large cities. If driving, Mandalay Bay Parking Garage off Frank Sinatra Drive is the closest garage. Uber and Lyft are convenient transportation choices, and there’s even a designated Uber pickup/drop-off area at Mandalay Bay. The Mandalay Bay Tram Station transports fans to other casinos along the strip. Once arriving, either via the parking lot, tram, or shared ride, fans must walk a distance through the casino and all its bells and whistles to get to the arena. Once arriving, visitors walk up a long corridor from the box office to the security and into the arena. Clear stadium bags (12” x 6” x 12”) are allowed. Doors open an hour before face-off. The concourse is shiny and spacious, so there is minimal congestion when walking the perimeter. Ushers are polite but protective of their sections. There’s a lot of walking involved in getting to the arena. Just be cognizant of that when arriving to watch a match. Return on Investment 3 Tickets start at $35 at the box office. Online, the prices run $25 - $99 plus order fees. The team has promotions throughout the season, like no ticketing fees when purchasing online or jersey giveaways (check their website for details). Food and beverage prices are the standard high-priced stadium fare. Season ticket members get either free parking or discounted parking ($5/game) based on their membership package. Otherwise, fans pay $18 in the adjacent parking garage. All of this seems high for lacrosse, but maybe not for lacrosse in Las Vegas. Box lacrosse is a fun, exciting game , o ne worth visiting when in town or for a new sports experience. We recommend checking it out at least once or twice. . Extras 4 At the game Stadium Journey visited, pregame Indigenous celebrations and half-time performances were presented. Lacrosse originated from native tribes across the US and Canada as early as the 17th century. This celebration was an honor to witness. It included dancing, singing, and a blessing. Nice job. Michelob ULTRA Arena Indigenous Celebration, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Las Vegas is a fantastic place to people-watch. A Desert Dogs merchandise stand is just inside the main entrance and sells a decent amount of team merchandise and clothing. The stand is one of those team shops where you can see but you cannot touch. Jack Hannah scored a sock trick for the Desert Dogs at the game Stadium Journey visited. A sock trick is when a player scores six goals in a game. Final Thoughts The Las Vegas area is becoming a sports hotbed with a new NFL football arena, hockey, minor league hockey and baseball, and now lacrosse. Lacrosse is probably the more niche sport of the others in the United States, but it’s one that is growing. The Desert Dogs is a perfect example of the growth and popularity of the sport. Attending a match is an entertaining and enjoyable evening out!

Photos Courtesy of Siena College Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 MVP Arena 51 Pearl Street Albany, NY 12207 Siena Saints website MVP Arena website Year Opened: 1990 Capacity: 15,229 Good Times Siena has been recognized as one of the elite programs in the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) since the start of the 21st century. Former head coach Fran McCaffery, now at Iowa, led the Saints to a 77-26 record, including 46-8 in conference play, and three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament between 2008-2010. The Saints currently play in one of college basketball’s most overlooked rivalries with the Great Danes from the University at Albany. Each season, the two teams battle it out for the Albany Cup before 10,000+ fans at the Times Union Center. Note: The arena name changed from Times Union Center to MVP Arena in Jan 2022. Food & Beverage 3 The options are never limited as locations to buy refreshments surround the area in-between the first and second levels. The typical arena favorites like pizza, chicken fingers, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs are all available. However, like cross-town rival UAlbany’s SEFCU Arena, the Saints suffer from a major problem. There are a number of both fast food and sit-down restaurants nearby, but food and drink does not come cheap, such as $4.50 for a Gatorade or $5.50 for a box of cracker jacks. The options are in your favor; the prices are not. Atmosphere 4 By far the largest arena in the capital region, The Times Union Center is a great place to watch a basketball game. There is a major college basketball game experience at every game, complete with an enthusiastic student section and multiple tv cameras. The TU is great entertainment whenever the Saints are in town. Neighborhood 2 The Times Union Center is on South Pearl Street in downtown Albany. Surrounded by a handful of bars that are home to ever increasingly rowdy patrons, downtown Albany can be a dangerous place to visit. There is constant police presence on the weekends and bar owners are sometimes also called upon to take action. Fans 3 In the competition for bragging rights with cross-town rival Albany, Siena can check off a win in the fans department. More residents, and especially more students come out to Siena home games. The fact that capacity at the Times Union Center is more than twice what the capacity is at SEFCU Arena might play a factor, but the fact remains that the fans still make the effort to come out and support their Saints. Access 3 A parking garage is attached to the west end of the building, but it costs $8 to park there for the day. Street parking is typically available on nights and weekends, but the spots are almost always filled up with a far greater demand than there is supply, leaving those attending an event to park far from the building. Return on Investment 4 The Saints have made four NCAA Tournament appearances since 2002, and have upset national powerhouses Ohio State and Vanderbilt in two of those appearances. You can expect to see a good team, which is an important element. Tickets range from $10-$35, and the price is well worth it to see the Saints of Siena. Extras 2 The Saints do a decent job of keeping fans entertained during media timeouts, with games revolving around the “Minute to Win It” concept and the ever-famous kiss cam.

