Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.71 Parkview Field 1301 Ewing St Fort Wayne, IN 46802 Fort Wayne TinCaps website Parkview Field website Year Opened: 2009 Capacity: 8,100 The Apple of Ft. Wayne’s Eyes Parkview Field is the home of the Fort Wayne TinCaps and attracts well over 4,000,000 people to its beautiful downtown facility. The stadium opened in 2009 and spearheaded the redevelopment of the surrounding area with apartments, office buildings, restaurants, and new hotels. The ballpark has become a fan favorite of ballpark hunters and travelers, as well as the Fort Wayne community, for over a decade and a half. The TinCaps began their existence in 1993 as a Single-A Midwest League affiliate of the San Diego Padres. The team was relocated from Kenosha after the support of a new ballpark never materialized. The franchise dates back to 1947 when it was based in Mattoon, Illinois. The city had been without a minor league baseball club since 1948, and constructed the $6 million Memorial Stadium in the parking lot across from the Allen County Memorial Coliseum. However, the times changed dramatically in ballpark aesthetics, and Memorial Stadium became obsolete and a relic. A planned downtown ballpark, known as Harrison Square, would be built for $30 million and would include a hotel and parking deck. The effort was to redevelop downtown and was met with mixed reactions from many ballpark fans. That quickly dissipated when Parkview Field opened its doors in 2009. Today, the ballpark and area attract thousands of people to games, new businesses have relocated downtown, and abandoned buildings have been repurposed for entertainment usage. Fort Wayne is now a happening place to be for many in the area. The team also visited the TinCaps, known for their clever apple logo featuring a tin pot for a hat, an homage to local legend Johnny Appleseed. What is it like to attend a Fort Wayne TinCaps game? Keep reading to find out more about one of Minor League Baseball's most revered ballparks. Food & Beverage 5 The food selection at Parkview Field is impressive and includes a wide range of options. Fans can dig into hot dogs, nachos, and burgers. They can also enjoy the lighter fare of salads, hummus, and black bean burgers. Asian rice bowls, barbecue nachos, and Buffalo chicken sticks are a bit more adventurous. There are four main concession areas on the main concourse located down each baseline with a unique item at each area, including pork tenderloin, assorted pizzas, corn dogs, boneless wings, elephant ears, and chicken chips. The Hot Corner (Section 107) offers cheesesteaks, chicken cheesesteaks, and cheesesteak nachos. Another popular area is the Bases Loaded BBQ stand (Section 110), featuring barbecue pork and beef brisket sandwiches, grilled chicken strips and wings, and barbecue nachos. There is also the option of gluten-free buns. In keeping up with the apple theme, the Apple Cart sells sweet eats, including apple dumplings, apple crisps, apple pie, and cheesecake. A few more dessert options include Oreo churros, funnel cakes, Dippin Dots, Siberian Chill Frozen Drinks, and hand-dipped Edy’s ice cream. The Third Base Bar (Section 114) and Home Plate Bar (Section home plate entrance) offer around 12 drafts and 19 bottled beers, wine, and wine slushies, plus rotating beers every homestand at the Home Plate Lodge. Domestic beers, premium beers, wine, wine slushies, and mixed drinks are at common ballpark prices. Atmosphere 5 TinCap games are a highly attended event, and one can expect to find a festive atmosphere throughout the ballpark. The spacious wraparound concourse takes visitors on a journey through various points of the ballpark that should appeal to the single visitor, families, and large groups of co-workers. The park is known for its myriad of picnic and group outings seating areas, highlighted by the Tuthill 400 Club perched atop the centerfield wall providing a bird’s eye view of the diamond and the downtown skyline. Adjacent, in the right field, is the Ortho Northeast Rooftops, designed to offer groups of 50 or more a Wrigley-Esque rooftop experience. The Xfinity Home Run Porch is atop the left-field wall featuring extra-padded seats, food rails, and an overhead trellis. If you are at the game by yourself, there are plenty of options to view the game up close and personal. The seats behind the backstop are among the closest in minor league baseball, and grass berm outfield seating offers a great option to lay out the blanket, catch some rays, and enjoy the game, but unlike some ballparks, you are not allowed to bring in any outside food. The left-field section offers a collection of downtown restaurants, offering patio seating that extends into the concourse. Elijiah's Restaurant & Bakery, The Sidecar (cocktail bar) and Copper Spoon (American far) border the right field concourse with patio seating. Robert E. Myers Park, located behind center field. It is open to the public from dusk to dawn and features a mini-amphitheater. Fans can enjoy a walk around the stadium’s concourse during non-games. A popular spot for kids is the splash zone and the playground down the first baseline. If you are with the kids, bring a bathing suit and towel. The Orchard team store is an impressive souvenir store offering merchandise for all shapes and sizes, along with the team’s mascot Johnny, who can be seen walking around the stadium posing for pictures and providing hugs to fans of all ages. Neighborhood 4 When the ballpark was in its planning stages, the hope was to revitalize the downtown area. In the decade since its opening, you can see the results from the construction of new hotels, and living spaces, businesses moving their headquarters downtown, and the development of Electric Works in the old GE Building. Before the ballpark opened, the downtown had around 600 residents but has blossomed to 2,000. However, few traditional spots have been in town for a combined total of 200 years in business. Ft. Wayne’s Famous Coney Island opened in 1914 and has not changed much in appearance, offering it topped with meat sauce and chopped onion. The dogs taste best sitting on the wooden stool countertops with mini glass bottles of Coca-Cola. You can also enter and exit the shop via the kitchen, ala Goodfellas style. Powers Hamburger Restaurant grills up sliders with mounds of sweet onions and ranks up there with the great American hamburger. The small shop is located near the end of the stadium’s parking lot and attracts a large audience. Burger Bar on Jefferson outside the ballpark's left field entrance. It is small spot that serves up freshly made burgers. The Electric Works is a renovated GE Building that is a mix-used district that includes office, retail, entertainment, and community use. The Union Street Market is located here an offers the following vendors: Buyamba Sandwich Company, Carmeli's Dough, Johnny Mix Pizzeria, and Pokoso Burritos. Fans 5 The fans responded with a resounding impact when the TinCaps took the field in 2009. The ball club has averaged well over 4,000 fans a game since, and the many group areas are packed for the majority of the year. The ballpark has become the focal point of downtown, and you will always find a great gathering of people at Parkview Field. Access 4 The downtown ballpark is within 5 miles of the major interstates of I-69 and I-469. There are one-way streets that bring visitors in and out quickly through the city, and there are various lots near the ballpark. Once inside, the concourse is spacious and wraps around for access to all areas, including the gift shop, restrooms, concession areas, playground area, and exits. Return on Investment 5 There are multiple price points for single-game tickets, beginning with the extremely affordable $7 lawn seats. The reserved seating down each baseline is $12 (Sections 101-102, 114) and offers theater-style seating, while All-Star seats behind the backstop and home run porch seats in left field are $15 (Sections 103-113). The home run porch offers padded seating and food and drink rails overlooking the field for group outings but is available for $15  (Sections 117-119) when not filled. Diamond View Seats (Section 107-109) are $18. The Legacy seats are $15 and are located behind the main seating bowl providing fans with a personal food rail, wider padded seats, and personal wait service. The highest-priced tickets are the $45 box seats, located down the third-base line; these spacious private boxes include four chairs situated around a high-top table. There are five lots adjacent to the ballpark and the club offers preferred parking. There is a main parking lot behind the stadium that costs $5. There is a free off-site parking and trolley services for midweek, day-time games, and for those with specific season passes. There are a few more city lots within 2-3 blocks from the front entrance of the main entrance. The merchandise options are plentiful and are reasonably priced among other ballparks in the minor leagues. Food options are varied and fairly priced. Extras 5 Parkview Field gets a point for the public park in centerfield that features an amphitheater and splash pad. The park itself is open throughout the day from dawn to dusk, providing fans the option to enjoy the ballpark for eating, running, and networking. Another point is for the bold views from The Treetops and Club 400 seating areas; these areas are sold in groups of 50 or more and provide spectacular vantage points for a minor league baseball stadium. The open space below The Treetops serves as home to a farmers market on Saturday mornings. A third point for the ticket prices that begin at only $7; even if you loathe baseball, there is no excuse to buy a ticket and enjoy the many other festivities occurring during the ballgame with friends and family. A fourth point is for the full-time front office staff and game-day workers; they are well-trained and enthusiastic, and go the extra mile to make every fan’s visit to Parkview Field an enjoyable one. A fifth and final point is for the ballpark being the emphasis of attracting people to downtown Ft. Wayne. In the decade since its opening, there have been new hotels, living areas, restaurants, and redevelopment of older buildings within blocks of the stadium. Final Thoughts Parkview Field is one of my favorite places in the minor leagues, and before its construction, I never looked forward to a visit to Ft. Wayne. It has opened my eyes, and many others, to the downtown area that has changed dramatically since the ballpark’s opening. Redevelopment is still taking place around the stadium, and it has also attracted a few other sports teams to town. —— Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel . Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Bobcat Stadium 1 Bobcat Circle Bozeman, MT 59717 Montana State Bobcats website Bobcat Stadium website Year Opened: 1973 Capacity: 17,777 In the Shadow of the M There is only one thing you’re allowed to do on Saturdays in Bozeman, MT, and that’s watch the Montana State Bobcats play football. Having watched their team play in Bobcat Stadium since 1973, the fans are loud, intense, and ready to cheer for their Cats. The stadium currently has a capacity of 17,777, but that number is regularly expanded with additional temporary seating in the north end zone, as well as standing room only areas. The venue boasts FieldTurf and lighting that allows for night games, but the school is also in the middle of a 20-year athletic facility master plan, which will provide additional enhancements, most notably increased seating at Bobcat Stadium in the future.   Food & Beverage   4 Bobcat Stadium does not have a ton of variety in their main concessions – all the stands on the east and west sides offer the same items, namely bratwurst, hot dogs, pizza, and nachos, along with typical snacks such as popcorn, cookies, peanuts, chips, and candy. Pepsi is the fountain drink provider here; you can get fountain drinks in three different sizes, as well as bottled water, energy drinks, Gatorade, and coffee or hot cocoa. Prices top out at $14 for a personal-sized pizza and drink, or $11 for the pizza alone, with brats and hot dogs going for $6 or $7 respectively, but also available in combos to save you a few dollars if you also want chips and a drink. Snacks and drinks range from $3 to $6. What raises the score for this section is that there are a few food trucks and temporary concession stands set up in the northeast corner, which give you a little more variety than the typical items mentioned above.   Atmosphere   5 The fans win the day at Bobcat Stadium, making the atmosphere what it is; I will discuss that later in a bit. In terms of the stadium layout, the student section is behind the south end zone, with the club seating “Touchdown Terrace” behind the north end zone. There is also berm seating in the northwest corner, and there is tailgating as far as the eye can see around the stadium, both before and during the game. There are also party sections within the confines of the stadium itself. The Bobcat staff plays great music during the game, and there is also the band, dance team, mascot, fan contests, and all the other amenities you have come to expect at a football game.  But what really sets Bobcat Stadium apart is when the team comes onto the field – sure you’ve seen cones of fire spurting up as the team makes their entrance, but have you ever seen the football team led onto the field by not one but SEVEN mounted riders? Each rider holds a lettered banner aloft to spell out the word B-O-B-C-A-T-S, and they are accompanied by a cannon that goes off during every kickoff. The horses can be seen, and petted, during pregame; they hang out in a field behind the north end of the stadium. Their entrance is truly a sight to behold. Make sure to be paying attention, however, and perhaps have your camera ready, when the big moment comes – the horses only ride around to lead the team onto the field; unfortunately, you will not see them again when the home team scores, which would be amazing, by the way.   Neighborhood   4 Bozeman, Montana has a lot of great things to see and do while you’re in town for a Bobcats game. The Museum of the Rockies is right next to Bobcat Stadium and includes several exhibits on dinosaurs, including some specimens dug up right here in the local area. There are other exhibits inside the museum as well, not to mention an entire third floor taken up by a hands-on exhibit & play area for the kiddos.  The American Computer & Robotics Museum is near the stadium as well, featuring exhibits from the beginning of people-kind all the way to our modern day. If you are willing to drive about 10 miles to the east, you can also visit the Montana Grizzly Encounter, a Grizzly Bear habitat/education center. The center has 3 bears on premise, who apparently don’t get along, so they are rotated in the outside enclosure throughout the day – if you want to see all three bears, you may want to plan several hours, maybe half a day, for your visit. It is a great experience to see the bears play in the pond, or frolic in their enclosure; the habitat will give you a true look at Montana’s wildlife. There are also plenty of great restaurants in town, as well as numerous hotels. The hotels tend to be on the pricier side, given the proximity to Yellowstone, so you may want to book in advance. Some of the restaurants also seem to have limited hours, for example Feed Café (amazing breakfast and lunch) is only open until 2 pm, while Red Tractor Pizza doesn’t open until 4 pm.   Fans   5 The fans at Bobcat Stadium are stellar – the first game of the season is called Gold Rush, and the fans turned out in force, with a wall-to-wall sea of gold throughout the stadium. In fact, I have rarely seen a sports venue with so few visiting fans; there is a tiny section of visiting fans on the lower west side, near the 10-yard line, and another tiny section in the upper corner behind the south end zone, no more than a few hundred visiting fans in all. The rest was pure gold. I was a little nervous when the stands seemed to empty out at halftime, but they ALL came back, so it was just as full at the end of the fourth quarter as it was at the beginning of the first, and the fans were also loud and engaged throughout, especially the student section. Several of the students had their chests painted to show their Bobcat pride, and the student section did their best to will their team to victory, causing enough ruckus to make the visiting team get called for several false starts at key moments in the fourth quarter.   Access   2 Parking is a little difficult for games at Bobcat Stadium; you cannot park close to the facility unless you have a parking pass, and even if you do have a pass, there is very little signage directing you where to go, and the staff may not be able to help you much either. Your best bet is to use the parking map, but even that doesn’t have all the parking areas labeled. Getting out after the game also takes a long time, as there are several giant parking lots, and each one only has 1-2 entrances, causing lots of delays as everyone tries to exit at once. Fortunately, Bobcat Stadium doesn’t hold that many people right now, but the parking situation may worsen as the school expands the facility, as they plan to, if additional parking is not somehow provided for. In addition, there seem to be long lines to get into the stadium, even an hour before kickoff, so it would help if the venue had faster processing. Note that there are entrances on the southwest side as well as on the southeast side – the southeast side is where the tailgaters and RVs park, while the students enter on the west/southwest side, behind the press box. That said, if your line is long to get in you might try walking over to the other entrance.   Return on Investment   5 Despite the access issues, I consider seeing a football game at Bobcat Stadium to be a great return on investment. The fan energy and crowd noise alone would make it worthwhile; seeing the mounted riders lead the team onto the field is just icing on the cake. Tickets in the south end zone start at $30 or $35 for most games, but can rise to $100 for the Gold Rush game; sideline seats start at $60 for the lowest priced games. General admission parking can be found for $20 to $25, although as I mentioned above those lots are not necessarily close to the stadium.   Extras   5 There is a giant ‘M’ on the mountains overlooking the stadium, visible above the west grandstand, although depending on the time of day it can be hard to see, for example if there is any mist or fog in the area; during the middle of the day you should be able to get some very clear pictures of it. There are other schools that boast such letters – BYU  has its ‘Y’, Utah  has its ‘U’, etc., but this is still a feature you won’t see at many sports facilities. Bobcat Stadium also boasts an “open air” team gear shop (the walls are lattice and there is no roof, making it easy to look in and see everything they have for sale). Also, if you pay close attention you may see spurts of flame late in the game, done in order to burn off all the gas from the pyrotechnics used when the team comes onto the field; the tanks need to be empty before they cart away the equipment. That was a surprising, and fun, thing to witness during the fourth quarter. Lastly, I have to give credit to the tailgating scene all around the stadium – you can look out from the top of the east grandstand and see quite a few folks partying all game long, in addition to tailgating being visible beyond the northwest corner, as well as in the traditional tailgating parking lot on the west/southwest side; the tailgating at Bobcat Stadium doesn’t ever appear to stop, even when the game is in full swing.   Final Thoughts I would definitely recommend a visit to Bozeman for a Bobcats game, even if you need to fly in to see them – Bobcat Stadium and the local are well worth a look. It would be a good idea to plan ahead on tickets, so you don’t have to buy them on the secondary market, as well as to get better rates on hotels. But even if you have to go in at the last minute and spend a little more, I think you will have a great time.

