Photos by Michael Rusignuolo and Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Hinchliffe Stadium 186 Maple St. Paterson, NJ 07522 New Jersey Jackals website Hinchliffe Stadium website Year Opened: 1932 (renovated 2023) Capacity: 7,500 A Noble Project   There are only four stadia still standing that once hosted Negro League baseball games. Not long ago, that number was in danger of dropping to three. Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, NJ, was built during the depression and named for then-Mayor John Hinchliffe. Hinchliffe made his fortune in brewing before closing operations during Prohibition.   Over the years, Hinchliffe Stadium hosted numerous events, including football, boxing and even auto racing. Local high schools used the stadium extensively. Duke Ellington and Abbott and Costello even performed here (Lou Costello was a Paterson native). However, Hinchliffe might have been more renowned as a baseball venue, as it was home to both the New York Black Yankees and New York Cubans at times during their histories.   Hinchliffe Stadium was overseen by the Paterson School District, who was responsible for upkeep and maintenance. Over the years, as the school system declined and suffered budgetary restrictions, funds formerly allocated to the stadium were diverted for more urgent needs. While the facility was still used heavily into the 1990s, by the end of the 1996-97 school year the stadium was closed and demolition was threatened.   In 2009 Paterson (NJ) City Councilor Andre Sayegh visited Rickwood Field in Birmingham, AL. The visit inspired him that the crumbling old stadium in his hometown could be similarly restored to its former glory. He vowed that if he became mayor of Paterson he would fight to make this a reality.   When Sayegh was elected mayor in 2018, he, along with the non-profit “Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium,” secured $95 million in funds to restore and upgrade the facility. However, there was a catch. A professional baseball team had to use Hinchliffe as their home park. Enter the New Jersey Jackals. The Jackals, who had played for 25 years at Yogi Berra Stadium on the campus of Montclair State University, announced in August 2022 that they would be moving to Paterson, five miles to the north.   The Jackals were founded in 1998, competing in three different leagues over its history. When the floundering Can-Am League merged into the Frontier League, the Jackals were one of five teams invited to join the new circuit. Over their history, the Jackals have won six championships.   The Jackals played their first game at Hinchliffe on May 21, 2023 in front of 400 fans.   Food & Beverage 2   Concessions are sold from several windows along the first base side of the stadium. A basic menu is available here, with hot dogs, burgers and empanadas anchoring the choices. The usual snack items are also available, ensuring that visiting Jackals fans won’t go hungry should they need something to eat during the game.   A Kona Ice truck is stationed right outside the main gate along with the team store, offering a variety of snow cones and cold treats.   Cans of Coca-Cola products are sold here, along with a decent selection of adult beverages. Fans looking for some local flavor here will be disappointed, as the menu exclusively features national brands.   Atmosphere 2   The Jackals put on a show that will be familiar to veteran minor league fans. Unfortunately, the  size of Hinchliffe Stadium serves to dampen the atmosphere here. When you have a crowd numbering in the hundreds in a facility that seats thousands, much of the energy produced is swallowed up by the emptiness in the ballpark.   The scoreboard located at the far end of the stadium in left field appears to have video capabilities but was only used to display player photos and basic game information. The Jackals mascot, Jack, roams the ballpark posing for pictures and interacting with fans. The sound system is excellent and is put to good use with music throughout the game. The on-field emcee takes advantage of this sound system to make as much noise as he can to try and pump up the fans. The PA announcer goes about his job in a more workmanlike fashion.   The odd layout of the baseball diamond at Hinchliffe Stadium can either add to or detract from your enjoyment, depending on your philosophical slant. The very short porch in right field with the 30-foot net atop it was cleared with ease several times during Stadium Journey’s visit. The vast empty spaces of Hinchliffe provided ample room for the youngsters in attendance to chase down balls and expend some energy.   Neighborhood 2   Paterson is the third largest city in the state of New Jersey, with a population of almost 160,000. Located about 20 miles from New York, Paterson built its reputation as an industrial center in the latter half of the 19th century. It was known as “Silk City” due to the prominence of one of its products. As was the case in many mill towns, Paterson experienced hard times as mills closed and businesses moved elsewhere. At one point Paterson graced the list of the five poorest cities in the United States.   Even a cursory glance online will warn visitors of the dangerousness of the city of Paterson. However, if visiting a Jackals game, these fears seem a bit overstated. True, this may not be the most well-to-do neighborhood, but a look around shows the area around Hinchliffe Stadium to be more working class than blighted. As is the case in any large city, there are good and bad areas. That being said, there is little around Hinchliffe Stadium that will beckon fans to stay beyond the last pitch.   There are no options as far as dining or lodging are concerned around the ballpark. A couple of restaurants located about a mile southwest of Hinchliffe, Mexico Bar & Grill and Avocado Steakhouse, featured positive reviews, but as mentioned earlier, most fans are likely to get to nearby I-80 as quickly as possible.   Hinchliffe Stadium is located within the Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park. The Great Falls of the Passaic River are less than 100 yards from the stadium and are worth a look if you arrive early to a Jackals game. Fans 2   There was much criticism in some circles over the Jackals’ move to Paterson and the cost of the entire stadium renovation project. Overall, fans have been slow to respond to the new home of the Jackals. The official reported attendance is around 2,300 per game, but the eye test shows much smaller crowds. Stadium Journey visited Hinchliffe on a Saturday night in May, and the crowd numbered about 500.   Still, the team does have its share of dedicated fans. One such fan, “The Trumpet Guy,” sets up shop in section 114 high above home plate and augments the team’s musical selections throughout the game.   Access 3   As you might expect from a ballpark so close to New York City, visitors will have many options for arriving at Hinchliffe Stadium. Interstate 80 and State Highway 19 run just to the south of the ballpark. New Jersey Transit’s  703 and 748 busses stop about a half mile away on West Broadway Street, and the 712 bus runs a few blocks away on Wayne Street.   As part of the ballpark’s renovations, a new parking garage was built on the western (third base) side of the stadium. There are a couple of other parking lots in the area, along with some on-street parking for fans who wish to avoid the garage charge.   Fans will enter the stadium at the top of the facility behind home plate. Stairs and ramps lead down to the seats from here. All seating consists of aluminum bleachers without backs. Due to the odd layout of the baseball diamond, there are poles and nets throughout Hinchliffe that hamper views. Also, the seats along the first base side of the field are set back a bit from the playing field, and the view is obscured by one of the dugouts. The most desired seats are directly behind home plate, although fans will scatter throughout the stadium. A walkway runs the length of the stadium, allowing access to the concessions, restrooms and distant seating sections. Traffic on this walkway does not impede views of the game at any point.   Rest rooms are newly renovated and clean. They are easily large enough for a typical Jackals crowd. Oddly enough during Stadium Journey’s visit, a faucet on the concourse was left open all game, resulting in a waterfall down the stairs and a large puddle on the track behind the dugout. Was the team recreating the Great Falls experience for those fans who missed it?   Return on Investment 4   The Jackals provide an affordable, family-friendly entertainment option for local sports fans. Tickets cost $15 for all seats, with options to sit at picnic tables on the field available for those fans who want to splurge.   Parking in the garage adjacent to the stadium costs an additional $7. The team recommends you purchase a parking pass in advance, but there are plenty of spots available should you wait until game time. Stadium Journey pulled up to the garage about 90 minutes before game time, and there did not appear to be a charge to park in the garage. Fans wishing to avoid a potential charge will find plenty of on-street parking in the area.   Extras 5   The New York Black Yankees called Hinchliffe Stadium home from 1933-1945 with a one-year interruption in 1938. The team honors them, as well as all the other teams to call the stadium home, by flying team flags along Larry Doby Lane, renamed in honor of the baseball Hall of Famer and Paterson native.   History oozes from every inch of this art-deco facility. Take a walk around the outside of the ballpark and take in the tiles of ancient athletes participating in numerous track and field events. The original stadium signs have been restored and displayed outside the ballpark.   The Great Falls National Park directly adjacent to the stadium is certainly worth a look if you arrive early to the game.   The Charles J. Muth Museum is attached to the stadium. It contains artifacts and exhibits that focus not only on local and Negro League baseball history, but other aspects of Hinchliffe Stadium’s history.   A final extra point is awarded for the efforts of the city to preserve and restore this historic venue.   Final Thoughts   While there was a great deal of criticism surrounding the efforts to preserve and restore this historic facility and the Jackals’ subsequent move there, it’s wonderful to be able to step back in time and experience a baseball game in an original Negro League ballpark. While some of the choices made in setting up the field may be questionable, this is a place that every baseball historian should endeavor to visit.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 North Side Gym 300 Lawrence Street Elkhart, IN 46514 Elkhart High School website North Side Gym website Year Opened: 1954 Capacity: 7,373 Elkhart’s North Side Gym Still a Stunner North Side Gymnasium opened in 1954 and is one of the granddaddies of Indiana high school basketball gyms. When it opened, it seated a whopping 8,348 people and was the biggest of its kind in the world; Kokomo Memorial Gymnasium had been built 5 years before. In the first season of the building, a total of 134,000 people witnessed basketball from the regular season to tournament games, plus an additional 70,000 plus from wrestling matches, the ice follies, conventions, and a Harlem Globetrotters game. The place was hopping with much more than basketball and was a centerpiece for the community. Today, the gym holds 7,373 people, still good enough for sixth in the world, and still hosts events from basketball games to conventions, and concerts last year sold out every one of those seats for a political rally for President Donald Trump. It has served as a sectional site every year since its first season but has not hosted a regional or semi-state basketball game since 1997. Elkhart Memorial and Central High School both play their home games at the gym, but that will change in 2020 when the two schools merge to become Elkhart High School. It is also home to the North Side Middle School basketball program, perhaps making it the largest gym of its kind at the middle school level. The original Elkhart High School racked up 28 sectional and 13 regional championships to go along with 2 finals appearances and 1 state runner-up finish before it was split into Central and Memorial in 1972. Food & Beverage 3 There are two large concession stands located in the outer concourse of the seating bowl that provide all the typical snacks. Candy popcorn, hot dogs, nachos, walking tacos, and pretzels are all affordable and cash only. If you have a sweet tooth, caramel popcorn, and locally made caramel cinnamon donut holes are popular items. Pepsi products are available throughout the building. Atmosphere 4 The North Side Gym offers a magnificent façade on both ends of the building that does not look like it has changed too much in the 54 years that it has been opened. The entrances also feature the original ticket booths that are in the entryway to the main lobby. One item that is new to the gym is the $200,000 privately donated video board that was installed in 2017. The four-sided video board can show live videos, and animated segments, and provide stats from the game. It is the only one of its kind in all of the high school gyms and fieldhouses in the state. The gym also possesses the biggest banners that I have seen in a gym that honor Elkhart’s High School’s 1954 and 1955 basketball semi-state appearances and the 1971 state final runner-up team. The other large banners honor Memorial and Central championships and tournament appearances. Throughout the game, the banners sway back and forth and blend perfectly in the historic gymnasium. The outer concourse features two large concession areas that include narrow hallways that display team photos of past basketball championship teams, memorabilia from both high schools’ past, and both female and male student-athletes of the year. However, there could be a lot more memorabilia displayed throughout the gym due to its importance not only for high school basketball but also for the Elkhart community. Two levels in the seating bowl offer a wrap-around upper concourse to make access a little bit better for moving around during heavily attendant events. The upper seating consists of pull-out bleachers and a few permanent stands that are wedged into the corner of the building and they look quite durable. Neighborhood 4 The gym is about a mile away from downtown Elkhart, also known as the Gateway Mile. The area features an array of attractions from restaurants to theaters, museums, and a riverwalk during the warmer times of the year. There is quite a bit of activity to do before or after a game and with it being so close, it would be silly not to spend some time during your visit. The Riverwalk Culture Trail features green space, gardens, and sculptures but might be somewhat cold during the basketball season. The Lerner Theatre offers concerts and performances, and the Midwest Museum of American Art is inside a neo-classical style former bank that showcases both 19th and 20th-century American art. The National New York Central Railroad Museum preserves both national and local railroad heritage, telling the story of how trains shaped this country. 523 Tap & Grill combines bistro fare and an elegant atmosphere, Five Star Dive Bar is a casual spot for lunch and dinner, featuring live music every weekend. Beer lovers will enjoy Iechyd Da Brewing Company which has personal-sized pizza and $4 pints of craft beer on its menu board. There are also a few more breweries in the area including Evil Czech Brewery Public House and Bare Hands Brewery. Fans 4 They said they don’t pack them in as they used to but during tournament time a building such as the North Side Gym reminds people that Hoosier Hysteria is indeed alive and well. Four schools brought in a healthy amount of fans and students to provide a soundtrack to the tournament. There are all the fixings of Indiana high school basketball from standing student sections, fans jeering at the referees for a bad call, and the storming of the court after the big win. Access 3 NSG is located at North Side Middle School and a few miles north and south of the town's major freeways. I-90 is a toll road and is about 4 miles north of the gym, while SR 20 is 5 miles south of the gym. There are not any signs of the gym, but GPS devices will lead motorists to the spot. There is plenty of parking and during this game, attendants guided motorists to spots an hour before the first tip-off. It can get somewhat crowded in the lower section seating area; there is more room in this area for people to move around while still having a great view of the court. Return on Investment 3 The North Side Gym is one of the iconic venues in the state and perhaps slightly unappreciated to many of us who live a couple of hours south of Elkhart. It is a building that feels like it was made for basketball and offers all the amenities one would expect from this type of arena. Tickets are $10 for both semi-state and $6 for regular season games, parking is free, and the most expensive concession item is $4. Extras 3 The gym receives one point for the four-sided video board that can show live videos, and animated segments, and provide stats from the game. It is the only one of its kind in all of the high school gyms and fieldhouses in the state. The gym receives a second point for the façade that defines the look and character of the building. The simple, yet elegant, wording of the North Side Gym most likely has not changed in 65 years. The third and final point is for the giant banners that wisp in the air in the backcourt and provide the look needed for a basketball gym in any state or at any level. Final Thoughts The North Side Gym is a true gem of Hoosier Temples and continues to provide the community with much more than a place for basketball. Current renovations that include a new video board and scoreboards will indeed make it the place for possible future regional and semi-state games. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Mount Vernon Athletic Complex 2100 Foxhall Rd NW Washington, DC 20007 George Washington Revolutionaries website Mount Vernon Athletic Complex website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity : 500 Colonial Soccer Note: In June 2023, George Washington University changed its team name from the Colonials to the Revolutionaries. Located on George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus, three miles from the main campus in Foggy Bottom, the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex plays home to several of the Colonials’ athletic programs. The soccer program plays at the main athletic field in the complex, which is also home to the school’s women’s lacrosse program (GW does not have a men’s lacrosse team.) There are also tennis courts, a softball field, and a student gym in the complex. Although sometimes the field is known as GW Soccer Field when used for soccer, it is also referred to by the name of the whole complex given its other uses. Food & Beverage 0 No food and beverage is available for sale at GW soccer games. There is a cafeteria inside West Hall adjacent to the stadium which sells meals at mealtimes which can be taken into the stadium, and one does not need to be a student to buy from there, but it is only open during meal hours and you are at the mercy of whatever they happen to be serving that day. Atmosphere 3 The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex has a rather unique seating layout. Assuming you are coming from the parking garage or walking in from off-campus, you will find some random chairs strewn about on a lawn across the street from the stadium. Some fans like to watch from here, or you can walk around to three rows of bleachers on the far side by West Hall. These bleachers can get cramped and there is really no aisle to speak of going across, so expect to have to walk across fans and get walked across yourself. There is a scoreboard on one end of the field which shows only the most basic information. The Colonials have a mascot, who unsurprisingly is a costumed version of George Washington, who sometimes makes appearances at soccer games. Neighborhood 4 The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex is located in Northwest Washington off Foxhall Road. Although there are several scenic parks and trails in the vicinity, as well as the German Embassy, your best bet for dining is to head elsewhere in the District. A seafood place and an Italian restaurant are located west of the Mount Vernon campus near the Potomac River, and some other places up MacArthur Boulevard, but most of your options will be closer to Downtown, not further. The Tenleytown and Georgetown neighborhoods are a short drive or Uber ride away and offer numerous dining and entertainment options. You can also head downtown and visit the many historic sites. monuments, and memorials along the National Mall. Just keep in mind if you want to tour the Capitol or White House, you will need to book in advance. Fans 4 Although George Washington only draws a couple of hundred fans a game, it seems like more because the bleachers are so compact. Although many fans are family or friends of the players, there are some locals as well. They tend to be extremely knowledgeable about the team and the players and it can get quite loud despite the small crowd size. George Washington has a large international student body, and this is reflected in their student-athletes as well, so you will often see friends, family, and student compatriots of international players flying the flags of their countries and waving signs or cheering for them in their native language. Some fans like to sit in the chairs across the street, but the real crowd action is in the bleachers alongside the field. Access 4 Depending on how you are arriving, the Mount Vernon campus can either be significantly easier or significantly harder to get to than the main campus in Foggy Bottom. While it is not Metro-accessible, it is a lot easier to drive to this campus in outer Washington than it is to drive downtown to the main campus. There is a parking garage on campus right next to the stadium. Parking is free all day on weekends or for up to three hours on weekdays. It can get very pricey if staying for more than three hours on a weekday, starting at $16 for up to four hours and going up from there, so try to go on a weekend or time your visit accordingly. As noted above, the bleachers can be cramped and hard to get around. If this is a concern for you, you can sit in the chairs across the street and have a good view of the game, just arrive early so they aren’t all taken. Although there are no restrooms at the field itself, there are some in West Hall. Just take the stairs or elevator down a level and they are easy to get to. Return on Investment 4 Admission to Colonials’ soccer games is free. You won’t pay for concessions because there aren’t any. We suggest visiting on a weekend to maximize value without having to carefully time things to avoid paying a ridiculous amount for parking. Extras 1 One star for all the unique vantage points to watch a game here. Whether it’s sitting in the crowded bleachers, in chairs across the street, or standing along the fence, there are plenty of ways to take in a GW soccer game here. Final Thoughts Although the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex doesn’t seem like much, even compared to other college soccer venues in the area like Maryland and Georgetown, it is a unique stadium on the outskirts of D.C. where fans can take in a game for free on a crisp fall day. It is a perfect example of how sometimes, less is more. Although the stadium is far from imposing, the small, intimate setting creates a much louder and more entertaining environment than a larger, mostly empty stadium would.