Photos by Eric Hasman, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Convocation Center 1525 W Lincoln Hwy DeKalb, IL 60115 Northern Illinois Huskies website Convocation Center website Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 10,000 Husky Hardwood DeKalb, home of Northern Illinois University is your typical small college town surrounded by farmland. It is located just 65 miles west of the heart of Chicago. NIU has become more known on a national scale recently due to the success of the football team, which played in the Orange Bowl game in 2013 and has made it to the Mid-American Conference Championship game 8 out of the last 11 years. The institution also field teams in other sports as a member of the Mid-American Conference. The men’s and women’s basketball teams play in a very unique venue known as the Convocation Center. It’s a large arena with seating that folds out from the walls. A track and field running surface surrounds the basketball court and makes the space feel cavernous. It is perhaps one of the few venues in college basketball that allows you to walk laps while watching a game. With a full capacity of 10,000, the seating is probably less than half of that with the upper portion pushed back exposing the track. Food & Beverage 2 There’s a little more offered at Northern Illinois basketball games than what you’ll find at a football game, but still far from an awe-inspiring menu. Chicken tender baskets ($6), chicken sandwiches ($5), and slices of pizza with plain cheese or sausage ($5) are the highlights. I tried the chicken sandwich and it is on par with fast food quality. You may want to consider eating pregame or postgame, but there’s enough here to get you through the contest. Other options include the traditional hot dog ($4), nachos ($7), or an order of fries ($3). Pepsi products are on hand with bottles of soda ($5), water ($4), coffee ($4), and hot chocolate ($5). Popcorn or a hot pretzel will set you back $5. Overall, the entire menu seems a bit overpriced for the quality that you’ll receive. For alcohol, there are domestic beers Budweiser, Bud Light, and Michelob Ultra for $9 and 16 oz Seltzers for $9. There are also “value” beers such as Busch Light and Naturdays for $4 (12 oz) and Busch Light $5 (16 oz). The “specialty” beers at the stadium are New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, and Heineken all for ($9.50). There is an NIU brand Kolsh-style ale, Dawgma for $10. Atmosphere 3 The seats in the Convocation Center can be folded up or extended as necessary. This makes for a very agile venue, but it also means that the seats are less comfortable than what you would expect from most arenas. There are two levels of seating that surround the basketball court. The level below the running track offers great views of the action and feels extremely intimate. The seats above the running track feel really removed because of the wide space in between the two levels. However, these upper seats remain pushed back and unavailable for most games. This allows for a greater concentration of the crowd to be closer to the court, which is a good thing. The crown jewel of this venue is the court design. Normally I am not a huge fan of overly designed basketball floors but this one works. The entire area inside the three-point arc is plain wood; the rest of the floor however is an intimidating smoky black color with an imposing design at center court that includes the letters “NIU,” and just the eyes and eyebrows of the husky above. This is one of my favorite basketball courts in the country. NIU has one traditional “Mascot” who is Victor E. Huskie. In addition, NIU has Mission, a Siberian Huskie, that walks around the seating area with his ROTC handler for most of the game. The scoreboard is a good size high-definition board that has lots of good stats and video. Neighborhood 4 DeKalb is a typical small college town. There isn’t much in town besides NIU, but there are some good restaurants downtown and near campus. Since it is a college town, pizza parlors and fast food joints abound, but there are a few nice sports bars near campus. The “official” bar/restaurant of NIU sports is Fatty’s Pub and Grille which is located southeast of the stadium on Lincoln Highway. The bar has a great atmosphere, really good food, and is home to the coach’s show. A must-eat there is the Cajun potato salad which is a holdover from the former tenant of the building, a Cajun restaurant. The food at Fatty’s is really good you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. On game days Fatty’s does get crowded but it is a great place to go. Another good place for a sit-down meal is Molly’s Eatery & Drinkery on Lincoln. The menu is more limited, but the sandwiches are good. There are the usual fast food places near the stadium, Culvers, Taco Bell, Chipotle, etc. However, a really good place to go of campus fame is Tom & Jerry’s Gyros also on Lincoln towards downtown DeKalb. The students love the food there and it is reasonably priced. In downtown DeKalb, I suggest visiting Lord Stanleys. Lord Stanley’s is known for pizza, beer, and a good place to watch sports. While you are there you must try the “Willies/beer nuggets” which are deep fried pizza dough bites with red sauce for dipping. DeKalb has a few microbreweries, the Forge Brewhouse, Byers Brewing Company, and the Keg and Kernel by Tangled Roots. All have a good selection of beers and good food and are located in downtown DeKalb. Many years ago, Chicago had the “Cows on Parade” downtown, and DeKalb has the “Huskies on Parade.” There are many hand painted Huskie statues all over town and campus which were commissioned by local businesses. I don’t know how many there are in total, but it could be a fun hunt to run around and try to find as many as you can. If you want to stay overnight, there are several budget hotels (Super 8, Hampton Inn and Red Roof Inn) near campus on Lincoln Highway that are within walking distance of the stadium. Fans 2 Attendance at Huskies games is low especially considering the students can get in free. However, the games don’t draw many students. Maybe because the stadium is a fair distance from the dorms. The Huskies draw about 800 – 3,000 per game depending on the promotion and weather. The fans are loyal and loud, especially on the student side which could be annoying for some. The student section consists of four sections behind the east basket, which is also where the pep band is located. The students are relatively noisy and into the game with organized chants during play. They stay engaged throughout the game and enjoy yelling at the refs, the music, and cheering for their team, in that order. The team seems to get decent support from the community. A large number of fans in attendance are families with young children and the parents are into the game, and not just there to get their kids out of the house. Access 4 The stadium and surrounding area are very accessible. It’s easy to find the Convocation Center exiting off of I-88 onto Annie Glidden Road, turning on to Lincoln Highway. The illuminated white building stands out like a beacon in the night. The stadium is on the west side of the Northern Illinois University Campus and near the Football Stadium and about a 5-minute drive from the intersection of Interstate 88 and Annie Glidden Road. Huskie Stadium is very easy to get to with the parking lots being near the Convocation Center off of Lincoln Highway and lots off of Lucinda. There’s a large parking lot that surrounds the Convocation Center and parking is free which is nice. The arena’s website states only small bags are allowed, however, I noticed parents with babies are allowed to bring in diaper bags. Once inside the concourses are wide, and there are no inclines to deal with, so the building is very wheelchair accessible. Bathrooms are large, so you shouldn’t expect any lines, which means you don’t have to miss out on any action just to beat the crowds to the restroom. There is a section behind the basket that has a “bar” area with several tables, a couch, and a tv. You have to get there early to get seats in this area. Return on Investment 3 Northern Illinois students can get into any athletic contest for free, which is a great way to get the students involved. Tickets are only $10 for reserved seating which doesn’t include the $2.50 Ticketmaster fee if you buy online. If you want to save that money, purchase a reserved seat at the ticket window for $10 with a general admission seat running $8 at the ticket window. If there is a large crowd, it is worth the extra money to get close to the action. The upper bowl will cost you $8 for a seat unless you are aged 62 or older or in 8th grade or lower ($6). Extras 3 A bonus point is awarded for the play area set up for kids before the game. There’s a basketball hoop set up as well as a large inflatable jumping area. The only significant banners commemorate the Huskies NCAA tournament appearances in 1982, 1991, and 1996. There are no retired jerseys hanging from the rafters, yet. An extra star and extra mention again for the basketball floor design. There are many over designed floors at all levels of basketball, but this floor design is done right. Final Thoughts The Convocation Center is not the best but it is a good place to see a game and have a good time.