Photos by James Hilchen, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Michigan International Speedway 12626 US-12 Brooklyn, MI 49230 Michigan International Speedway website Year Opened: 1968 Capacity: 56,000 Speedin' in Michigan Situated in the Irish Hills region of Michigan, Michigan International Speedway in located about 70 miles west of Detroit. The track, which opened in 1968 plays host to the FireKeepers 400, an annual race on the NASCAR Cup schedule and the main event annually at the track. The track also hosts the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. The 2-mile oval track has hosted numerous other events over the years including the NASCAR Xfinity Series, IRL/IndyCar events, CART, USAC, and others. Food & Beverage 3 The raceway is cashless, so plan accordingly. A nice feature of many tracks including Michigan International Speedway is that you can bring in your own food and drinks, which can save a lot of money and time in line. Of course, if you choose to forgo having to carry in your own food, there are many options available at the track. At the permanent stands, you have your choice of burgers, chicken strips, and ham sandwiches along with fries, cookies, and random other items. Quite a few food trucks are also in for the race which open far more options. One food truck has an awesome Italian sausage sandwich. If that is not your thing, there are various other fried options along with gyros, BBQ sandwiches, various types of nachos and more. Soda, water, energy drinks, and lemonade are available along with typical beer, wine, and mixed drink options. All prices run about what is expected at sporting venues in 2025. Atmosphere 3 This was a tough one to score for me. I liked the track. I liked some of the fan engagement options. However, there were a few glaring issues we experienced. Our tickets were located lower down the seating area (but not the first few rows…a reasonable way up). There are suites located above pit road, and as a result, you will not be able to see anything going on down the backstretch as the view is blocked. I assume this issue can be avoided simply by getting tickets near the top of the seating area. For those of you that are tall, seating can be an issue and I highly suggest getting a seat on the end of the row. There was very little leg room where we sat. In fact, in order for us to get out of our row, everyone else had to exit the row first or literally stand on their seats. I have visited numerous NASCAR tracks and have not seen lack of legroom an issue like it is here. I am told there are some seats that are a bit better, so if you have not visited before, I would highly recommend calling the track to order tickets and ask about legroom. Many tracks offer track access prior to the race and Michigan is no different. We purchased the track access and given the experience, I would recommend not. Other tracks I have visited allowed fans to walk up and down pit road (outside the wall) and see all the cars. The access here was relegated to a tiny area for the pre-race concert and driver introductions. I am unclear whether too many tickets were sold this year, but the area was crammed and it was very difficult to get around without a major effort. There are plenty of things to do outside the seating area prior to the race. All the drivers have their merchandise trucks and NASCAR has many quality displays that will keep fans busy until the green flag drops. Once the flag drops, it’s your typical NASCAR race atmosphere, which means a lot of noise and a lot of fun. Neighborhood 2 The speedway is located in Brooklyn, Michigan. The drive to the track is a pleasant drive, but there is nothing immediately around the track other than residential areas. There is nowhere to walk to immediately after the race to have a drink or a bite to eat while the traffic clears out. Your best bet to find a restaurant/bar choice is about 3 miles north of the track. Our choice on this day was BC Pizza of Brooklyn. The pizza was quite good. Among the other choices in the area are Big Boy (did not know those still existed), Shady’s Tap Room, and PB&J’s BBQ. In the same area as the restaurants, you will find the only hotel in the area, a Super 8. Given the large crowds at the track, I assume this sells out quick, so your best bet otherwise would probably be Jackson or Ann Arbor. Fans 5 It is hard to beat the passion shown by NASCAR fans. They are not shy about cheering for their favorite driver(s) or showing complete disdain for the drivers they do not like. It amounts to an engaged and loud crowd throughout the race. Access 3 Given the location, there are few ways in, and few ways out. As such, I’d suggest trying to get there early because the lines will get longer and longer as the race grows closer. Parking is ample although you will have a longer walk the closer it is to race time. Once inside, the foot traffic flows decently out in the concession/merchandise area. There are a good number of restrooms although you can expect to wait in line near the end of the first and second stages. Return on Investment 3 Buying tickets early can save you a few bucks and is worth the effort. Depending on where you want to sit (noting the atmosphere section), you can expect to pay around $67 to $130 for a seat. This is about the going rate at most tracks. With free parking and average concession prices, you get a decent return for what you pay. Extras 2 An extra point goes to the ability for fans to bring in their own food and drinks. Allowing this shows goodwill on behalf of the track staff and that can go a long way on a hot day. Another extra point goes to all the merchandise available. Whether you want something of your favorite driver, NASCAR itself, or some speedway swag, it is all available. Final Thoughts If you are a racing fan, there are a lot of good reasons to visit Michigan International Speedway. The 57-year-old track needs some upgrades including more legroom for sure. But, once you are settled in to your seat, the track hosts a wonderful race every year is worth a visit. Final note …the author’s phone died prior to the race starting, so photos are unfortunately minimal. Follow all of James' stadium journeys on X @ stadiumjwriter .  Email: james.hilchen@stadiumjourney.com

Before Rick Ellis was a journalist, covering all things streaming at www.AllYourScreens.com , he was in the Wrigley bleachers, cheering on the Cubs during the day and doing stand-up at night. Rick took a few minutes to discuss his Wrigley memories, as well as his stand-up career. Subscribe to his Too Much TV Newsletter here . STADIUM JOURNEY: So when did your love affair with the Chicago Cubs begin? How has it blossomed over the years? RICK ELLIS:  When it comes to sports overall, I am fairly sports impaired. I am not generally a huge sports fan, although I spent my youth living in Southern Indiana, where I went to a lot of Evansville AAA games. By the way, their home field was seen in the movie "League Of Their Own," because it was one of the oldest continuously-used parks in the U.S. I started going to Cubs games not because I was a fan, but because I was in my twenties and had started doing stand-up comedy. I had my afternoons free, and I started going to Cubs games with several of my stand-up buddies. The tickets were cheap, the beer was reasonable and day drinking was seen as a positive character trait. STADIUM JOURNEY: What were the Wrigley bleachers like in the '80s? How rowdy was it? What was the funniest thing you ever experienced out there? Were the Bleacher Bums aware that you did stand-up comedy? RICK ELLIS:  It wasn't as crazy in the 1980s as it apparently had been in the later 1960s and early 1970s. As an organization, the Bleacher Bums had disbanded but most of them were still at the games, in their normal left field bleachers spot. In fact, for a lot of games, much of the crowd was in the left field bleachers. I remember games where the crowd was in the low single digits. What I remember most is the stories I would hear from the longtime fans. They would talk about how the Cubs had to install that net in front of the bleacher section because drunk fans kept falling onto the field. And apparently some of the outfielders would hoist them back into the stands so they wouldn't be fined. And until the mid-70s, there were beer vendors walking through the bleachers. Which apparently went about as well as you would expect. The funniest thing I experienced involved me doing something incredibly dumb. I had only been to a couple of games when I caught a home run. A bunch of the former Bums started yelling "throw it back!" I didn't quite understand the reference yet. So I proceeded to toss the ball over my shoulder and into the street in back of me. As to being a stand-up, a few people knew but I never liked mentioning it. Because then people would ask me to tell a joke. I do remember one drunk guy --you might be noticing a theme here - insisting I tell him a joke. He wouldn't leave me alone, so I agreed and started out with the line "So your mom and I were at a hotel...again." He then got mad, tried to take a swing at me and fell across the bleachers. STADIUM JOURNEY: What did a beer go for back then? Were you pre-gaming and post-gaming with the Bleacher Bums? Did you have any contact with the Bums outside the stadium? RICK ELLIS:  I don't recall the price of beer, other than it was really reasonable. Not much more than you would pay in a regular bar. I didn't see Bums much outside of Wrigley. I went to this bar across the corner from the stadium sometimes before the game. But honestly, I liked the idea of the game experience being a specific thing for me. As I said, I wasn't a huge sports fan back then. So getting drunk while moaning about how much the Cubs sucked really didn't appeal to me. STADIUM JOURNEY: You live in Minnesota now. How often do you get to see the Cubs these days? RICK ELLIS:  I see them every other year when they play the Twins. They played three games here this season. And my wife and I took our son to a game at Wrigley a couple of years ago for his high school graduation. My son is a huge sports fan and I paid for an  MLB.TV  subscription so we could watch games at home. The funny thing about that is while my wife thinks baseball is the world's most boring game, after being exposed to so many Cubs games, she has become a fan of the team. STADIUM JOURNEY: Back in the 80s, what was the stand-up scene like? There were many more clubs. Was there work every night of the week?  RICK ELLIS:  When I started doing stand-up, there were less than a dozen places in the country that were full-time comedy clubs. Within a couple of years, you could go to the smallest town and find at least one place doing a comedy night or two. You could work every night, although the money for one-nighters was fairly dismal. The first road tour I booked for myself involved driving back-and-forth across the Midwest and Rocky Mountains. I ended up doing something like 310 nights in a row and almost all of them involved doing a show, getting in my car and driving a few hundred miles to the next spot. And a lot of times, only making $50 or $100 per night. Once some of the big comedy chains opened, there was the opportunity to make real money. Headlining paid maybe $1,000 a week. Which was great money in the late 1980s. STADIUM JOURNEY: Back then, a stand-up's dream was to do  The Tonight Show  and get a sitcom. Would you agree with that statement? Were you on that path? RICK ELLIS:  Yeah, that was pretty much the only way to break through as a stand-up. This was before cable TV had regular stand-up specials and "The Tonight Show" was the place to be "discovered." And being on the show was the most predictable path to a sitcom. That was a tougher road for me because back then I was not the most disciplined comic in the business. If you wanted to be on TV, you needed to carefully hone a couple of tight 7-10 minute routines. Lots of comics I knew did essentially the same act night after night, carefully tweaking bits until they were perfect. I got bored easily. So by the time I was headlining, I generally had a bit I would open and close with. Something that I knew would work. And everything else was free-form, depending on the audience and my mood. I had a couple of hours of material and approached my act a bit like I was a jazz musician. I just let the moment propel me forward. The problem with that approach is that while it's fun to watch - you could watch me five nights in a row and see five different shows - it has an unacceptably high failure rate. Maybe one out of ten shows would just be a disaster. Which was difficult for some club owners to tolerate, even if the other nine shows went incredibly well. The comedy talent coordinator for "The Tonight Show" happened to see me at a show in California and told me afterwards that I was hilarious and certainly funny enough to be on the show. But he motioned at the stage and said "But you can't do that show on television." Which was a fair criticism. STADIUM JOURNEY: Did you discuss the Cubs and, or the Bums on stage? RICK ELLIS:  Not really. Back then, there were some other Chicago comics talking about that onstage, and I didn't feel as if I had the credibility to discuss it.   STADIUM JOURNEY: These days, you've pivoted away from stand-up to writing about all things streaming. How do you make that transition? And how do you go about getting an audience? RICK ELLIS:  I stopped doing stand-up in the 90s after my mom had a stroke. I left the road to take care of her, and I was away from the stage for more than two years. At that point, I just couldn't bring myself to essentially start over. And it would have been even more difficult because the comedy boom was ending and it was really competitive. I had done some radio when I was younger and was hired to do a talk show, which eventually turned into a syndicated talk show for a couple of years. I then moved to the Bay Area after I met my now-wife and did financial news. Along with being the voice of a stock-picking sock puppet, I worked for a series of fairly traditional digital news companies until I was laid off three times in two years about a decade ago. I realized that if I wanted to stay in journalism, I needed to create my own destiny. So, I did freelance work for anyone who would have me. And I resurrected a TV site I had had around since the early 2000s to see if I could make a go of it. I was able to, but it took 3-4 years to get there. As for the audience, I think it's just a matter of working away and hoping to create things people want to read and share. STADIUM JOURNEY: I think you've attended your fair share of press junkets where celebrities sit for hours and go through an assembly line of journalists and answer the same questions repeatedly. It seems super awkward. Did you ever have a genuine connection with one of the interviewees? RICK ELLIS:  Those are the worst and for the most part I have stopped doing them because I would prefer to interview a less well-known actor or writer for 20 minutes than to get 4-5 minutes with a "star." Maybe it's a reflection of my talk radio days, but I enjoy conversation and the unexpected places you can go. There are a few moments that come to mind, including a conversation with rapper Fat Joe about his autistic son. I also have a son on the spectrum. But to be honest, the unexpected connection I remember the most came when I was talking with dancer and choreographer Cris Judd, who had been married to Jennifer Lopez for two years. I interviewed him in connection with a reality TV show he was hosting and was asked ahead of time not to ask about her, which was fine with me. During the interview, he was discussing the emotional aspects of dance and I asked him if he found that dancing had personally helped through some difficult times. He really went into the process of refocusing that pain into a dance performance. And at some point, it was clear he was talking about his break-up with J-Lo, although he never mentioned her. The show publicist called me afterwards to tell me it was his favorite interview ever and he felt a real connection to me, which was gratifying.   STADIUM JOURNEY: Would you consider a stand-up comeback, or are you completely retired? RICK ELLIS: I haven't been to a stand-up club since I stopped performing. I loved doing it and to be honest, I am a better writer and much more comfortable in my skin than I was back then. Funny enough, a few years ago I kicked around the idea of doing a one-camera comedy about an older guy who blows up his life when he decides to return to stand-up. I still think it's a great idea and I still write jokes in my head. I have a pretty tight 20 minutes about being older that no one will ever hear. At the end of it all, I have really fond memories of being a stand-up comedian. But doing it again would involve wrecking my personal life, which I am not willing to do. Jon Hart is   @manversusball

Photos by James Hilchen, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14 Drake Stadium 2719 Forest Ave Des Moines, IA 50311 Drake Bulldogs website Drake Stadium website Year Opened: 1925 Capacity: 14,557 Drake Bulldogs Opened in 1925, Drake Stadium plays host to Drake Bulldogs football and hosts the annual Drake Relays, one of the biggest track and field events in the nation. The stadium underwent a significant renovation in 2005 where capacity was decreased from 18,000 to its current capacity of 14,557. At the conclusion of the Bulldogs season in 2015, the dated scoreboard was taken down and replaced with a more modern board. The new Daktronics video board measures 24 feet high by 38.5 feet wide and allows for far more freedom for the video team to show replays and various other graphics. The Drake Relays gather the greatest athletes from around the country on an annual basis. Among the competitors who have competed in the relays are: Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, and Gwen Torrence. Following the 2016 relays, a new track was installed and is constructed of the same material used for tracks in the Beijing and London Summer Olympic games. The football field is named after Johnny Bright, a Drake alum and member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The Drake football team has won 13 conference championships. The team is also significant historically as being one of the participants in the first ever night game at Soldier Field (Chicago) in 1930 (against Oregon). The Bulldogs compete in the Pioneer League. Drake Stadium is the largest stadium in the league. Food & Beverage 3 The stadium largely just has the basics that are found at all games. Hot dogs, burgers, popcorn, candy, etc. are all available. A welcome addition in 2025 is a food truck. Yannis Grill serves up Greek food and they do it well. This is the highly recommended option. For the kids, Kona Ice (snow cones) has a truck there also. Coke is the soda of choice at Drake Stadium. The stadium also sells beer now. Bud, Busch, Michelob Ultra, Modelo, and Coors Light are available along with some microbrews. Atmosphere 2 The best way to get in the college football mood is to take in the tailgating. Although a smaller group than larger colleges, a spirited crowd gathers before every game enjoying food and drinks before kickoff. Once inside the stadium, there really isn’t much to get excited about. The football field sits in the middle of the track. As such, fans sitting in the front row are still far away from the action due to eight running lanes separating them from the sidelines. The stadium is large and combined with the small crowds, any excitement is minimal. The new scoreboard is located on the north side of the stadium. If you are looking for shade, your only option is sitting behind the south end zone. Don’t worry about requesting a seat; everything is general admission and there are only smatterings of people that take advantage of the shade. The Drake band sits on the west side near the press box while the cheerleaders entertain the crowd. Neighborhood 4 The Drake neighborhood is undergoing a rejuvenation and there are plenty of great places to go before or after a game. Lucky Horse Beer and Burgers is a couple blocks south of the stadium and a very short walk. Lucky Horse serves up quality bar food and lots of drink options. Across the street from the Lucky Horse is Dough Co Pizza. Dough Co offers both gluten free and vegan crust, if desired, and if you are with a hungry bunch, they offer a massive 26 inch pizza. At the Drake Diner, hometown cooking/comfort food is the specialty and everything on the menu is tasty. Drake Diner also offers up decent sized portions so you won’t be left hungry if eating here before the game. For day games, I highly suggest hitting Waveland Café prior to game time. The café is about 2 miles from the arena. Waveland serves up some of the best breakfast in Des Moines. It’s open until 2 PM daily and can be packed, so give yourself a little extra time…it’s worth it. If you are just looking for a drink, head to Peggy’s Tavern, just west of the stadium. Peggy’s is a Drake staple and hugely popular amongst the locals. In town for a day or two? Just south of campus is newly opened Home2 Suites (a Hilton hotel). Downtown Des Moines is about a five-minute drive East of the Drake Campus and has every food imaginable and plenty of other places to stay. Fans 3 The fans that show up to support their Bulldogs are a loud bunch. That is not necessarily reflected in the atmosphere as the stadium is so large as compared to the crowds. Nevertheless, those that do show up are well invested in the game and are cheering throughout. Access 4 Drake Stadium sits at the edge of the Drake campus near a residential area. Located just a few blocks off I-235, the stadium is easy to get to. There are numerous parking areas around the stadium. Inside the stadium, concourses are open and easily maneuverable. Restrooms are clean and more than sufficient for the small football crowds. Return on Investment 4 You can get tickets starting at $17. Given most all the stadium is general admission, you can sit anywhere you want which is nice. Parking is free for football games, so combining that with reasonable concession prices and a decent ticket price, you get a good return for your money. Extras 2 On the south side of the stadium there are banners celebrating the accomplishments of Bulldog football. Take a look around the concourse on the west side. There are plaques and other signage of some of the athletes and records of the Drake Relays. Final Thoughts Drake Stadium doesn’t match the atmosphere of some other college football in Iowa and the Bulldogs would be better off in a stadium built specifically for football. However, you can have a fun time watching college football in a fun town without breaking the bank. Follow all of James' stadium journeys on X @ stadiumjwriter .  Email: james.hilchen@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Richard Smith and Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 loanDepot park 501 Marlins Way Miami, FL 33125 Miami Marlins website loanDepot park website Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 36,742 Fish Depot The Miami Marlins are a Major League Baseball team that plays in Miami, Florida, in loanDepot Park (yes, that is the official stylization of the name). The Marlins began as an expansion team in the 1993 season as the Florida Marlins. From 1993 to 2011, they played in the stadium now known as Hard Rock Stadium, then known as Joe Robbie Stadium. In 2012, the team moved to loanDepot Park (then known as Marlins Park), their first exclusive home and the first to be designed as a baseball park. As part of an agreement with park owner Miami-Dade County to use the stadium, the franchise also changed its name to the Miami Marlins before the 2012 season. loanDepot Park is a retractable roof stadium located on the site of the former Miami Orange Bowl in Little Havana, about 2 miles west of Downtown Miami. It is the third-smallest stadium in Major League Baseball by official capacity. It often seems even smaller because the upper deck is only used occasionally for big games. The facility hosted a second-round pool of the 2013 World Baseball Classic, a first-round pool of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, the 2017 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and the championship game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The park also hosts soccer matches, fundraising galas, and other events during the winter. It also hosted the Miami Beach Bowl from 2014 through 2016. The stadium will also be a host for the finals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Food & Beverage 4 The concessions offerings at loanDepot Park have a good amount of Latin food, as well as kosher food for the many Jewish fans who live in the South Florida area. Traditional ballpark fare is available at Top Dogs, the Fowl Pole, Fat Tuesdays, and Magic City BBQ. Latin-inspired foods are available at El Mercadito, PINCHO, Bites de la Calle, and Street Taco. If you are open to trying new foods, check out the Change Up STAND. This stand offers a test kitchen menu of possible future food offerings at loanDepot Park. The menu is always being rotated, so it is a good place to check out every time you attend a Marlins game. The Family Fav’s Stand has some cheaper, albeit smaller, options as part of its 305 menu. The Biscayne Brew Hall is located between sections 15/16 and features the Marlin’s lager, as well as an assortment of craft beers. Atmosphere 4 loanDepot Park has a different look and feel from pretty much any other MLB stadium. It feels like a Miami stadium. and doesn't follow the trends of others. Some may not like that, but we find it sort of refreshing. When the stadium opened, a large art installation in center field was certainly discussed by many people. It included all sorts of elements that are suggestive of South Florida. The art installation has now been relocated to the exterior of the ballpark. The stadium has a glass wall that gives you a stunning view of the Downtown Miami skyline. loanDepot park Glass Panels, Photo by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey The Marlins have several special event nights, including various ethnic heritage nights. The team also has a great Marlins Museum located on the upper level. Neighborhood 3 loanDepot Park is on the edge of the Little Havana section of Miami. There are not many choices in the way of restaurants or entertainment right by the stadium. Of course, Little Havana has many great options to choose from. We are big fans of trying the Mojitos at Old's Havana AND the Ball & Chain. It is always great to compare...The heart of Little Havana may be a bit far to walk, so you may have to drive between the areas. For many other options, you will need to get far away from the stadium area. Fans 2 The Marlins don't draw that well. Often, the majority of the fans are of the visiting team. It is a very relaxed time at a Marlins game and not a typical baseball environment. Access 3 I-95 South and I-75 South are relatively nearby, but traffic is likely to be a problem accessing the stadium. The old Orange Bowl location is just not a perfect location for a large number of fans converging on a location. loanDepot Park has four parking decks and six surface lots near the stadium. You can prepay for parking, but it is easier to just pay by app once parked. It may feel weird not stopping and paying before entering the parking area, but it is a very smooth process. All parking areas offer a full complement of ADA-accessible spaces. You could walk from Little Havana to a game, but that might not solve parking issues, as that area has parking issues of its own. loanDepot park is served by two Miami-Dade Metrorail stops within a mile of the ballpark (Culmer and Civic Center), the Tri-Rail Connection via the Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre Station to MiamiCentral Station, eight other Metrobus routes, and the City of Miami Trolley Route. Another great option is Brightline, which offers free shuttles from its downtown Miami station to and from the game. Return on Investment 4 Ticket prices are generally on the lower end of MLB stadiums. The secondary market will be a great place to find even cheaper prices. Parking costs are variable, so a weeknight game against a non-traditional opponent may be cheaper than a divisional rival on a weekend. Concession prices are reasonable compared to most MLB ballparks. Extras 5 loanDepot Park has hosted a few unique events, like the World Baseball Classic and even an NCAA college football bowl game. loanDepot Park is built on the site of the former Orange Bowl Stadium. There are numerous signs mentioning the history of the stadium. The Bobblehead Museum, on the concourse, has more than 600 baseball-related statues in a cool display case that keeps the heads bobbling away. Bobblehead Museum, Photo by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Billy’s Boathouse has a foam-surface playground that is very safe for the kids to play on. Billy the Marlin is the team's mascot. The team has bands and cheer squads keeping them engaged in the action. There are often post-game concerts and events, so check the team's website before coming to the game. Final Thoughts loanDepot Park may never make the top of MLB baseball stadium lists, but it is still an enjoyable place to watch a game in an environment that feels very true to its environment.

Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Gainbridge Fieldhouse 125 S Pennsylvania St Indianapolis, IN 46204 Indiana Fever website Gainbridge Fieldhouse website Year Opened: 1999 Capacity: 17,923 Basketball Played at a Fever Pace The Indiana Fever celebrates 25 years this season, including the debut of their number one draft pick, Caitlin Clark. Her presence on the team has resulted in higher media coverage, increased season ticket sales and merchandise, and the upper balcony seating being opened for home games in recent memory. All of this excitement has created a new interest in the team that hopes to translate to packed fans at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The home of the Fever was built in 1999 and is also home to the NBA Indiana Pacers. The arena just completed a three-phase $360 renovation plan that has transformed it to today’s standards. The building seats 18,165, and all of these seats will be available for Fever games during the summer season. The Fever arrived in town in 2000 and has qualified for the playoffs 13 times in its first 17 seasons. It included a championship in 2012 during the Tamika Cathigs era. However, the team has fallen on hard times with seven straight losing seasons, including a 5-31 season in 2022. With the arrival of Clark, along with previous number-one pick Aliyah Boston, the Fever hopes to begin a new era of basketball in Indiana and hang another championship banner to the Gainbridge rafters. With the city having Caitlin Fever, attending a game this year will be much different than in years past. Food & Beverage 4 The food and beverage options have been updated at the fieldhouse and include new and familiar options. The Warehouse District BBQ and Three Point Taqueria are two options that offer fans something different at the game. The Indiana Kitchen offers lemon pepper and honey glazed chicken wings, short rib poutine, and maple bourbon sticks.  If you are looking for familiar options, then Fieldhouse Favorites has you covered. Hot dogs, nachos, chicken tenders, pizza, burgers, pretzels, and Pepsi products are available. A value menu offers $4 hot dogs, $3 popcorn, and $8 PBR and Coors Banquet cans. A unique sweet treat is served at the Steak 'n Shake Milkshake Bar, which offers cotton candy, mega M&M, and crazy chocolate brownie flavors.  The Fast Break Market sells grab-and-go beverages and snacks. A nacho cart offers an array of toppings, and Ben's Pretzels has long lines for freshly made baked pretzels. The Crossroads Eats sells gourmet hot dogs. The Yuengling Flight Deck and the Jim Beam Bar offer beers, wine, and cocktails. It also has various TV screens and views of the playing court. Atmosphere 4 What a difference a season makes. A Fever game feels more aligned to an Indiana Pacers game. A variety of fans walk throughout the concourse and the seating bowl with support for their WNBA team. The Gainbridge Fieldhouse is ideal to accommodate the newfound fan base that has made their way downtown. Before the game, fans line up in the Bicentennial Unity Plaza, which offers a basketball court for kids to play on, along with a curved sculpture, which features a screen for images and graphics. The atrium in the main lobby offers large windows, allowing natural lighting to fill up the area, and features banners of current players and a large roundel chandelier overlooking the half-circular staircase leading up to the main concourse. The concourse has been revamped and features basketball-theme murals that are both popping with collar and creativity, along with honoring past greats who have suited up for the Fever, Pacers, and high school teams of the state.  The new art is a variety of murals, and artwork varies in designs and colors. The fieldhouse includes a massive $4.3 million 20-foot by 52.5 feet video scoreboard, including underbelly panels for improving sightlines for fans sitting next to the court. It almost feels like it's floating when viewing it from the main concourse. There are also plenty of open views of the court from the concourse. Team banners of retired jerseys, league titles, and division championships hang from the rafters on each side. The Fever gift shop has an array of team merchandise but is a little cramped. However, a couple of stands and one station can personalize a jersey with your name on it on the main concourse. Neighborhood 5 The fieldhouse is in the heart of downtown Indianapolis and closer to retail and restaurants than   Lucas Oil Stadium  down the street. The only problem is choosing a place to grab a drink or eat before or after the game. Located near the arena is the local favorite Kilroy’s Bar and Grill offers 40 flat-screen televisions, shuffleboard, video games, and their famous pepperoni stuffed breadsticks.  Another fan favorite, Brother’s Bar & Grill, is a short walk and is another popular destination before or after the game. A few more favorite spots after the game that are near the arena are District Tap, Mr. Tequila Street Cantina, and Pier 48 Fish House & Oyster Bar. It is recommending visiting the neighborhoods of Mass Ave. and Fountain Square. The two areas offer live music, craft beer, fine dining, and a little shopping at local retail shops.  Mass Ave. is also home to the Bottlework District, the city's newest attraction. The Garage houses multiple food and drink vendors, offering an array of culinary treasures. Downtown Indy is also safe, clean, and easy to get around by car, foot, or mass transit. Local museums include The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Indiana State Museum, and the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. The riverwalk canal is a nice spot for a stroll on a warm spring day. Fans 4 To say the fans have responded to Clark’s arrival would be an understatement. Last season, the team averaged 4,000 plus fans, and so far this season lead the league with an average of 16,571 per game. The Fever has opened up the balcony seats, that had been draped off in recent seasons. It has created a mixture of die-hard Fever fans along with new and bandwagon fans. The fanbase feels more like a Pacers game, and attendance is more of a priority than a curiosity. Access 4 The arena is easily accessible from the major interstates of 70, 65, and 465, with parking abundant downtown. After the game, exiting these facilities takes a little know-how of the one-way streets of Indianapolis, but signs and police help direct customers to their desired route back home. Traffic moves smoothly during this time as well.  Return on Investment 5 Depending on the night and opponent, Fever tickets are as low as $2 on   ticket sites such as TickPick.  Imagine paying $2 for a professional sporting event these days. Tickets for games against the New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, and Chicago Sky (Angel’s Reese’s team) will cost upwards of $45-$57. However, check out the dates and times because tickets sell for under $15. Prices inside the venue are typical of many NBA arenas, and craft beer will cost $10 a can, much less than what we saw in Seattle last year. The cost to park across the street is $25, but meter parking is available at $1.75 an hour until 11 PM (Sundays and Holidays are free), and there are cheaper parking lot options around the arena for as low as $10. Extras 4 Bicentennial Unity Plaza is outside the building. According to its website, it is the focal point for gatherings, offering a space where all residents and visitors will be greeted by captivating landscapes & art installations and, of course, a basketball court for some friendly competition. The team offers a Game Night Special that consists of a specialty-made t-shirt on sale for $18. They sell out fast, and the team store is usually packed with fans in line to purchase one. The Caitlin Clark effect can be seen all over the concourse. Fans wear her number 22 with pride, and many others bring in banners and signs to show support for the league’s newest star. Not as strong as it has been in the past, the fieldhouse still boasts an impressive collection of memorabilia showcasing the game of basketball in the state. There is an array of items from former professional clubs from the city, local high schools, and the major universities and colleges in the state. ----- Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter   @ballparkhunter   and his   YouTube channel .  Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

The gang from Stadium Journey's Obstructed views is back, and they are venturing into NEW territory. Is there a better way to take the first venture in the WNBA than to examine the phenomenon that is the Indiana Fever? Join Paul and Dave and special guest Marc Viquez as they examine the hottest thing basketball has seen in a long time. You can find Stadium Journey's review of Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Indiana Fever game day experience here.

Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.43 Shell Energy Stadium 2200 Texas Ave Houston, TX 77002 Houston Dash website Shell Energy Stadium Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 22,039 State-of-the-Art Home in Space City Note: The stadium name changed from BBVA Compass Stadium to Shell Energy Stadium in Jan, 2023. In 2013 the Houston Dynamo welcomed the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and its newest franchise, the Houston Dash, to BBVA Compass Stadium. The team ushered in a new era of professional sports not just in Space City, but in the State of Texas. The Dash began playing the following season and have steadily built a strong and passionate fan base ever since. With its vast and diverse population, Houston has proven to be the perfect breeding ground for the game of soccer. While the women’s game lags a little behind, judging by the success the Dash have had in attracting fans it is only a matter of time before women’s soccer here takes that next step in popularity; the fact that they will be able to accomplish it from the friendly confines of the state-of-the-art BBVA Compass Stadium is just icing on the metaphorical cake. Food & Beverage 2 When the Dash play at BBVA Compass Stadium, one of the first things you’ll notice is that many of the facilities normally open during Dynamo games are not available; this is especially noticeable in terms of concessions. Many of the food and beverage kiosks are closed during Dash games, which limits you in terms of selection. What there is though should be enough to satisfy the hunger of anyone who attends; all the open concession stands are located on the main concourse level. If you’re looking for traditional stadium fare, right off the bat you can hit up Diesel’s Corner where hot dogs ($3), nachos ($4), popcorn, and candy are all on the menu. Or, there is also a Papa John’s Pizza kiosk that serves pizza by the slice. Another main draw in terms of concessions is the Heineken Red Star bar at the north end of the stadium; this is a full-service bar that, as can be imagined, is quite popular throughout matches. Atmosphere 2 You cannot help but notice that many of the amenities, including the second deck of the stadium, are closed during Dash games. This unfortunately hurts the overall atmosphere of games, as even a large crowd tends to feel overwhelmed by the emptiness of the stadium. That being said, the Dash do a good job filling the lower section and encouraging fans to partake in all of the tropes and trappings of the sport of soccer. You’ll see countless orange soccer scarves, there will be chanting throughout the match, and there is a palpable buzz emanating from the end zone where the fan clubs sit. Neighborhood 4 BBVA Compass Stadium is located in the middle of downtown Houston, within eyesight/walking distance of Minute Maid Park , so if you plan your visit on the right weekend you might be able to catch an Astros game as well. This is also a really vibrant area of the city, and is quite frankly a great place to spend time before and after Dash games. As an example, directly catty corner to the main entrance of BBVA Compass Stadium is one of the most popular barbecue restaurants in the city, Texas Bar-B-Que House . This place fills up fast on game nights, so you might have to wait to get your brisket or your ribs. Also, directly behind the stadium there are a couple of spots that are just flat out cool, for lack of a better word. The Truck Yard is an awesome outdoor food park, complete with live music, a beer garden, and even a Ferris wheel – it has to be seen to be believed. For those of the 21 and over crowd, make sure you stop by 8th Wonder Brewery . With a wide selection of award-winning craft beers and a healthy dose of Houston-centric nostalgia (the brewery is named for the fabled Astrodome), this is a great spot to hang out before or after Dash games. Fans 2 The Dash currently average a shade over 3,800 fans per game this season, which has them ranked near the bottom of the NWSL in terms of attendance. However, that number is still pretty impressive when stacked against other minor league sports, and the fans that do come out to Dash games come out fully loaded! There is orange everywhere in the stands and in the fan club section, and there is also a drum corps that beats out tunes the entire game. Personally, I think one of the best reasons to be hopeful about the future success of the team is the sheer volume of young fans in the stands. Young boys and girls attend Dash games in abundance, and there is no better way to grow a fan base and a sport than to get fans interested while they’re young; I believe the Dash get this. Access 3 BBVA Compass Stadium is located right in the heart of Houston’s downtown. Because of this, it is both extremely easy and at times highly frustrating to get to Dash games. Houston traffic is infamous; you will encounter bumper-to-bumper stoppage on the city’s freeways pretty much 24 hours a day. The stadium is located almost directly off Highway 69, and there is ample parking all around the stadium. The cost for said parking ranges anywhere from $5 to $25, depending on how far you want to walk. But for those who want to skip the traffic, METRORail Houston has a stop right in front of BBVA Compass Stadium. Return on Investment 3 Individual tickets for Houston Dash games are a real bargain at just $15 per person. There are also BOGO offers for select games, and kids get in free games during the month of August. Again, I think this is a great way to build a fan base, especially for the young ones. Concessions prices are pretty much on average with similar sports at this level. You won’t break the bank trying to take the family to Dash games, especially if you don’t mind heading toward the $5 parking. In addition, the NWSL features some of the top players in the sport, and they all come through Houston at one time or another. Extras 1 There isn’t much offered up in the way of extras during Dash games – aside from the fan clubs, which are fun to watch, the Dash don’t do much else. They do share the same mascot with the Dynamo , however; a human-sized fox named Diesel who patrols the stands during Dash games and makes for a great photo opp for kids. Final Thoughts If you’ve ever gotten caught up watching the Women’s World Cup since its inaugural year in 1991, attending a Dash game is something you should experience. A vast majority of the top stars from the U.S. Women’s National Team have found a spot on one of the rosters of the NWSL, which means they play at least once a season in Houston. For fans of the game, attending a matchup at BBVA Compass Stadium should be something you make a point of experiencing at least once.