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Mount Vernon Athletic Complex 2100 Foxhall Rd NW Washington, DC 20007 George Washington Revolutionaries website Mount Vernon Athletic Complex website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity : 500 A Lacrosse Revolution in D.C. Located on George Washington University’s Mount Vernon Campus, three miles from the main campus in Foggy Bottom, the Mount Vernon Athletic Complex plays home to several of the Revolutionaries' athletic programs. The women's lacrosse team plays at the main athletic field, which is also home to GW soccer . (GW does not have a men's lacrosse team.) There are also tennis courts, a softball field , and a student gym in the complex. Food & Beverage 0 No food and beverage is available for sale at GW lacrosse games games. There is a cafeteria inside West Hall adjacent to the stadium which sells meals at mealtimes which can be taken into the stadium, and one does not need to be a student to buy from there, but it is only open during meal hours and you are at the mercy of whatever they happen to be serving that day, if it is even open when you visit. Atmosphere 2 The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex has a rather unique seating layout. Assuming you are coming from the parking garage or walking in from off-campus, you will find some random chairs strewn about on a lawn across the street from the stadium. Some fans like to watch from here, or you can walk around to three rows of bleachers on the far side by West Hall. These bleachers can get cramped and there is really no aisle to speak of going across, so expect to have to walk across fans and get walked across yourself. There is a scoreboard on one end of the field which shows only the most basic information. There is really not much going on here besides the game itself. George Washington has a mascot, who appropriately is a costumed version of George Washington himself, but he was not present when we visited. Neighborhood 4 The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex is located in Northwest Washington off Foxhall Road. Although there are several scenic parks and trails in the vicinity, as well as the German Embassy, your best bet for dining is to head elsewhere in the District. A seafood place and an Italian restaurant are located west of the Mount Vernon campus near the Potomac River, and some other places up MacArthur Boulevard, but most of your options will be closer to Downtown, not further. The Tenleytown and Georgetown neighborhoods are a short drive or Uber ride away and offer numerous dining and entertainment options. You can also head downtown and visit the many historic sites. monuments, and memorials along the National Mall. Just keep in mind if you want to tour the Capitol or White House, you will need to book in advance. Fans 3 The Revolutionaries only draw a couple hundred fans to a typical home game, and with about half choosing to sit in the bleachers and half choosing to sit in the chairs along the grass or bring their own. The crowd is knowledgeable about the team and the sport, but not particularly loud. Most of them are friends or family of the players, although you do get some other locals as well.. When GW is playing a nearby school, expect to have a lot of visiting fans in attendance as well. Because it is far from campus, there are few GW students in attendance, although there is a shuttle bus that runs between the campuses, so they would be able to get here if they wanted io. Access 3 Depending on how you are arriving, the Mount Vernon campus can either be significantly easier or significantly harder to get to than the main campus in Foggy Bottom. While it is not Metro-accessible, it is a lot easier to drive to this campus in outer Washington than it is to drive downtown to the main campus. There is a parking garage on campus right next to the stadium. Parking is free all day on weekends or for up to three hours on weekdays. It can get very pricey if staying for more than three hours on a weekday, starting at $16 for up to four hours and going up from there, so try to go on a weekend or time your visit accordingly. As noted above, the bleachers can be cramped and hard to get around. If this is a concern for you, you can sit in the chairs across the street and have a good view of the game, just arrive early so they aren’t all taken. Although there are no restrooms at the field itself, there are some in West Hall. Just take the stairs or elevator down a level and they are easy to get to. You may need a GW student to card you into the building depending on the time of day, but there will usually be one nearby to help. Return on Investment 4 Admission to Revolutionaries' lacrosse games is free, with the possible exception of Atlatnic 10 or NCAA Tournament matches. You won’t pay for concessions because there aren’t any. We suggest visiting on a weekend to maximize value without having to carefully time things to avoid paying a ridiculous amount for parking. Extras 1 One star for all the unique vantage points to watch a game here. Whether it’s sitting in the crowded bleachers, in chairs across the street, or standing along the fence, there are plenty of ways to take in a GW lacrosse game here. Final Thoughts The Mount Vernon Athletic Complex is a unique college lacrosse venue with many ways to take in a game. However, at its core it is a pretty basic facility. Fans of George Washington University may want to make the trip here to see a game, but there is not much to offer a neutral unless you are a die-hard lacrosse fan.

Photo courtesy of Army West Point Athletics Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field Thayer Road West Point, NY 10956 Army Black Knights baseball website Johnson Stadium at Doubleday Field website Year Opened: 1939 Capacity: 880 Duty, Honor, Country…Play Ball! Baseball and the United States Military Academy at West Point have a long history together. One of its graduates, Abner Doubleday, is credited to having created the game, and the field the Black Knights play on is named for him. Baseball was the first official sport to be sanctioned by the academy with the first games taking place in 1890. The physical location of Doubleday Field has been hosting games since 1909. The field was formally dedicated as Doubleday Field in 1939, baseball’s centennial year. The stadium has undergone numerous renovations over the years, with major work being done in 1996 and again in 2013. The Johnson Stadium part of the complex’s name is a salute to Rupert Johnson, class of 1922, who helped raise funds for these renovations. A number of famous Americans have been members of the Black Knights baseball teams over the years. Among the most famous are Omar Bradley, Douglas MacArthur, and General Bob Neyland, the team’s all-time record holder for wins as a pitcher, who went on to be a Hall of Fame football coach at the University of Tennessee. Babe Ruth hit the longest home run ever at Doubleday Field during an exhibition game in 1934, with the ball traveling more than 500 feet. Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson also served as Army’s coach for a few of its earliest teams. The present day Black Knights continue the proud history of Army baseball. They have won seven Patriot League championships and made six NCAA tournament appearances. Due to the harsh winters at West Point, the team has pre season training at the Yankees complex in Tampa and the first half of its regular season is on the road in warmer climates. This allows the cadets to have a long string of home games at the end of the season in front of a friendly home crowd and to build momentum heading into the league and NCAA tournaments. Food & Beverage 3 For those who have served in the military, you definitely have better food offerings at Doubleday Field than the MRE’s you once subsisted on! Cadet Food Services brings a fully stocked concession trailer to the field for each game. Among their food offerings are sodas for $3, water for $2, hot dogs and pretzels for $3, while assorted candies and chips are $2. They also offer coffee and hot chocolate as it can get cold on the cliffs above the Hudson far into the spring. Due to security regulations, coolers are not allowed on the campus, and visitors are not permitted in the Cadet Dining Hall, so bringing in or purchasing food other than at the ballpark are not options. Atmosphere 5 Attending a baseball game at Doubleday Field is a unique experience as you are surrounded by history. There are buildings bearing the names of famous generals, the cemetery where many of America’s heroes are buried, and monuments to their accomplishments. All of these are just steps away from Doubleday Field. Over the right field wall are the library and academic complex. Over the left field wall are stunning views of the Hudson River winding past the campus. The stadium is designed for this very purpose. Its low profile does not obstruct the views and its outer walls of granite are meant to emulate the architecture of the surrounding buildings. A nice addition to the exterior of the stadium is a series of engravings of a pitcher, catcher and fielder with West Point buildings in the background. Topping it all off, sitting next to you and playing in front of you are tomorrow’s heroes. You can’t help but to root for the home team and you stand a little straighter and much prouder when the national anthem is played before the game. Another unique moment during Army baseball games comes at 5pm when Evening Retreat (the lowering of the main U.S. flag on campus) is sounded across the campus. The game stops immediately, even if in the middle of a pitch count, and the players, fans and visiting teams all face the parade grounds where the flag is located. Players place their caps over their hearts and anyone in military uniform gives a salute. The campus is completely silent except for the sound of the trumpet until the flag has been lowered. Then the game resumes. Neighborhood 3 The area immediately surrounding Doubleday Field is the United States Military Academy campus. The best way to see the campus is via a free tour bus, as much of the campus is not open to civilians. Outside of the campus is the quaint village of Highland Falls, New York. The town is made up of mom and pop stores, no chain or big box stores. The nicest accommodations in town are right at the entrance to the USMA’s Thayer Gate at the historic Hotel Thayer. It is filled with memorabilia about the Academy and offers stunning views of the Hudson River below the academy. Two other lodging options in town are the West Point Motel and Overlook on the Hudson (a bed and breakfast that was formerly Billy Joel’s home). Among the restaurants to choose from in Highland Falls are Park Restaurant and the Hacienda. Other restaurants and the usual chains are located about 15 miles from the academy in adjoining communities or along I-87. The visitor’s center for the USMA is actually located in the town and is an excellent source of information on the surrounding areas in addition to the Academy itself. Fans 4 The mix of fans you will run into at a Black Knights game is quite a mix. Obviously a large portion will come from the corps of cadets, seeking a short respite from the rigid lifestyle of a military academy and known for its demanding academic standards. Their allegiance to the team is unquestioned and they will cheer loudly, but you will hear no trash talking due to the strict code of conduct at the academy. You are just as likely to be sitting next to a retired general and alumni, who may be on the Board of Directors of a Fortune 500 company now. The third segment of the crowd is the townspeople of Highland Falls, whose lives and jobs are often intertwined with the Academy. Access 3 The United States Military Academy is an active military installation, and has stringent security regulations. All visitors to the campus must enter through the Security Checkpoint located at Thayer Gate. A valid photo ID is required for admittance. Cars may be searched by security personnel during high alert periods, but typically this is not required. You will be given instructions on how to reach Doubleday Field from security. Do not leave the instructed route as many areas of the campus are off limits to civilians. You may want to acquaint yourself with the campus by stopping at the USMA Visitors Center located outside the gates in downtown Highland Falls, which is just outside the Thayer Gate. The nearest airports are in White Plains, NY or Newburgh, NY. By car you would take I-87 to the Highland Falls exit and follow the directions to the USMA. Return on Investment 4 There is no charge to attend a Black Knights baseball game, nor is there any charge for parking. The concessions are limited, but very reasonable in price. Throw in that you are attending a game in one of the most historic and important facilities of United States history as well as a well played game and it is impossible to feel you have not gotten your money’s worth out of the experience. The remoteness of the location and the stringent security requirements are a small price to pay when we realize that national defense depends on the work done on this campus. Extras 3 The best way to see the academy campus is via West Point Tours. They are the licensed vendor with the USMA and are allowed in areas off limits to cars or visitors on foot. One and two hour long tours are available. Bear Mountain State Park is just outside of town and offers great hiking with the views of the Hudson you will never see from the road. Woodbury Commons Outlet Mall is located at the I-87 exit leading into town and has more than 100 stores for those who like to combine shopping on their stadium journeys.

Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Columbus Civic Center 400 4th St. Columbus, GA 31901 Columbus River Dragons website Columbus Civic Center website Year Opened: 1996 Capacity: 7,459 River Dragons Fire Up Columbus Columbus, Georgia has a long history of minor league ice hockey. The Columbus Cottonmouths were based in the city from 1996-2017. They played in the CHL (1996-2001), the ECHL (2001-2004), and the SPHL (2004-2017) at different points in their history. They won the CHL Championship in 1998. The Columbus River Dragons came into existence in 2019. They are members of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) which serves as the Class A level of professional hockey. Other teams in the FPHL are in Battle Creek, MI, Danbury, CT, Danville, IL, Winston-Salem, NC, Elmira, NY, Harrington, DE, Mentor, OH, and Port Huron, MI. The River Dragons’ lair is the Columbus Civic Center. It was built in 1996 and has a seating capacity of 10,000 (7,459 in its hockey configuration). It also has three suites which are available on a game-by-game basis. The Dragon Party Pits are a set of group/party seating areas located at the ice level at the end of the ice where the River Dragons are on the attack twice during the game. The Civic Center features a Daktronics center-hung four-sided scoreboard. The Dragon’s Den sells team merchandise at the concourse level. Food & Beverage 3 There are six concession stands located at the concourse level of the facility. The number of these stands that are open on a given night depends on the expected attendance. Service was very efficient the night we attended a game, so we did not encounter any lines. The menu of items served at the stands is limited, as it offers only the usual arena staples of hot dogs, candy, popcorn, and soft drinks. Atmosphere 4 The return of hockey to the Columbus area has brought a great deal of excitement to the River City. The team has picked up where the Cottonmouths left off and built on their legacy by offering a very impressive team that won an Ignite Cup in its second year of existence. The staff of the team does a great job of keeping a night out at a game as entertaining as possible. They do all sorts of competitions in between the periods and Scorch and Torch can often be found roaming the stands, posing very willingly with the fans. There is not a bad seat in the house. The concourses are wide and allow for easy navigation between periods or prior to the game. Torch Serves as the River Dragon's Mascot, Photo by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Neighborhood 4 The Columbus Civic Center is in a sports complex known as the South Commons and Golden Park. The complex features the Civic Center, a stand-alone ice skating rink, a baseball park, a football stadium, and a skateboard park. Golden Park is home to a softball stadium that served as the women’s softball venue during the 1996 Olympic Games. The South Commons complex lies along the eastern shore of the Chattahoochee River, which serves as the Georgia/Alabama state border. The Civic Center is just south of downtown Columbus. It is also just north of the Fort Benning Army base. Ft. Benning is the largest training facility for the US Army in the country. There are two military-related museums near the venue. The National Civil War Naval Museum offers a look at the various ships and ironclads used by both the Union and the Confederacy in battles to control access to the ports that were vital supply lines to both sides. This museum is located across the parking lot from the Civic Center. Fort Benning is home to the National Infantry Museum and is located a few blocks east of the Civic Center. Downtown Columbus is located just north of the Civic Center via Veteran’s Parkway. It features the home of blues legend Ma Rainey as well as the homes of John Pemberton, the inventor of the formula for Coca-Cola, and the residence of author Carson McCullers, who wrote: “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.” Fans 3 The River Dragons fanbase is a combination of the hardcore fans who have been involved in Columbus hockey since 1996. They are easy to identify, as it is not usual to see fans still wearing their Cottonmouth jerseys. The team is very involved in the community, especially doing appearances in local schools and at youth hockey games taking place next door at the Columbus Ice Center. This seems to be paying off, as there are a number of teams at each game. The team recognizes the teams before the game and in between the periods. The youth teams often take the ice themselves in a very short game between the periods. A third component of the fanbase is members of the military. Fort Benning is a close neighbor to the Civic Center and troops going through basic training frequent River Dragons when they are allowed an evening off base. Columbus is also the permanent home for many retired military personnel. Often these service members grew up in towns where hockey is more prevalent than in the South. They know the game well and enjoy seeing it played at any level. Access 4 The Columbus Civic Center is easy to access as it is located at the intersection of two of Columbus’ main thoroughfares. It is equally easy to access from Phenix City, AL, which is just across the state line from Columbus Directions from the North: Take I-85 South to I-185 South. Take I-185 South to Exit 1B (Victory Drive/US Highway 27 North) Turn right at end of the ramp. Continue Victory Drive until you reach the Veteran’s Parkway intersection. Turn left at this intersection into the Civic Center parking lot. Directions from the West: From Phenix City, AL take US Highway 280 East, crossing the Chattahoochee River into Georgia. At the intersection of Victory Drive and Veteran’s Parkway turn right into the Columbus Civic Center’s parking lot. Return on Investment 4 A night out with the River Dragons will not burn a hole in your wallet. Seats on the sides of the rink at both the 100 and 200 level cost $12. Seats at the south end of the ice cost $10. Parking at the Columbus Civic Center is free for River Dragons games. The concessions sold at the Civic Center are very reasonably priced. Hotels in the area cost less than $100 a night. Extras 4 The team mascots are a pair of dragons named Torch and Scorch. Present River Dragons Coach and General Manager Jerome Bechard is “Mr. Hockey” in the Columbus area. He has been a part of the Columbus hockey scene since 2004 as a player, coach, and General Manager. The Columbus Ice Center is located next door to the Civic Center. It serves as the home ice for the youth hockey teams in the area and is also the home ice for the Auburn University club hockey team. The River Dragons are one of the few Class A hockey teams that have a TV contract. WTVM broadcasts twenty-two games a year. Final Thoughts Minor league hockey has returned to the River City in the form of the Columbus River Dragons. They have already brought a great deal of excitement to Columbus as they won the Ignite Cup in only their second year of existence. The Dragon’s Lair is located alongside the Chattahoochee River at the Columbus Civic Center.

Each photo courtesy of the MiLB team that mascot(s) represents I think it is fair to say that American sports fans love a mascot. Virtually every major league sports franchise boasts some colorful, larger-than-life embodiment of their team, and there is even a Hall of Fame  devoted to the best of the best in the mascot world.   One avenue where the mascot truly thrives is in the wild, often carnival-like world of minor league baseball. Minor league teams annually pull out all the stops to keep themselves top-of-mind for their fans, like “colorful” team names, wacky promotions, live entertainment, and of course, the mascots.   Here in Texas, this is no exception. Currently there are 12 minor league franchises in the Lone Star State across multiple levels and multiple leagues. Nine of these ballclubs feature at least one costumed mascot at their home stadiums. Here is a quick rundown – in alphabetical order – of all the minor league mascots in Texas:   Amarillo Sod Poodles   Founded: 2019 Stadium: Hodgetown Stadium League: Double-A Texas League Mascot: RUCKUS the Sod Poodle Ruckus, Photo Courtesy of the Amarillo Sod Poodles For the uninitiated, in the far northern reaches of the panhandle of Texas, a “sod poodle” refers to a prairie dog. Officially recognized as a black-tailed prairie dog, RUCKUS made his debut along with the team in 2019. His bio lists his favorite hobbies as baseball (of course), digging, and sleeping, and his favorite snacks are grass, flowering plants, hot dogs, and Cracker Jack. --- Cleburne Railroaders   Founded: 2017 Stadium: The Depot at Cleburne Station League: American Association of Professional Baseball (Independent) Mascots: Gandy  & Spike Gandy and Spike, Photo Courtesy of the Cleburne Railroaders As could be guessed by their name, the railroad – specifically the Santa Fe Railroad, which built a major hub in the city in 1898 – plays a large part in the history of the north Texas city of Cleburne. With that in mind, the Railroaders’ two mascots play into that history and culture. Spike is literally a railroad spike brought to life, while Gandy pays homage to the Santa Fe workers of the past, who were called “Gandy Dancers”. --- Corpus Christi Hooks   Founded: 2005 Stadium: Whataburger Field League: Double-A Texas League Mascots: Sammy the Seagull  & Rusty the Fish Hook   Sammy and Rusty, Photo Courtesy of the Corpus Christi Hooks Located near the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, the Hooks and their home stadium pay homage to the history and industry of Corpus Christi. Their mascots, Sammy the Seagull and Rusty Hook, have been part of the club since opening day. Rusty is the official logo of the team, while Sammy has a nest atop the left-field foul pole. ---  El Paso Chihuahuas   Founded: 2014 Stadium: Southwest University Park League: Triple-A Pacific Coast League Mascot: Chico   Chico, Photo Courtesy of El Paso Chihuahuas Set in the farthest outpost in the great state of Texas, the city of El Paso is unlike any other in the state. Historic and rugged, the city is equal parts Mexico and Texas. The ballclub takes its name from the Chihuahuan Desert that encompasses the area. The team’s mascot, Chico, is a human-sized Chihuahua dog and one of the most beloved ambassadors of the city. His bio notes that he is a classically trained barker; in college he majored in recognition and retrieval of tennis balls, with a minor in bone-burying. --- Frisco RoughRiders   Founded: 2003 Stadium: Dr Pepper Ballpark League: Double-A Texas League Mascots: Deuce, Daisy, Ted E Bear & Bull Moose Deuce, Daisy, Ted E Bear & Bull Moose, Photos Courtesy of Frisco RoughRiders The Dallas/Fort Worth suburb of Frisco is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. It has been home to its minor league team for over two decades, with the team named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt’s famed volunteer cavalry unit, which called Texas their base of operations. The RoughRiders also stake claim to having the most mascots of any team in the state – Deuce  and Daisy  are a male and female pair of prairie dogs, while the other two, Bull Moose  (a nod to the former President’s one-time political party) and Ted E Bear  (a giant bear wearing Roosevelt’s military garb), pay homage to Roosevelt lore. --- Midland RockHounds   Founded: 1999 Stadium: Momentum Bank Ballpark League: Double-A Texas League Mascots: Juice, Rocky, & Chip   Juice, Rocky, & Chip, Photo Courtesy of the Midland RockHounds The West Texas city of Midland sits at the crossroads of the state’s booming oil and gas industries. Their minor league club, one of the oldest continually active ones in the Texas league, owes its name to the energy economy (a “rockhound” is a nickname for a geologist). Midland boasts no less than three mascots: Juice the Moose, who has been with the team since the ‘80s and, according to his bio, spends his off seasons in Montana; Rocky the RockHound, Sr., who is Juice’s best friend and doubles as the team’s logo; and last but not least the newest mascot, Chip the Rock Hammer, who spends his free time digging up dog bones for Rocky. --- Round Rock Express   Founded: 2000 Stadium: Dell Diamond League: Triple-A Pacific Coast League Mascot: Spike     Spike, Photo Courtesy of the Round Rock Express Just north of the capital city of Austin lies Round Rock and its minor league ball club, the Express. Named in honor of team owner Nolan Ryan, the Express has been one of the state’s most successful clubs on the field. The team’s mascot, Spike , is one of my personal favorites, as he is a human-sized bulldog dressed as a train conductor. ---  San Antonio Missions   Founded: 2021 Stadium: Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium League: Double-A Texas League Mascots: Ballapeño  & Mamapeño Ballapeño & Mamapeño, Photo Courtesy of the San Antonio Missions Another of the oldest minor league teams in Texas (historically founded in 1892), and located in the historic city of San Antonio, the team owes its moniker to the 17th century Spanish missions  that dot the city. Including the famed Alamo, these missions are part of the National Park System and were designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Officially boasting two mascots ( although a third “unofficial” one  has been part of the team since moving into the Wolff in 1994) in Ballapeño and his mother Mamapeño, they are both human-sized jalapeño peppers. Don’t cross Mamapeño though, lest you feel the wrath of her chancla ! --- Sugar Land Space Cowboys   Founded: 2021 Stadium: Constellation Field League: Triple-A Pacific Coast League Mascot: Orion   Orion, Photo Courtesy of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys The city of Sugar Land is a major suburb of the greater Houston metro area. Founded as a company town for the Imperial Sugar Company, the city has a long and proud sports tradition. The Space Cowboys, named in honor of nearby Houston’s NASA Johnson Space Center, also have one of the more unique mascots in the land in Orion – this blue-hued space canine was found on the Saturn moon of Mimas, but stowed away on an explorer’s spaceship to make Sugar Land his home. ----- Follow Eric Moreno’s Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 . Visit Eric Moreno’s writer’s portfolio site at ericmoreno.contently.com .