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Winthrop Ballpark 900 Eden Terrace Rock Hill, SC 29730 Winthrop Eagles website Winthrop Ballpark website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 1,800 Winthrop Ballpark – Winthrop Eagles Just south of Charlotte and not far across the North Carolina-South Carolina state line is the town of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the Winthrop University Eagles. One of the original members of the Big South Conference, Winthrop made a name for itself in the early 2000s as one of the top basketball programs in the conference. At about the same time the Eagles were also the class of the diamond in the Big South, winning 3 conference championships (2001, 2003, 2005) and advancing to 3 NCAA Regionals (2001, 2005, 2006). Food & Beverage 2 There is a light menu of food options here at reasonable rates – hot dogs and nachos are the featured items and top out at $5. Other ballpark classics such as soft pretzels, popcorn, peanuts, and sunflower seeds are also available. Beverages include sports drinks and Coke products, along with domestic beers and seltzers. Local craft brewery Legion Brewing also has its IPA available. Atmosphere 2 Winthrop Ballpark is tucked away toward the front of the Winthrop athletics complex. As fans approach the stadium they are greeted by the back side of a towering brick and concrete grandstand, guarded by a black iron fence, which is adorned with the Winthrop Eagle logo atop the entry ways. Upon passing through the gates and climbing the stairs into the seating bowl, the gigantic batter’s eye in baseball jumps out immediately. Standing 77-feet-tall, the batter’s eye that doubles as a sunshade is believed to be the largest in all of baseball. Once the enormity of the batter’s eye is processed, the lack of shade is the next thing that stands out. The grandstand has a short canopy, so this pushes most of the fans to the upper reaches of the seating area in search of shade. This creates a feeling that the fans are removed from the game. The symmetrical, natural grass field plays a bit short at 325’ down each line and 390’ to straightaway center. From afar the brick-lined grandstand looks beautiful, but upon closer inspection the impressive structure could use a bit of sprucing up for its fading paint and section numbers. There are some between inning activities, such as in-game Bingo or the “Let’s Make a Deal” game of “the first person to bring a paperclip to the press box”. The games are at least an attempt to engage fans, but there does not seem to be much fan interest in them. Neighborhood 4 Most of Winthrop’s athletic facilities are located just over a mile from campus, separated by a well-maintained, residential neighborhood. The Winthrop athletics complex has plenty of activities for fans stopping by for more than just baseball – the university runs a 9-hole golf course that can be played all day for $10. There are also 2-disc golf courses which are ranked as some of the best in South Carolina, and best of all they are free to play. Not far from Winthrop’s sports complex is Old Town Rock Hill, home to shops, restaurants, and Rock Hill Brewing Company. Fans 2 Winthrop baseball games tend to be lightly attended – fans appear to be mostly family members and friends of players with a light turnout of student supporters, along with a few Rock Hill residents who have a passion for baseball. Most games here draw between two to three hundred fans each. Throughout the game there does not seem to be an all-out enthusiasm, other than parents cheering on their child or getting on the umpire for his opinion of balls and strikes. Access 3 Winthrop Ballpark is just over three miles from Interstate-77, which runs locally between Columbia, South Carolina, and nearby Charlotte. Parking is plentiful and free at any of the lots in the area. Signs direct baseball fans to park at the lot adjacent to the basketball arena . Those not familiar with the area will want to look for the woodchip path that leads to the stadium, as there is not much to direct fans to the walkway, and the intuition for first-time visitors would be to walk down the long road to the stadium. Once inside the stadium, the visitors side of the entry plaza is closed off and the home side of the entry level is blocked by the Winthrop clubhouse, so fans must use one of two steep staircases to reach the field concourse. There are also ramps from the concourse to field level where some fans stand to watch the game, while children play in the grassy area and chase foul balls. Return on Investment 4 Ticket prices are broken into two tiers, with $10 reserved seating and $5 general admission; Winthrop Ballpark is a small enough stadium that there is not enough of a difference between them to justify paying the extra amount, unless you just want to be close to the action. Given the size of the crowd, there does not seem to be much of a reason to have the two different price points (one price should be suitable). However, free parking and affordable concessions help balance the slightly elevated ticket price for the front rows of seating. Extras 3 The entry plaza has an apparel shop where fans can to pick up Winthrop hats, t-shirts, and other Eagles souvenirs. Chicago baseball fans will probably recognize the stadium announcer’s odes to Windy City baseball announcing icons – the 7th Inning Stretch’s “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is very reminiscent to that of Harry Caray’s. Also, home runs are celebrated with an impression of Hawk Harrelson’s, “Put it on the board...YES!”. Winthrop does an excellent job of reminding fans of the pride players have representing their university, as the team lines up along the first baseline to sing Winthrop’s alma mater following the game. Final Thoughts At the time Winthrop Ballpark was built, the Eagles were entering one of the program’s most successful stretches. Winthrop was one of the better teams in the Big South Conference, with typical crowds of five to six hundred and occasionally even eclipsing 1,000. A stadium the size of Winthrop Ballpark made sense, but several consecutive years of a sub-.500 winning percentage appears to have taken its toll on the game experience. The game itself is just fine for baseball junkies; Winthrop’s players play with a lot of grit and passion that adds to the enjoyment of the game. Overall though, the game does not have enough to capture the attention of the average fan and draw them out to the ballpark.