Photos by Andrew Kulyk and Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29 Huntington Center 500 Jefferson Ave Toledo, OH 43604 Toledo Walleye website Huntington Center website Year Opened: 2009 Capacity: 7,389 Holy Toledo – Hockey Is Really A Thing Here As far as hockey hotbeds are concerned, Toledo, Ohio might be one destination that is easy to overlook. But this city has a long and rich minor league hockey history that spans almost from the end of World War II. It all started with the opening of the Toledo Sports Arena along the shores of the Maumee River directly across from downtown Toledo. The Toledo Mercurys made an immediate splash in the International Hockey League, winning the Turner Cup in just their second year of existence. They would enjoy success on the ice throughout the 50s before sliding and folding after the 1961-62 season. The team would return to the IHL after one season, under a variety of nicknames with different ownership groups… the Blade, the Golddiggers, then becoming the Toledo Storm when the team joined the East Coast Hockey League in 1991-92. They would last until 2007, when the old arena was demolished and the team suspended operations. They returned in 2009 as the Toledo Walleye. And a new arena, the gleaming $105-million Huntington Center smack dab in the middle of downtown Toledo. The curtain was raised on a new era for hockey in Toledo. The Huntington Center has all the amenities of a larger peer NHL facility – private suites and a well appointed club level, spacious concourses, state of the art electronics, and merchandise stores with ample spaces. Food & Beverage 5 Using a nautical “Walleye” theme, the food stations here are exemplary, and offer a huge variety of concession fare at decent prices. “Bait Shacks” offer the standard hot dogs, bratwursts, popcorn, nachos and pretzels. The “Swamp Dog Grill” has tacos, mac and cheese, tater tots served poutine style, the local specialty Coney Fried Bologna Sandwich. The “Riverside Grill” offers Stanley’s Kielbasa, a local delicacy, along with chili dogs and angus burgers. The “Frogtown Burger Company” offers signature burgers and chicken sandwiches served gourmet style. Add a good selection of local craft brews and frozen drinks and nobody goes home hungry or thirsty. Atmosphere 4 These people take their hockey seriously, even at the ECHL level. Their parent club are the Detroit Red Wings, right up I-75, and there is a pretty good representation of Red Wings gear spotted in the stands and concourses. The building can be pretty loud and boisterous, aided with the antics of their two beloved mascots, Cat Trick and Spike. The Walleye front office is partnered with the AAA baseball Toledo Mud Hens, and that brings the baseball version of entertainment diversions to the hockey venue, and they present it all very well here. Neighborhood 3 Like many mid-sized northeast cities, Toledo has gone through the depths of despair and disinvestment, and now is roaring back, thanks in small part to this arena and the neighboring Fifth Third Field baseball venue just two blocks away. Old buildings are being rehabbed into office space and trendy apartments, shopping and restaurants are coming back, albeit slowly, and there is a can do spirit among the locals. Check back in a couple years, the 3 star score will most likely be moved upward. There are a couple of favorite eateries close by worth mentioning – The Blarney Irish Pub is recognized as one of downtown’s best destination spots for beer and food with an Irish flair; Ye Olde Cock ‘N Bull Tavern features sports on the screens and live music. On the other side of downtown is the Maumee Bay Brew Pub in the reconstituted Oliver House, offering a number of restaurant venues on several levels and an amazing selection of local beer. The Toledo Museum of Art, Imagination Station science museum and the local Farmers Market are other entertainment venues worth checking out. Fans 5 When the new arena opened in 2009, the local fan base turned out in droves, generating over 100 straight sellouts at one point. They continue to support the team in huge numbers, earning the team a top spot in the annual ECHL attendance rankings. It would not be farfetched to imagine this program and this venue taking a berth in the American Hockey League some day. The entire scene here is that good. Access 5 Coming into downtown Toledo one can find directional signage everywhere taking you right to the Huntington Center. There are ample surface lots and ramps in just about every direction from the arena, with costs generally running $5-$10. Street meters aren’t monitored on Sundays or evenings, so snag a spot on the street if one is available. The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) offers bus service with routes and stops right at Huntington Center. Return on Investment 4 Ticket prices run $26 for club level or “in the swamp” seats rink side and $17 for all other seats in the main level. Add to this very reasonable concession and beer prices, parking costs which won’t break the bank, and also merchandise at attractive price points. It all makes for an economical game night experience. Extras 4 The team is so focused on promotions and fun nights to bring fans into the arena, including all sorts of things for the kids, and to keep them entertained. Just a perusal of the promotional schedule on the team website reveals everything from Star Wars Night to a pregame pizza party to Harry Potter Night to an ethnic festival. Clearly the promotions front office team at the Mud Hens has their hands in this. For all this we award 3 bonus points, and offer a template to other minor league teams looking for ways to put fannies into the seats. One point is given for the outstanding presentation of Toledo hockey history. The championship banners and retired numbers, spanning seven decades and across a coupe leagues are nicely organized and hang from the rafters with pride and distinction. Final Thoughts When you come down to it, the ECHL is the third tier of North American hockey, following the NHL and AHL, yet it is amazing how the bar has been raised in terms of the quality and opulence of the arenas at this level, and how the franchises have done so much to up their game in terms of their contribution and footprint within their respective communities. Hockey is doing just fine in Toledo. For a community that once was named as having the game’s ugliest jerseys (Toledo Storm), their graduation from a dusty yet classic old school hockey rink to a gleaming downtown destination is a true success story. Toledo and their Walleye are a must see visit for the hockey road trip enthusiast.

Photos by Stefano Romagnoli Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Stadio Luigi Ferraris Corso A. De Stefanis Genoa, Liguria 16139 Italy UC Sampdoria website Stadio Luigi Ferraris website Year Opened: 1911 Capacity: 36,599 The Blucerchiati The Unione Calcio Sampdoria was born on August 1, 1946 from the merger of two companies present in Genova from the late nineteenth century, the Andrea Doria and Sampierdarenese. Even the colors of the club’s jersey is a legacy of the previous two teams: from Andrea Doria comes blue with white strip, from Sampdierdarenese the red and black strip. Also on the chest of the Sampdoria player is the coat of arms of the city of Genova, the shield of San Giorgo. The blucerchiati , nickname of the Sampdoria players, play their home games at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium. The facility is located in the Marassi neighborhood. Opened in 1933, six years after the start of work, the Ferraris stands on the site where the Genoa CFC played their home games dating back to 1911. Before 1933 the stadium was called Stadio Comunale di Via del Piano and the appearance was very different from what we see today. The new stands in reinforced concrete replaced wooden ones. Next came the northern tier (home of Genoa fans), the southern tier (home of Sampdoria fans) and finally, in 1947 the distinct sector. The facility is named after Luigi Ferraris, Genoa CFC player and captain, who died during the First World War. Between 1987 and 1989, the Ferraris was renovated to host the 1990 FIFA World Cup. The project of the new Ferraris bears the signature of the architect Vittorio Gregotti (who had already worked on the renovation of the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona). The stadium has hosted two FIFA World Cup (1934 and 1990). The Italian national football team has played here 27 times, the first on December 22, 1912. Performances by noted musical artists include Bruce Springsteen, Frank Zappa and Lou Reed. Food & Beverage 3 On the ground floor, under the Tribuna Centrale, there is a bar. You can buy drinks, even beer, but they are served in a paper cup. Savory or sweet snacks, including hot dogs are also available. In the stadium there are other restaurant points: three for each tier (Nord and Sud), four in the Distinti sector, four in the Tribuna sectore. All are open for the big match, while only three remain open for games with less appeal. Atmosphere 5 Football in Italy arrived with the ships of the English merchants in the late nineteenth century. It is for this reason that the Luigi Ferraris is the oldest stadium in Italy still in use, and one that most resembles the British facilities. Genova is a city of trade and it was not uncommon in the early twentieth century to see British sailors play football not far from ships docked in the harbor. The Ferraris stadium is rectangular and fully covered. At the four corners rise towers of color rosso Pompei , within them there are stairs to reach the various sections. The playing field, close to various sections and separated from them by a transparent barrier, is illuminated by the lights housed in the cover and over the towers. There are two big screens; one between the Gradinata Nord and the Distinti, the other between the Tribuna Centrale and the Gradinata Sud. The entrance to the pitch is from the side of Distinti. Dressing and press room are located on the opposite side of the Tribuna Centrale. Neighbourhood 3 Genova is a city between the sea and the mountains. Marassi, is the neighborhood and Luigi Ferraris is often mistakenly referred to by the neighborhood. Around the stadium there are numerous restaurants, not only Italian, and in the day of the match there are plenty of peddlers of sandwiches. Tip: Ask for pesto at any restaurant pasta. Pesto is a special sauce that is made in Genova with basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, garlic, and sea salt. Fans 5 The most vocal supporters of Sampdoria follow home games from the Gradinata Sud. The reading of blucerchiata formation is accompanied by choirs (the fans repeat the surname of their heroes) and that continues throughout the match. During the match the Gradinata Sud, but also the Distinti sector, are a great spot blucerchiata , with mesh, scarves, and flags that recall the colors of the Ligurian team. Obviously, the main rivalry is the one with their cousins in Genoa. The matches between UC Sampdoria and Genoa CFC are called “derby della Lanterna”. The visiting fans find accommodation in the booth placed between the Tribuna Centrale and the Gradinata Nord. Perhaps this is the area from which the view is worse, especially if the action takes place on the opposite side of the pitch. Access 3 The Marassi neighborhood and Ferraris stadium are easily reached. Nearby there are two railway stations and highway exits (the highway passes through the city of Genoa). The city is also home to one of the main Italian and European ports, and has an international airport. Return on Investment 5 On the UC Sampdoria website you can find all the information to buy a ticket and see a home match of the Blucerchiati. Ticket prices vary from section to section. Extras 3 The Luigi Ferraris is, without doubt, one of the most fascinating stadiums in Italy. There is only one flaw. Since its last renovation, it has been more than 20 years and the time begins to be felt with some minor inconveniences. Since July 2016, the facility has been owned by the Luigi Ferraris SRL, a company founded by UC Sampdoria and Genoa CFC, which is responsible for managing the stadium. The Luigi Ferraris SRL is working on a facility renovation project. The future of the Ferraris might be without barriers between the pitch and the stands, the benches where the players stay would be between the Tribuna Centrale audience (similar to the Juventus Stadium model), with stages for VIPs and companies and many other improvements. There is also an aquarium in the city, the largest in Italy and the second in Europe for size. It is not far from the stadium by taxi, bus or car, you can reach in about ten minutes and visit it is really worth it.

Photo by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey The NFL season is right around the corner and fan interest is at an all-time high. Fans have been scanning the schedule for weeks now planning out how they will spend their Sundays (and some Mondays and Thursdays too) in the fall. With the NFL’s popularity at unprecedented levels, the reality of attending games – especially for whole families of fans – is all dependent on cost. Game tickets, parking, concessions, and souvenirs are all at premium levels across the NFL. So with that in mind, which team offers the most proverbial bang for a fan’s buck? Which team will allow you to cheer loudly from the stands without busting your wallet? Research done by the sports data and technology site, Action Network , has answered the question of which NFL team is the most and least affordable for the 2024-2025 season. After factoring in the cost for a family of four to attend a regular season game, taking into consideration tickets, concessions, and parking, the most affordable team is the Arizona Cardinals  at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona with an overall cost of $452.46; they are also the only team in the league with an average ticket cost under $100 each. Image courtesy of Action Network On the opposite end of the spectrum, the five-time Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers  at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California are the most expensive team in the NFL for $750.65 – this division rival of the Cardinals  was also found to be the most expensive option for purchasing a beer, for $12 each. Image courtesy of Action Network The most affordable concession options in the league were found at Atlanta Falcons  games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Even though their ticket costs didn’t rank in the top 10 most affordable at $446.16, the Falcons were found to have the cheapest beer, soft drinks, and food in the NFL. In a similar vein, the Las Vegas Raiders   at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, were the second-most expensive team to see overall and also had the most expensive ticket in the league at $675.32 on average for four tickets. However, the Silver and Black also have the second-lowest food and soft drink costs in the NFL. The second most affordable team in the NFL was the Cincinnati Bengals  at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, with an average cost totaling $474.42, while the Miami Dolphins   at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida were the most affordable playoff team from the 2023-24 season at $480.80. The Detroit Lions  at Ford Field in Detroit are the most affordable “best” team fans can see, with the cost to see the NFC title runner-up coming in at an average of $496.18. Lastly, there is the paradox of the New York Giants  and New York Jets  at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The teams from the Big Apple share the stadium, yet the Jets are the 11th most affordable team for fans, while the Giants are the 13th most expensive. Concession prices are the same for both teams, but tickets and parking to see the Giants cost $55 more – perhaps it is all really about success on the field? ---- Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 .

Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29 Sioux Falls Stadium 1001 NW Avenue Service Rd Sioux Falls, SD 57104 Sioux Falls Canaries website Sioux Falls Stadium website Year Opened: 1941 Capacity: 5,462 Welcome to the Birdcage Baseball in Sioux Falls predates South Dakota’s statehood; the city fielded its first professional teams in the mid-1880s, including the Hub City Nine and the Yellow Kids. The Yellow Kids earned the nickname Canaries for their bright yellow uniforms, a name that would become tied to Sioux Falls baseball for decades. The modern professional era began in 1902, when the first official Canaries took the field at “The Oval” in the Iowa-South Dakota League. That team and league lasted just two seasons, but the name endured. In the 1920s, the city saw another run of professional baseball with the Soos, who also played under the Canaries moniker in the Dakota League, and later the Tri-State League. Sioux Falls also hosted the collegiate summer Packers of the Basin League, where a young, future Hall of Famer named Don Sutton spent the summer of 1964. That same year, Sioux Falls Stadium opened its doors and has since hosted various incarnations of the Canaries – the team in its current form started play at Sioux Falls Stadium in 1993, first as members of the independent Northern League until 2005, after which they joined the American Association, another independent baseball league, the following year. Since that time the Canaries have claimed their lone American Association championship, in 2008.   Food & Beverage   3 The concessions menu at Sioux Falls Stadium covers just about everything that would be expected at the ballpark. Hot dogs, nachos, and pizza are joined by brats, burgers, fries, cheese curds, walking tacos, and chicken fingers. A toppings bar adds the ability to personalize burgers and dogs, while snacks are simple but solid, including flavored popcorn, candy, chips, and plenty of ice cream treats for hot summer nights. On the drink side there are Coke products, Powerade, Body Armor, lemonade, and bottled water. A full bar sits under the stands behind home plate, and the canned selection leans heavily on domestic light beer with Pacifico, Corona, and Modelo mixed in. Seltzers and canned cocktails like Cayman Jack margaritas, High Noon, and Carbliss vodka round things out. What is noticeably absent is much by the way of local craft beers, which feels like a bit of a disappointment. Overall, concessions are varied enough at Sioux Falls Stadium to satisfy a ballpark craving, but there isn’t much that makes it stand out as uniquely Sioux Falls.   Atmosphere   3 Fans walking into Sioux Falls Stadium are greeted by a large sign over the entryway that reads “Welcome to the Birdcage”, and the Canaries branding continues once you are inside the stadium via a giant yellow Adirondack chair featuring the team logo, as well as a tall, white, ornate clock standing just inside the front gates, along the main concourse. Inside, a sea of blue seats nicely compliments nicely the Canaries yellow and blue color scheme. The seating bowl is noticeably separate from the press box and suites, added later as an upgrade, stretching from behind home plate up the first base side; this addition gives the ballpark a bit of a disjointed feel. Along the third base line, a small grassy patch serves as a playground of sorts, usually filled with kids running around. The main scoreboard, a large video board in right-center field, provides a live game feed, player stats, and pitch details like speed and type. In addition, a smaller, more limited scoreboard sitting on the retaining wall behind third base provides only the basics, such as score, inning, and count. A unique twist is the strikeout zip line where each K recorded by a Canaries pitcher gets clipped to a line, and is then sent sliding down, a quirky feature you don’t see elsewhere. The playing surface is its own unique feature, a sports turf infield consisting of both “grass” and “dirt” paired with a natural-grass outfield. It is an unusual combination, though not unheard of – in the 1980s and 1990s the Memphis Chicks used a similar hybrid setup, with an Astroturf infield and grass outfield. The game presentation is what you’d expect at this level: ad reads, fan cams, and mid-inning contests. The PA announcer adds some charm with a steady stream of dad jokes, while nearly every pitch is followed by a music clip or sound effect. It’s not the nonstop barrage of breaking glass or quacking ducks heard at some parks, but there are stretches when letting the game stand on its own might be a bit of a relief.   Neighborhood   3 Sioux Falls Stadium is part of a larger sports and entertainment complex; next door is Howard Wood Field, once home to baseball in Sioux Falls and now used for football and track. The Denny Sanford Premier Center and the Sioux Falls Convention Center also share the grounds, making the area a hub for local events. For visiting fans, the Sheraton Sioux Falls and Ramada by Wyndham sit right next to the sports complex, both within easy walking distance of the ballpark. Downtown Sioux Falls is only a five-minute drive away, while Big Sioux River runs right through the center of the city; its namesake Falls Park is one of the area’s most popular attractions. The park’s series of cascading falls let visitors walk right up to the edge for close views. Sioux Falls is also home to the Great Plains Zoo and the Butterfly House and Aquarium, giving families plenty to do beyond baseball. Downtown restaurants cover a wide range of tastes, from Roots of Brazil and Antigua Taco House to Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe. Another option, Falls Overlook Cafe, offers one of the most scenic settings, serving sandwiches, flatbread, burgers, and nachos, with views of the falls along Big Sioux River. Chislic, a southeastern South Dakota favorite made of cubed lamb seasoned with garlic salt and fried to a medium-rare finish, is a local must-try, with many pointing to Red Rock Bar & Grill as serving the best around. For breakfast, the Phillips Avenue Diner channels 1950s vibes and the feel of a classic greasy spoon.   Fans   3 Fan involvement at The Birdcage has its moments, though it is not overwhelming. One fan in particular though seems to take it upon himself to rally the stands when the pitcher gets two strikes, urging everyone to clap and shout in anticipation of a strikeout. It is a fun spark, but it doesn’t always spread much beyond a section or two. On average, Sioux Falls ranks near the bottom of the American Association in attendance, drawing only about 1,200 fans per game. The fans who are there are engaged enough to provide some atmosphere, but not quite enough to turn The Birdcage into a true home-field advantage for the Canaries.   Access   4 Sioux Falls Stadium sits in a convenient spot, surrounded by three major highways: I-29 to the west, I-90 to the north, and the I-229 bypass to the east. Getting there is rather simple, and plenty of parking surrounds the ballpark. The most direct entry point is near the third base side, where the ticket office and main gate sit just steps from the parking lot. Inside the facility, the main concourse runs behind the grandstand. It is wide and easy to navigate, though it does not offer views of the field. The field level concourse extends about three-quarters of the way down each foul line, but the park is not fully circumnavigable. Stairs on each end of the grandstand lead back down to either end of the plaza area behind the seating bowl, and the only outfield access is a small outcrop in right field that is part of a limited access group seating area.   Return on Investment   4 General admission tickets run just over $16, which feels a little steep, but the free parking helps balance it out. Concession prices are slightly high as well, though they fall in line with what most stadiums charge nowadays.   Extras   3 A display on the concourse chronicles the history of baseball in Sioux Falls, as well as explains the origins of the Canaries name. Sioux Falls Stadium also honors professional baseball scouts, with the Topps-sponsored Professional Baseball Scouts Hall of Fame located along the third base side of the concourse. The Canaries also have two mascots, the older Cagey and the youthful Peep, who entertain fans throughout the game.   Final Thoughts Sioux Falls Stadium, a.k.a. The Birdcage, captures much of what is great about baseball in small cities: a mix of history, quirkiness, and community spirit. The Canaries identity ties the present to more than a century of local baseball tradition, while touches like the strikeout zip line, dual mascots, and an interactive PA announcer are a bit of a break from the traditional stadium experience. While there are blemishes, The Birdcage offers the type of atmosphere that can only be found in places where the game is woven into the community’s history, much as it is in Sioux Falls.

Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57 E.S. Fox Pad @ Gale Centre 5152 Thorold Stone Road Niagara Falls, ON L2E 0A2 Niagara Falls Canucks website Gale Centre website Year Opened : 2010 Capacity: 2,170 The Canucks of Ontario The Niagara Falls Canucks entered the OJHL in 2023 in what was a classic, yet not common way.  Founded in 1971, the Canucks began their existence as a Junior B team in the Niagara District Junior B Hockey League.  Not to be confused with the Vancouver Canucks  of the NHL, the Niagara Falls Canucks headed to the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League after the folding of the NDJHL.  In 2007 a reorganization of Junior Hockey in Ontario saw the GHJHL merge with two other leagues to form the current Junior B league, the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.  The entry of the Canucks to the Junior A, Ontario Junior Hockey League came in 2023 when the team advanced with the Leamington Flyers.  The 2025-26 season is the third season the Canucks are members of the OJHL.  The Canucks are owned by former NHL goaltender and Niagara Falls native Frank Pietrangelo, who also acts as the Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations.  Pietrangelo is among the Canucks alumni, which also includes Gilbert Dionne and Kevin Dallman. For the majority of their existence, the Canucks played in the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena.  The Memorial Arena was also home to the OHL’s Niagara Falls Flyers and Niagara Falls Thunder.  In 2011, the Canucks moved to the brand new, multi-ice surface Gale Centre.  Named after Bob Gale, a former Niagara Falls Police Officer, member of the Police Board and many other Municipal Boards, the Gale Centre is the hub for all levels of hockey in the city.  The Canucks play in the spectator rink, sponsored by E.S. Fox, the founder of Fox Limited, a major Canadian, multi-trade contractor and fabricator. Food & Beverage 3 The E.S. Fox Pad has two concession stands, one on the upper level and one at ice level.  There is also a concession in the atrium of the Gale Centre.  Run by Break-A-Way Niagara, the concession options include pizza, burgers, hot dogs, fries, sausage, poutine, onion rings, popcorn, nachos and other snacks.  Fountain Coca-Cola products are available for soft drinks as well as water, coffee, tea and Biosteel.  Gale Centre does offer alcoholic beverages, which can be brought into the seating area.  There is a small selection of macro brews as well as some hard seltzers. Atmosphere 4 The Gale Centre has a fairly bland, light coloured exterior that is not unattractive.  The main entry is from the north.  There are two main entry points from the north side, one which leads to the box office and E.S. Fox Pad for commercial hockey games on the northeast side and another for the main Gale Centre atrium from the northwest side.  To the northeast of the building is a large, ironworks statue of a hockey player, which is a unique feature. Although entry to the Canucks game is from the Box Office entry, a walk through the Gale Centre atrium is worth a few minutes, even though fans will have to head back outside to get to the box office after. The atrium features entry to the other three ice pads and is large and brightly lit.  Some items of note include the three framed, autographed Toronto Maple Leafs jerseys and accompanying photos signifying the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp which has been held at the Gale Centre for a number of years.  There is also a Ron McLean autographed, Hometown Hockey framed jersey from when Niagara Falls was featured on the show.  A trophy case houses pictures and sticks from the classic Niagara Falls Flyers teams of the seventies.  Also worth a look is the Niagara Falls Sports Wall of Fame, which includes enshrined members Frank Pietrangelo, Steve Ludzik, Jarrod Skalde and former Toronto Raptors Head Coach and Canadian National Basketball team member and coach, Jay Triano.  A number of local teams are also enshrined on the opposite side of the atrium. Entry to the Niagara Falls Canucks game must be done through the exterior Box Office doors.  After ascending the stairs to the E.S. Fox Pad fans are brought into the main arena and seating bowl.  The ice surface is east-west oriented with a horseshoe seating bowl configuration.  A running track surrounds the seating bowl and doubles as standing room.  The west side of the rink is open and has a high-top seating area near the concession stand.  Above centre ice is a low profile, simple, hockey score clock and the best spot to get a picture of the centre ice logo is from the north.  At the east end of the arena are a huge number of championship banners from the Canucks’ Junior B days, with the 1996 and 1998 Sutherland Cup Championship banners in the centre of the bunch.  The Canucks have 12 League Championships to boast of.  The press box on the south side is named after Steve Ludzik.  To the right of the press box are banners honouring the 1965 and 1968 Memorial Cups won by the Niagara Falls Flyers.  The seating bowl consists of 10 rows of modern, plastic arena seats.  A unique feature of the arena are the two rows of pink seats, which split the blue ones. The gameday production at a Canucks game is fairly simple.  The speaker system in the arena is solid and there are a ton of acoustic panels that hang from the low profile ceiling, which must help with the acoustics of the arena.  Announcements are clear and easy to understand.  Promotions are simple and include lucky programs, chuck-a-puck and 50/50 draw.  The mascot, Justin Beaver, takes part in some ceremonies and the t-shirt toss.  The game also begins with minor hockey players skating the flags on the ice. Neighbourhood 4 Gale Centre is located in the Clifton neighbourhood of Niagara Falls, which is north of the tourist area.  There are a number of spots for pre or post game food and drink that are a very short drive away.  Some options include Hi-Lite Restaurant, Taps Brewhouse, Basell’s and Fork You.  There are plenty more options closer to the Horseshoe Falls in the main tourist area.  The Gale Centre is also home of the Junior C Niagara RiverHawks.  There are also a number of other hockey options in the Niagara Region with the Niagara IceDogs  of the OHL the most prolific.  As far as other tourist options, Niagara Falls is one of the top tourist destinations in the country.  A trip to Niagara Falls without taking a peak at the famous Horseshoe Falls is a waste.  Great Wolf Lodge is minutes from the Gale Centre and Clifton Hill is an interesting spot to stop.  There are, of course, a number of other tourist options that have to do with The Falls themselves including the Maid of The Mist and Journey Behind the Falls.  The Niagara Region is also famous for various wineries, many of which offer tours.  For fans wishing to stay in the area, there are a ton of options.  The Super 8 and Town Place Marriott are the closest to Gale Centre.  Niagara Falls is also well known for B&Bs. Fans 3 Assessing fans in the OJHL can be difficult as finding attendance statistics can be challenging.  In the 2024-25 season, the Niagara Falls Canucks averaged 340 fans per game.  The game that was reviewed was the home opener for the 2025-26 season, which welcomed over 300 fans.  The Canucks probably rank in the 2nd tier in the OJHL for attendance, below the top teams, but still in the top third.  Fans in attendance are pretty laid back and not over the top or very loud.   Access 4 The Gale Centre is located in the Clifton neighbourhood of Niagara Falls.  It is north of the main tourist area, so tourist traffic should not be an issue.  It is located 1 km north of Highway 420 and 3.5 km east of the Queen Elizabeth Way, the main arteries into the city.  Although fans will not have to traverse through the city, traffic on the QEW can be a real issue, especially earlier in the season.  Fans coming from the United States will need to think about which border crossing to use.  Although the Rainbow Bridge is the closest and crosses at Niagara Falls, it is often the slowest.  Crossing at Lewiston, New York or Buffalo are better options. There is plenty of parking at Gale Centre.  For fans wishing to take public transit, there are bus stops west of Gale Centre, on Stanley Avenue.  Fans should consult the Niagara Transit website for fares, schedules and maps.  The Via Rail and GO Transit stations are also just minutes from Gale Centre. Entry into Gale Centre can be a bit confusing.  Fans going to the Canucks game will have to enter through the Box Office doors and not the main Gale Centre entry.  Getting around the arena is not that difficult, although there is a staircase from the box office to the entry to the E.S. Fox Pad.  The washroom facilities are good for this facility. Return on Investment 4 Tickets for the Niagara Falls Canucks are purchased at the door with either card or cash.  Adult tickets are $15 with discounts for students and seniors.  Children five and under are free and Niagara Falls minor hockey players with their jerseys are also free.  Parking is free at Gale Centre and the concession prices are decent.  The on-ice product is solid and the Gale Centre is a comfortable facility.  Overall, the Canucks offer a good experience for a reasonable price. Extras 3 An extra mark for the Gale Centre hosting the annual OJHL Governor’s Showcase, a full league slate of games using all of the ice surfaces designed for scouts to have an easy mechanism to see the full slate of league talent. An extra mark for the Gale Centre hosting Toronto Maple Leafs  Training Camp for three years. An extra mark for the nod to the Niagara Falls Flyers of what is now the OHL, two-time Memorial Cup Champions. Final Thoughts Taking in a Niagara Falls Canucks game offers fans the opportunity to take in some solid Junior Hockey at a modern, comfortable facility in the Gale Centre, in one of the top tourist destinations in Canada.  It is well worth the trip to Niagara and Canuck country. Follow all of Dave’s sporting adventures on YouTube , Twitter , Threads  and Instagram @profan9.

If there was a case study in league failure, the Mountain States League might be the perfect example. What started as an 8-team league in April of 1954 dwindled to three clubs less than three months later. Teams disappeared without much notice, and clubs threw in the towel one after the other. ​The league was organized in 1948, during the post-war boom in minor league baseball, with six teams. Virgil Q. Wacks, an energetic and successful promoter, served as the loop’s president. It operated with minimal change for most of its first seven seasons, with only four teams folding. However, when the 1954 season began, three new clubs were added to challenge its stability. ​Wacks sought to expand to 10 teams in 1953 and aimed to compel Major League Baseball to pay for TV broadcasts in the league's territory. Attendance that year, however, fell to 764 fans per game, the lowest among 8-team circuits. However, there were cracks this year that should have been a harbinger of things to come for the league. To spark renewed interest, the league considered splitting the season into two halves, and clubs organized special promotional nights for teachers, farmers, and lawyers. “Cash and Carry Nights,” where one lucky fan could haul away as many nickels, quarters, and dimes as they could carry, became a hit, while “Jackpot Night” handed out a $1,000 bill to a fortunate attendee. Then there were the Knoxville Smokies, where owner Byron Kitchen hoped to have enough money to make it to opening day. The club was forced to play outside of town while a new municipal stadium was being constructed, saw low attendance figures, forfeited a game due to a lack of balls, and almost transferred operations to Hazard in May. However, Wacks was confident as the league prepared for its seventh season. “The fans will see the best baseball this season that has ever been produced in the Mountain States League.” ​The league announced 8 teams would start the season on March 24: the Morristown Red Sox, Newport Canners, Hazard Bombers, Maryville-Alcoa Twins, Middlesboro A’s, Harlan Smokies, Kingsport Cherokees, and the Oak Ridge Pioneers. Newport and Hazard had both rejoined the league together on March 15, 1954. ​Sports columnist Tom Anderson of the Knoxville Journal wrote that “it would be a tribute to Wacks if he makes it through the season.” However, not even Wacks could foresee what would happen; in an era where there were many examples of league instability, the Mountain States League set the standard. The Morristown Gazette Mail promoted Newport Canners as the visiting team for the home opener. ​The first red flag was the Bombers dropping out of the league around April 1, leading Wacks to scramble to find a new team in Lexington, which was well over 100 miles from the nearest club. There was no official wording on why Hazard dropped out so suddenly, but the team had left the league after its 1952 pennant due to being in considerable debt. Newport was set to play at the new Nease Stadium for free. Local businesses collected around $10,000 to ensure operations for the season. The Canners had played in the league from 1948 to 1950 before relocating to Norton, Virginia. ​The closest Newport came to playing was an ad in the Morristown Gazette Mail for the home opener at Sherwood Park on April 24. Around this time, reports emerged of shaky financial ground. If Newport couldn't play, Wacks said Hazard would be reinstated as the 8th club. It was later reported that Newport couldn’t raise enough money to fix up its ballpark or pay its players.  ​The Mountain States League became the only 7-team league in the country, with one team having to sit idle for the first two weeks of the season. It would affect the Morristown Red Sox, who lost $5,800 in 1953 and $25,000 during the first month of the current season. The Sox played only 7 home dates during their first three weeks, taking in $500, while paying out $3,000.​ With another year of running in the red, team president Fred Hartman withdrew his franchise on May 17. Morristown would eventually get another franchise the following month when our next team ran into financial troubles in their original market. Kingsport owners Sam Bray made national headlines on June 6 when he announced that he would give away his club, lock, stock, and barrel, plus $3,000 in cash, to anyone willing to operate the club for the rest of the year in town. The deal included team uniforms, equipment, team bus, players' contracts, concession stand stock, and being debt-free. ​The Maryville-Alcoa Twins entered the league in 1953 and played out of Hunt Field, 9 miles away from the Knoxville Smokies (Class B) brand-new $600,000 Municipal Stadium in 1954. The proximity to the Smokies hindered attendance; a May 12 game drew only 68 people to the stands. ​The Twins ceased operations on June 14 due to an $8,000 tax bill from the previous season, which required a $2,000 upfront payment to the federal government. The club then announced it would relocate to Morristown, but as quickly as the story made print, it was announced that the team was saved by its parent club, Cincinnati, and would temporarily remain at Hunt Field. After failing to secure additional funding, the Twins relocated to Morristown and renamed the Reds on June 20. Their stay was brief, lasting only 10 days. Cincinnati liked Morristown as a minor league city, but felt team quality and financial losses were prohibitive for continuing the season.  ​The next team on the chopping block was the Lexington Colts, who had just joined 17 days before the season opener to replace the Hazard franchise that never got off the ground. Although the Colts had financial trouble of their own, they were committed to completing the season; their official demise was due to an odd league rule. When the Morristown Reds franchise folded, other clubs forced Lexington to fold to balance the schedule and reduce travel expenses.  On July 6, Lexington was notified that it was no longer in the league, based on a rule that states if there is an odd number of teams, the newest member will cease operations.  With four teams left in the league, Wacks was determined to finish the season with a new schedule, and the remaining clubs would start from scratch with a new set of standings. The last day of the season would be set for August 15, when a pennant winner would be announced. ​That would not take place when the Harlan Smokies, who exhausted their operating funds for the season, gave up the ghost on July 19. Smokies president Dr. Willard Buttermore said at the time of withdrawal that the club was “unable to make it financially.” The club had played to 10,000 people, with about 250-300 in attendance per game. ​A last-ditch effort was made to replace the Smokies with a semi-pro team from Pennington Gap from the Lonesome Pine League to complete the season. Wacks hoped to send the team to Kingsport, but that never materialized. Without any other options, the Mountain States League ceased operations on July 20.​ Kingsport, Middlesboro, and Oak Ridge were the last three teams remaining, each facing financial challenges. Of these, Middlesboro may have been the only franchise in stable financial condition. To cover the $13,000 renovation costs of Ridgewood Park, Oak Ridge had earlier offered $10 shares to the public. After league play ended, the Pioneers transitioned to a semi-pro club and continued to compete against teams within a 50-mile radius until August. Meanwhile, Kingsport's owner, Sam Bray, had turned fortunes around on the season, having his family operate the team for free and having players wash and mend their own uniforms. He sold off many of his players to other clubs, and the ones that were released were paid before they left to go home for the season. ​“Maybe I’ll go with them, because most of them are from Cuba and I could stand a vacation.”​ ​Wacks once said that the MSL was “steady as a rock,” vowed to return with an 8-team league for the 1955 season. The three remaining clubs would return, along with commitments from five other cities and towns on the league map. He was optimistic and ready to do the groundwork, but was sensibly advised to reconsider in March. ​“I had eight towns tentatively lined up for the league this season. I feel certain we could have operated, but after discussing it with an associate, we decided it would be better to take a break for a season or two. After going without professional baseball for a season or so, the fans will be hungry for the sport.” Wacks did try a few more times, even as late as 1969, to reform the league as a Class A loop. He said that he had several contacts in former towns and even looked into new markets for his proposed league. It never happened, but he was busy hosting The Virgil Q. Wacks Varieties Show,” which ran on local television from 1957 to 1983. He also served as a sportscaster and radio announcer for many years before he died in 1994. Perhaps one Marsh Town said it best in his daily column in The Morristown Sun on July 17, 1953, when he wrote "VIrgil Q. Wacks must spend some sleepless nights trying to figure out how to hold the league together." The Mountain States League left an interesting footnote in the annals of minor league baseball after the war. Just because you can place teams anywhere doesn’t mean you have a league. This lesson has been repeated many times since the league’s closure over 70 years ago and will likely be repeated. Name Date Results Newport Canners April 25, 1954 Not enough money to operate for the season; never played a game. Morristown Red Sox May 15, 1954 Folded due to uneven teams and low gate receipts Maryville-Alcoa Twins June 19, 1954 Relocated to Middletown and renamed Reds. Morristown Reds July 1, 1954 Cincinnati pulled the club out due to differences with the league. Lexington Colts July 7, 1954 Expelled from the league due to the number of teams and the date joined. Harlan Smokes July 19, 1954 Ran out of money for the season Mountain States League July 20, 1954 League ceased operations; only Kingsport, Middletown, and Oak Ridge remained. ——– Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter  @ballparkhunter  and his  YouTube channel .