Photos by Jason Karp, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Centene Stadium 1015 25th St N Great Falls, MT 59401 Great Falls Voyagers website Centene Stadium website Year Opened: 1956 Capacity: 4,000 Home of the Great Falls Voyagers Perched on a breezy bluff above the Missouri River, Centene Stadium is the home of the Great Falls Voyagers, a member of the Rookie Advanced Pioneer League’s eight-team circuit and part of the Chicago White Sox farm system. The stadium, originally known as Legion Park, was first constructed in 1940 as a WPA project at the end of the Great Depression. In the 1950s and 60’s the stadium fell into disrepair and minor league baseball left for a time. Citizens of Great Falls banded together to raise funds to renovate the stadium, and minor league baseball returned in the late 1960s. The stadium is owned by the City of Great Falls and is also home to all of Great Falls's American Legion baseball teams. Ongoing renovations including a new office wing in 2003, an expanded concourse in 2010, and a new outfield wall in 2014, along with many more upgrades and improvements give the stadium a more updated and modern look than its 1940 birthday would indicate. The Voyagers, and their alien mascot Orbit, take their name from a famous UFO sighting in 1950 when the General Manager of the Great Falls Electrics, Nick Mariana, caught some film footage of two silver unidentified objects passing over Great Falls. The video helped set off a frenzy of UFO investigations that continues to this day. Food & Beverage 3 It’s been a great surprise touring these Pioneer League ballparks and seeing the nice variety of concessions available. Centene Stadium is no exception. The main concession stands are located underneath the main grandstand. The prices won’t break the bank with a hot dog being $3.00, small soda $3.00, a hamburger $6.00, chicken strips $6.50, and french fries $3.00. Beer is sold below the grandstand as well with domestic and micros available on tap and in aluminum pints and cans. A domestic draft like Bud or Bud Light is $4.50. Local micros are also available including Belgian White, a popular wheat ale brewed in nearby Belt, Montana for $5.50. But that’s not all, there’s some specialty stands located along the third baseline next to the Home Run Club patio selling pizza, bbq, donuts, and the Mighty Mo Brewing Company tent, selling their brews made right here in Great Falls. Atmosphere 3 It’s summertime. It’s a beautiful evening. The beer is tasty and minor league baseball is being played. What a great way to relax and unwind from the day. There are Voyager fans who love their team, but no one gets too worked up about anything. The PA announcer does a good job of keeping the crowd up to date and Orbit the mascot constantly roams around with the local kids in tow. The big blue Montana sky above just adds to the ambiance. Neighborhood 2 The stadium is located amongst some huge grain elevators, railroad tracks, and other industrial buildings. It would be a bit of a hike from the ballpark to any bars or restaurants, but it’s easy to get to those places by bike or car. Residential Great Falls is just a few blocks away with its gridded tree and sidewalk lined street system. There’s a golf course beyond the outfield fence and a Veterans Memorial next to the parking lot to soften the impact of the otherwise industrial neighborhood. Take in the views of the Black Eagle Dam just across River Drive from the stadium. Also just down the road is the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, not be missed if visiting Great Falls, and Giant Springs State Park-also very much worth stopping to see. Downtown Great Falls (3 miles from the stadium) has had some hard times since the 1980s, but it is coming back to life in a wonderful way. There are several interesting bars, restaurants, and shops downtown worth exploring. A couple of highlights are the Celtic Cowboy Pub and Restaurant next to the Hotel Arvon, a boutique hotel located in one of Great Falls’ oldest and completely restored buildings. The campy Sip and Dip Lounge with their swimming mermaids in an aquarium behind the bar is almost world famous. And the Mighty Mo Brewing Company’s taproom has brought back some energy to the area. Great Falls has numerous museums to take in including the aforementioned Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, along with a railroad museum, children’s museum, and the C.M. Russell Museum, featuring the former home, studio, and artwork of Montana’s most famous artist, Charlie Russell. Fans 3 What really stands out to me is the number of kids in the stands. It’s a real family affair at a Voyagers game. The crowd is friendly and knowledgeable. Most of the kids are there for the concessions or to socialize, but there are many hardcore baseball fans who are interested in the game, keeping score, cheering on the individual players, and chastising the umpire if they feel it is necessary. Everyone seems to be having a good time and all encounters are very welcoming to visitors. Access 3 Centene Stadium is located off River Drive, a busy roadway connecting downtown to the industrial areas above the Missouri River and the tourist attractions in the vicinity such as the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and Giant Springs State Park. The stadium is also easily accessed from the residential street grid from 25th Street North. Just pay attention, as some of the streets, including 25 Street, turn into one-ways. It’s easy to get to the stadium by bicycle or on foot via the street grid. Unfortunately, a direct connection hasn’t been made between the stadium and the extensive River’s Edge Trail system. There are bike racks right next to the ticket window. However, the locals don’t seem to take advantage of this opportunity as there are generally only a few bikes in the bike rack. Free motor vehicle parking is in excessive abundance right next to the stadium. Once parked, many hardcore baseball fans walk the smooth pavement leading to the ticket booth and entrance. Though being a very old stadium, renovations have been retrofitted well to make the facility handicapped accessible. Return on Investment 3 Ticket prices are pretty reasonable at $10 for box seats behind home plate and $8 for general admission bleacher seats. There are always ticket promotions throughout the season as well; just check the Voyagers official website. A generous amount of reserved and general admission seating is undercover for those hot sunny day games. The metal bleachers are a little on the hard side, so a seat cushion is a good thing to have. Concessions are not unreasonably expensive for a minor-league baseball game, and there are lots of choices. There’s no reason to leave Centene Stadium hungry or thirsty. Extras 3 One bonus point for the roof over the main grandstand. Many newer ballparks seem to be lacking this amenity, but it makes going to a baseball game in the summer an altogether more pleasant experience on hot and/or breezy days, and Great Falls gets a lot of both. One bonus point for the Great Falls River’s Edge Trail system. Though it doesn’t directly connect to the stadium, this extensive trail system takes visitors by bike or on foot along both sides of the magnificent Missouri River. There are all sorts of interpretive signs along the paths and there are great views of the dams and what’s left of the waterfalls that give the City its name. One bonus point for Great Falls founder, Paris Gibson, who laid out the City in such a logical way and with generous amounts of parkland-especially along the river. Gibson’s influence has fostered a strong sense of community in Great Falls, and it shows in the many public amenities available, including many parks, museums, trails, and the City-owned Centene Stadium. Whether you are a Montanan looking for a weekend getaway, or a tourist passing through the state, Great Falls is a great place to spend a few days in the summertime. Final Thoughts Going to Centene Stadium will give you a pretty typical minor-league baseball experience, and a typical minor-league experience is a wonderful experience.

Photos by Tyler Huskinson, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Brent Brown Ballpark 970 West University Pkwy Orem, UT 84058 Brent Brown Ballpark website Year Opened: 2005 Capacity: 5,000 Orem’s Owlz If anyone is looking for a good baseball game in a beautiful venue, a trip to Utah County for an Orem Owlz game is a must. The Owlz have played in Utah Valley University’s Brent Brown Ballpark since 2005, and theres no reason to think that will change any time soon. The stadium seats 5,000 spectators and boasts beautiful views of the Wasatch Mountains to the west. The Owlz have competed in the Pioneer League since 2001 and are a rookie league affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Food & Beverage 3 The stadium offers typical ballpark food but few specialties. There are two main concession options, All-Star and Grand Slam. The former offers hot dogs, pretzels, peanuts and popcorn for $3, and jumbo hot dogs, chili cheese fries and nachos for $4. Combo meals are available, as well. Grand Slam features typical grill items. Burgers, corn dogs, chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders are available in combos between $6 and $9. Ice cream is also available around the stadium, and drinks (Coke and Pepsi products) range from $2-$5. No ballpark item really stands out from other stadiums. There aren’t any local Utah flavors or dishes available on the menus. Atmosphere 3 Owlz games don’t draw a typical baseball crowd. The fans are mostly families, with young children overly abundant throughout the stands. Many families sit in the general admission section, which is a grass lawn that stretches from third base to the end of left field. To the left of the main entrance, inflatables and playground equipment are also available for children. The Owlz make their games very family friendly, which in turn draws plenty of families from the Utah County area to each game . For those seeking a traditional baseball atmosphere, though, Orem may not be on the top of your list. Walk-up music for batters is barely audible, as are other tunes (mainly country selections) that plays in between innings. Alcohol is not allowed inside the stadium. A definite plus is the location. Beautiful views of the Wasatch Mountain Range to the west are available to nearly anyone in the stadium, but more visible to those sitting on the first base side. Neighborhood 4 There may not be a ballpark in the state that is more accessible than Brent Brown. Taking exit 269 off of I-15 puts you in danger of getting hit by a home run, and driving one more block leads you in the parking lot. Driving down University Parkway supplies several pre or postgame eating options. J Dawgs is a classic Provo-born hot dog chain, featuring some of the best “dawgs” available on this side of Chicago. Across the street is In-N-Out Burger, a traditional Cali-born burger joint. Local fresh-Mex favorite Cafe Rio (3.5 miles away) is a little farther down the road, but definitely worth it. Attractions in the area include Seven Peaks Water Park in Provo and countless recreational activities up Provo Canyon. Fans 3 The typical crowd at games is comprised of young families. There isn’t a whole lot of raucous cheering and the ballpark never gets too loud. That said, not much should be expected, as rookie level baseball teams never have too passionate of fan bases. There are a few big-time Owlz fans but not many. Orem usually ranks in the top half of the Pioneer League in attendance, though, which is a notable feat. Access 4 There can’t really be an easier way to access the stadium off of I-15. The only close place to park, though, is the lot outside of the University’s UCCU Center, which costs a few bucks. The concourses inside the stadium are never too crowded, and the facilities are kept clean. Return on Investment 5 There may not be a better-priced ticket for any professional sport in the state. $12 lands you front row seats behind home plate (if you buy them in time), and $4 gets you general admission seats on the grass. Typically, fans spend more on parking and concessions than on the tickets themselves. Extras 3 One extra point for the impressive in-stadium advertising, despite sharing a ballpark with Utah Valley University. There is no shortage of Owlz signs and logos strewn throughout the concourse and outfield. Another extra point for the great promotions. The Owlz have a different promotion for every game, ranging from Christmas in July to Back Hair Night. Go figure. One final extra point for their “Field of Dreams” program. Like most professional soccer teams, the Owlz select a local youth baseball team to accompany the players onto the field and join them for the national anthem. Final Thoughts A great place to savor a summer night. If you’re expecting a major league atmosphere, then Orem isn’t the place for you; but if you want an enjoyable evening at the ballpark, be their guest.

Photos by Google Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Lofton Road S Africa Rd, Shepherd’s Bush London W12 7PJ Queens Park Rangers website Loftus Road website Year Opened: 1904 Capacity: 18,439 Loftus Road – Heading Down the Bush Loftus Road is an 18,439-seat stadium that has been home to the Queens Park Ranger since 1917. The name of the stadium was called Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium from 2019-2022 but has reverted back to its original name. However, what the west London venue lacks in size it certainly makes up for in other ways; the intimate nature of the venue creates a cracking atmosphere, and there probably is no stadium with better access by public transport, nor one with a more eclectic mix in the streets and areas that surround it. After a nomadic existence around west London after they were formed in 1886, QPR first played on Loftus Road in 1920 and after moving away to the nearby White City Stadium, they returned in 1933 and it has been their home since. Floodlights were installed in 1953 and in 1967 the club won its first major trophy, the Football League Cup, with promotion to the top flight for the first time coming a year later. At the start of 1980s Loftus Road became the first of four football league grounds to install a plastic pitch, but after seven seasons with the “drastic plastic,” as it was known, it was replaced with grass. At the start of the millennium, Fulham shared Loftus Road while their Craven Cottage home was brought up to code for the Premier League. A short while before then, rugby club London Wasps ensured that the ground staff was kept on their toes with matches taking place on alternate weekends to Rangers. One of the stadium’s greatest nights came in 1985 when Northern Irish boxer Barry McGuigan challenged the Panamanian Eusebio Pedroza for the WBA featherweight championship. Over 27,000 packed the venue and roared on the Clones Cyclone, who won on points after 15 breathless rounds. There are plans to open a new 40,000 stadium in nearby Old Oak, but until they are firmed up and dates announced for the opening, Loftus Road will continue to provide a cozy home, as it has for most of the last 100 years. Food & Beverage 3 In the stadium itself, the food is the usual option of pies, burgers, hot dogs, and chips washed down with a choice of beer, soda, cider, tea, or coffee. Expect to pay around £5 ($8) for something to fill your belly and wet your whistle. Atmosphere 4 The tight-packed nature of Loftus Road gives the impression that you could easily shout across the pitch and whatever you had to say would be heard by all. It also means that whenever there is a full house and the crowd finds their voices, the atmosphere reverberates around the four interlocking stands. The colours of blue dominate the four straight and narrow stands that make up the facility. It is a completely enclosed venue that is compact and straightforward. Slim floodlights are atop two of the stadium’s stands and a video screen is located for stats and reviews. The South Africa Road stand is the best place to sit and stands out as a two-tiered seating structure that features a mostly unobstructed view of the pitch. The stand is also home to the Paddocks. The Ellerslie Road stand is the smallest but perhaps the nosiest; it is also the only stand not to be painted in blue and white hoops. The majority of the ground’s atmosphere is generated here and is considered the best spot to view a game, also the loudest. Neighborhood 4 Outside the ground, the varied ethnic mix means there is a variety of eating options from traditional London in the form of pie and mash, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, Antipodean, Polish, and the ubiquitous fried chicken shop. Like many traditionally working-class areas of London, White City and Shepherd’s Bush are currently going through a gentrification process with modern buildings and house prices going up rapidly. For those wanting something a bit more upmarket there are a wide variety of choices at the Westfield Shopping Centre, Europe’s largest, only a mile from the ground. Westfield Shopping Centre is one of two in London and part of Australian Frank Lowy’s Westfield empire. As well as being able to get some shopping in before and catch a movie after the match there are some highly regarded restaurant chains. Try Jamie’s (Oliver) Italian, which provides the usual Italian fare, but with this reportedly QPR-supporting chef’s twist on things. A main with starter or dessert plus wine should set you back about £25 ($42). Further along, Uxbridge Road is an area of the aforementioned strong ethnic mix, where food and good prices are far more varied and far cheaper than in Westfield. There is some disquiet from the locals at how the area is changing, not least with the cost of houses and rent and while parts aren’t exactly the most salubrious, overall it is a fairly harmless part of west London that is going through a fairly large change. Fans 4 Queens Park Rangers fans may be called all manner of names, but glory hunting isn’t one of them after a roller-coaster existence in recent years. They were one of the original clubs in the Premier League’s first season, 1992-93, but after a short period of progress under Ray Wilkins in the mid-90s, life has since been one of joy followed shortly by despair. As such, those who attend matches are among the most loyal and vocal of supporters around, who enjoy the good times and don’t get too hysterical when things go wrong, knowing full well the next swing of fate is just around the corner. Access 3 Part of the boon of the Westfield Centre being built was the improvement in transport options. Underground stations Shepherd’s Bush and White City on the Central Line, Wood Lane and Shepherd’s Bush Market on the Hammersmith and City Line, as well as Shepherd’s Bush overground station, are all short walks of no more than 10 minutes to the Loftus Road. Several buses run through Shepherd’s Bush green taking folks north and south, east and west; the 283 to Bloemfontein Road or the 72, 95, or 220 to White City Station go nearest the stadium. It means that traveling by car is rendered almost pointless, which is no bad thing as parking is limited and what there is, is costly. Also, most roads are residents’ parking only, which means an army of traffic wardens flood the area on match day, leaving a few fans in a less than amused mood once they return to their cars. Return on Investment 3 Ticket prices for QPR matches for adults are £28 and £for seniors in all of the stands at the grounds. The price also depends on the opponent of the match but with the club in the EFL Championship, tickets should be priced right for your budget. Food and drink are also adequately priced and souvenirs, such as an official kit sell for £46.99. Extras 3 The Loftus Road shop serves all manner of paraphernalia in blue and white hoops at a wide range of prices, while there are stadium tours laid on throughout the year normally during school holidays; check the website for information. Then of course is the aforementioned Westfield Shopping Centre; Europe’s largest where you can shop, eat and drink to your heart’s content till 10 pm and of course the delights of London’s west end are only a short tube ride away. Final Thoughts While the date of the move to the new stadium has yet to be given a time frame, it does mean that fans have the chance to attend one of the Premier League’s last-standing traditional venues. Walking to the ground through the narrow streets and sitting near other fans is what gives the ground such character and will be hard to create once they move. That said, those characteristics are what has stopped the ground from being developed, which in turn has condemned fans to watch a yo-yo existence over the past few years, so the chance to build a bigger venue with a greater revenue stream is imperative for the club’s future success.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Meade Stadium Keaney Ave. Kingston, RI 02881 Rhode Island Rams football website Meade Stadium website Year Opened: 1928 Capacity: 6,555 Rhode Trip Meade Stadium, home of the University of Rhode Island Rams football team, is located on the URI campus in Kingston, Rhode Island. It is named after class of 1915 alum, booster, and local politician John E. “Jack” Meade, who was rumored to never have missed a home game from the time he attended URI until his death in 1972. Meade Stadium opened in 1928 and has gone through numerous renovations over its history. The most recent improvements have included the construction of the west grandstand and locker rooms as part of the Thomas J. Ryan Center in 2000, a massive renovation to the press box in 2003 and the installation of a new synthetic turf field and lighting in 2019. Football teams have represented URI since 1895. A longtime member of Division 1-AA/FCS, the Rams have qualified for the playoffs on three occasions, most recently in 1985. URI football now competes in the Colonial Athletic Association alongside other eastern universities. 20 Rams alumni have played in the National Football League. Food & Beverage 4 The concessions at Meade Stadium are a mix of permanent stands, pop-up tents and food trucks. The stands inside the Ryan Center directly behind the west grandstand are open for Ram football games. In addition to these stands, Rhody Eats (the URI dining service) operates some pop-up tents which sell specialty hot dogs and sausage sandwiches. Menu variety is achieved by the placement of several food trucks scattered around the south end zone. During Stadium Journey’s most recent visit, food trucks offering BBQ, tacos, mac and cheese and of course, this being Rhode Island, lobster rolls were on display. Pepsi products are sold at Meade Stadium. Certain stands have beer and wine available. In addition to national brands Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, local favorites from Narragansett and Whalers brewery are featured. Atmosphere 3 A football game at basic Meade Stadium in rural Kingston, Rhode Island isn’t the place to go for an extravagant game day experience. What you’ll get at a URI football game is exactly what feels right here. It’s a laid back, simple and enjoyable place to spend a fall afternoon. All the elements college football fans would expect to find at a small stadium can be found at Meade Stadium. The pep band performs throughout the afternoon, along with the cheerleaders and dance squad. There’s a decent turnout by the student body, but they don’t really add much to the gameday atmosphere. A Rams crowd is full of alumni and families rooting hard for the team down on the field. A simple scoreboard in the south end zone displays basic game information. Music plays over a solid sound system when the band isn’t playing. A unique feature about coming to Meade Stadium is that you’ll want to be in the shady west stands early in the season, but in the sunny east stands later in the year as the weather cools. Neighborhood 2 Given the University of Rhode Island’s rural location, there are not many dining or lodging options available adjacent to Meade Stadium. Those willing to travel a short distance will find many restaurants or places of interest nearby. The Mews Tavern in nearby Wakefield boasts 69 beers on taps and an extensive bar menu. It is a favorite of the student body. The Matunuck Oyster Bar is a favorite for locally sourced seafood. In addition, Narragansett, located 8 miles to the south, Newport, 16 miles to the east, and Providence, 29 miles to the north, offer a wide variety of dining, lodging, and tourist options for the adventurous football fan. There are no lodging options directly adjacent to the URI campus, so fans looking to stay near URI overnight will need to look elsewhere. There are some options in nearby South Kingstown (yes, Kingston and Kingstown are two different places) and beyond. Fans looking to make a weekend of their trip to URI would be advised to check out Newport or Providence, both short drives from campus. Fans 3 Attendance at Rhode Island football games has been on the rise in recent seasons along with the improvement of the Rams. Traditionally Rhode Island averages between 5,000-6,000 fans per game, which is a bit below the CAA average. There is a decent turnout from the student body, even if they don’t add a whole lot to the game day atmosphere. The majority of the crowd at Meade Stadium consists of locals and alumni who have been coming to Kingston for years. Rhode Island is a small state, after all, and it doesn’t take long to get to URI, no matter from what part of the state you are coming. Access 3 Meade Stadium is located on the western side of the URI campus in Kingston, Rhode Island. The small town of Kingston is located 29 miles south of Providence and 20 minutes south of T.F. Green Airport. Driving to Kingston from Providence will take you about 40 minutes on a normal Saturday. The campus is located on Route 138, approximately a 10-mile drive from I-95 as it passes through southern Rhode Island. The URI campus is well-served by public transportation, with several RIPTA bus routes serving the campus from Providence. In addition, the Kingstown train station is about two miles away from campus, with Amtrak making regular stops at the station. Parking around Meade Stadium is plentiful and inexpensive. Lots that permit tailgating are located next to the stadium. It will cost $15 for a tailgating permit. Parking lots further away from Meade Stadium are free of charge. The tailgating scene at URI is decidedly laid back. Fans will enter Meade Stadium via one of three entrances located around the facility. Seating at Meade Stadium consists of a large grandstand on the east side of the stadium and a smaller grandstand on the west side. Seating in the east grandstand consists of metal bleachers without backs. This is not the most accessible seating area you’ll come across. The old wooden grandstand features lots of stairs, high steps and unpaved walkways. The newer west grandstand is attached to the Ryan Center, with individual stadium seats in the center sections. The two sides of the facility are connected via a walkway on the south side of the stadium. There is plenty of standing room here, as well as tents available at field level. The amenities at Meade Stadium vary depending on which side of the stadium you are sitting. Concession stands and rest rooms on the west side of the stadium are older but will still meet your needs. On the east side of the stadium, the concession stands and rest rooms are located inside the Ryan Center. These are much more modern and plentiful. Return on Investment 4 Rhode Island football games are divided into two categories: Standard and Premium. Ticketing for Standard games is priced at $20 per ticket for general admission bleacher seating in the east grandstand, $30 for reserved bleacher seats in the west grandstand and $35 for reserved individual seats in the west grandstand. All ticket prices are increased by $10 for Premium games, which are generally the Alumni/Family weekends. Parking is available in the many lots on either side of Meade Stadium. Many lots are designated as free lots. If you wish to park in one of the tailgating lots closest to the stadium, permits for these lots cost $15. Extras 2 The cannon which is fired after all Rams scores has moved to a corner of the north end zone but is still a prominent feature at Meade Stadium. Fans of the nearby New England Patriots may think of the crew donning Revolutionary War-era garb as a scaled-down version of Gillette Stadium’s end zone militia. Banners hanging along the back of the north end zone honor Ram All-Americans, conference titles and tournament appearances. Final Thoughts Meade Stadium, originally constructed in 1928, is an interesting mix of old and new. Whether you sit in the shady new stands attached to the Ryan Center or the older grandstand basking in the sun, a fall afternoon in Kingston is guaranteed to be a laid-back, comfortable experience. Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Emma Sutherland, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Wheeler Sports Center 1200 Fulton St Newberg, OR 97132 George Fox Bruins website Wheeler Sports Center website Year Opened: 1977 Capacity: 2,700 George Fox Basketball Located on George Fox’s picturesque campus inside Wheeler Sports Center, Miller Gymnasium provides a great experience for college basketball. The gym holds 2700 fans who attend to cheer on the Bruins, who play in the NCAA III Division, Northwest Conference. Food & Beverage 2 Basketball games at Miller Gymnasium offer your typical stadium concessions. For food, hot dogs and popcorn are available, and Coca-Cola products are your options for drinks. While it is hard to compete with the incredible variety provided by the food trucks at Bruin football games , more options for food and beverages at basketball games would enhance the experience. Atmosphere 3 Miller Gymnasium offers a nostalgic, vintage feel while still being spacious and comfortable. Plenty of seating on both sides of the court offers great views of the action. While the bleachers extend far up to the top of the gym, the width of the building ensures you are not too far from the game. An energetic announcer, along with a well-placed scoreboard in the sight of every seat, keeps the crowd entertained and informed. Neighborhood 5 With downtown Newberg just a 10-minute walk away, Wheeler Sports Center is close to several great restaurants and local shops. Newberg itself has been ranked as one of the safest places in Oregon, and with it being extremely walkable, everything you need is within a few blocks. Newberg provides a wide variety of dining options. A few personal favorites include Thai the Knot (just down the street from the stadium) and Old Town Bar and Grill. Several fast food restaurants are located on the other side of town, which is just a short drive away. Besides great restaurants, Newberg has several local shops, which include antique and clothing stores. Velour (vintage clothing and decor) and Wine Country Antiques are two of my favorite places to shop. A movie theater as well as a drive-in theater can also be found in Newberg. If you are looking to drive a bit, Portland is about 40 minutes from Newberg and has endless options for entertainment, including the zoo, OMSI, as well as many restaurants and bars. Options for lodging in Newberg include a Best Western and a Holiday Inn. Fans 3 Fans typically dress in the Old Gold and Navy Blue George Fox colors to attend games and cheer on the Bruins. Students are passionate about their team and stay involved throughout the action. While it can vary between regular season and tournament games, the gym is usually at half to three-quarters capacity. Access 5 The layout of Wheeler Sports Center makes everything easy to locate. The concessions are located just outside the gym in the lobby, and restrooms are close by. The gym itself is spacious, with plenty of room for fans to sit on both sides of the court. While there is no longer public transit service in Newberg, the town is small enough to be easily walkable anywhere around the stadium. Uber and Lyft rides are available in Newberg. Parking is available just down the street from the stadium off Fulton Street. Other parking lots are available around campus off of Villa and Meridian. Street parking is also available near campus but usually fills up quickly. For easy access to the front doors of the gym, a bridge is located between the Fulton Street Parking lot and Wheeler. While season tickets are not available for Bruin basketball games, tickets can be bought at the door. Return on Investment 5 With ticket prices being $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 18, seeing a basketball game at George Fox is an affordable way to spend your evening. Parking on campus or in the neighborhood is free. . Extras 1 When attending a basketball game at Wheeler, be sure to check out the George Fox Hall of Fame, located just inside the lobby next to the concessions. Final Thoughts Wheeler Sports Center is a great venue to see local Bruin basketball. Newberg is a great community to visit, and the close proximity of the gymnasium to town makes everything you need within walking distance.