Photos by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Haas Pavilion 14 Frank Schlessinger Way Berkeley, CA 94720 California Golden Bears website Haas Pavilion website Year Opened: 1933 Capacity: 11,858 Who’s Haas ? Bears Haas ! Opened in 1933, Haas Pavilion underwent extensive renovations before the 1999-2000 season, increasing capacity from just over 6,500 to just under 12,000. Thanks to this increase in seating, Haas Pavilion just may rank as the loudest venue in the Pac-12 when filled. Food & Beverage 3 Aside from your standard hot dogs, sausages, and burgers, specialty sandwiches such as the Mesquite Turkey with Bacon, Thai Chicken, and Tofu Wrap, as well as Caesar and Harvest Green Salads, are available at a reasonable $10. Standard snacks such as nachos, pretzels, chips, and popcorn are also available, with the souvenir popcorn costing the same as the sandwiches. Candy and Mrs. Field’s ice cream sandwiches are also available for $5. Atmosphere 4 The moment you step inside The Haas you get the sense that even with the enhancements made almost 20 years ago, you still get an old-school vibe here. There are no luxury boxes to be found and the seats rise immediately from the basketball floor, putting the fans right on top of the action. A good number of seats are bench seating, and when filled and at its loudest, the Bears Haas Pavilion can be a very daunting place for the visiting 5 to deal with. Adding to the atmosphere is the new floor and its design, featuring the famous Cal script at mid-court, replacing the growling bear. Along with the famous Cal script, the new floor design, not only clean and simple, is practically similar to the football field’s design at ​ Memorial Stadium ​, with the signature Sather Stripe being featured on the baselines. Neighborhood 4 Should you decide to arrive early, public transit is a great option. A great way to arrive is by way of the Bay Area Rapid Transit subway (BART). The BART has a station in Downtown Berkeley on Shattuck Avenue. Along Shattuck, you will find plenty of pre and post-game entertainment and dining options. If it’s your first time in Berkeley and you would like to soak in some of its histories, you will want to walk up Bancroft Way toward the historic Sather Gate. Once the formal south entrance to campus, the Sather Gate has been the site over the years of many free speeches, and a key location for countless political movements. Fans 3 For the past season or two, the Bears home squad has been a young team, so hard times on the court can be expected. Nonetheless, the home fans have turned out in respectable numbers. Though Haas Pavilion is not always filled, the fans who turn out do a great job rallying the home team throughout the game, creating a loud and exciting atmosphere. One can only imagine how loud Haas Pavilion can be when the home 5 is in contention for an NCAA tournament berth. Access 4 Like any college town, parking can be a hassle. Fortunately, there is a sufficient amount of public transit passing through campus, provided by Alameda County Transit. If you are traveling from San Francisco, Oakland, or points beyond, the Bay Area Rapid Transit rail system (BART) is also a great option. The Berkeley BART Station is a 10-15 minute walk from Haas Pavilion on Shattuck Avenue – if possible you will want to avoid any potential parking hassles and use the BART. Once you step outside the BART station, if time permits, you will want to stroll along Shattuck Avenue, as there are plenty of pre and post-game entertainment and dining options to be found there. Return on Investment 3 Currently, with a young and struggling team, tickets are not hard to access. Starting at $23 for general admission seats, prices do go up when certain opponents, particularly Stanford, Arizona , or UCLA are in town. However, once inside Haas Pavilion no matter where you are seated, you are always on top of and never too far from the action. Extras 3 As you wander through the stands, there’s a great chance that you may come across Oski, the proud mascot of the Golden Bears. Always keeping the same stoic expression, Oski is still happy to mingle among the fans nonetheless. Just don’t let Oski catch you wearing the dreaded “red,” the prime color of Cal’s longtime rival, Stanford. Wear red in Oski’s presence and you just may feel his wrath, along with the student’s wrath, who just may yell out “TAKE OFF THAT RED SHIRT!” In the lower and middle concourses, you will see tributes to past Cal Bear alumni – two of the more notable Bears honored are Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd. Also along the middle west concourse is a statue paying tribute to former head coach Pete Newell, in front of a mural of his 1959 National Title team. Known as “America’s Basketball Guru,” Pete Newell is also synonymous among NBA circles, having organized the “Big Man Camp,” attracting the likes of Shaq, Hakeem, and Bill Walton. As nice as the tributes are along the concourse, why not show some of that off high up on the rafters as well? For such a venerable venue, it’s surprising that there are no banners paying tribute to Cal basketball’s storied past, which could include the years in which they won conference championships. Final Thoughts Recent Golden Bears squads are young, and some growing pains are expected – that should not discourage you from paying a visit to the Bears Haas. Opened in 1933, thanks to the renovations made before the 1999-2000 season, Haas Pavilion continues to rank favorably among historic and venerable college venues. Also, thanks to the renovations, Haas will continue to ​Roll On​ for years to come, preserving a place in college basketball that retains its classic charm, while continuing to serve the needs of the present-day fan.

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 .

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Fair Meadows 4145 East 21st St Tulsa, OK 74114 Fair Meadows website Route 66 Racing Fair Meadows offers live racing in Tulsa, Oklahoma for only two months of the year (June and July), so while a great venue, you don’t have much time to see it. Food & Beverage 3 Fair Meadows has some decent food options, enough to cover you for a few hours, but not as much as some other racetracks. There are a couple of stands outside that sell beer, bottled water, bottled soda, and snacks such as hot pretzels, peanuts, nachos, and cotton candy. The only substantial items (think burgers, pizza, etc.) must be purchased inside, which is fine, as the venue is not that big. Prices seem typical as sports venues go, with bottled water at $4 and pizza at $5.50, for example. The only branded stand is a Dippin’ Dots cart inside the clubhouse near the parade ring; the other stands are all generic. Atmosphere 3 There are several different seating areas around the facility – the parade ring where you can watch the horses walk around before the race is indoors, while most of the other seating is outdoors. Racing usually starts at 6 pm here, though, so you don’t have to worry too much about escaping the sun, as most of the outdoor seating will be under shadow by then. Some of the races here are very short, e.g. 300 yards, so those races will literally be over in a flash. Neighborhood 4 Probably the coolest attraction in Tulsa is Route 66 – a few miles from the track, but well worth driving down; you can even stop at an actual Phillips 66 gas station ON Route 66! While there aren’t really any hotels or restaurants within walking distance of Fair Meadows, there are plenty within a short drive, closer to the river and to downtown. Downtown Tulsa really impressed me with how clean and well kept up it is, with none of the worn-down areas (at least that I could find) that you will find at many big cities in America. Bok Center is also located downtown, home of both minor league hockey’s Tulsa Oilers and indoor football’s Tulsa Oilers – this is not a typo, they both have the same name. Note that the hockey season doesn’t overlap the horse racing season, but the indoor football season does. Fans 3 The venue gets fuller as the evening wears on, as people get off work and make their way over, so by the 3rd or 4th race you will see a lot more folks. Watching a horse race is not like most sporting events, though, where people cheer throughout the event – you will hear a few scattered cheers for certain horses near the end of each race, but mostly people are here for the atmosphere…and the betting. Access 4 There are practically no issues in term of access at Fair Meadows – you can park for free right next to the track, and getting in and out is a breeze. There are also plenty of different seating areas to choose from, so you can sit (or stand) as close to or as far from the action as you want. You can’t really watch the racing from the indoor seating, as that is just a few tables for people to eat at, or sit and peruse their programs, so it isn’t really designed for outdoor viewing. But there is plenty of covered seating outdoors, and moving around the concourse is not a challenge. There are betting windows on both ends of the concourse, and multiple food and beverage vendors, so lines will never be too long. Return on Investment 5 It costs almost nothing to go to the races at Fair Meadows – parking is free and there is no cost to get in, so the only thing you might have to pay for is a program (if you want to bet), and food/drinks if you want them. Otherwise it is free, so from a return on investment standpoint this is a stellar way to spend an evening. Extras 2 There aren’t really any extras to speak of; the indoor parade ring is a nice feature, and Fair Meadows is a clean, well-kept venue. But nothing else stands out – people are here for the ponies, and that’s it. Final Thoughts I would absolutely recommend a visit to Fair Meadows – this is a nice little venue where you can see the horses and racing up close, without having to fight the crowds. The only thing to remember is that many of the races are very short here, which closes the door on some of those thrilling come-from-behind victories certain fans may crave.