Photo by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57 Notre Dame Arena 15 Hillside Ave Berlin, NH 03570 Berlin River Drivers website Notre Dame Arena website Year Opened: 1947 Capacity: 1,680 Home of River Driver Hockey The Notre Dame Arena is a community rink located in Berlin, New Hamphire. For decades, it has hosted local concerts, events and high school hockey. Since the fall of 2015 it has also served as home of the Berlin River Drivers, a team in the Federal Hockey League, a low level professional league with teams across the northeastern United States. In 1969 the roof of the arena collapsed due to the weight of accumulated snow, killing a local youth hockey player. Ironically, it was found that snow that had been piled up against the facility’s walls to help support them led directly to the collapse. Berlin is a small town of just over 10,000 residents located on the northern edge of the White Mountains just 60 miles from the Quebec border. For decades the town thrived on logging and wood industries. The team’s name derives from the town’s logging past, as a river driver is a person who moved logs from the forest to the sawmill using the currents of a river. Food & Beverage 3 There is a snack bar in the lobby of Notre Dame Arena which serves a decent menu. Hungry River Drivers fans can select from hot dogs, pizza, chicken tenders, french fries or nachos. Other snack items, including mozzarella sticks, pretzels and onion rings are also on the menu. Of course, being so close to the Canadian border, it’s not surprising to see poutine offered here. No item on the menu costs more than six dollars. Thirsty River Driver fans can choose from a variety of Coca-Cola products. Warm drinks such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate are popular choices in this chilly rink. Alcoholic beverages are sold at the snack bar, with Bud Light the most popular choice here by far. Atmosphere 3 A trip to Notre Dame Arena for a River Drivers game is a long way, both literally and figuratively, from the bright lights of major league hockey. The first thing that will strike a first time visitor to Notre Dame Arena is the sense of community here. It seems that the entire town shows up to catch the action, and everyone knows everyone else in attendance. So what do you do when your home rink lacks any kind of mechanism for fancy pregame festivities? Why, you improvise, of course. During introductions the house lights are turned down and the fans take out their flashlights while the River Drivers take the ice. The gameday presentation here at Notre Dame Arena is pretty basic, as there isn’t a whole lot that can be done in this community rink. Music blares over the speakers during play stoppages. The scoreboard hanging at center ice displays score and time, and nothing else. The team holds a 50/50 raffle and chuck a puck during the game to raise money. Fans in attendance at a River Drivers game have a close bond with the players on the ice, and are really into the game. There is only so much noise a few hundred people can make, but in this tiny barn, the amount of noise put out is pretty impressive. Air horns and cowbells can be heard throughout the game, as fans come armed with a variety of noisemakers. After a River Drivers win, the team salutes the fans and take a victory lap around the rink, high-fiving the fans that line the glass. Neighborhood 2 Notre Dame Arena is located just a few blocks from downtown Berlin. Visiting fans won’t find a whole lot in terms of fancy restaurants or lodging options around, but there are plenty of decent options in Berlin and neighboring Gorham. With the spectacular White Mountains so close by, it’s not a surprise that there are many excellent ski resorts located just a short drive from Notre Dame Arena. When the weather warms, outdoor activities continue to be a strong draw in the area, as the Appalachian Trail passes through the town. Fans 2 The River Drivers averaged just over 600 fans per game during the 2016-17 season, good for sixth place out of the seven teams in the Federal League, and consistent with their inaugural 2015-16 season. The team’s first playoff game attracted 1,000 fans to the cozy Notre Dame Arena. In a small town like Berlin, it’s no surprise that there is a strong sense of community here. Most of the fans seem to know each other, and the rink is simply an extension of the local neighborhood or workplace the fans are coming from. The fans have a strong connection to the players, and the team to the fans. It’s not something you will find in a bigger city or higher level of pro hockey. Access 2 To paraphrase the old monster truck radio commercials, at a River Drivers game you are going to purchase the entire seat, but you are only going to use the edge! Fans do not sit down at a River Drivers game. Not during the game, and not during the intermission. Wear some comfortable shoes, and do not expect a clear view of the action. With the town of Berlin’s remote location, driving is really the only way to get to a River Drivers game. Located 40 miles from the nearest interstate (I-93), fans will take Route 2 to Route 16, which winds through Berlin. Be sure to enjoy some of the spectacular scenery as you drive through the White Mountains. Notre Dame Arena is a small facility in a small town. This makes it very difficult to get around when a decent crowd is in the rink. Fans enter the arena into a small lobby, where the snack bar, pro shop, tables and rest rooms are located. Add in a merchandise table, booster club table and trophy case, and it’s understandable that this area can get crowded in a hurry. Once you enter the rink, seating is located on both sides of the rink, with the majority of seating located to your right as you enter. All seats consist of wooden bleachers, which are sold as general admission. Many fans here eschew the bleachers entirely, choosing to stand at rinkside. Get here early, because these prime spots fill up quickly. Netting surrounds the entire rink, further blocking views around the arena. If you want an unobstructed view at a River Drivers game, you will have to stand at the glass. You’ll be blocking others, but hey, no one here seems to mind. Return on Investment 4 Tickets to River Drivers games cost only ten dollars at the door. Purchasing tickets in advance earns you a one dollar discount. Children under 12 and members of the military are admitted for seven dollars. Parking is free in the Notre Dame Arena lot or on the surrounding streets. Concessions are inexpensive as well, making this a very affordable entertainment option for northern New Hampshire hockey fans. Extras 2 Extra points are awarded for the strong sense of community here at Notre Dame Arena. It feels like every fan in attendance knows every other fan. Add in the fantastic support given the River Drivers during their inaugural visit to the playoffs in 2017 and the quirky touches like Flashlight Night and the victory lap, and Notre Dame Arena becomes a most unique place to take in some low-level pro hockey. Final Thoughts You are not going to stumble upon Notre Dame Arena by accident. Located deep in the White Mountains, you are only coming here by design. The facility is little more than your basic local community rink, but it is the place to be in the small town of Berlin on a Friday or Saturday night. Some aspects of the gameday experience may strike veteran fans as hokey, but River Driver fans sure seem to be enjoying themselves! Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos Courtesy of the Oahe Zap The Oahe Zap of the Independence League Baseball revealed their inaugural uniform set for the 2023 season. The Pierre, S.D., summer collegiate club released a home, away, and alternate set, along with two specialty jerseys. The home jerseys are white with their script Zap logo across the chest and their Z logo on the left sleeve. It is a pullover shirt. The road jerseys, and button-ups, are navy with “Oahe” written across the chest in a classic script and their Z logo on the left sleeve. The alternate set is a pullover jersey that is Columbia blue with their Z logo on the right part of the chest and their Powerhouse logo on the left sleeve. The back of each jersey features block numbers with their Capitol logo on the upper back close to the neck. Each jersey also features its jersey sponsorship partner, Allied Plumbing and Heating, on the right sleeve. Jerseys will be paired with either white or Columbia blue pants. "Our regular uniforms were designed by Deremer Sportswear in Omaha," said co-owner Jackson Bruce. "We went fairly traditional with the home and away. Our alternate is an 80s style, like the Cardinal, Mariners, and Brewers powder blues. We think all three make our extricate brand pop and will be a hit with the fans." The club will also be featuring three specialty jerseys that will be worn during specific promotional nights this season. The first will be Jersey Shore-themed jerseys for Jersey Shore Night on June 8. The jerseys will be black with cheetah print sleeves and a Jersey Shore-style Oahe Zap logo on the front. The acronym “G.T.L.” is situated on the upper back for all of those who need a reminder of the infamous “Gym, Tan Laundry” to-do list. The Zap script logo will be featured on one sleeve with a sponsor logo on the other. "As for the specialty jerseys, our Jersey Shore jerseys have a Jersey Shore-type logo that incorporates our name," explains Bruce. "We went with cheetah print because it seems to be a popular pattern with one of the main Shore members, Snooki. We thought it would be a nice touch to throw the GTL on the back to show we are serious about the night like they are serious about the Gym, Tan, and Laundry lifestyle on the show. Thanks to OT Sports, we were able to get an amazing design." Taking a cue from Great Britain’s WBC uniforms set, the second will be a Minimum Night-themed jersey for the Zap’s promotion on July 3. The white jerseys feature “zap” in lower case, Times New Roman font across the front, and a Zap Script logo and Times New Roman numbers on the back. There will be a league logo on one sleeve. Bruce further explains the genesis behind this design for his team. "The minimum jerseys were an idea we cooked up doing promotion planning. We heard of Nothing Night but wanted to at least give the people something, even if it’s lazy. There is nothing lazier than white in Times New Roman font. We wanted to show we could wear a uniform with about as little effort into making it as possible. That uniform design was made in three minutes using Canva and OT Sports was able to bring it to life." The third jersey is to be determined. All specialty jerseys will be auctioned off for charity through silent auctions during the respective game days. Charities are to be announced. The Zap home opener is Tuesday, May 23 at Hyde Stadium.

Photos by Eric Moreno Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.14 Moody Coliseum 1600 Campus Court Abilene, TX 79699 Abilene Christian Wildcats website Moody Coliseum website Year Opened: 1968 Capacity: 5,500 Wildcats Roar at Moody Coliseum Located on the wide-open plains of West Texas is the legendary frontier town of Abilene – it is home to the eponymous Abilene Christian University and their athletics programs, known far and wide as the Wildcats. The Wildcats have called the on-campus Moody Coliseum home since the 1968-69 season. That year, the men’s team took home the first of their three Southland Conference championships. Over the years, the arena has become quite the home-court advantage for ACU. Heading into last season, the men’s basketball team held an all-time record of 368-206 in Moody Coliseum – a stellar .641 winning percentage, which includes a school record 44-game home court winning streak from 1984-88 under coach Mike Martin. The women’s teams have fared even better, with a winning percentage of .756 all-time at the arena, including a 49-game winning streak from 1995-1998. What has made this out of the way arena located on the dusty plains of West Texas so tough for opponents yet so inviting for the home team Wildcats and their fans? Read on and I’ll share with you what I learned during my visit. Food & Beverage 2 First things first, as you might interpret from the capacity of Moody Coliseum, it is by no means a large facility. I’m going to use the term “quaint” quite a bit for this review, but that’s not meant to be derogatory in any way. With that said, let me share with you how the size of the overall facility impacts the food and beverage scene at Wildcats games. At Moody Coliseum there is only one concessions area available, and on the surface, this could be a problem as it tends to lead to bottle-necking and long lines during portions of Wildcats games. However, I can tell you from personal experience that the staff on hand does a great job of working through that line quickly and efficiently. However, it is something to keep in mind in case you want to make a food run during a key portion of a game. In terms of the actual fare that is provided, it is for the most part your standard options. They have hamburgers ($5) and hot dogs or chili dogs ($3 and $5, respectively), nachos – there is a loaded nachos option if you’re inclined to go that route – popcorn, and soft pretzels with cheese sauce (both $3; $7 for the loaded). For your drink options, they offer regular and large fountain sodas ($3 and $4) and bottled water and sports drinks ($$). Again, it’s pretty standard fare, but you should be able to find something to satisfy you. Atmosphere 3 The ACU Wildcats take great pride in what their athletic teams have accomplished over the years, and for good reason – they have done some great winning here in Abilene. You see this history celebrated all over Moody Coliseum, from trophy cases lining the hallways of the main concourse to the banners hanging from the rafters inside the gym. Here is another instance where I will insert the term “quaint” – the seating is what you would call “intimate” if you were a realtor trying to sell a home. Fans feel like they’re sitting right on top of the court from virtually every seat in the house. The sight lines are terrific and the acoustics are incredible. The crowd for the game I most recently attended wasn’t anywhere near capacity, but because of how the building is designed the noise and energy were pretty remarkable. It easily felt like twice as many people were in attendance than actually were there. This won’t ever be confused for Cameron Indoor Stadium , but it ain’t bad! Neighborhood 3 Moody Coliseum is located right on the ACU campus and is within walking distance of both Wildcat Stadium and Crutcher Scott Field, so if you time your visit right you might get the chance to double-dip and catch some other ACU games during your trip to Abilene. Speaking of which, the “Friendly Frontier” of Abilene is pretty much the quintessential West Texas town. It is ruggedly individual, and you won’t be able to help but notice that from the second you step foot here. The town takes great pride in its western heritage, yet has completely embraced the eccentricities that have surged through the region in the past few decades. That might not make sense to someone who hasn’t visited this part of the country, but you’ll get it once you get here. There is plenty to do in town before and after games, but you owe yourself the chance to just take a stroll through Abilene’s downtown. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time, and you can just imagine what the city was like when it was a booming cattle town at the turn of the 20th century. Fans 2 Purple power is in full effect for Wildcats games at Moody Coliseum. ACU averaged just a little over 1,300 fans per game last season (2017-18), and I think that seems right based on what I experienced during my last visit. While the crowd was on the small side, they were pretty vocal and that translates well in terms of overall energy in the gym. Again, you won’t confuse ACU games for some of the other larger college programs in the country, but I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed in your game experience either. The fans that come out are passionate about their team, and it shows. Access 1 Abilene, like all cities in this part of Texas, is a bit out of the way and not on the easy side to reach. It is just over two hours from Fort Worth, the nearest big city, but there are flights from there that go direct to Abilene Regional Airport if you’re inclined to go that route. Once in Abilene the campus is easy to find, and once you spot Wildcat Stadium that is half the battle in getting to Moody Coliseum. Parking is free but it does fill up pretty fast, especially if there is another event going on at the same time. Keep that in mind when you plan your visit. Return on Investment 2 General admission tickets to ACU Wildcats games at Moody Coliseum start at just $8 for adults and $5 for children – this is a pretty great bargain in my book. And with affordable concessions and free parking, you won’t break the bank when you catch some Division I hoops action at Moody Coliseum. Extras 2 In terms of “Extras,” ACU offers all the standard tropes of college athletics. The basketball version of the Big Purple Marching Band sits in the stands near the student section, and the ACU cheerleaders and dance team perform on the sidelines and during breaks in the action. You can also find their mascot, Willie the Wildcat, “prowling” the stands and interacting with fans. While there isn’t much else in this area, it in no way will take away from your enjoyment of the game. Final Thoughts Again, the operative word to describe Moody Coliseum is quaint. I was really struck by how close I was to the action on the court, and by how loud the home crowd was in comparison to the number in attendance. In many cases, quaint is simply a euphemism for “small.” However, when it comes to Moody Coliseum quaint is used the way it is meant to be used. I had a great time during my visit to ACU – I always do – and I am confident you will enjoy your visit as well. Follow Eric Moreno’s Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 . Visit Eric Moreno’s writer’s portfolio site at ericmoreno.contently.com .

Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43 Scottsdale Stadium 7408 E Osborn Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85251 San Francisco Giants Spring Training website Scottsdale Stadium website Year Opened: 1992 Capacity: 12,000 The Giants of Scottsdale In 1957, the MLB Giants team left New York for San Francisco and returned to Phoenix as the San Francisco Giants in the spring of 1958. The Giants moved their spring training to Scottsdale Stadium in 1984, and that venue has been their spring home for almost 40 years. The city renovated the stadium a few years ago in a phased approach. The renovations included: Upgrading the practice fields beyond the center and right field fences Revamping the right field Charros Lodge (including adding shading), making it a popular party deck for spring training games Refining and expanding the clubhouse, making it a year-round community event center for the city of Scottsdale Expanding and renovating the main entrance to allow for a larger audience Upgrading the bleachers, including adding a standing room area with drink rails on the first base side Improving the building maintenance structure with updates to safety codes, HVAC, Wi-Fi, etc. It’s a beloved place for spring training as the San Francisco Giants are very popular and have a dedicated, enthusiastic fan base. And Scottsdale is a fantastic Arizona city for a spring visit. Food & Beverage 4 Fans can get a good assortment of food, snacks, and beverages at Scottsdale Stadium. Food kiosks abound throughout the entire concourse. A few permanent ones are on the inner concourse. Expect a queue during the game. Our advice is to get there early to avoid the wait. Vendors roam the stands selling cold beer, water, and peanuts. If that’s all you’re looking for, use their services. Traditional ballpark fare is sold including dogs, bratwurst, nachos, pretzels, pizza, peanuts, and other snacks ($6.49 - $9.49). Other menu items consist of cheeseburgers, mac & cheese, rolled tacos, salads, and fruit ($2.99 - $12.49). An Island Noodles cart is on the third base concourse, and you certainly can’t go wrong with one of their wok-fired soba noodle choices ($14.99). Beer and cocktail concessions abound the concourse. The prices are noticeably higher here than in other Cactus League venues. Beer sells for $14.99 (domestic) and $15.49 (premium). Ouch. Different kiosks sell different beer selections. Check around if you have a preference. Canned cocktails and seltzers are $15.49. A stadium pour is $18.99, and fans can purchase margaritas for $15.49 - $18.49. Coca-Cola brand soft drinks run $6.99. Spring training visitors can fill their own water bottles at the stadium’s water fountains. Atmosphere 3 The seating areas at Scottsdale Stadium consist of traditional green fold-down stadium seats on two levels with a walkway between the seating areas. The second level has nine to ten rows of metal bleachers with backs after row O. The second level has handrails to get up the steps, but they don’t extend to the top rows. Seats beyond the baselines do not face toward the infield (the stadium was built just a few years before that innovation was discovered). The outer baseline seating is bleachers without backs. Scottsdale Stadium does not offer cup holders in any of the seating areas. The seats are tight. The rows have average legroom. Nets extend across all seating areas down to the foul poles. Net-free seating is only in the berm area. The Charros Lodge, a shaded party deck for VIPs with tables, chairs, food, and drink is in right field above the home bullpen. Charro Saloon, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Small courtyards dot the outfield concourse and have picnic tables and/or games. These are nice places to relax before the game. On day games, most seats get the sun the entire game. Sit in the infield second level (sections 211/311 - 212/312) to be in the shade. Check the weather before heading to the game. You may have to bundle up for an early-season or evening game, even in Arizona. The announcer’s voice is clear; no music is played during announcements. You can hear what’s being said. When the music person does broadcast music, the volume is pleasantly subtle; not obtrusive. The third base inner concourse houses a big souvenir store with all kinds of San Francisco Giants merchandise. Satellite shops line other parts of the concourse. Neighborhood 5 The ballpark is adjacent to a thriving downtown neighborhood. Within just blocks (a walking distance of less than a mile) are many areas to eat, drink, shop, and sleep. It is a very safe neighborhood in which to stroll and visit. Recommended places to eat in downtown Scottsdale are Karsen’s Grill (an exceptional small bar/eatery), Los Olivos Mexican Patio (Mexican and margaritas), and The Mission Old Town (modern Latin cuisine). Goldwater Brewery (an independent local brewery) is a half-mile walk from the stadium. For many other restaurants and bars in the neighborhood, check here for a directory to find others that might suit your tastes. For places to spend the night, Old Town Scottsdale has many hotels, several within walking distance of Scottsdale Stadium. The Courtyard Scottsdale Old Town, the Holiday Inn Express, and the Comfort Inn Old Town Scottsdale are within a mile of the stadium. Be aware hotel prices skyrocket during spring training. Besides strolling through the downtown area, other things to see and do within walking distance of the stadium are the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Other sports to visit when in town are the other East Valley stadiums: Salt River Fields ( Diamondbacks and Rockies ), Sloan Park ( Cubs ), Tempe Diablo ( Angels ), and Hohokam Stadium ( Athletics ) . A little farther away, hockey fans can catch a Coyotes game ( Mullet Arena as of this writing), or basketball fans can watch a Suns’ game at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. Just five or so miles south of Scottsdale, fans can catch ASU basketball , softball, or baseball . Fans 4 The Giants fans are decked out in their orange and black shirts, jerseys, and caps. They are usually one of the top drawing teams in the Cactus League. In fact, it gets so crowded fans even must show their tickets to sit in the lawn area. The team is averaging around 6,000 fans per game so far for spring training 2023. It’s a casual crowd, as are most spring training crowds, but there is an enormous baseball crowd every game. Scottsdale Stadium Fans in Stands, Photo by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey Access 2 Scottsdale Stadium is at the corner of Drinkwater Blvd and Osborn Rd in downtown Scottsdale. The major highways in Phoenix do not go near the stadium. The Loop 101 Pima Fwy is easily the closest, a few miles east of Scottsdale Stadium. The city is performing loads of road construction on Osborn Rd this 2023 season. Don’t go that way; instead, use Scottsdale Rd. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the closest airport (only nine or ten miles from the stadium). Taking public transportation is doable but requires some walking and a transfer or two. Check Valley Metro’s Plan A Trip to see if that’s an option for you. Once at the stadium, the closest public parking area is the Civic Center Library Garage, next to the ballpark on Drinkwater Blvd. The garage is free and will fill up for spring training games. It is near the third base side entrance (which has a ticket booth). The stadium and city do a poor job of identifying and providing handicapped parking. Only three wheelchair spots are noticeably available in the parking area just in front of the stadium. The sign at that parking lot says the lot is full and reserved for players and staff, which is unfortunate for those who really need to park close. Getting through security is relatively easy. Small bags are allowed in the stadium. Only purses 9” x 5” or less and clear sports bags 12” x 12” x 6” are allowed. Security still needs to search the clear sports bag. Serviceable bathrooms are open along the inner concourse. Fans can walk the entire concourse around the field. The pathway is not convenient for those in wheelchairs as a portion of the outfield path is grassy and hilly. Return on Investment 2 Attending a San Francisco Giants spring game is expensive. It is not family affordable. Berms seats are $59 for games against popular teams like the Dodgers. That’s insane for a spring training game. But the Giants fans pay it. Prices are a bit more affordable for weekday games against non-rivals like the Chicago White Sox ($18 - $40), but in my opinion still too high. Beer is expensive. Food is expensive. Hotels are expensive. Parking is free, so that helps. Military individuals get 10% off ticket prices. Be sure to ask for that discount if getting tickets at the stadium. Extras 4 Scottsdale Stadium boasts the Arizona Fall League Sports Hall of Fame. The wall of the main inner concourse has plaques near the bathrooms on the first base side. That wall has a lot of great baseball history on it. The neighborhood deserves an extra mention because of the many things to see, do, and eat downtown. The city of Scottsdale took the effort and expense to upgrade and renovate the facility, ensuring the Giants will have a spring home for many years to come. Gates open at 11am, two hours before the first pitch for day games. Final Thoughts The best part of attending a spring training game is striking up conversations with other fans and visitors. Most fans just want to talk baseball and share their stories. Doing this at Scottsdale Stadium is easy as the venue is small and intimate, and music isn’t blared over the speakers. It’s not an affordable outing, but it is enjoyable.

Photos by Scott Bultman, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71 Jim Perry Stadium 76 Upchurch Ln Buies Creek, NC 27506 Buies Creek Astros website Jim Perry Stadium website Year Opened: 1946 Capacity: 1000 Up Buies Creek Without a Future There are six levels in the affiliated minor leagues: AAA, AA, A-Advanced (High A), A (Low A), Short-Season A, and Rookie. For the first four levels, each MLB team has exactly one club per level, while 22 teams have short-season clubs in the New York-Penn and Northwest Leagues and 18 have franchises in the Appalachian and Pioneer Leagues. Usually, when a franchise moves, it does so within its league. For example, the Brevard County Manatees are now the Florida Fire Frogs, having moved from Melbourne to Kissimmee while remaining in the Florida State League. But it is possible for teams to move across leagues at the same level. It is obviously important to have an even number of teams in each league, so the only way this could happen was if two teams left one league and moved to another. Given the geographic concentration of the lower level circuits, such a situation is rare, but it did happen this past offseason. Two teams that had struggled in the High A California League jumped all the way over to the Carolina League. Well, that is not quite true. The High Desert Mavericks and Bakersfield Blaze ceased operations in the California League, while the Down East Wood Ducks (who play in Kinston, North Carolina) and Buies Creek Astros were created as expansion teams in the Carolina League, also a High-A federation. The main difference between a straight move and the contraction/expansion method is that franchise records do not transfer over to the new teams; they are starting from scratch in terms of history. The Astros are an interesting team because they are only around for two seasons before it relocates 30 miles south to Fayetteville and gains a new identity. For the time being, the team will use Jim Perry Stadium on the campus of Campbell University. As this is a college ballpark, the experience here is quite different than you would expect from a minor league venue. Food & Beverage 2 There is a single concession stand behind the main building just inside the gate with very basic offerings at very cheap prices. Hot dogs and nachos are $3; sandwiches (BBQ or chicken) are $4, while pretzels, peanuts, and candy are $2. The only special thing at the stand is a cream-cheese filled pretzel for $4. There is also an ice cream cart that sells one scoop for $3 and two for $5. There are a few picnic tables next to first base if you want to sit comfortably and enjoy your meal. Bottled soda and water is provided by Coca-Cola and sells for $2, as are two varieties of cappuccino. There is no alcohol sold, as this is a campus venue. Atmosphere 2 The stadium was originally built in the 1940s but an extensive renovation in 2012 makes it seem entirely new. It is a simple place, with a seating bowl that surrounds home plate. Three sections of reserved seats in the middle and a section of GA benches on either end. You can find shade along the top row of seats for afternoon games. There is also a new pavilion named after Perry and his wife along the third base line that is open to the public for Buies Creek games. Netting protects the entire seating area, which is normal at college ballparks where aluminum bats are used. There is also a new scoreboard above right field that is quite nice. There are no on-field promotions or any other amenities you would find at a typical ballpark such as a kids zone, starting lineup board, or Road to the Show exhibit. This is a temporary home and thus baseball is important here, not making money. Neighborhood 2 The Campbell University campus is nice enough, though rather deserted in the summer. I did not see anything open as I drove in. The nearest sports bars are about 3 miles west in Lillington – the Lillington Sports Zone is along US 421 and has a large seating area and a separate bar, while the County Seat Sports Grille is located in the center of town. Fans 2 Given that the team is leaving in two years, there isn’t much reason to invest time here, but there are some loyal followers. Merchandise is a big seller since, it will not be available past 2018, and most fans had some sort of gear on. Attendance is low, but so is seating capacity and fans that stayed throughout a long game. Access 4 Buies Creek is about an hour south of Raleigh, though no Interstates go directly there. US-421 is the road that goes directly by Campbell, once on campus, it is easy to drive to the stadium and find parking right outside. Inside, there is no problem getting around or with restrooms or concession lines. Return on Investment 5 Tickets here are $7 for the reserved seats and $5 for general admission. The benches can be uncomfortable after a while, so you might want to splurge for the better seats. As parking is free and the food is very cheap, this is a great spot to watch prospects play without spending more than $10. Extras 1 As you can probably tell, there is nothing much here beyond the stadium. There is a banner honoring Jim Perry, who pitched for Campbell between 1956-59 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1970 while playing for the Minnesota Twins. Final Thoughts A Buies Creek Astros game is a unique experience in the minor leagues. If you like your baseball with no distractions, pay a visit to Jim Perry Stadium this year or next, before they disappear forever.

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score 2.57 Elliot Athletic Fields 53 Pearl Hill Rd. Fitchburg, MA 01420 Fitchburg State Falcons football website Elliot Field website Year Opened : 1979 Capacity: 1,200 Fly Falcons Fly Fitchburg State University is a public university in the north central Massachusetts city of Fitchburg. With an enrollment of just over 4,600 students, the school was founded in 1894 as the “State Normal School in Fitchburg” as a secondary-education school for women. Today FSU offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in 25 disciplines and is part of the Massachusetts State University System.   Elliot Field is part of a larger athletic complex which also contains Fitchburg State’s hockey arena (Wallace Civic Center) and baseball field (Michael P. Ricchard Field). The football field and complex are named for Robert J. Elliot, who was the college’s Athletic Director from 1942-1967. Mr. Elliot coached FSU baseball teams for 24 years and FSU soccer teams for 15 years. The complex is located about a half mile from campus.   Football has been played at Fitchburg State University since 1984. Currently a member of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), the Falcons have not enjoyed a great deal of success over their existence. FSU has sported a .308 winning percentage and only nine winning seasons in their 40 years of competition. The Falcons have played in three post-season bowl games, going 0-3 in these games.   Food & Beverage 3   There is a tent behind the concourse which offers some basic concessions. On the night Stadium Journey visited Elliot Field, the stand was operated by Fitchburg State’s softball team, with all proceeds benefiting the team. Pizza slices and a variety of snacks were available for purchase, including chips, candy bars and cookies. Fans can combine a couple of pizza slices with a drink and chips to make a combo meal to save a couple of dollars.   Cans of Coca-Cola products are sold at the concessions tent. A popular location at Elliot Field is the beer garden, located in the southwest corner of the facility, where fans can enjoy assorted brews from local favorite Wachusett Brewery. Stadium Journey recommends their Blueberry Ale.   Atmosphere 2   The game day atmosphere at Elliot Field will look pretty familiar to those who have visited other small college football venues. The party starts in the Wallace Civic Center parking lot, where space is blocked off for fans who would like to partake in some tailgating activities before heading up to the stadium. After a short walk through the woods from the parking lot to the stadium, fans will find the festivities are just beginning. Freddie the Falcon roams the grandstand greeting fans, the sound system blasts out standard rock anthems, and the PA announcer does his best to keep the energy level high. The cheerleaders post up on the track all game long doing their thing for the fans. Conspicuous by their absence is the pep band.   A scoreboard in the east end zone displays game information, and there’s plenty of room to roam for younger fans who may need to let out some energy throughout the afternoon. While the crowds may not be the biggest you’ll come across, they are loud and supportive of the home squad. There’s a nice small-town feel going on here at Elliot Field.   Neighborhood 2   Fitchburg is a city of approximately 42,000 residents located in north-central Massachusetts. Once a thriving textile center and the home of many paper mills, the city is one of many northeastern cities that went through difficult economic times when the industries that fueled their economies dried up.   Elliot Field is part of a larger athletic complex about a half mile from the Fitchburg State University campus. Also located here is the Wallace Civic Center and Michael P. Riccards Field. The university is located adjacent to a residential area near Fitchburg’s downtown. There’s a great many shopping options in this area, as well as the noteworthy Fitchburg Art Museum. The area and the nearby White Mountains of New Hampshire are popular destinations in the fall due to the spectacular foliage present in the area. Fans looking to stay in the area will need to look towards neighboring Leominster and Route 2 for options.   Fans 3   Crowds at Fitchburg State can vary greatly depending on many factors, including time of year, day of the week, opponent, weather and more. Stadium Journey visited Elliot Field for the Falcons’ 2025 home opener on a Friday night, with a capacity crowd in attendance. A review of previous seasons show attendance figures that vary between 500 and 2,000 fans.   What a crowd at Elliot Field may make up for in quantity, they make up for in quality. The fans are supportive, vocal, and enthusiastic. Even though these fans haven’t had a ton to cheer about in recent years, they show up week after week to support the Falcons. There’s a good turnout by the student body as well. With the compact geographic footprint of the MASCAC conference, you’ll be sure to see a good turnout by visiting fans as well. Even at this level of football, fans travel well. This is a place where you can feel comfortable bringing the entire family, or sporting the opposing colors.   Access 2   Elliot Athletic Fields are located in central Fitchburg, about a half mile from the Fitchburg State University campus. The nearest highway, I-190, is about six miles away. Route 12, the local business route, is about two and a half miles from the football stadium. The Montachusett Regional Transit Authority (MART)  Route 4 bus and the FSU Shuttle Bus both stop at the Wallace Civic Center parking lot, providing access to the MBTA Commuter Rail Stop.   Parking is available in a large lot adjacent to the Wallace Civic Center, located about a half mile from Elliot Field. Unfortunately, to get to the field from your car, you must walk a winding path through the woods. Those with mobility issues should be warned that there is an uphill grade to this path, and they may be better served to see if they can park in the smaller lot adjacent to the football field.   Seating at Elliot Field is located on the north side of the field. Most of the seating consists of metal bleachers without backs, with sections at midfield containing plastic bucket seats. There is plenty of standing room at the top of the seating area and in the east end zone.   Rest rooms are located in a building a short distance from the field. In addition, there are port-a-johns scattered throughout the grounds.   Return on Investment 5   Admission to Fitchburg State football games costs six dollars, with college and high school students receiving a three-dollar discount. Children under 12 and senior citizens are admitted free of charge. Parking is free of charge in the large parking lot near Wallace Civic Center. Concessions are inexpensive, meaning that taking in a game at Elliot Field is an affordable entertainment option for central Massachusetts sports fans.   Extras 1   A selection of Fitchburg State apparel is available at the ticket booth. Digital programs are available for all fans in attendance.   Final Thoughts   Elliot Field is another example of a fine facility that may be easily overlooked by fans who ignore the lower levels of college football. While far from the bright lights of big time college football, facilities like this offer quality football at affordable prices.   Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter  and Instagram  @PuckmanRI.