Photos by Dave Cottenie and Michael Rusiglnuolo, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Mirabito Stadium 211 Henry St Binghamton, NY 13901 Binghamton Rumble Ponies website Mirabito Stadium website Year Opened: 1992 Capacity: 6,012 Welcome to Rumbletown Established as the Williamsport Bills in 1987, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies found their home in Upstate New York in 1992 and became the Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets.  Originally branded as the Binghamton Mets, the team abandoned the parent branding in 2017 and took advantage of a Minor League Baseball landscape where the more unique the identity, the better the situation.  Nodding to the city of Binghamton as the Carousel Capital of the World, a name the team contest yielded the moniker of the Rumble Ponies, referring to the horses found on a carousel.  Binghamton narrowly escaped the 2019 purge of 42 MiLB teams.  During their tenure in Binghamton, the Rumble Ponies have always been affiliated with the New York Mets and members of the Eastern League. Marking the move to Binghamton for the team [possible was the opening of Mirabito Stadium. Known originally as  Binghamton Municipal Stadium from 1992 to 2001 and NYSEG Stadium from 2001 to 2021, the city-owned stadium offers a capacity of over 6,000.  The naming rights were sold to Mirabito Energy Products in 2021.  Food & Beverage 4 The concession scene at Mirabito Stadium is strong.  The Pit Stop concession stands under the grandstand offer burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, chicken tenders, pizza, nachos popcorn, and pretzels.  A couple of other free-standing concession points are of interest including the Southern Tier Cheesesteak stand and the Carousel Creamery and Lupos stand on the right field side are worth checking out.  Coca-Cola products are the soft drink of choice at Mirabito Stadium and a fairly decent beer selection featuring New Belgium products on tap can be found also.  A couple of signature items that fans should consider include the Grampwich Sandwich, a sausage patty sandwich with cheese, peppers, and onions, and local delicacy Spiedies (pronounced “speedys”).  Overall, there is just enough at Mirabito Stadium to satisfy just about everyone and not be overwhelming. Atmosphere 3 Mirabito Stadium has a bit of a unique exterior with light-colored tiles at the home plate side of the ballpark where the ticket windows can be found.   Attractive wrought iron fencing surrounds the ballpark and huge logos of the Rumble Ponies and New York Mets ensure that passers-by know who plays at the stadium.  A marker of note stands for Bud Fowler, who played for the Binghamton Bingos in 1887 and was one of the first players to integrate professional baseball.  He was also elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022. Although entering Mirabito Stadium from the home plate side is an option, many people will enter the right field gate on the east side of the stadium as it is closest to the parking lot.  Both spots have small plazas which are good for meeting spots.  Once fans have entered the ballpark, it begins to show its age a bit.  The main grandstand is a split-level, single bowl with an exterior walkway.  Some of the upper-tier seats are covered with an overhang.  Mirabito Stadium does not offer a 360 path around the ballpark.  Underneath the grandstand, it is fairly dark and does not offer an open view of the field as is found in many other ballparks.  The Rumble Ponies attempt to overcome this shortcoming with a full embracing of their brand and history.  The concourses are littered with Binghamton Rumble Ponies markings including murals with logos and slogans.  Of interest is the Binghamton Baseball Shrine, which is a mural including the royalty of Binghamton baseball, Bud Fowler, Steve Kraly, Thurman Munson, Jason Isringhausen, Whitey Ford and David Wright.  Surrounding the shrine are plaques commemorating the members of the Binghamton Baseball Hall of Fame.  As a longstanding feeder of talent to the New York Mets, many names are recognizable to fans.  Other pillars include banners featuring more recent Rumble Ponies to make it to the Show.  Surprisingly, there was no noticeable sign of one of the most famous members of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, former Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow.  Mirabito Stadium offers a variety of seating options outside of the regular grandstand.  Bar seating is found on the right field side and high-top tables on the left field side with a pavilion at the back corner of left field.  The right field side of the stadium, near the entry gate, features the kid zone complete with an inflatable play area and Rumble Ponies metal benches for waiting parents. The gameday production in Binghamton is fairly simple.  Mascots Rowdy and Ruby take part in the pregame festivities and can be found interacting with the crowd while the PA announcer chooses some interesting musical selections for visitors walking up.  It is not overproduced and not lacking, a good balance for fans.  Mirabito Stadium also offers an interesting backdrop with fans able to view passing trains from the railyard immediately north of the stadium and the rolling mountains beyond right field. Neighborhood 3 Mirabito Stadium is located on the edge of Downtown Binghamton, between the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers.  With a modest population of over 47,000, Binghamton does not have the most interesting of downtowns, but there are a few options for pre and post-game food and drink including Station 45 American Chop House, AMICI, Little Venice, Burger Monday, River Bistro and Rolando’s Diner.  There are a couple of other sporting options in Binghamton.  The Binghamton Bearcats  of SUNY Binghamton, aka Binghamton University, play basketball on campus.  The Bearcats  also play baseball and other NCAA sports.  The school boasts Tony Kornheiser of ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption as an alumnus.  Formerly an AHL city, Binghamton now offers the Black Bears of the FPHL.  Other tourist options in Binghamton include Phelps Mansion Museum, Ross Park Zoo, or finding one of the city’s numerous carousels, possibly the one at Rec Park.  For fans wishing to stay near the ballpark, the Holiday Inn and DoubleTree are good options. Fans 3 There is room for improvement when it comes to Binghamton Rumble Ponies attendance.  In the 2023 season, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies averaged over 3,100 fans per game.  This ranked 73rd in all of Minor League Baseball and more specifically 11th in the 12-team Eastern League.  The fans in attendance at the game reviewed were pretty quiet and reserved.  It must be noted that the game reviewed was an early weekday game including a makeup doubleheader.  Attendance, as expected, spikes for the weekend, however, there is still plenty of room for improvement.   Access 4 Mirabito Stadium is located in Downtown Binghamton, between the Chenango and Susquehanna Rivers, at the corner of Henry Street and Fayette Street.  It is south of I-86 and west of Highway 363 and not difficult to get to.  There is plenty of parking on-site, which can be had for a nominal cost.  For fans wishing to take public transit, there are buses on Chenango Street.  Fans should consult the Broome County Transit  website for fares, maps, and schedules.  Getting around the ballpark is not too difficult, although a big crowd could make moving under the grandstand could be more difficult.  Washroom facilities are acceptable for the fans in attendance. Stadium Journey recommends checking the Binghamton Rumble Ponies  website for the most up-to-date security info including prohibited items, gate opening times, and security protocols. Return on Investment 4 The Binghamton Rumble Ponies experience is very affordable.  Tickets for the Rumble Ponies run from $11 for the cheapest seats, up to $25 for the first row in the grandstand.  Concession prices are what one would expect and parking is a nominal $5.  The Rumble Ponies provide a solid environment for baseball and the Eastern League at the Double-A level provides, arguably, the best prospects for Minor League Baseball. Extras 3 An extra mark for the unique theme of the Rumble Ponies with the local ties to the Carousel Capital of the World. An extra mark for the display of team history found at Mirabito Stadium. An extra mark for the long-standing affiliation the Rumble Ponies enjoy with the New York Mets. Final Thoughts A trip to Upstate New York and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies is a great way to take in some Minor League Baseball.  Mirabito Stadium offers a solid facility for baseball.  There is plenty of fun in Rumbletown. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Iowa Speedway hosted its first NASCAR Cup Series race, the Iowa Corn 350, on Sunday evening and to say it was anything other than a complete success would be an understatement. Fans showed up in droves not only for the Cup race on Sunday, but the stands were packed on Saturday for the Xfinity Series race and there was also a great turnout for the ARCA race on Friday. Last October when Iowa Governor, Kim Reynolds, Cup driver Brad Keselowski, and other NASCAR luminaries made the announcement that a Cup race was coming to the speedway, excitement of NASCAR fans in Iowa and surrounding states soared. Cup Series tickets sold out during the presale. The Xfinity race sold out as well and there weren’t many tickets left for Friday’s slate of Cup practice and an ARCA Menards race. For fans, there were little issues that could be expected for such a large influx of people. Lines to get in could move a little quicker, there could be a few more restrooms, and the logistics of leaving the area with 30,000-plus other people could have been a bit better planned, but all-in-all, it seemed to go very well. From the driver’s perspective, many spoke highly of the track, having run there in ARCA or Xfinity races. In fact, 10 drivers have previously won races at other levels in Iowa. There was some concern about a repave of turns 2 and 4 and the effect it would have on tire wear. The results and effects of the repave weren’t completely conclusive, but many drivers wanted to come back, including Iowa Corn 350 winner Ryan Blaney, whose mother is from Iowa. Blaney told the Des Moines Register , “…Honestly, it exceeded my expectations as far as race-ability. The crowd tonight was awesome. If that doesn’t make you want to come back, I don’t know what will.” There was some doubt whether this time would ever come. Iowa Speedway opened in 2006. Despite rumors of the top level of NASCAR coming to Iowa, nothing ever materialized. The speedway hosted numerous events including the ARCA Menards Series and Xfinity Series along with IndyCar series events. In 2019, the track was purchased by NASCAR and hopes once again surged that a long-awaited Cup race would be possible. Those hopes were quickly dampened by the Covid epidemic. Since Covid, an IndyCar weekend has returned. ARCA Menards Series races came back as well but were not well attended. Attendance wasn’t a problem this weekend. Fans showed up early to take in other activities before the races. At the NASCAR experience area, you could listen to a NASCAR podcast being recorded by driver Corey LaJoie, attend driver Q&A sessions, and get autographs. Drivers made appearances and signed autographs at other sponsors displays throughout the weekend and most fans seemed to leave with at least one item from their favorite driver or team from the numerous merchandise areas. All things considered, the weekend couldn’t have gone much better if you made the trip to Newton, Iowa and Iowa Speedway.. Will the Cup series race return in 2025 and beyond? Time will tell. But for one hot and steamy weekend in June, the “fastest short track on the planet” proved it can be a player on one of auto racing’s biggest stages.

Does the NHL need expansion and what cities should be awarded?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Audio versions of the Stadium Journey podcast can be found by searching HIAC Talk Radio   wherever you look for your favorite podcasts. Video simulcasts of all the Stadium Journey podcasts can be found on Stadium Journey's YouTube page . Join us live as we record every other Monday on our social media streaming channels.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Bill Gies Recreation Centre 1401 Queens Bush Rd Wellesley, ON N0B 2T0 Wellesley Applejacks website Bill Gies Recreation Centre website Year Opened: 2023 Capacity: 500 A is for Apple … J is for Jacks For people of a certain vintage, the lyric “A is for Apple … J is for Jacks” produces an earworm of a jingle advertising sugary breakfast cereal, Apple Jacks.  In Wellesley, Ontario, Applejacks has a bit of a different connotation.  The Wellesley Applejacks were established in 1987 and began play at the Junior D level.  Their name is derived from the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival which attracts thousands to the area each fall.  The Applejacks moved up to the Junior C level when Junior D was dissolved.  The Jacks currently play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League in the Doherty Division.  In their short time in Junior C, the Applejacks have already earned a Schmalz Cup in 2023 as the champions of Junior C hockey in Ontario. The Applejacks moved to a brand new home in 2023.  The Bill Gies Recreation Centre was built as a replacement for the outdated Wellesley Arena.  The Rec Centre was named after donor Bill Gies who was a home builder in the area.  Construction delays and funding issues forced the Applejacks to begin the 2023 season at the St. Clements Arena.  Wellesley is a township that includes the town proper and surrounding agricultural areas and small communities, with a township population of over 11,000. Food & Beverage 2 There is a very small snack bar on a temporary table in the upper level of the Bill Gies Recreation Centre that doubles as the Blueline Club.  Chips, candy and popcorn are available.  Pepsi products and coffee are the main soft drinks available, however if fans wish to try something truly local, then the hot apple cider will be the drink of choice.  A kiosk in the same area sells beer and other alcoholic beverages. Atmosphere 3 Bill Gies Recreation Centre is one of the newest facilities in the PJHL.  The exterior is fairly simple with light siding above tinted glass and dark brick.  The main entry to the centre is on the east side.  It opens to a lobby with temporary tables selling tickets and 50/50 tickets.  Since the building is new, there is not much in the way of history or other interesting items about the community for fans to look at.  The lobby is at ice level and has windows allowing fans to see the game.  Fans will need to head up the stairs to access the Blueline Club and the seating area.  The Blueline Club is above the lobby at the east side and also has temporary merchandise tables. Inside the arena, entry is from the east side and the ice is oriented from west to east.  The spot to get that perfect centre ice logo picture is from the south.  All of the seating in the arena is on the south side, which includes five rows of plastic seats.  The sections closest to the ends offer wooden benches.  The seating area is elevated above the ice surface providing better sightlines.  The bottom row of seating is at about the same height as the top of the glass.  A bit of a unique aspect of this arena is the track that encircles the ice surface at the upper level.  On the west end and north side it offers the perfect view for fans who like to stand during the game, but for whom ice level is not choice.  The northwest corner offers a mini-stick arena which can keep the youngsters occupied as well as keep those pesky mini stick games contained.  A simple scoreclock hangs above centre ice and to the west are the Wellesley Applejacks championship banners, featuring the 2023 Schmalz Cup.  The Applejacks embrace their history also keeping banners for their Junior D titles. The gameday production at an Applejacks game is fairly simple.  The PA system is good and the announcer does a good job with announcements and promotions, not getting overly excitable and more difficult to understand.  His reference to the arena as the Wellesley Orchard is an original aspect of the team. Neighbourhood 2 Wellesley is a small community at the west end of Waterloo Region.  It is the epitome of a small town.  There are a couple of spots for pre or post game food or drink, however, fans may want to consider doing their research for gameday as Wellesley is very quiet at night.  Schmidtsville Restaurant and Olympic Pizza are the options in town.  Fans will have to head to Waterloo if they are looking for something else.  The Applejacks are definitely the only game in town, but Wellesley is close to New Hamburg, Tavistock and Woodstock so away games are not a challenge at all.  The area is known for the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese Festival.  For fans wishing to stay in the area, there are some B&B possibilities.  Heading to Shakespeare or Waterloo will be where fans need to go for a more traditional hotel. Fans 3 Assessing fans in the PJHL is difficult as some teams do not publish attendance figures and the league does not compile and publish attendance statistics.  At the time of writing, for the 2023-24 season, the Wellesley Applejacks attracted around 230 fans per game.  The game being reviewed saw a good crowd of over 360 fans.  The previous season, the Applejacks attracted nearly 190 fans per game, however the Bill Gies Recreation Centre was just opened and the first 9 games of the season were held in St. Clements.  There is constant motion at an Applejacks game with kids running all over, one of the detriments of having a track around the rink.  The fans in attendance are knowledgeable and supportive and due to the competitive nature of the division, there are always plenty of fans of the visiting team as well.   Access 4 Getting to the Bill Gies Recreation Centre is not difficult.  It is located west of the traditional town of Wellesley at the west side of Waterloo Region.  It is at the end of Queens Bush Road at Hutchison Road.  It is 12 km from Highway 7-8 and there is plenty of rural driving to get to Wellesley so proper planning during the winter months is important as snow can be a real issue.  There is plenty of parking on site.  At the time of writing, there were no public transit options to get to Wellesley or the Rec Centre.  Getting around the arena is not a problem at all and the washroom facilities are adequate for the size of the facility. Return on Investment 4 PJHL hockey offers some of the best returns on investment possible.  Tickets for the Applejacks are $12 with discounts for students, seniors and children.  Tickets must be purchased at the door and cash or debit are accepted.  Children 5 and under are free.  Parking is free and the concession prices are good.  The quality of hockey is good and fans will have the opportunity to watch the action from an arena that is modern, clean, bright and comfortable.  Extras 3 An extra mark for the unique name and identity of the Applejacks that closely relates to the community. An extra mark for the Bill Gies Recreation Centre as a community hub. An extra mark for the Bill Gies Recreation Centre as a new, bright and modern facility. Final Thoughts The Bill Gies Recreation Centre is a new, modern, clean facility which is home to a Junior C hockey team that has the support of the community.  The Wellesley Applejacks offer a fun experience for fans and at the end, the “A is for Apple … J is for Jacks” jingle might just be stuck in their heads! Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