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

Photo by Eric Hasman, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Oil City Stadium 1700 119th St Whiting, IN 46394 Map It Northwest Indiana Oilmen's website Oil City Stadium website Year Opened: 2011 Capacity: 1,100 Oil City Stadium: Home of the Northwest Indiana Oilmen Oil City Stadium, built on land donated by Standard Oil Refinery, celebrates Whiting's history as a refinery town for the past 120 years. It was built on the site of a former water filtration plant and Little League fields. Completed in 2011, the $8.5 million structure is home to the Northwest Indiana Oilmen (Midwest Collegiate League, now known as the Northern League), Whiting Oilers, and Calumet College baseball teams. The stadium holds 1,100 fans. The exterior of the stadium is a red brick. The left field wall is 300 feet from home plate and is approximately 25’ tall with a 30-foot scoreboard. The other dimensions are 373’ to the power alleys, 403’ to the center field, and 330’ to the right field. The League changed its name in 2022 from the Midwest Collegiate League to the Northern League. It is a college summer collegiate baseball league. The Oilmen won the Midwest Collegiate League Championship three times: 2012, 2016, and 2018, and lost in the Championship in 2013, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. In 2023, the Oilmen won the Northern League Championship. In addition, the Oilmen have had 12 consecutive winning seasons and eight straight postseason appearances. Tickets are $6 for lawn seating, $8 for preferred seating (aluminum bench seating), and $10 for box seats. Food & Beverage 3 The menu is traditional baseball fare with the walking taco, soft pretzels, pizza, hot dogs, grilled chicken, cheeseburger, bratwurst, nachos / loaded nachos, and Sloppy Joe with costs ranging from $4 to $6.  They also have chips, popcorn, sunflower seeds, and candy for $2 to $3.  The concession prices here are great. A bonus is that the hamburgers, brats, and chicken are cooked fresh on a grill. They have fountain soda for $3 and Gatorade in bottles for $3. There is coffee and hot chocolate for $3. Beer is $5/can and includes Miller / Coors products.  The Oilmen also sell a local draft beer from Bulldog Brewery and Hard Seltzer for $5. Atmosphere 3 One of the first things you will notice is that there is no big video board, simply an older digital scoreboard in left field. If you need to be constantly entertained by on-field between-inning entertainment or you need big giveaways this is not the place for you because there are very few between-inning promotions.  The stadium's interior features three rows of box seating, nine rows of aluminum bench seating, and raised lawn seating. Down the left field line is a medium-sized grass berm area, which is an area where you can stand, lay down, or even sit on a lawn chair that you can bring in and watch the game without a net being in your way.  Lastly, a small press box is located behind the home plate. The Oilmen have two (2) mascots: “Stan the Oilman” who is readily available for most of the game and “Lucky” the Unicorn. Not sure why Lucky is there but I like it. There is no kids' area but on the third base side, behind the stands, there is a grass area where kids can play catch. The “gift shop” consists of a tent with a table with some T-shirts and hats with a surprisingly good selection. Neighborhood 3 Oil City Stadium is located within a residential neighborhood. There are plenty of independent restaurants and bakeries in the area. Several restaurants and a microbrewery are about two to four blocks west of the stadium. Dos Sabores is a good Mexican restaurant, but it is only open from 8 am to 4 pm. Bulldog Brewery has lots of different in-house beers and some reasonably priced good food.   The Center Lounge offers up some good food (my favorites are the Lake Perch or Corned beef) at reasonable prices. Also, the Winey Beach Café (Caribbean and American food) has good seafood and drinks. Lastly, right across the street from the ballpark is the Whihala Ice Cream shop. Wolf Lake and the Wolf Lake Pavilion are located approximately 10 minutes from the ballpark. Wolf Lake has walking / bike trails and boating, kayaking, fishing, windsurfing, and a full host of outdoor recreational activities. The lake is a great place to see a variety of birds. The Wolf Lake Pavilion stages free concerts on Saturdays during the summer. In addition, there are festivals there too. Fans 2 The fans who show up have a good time watching the game.  The Oilmen led the Northern League in attendance every year since the stadium opened with an average reported attendance of approximately 800 . There rarely are 800 people in the stands. Buying tickets in advance is not necessary. At this stadium, you will find lots of parents of the players and host families. There are some locals but not a lot of kids at the games. Unfortunately, there just aren't enough fans in attendance to create much of an electric atmosphere. Access 2 Oil City Stadium is located on 119th Street in Whiting, Indiana about one mile north of the intersection of Route 41 and 119th St. Getting to the park is, at times, tedious. The stadium is located approximately 9 miles north of Route 41 (Calumet Ave.) and Interstate 94. The stadium is approximately 3 miles south of the intersection of Interstate 90 and Route 41. Public transportation is not an option. Free parking is available on the adjacent streets but there isn't a lot of it. Of course, I would not suggest parking on the street outside the stadium due to foul balls hitting cars. Go a bit down the block or in the grass parking lot. Return on Investment 4 The price of the tickets, concessions, free parking, and people make this place worth visiting and a great deal. Extras 4 About one block away is the home of the Mascot Hall of Fame which opened in December 2018 and is a children’s museum. Regularly, the HOF will have guest mascots from throughout the country. Unfortunately, there is talk of the Hall of Fame closing in December (2024). In addition, at night games when the sun goes down, the oil refinery lights go on and the center field view looks like a bustling downtown area. It’s kinda cool. Approximately 1.5 miles north of the stadium is the Horseshoe Casino. Of course, it is open 24 hours a day.  If gambling is your thing, a trip to the casino is in order. If you sit in the third base side - the last row, when a foul ball is hit out of the park, stand up and see if it hits a car. Lastly, one of the coolest features (and attention to detail) is that the doors at the stadium have baseball bat handles. Final Thoughts You can’t go wrong with the prices or the people at Oil City Stadium. While the league is small and the play on the field is ok (the play has been improving each year), I would put this stadium on the must-see list. Oil City Stadium is a great little stadium.

Photos by Matt Finnigan, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 McMahon Stadium 1817 Crowchild Trail NW Calgary, AB T2M 4R6 Canada Calgary Stampeders website McMahon Stadium website Year Opened: 1960 Capacity: 35,650 Much More Than Meets the Eye Calgary, the most populous city in the Canadian province of Alberta, has long been known as “Cowtown.” This nickname is a nod to Calgary’s agricultural importance to Canada and the city’s role as host of one of the world’s largest rodeos, the Calgary Stampede. However, the moniker overlooks many of the city’s significant assets: culture, history, and beauty. Calgary sits at the confluence of the Bow and the Elbow Rivers, with several national parks, such as Banff and Jasper, in the Canadian Rockies within an easy drive west on the Trans-Canada Highway. Calgary is also a football town. The Calgary Stampeders, known to fans as the “Stamps,” boast a rich history in the Canadian Football League and are the CFL’s third-oldest team, having begun play in 1945. The Stamps have brought home eight Grey Cup CFL titles and have appeared in 17 Grey Cup championship games. The team’s home since 1960 is McMahon Stadium on the campus of the University of Calgary, where opening and closing ceremonies were held during the 1988 Winter Olympics. McMahon Stadium is both the CFL’s third-oldest and the third-largest stadium, making it a great place to appreciate the Stampeders’ history while enjoying modern updates. Canadian football may seem like a curiosity to those accustomed to American football but it’s more than that. The CFL field is larger than its American counterpart, measuring 110 yards long by 65 yards wide, with 20-yard goal areas (end zones), with the goalposts positioned almost on the goal line. Twelve players take the field in the CFL – one more than in American football – and CFL rules permit only three downs per offensive possession, meaning that teams rely more on passing than rushing. In the CFL, receivers and backs can be moving forward when the ball is snapped. There are other rules that affect play but the upshot is that CFL is an entertaining brand of football supported by passionate fans. Food & Beverage 3 The variety of food and beverage options at McMahon meets expectations. Fans can easily find hot dogs (C$5.75), pizza slices (C$6.25), cheeseburgers (C$8.50), nachos (C$9.50), fries (C$4.50), and chicken tenders with fries (C$8.75). The Baron Haus, under sections J and K on the stadium’s west side, is a carnivore’s paradise. A hand-carved “baron” of beef (i.e., a sandwich) sells for C$11.50 and a pulled pork parfait – yes, this is a real thing – is available here for $C12. Despite its name, the “parfait” consists of smoked pork, redskin mashed potatoes, corn, and house-made BBQ sauce. The Baron Haus also has a baked potato (the “Spud-inator”) with a variety of toppings for C$7.50. An adobo chicken burrito and a Taco in a Bag sell for $C10 and $C8.75, respectively, at the End Zone stand, under the west grandstand. Thirsty fans will also find the basics. Molson and Coors sell for $C8.75 for a 12-ounce can. Strongbow Cider, Snapple Spiked Vodka, and Vizzy and Truly hard seltzers all sell for $C10.75 per 16-ounce can. Pepsi products sell for $C5.25 per 16-ounce plastic bottle. Importantly during late-season games, coffee and hot chocolate sell for C$2.75. Well-staffed concession stands abound under McMahon’s grandstands so any lines that form move very quickly. Atmosphere 4 The Stamps have created an enjoyable experience at McMahon Stadium, with entertainment beyond the on-field play. The Stamps also celebrate touchdowns with a ride from “Quick Six,” a white horse ridden by Chelsea Drake. This is a nice touch that honors Calgary’s renowned rodeo tradition and helps fans celebrate the Stamps’ success. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic required teams to minimize person-to-person contact so a local automobile dealer provided a remote controlled truck to deliver the game ball to officials at the start of each game. The team retired the truck at the end of the 2021 regular season, with a tongue-in-cheek farewell video set to Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You.” Another favorite in-game promotion is the World’s Fastest Cow race. The Stamps have retained the services of a sprinter, dressed as a cow, who takes on a local celebrity or former player during an early time-out. The cow’s opponent receives a 10-yard head start as the two race toward the end zone at the far end of the field. COVID-19 sidelined (pun intended) the World’s Fastest Cow during the 2020 season, but he made a triumphant, bovine return in 2021. The stadium has a first-class sound system and a visually appealing scoreboard beyond the south end zone that tracks game statistics in real time. Neighbourhood 4 McMahon Stadium sits adjacent to the University of Calgary’s campus, a short drive from downtown Calgary. The neighbourhood around the stadium has plenty of options for pre- and post-game entertainment but with downtown just a 15-minute drive or light rail trip away, the entire city provides a legion of places to eat, drink, and celebrate the Stamps. The stadium’s immediate vicinity does not offer much in the way of nightlife but there are a couple of restaurants and a few hotels. Across Crowchild Trail NW on McMahon’s east side, Big T’s BBQ and Smokehouse offers burgers and barbecue within direct view of the stadium, adjacent to the pedestrian bridge connecting the light rail station with the stadium. Just north on Crowchild Trail NW, Nick’s serves steaks, pizza, and a sports bar. Several hotels (Aloft, Hampton Inn, Ramada Limited, and Comfort Suites) also sit just east of McMahon, along Banff Trail NW. The CTrain, Calgary’s light rail system, connects McMahon Stadium with neighborhoods throughout the city. Many fans take the CTrain to the Banff Trail station, located just east of McMahon, to Stamps’ home games. A pedestrian bridge connects the station and the stadium without having to navigate traffic on Crowchild Trail NE. Calgary has several neighborhoods worth exploring. The 17th Avenue Retail & Entertainment District has restaurants of all types. The Big Cheese Poutinerie serves poutine, which some consider being Canada’s national dish and is most certainly a delicious type of Quebecois comfort food: French fries, smothered in brown gravy and cheese curds. Alternatively, Alumni Sandwiches has a hot chicken sandwich that rivals Nashville’s. Fans 3 The Stamps have a loyal and vocal following, with the team’s 2021 average home, regular-season attendance (23,354) outpacing the league average (19,058) by almost 4,300 fans. Although McMahon Stadium does not routinely sell out, the fans who do attend are loud and engaged. Even to a CFL neophyte and even if the Stamps are playing a team such as Winnipeg, for instance, fans loudly deride their team’s provincial rivals, the Edmonton Elks, and their Prairie Province rival, the Saskatchewan Roughriders throughout games at McMahon. Access 4 McMahon Stadium is a very easy place to experience a game. The Stamps do not have much parking available next to the stadium but the surrounding area handles the volume of traffic for a home game very well, with relatively inexpensive parking within a short walk. The University of Calgary also has parking available for those willing to make a longer walk. But Calgary’s mass transit system (especially the