Photos by Peter Miles, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Stelios Kyriakides Stadium Democracy Ave Paphos, Cyprus Pafos FC website Stelios Kyriakides Stadium website Year Opened: 1985 Capacity: 9,394 Fun in the Sun Following Pafos FC Pafos FC were only formed as recently as 2014 following a merger of AEP Paphos and AEK Kouklia. It was a marriage borne out of mutual convenience. AEP, themselves a result of a merger of APOP Paphos and Evagoras in 2000, were in severe financial trouble in the second tier while Kouklia had just been relegated from the top flight. The aim was to form a more financially stable club competing regularly in the top division. The club were promoted into the First Division in 2016/17 as runners up to champions Alki Oronklini. Food & Beverage 4 Under the main stand is a small kiosk selling soft drinks, crisps, confectionery, and warm Cypriot snacks. The kiosk sells a good variety of snacks including fresh koupes (also known as kibbeh), a snack made of bulgar wheat and minced meat; it’s really popular in the whole Levantine region. The usual range of sodas like Coke and Fanta are available in plastic bottles. No alcohol is available. The flavorsome koupes with a cold drink are perfect on a balmy evening. Atmosphere 3 While the crowd is usually fairly modest, during my most recent visit the attendance was officially declared as 2,500, but in reality 800 was more accurate. Still, the vibe of the place is welcoming and a small section of younger fans wave flags and bang a drum. The stadium is essentially two sided with visiting fans housed in open seating on the far side. The main stand is well appointed and while the roof covers only the central section of seats there is an option to move undercover if there is any rain. Music is played before the game and during halftime with the PA announcer reading the teams out just before kick off. The season tickets holders and VIPs are allocated the central section of seats in the main stand and there appears to be no option to purchase a ticket for this area. The roof extends past this section at either end so it is possible to buy a standard ticket and be undercover if required. The tickets do have a row and seat number, but the seats are actually unnumbered so you can effectively sit where you like within that sector. Neighborhood 5 The stadium is located around a five minute drive from the main tourist areas of Alykes Beach and Pachyammos. The harbor area features a castle and stunning waterfront, it really is fully geared up for a sunshine break. There are numerous restaurants in the tourist areas offering both local and western cuisine. They come with a wide range of prices from middle of the road to high end. All have on street seating to make the most of the beachfront location and most restaurants will have outdoor heating available should the sea breeze turn a little chilly. Paphos Harbour and Castle are well worth visiting and are littered with interesting sculptures, notably the work of local artist Yiota Ioannidou. As an internationally renowned tourist resort you will never be short of something to do or see. Local companies offer trips all around the island including the famous Aphrodite’s Rock. The choice is endless for high class hotels to self catering apartments, there will be accommodation to suit any pocket. Fans 4 As a mass tourism destination, the local fans are more than used to English speaking guests watching their games and they are friendly and welcoming. Attendance data should be viewed with skepticism as there is no electronic counting and attendances are rounded up for reporting purposes. During my visit, the actual attendance in the ground was under 1,000 but was reported as 2,500. I suspect normal attendances are higher than the match I attended as for locals at 15 degrees this would represent a chilly evening! The younger fans have formed an “ultras” group and they are happy to sing and shout throughout the game and are armed with some flags and a big drum. Access 4 The stadium is on a main road, Democracy Avenue, which leads away from the main tourist areas and is around half way between the highway to Larnaca and the beach areas. It would take around 45 minutes to walk to the stadium from the tourist areas. Buses 1 and 2 stop very close to the stadium and the huge floodlights are easy to see from miles around. There is ample free parking outside the main stand and in surrounding streets. Tickets cost 15 euros and are available from concrete kiosks outside the stadium in the car park. There are no bags allowed in the stadium and body searches are made, although cameras are permitted. Once you are in your section you cannot move to another as the central sector is fenced off. You can, however, sit anywhere you like within your sector. The egress into the arena is about halfway up the main stand and I saw no specific areas for disabled supporters. The refreshments kiosk and lavatories are located at the mezzanine level of the main stand. Return on Investment 3 For the general standard of Cypriot football, 15 euros for a ticket seems a little expensive compared to comparable European nations. However, as an overall experience it is thoroughly enjoyable. Free parking and easy access offset the cost of the ticket and the price of snacks and drinks are reasonable. Only standard tickets are available. There appeared to be no tickets available for the central section of the main stand. Extras 2 There is a team sheet available from the main entrance, strangely the Greek players are shown in Greek alphabet and foreign players in roman script. There are no other souvenirs or merchandise of any sort available. Final Thoughts While the standard of play is not the highest you will ever see, I would still recommend Cyprus for a winter break for guaranteed football in pleasant warm temperatures surrounded by beguiling coastal and mountain scenery.

Photo Courtesy of Travis S. Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.27 Warhawk Field Warhawk Way & Peyton Dr Monroe, LA 71203 UL-Monroe Warhawks website Warhawk Field website Year Opened: 1983 Capacity: 1,800 Warhawk Field: A Family-Friendly Ballpark The ULM Warhawk baseball experience at Warhawk Field provides a nice atmosphere in a traditional small college baseball environment. From bleacher seating in the main grandstand, to tailgating seating along the baselines and a kids playground in the courtyard, the Warhawk baseball experience is family friendly. Warhawk Field was constructed in 1983 and features a seating capacity of 1,800. Despite serving as home field for the Warhawks for over thirty years, the ballpark maintains a modern feel and clean look. The ULM Warhawks hail from the Sun Belt Conference in NCAA Division I. Food & Beverage 2 Warhawk Field provides the basic ballpark staples including hot dogs, nachos, and soda. Quality and Variety of Food Options . There are two concession locations built into the walkways leading into the seating areas. However, typically only the stand located closer to the first base side of the main grandstand is open. The main entree options include hot dogs, nachos, and Frito pie for $4 each. Chili and cheese are available on hot dogs at no extra charge. Snack items include peanuts ($4), popcorn ($3), pretzels ($3.50), candy ($2), and chips ($2). The concessions experience could be enhanced with a featured or more unique item on the menu, plus maybe local vendor food cart in the courtyard. However, your ballpark basics are covered. Variety of Drink Options . Warhawk Field features bottled Coca-Cola products for $3.50. Bottled Dasani water is available for $3, while Powerade options are $4. Alcohol is not sold at Warhawk Field. Recommendation . Featuring Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, you can’t go wrong with a good dog at a baseball game. Atmosphere 4 The atmosphere at Warhawk Field is a great fit for baseball traditionalists and traveling families. Stadium Aesthetics . For a ballpark that’s over 30 years old, Warkhawk Field has certainly aged well. This is a credit to the university community for recent upgrades and upkeep. With permanent seating that wraps from first to third bases, the view of the main grandstand is impressive upon driving up. There will be little doubt that you’ve arrived to a legitimate college baseball ballpark. The main grandstand features a small awning which provides shade to the seats directly behind home plate. Warhawk Field features a natural grass playing surface and the outfield wall dimensions are 330-400-300. Behind the main grandstand adjacent to first base is a kid’s playground, which really adds to the family friendly environment at the ballpark. The playground sits in a grassy courtyard which wraps around the area behind the main grandstand. Behind the right field wall you’ll notice the Doe’s Eat Place sign. A free meal is waiting for fans if a Warhawks player smashes a home run into the sign. The scoreboard features a small video display in addition to a traditional board. You’ll notice four retired numbers on the center field wall memorializing past Warhawk greats. Also, you can’t miss the banners along the walkways behind the grandstand featuring past ULM baseball legends. In-Game Promotions and Entertainment . Expect to see a few on-field promotions (such as a kid’s base race) as well as games over the PA, including trivia. If you have the dirtiest car in the parking lot, you just might win a free car wash. Seat Location Recommendations . There are several different seating areas for you to take in a Warhawks baseball game. Obviously, the seats directly behind home plate provide an unmatched view of the field, plus the comfort a bleacher back seat and shade of the overhead awning. In the main grandstand to the left and right of the bleacher backs are regular bleacher seats. Down both third and first baselines are opportunities to plop a tailgate chair next to the brick wall. The area down third baseline is specifically set-up for tailgating with picnic tables and small overhead coverings. You can also grab a seat behind the left field wall. Neighborhood 3 Located in northeastern Louisiana, Monroe is the eighth largest city in the state with a population of about 48,000. Warhawk Field is situated on the northeast corner of the University of Louisiana-Monroe campus, adjacent to other athletics facilities including Malone Stadium , home to Warhawk football. The campus environment offers a safe and cozy atmosphere for visiting fans, while restaurants and other attractions are located within a couple of miles nearby campus. Where to Eat . There are plenty of restaurants in the greater Monroe area worth a visit. Some of the local favorites include Enoch’s Irish Pub & Cafe (507 Louisville), Pickle Barrel (1827 Ave Of America), and Danken Trail B-B-Q (7712 Desiard St). Not Just Pie (2117 Forsythe Ave) is a great local stop for a tasty assortment of pies, plus you can also order off their lunch menu (try the roast beef poboy). Attractions & Entertainment . Just across the Ouachita River in West Monroe is the headquarters for one of Louisiana’s most popular families, the Robertsons. Headliners of the now famous Duck Dynasty series, fans of the show should definitely make a stop at the Duck Commander Warehouse (117 Kings Ln), a location often seen on the series. The Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo (701 Kansas Ln) is a pretty neat smaller zoo which allows you to get a little closer to the animals with smaller crowds. The zoo just opened a new splash pad which is great for the kids. The Chennault Aviation & Military Museum of Louisiana (701 Kansas Ln) is a free museum which honors the aviation and military history of northeast Louisiana. Another nice stop for traveling families is the Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum (323 Walnut S). Where to Stay . The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel – Monroe Airport (4915 Pecanland Mall Dr) is located near the ULM campus and the Monroe Regional Airport. Fans 3 ULM fans consistently support Warhawk baseball. Typically, crowd sizes at Warhawk Field are on the upper end of the average attendance in the Sun Belt Conference. Typical Attendance . Weekend series at Warhawk Field pull in crowds which usually range between 700 – 1,500 in attendance. When the Warhawks are in the midst of a 40 win season, crowds usually swell around 1,500 or more. The Sun Belt has undergone a lot of change in recent years which has changed up the common weekend opponents. This has likely contributed to wide ranges in crowd sizes. No doubt, the biggest weekend series of the year will be against the arch-rival UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. Crowd Noise & Engagement . ULM fans are vocal and support their Warhawks. Fans typically get into the game during big plays or blown calls. The crowd will clap in support of their pitcher closing out a team in the final inning. Access 4 Warhawk Field is very accessible, both getting to the stadium and moving around once inside. Transit to and from Stadium . Situated in the northeast corner of Monroe, Warhawk Field is easily accessed off I-20 from both the west and east. Take Highway 165 north and then exit east on Desiard Street / Highway 80. You can then turn left onto Warhawk Way which will take you to the stadium area. Parking . As you approach the stadium, you’ll notice a paved parking lot to the left going down third baseline. When this lot is full, there’s ample parking a little further down in the gravel/grass lot adjacent to first baseline. Parking is free around Warkhawk Field. Ticketing & Gate Entry . The ticket booth and main entrance is located directly behind the center of the main grandstand. Lines are typically short and you shouldn’t experience any issues getting your tickets. Credit cards are accepted here. You’ll also quickly breeze through the entrance into the courtyard behind the grandstand. Moving around the stadium . Getting around the ballpark is easy. Stairways are located at the ends of the grandstand and elevated walkways are accessible behind the grandstand. The main concourse is at the bottom of the seating area and wraps around. The concourse, aisles and rows are spacious and allow for good flow. Restrooms are clean and adequate for typical crowds. Return on Investment 4 The return on your investment for the ULM baseball experience at Warhawk Field is pretty typical. General admission for adults runs as low as $10. Concessions are a little higher than expected, but not much more than the average. Parking is free. Overall, you get to see a ballclub which is usually in the hunt for a post-season berth at a comfortable stadium which provides a traditional baseball atmosphere. Extras 3 The ULM baseball experience comes with a few “extra” components which enhance the overall experience at the ballpark. The retired numbers on the center field wall and banners around the exterior walkways add a nice touch. It’s always nice to see ballparks memorialize past accomplishments. For traveling families, it’s definitely a bonus to have a playground area where the little ones can take a break from the on-field action. If you are in need of some Warhawk gear, there’s an apparel trailer behind the main grandstand in the courtyard.

Photos by Jon Hart, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Furst Gymnasium 2501 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY, 10033 Yeshiva Maccabees men’s basketball website Furst Gymnasium website Year Opened: 1985 Capacity: 1,000 The Marvelous Maccs In New York City, a town where professional sports rule, Yeshiva University basketball is soaring. The Maccabees are currently 21-1, their only loss being their opening game, an away tilt at Occidental in California. If they stay on course, the Maccs will be in the upcoming Division 3 NCAA basketball tournament, which the Maccs made in 2018. For elite college basketball, Yeshiva basketball offers it at a more than reasonable price: Free. Right now, it’s simply one of the best deals in college sports. Food & Beverage 0 Less is more. There are no concessions. However, fans may bring their own snacks. In the surrounding, bustling Washington Heights neighborhood, there’s no shortage of food options. Atmosphere 4 The Maccs are streaking, and the positive vibes are flowing. It’s D3, no athletic scholarships, so the amenities aren’t what you’d find at Madison Square Garden. It’s general admission and seats are benches. Everyone’s very close to the action. There’s an overhead track that circles the court Neighborhood 4 The Washington Heights neighborhood is on the rise, and there’s no shortage of food options, from slices to Mexican. Check out Where To East in Washington Heights for some of the best places to eat in the area. Fans 4 The Maccs are no secret to their student body, and they turn out to root for their classmates. They’re enthusiastic, as well as polite. If there was heckling, it would be frowned upon. Access 4 By public transportation, the Center is just a few blocks away from #1 subway stop. A ride from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden takes about 40 minutes. For drivers, you can hunt and peck for a space or pay too much for a garage. Yeshiva is close to several major thruways. Security is tight at the Center. Expect the airport treatment at the door, albeit more polite. Return on Investment 5 Again, it’s free, so the only investment is travel and your time. If you appreciate basketball, the Maccs are definitely worth your time. It’s high-level basketball in a small place. Extras 2 Former New York Knick, ex-Georgetown star Michael Sweetney is an assistant coach for the Maccs. Between breaks, Jewish music is played. Final Thoughts The Knicks are, well, the Knicks. St. John’s is rebuilding. Right now, Yeshiva is the best team in town. And it’s free, one of the best deals in college sports. Yeshiva basketball won’t be a secret for long. Jon Hart is @ManVersusBall

Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Hooker Field 450 Commonwealth Blvd E. Martinsville, VA 24112 Martinsville Mustangs website Hooker Field website Year Opened: 1988 Capacity: 3,200 The Stadium, Not The Speedway Baseball has a long and storied history in the city of Martinsville, Virginia. The city hosted the Martinsville Manufacturers of the Bi-State League from 1934-1941 and then the Martinsville A’s from 1945-1949. However, it would not be until 1988 when baseball returned to the city, with the Martinsville Phillies of the Appalachian League moving to the newly opened English Field, as it was known at the time. In 1999, the club became an Astros affiliate and changed its name accordingly, and the franchise stayed until 2003. Baseball was once again absent in 2004, but in 2005, the Martinsville Mustangs of the Coastal Plain League came to town. English Field later would change its name to Hooker Field in reference to a local furniture company. The Mustangs continue to play collegiate summer wood bat ball at Hooker Field today. Food & Beverage 3 There are several concession options at Hooker Field. The main stand behind home plate offers a number of options including hamburgers and cheeseburgers, hot dogs (including the option to get one with chili), chips, and drinks. Prices are reasonable with nothing costing more than around $5. Down the third baseline you will find a smaller stand up a small wooden staircase that looks like it is falling apart. This stand sells drinks, popcorn, hot pretzels, and Sno-cones, with the latter coming in a souvenir helmet. Further down the third baseline is a beer stand, unusual for the collegiate summer level, as well as a beer garden area for those of age. Although stands do take credit cards, the workers have to enter the numbers manually so it will generally be quicker to pay cash. Keep in mind the concession stand may shut down around the seventh inning so plan accordingly. Atmosphere 4 Despite being less than 35 years old, Hooker Field is already showing its age. There are a small number of chairbacks behind home plate reserved for season tickets and multi-game plan holders. For fans attending only a single game, there are bleachers without backs further down both lines. All seats offer an excellent view of the field. There is also a scoreboard in left-center field which shows the linescore and other basic information. Despite the rather run-down setting, the team does a lot to keep fans engaged with between innings contests and team staff roving the stands keeping fans engaged throughout the ballgame. As the team is called the Mustangs, horse sounds will often be played over the PA system. Although the team apparently has a costumed mustang mascot, he was not present when we visited. Neighborhood 2 Martinsville is a small city located in the middle of a very rural area of Virginia. There is not a lot to do here. A few restaurants, mainly chains, are located in town and there are a couple of small museums as well. The main attraction is Martinsville Motor Speedway, which despite the name is actually in nearby Ridgeway. In addition to hosting NASCAR Sprint Cup races, the speedway hosts various other races throughout the year and it is worth checking out if a Mustangs game coincides with a race of some sort. There are a few options in Martinsville itself along Main Street and the surrounding area, including Raina’s, a local Italian eatery, and Hugo’s, a popular sports bar. Ultimately though, while Martinsville residents will claim the city has small-town charm, there isn’t a whole lot to offer here. Fans 3 There were only a few hundred fans in attendance when we visited in a 3,200 seat stadium. Filling a ballpark to 10% capacity is generally not a good look. However, those fans in attendance were a passionate, engaged mix of seasoned fans and young families who cheered on the Mustangs, at least as long as they were at the game. Unfortunately, many of the fans left early despite the game moving at a fairly quick pace. It is nice to see engaged fans, but it would be even nicer if there were more of them and they stayed longer. Access 3 US Route 58 is the main road you will use to access Martinsville, although it actually bypasses the city itself via Ridgeway so you will need to take other roads for the last couple miles. This is not an interstate highway and does have traffic lights at various points but with little traffic on this stretch, you can make good time. Parking at the stadium itself is easy in a lot right next to the entrance, but keep in mind parking too close will put your car in foul ball territory. Also, some GPS apps seem to want to take you in the exit or out the entrance. Be sure to pay attention to all signs and follow them, not your GPS, if they contradict each other. Return on Investment 5 Tickets are just $6 for general admission seats and you can get steep discounts for buying multi-game packs or season tickets Holders of multi-game packs also have the option of buying reserved chairback seats behind home plate. Concessions are affordable and parking is free. All in all, a Mustangs game is a great value for baseball fans, whether they are solo travelers, seasoned fans, families, or groups. While fans coming from out of the area may spend a bit on gas to get here, that will depend on where you are coming from. Like the concession stands, credit cards are accepted at the ticket booth but also have to be entered manually. Again, it may be quicker to pay cash, particularly if it is close to game time and you are eager to get into the stadium. Extras 3 There is a SpongeBob-themed bounce house located down the first base line behind the bleachers for kids to play in. Meanwhile, there is an area in front of the third base bleachers for kids to play catch or cornhole in. Although there is a sign indicating it is not a kids’ play area, it seems to be widely ignored and the presence of cornhole boards would seem to contradict that message. A third and final star for all the friendly staff here at Hooker Field. Final Thoughts While it is hard to believe Hooker Field hosted affiliated ball less than 20 years ago, it seems to have found its niche as a collegiate summer league venue. While it would be nice to see more fans show up, those who do show up will find that a Mustangs game is a great experience. Although it is not located close to much of anything else, if you’re in the Martinsville area over the summer, be sure to check out a Mustangs game. It will be worth your while.