CTrain) is an easy, quick option for getting to a game. Once inside, grandstands are positioned on the stadium’s east and west sides. Fans can easily walk from one side to the other after entering; there’s plenty of room on the concourses underneath each grandstand for fans to move without encountering a lot of foot traffic. The stadium has more than enough concession stands and restrooms, which beyond their intended uses provide McMahon’s only heated sanctuaries during a cold game. The stadium’s corners do have metal bleachers, but the large majority of seats are plastic chairbacks. One important note: a steep climb awaits those sitting in higher rows (i.e., beginning at approximately row 44). That ascent provides great views of the field and the city beyond the stadium, especially sitting atop the west grandstand. But the slope will challenge even the most physically fit of Stamps fans (and the least physically fit of stadium reviewers). Return on Investment 4 A Stamps game at McMahon Stadium is a good value. Reserved seats start at C$37 apiece for regular-season home games and start at C$47 each for games against rivals Edmonton and Saskatchewan. Concession stand prices are fairly standard for a sporting event, while parking and mass transit mean that fans do not have to empty their kids’ college funds to attend. Extras 3 “Pick Six” earns McMahon Stadium an extra point, not only because it provides a great touchdown celebration but also because it’s a family affair. Although Chelsea Drake has assumed the reins as Pick Six’s primary rider, her mom, Karyn, served that role from 2003 to 2016 and is still a backup rider. McMahon receives a second point for its Olympic history. The stadium still has the cauldron from the 1988 winter games in the northeast corner. A final point goes to the effort that the Stamps’ front office has made to create an enjoyable experience at McMahon. The in-game promotions are clever and original. Final Thoughts McMahon Stadium fits seamlessly into the fabric of Calgary, with downtown and the university short distances away. The on-field play is enjoyable to watch and the fans deliver enthusiastic responses at all the right moments. For someone wanting to experience CFL play in person for the first time, a Stamps game is a great way to do it. And Calgary itself is a city that does not get nearly enough credit for its beauty and history. Follow Matt Finnigan’s stadium journeys on Twitter @mattfinniganco

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Switz City Gym 5644 Indiana 54 Switz City, IN 47465 White River Valley Wolverines website Switz City website Year Opened: 1956 Capacity: 3,500 Switz City: Small Town, Big Gym On December 10, 1955, the Switz City Gym was dedicated to the hometown Tigers defeating the Linton Miners 54-43. The $185 million basketball venue was spacious and swanky by the local media and its capacity received the most acclaim. At the time, the population of the town was 328, but its gym had a seating capacity of 3,500. The “sunken gym” design was constructed with the plans conceived by Evansville architect Ralph Legeman. The concept of a new gym had begun two years earlier with a much larger 5,335 capacity. The project was financed by the sale of long-term bonds by a holding company formed in the community. The venue was constructed in a large excavation with the basketball court situated 15 feet below the ground level. This provided for a 16-foot running track to serve as the main concourse for home dates that also could house additional bleachers that would boost its capacity to 5,200. The gym’s size would be ideal for the Green County sectionals and the Green County Invitational tournament that are housed annually in the building. Switz City would become Central High School in 1958 after it consolidated with Newberry High School and would become the smallest school in the state to win a sectional championship in 1973 with an enrollment of 150 students, where most in the tournament averaged between 500 to 1,000. The school’s enrollment would be 90 by the time it consolidated once again with nearby Worthington and Lyons & Marco for the 1990-91 season to form White River Valley High School. That same season the gym received a fresh new coat of interior paint of navy blue, silver, and white to match the new colors and a new nickname of Wolverines, which was unique to any school in the state at the time. The new school would find instant success capturing sectional titles in its first three seasons and regional championships in 1992 and 1993. Food & Beverage 5 A large concession stand is located in the main lobby of the building which houses an array of items that should fill most people up during the game. Despite the pandemic, when most gyms in the state are offering pre-packaged snacks and bottled soda, there is a full menu option at the Switz City Gym. There are also two smaller concession stands inside the seating bowl, but were closed during our visit. The main concession stands sell hot dogs, cheese dogs, chili dogs, and chili cheese dogs between the prices of $2 to $3.50. There are also hamburgers, cheeseburgers, barbecue pork sandwiches, and sloppy joes. Fans can also enjoy nachos, chili cheese nachos, and tacos in a bag or served traditionally on a plate--complete with jalapeños. For a sweet treat, there are more than enough candy bars to choose from along with pretzels dipped in cinnamon and sugar. You can wash it all down with bottled Coca-Cola products, and that would go well with freshly popped popcorn that hits the senses the minute you walk through the front door. Atmosphere 3 The gym’s interior design is somewhat vapid, but what makes it appealing is the sunken gym design that allows excellent views from all vantage points in the building. Fans can enjoy unobstructed views from their seats along with standing on the main concourse. However, our visit was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and attendance was capped, providing less than the normal crowd in the gym. The ceiling is somewhat lower to the court than other similarly designed gyms. The interior colors also stand out to the visitor. The colors navy blue and silver are everywhere from the seating bowl, baseline, walls, and ceiling. The court itself also offers a simple design with the school's name in bold print at the center court. The baskets extend from the ceiling; with two scoreboards on opposite ends of each wall. There are multiple sectional and regional championship banners, photos of other high schools from its conference, and even a mention of the three schools that merged to form WRV in 1990. An interesting little aspect of the gym is the staircase that leads to an open loft that used to serve as a weight room for PE classes but is now designated for storage. I think it could be put to better use as an exhibit of the city’s basketball past. The lobby offers a large trophy case that includes WRVs past championships trophies, along with every class picture from previous years dating back to 1930. There is also a wall of former school greats on the inside concourse. Neighborhood 2 Switz City had a population of 293 at the time of the last census and features a limited number of eateries, but Cinco de Mayo Mexican Restaurant is worthy of a visit before or after a basketball game. Nearby Linton is 6 miles from the gym and offers many more eateries that include The Vault Bar & Grill, Joe Etta’s Pizza Villa, Country Harvest Smorgasbord, The Sportsman Pub, and Grill Inc. Fans 3 Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the attendance figures are nowhere near where they would be in any other season. There were a handful of fans cheering for both the home and away teams, and they did their best to make sure their voices were heard throughout the game. This is similar to every other high school basketball game that's taken place during the pandemic years. The gym normally attracts fans from towns with no connection to the school, but who enjoy a good basketball game. Access 4 The sunken gym looks like many others in the state, and visitors are greeted by a large open concourse on the upper portion of the building. The stands are 10 rows deep, and there are no obstructed views. During the time of our visit, the effects of the pandemic were still evident as capacity was capped. This made for easy movement on the concourse, concession area, and seating bowl. Return on Investment 3 The cost of a ticket is $5 for a regular game during the season and $8 for a ticket to either a sectional or invitational game. Concession items varied and ranged in between the prices of $2 to $4, for a cheap night out for sports and food, you can't go wrong at a WRV game. Extras 4 The gym earns a point for its Green County Invitational which is held every January in the building, along with another point for its school logo and wordmark on its exterior. There is an array of classic basketball photos from the former county schools that have all merged into White River Valley which garners the third point in our review. Finally, the concession stand is among the best in the state of Indiana. If you're looking to have some food before the game, do yourself a favor and wait till you see their options. Final Thoughts Swiss City Gym is a classic rock Legamin design facility that was built to last. Fans have many memories here from their days of the 1950s to the formation of WRV. The local fans love this gym and continue to support the basketball that is played here doing both wars and pandemics. However, it is the concession stand that is the best that I have seen in the state so far during my travels. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Lance Sutehall, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Neville Arena 250 Beard-Eaves Ct Auburn, AL 36830 Auburn Tigers website Neville Arena website Year Opened: 2010 Capacity: 9,121 Basketball’s Tiger Home In War Eagle Town If you want an amazing college basketball experience come on down to Neville Arena in Auburn, Alabama. Built in 2010 and renamed in 2022 after originally being called Auburn Arena, the 9,121-capacity venue plays host to one of college basketball’s best atmospheres. The Tigers program made the final four in 2019 and since then Auburn games are some of the hottest tickets in college basketball. Neville Arena is almost certainly the best arena in the state of Alabama and some would argue it’s the best in the SEC. Food & Beverage 3 The standard fare includes Hot Dogs ($6), Cheeseburgers ($8), Chicken FIngers ($9), Pizza ($10), Popcorn ($5), Nachos ($5), and Pretzels ($5). Coke is the soft drink provider with options including a regular soda ($5), souvenir cups ($7), Dasani water ($3), and Powerade ($6). Chick-Fil-A is available at the arena (provided the game is not played on Sunday). If you want a beer the options include Budweiser ($10), Miller ($10), Michelob ($10), or a variety of IPAs ($14). The concession stands are cashless. Atmosphere 5 When you walk towards the entrance of Neville Arena you see the statue of Auburn Tigers legend Charles Barkley. Once your ticket is scanned you find yourself in an atrium with a giant Auburn logo overlooking all the Auburn faithful and a wall telling you “War Eagle”. After going up a couple flights of stairs the concourse reveals itself with a view of the court and Auburn stuff on the walls. When heading to the seats it becomes apparent there is not a bad view in the arena due to the fact the seats are all relatively close to the court. The outline of the court is navy blue with the baselines saying “Auburn Tigers” and a large Auburn logo at midcourt. The center-hung scoreboard was upgraded in 2020 and is a 360-degree screen. When the arena is full (as has been the case for years) Neville Arena is one of the most intimidating arenas in the nation. An intro featuring Charles Barkley gets the crowd hyped and the crowd will not settle down until well after the game is over. Neighborhood 5 Nicknamed “The Loveliest Village on the Plain”, Auburn is one of the most beautiful places in the state of Alabama. A trip to Auburn must include a stop by Toomer’s Drugs which is across the street from the trees of Toomer’s Corner. Restaurants down Magnolia Drive include Little Italy for pizza, Moe’s Original BBQ, and Taco Mama. If you want to go to a bar, options include the 17-16 Bar on Magnolia, The Saloon, or Halftime on College Street. Lodging within walking distance of Auburn University includes The Hotel at Auburn University and The Laurel Hotel. Fans 5 Neville Arena has been packed to the brim with Auburn fans for every non-covid game since the Tigers made the final four in 2019. They start arriving 90 minutes before the tip and they make noise throughout the game even in non-conference games against inferior opponents. In recent years students have been known to camp out a couple of days before games against opponents such as Kentucky and Alabama to get the best seats. The fans help make Neville Arena one of the toughest gyms to play in the nation. Access 4 To get to the arena from I-85 turn off exit 51 and head North on College Avenue. Turn left at Donahue Drive. Parking by the arena is reserved for Tigers Unlimited ticket holders. Fortunately, there will be free parking by Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum (Auburn’s former arena) which is also across the street from Plainsman Park (Auburn’s baseball stadium). Once you make the 5-minute walk across Heisman Drive to Neville Arena the concourse is wide enough, there are plenty of restrooms, and several concession stands are spread throughout the venue preventing lines from getting too long. The only knock on the venue is that exiting the arena can take a few minutes to do there being only a couple of arena exit points. Return on Investment 3 The demand for an Auburn Tigers basketball ticket is so high that the only tickets I could buy through Auburn’s website were for games against inferior non-conference opponents that were Standing Room Only. A ticket for that cost me $50. There were a couple of games I could have gotten in for $40, again Standing Room Only. Tickets for reserved seats in non-conference and SEC games will likely have to be purchased on the secondary market and some games cost $300 just to get in the building. That shows you how much demand there is to see these Auburn Tigers. The atmosphere is virtually guaranteed to be great no matter the opponent and the parking is free. Extras 3 At the main entrance of the arena is the Lovelace Museum and Hall of Honor which showcases memorable moments and memorabilia from Auburn’s athletic successes. Auburn’s football venue, Jordan Hare Stadium, is located next to Neville Arena. There is a Buc-ee’s in Auburn. Final Thoughts Auburn is a beautiful place and its basketball arena has one of the best atmospheres in all of college basketball.