Photo Courtesy of Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Old Forge, Pennsylvania, is also a short 5-minute drive from PNC Field  and the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza  in Northeast Pennsylvania. The town is also the self-proclaimed “Pizza Capital of the World." To the 8,000-plus residents, that is just about the right. It is a style of pizza that is probably not like anything you’ve had before. “If you go to Pittston (a few miles away, it is New York-style, but not in Old Forge,” said one customer who was ahead of me in line at Revello’s, one of the dozens of pizza cafes on Main Street. The type of pizza is as different in taste as the terminology. The styles are either red or white, a slice is a cut, and a pie is a tray. The pizza is cooked in metal pans that make the crust crisp on the edges and soft and chewy in the center. If you prefer, you can get a few places to cook your pizza a little longer to crisp it up. How did this type of pizza come into existence? It is believed that Ghigiarelli's was the first to originate this style of pizza in 1926. Grandma Ghigiarelli served the pizza to the local miners at the bar she owned with her husband. The rectangular cuts would be served to them while they played cards and became so popular that other restaurants began putting them on their menus. The cheese is also unique to other styles across the country. It is a blend of mozzarella, white cheddar, and white American. It melts a little differently and oozes out of the white pizza, a style that is its being. “No two places have the same cheese blend; there is always a different spin on it,” said another customer. “The same for the sauces, every place in town does something different.” The white pie has no tomato sauce and is covered with a top layer of dough. The top is buttered with a few seasonings, and the inside is usually served with either broccoli or spinach. If you are a fan of melted cheese, then this one might be for you-however-I dipped mine in tomato sauce, which might be sacrilegious around these parts. There are various spots along Main Street offering their spin on this style of pizza, and each one uses a slightly different cheese blend or spices in the tomato sauce. Also, most of the businesses offer more than just pizza, customers can dine in and enjoy ravioli, spaghetti, chicken wings, meatball and sausage sandwiches, and another local delight, pierogies. There is a strong camaraderie among the different pizza makers in town. They don’t compete with each other, and many owners and workers will eat at competing cafes after work. It is that strong bond resulting in the branding of the term “Pizza Capital of the World." Old Forge is a small town, but worth a visit to taste this style of pizza, which is quite different from other kinds in the area. If your plans allow you to visit Main Street, order by the cut or tray. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .   Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Chris Green, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Lime Rock Park 60 White Hollow Rd Lakeville, CT 06039 Lime Rock Park website IMSA Weekend website Year Opened: 1957 Capacity: 75,000 IMSA at the Bullring Despite the best efforts of the track’s neighbors, Lime Rock Park is a historic and popular racing facility hidden away in northwestern Connecticut. Nestled in a small valley and surrounded by stunning forests, this New England center of speed is small yet fierce, attracting race fans from around the globe to its secluded curves. When IMSA comes to town every summer, it presents the perfect opportunity to get out and experience some racing under the sun in New England. Food & Beverage 4 The small size of Lime Rock Park means you are never too far from anywhere, which makes finding food easy. From food trucks to small vendors at various corners around the track, getting food is easy for fans. The track also features a paddock food stand that has ice cream, a wide selection of burger options, and more to satisfy the appetite of any race fan. The main food booths are in the paddock area and at the top of the Turn 2 hill, from where the majority of fans watch the race. A burger or impossible burger costs $10, while a chicken tenders and fries basket costs $11. Hot dogs range from $7 to $8 depending on the toppings you want, while drinks range from $2 for a coffee or juice to $4.50 for soda or Gatorade. Snacks like cookies, brownies, candy, chips, and pastries range from $2.50 to $3. For 2023, the main concessions stand now features a newly paved queue area, as opposed to the rocky pathway that was there before. Atmosphere 5 The beauty all around Lime Rock Park is simply stunning – the vibrant green mountains that border the track help make the car colors pop even more than normal. The smell of campfires also fills the air, as some of the best race fans in the country take up residence at the track for the weekend. With a paddock that is open to all fans during all race weekends and a victory lane located at the bottom of an amphitheater-style hill for fan viewing, there is almost nowhere on the track you cannot find a great view. In addition, drivers frequently toss out hats to fans after celebrating their wins. Autographs are easy to get here, while a fan walk before the main race always brings out the fans. Perhaps most overlooked are the main paddock restrooms, which are always spotless and fully air-conditioned. Neighborhood 2 If you want to feel unwelcome by the residents of a town in which your sporting event is being held, just travel to Lime Rock Park. Weekend homes for New York City residents dot the streets around the track, and almost every single one has a large yellow sign outside their home that reads “SUNDAY NO RACING!” in protest of the track’s noise. Though the debate has raged for years, it nonetheless makes new fans and visitors to the facility feel rather unwelcome in the small New England town. Easily the biggest downside of Lime Rock Park is its location and its lack of any large towns nearby. Quite literally located off small one-lane roads, the track is bordered by homes and farm fields, mixed with dense New England forest. The nearest hotels are the Interlaken Inn and Wake Robin Inn, both a good 15-minute drive north into Lakeville. Food options in Lakeville, the nearest town, include Black Rabbit Tavern and The Woodland Restaurant. For sightseers, Haystack Mountain State Park offers great hiking trails, while the Saville Dam area is a favorite spot for photo takers. Fans 5 The fans at Lime Rock Park are diehard racing fans. They follow IMSA, SRO, SVRA, WEC, Trans Am, and more, making them extremely sports-knowledgeable. They’re also passionate about their favorite drivers, fly the flags of their preferred manufacturers, pack the hillsides for every headliner, and support race during a given race weekend. From club racing to vintage and pro weekends, Lime Rock Park is rarely empty whenever a race is in town. Access 2 Parking on-site at Lime Rock Park is plentiful, both inside the track and out. However, that is where the convenience ends – located over an hour from the nearest interstate highway, Lime Rock Park is in a very secluded part of Connecticut, relatively speaking. The nearest major city, Hartford, is equally as far. Located between US-7 and US-44, Lime Rock Park is easy to drive past if you don’t catch the small signs that point you toward the facility. Its distance from anywhere with sufficient lodging or dining is also inconvenient for those traveling to the track from out of state, who don’t like to venture far from the action. Return on Investment 5 Lime Rock Park is one of those tracks in North America that everyone knows about and says you should visit once. The compact nature of the track makes this the sports car racing equivalent of a bull ring, which makes the on-track product quite exciting to watch. Add to this the car-lovers dream that is the open paddock, and you have the perfect mix of beautiful surroundings and quality racing that motor-heads crave. Tickets for the IMSA weekend are incredibly affordable as well, with Saturday-only tickets at $80 and full-weekend tickets at $90. Parking passes are available inside, with plenty of free parking just outside the main entrance. Extras 4 The track features autograph sessions for fans throughout each race weekend. The main midway is also home to vendors and displays, showing fans the latest tech and offering great giveaways at the races. In addition, the track’s victory lane is located at the bottom of the hill by Turn 2, creating an amphitheater-style winner’s circle that makes you feel like you’re part of the celebration. Before the races fans are welcomed onto the grid for a pre-race grid walk, where they can get up close to the cars and stars racing at the track. Final Thoughts Lime Rock Park is secluded, to say the least, and whether this is good or bad depends on the fan. What isn’t up for debate is its status as a shining star in the racing world for over 60 years and the natural beauty that surrounds it. If you’re a racing fan, this track is a must-see on anyone’s bucket list. The track is constantly trying to improve the fan experience, and unlike other stops on the calendar, it doesn’t seem to age poorly, meaning you’ll be comfortable whenever you’re there.

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

Photos courtesy of Matt Colville, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43 Vaught-Hemingway Stadium All-American & Hill Drive Oxford, MS 38677 Mississippi Rebels website Vaught-Hemingway Stadium website Year Opened: 1915 Capacity: 64,038 Rim! Ram! Flim! Flam! It's been called the Literary Capital of the South, as Grisham, Faulkner, and Willie Morris have all lived here and used the small Mississippi town as a setting for many of their novels. It's Oxford, Mississippi, and after coming here, it's easy to see why, as the scene here is something straight out of a novel. At The Grove, you'll find tailgating like you've never seen before – it's as grand and upscale as you can get, with chandeliers hung from a sea of tents and people eating off fine china. Students wear their Sunday Best, with men in slacks and women in dresses and boots, backdropped by beautiful Greek column buildings and hundred-year-old oaks. This is Ole Miss Rebels football, and the unique blend of Southern culture, charm, and historic tradition combined with one of the most storied programs in all of college football makes coming to an Ole Miss football game a must-do in the fall. The Rebels began playing football at Ole Miss in 1893 as the state's first football team; as one of the founding members of the SEC in 1932, the Rebs won six SEC titles and won three National Championships (1959, 1960, and 1962). Since 1915, the Rebs have played at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the country's fifth-oldest FBS College Football stadium, which, as of 2024, has a capacity of 64,038, making it the largest stadium in the state of Mississippi based on capacity. The stadium is named after Judge William Hemingway, a former law professor at Ole Miss, and former Head Coach John Vaught, who coached the Rebels from 1947-1973, including the three National Championship teams. Coming to an Ole Miss game is an experience like no other and perhaps the most raucous atmosphere in not just the SEC but across all of college football.   Food and Beverage   4 You can find plenty to eat and drink inside the stadium if you don't fill up pregame in The Grove or on The Square. In 2019, Ole Miss updated the concessions inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to give you plenty of options – in addition to over 20 different basic stands built into the concourse, you'll also find several custom-themed options. Fergndan's Wood Fire Pizza has two locations for fans to purchase brick oven pizzas, and there is also a sausage and hot dog cart located on the southeast side of the stadium. Burger Me, a spot to get custom-themed burgers, is located on the southwest concourse, while Chop's BBQ has two locations to get anything BBQ-related, from nachos to pulled pork sandwiches. Chops has its signature item called Totchos, which includes pulled pork, tater tots, and jalapenos, The Healthy Rebel features grilled chicken wraps, fruit cups, and other healthy snacks. Lastly, Great American Cookie and Nuts 4 offers spots in the stadium to get candy, funnel cake, and cookies. For drinks, Coca-Cola is the official soft drink provider of Ole Miss athletics – if you purchase the souvenir cup for $7, you can get $1 refills throughout the game. Also, a cool promotion they have is if you take your signature Ole Miss cup to any Blue Sky convenience store in Oxford, you can get a 65-cent refill. But for those who want to drink alcohol, there are 15 stands inside The Vaught, where you can buy alcoholic beverages. The usual domestic beer is sold, as well as some premium beers such as Suzy B, a local beer, and Henry's Hard Sparkling Water, a locally brewed seltzer. A cool spot to hang out and have a drink is Blue Moon Brewhouse, located on the west concourse; this location is a cool little beach-themed bar with TVs, but it is kind of hidden so as not to get in the way of people walking through. I found myself here at Blue Moon Brewhouse during halftime, watching some of the other games on TV.   Atmosphere   5 You cannot find an atmosphere that embodies the Southern culture and personality more than a trip to the Ole Miss campus on a game day. At the center of campus lies The Grove, a 10-acre greenspace that is transformed into the SEC's ultimate debutante ball on gamedays – a sea of tents takes over The Grove, stretching as far as the eye can see, all under the shade of hundred-year-old oaks and magnolia trees, for which The Grove got its name. It is an upscale affair here, with many tents decked out with elaborate décor, including people drinking wine and eating off fine china. It is also not uncommon to find chandeliers hanging from the tents here. A common misconception is that you have to dress up to come to games here, but that is mostly for the students. Ole Miss has a large student population in Greek life who dress up in suits and ties, but most people will be wearing casual attire, as it can be particularly hot in Mississippi in September. I would go with khaki shorts in the heat and khaki pants in the cold. The ladies will particularly dress up more than the men; you'll find many women wearing fancy dresses and boots while wearing glitzy hats. Just blocks from campus are the famed Square, the downtown area, and the cultural heart of Oxford. The Square is just as much a part of the Ole Miss gameday experience as The Grove – The Square is about a 15-minute walk from The Grove, so many fans will walk back and forth between the two before the game. 2 1/2 hours before kickoff is perhaps the most cherished gameday tradition at Ole Miss, the Walk of Champions. During the Walk, the football team walks from the student union down a brick-lined path through the Grove and into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. This tradition began in 1983 when coach Billy Brewer wanted the players to experience the atmosphere of The Grove before the game. There is also another cool tradition here, where fans will lock arms and rock back and forth as the team runs out onto the field – this is called "Locking the Vaught." The stadium sits at the center of campus, a short quarter mile from The Grove – the facility is surrounded by buildings, so it's kind of hard to see as you approach. On the west side of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is SBJ Pavilion , which opened in 2016 and is home to the Rebels basketball team. The Pavilion is open on football gamedays and hosts a small fan fest inside and outside of the building. On the south side sits Manning Practice Facility, named after the Manning Family (Archie, Eli, and even Tennessee  grad Peyton have their names engraved on the plaque). Outside the venue, near the student entrance, is a giant statue of former coach John Vaught. Once inside the stadium, the seating bowl is in a perfectly shaped oval around the field, which faces north and south. The facility is not very high up or steep like some stadiums are, but instead, all 64,000+ seats fit into the oval-shaped bowl and are slanted at a 45-degree angle, so you'll have great views no matter where you sit. At the top of the east grandstand is the Rebel Club, a climate-controlled luxury seating area, while at the north end is a huge video board measuring 48 x 105 feet. My favorite spot to watch the game from is a standing-room-only concourse below the Rebel Club – here, you'll get excellent views of the field and also a great view of the fireworks that go off after every Ole Miss touchdown. For night games, they'll do a pretty impressive light or drone show at the start of the 4th quarter, which is best seen the higher up you are. The students take up the entire north end zone, and there is no way to get into that seating area from elsewhere in the seating bowl. Students and fraternities will start filling up the student section hours before kickoff, and you'll hear plenty of "Hotty Toddies" throughout the day. This saying is synonymous with Ole Miss, and when you leave the game, you'll have the official rallying cry stuck in your head for days – “Heighty! Tighty! Gosh A Mighty! Who in the [Heck] are we? Rim! Ram! Flim! Flam! Ole Miss, By [Darn]!”.   Neighborhood   5 This small town of 25,000 swells to over 100,000 on Saturdays in the Fall. About a 3-block walk from campus is The Square, centered around the Historic Lafayette County Courthouse, which was built in 1872; local shops and restaurants make up the businesses around the courthouse. Oxford's favorite son, William Faulkner, used The Square as a setting for many of his books, renamed the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, while Oxford was called Jefferson in his novels. Some of the more popular shops on The Square include the South's oldest department store, Neilsen's, which has been in operation in the same location since 1839. Another must-visit if on The Square is Square Books, one of the largest independent bookstores in the country – You never know who you might run into in the famed bookstore on gameday, whether it be John Grisham or one of the Mannings. There are four Square Books stores located on the block, with each store featuring a large selection of local and national authors, from kids' books to history books. Some of the restaurants on The Square include Ajax Diner, voted the Best Plate lunch in Mississippi, as well as City Grocery for local Southern fried foods and Boure Restaurant for Creole or Cajun. South Depot Taco Shop offers tacos and Mexican dishes, but if you want to venture out a little, world-renowned Taylor Grocery is about a 15-minute drive from Oxford and is famous for its fried catfish. A visit to this hole-in-the-wall is almost a rite of passage for Ole Miss fans and something you must see if in Oxford – note that the place gets extremely busy on Sundays after gamedays, however. Oxford also has a popular live music scene; the Delta Blues combined with Memphis rock ‘n roll has produced a unique jam band scene. Proud Larry's, The Lyric, and Rooster's Blues House are a few of the popular places on The Square to check out live music, while End of All Music is also a popular place to buy vintage records and vinyl albums. The Lyric's building was once used as the stables for William Faulkner's horses – Faulkner lived nearby at the historic mansion Rowan Oak, which makes for another must-visit if in Oxford; the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer wrote five novels while living inside this two-story 1840s mansion. Rowan Oak is located just off campus and is open for public tours, and there is even a cool trail that goes from campus through the woods and to Rowan Oak. Besides all of the above, for outdoor stuff to do during the weekend, there is the South Campus rail trail, a paved bike trail over a former railroad, as well as Sardis Lake just north of Oxford, which is a great place to take a boat or do any other water-related activities.   Fans   5 This season, fan support is at an all-time high, with every game selling out. In fact, the game I most recently saw broke the attendance record with over 67,000 fans in attendance – this was also the highest-attended college football game ever in the State of Mississippi. Head coach Lane Kiffin has brought prestige back to the program to the likes of how it was in 2014 when the Rebels rose as high as Number 2 in some polls. There is just something special about generations of families gathering together in the same place in The Grove on Saturdays in the fall for decades. Ole Miss fans are some of the most passionate and knowledgeable of any fan base you will find – The Grove has a bad reputation for not being very welcoming to visiting fans, but I did not find that to be the case, as I saw many opposing fans walking around in The Grove. The only visiting fans who might get hassled are Mississippi State  fans. Most of the fans here are knowledgeable about the history and traditions of the program – you'll find old-school fans who can remember names like Archie and Eli Manning, Deuce McAllister, and Patrick Willis, as well as a new generation of fans who remember guys that made an impact on the program in the past 10-15 years like Bo Wallace, Chad Kelly, AJ Brown, DK Metcalf, Laremy Tunsil, and Robert Nkemdiche. You’ll also find the longtime Colonel Reb logo everywhere in The Grove, emblazoned on everything from tents to shirts. The real Colonel Reb mascot can also be seen walking around The Grove, taking pictures, and you will even find people dressed up as the Colonel.   Access   3 Getting to Oxford may seem fairly simple, although it might seem like kind of a rural drive to get here, as it is located about 25 miles from the closest interstate. If coming from the west, take I-55 until you get to Batesville, which is about an hour south of Memphis, then go east on Highway 278 for about 20 minutes, and you'll run right into campus. If coming from the east, the closest big city is Tupelo, about an hour away – from there, take Highway 278 west, and you'll find the university. Once in Oxford, due to the small size of the city and the limited parking, it can be quite hectic finding a place to park. To park anywhere close to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium or near The Grove, you are going to have to have an Ole Miss Athletic Foundation-issued parking pass – these are hard to get unless you are a season ticket holder or park of the Rebel Club. Instead, if coming to a game as a regular fan, there is one lot on campus called Insight Park near the soccer stadium. There is also parking at Oxford High School, a nearby shopping center, and at the local community college, where they’ll shuttle you over to campus if you park at any of these three. For non-conference games, parking is $35, while for big SEC contests, you’ll pay between $50 and $75. If parking at Insight Park, I recommend purchasing your parking pass in advance, as this lot sells out quickly. Once inside the stadium, with overfill capacity, you'll find moving around kind of difficult. Also, all the seats are bleacher seating, except for the south end zone, so you'll be kind of crammed in here. However, there is also a lack of ushers checking tickets, so you can move around.   Return on Investment   4 Coming to an Ole Miss game is an experience like no other and something all fans of college football should experience. Should you come to Oxford for the weekend, you will not be disappointed. The only drawback is the expensive parking and the somewhat expensive ticket prices – you get what you pay for, though, which is the only way to put it, as you are getting to see SEC football at its best and experiencing some of the best tailgating in all sports, here at an Ole Miss football game. For the beginning of the season non-conference games, you can get tickets for as little as $20 to $30. As the season progresses, however, ticket prices will fluctuate depending on how the team is doing, for example, for conference games, you may see tickets on the Ole Miss athletic site for between $50 and $60. This season, every game sold out by week 3, though, and so some conference games started selling on secondary sites for $200 to $300. If you come into Oxford for the weekend looking to stay the night, you better book your rooms well in advance – Oxford doesn't exactly have many hotels and the few they do have often sell out quickly or are really expensive during game weekends. Instead, I recommend staying about 25 minutes away in Batesville, where there are more and cheaper hotel options.   Extras   5 If you do happen to drive on campus, make sure you drive 18 mph, the official speed limit on campus. The reason is that # 18 was Archie Manning's number at Ole Miss; this is perhaps the only college in the country that has an official speed limit based on the number of a former player. One extra for The Grove, being the Holy Grail of Tailgating for College Football – this is one of the best experiences and atmospheres in all of sports. College GameDay even broadcast from The Grove in 2014 with Katy Perry as the guest picker. The Rebs upset # 3 Alabama  that day and rushed the field, after which the students, with Katy Perry in tow, then proceeded to carry the goalposts from the stadium to The Square (the goalposts ended up at the fraternity houses). Besides Ole Miss football, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has hosted the Mississippi High School Football Championships on two occasions (2017 and 2023). The facility has also hosted two concerts, one by Hardy in 2023 and one by Morgan Wallen in 2024. With a capacity of 64,038, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is the largest stadium in Mississippi – the extra 38 seats are in honor of Rebel star Chuck Mullins, who suffered a devastating injury in a 1989 game that left him a quadriplegic. Even though he would pass away in 1991, Mullins left a lasting impact on the Ole Miss community. The road to the west of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is named after Mullins, and every year, the football presents the Chucky Mullins Courage Award. As of this season, over 250 former Rebs have been drafted into the NFL, with 29 Ole Miss alums currently on active NFL rosters. Ole Miss has also produced 12 College Football Hall of Famers and 3 Pro Football Hall of Famers (Patrick Willis, Bruiser Kinard, and Gene Hickerson, as well as soon-to-be Eli Manning). The Conerly Trophy, given to the top football player in Mississippi, is also named after former Ole Miss quarterback Charlie Conerly – 11 former Rebels have won the prestigious award.

Photos by Terry McCutchen, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 Momentum Bank Ballpark 5514 Champions Dr Midland, TX 79706 Midland RockHounds website Momentum Bank Ballpark website Year Opened: 2002 Capacity: 6,669 Rockin' in the Midlands Since 2002 Momentum Bank Ballpark has been home to the Midland Rockhounds, the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics . Located in West Texas on the border of the Chihuahuan desert and the Panhandle Plains, the Midland-Odessa area is most famous for two things: oil and high school football. The ballpark is an oasis in the landscape that has brought visitors from the days it was built – the Rockhounds are anticipating hosting their 10 millionth fan at some point during the final few games of 2024, or early in the 2025 season. Before this stadium was built, the team played in Christensen Stadium as the Cubs (1972-1984) and Angels (1985-1998) before rebranding as the Rockhounds in 1999. A rockhound is a nickname for a geologist, in honor of the oil and gas industry, which is responsible for approximately 30% of the Permian Basin’s workforce. The Rockhounds and their predecessor names have won 7 championships in their history, most recently in 2017. They were also leading their division by 2 games late in August when I last visited on a warm Sunday afternoon. Food & Beverage   4 Upon entering the ballpark gate you are met with a plethora of aromas, including the smell of grilled sausages, burgers, barbecue, Mexican food, popcorn, and more wafting through the air. Multiple concession stands and kiosks are spread from foul pole to foul pole; in addition to traditional ballpark fare such as hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, and pretzels, the Rockhounds also offer foods such as Philly cheesesteaks, PB & J hot dogs, supreme nachos, and grilled chicken sandwiched. Momentum Bank Ballpark also offers numerous beer offerings beyond the standard market brands, including local craft beer Tall City  in 4 different styles, Yuengling, and the Texas beers Karbach and Saint Arnold's Lawnmower .   Atmosphere   3 The slightly smaller-than-life-size catcher statue on a large home plate-shaped cement pad welcomes visitors to Momentum Bank Ballpark as you walk up from the north. Displayed on the cement in front of the catcher are bronze plates recognizing championships and other team accomplishments through their history, which sets the tone for an enjoyable experience. Fans are treated to a beautiful view of the field from directly behind home plate as they enter the gate, and head toward the team store, concession stand of choice, or their seats. There is a large video scoreboard beyond the right field fence, which displays player information as well as advertising, and between inning challenges and quizzes – video ribbon boards above the seating on both baselines display current player statistics and line scores. There are also three pitch clocks, one on the outfield berm which is visible to the crowd, batter, catcher, and home plate umpire, as well as two on the backstop visible to the fielders and field umpires. Like most MiLB franchises, the Rockhounds promote their sponsors well – during most home games of the 2024 season they offer either an advertised promotion, giveaway, or discount. For example, every Tuesday game promises 2-for-1 tickets, Wednesdays call for half-price hot dogs, Saturday games end with postgame fireworks, and fans are given free ice cream for all Sunday games. In addition, Thirsty Thursdays have drink discounts and Fridays are usually when cap, t-shirt, and jersey giveaways take place. It seems that no matter which game you might choose to attend, value is added to your ticket purchase.   Neighborhood   4 Located off Loop 250 in northwest Midland, the area around Momentum Bank Ballpark is home to newer homes and businesses, as well as open land plotted for future development and growth. There are numerous quality hotels across the street from and within walking distance of the ballpark – these accommodations include Tru by Hilton , Townplace Suites , and Residence Inn   among others. No matter what your palette desires, you should be able to find a restaurant within a few miles of Momentum Bank Ballpark to satisfy you; eating establishments within a long line drive include Raising Canes, Osaka Japanese Steakhouse , Clear Springs Seafood and Steaks , and   La Mision Mexican Food . Or, if you’re looking to have a drink and relax after the game, Fair To Midland  Kitchen and Bar or The Hemingway  are two excellent options just a short distance away.   Fans   3 Momentum Bank Ballpark, and Midland in general, have been home to a consistent fan base since baseball was introduced to the Permian Basin in the 1970s – this is well documented by the average of over 250,000 fans per season, or over 3500 per game. The game I most recently attended was a late summer Sunday afternoon the week before school started, so attendance was lower than normal. Fans in attendance cheered for between-inning game participants and made noise when the Rockhounds snuffed out a late-game rally from the opponent; you can tell that regular fans are very knowledgeable about the game here and want to have an impact on its outcome.   Access   4 Getting into the ballpark is easier here than at many other stadiums – Momentum Bank Ballpark is located in Scharbauer Sports Complex, which houses Grande Communications Football Stadium as well as competition soccer fields, ensuring plenty of parking lots within less than 100 yards of the ballpark’s gate. The Rockhounds also offer free parking, which makes for a wonderful first impression. Public transportation is available to most games, but is not an option as a way to get back after the game ends, since the rides end at 7:30 pm – Uber  and Lyft  are much better options and are typically available when needed. Mobile tickets are required at Momentum Bank Ballpark, and the process was effortless using the MiLB ticketing software. Gates open only 30 minutes before the first pitch on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, but an hour prior for games on other days. Clear bags are required, but you are allowed a 20-ounce water bottle if you desire. The concourse is large enough for multiple grill kiosks, a bar down the third baseline, a safety tent, and an information table without hampering movement at all. Lines move fast due to concession options in all areas of the stadium. My suggestion is to take time to walk the concourse around the ballpark and enjoy the view from every angle. If you are fortunate enough to attend a night game, you’ll want to catch the west Texas sunset behind the first base stands from the left-field berm.   Return on Investment   4 Attending Rockhound games is an affordable event. Ticket prices range from $8 for general admission berm seating to $12 for reserved seats in sections well down both baselines, up to $22 for premium reserved seats in the sections behind home plate. While there are no bad seats at Momentum Bank Ballpark, the added price for premium reserved seating is worth the added cost. You can also find other opportunities to save through promotions such as 2-for-1 tickets on Tuesdays, Thirsty Thursdays, free ice cream Sundays, and half-price hot dogs on Wednesdays. Concession prices here won’t break the bank either – non-alcoholic drinks are $4.50 to $6, and most beer and wine cost between $7 and $9 depending on your selection. Adding food items, a person can enjoy a meal at the game for less than $20 and easily feel satisfied, which is very much in line with other Double-A experiences in the minor league system.   Extras   3 An extra point is given for the splash pad – only those who’ve experienced the Texas summer heat would understand this. Points are also added for the friendliness and accommodation of the staff, as well as for the free parking.   Final Thoughts Midland Rockhound Baseball is the only professional baseball option within 250 miles. As such, the leadership and game presentation could easily become stale, with the staff here counting solely on their monopoly to sell tickets and bring in crowds. Instead, they have chosen to offer an experience that is fun for all ages and different levels of baseball acuity. Whether you are spending one night in Midland or an extended time, attending a Midland Rockhounds game should make the to-do list.

Photos by Matt Finnigen, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Sam Suplizio Field 12 St and North Ave Grand Junction, CO 81501 Grand Junction Rockies website Sam Suplizio Field website Year Opened: 1949 Capacity: 10,000 Getting it Right in Grand Junction Minor league baseball should provide fans with a fun experience in a pleasant atmosphere at a reasonable cost. The Grand Junction Rockies achieve all of these aims, enabling fans on Colorado’s Western Slope to enjoy short-season, Class-A, Pioneer League baseball in a naturally magnificent setting. The team’s parent club, the Colorado Rockies, purchased the Casper (WY) Ghosts in 2011 and relocated the team to Grand Junction’s Suplizio Field before the 2012 season. Since then, Grand Junction has served as a first stop for several players who advanced to play Major League Baseball, such as David Dahl, Jon Gray, Kyle Freeland, and Ryan McMahon. The ballpark is part of the city’s 42-acre Lincoln Park, which also features a 9-hole golf course, an outdoor swimming pool, picnic shelters, a playground, and horseshoe pits. Colorado Mesa University sits just across U.S. 6 from Suplizio Field. CMU’s NCAA Division II baseball team also uses Suplizio Field for its home games and its football team plays adjacent to Suplizio Field, at neighboring Ralph Stocker Stadium. Notably, Suplizio Field has hosted the National Junior College World Series every year since 1958. Suplizio Field sits in the shadow of the Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flattop mountain at approximately 500 square miles. Grand Mesa provides a stunning backdrop for the Rockies’ home games, as well as a key part of the team’s primary logo. Before the Rockies’ inaugural season, Suplizio Field received $8.3 million in renovations that included new bleachers on the stadium’s first base side, a new press box, and a new wheelchair-accessible mezzanine section. These renovations enhanced the experience at Suplizio without compromising its many positive attributes. Food & Beverage 4 Suplizio Field has high-quality food and drink options. Although the fare is what most people would expect from a sporting event, it is fresh and delicious. Hot dogs ($4), Polish dogs ($5), hamburgers ($5), cheeseburgers ($6), and grilled chicken sandwiches ($5) can all be complemented by a side of French fries ($3), which are actually thinly sliced strips of starchy perfection and a must-try for anyone attending a game in Grand Junction. Pepsi products are offered, with a souvenir cup of soda costing $5 with $2 refills. The Rockies also have an ice cream stand, where soft-serve vanilla and huckleberry ice cream are available in mini-helmets for $5. The Rockies have a small concession stand, the Rockaritaville Cantina, on the concourse beneath the right field grandstand where fans can enjoy limited Mexican fare. Nachos ($7), burritos ($7), and tacos ($6) are offered along with margaritas ($6) and Estrella Jalisco beer ($4). Beer lovers will appreciate Suplizio Field’s selection and prices. Fans can enjoy 16-ounce draft beers for just $4, including not only Budweiser products, but also the Rockies’ house brew, GJ Brew; Goose Island IPA; and the local Palisade Brewing Company’s Dirty Hippie wheat beer. Atmosphere 4 The Rockies have created a very pleasant atmosphere at Suplizio Field. The team’s mascot, a coyote named “Corky,” interacts with fans throughout the game. The team also stirs fans’ interest by designating an opposing player as the “Beer Batter;” if that player strikes out, fans enjoy $2 beers for the ensuing 10 minutes. Seats along the first baseline offer not only the best views, but some protection against the sun during late afternoon and early evening games. The recently built press box towers over the stands and provides ample shade. The Rockies have extended the protective netting along each baseline but fans in the stands can watch pitchers warm up in bullpens in the left field (visitors) and right field (home) corners. Some of the metal bleachers have seat backs. To access the dugouts from the teams’ respective clubhouses, players must walk across the concourse. This enables fans to obtain autographs from and take photos with the players before and after each game. Neighborhood 3 Suplizio Field sits along a busy, commercial corridor near both downtown Grand Junction and Colorado Mesa University. Fans can park next to Suplizio Field and enjoy the rest of Lincoln Park before a game with a picnic, a round of golf, pickleball, tennis, or swimming. Downtown Grand Junction offers a wide variety of dining options just a five-minute drive from the ballpark. Pablo’s Pizza and the Rockslide Brewery offer good food along Main Street in downtown. Several hotels are also located downtown, including Marriott’s Fairfield Inn and Springhill Suites. Fans 3 While the crowds at Suplizio Field are not large, they are loyal and engaged. The stadium has capacity of approximately 10,000 and crowds range between 2,000 and 3,000. Access 3 With free, close, abundant parking, fans should plan to drive to Suplizio Field. Fans using a navigation system to travel to the ballpark should note that parking is behind center field, although iPhones will direct fans to the home plate entrance (where there is no parking). The stadium does not display obvious signage to direct fans where to park. The local Grand Valley Transit does have a bus stop on 12th Street for fans wanting to take mass transit. Return on Investment 4 A night at Suplizio Field is a great value. Tickets are available at either $11 for a club seat behind home plate or $9 for a reserved seat along either baseline. Parking is free and concession prices are quite reasonable. Extras 3 The Rockies offer high-quality promotional items. On one night, all fans received Kyle Freeland bobbleheads and free, post-game fireworks. Players from both teams are accessible, gladly signing autographs and posing for photos with fans after the game. The Rockies also provide free game programs with rosters and photos. Fans should consider a late-season visit to Grand Junction for a game. Palisade, Colorado, is just a 10-minute drive east of Grand Junction and is an agricultural hub where some of the best peaches in the country can be found, beginning in August. Final Thoughts The Rockies work very hard to provide fans with a great experience, and it shows. A night at Suplizio Field promises a fun time and beautiful views for even a casual baseball fan. With an abundance of outdoor activities in and around Grand Junction, Suplizio Field is a summertime highlight for fans on Colorado’s Western Slope.

Photo Courtesy of Pacific Tigers Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Klein Family Field Pershing Avenue At Larry Heller Drive Stockton, CA 95204 Pacific Tigers website Klein Family Field website Year Opened: 2006 Capacity: 2,500 The Klein Family’s Gem Klein Family Field has been home to UOP (University of Pacific) baseball since 2006 when they moved from the longtime and former home of the Stockton Ports, Billy Hebert Field. The Ports played at Billy Hebert Field from 1953 until 2005 when they moved into their new home, Banner Island Ballpark . Bud Klein, the namesake of the Stanford Cardinal’s Klein Field at Sunken Diamond , is also a member the honored family in Stockton. His father, Sol Klein, began many Stockton youth leagues and the baseball club that would eventually be known as the Ports. Many members of the Klein family have been Tigers and their support continues with the donation of this beautiful new facility for the baseball program. Food & Beverage 3 There are two concession stands, one serving the main items like hot dogs ($3), polish sausages ($4.50), baked potato ($4), burger ($4.50) and various sides like cookies ($1.50), peanuts ($2.50), bottled water and soda ($3), and malts ($3). The other concession stand only serves the side items. There is a third mini area that serves bottled beer and glasses of wine. It is in a section sort of separated from the rest of the seating area. It was unclear to me whether you needed a special ticket to enter this lounge area or some sort of wristband acknowledging you are of age. Atmosphere 4 Klein Family Field is a great place to watch a game. There are lots of seating options that you can choose from that include chair back seats, grass seating, high tops under canopies, and lounge chairs near a fireplace. Fans aren’t terribly loud but do have a good turnout. At this game, the energy level certainly dipped when Cal State Fullerton started the game by scoring 7 runs in the first 2 innings. The sight lines are great all around the park and there is plenty of room for the little ones to run around and keep themselves occupied. Klein Family Field and the surrounding scenery provides a top atmosphere for college baseball. Neighborhood 3 Klein Family Field is adjacent to the home of Pacific basketball, the Spanos Center. The area surrounding the ballpark is largely upscale residential, including parts of the UOP campus. There isn’t much in way of good hangouts in the immediate area but you can be sure you’re in a safe neighborhood, unlike the perception of other parts of Stockton. Though bars and restaurants within walking distance to and from the venue aren’t very available, downtown Stockton, as well as the Miracle Mile, is not far away. I’d recommend going to Valley Brewing Co about two miles away. They serve their own micro brews, good pub food, and you can take in sports memorabilia from all over Northern California as well as Stocktonians who made it to the big leagues. Lastly, the Stockton Ports play two and a half miles away on the Stockton waterfront. Fans 3 At the game of this review, much of the wind was taken out of the fans’ collective sail because of the onslaught by the visiting Titans. They were however engaged with the ballgame throughout. It certainly feels like a community of friends in the stands as I would imagine many of them go to all of the games together, much like the experience across the way at the Spanos Center. The Pacific Tigers also must compete with Stockton Ports and their new ballpark as well. On this particular day, baseball fans needed to choose between the two teams as the Ports were in town playing the Lancaster Jethawks. Access 4 Klein Family Field is located just a few blocks from highway 5 and two miles from 99. Getting from the freeways is easy through safe city blocks. Take main drags Pershing or Alpine to the convenient (and free on weekends) parking lot. You enter the ballpark between Klein Field and the Spanos Center where you’ll pass mementos of past donors to UOP athletics and through the charming gates to the field. Once inside, the promenades are plenty wide and the restrooms are clean and spacious enough for the field’s capacity. Return on Investment 4 General seating starts at just $6 for this 80 degree May afternoon. With parking free and concessions affordable and plentiful, Klein Family Field provides a great value to fans. Unfortunately Ed Sprague’s squad has struggled the last few years and is currently in last place in the Big West Conference. On the flip side, I got to see the top team in the conference in Cal State Fullerton, who has plenty of tradition beyond their successful 2012 season. Extras 2 The Spanos Center showcases all the banners for all sports at Pacific so there aren’t many acknowledgements of baseball successes at Klein Family Field. Extra points go to the array of seating you can choose from as well as the fireplace (yes, fireplace) down the right field line. The fireplace has lounge style chairs to kick back in. Final Thoughts I really enjoyed my trip to Stockton and would recommend a trip to Klein Family Field. I didn’t know what to expect as I had only been to the snazzy Banner Island Ballpark and couldn’t imagine that the UOP ballpark could measure. It measured up very nicely. Note: The University of Pacific will be joining the West Coast Conference (WCC) for the 2013-14 academic year.

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Sam Boyd Stadium 7000 E Russell Road Las Vegas, NV 89122 UNLV Rebels website Year Opened: 1971 Capacity: 36,800 What Happens At Sam Boyd… Sam Boyd Stadium is named after Sam Boyd, a notable figure in the Las Vegas hotel & casino industry. Built in 1971, the venue has been renovated multiple times, most recently in 2015, and now has a capacity of 35,500 (a horseshoe design with no fixed seating on the north side). Besides hosting the UNLV Rebels, the stadium has been home to several (short-lived) professional football teams, and is also home to the annual NCAA Las Vegas Bowl. Temporary bleachers can be erected in the north end zone as needed to add capacity, and the venue has held over 40K on several occasions, most notably in years when BYU played in the bowl game. Food & Beverage 5 Sam Boyd Stadium has a wide variety of food and beverage options, including plenty of alcohol; concession stands offer everything you would expect at a game and then some, including pizza, burgers, hot dogs, brats, smoked sausage, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, and Blings!, as well as snacks such as popcorn, churros, cotton candy, pretzels, and several varieties of nuts (salted, cinnamon glazed, and chocolate covered). Main dishes range in price from $4-$9, while snacks cost $3-$6. Adult beverage options at Sam Boyd Stadium include several stands that have full (or at least semi-full) bars, as well as stands that only sell beer, and even specialty stands that sell Guinness products. You can also buy beer for $7 at the main stands (Bud Light, Coors Light, or Miller Lite). Non-alcoholic choices include Coke products in bottles or from the fountain, Powerade, bottled water, and fresh-squeezed lemonade. Atmosphere 4 The crowd is not very large at UNLV games lately, but the venue is still worth a visit. The decor at Sam Boyd Stadium really plays up the Vegas angle, with poker/casino-themed icons surrounding the distance markers on the field, the slogan “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” painted in each end zone, and even images of the Vegas skyline behind the north end zone; they also play the song “Viva Las Vegas” before every game. Besides the Vegas imagery, you will also see the mascot, Hey Reb, being chauffeured around in a red and black car decorated with Rebels logos. He drives around the parking lots before the game to help rev up the crowd, and rides around again just before kickoff when he leads the team onto the field – the second time is much better, because this time there are actually five cars, the first one sporting a giant UNLV flag, and the others bearing flags with the letters U, N, L, and V. These flags won’t be seen again, though – while at most stadiums, the cheer squad runs around with their flags after every home team score, here at Sam Boyd Stadium, they shoot off red and white confetti instead. The best thing about Sam Boyd Stadium is that all of the seats have chair backs – specifically, all the seats are bleachers with chair back rails. This is much more comfortable than most stadiums (which only have chair backs on the alumni side, if at all). Neighborhood 5 The stadium is located in Vegas – what more could you ask? While there are fewer choices near the stadium itself (south of city center, near Henderson), there are plenty of great restaurants in Vegas, too many to even begin naming them. The best ones are the buffets, where the food is very high quality, but the prices are low (because the hotels make their money off the gambling). There is plenty to do in Vegas besides dining out – in addition to the myriad casinos, there are plenty of clubs you can visit or shows to take in at The Mirage or at similar venues. You may also want to visit Hoover Dam, located just a few miles south of Las Vegas. A hotel in Vegas can easily cost over $100 per night (plus resort fees), but it is definitely worth it to be close to the action, especially if you can find something close to the strip – that place is bustling all night long! Lots of the hotels run specials, and try to get it back from the gambling, so you should be able to find a good rate. Remember that Vegas is located in the middle of a desert, however, so you won’t find much except coyotes if you stray too far from the city limits. Fans 2 The Rebels fans who show up are passionate, loud, and wear school colors, but there aren’t that many of them. In fact, you might see just as many visiting fans as you see UNLV fans. Officially, attendance is listed at 20K per game, but the actual attendance is a lot lower, more in the 10K to 15K range. They do sell team gear in the stadium, if you forget to bring your own. Access 4 There are plenty of ramps in Sam Boyd Stadium, parking is free behind the south end zone, and while there are not a lot of bathrooms, there are more than enough to accommodate the size of the crowd. Depending on where you are coming from, getting to Vegas could be a long lonely drive through the desert, so you may prefer to make the trek in the daytime. The parking on the south side is in gravel lots, and the area is actually one continuous zone with entrances on either end, so pay attention to the numbered posts along the fence to remember where you parked. There is no tailgating in this area; for that you will need to park in the grass on the north side, which will cost about $10. There are gates on the east, west, and south sides, but the main entrance is on the south, which is closest to the parking for most fans. This is also where the ticket booths and will-call are located. The concourse under the seats is plenty wide, but there are numerous pillars you have to navigate around, so watch for those – at least they are painted in Rebels colors. There are concessions stands on both sides of the aisle, however, so it should be easy to find what you want – the main stands are on the inside (closer to the field), and the satellite stands are along the outside. Return on Investment 4 Like most college football venues, ticket prices at Sam Boyd Stadium vary by game, with the cheap seats starting at $14 for some games, up to $20 or more for other games. However, since UNLV games rarely sell out, you should be able to find tickets on the secondary market, and you can always buy cheap seats and move to a different section. I didn’t notice any promotions, like free t-shirts or rally towels, but programs are free, as is parking, and concession prices are reasonable, so seeing a Rebels game is definitely worthwhile from a cost perspective, given the unique imagery and fun antics of the mascot. Plus, it gives you an excuse to see Vegas – as if you need one! Extras 3 Enjoy the view of the Rockies – people always seem to rave about the mountain views, I guess because they are a rarity in college football, since most teams are near the coasts. We should also mention all the Vegas imagery – the only thing lacking is a slot machine. A third point for the other events held here, such as the annual Las Vegas Bowl, which provide additional opportunities to visit this modern, fun venue. Final Thoughts UNLV may not have the most competitive team lately, but their stadium is definitely worth a look, and the location cannot be beat. And if you pick the right opponent, you just might witness a Rebel victory.

Photo by Stephan Hoogerwaard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 Estadio de Mestalla Avenida de Suecia, s/n 46010 Valenica, Spain Valencia Club de Futbol website Estadio de Mestalla website Year Opened: 1923 Capacity: 55,000 Viva Valencia It all started in 1919 when two friends were at Bar Torino in Valencia having a drink. They talked about football in Spain and found it very unfortunate that Valencia had no football club. During the following conversation the idea was born to start a football club and so arose the Valencia Club de Fútbol (Valencia CF). The first games were played in the old stadium Algiros, but the club was increasing rapidly and gained more and more popularity in the Orange city (nickname of the city of Valencia). It was decided to build a new stadium in the district of Mestalla. Estadío de Mestalla was opened on the 20th of May 1923 with a friendly match between Valencia and local rivals UD Levante (1-0). At that time the Mestalla stadium was the largest stadium in Spain. It could initially hold 17,000 fans but the popularity of the club was still rising so the stadium was expanded a few years after opening to 25,000 places. Since then, the stadium has been expanded many more times. Nowadays the Mestalla Stadium holds up to 55,000 places. The stadium is very steep, which gives spectators a feeling that they are always close to the action on the field. In 1982, the stadium was host for three group matches during the World Cup. Back in August 2007, the club started construction of a new stadium called ‘Nou Mestalla.’ Unfortunately for the club the completion of the new stadium has been delayed due to financial problems. Now sufficient funds have been found, the 2020/2021 could be the final year of Mestalla! Food & Beverage 3 There are many small food and drink counters inside the ground which sell different sodas (Coca-Cola is Valencia CF’s main sponsor). Beer is also sold inside the stadium, you can buy a local Spanish beer by the name of Estrella Damm for just € 2.50, this beer is served in a plastic glass. When you are hungry you can buy yourself a hamburger or a pre-prepared sandwich. Atmosphere 5 The Mestalla Stadium has everything for a groundhopper like myself. It is the oldest football ground in the Spanish Primera Division. Only the main stand is covered, it has an old rusty roof which gives the stadium its old charm. The other three stands have no roof and have been rebuilt many times. This is something which you can clearly see as additional tiers were added on existing ones. I have visited many stadiums in the Primera Division, for me the Mestalla Stadium is the second best ground in the country. It can only be topped by the Santiago Bernabéu , the stadium of Real Madrid. Neighborhood 4 Mestalla Stadium is located less than 2 kilometres (1 mile) east of Valencia’s historic city centre in the Mestalla district. This part of the city is a dense urban neighbourhood with many narrow streets with high apartment buildings. In the area around stadium there are plenty of tapas bars, cafés and restaurants. We ate at the ‘Q de Barella-restaurant’ (Address: Calle de Finlandia 7) and had a good pre-match three course meal for a reasonable price. Fans 4 The Valencia supporters gather hours before the match in the tapas bars and cafés. When these are loaded they gather in the streets around the stadium. When we were at the ground the police blocked the main street in front of the stadium for traffic because the Valencia supporters took over the street. Most of them drink beer and hold pre-match analyses talks with fellow supporters. The Valencia supporters are very loyal supporters. The last three years the club has an average gate from around 40,000 each season. Valencia’s attendances are among the top 5 highest in the league. Access 4 From the city centre the Mestalla Stadium is easy to reach. It is located less than 2 kilometres (1 mile) east of Valencia’s historic city centre. When you walk from the Plaza de Toros in the historic city centre it takes you no longer than 20 minutes. You can also take the metro line 5, there is a metro station (Aragón) just next to the stadium. Metro line 3 is less than a 5 minute walk from the ground. There are also several busses which can bring you to the Mestalla Stadium. Valencia’s international airport is also connected to the Valencia metro network, so when arriving by plane you can travel in less than 35 minutes to the ground. I think travelling by car to the grounds is not really an option as I haven’t spotted many parking places around the stadium. Return on Investment 5 Valencia, just like many clubs, operate a category scheme for ticket prices. Ticket prices for lower and mid-table opponents vary depending on the opponent and range from € 25,- to € 90,-. The most popular games against top teams or against local rivals are the most expensive to watch. We enjoy the passionate atmosphere made by the Valencia supporters and we enjoy the old Mestalla Stadium very much. When you visit a match in Spain just treat yourself to a bag with pipas (sunflower seeds) because everyone in the stadium is eating those. Extras 3 Just want to sit in the dugout, walk around in the VIP area, watch the stands and the field, the presidential balcony, trophies or see the dressing rooms? Discover one of the oldest stadiums in Spanish football. This all can be done during a tour, the Mestalla Stadium offers self-guided tours with the name: ‘Mestalla Forever Tour.’ Adult ticket price € 10,90 and for children € 8,50. For more information, check the club’s website. Final Thoughts All the sights in the city like the cathedral, the bullfight arena, the Lonja de Seda (silk house) and the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias are worthwhile visiting. But when you can add a home match of Valencia CF in the old Mestalla to your trip, it would be really the icing on the cake. Make sure you hurry up before this historical stadium will be demolished, I’m sure it will make your trip to Valencia even more memorable.

Photo by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.43 Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center 1050 Panther Drive High Point, NC 27268 High Point Panthers website Qubein Center website Year Opened: 2021 Capacity: 5,000 The Panthers’ New Arena Reaches a High Point High Point University is a private University located in High Point, NC. It was founded in 1924 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The school has an enrollment of 5,850 students. High Point University offers seventy undergraduate majors and eighteen graduate majors. The athletic teams at High Point University are known as the Panthers. They belong to the Big South Conference of NCAA Division I. High Point does not have a football program, so the basketball program is the primary sport during the late fall and winter months of the academic year. The Panthers basketball program has been around since 1927 when it played at the NAIA level through 1998. During its NAIA years, the team was a powerhouse, winning fifteen regular season titles and thirteen tournament championships. The home of High Point basketball is the on-campus Nido and Marianne Qubein Arena and Conference Center. As the name suggests, the facility is a complex composed of a 5,000-seat athletic arena, a conference center, and a small hotel. For brevity’s sake, we will use Qubein Center in this review, as this is the portion of the facility we visited and reviewed. The Qubein Center is named for Dr. Nido Qubein, the longtime president of High Point University. The arena opened in September 2021, just in time for the basketball season. Both the men’s and the women’s basketball programs play in the Qubein Center. The arena also hosts concerts, speakers, and school-wide events for the university. Food & Beverage 4 There are eight concession stands, with five located along the concourse and three more at the suites level. The stands take both cash and credit cards. Four of the concourse level stands carry identical merchandise, including pizza ($9), chicken tenders ($7), hot dogs ($4), nachos ($9), pretzels ($4), popcorn ($4), fries ($4) and candy ($3). Drinks include Coca-Cola brand sodas ($4), bottled water ($4), beer ($5), and wine ($7). There is one stand that sells sandwich combos, including Philly Cheesesteak/chips ($13), Pulled Pork sandwich/chips ($13), Angus beef sandwich/chips ($13), Beyond Burger/chips ($14), and Chicken Breast sandwich/chips ($12). We were unable to check out the stands at the suite level. The concourse is enclosed in some sections and open to the court in others. There are monitors along the concourse, so you should not miss any of the action while you are getting your food. Atmosphere 5 It will be obvious to you when you arrive in front of the Qubein Center that it is a one-of-a-kind facility. The circular drive goes around a large fountain with a 20-foot-tall bronze panther statue gracing its center. The building behind it has very dramatic lighting and lots of brick and glass along its front face. As you enter the building you will be on the first level of the building. The first level houses the ticket offices, dressing rooms, and other support areas. The second level is the concourse level. It is very polished and has lots of artwork related to High Point University. There is a team store called the HPU Team Store and Panther Boutique located at this level. You will then go down into the seating bowl. The suite level is on the third level and is restricted to season ticket holders and major donors. The concourse will take you 360 degrees around the court. A majority of the seats in the arena are below the concourse, while the suite level is above the concourse. The aisle markings along the concourse are easy to follow. If you have time, it is well worth it to walk around the concourse. There are informational stations along the way with displays on the history of High Point basketball, the top scorers in school history, trophies won by the various teams, and major upsets the Panthers have inflicted on major teams. If you had not figured out what the Panther’s team colors were…. you will after you see the seating bowl. There is purple as far as your eye can see. The seating in Qubein Center surpasses anything we have experienced on our visits to college basketball arenas. The seats are all fold-down seats, with nicely padded areas to support your back and bottom. The seats are all purple. There is not a bad seat in the house, as the pitch of the seating area is gradual enough that you are not looking at the back of someone’s head. Most of the seating is below the concourse, but there is a smaller set of seating at the third level of the arena known as the suites level. As you descend the steps going down towards the court, make sure to check out the video board over the center of the court. You are looking at the second-largest video board in the state of North Carolina. It has screens on all four sides and provides very clear graphics no matter where you are in the seating bowl. It can project game statistics and replays all at the same time. The video board can also project images down onto the playing court, a feature typically found only in professional sports arenas. The seating bowl also includes not one, but two levels of ribbon boards that continuously carry updates throughout the game. High atop the arena and the seating bowl is a dome ceiling constructed totally of wood, giving the facility a very classic look. The court below the videoboard is known as the Tubby and Donna Smith Court. Tubby Smith is a graduate of High Point University and coached the High Point University basketball team for several years. It is a very deserving honor for a coach who also led teams at the University of Georgia, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Memphis. The court also has nice graphics featuring the High Point University logo at midcourt. Neighborhood 5 High Point University is in the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina. The Triad includes the cities of Greensboro, NC, High Point, NC, and Winston-Salem, NC. High Point is located 20 minutes from both Winston-Salem and Greensboro. High Point’s claim to fame is the Home Furnishings Capitol of the World. There are more than one hundred furniture stores and outlets located in the city. One of the city’s major attractions also relates to the furniture industry, as High Point is the home of the Largest Chest of Drawers in the World. The art piece is more than thirty-two feet high and is famous for the large number of people from all over the world who have their photo taken in front of the dresser. Another nearby point of interest is the statue of jazz musician John Coltrane, who was a native of High Point. Both the Chest of Drawers and the Coltrane statue are located on Hamilton Street, just a few blocks from the university. If you are traveling with children, the Nido and Marianne Qubein Children’s Museum is well worth a visit. There are a wide variety of national hotel chains located near the former Oak Hollow Mall. The Courtyard Marriott High Point offers special pricing for High Point University events. Austin’s Steakhouse and Brewery is located near the school and has a wide selection of craft beers. Fans 4 Qubein Center has been quite a draw with both the students at the school, as well as the local population of High Point. There is a close relationship between the school and its neighbors, and they welcome the community to events held at the school. High Point basketball is the major sports event in the community unless you travel to the other cities in the Piedmont Triad. The student section at Panthers games is known as Purple Reign. They are vocal and they attend home games in large numbers. More than 95% of the High Point student body lives on campus. The arena is within walking distance of many of the dorms and residential buildings on the campus. Students can attend sports events on campus for free through the student activity fee. The student section at High Point home games is strategically located behind the baskets at each end of the court. By splitting the student section in this way, they can ensure a loud crowd will always be adjacent to the free-throw line to distract the visitors throughout the game. The High Point University Pep Band and Prowler the Purple Panther work closely with the Cheer squad and the Dance team to keep the energy level high throughout the evening. Contests and giveaways take place during breaks in the action. Access 4 The Qubein Center is easily accessible from anywhere in the Piedmont Triad area. From Greensboro: Take I-85 South to Business 85 headed towards High Point. Take the South Main Street/High Point exit and turn right onto Main Street. Turn right onto College Drive. Turn right at Lexington, then take the first left into the campus via Panther Drive. Parking personnel will then direct you to the University Parkway lot. From the South: Travel north on I-85. Take Business 85 North. Take the South Main Street/Archdale exit off Business 85 North and turn left. Turn right at College, then left onto Lexington. Turn into campus on Panther Drive. Parking personnel will direct you to the University Parkway lot. From the West: Take I-40 East to Highway 311 South (Exit 196). At High Point take the North Main Street exit (Exit 65). Turn left at Hartley Drive Hartley becomes College Drive at the Oak Hollow Mall. Continue on College Drive, then turn right at Lexington. Take the first left onto campus via Panther Drive. Parking personnel will be on hand to direct you to the University Parkway lot. There are a limited number of parking spaces immediately outside the Qubein Center. These spaces are reserved for season ticket holders and major donors. All other fans must park in the University Parkway lot down the street from the arena. Shuttles run throughout the evening to ferry people to the arena before the game and take people back to the parking lot afterward. There is no charge for parking or the shuttle. Once you arrive at Qubein Center, five entry doors are adjacent to the front driveway. Doors to the arena open 90 minutes before tipoff, leaving you plenty of time to get something to eat and find your seat. There are seven ladies’ rooms and five men’s rooms located along the concourse. You will only encounter a line for them shortly before the game and at halftime.   Return on Investment 5 Tickets for all Panther games are priced at $25. The concession stands offer a wide variety of items at reasonable prices. Parking is free for fans parking in the University Parkway lot. The shuttle between the parking lot and the arena is also free. Extras 4 There is a great deal of public art throughout the Qubein Center. There is a series of prints located along the concourse entitled “Art of the Possible.” Each of the twelve prints features an illustration and a few words to outline the many ways High Point University can prepare students for a successful life. There is a great photo opportunity awaiting you along the concourse. You will encounter a full-sized fiberglass version of Prowler, the team’s purple panther mascot. There is a chair for you to sit in for the photo, and the wall serving as a backdrop has some wonderful graphics to complete a very well-composed shot. The Princeton Review rates High Point University as # 1 in the Country for Best College Dorms and # 9 for the Most Beautiful College Campus in the United States. The Qubein Center hosted the 2024 Big South Conference Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament. Final Thoughts The Qubein Center is a stunning addition to the High Point University campus. The arena offers fans a professional level of amenities, including comfortable seating, an above-average video board, and an impressive set of dining options. Qubein Center also serves the High Point community through concerts, appearances by notable speakers, and other events throughout the year.