As the 2025 season draws to a close, it's time to spotlight the ballparks that define High-A minor league baseball across the Midwest, Northeast, and South Atlantic Leagues. Some stadiums are timeless classics, others are newly constructed or only a few years old, and several have recently undergone significant renovations. These rankings are based on Stadium Journey ’s patented FANFARE rating scale, which evaluates each venue across seven key categories: 🍔 Food & Beverage Options 🎉 Game Day Atmosphere 🏙️ Surrounding Neighborhood 🙌 Fan Support 🚗 Access (inside and outside the park) 💸 Return on Investment 🧩 Extras - Unique features that don’t fit neatly into the other categories or deserve additional acknowledgement When two or more ballparks earn the same score, the Stadium Journey Council of Elders  steps in to break the tie with their seasoned insight. To dive deeper into each stadium’s review, just click the link associated with the team’s name. Enjoy the rankings - and see where your favorite ballpark lands! 1.  Parkview Field - Fort Wayne TinCaps 4.71 Marc Viquez - Parkview Field, home of the Ft. Wayne TinCaps opened in 2009 and spearheaded the redevelopment of the surrounding area with apartments, office buildings, restaurants, and new hotels. In over a decade, the ballpark has become a fan favorite of ballpark hunters and travelers, along with the Ft. Wayne community. 2.  Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium - Vancouver Canadians 4.57 Stadium Journey - While the actual baseball being played on the field may not be Major League quality, Nat Bailey Stadium offers a first-class experience for fans of all ages. It is an enjoyable and affordable way to spend an evening in Vancouver. The fun factor cannot be beaten, and wandering around the stadium gives spectators a sense of childlike joy. 3.  Dow Diamond - Great Lakes Loons 4.43 Meg Minard - The Dow Diamond is simply a stand-out, not just in the Midwest League, but in the entire minors. It is above average in nearly every category while really shining with a great commitment to value, history, and an excellent food selection. 4.  Modern Woodmen Park - Quad Cities River Bandits 4.29 James Hilchen - Anyone who is a baseball fan simply must come to Modern Woodmen Park. The views can’t be beaten, the staff is super friendly, and the prices are very reasonable. Plan a trip to Modern Woodmen Park and enjoy! 5.  Jackson Field - Lansing Lugnuts 4.14 Meg Minard - Catching a Lansing Lugnuts game is a highlight of any visit to this capital city in the spring and summer.  The Lugnuts deliver a fun, family-friendly baseball experience at Jackson Field at an affordable price. 6.  First National Bank Field – Greensboro Grasshoppers 4.14 Gregory Koch - First National Bank Field is a gorgeous, modern stadium with all the amenities one might expect of a newer ballpark. The Greensboro Grasshoppers have a loyal fan base and put on an outstanding gameday experience. 7.  Four Winds Field at Covelski Stadium - South Bend Cubs 4.14 Marc Viquez – Covelski Stadium and the area around it have developed into a festive atmosphere with great food choices, areas for the kids to play, and great sightlines for the game on the field. It is a ballpark that stands out from the rest in the league, full of colorful places for the game. 8.  Day Air Ballpark – Dayton Dragons 4.00 Paul Baker – Support for the Dragons in Dayton remains strong. Often cited as an example of a ballpark that spurred economic growth in an urban neighborhood, Day Air Park continues to be the center of activity in downtown Dayton. Recent and planned improvements will ensure the ballpark’s viability for another quarter century and beyond. 9.  Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 4.00 Sean MacDonald - Fox Cities Stadium is an excellent minor league destination that has aged well since its opening in 1995.  Fans enjoy their time here, with the food and fans among the best that the minor leagues have to offer. Appleton is not on many tourist itineraries, but if you are a ballpark chaser, this is one that you should not miss. 10. Truist Stadium - Winston-Salem Dash 4.00 Paul Baker - North Carolina is a state which contains no shortage of minor league ballparks, some of which are undoubtedly among the best in the country. While Truist Stadium is not as new and shiny as some of the other ballparks in the state, it remains a fantastic place to take in a ballgame and should absolutely be on your to-do list should you find yourself in the Tar Heel State. 11. Avista Stadium – Spokane Indians 4.00 Meg Minard - Seeing a game in such a historic venue and having a fabulous customer service atmosphere makes attending a game here well worth the price of admission.   12. Fluor Field - Greenville Drive 3.86 Lloyd Brown - It is readily apparent when you arrive at Fluor Field, that the Drive is an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The 6,700-seat ballpark closely resembles Fenway and its many unique features. The field dimensions are the same, it has its own Green Monster in left field and has a Pesky Pole down the right field line. The scoreboard is even hand-operated. In the 7th inning, the fans all join in to sing “Sweet Caroline”. 13. ShoreTown Ballpark - Jersey Shore BlueClaws 3.86 Matthew Collins - Bruce Springsteen once said “Down the Shore Everything’s Alright,” and the same can be said about the experience at a Jersey Shore Blue Claws game. If you’re visiting the shore for a week, a day, or the summer, be sure to catch a game in Lakewood. 14. Maimonides Park - Brooklyn Cyclones 3.86 David Welch - The passion Brooklyn has for baseball creates a fun and knowledgeable baseball community. Partnered with the work the Cyclones do in meshing fans with fun, and the carnival atmosphere from neighboring Luna Park midway and the Coney Island boardwalk, baseball at Maimonides Park is one of the true gems in minor league baseball. 15. Fifth Third Park – Hub City Spartanburgers 3.71 David Welch - A new team and stadium usually bring a lot of buzz to a city, and the Hub City Spartanburgers really deliver on that. Fifth Third Park is not just a fun spot to watch baseball; it feels like a celebration of Spartanburg. The diner and railroad themes, mixed with the recognition of the city’s baseball past and artistic vibe, bring into the ballpark much of what has shaped Spartanburg into the city it is today. 16. Veterans Memorial Stadium - Cedar Rapids Kernels 3.71 James Hilchen - Veterans Memorial Stadium isn’t anything fancy, but it provides everything you need to enjoy a fun baseball experience. If you are a ballpark fanatic, don’t sleep on this one. 17. Daniel S. Frawley Stadium – Wilmington Blue Rocks 3.71 Dave Cottenie - With an excellent acknowledgment of Delaware baseball and sports history, the Wilmington Blue Rocks have put together a good presentation of Minor League Baseball.  The popularity of the Mr. Celery character is curious and seems pretty organic.  It is just something that needs to be seen in person to fully understand. 18. McCormick Field - Asheville Tourists 3.71 Paul Baker - The city of Asheville, North Carolina is an underrated summer destination.  While exploring the mansions and breweries of this fine city, make sure to stop in at McCormick Field, a ballpark that manages to be old and new at the same time.   19. LMCU Ballpark - West Michigan Whitecaps 3.57 Meg Minard - It could be easily said that a West Michigan Whitecaps game is a party with a baseball game going on.  It’s an affordable way to spend a fun afternoon or evening.  And with major upgrades underway, LMCU Ballpark is being transformed into a state-of-the-art venue that fans will enjoy for years to come. 20. Bowling Green Ballpark - Bowling Green Hot Rods 3.43 Marc Viquez - Bowling Green Ballpark is a very modern and comfortable place to watch Single-A baseball.  Renovations to the stadium and the value for your dollar makes it an affordable destination for fans in the area. 21. ABC Supply Stadium – Beloit Sky Carp 3.43 Marc Viquez - The history of baseball in Beloit almost came to an end, but the construction of ABC Supply Stadium helped save the franchise from relocation or being ousted by Major League Baseball. It is located in a beautiful setting in Beloit and has a charm that is not found at many minor league stadiums across the country. 22. Dozer Park - Peoria Chiefs 3.43 Steven Burke - While Peoria is situated between Chicago and St. Louis geographically a visit to Dozer Park to see the Chiefs play is a great addition to a trip to either MLB destination city. 23. Hillsboro Ballpark - Hillsboro Hops 3.43 Matt Finnigan - Couple the celebration of beer with a beautiful stadium, replete with seats close to the action, high-quality ballpark food, and the chance to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks’ players of the future, and fans will enjoy a game at Hillsboro Ballpark. 24. AdventHealth Stadium - Rome Emperors 3.43 Lloyd Brown - The Rome Emperors have pulled off a very successful rebranding of their franchise to the delight of their loyal fans. The red, gold, black, and white colors of the team are now found throughout the Classic City. As the saying goes, when in Rome do as the Romans do… Enjoy a night out at AdventHealth Stadium. 25. Heritage Financial Park - Hudson Valley Renegades 3.29 Greg Venuto - Heritage Financial Park is a solid venue to take in minor league baseball.  The scenery is picturesque, the ballpark is cozy and the new improvements make it even more worthy of a stadium journey. And there’s always a chance to witness a future NY Yankee. 26. Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium – Aberdeen IronBirds 3.29 Richard Smith - Ripken Stadium is a strong baseball facility.  It was designed while looking at what went right and what went wrong in baseball design in the late 1990s. 27. Classic Park - Lake County Captains 3.14 Marc Viquez - Classic Park is a ballpark design that was popular in the early 20th century. It offers a wide-open concourse, a massive lawn area of seating, and easy access to concessions and team merchandise.  The Captains are only 18 miles from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, making them one of the closest affiliates to the parent club in Minor League Baseball. 28. PK Park - Eugene Emeralds 3.14 Sean Rowland - While the most authentic experience at PK Park may be an Oregon Ducks baseball game, the Eugene Emeralds have done their best to set up shop here. With one of the best mascots in baseball and a terrific modern field, the Ems continue to produce a good experience for fans during the summer. 29. Gesa Stadium - Tri-City Dust Devils 3.00 Matt Finnigan - With great views and reasonable costs, a game at Gesa Stadium enables fans to enjoy baseball in a unique setting that does not break anyone’s bank. The ballpark is clean, well-maintained, and well worth a visit. 30. Funko Field at Everett Memorial Stadium - Everett AquaSox 3.00 Lloyd Rothwell - Fun and affordable, entertaining baseball. Visitors to the Pacific Northwest should definitely add Evertt Memorial Stadium to their travel itinerary.

Photos by James Hilchen and Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00 T-Mobile Park 1250 First Ave S Seattle, WA 98134 Seattle Mariners website T-Mobile Park website Year Opened: 1999 Capacity: 47,943 A Ballpark with a View in Seattle Located in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, T-Mobile Park (then Safeco Field) opened on July 15, 1999 on a day that saw the host Seattle Mariners lose 3-2 in 11 innings to the San Diego Padres. T-Mobile Park replaced the Kingdome which was home to the Mariners from their inception in 1977 through 1999. T-Mobile Stadium broke ground on March 8, 1997 at an initial cost of $517 million. The stadium has had upgrades that have made the stadium a fantastic place to watch a game. T-Mobile has also played host to the short-lived Seattle Bowl football game and a smattering of other sports. While baseball is its’ main attraction, the all-time attendance record came on March 30, 2003, when 54,097 fans came to watch Wrestlemania XIX. Food & Beverage 5 It’s tough to imagine any major league ballpark topping the options served up here and frankly it would take a long time to list everything, so I’ll try and hit just a few of the highlights. The stadium is cashless so plan accordingly. A unique option that seemed to sell well is the Godzilla Dog at the Sumo Dog stand. Located near section 190, this hot dog includes a footlong hot dog with chili, togarashi cheese sauce, wasabi relish, pickled peppers, spicy mayo, teriyaki sauce, furikake, minced onion, jalapeno, and nori. If that’s a little too complicated for your palate, head over to section 117 for Ivar’s halibut and chips. The fried halibut was very good. Garlic fries are very popular here and can be found at a handful of stands around the ballpark. The convenience store-like Walk-Off Market is in a few sections around the ballpark. While there, I grabbed the Turn Two teriyaki bowl. I was not sure what to expect, but this was better than a lot of restaurants. If time is not an issue, take the time to walk around the entire concession area. You are guaranteed to find something you want and not have to settle for just your average ballpark fare. Coke is the soda of choice at the ballpark. You will also have your choice of both numerous local brews along with the popular brands both domestic and import. Finally, the cost of concessions at major league parks seems to have risen quite a bit the past couple years. Here you can find a value meal where nothing is over $4.50. The value menu includes hot dogs, nachos, soda, and many types of candy and snacks. There is also a beer value menu that tops out at $8. Atmosphere 4 The two main options for entering the stadium are in the left field corner and at home plate. If you enter at home plate, you are greeted outside the ballpark by a statue of Ken Griffey Jr. Upon entering, be sure to look up. There is an incredibly large chandelier made of bats. As you head up the stairs, you will enter the concourse which will take you around the entire ballpark. Be sure and head down the third base line to section 135. Here you will find the Mariners Hall of Fame and the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest. Near the Mariners bullpen in center field is the T-Mobile ‘Pen. This area opens two hours before first pitch and is open on a first come, first served basis. Happy hour with some good deals begins when the area opens and stops one hour before first pitch. On the third level, check out the Trident Deck for some great views of the sound. The concourses are wide and generally easy to maneuver around. With the wealth of concession areas, all but the very busiest of concessions yield a very short wait. There are plenty of restrooms which is welcome as lines are rarely apparent. Neighborhood 4 The location of the ballpark does not lend itself to having a lot of room for restaurants and bars in the area. However, there is so much to do in the area, it is still in a great spot. If you are a football fan, Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks is directly north of T-Mobile Park. This is a great opportunity to do a stadium tour and take in a ballgame the same day. Just west of the park is Puget Sound. You can have a fun look around the harbor or hop on a ferry and head to one of the islands in the Sound or take a longer scenic ride and tour the area via ferry. About a mile and a half north, you can see the world-famous Pikes Place Market which is very close to the Seattle Aquarium. Prior to the game, we stopped at the Derby Restaurant, about a mile south of the stadium on 6 th  Avenue. Located in an old auto repair shop, the Derby serves up some great burgers and many other options as well. Most of the restaurants are located north of the ballpark nearer the aquarium and Pikes. Fans 4 The fans at T-Mobile celebrate their team. This is evident through all the Mariners gear they wear and the support they give the team and good-natured grief they give the other team. The team is average just over 30,000 fans/game in 2025. Access 4 There are numerous parking options around the park. It’s probably best to reserve a spot in advance when there is a big game or on a Friday or Saturday night, but even then, you can probably find something within decent walking distance. The light rail is another good option to get to the park and is a cheaper option than parking near the ballpark. There is also an option of taking a ferry although it is a bit of a walk. Once inside the ballpark, the concourses are wide and there are a good number of restrooms throughout. As such, you won’t miss a lot of the game when going to the restroom or to grab something to eat or drink. Return on Investment 4 The Mariners have dynamic pricing so prices vary by game. They have certain value nights where you can get a ticket for $11, which is a great deal. Other games will run about $25 for the cheaper seats. On the day I attended, parking was $30 in a parking garage and was a few hundred yards away. As you get a bit farther away, you can find it cheaper. Taking the light rail is also a much cheaper option. Concessions are on the high side but it seems like that at every ballpark now. However, with the value menu here, you can find some good deals without breaking the bank. Extras 3 An extra point goes to the amazing views you get from areas of the stadium. You can see some great views of the city and of Puget Sound. The best spots here are the Trident Deck and the Rooftop Boardwalk. Another point goes to the team celebrating their former players. Whether it is statues or other promotional items around the park, players such as Ken Griffey Jr, Edgar Martinez, and Felix Hernandez are clearly still held in high esteem. Final point is for the food scene here. The sheer number of options to go along with quality value options should be replicated around baseball. Final Thoughts Being on the west coast and not in California, Seattle can be an afterthought for some baseball fans. Between the great views, fabulous food, and a great ballpark, every baseball fan should make the trip to Seattle and T-Mobile Park. It is well worth the effort. ----- Follow all of James' stadium journeys on X @ stadiumjwriter .  Email: james.hilchen@stadiumjourney.com

Photo Courtesy of the Great Falls Voyagers The Great Falls Voyagers didn’t play baseball this summer, but that didn’t stop fans from attending games at Centene Stadium . They were treated to kickball instead of the usual minor league baseball game due to the pandemic. The Voyager Kickball League concluded its five-week kickball season, giving fans a chance to come back to the ballpark. “It was amazing and way above our wildest dreams,” Voyagers president Scott Reasoner said over the phone. “It’s something we look forward to partnering with, alongside baseball, for a long time to come. We will be playing again at the ballpark and are currently working on expansion next summer and what that will look like with a baseball schedule.” Games were free of charge to the public, concession items and beer sales were open during games, and throughout the five weeks of play, the team gained a loyal audience of fans each week. The competition also improved from the first week, when games lasted much longer than expected, and scores of 14-13 were the norm, but as teams improved and learned the rules, the defense tightened up. Photo Courtesy of the Great Falls Voyagers There were a select number of games broadcast locally on both Fox Sports 1400 AM and 98.3 FM, a rarity in the world of organized adult recreational leagues. Instead of the likes of the Billings Mustangs, Ogden Raptors, or the Missoula Paddleheads, audiences picked from eight kickball clubs, featuring the names The Big Booters, C.M. Russell Museum, Mighty Mo, and Balls N Doll.  The National Laundry team won the championship game and was presented with a nicely designed trophy that serves as bragging rights until the next session takes place sometime in the ensuing year. The venture between the baseball club and the radio station proved to be fruitful as the league gained additional attention with additional sponsors before the season. “We were visiting with our local radio partner, and without any baseball, we were joking around on what we could do that was fun, and we mentioned a kickball league,” added Reasoner. “One of the head sports guys, Troy Mellinger, who broadcasts a lot of high school and local sports, said Let’s figure it out. We were able to set up a booth behind the home dugout and get the games on the radio. If you never listen to a kickball broadcast, it is second to none.” Photo Courtesy of the Great Falls Voyagers Throughout the season, attendance began with friends and family, and people with a rooting interest came out to the ballpark. There were only a handful of spectators in the first couple of weeks, but by the final game, around 150-200 fans were cheering from the grandstands. They had heard about it from the radio broadcasts and wanted to take in the free admission and food sales at the stadium. In a season without baseball, fans showed up for kickball. The league's success should not come as a surprise; unknown to most citizens of Great Falls, adult kickball was played 100 years ago in organized leagues throughout the year. The first began in 1921 and is the earliest known adult kickball league in the country. Games were played in the old YMCA gymnasium, and the first league consisted of four teams that played from October to December. The Frazier team, named after its captain, won the title with a 5-1 record. The game proved to be popular enough that a 10-team league formed the following January, which now consisted of a 14-game schedule spread over four separate evenings. News article from the Great Falls Tribune from January 4, 1922 The majority of the teams were workers from the Anaconda Copper Mining Company (ACM), and team names would reflect the various departments: Laboratory (Beaker Birds), Leaching Department (Leachers), Electricals, Smelters, Wire Office, and General Office. The other teams comprised other local businesses from the Great Falls: National Bank and Royal Mills teams, along with a group called Doctors & Lawyers, Porcupines (Quills in some newspaper clippings), Wildcats, and the Dirty 7’s,  who won their first two games before being “thoroughly trounced” 40-6 against the ACM Laboratory. Much like the Fox Sports broadcasts this past summer, local media paid attention to the game through short but often descriptive blurbs in the newspaper. The  Great Falls  Daily-Journal  reported on games that described the events along with the lineup and box score.  There isn't much known about the rules at this time, but it appears that hitting a runner with the ball for an out was legal. The articles painted a picture of the era with stories of games halted for supper, heated arguments, fantastic plays and finishes, and even a declaration that kickball, along with basketball and baseball, “were rampant in the Y' floor” by 1922.  News article from the Great Falls Tribune from June 1, 1922 There was an 18-man brawl after an extra-inning affair on June 1, 1922, when the captain of the Doctors & Lawyers team, J.B. Reynolds, thought he was safe at home, but was called out by umpire Art Dowse, who was also a friend. The reporter discovered that Reynolds was going to invite Dowse over for dinner at his house for dessert after the game. “You’ll eat prunes. No strawberry shortcake for you,” screamed Reynolds at Dowse.  “Strawberry shortcake or no strawberry shortcake, you're out,” replied Dowse. The games this past summer did not end in such a fashion; most players grabbed a beer after the game instead of a strawberry shortcake. The game has returned to town in time for its centennial anniversary. Reasoner thinks that both sports can exist at Centene Stadium in the future.  “It was amazing and way above our wildest dreams and something we look forward to partnering with, alongside baseball, for a long time to come. We will be playing again at the ballpark and are currently working on expansion next summer and what that will look like with a baseball schedule.” Reasoner looks to have a complete kickball plan announced sometime in January or February once the 2021 baseball schedule is released. He also hopes to have something fun in the works to coincide with the 100th anniversary and thinks this could be the new regional American sport. ------ Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter   and his YouTube channel .   Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00 Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium 1 Cunningham Square Providence, RI 02908 Providence College men's soccer website Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium website Year Opened: 2016 Capacity: 1,500 Defend the Chap Anderson Stadium is home to the Providence College soccer and lacrosse teams. Located next to Schneider Arena , the Stadium is part of the overall upgrade and consolidation of the school’s athletic facilities. Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium is named in honor of Mike and Maura Chapey, class of 1986, who donated one million dollars, and Board of Trustees member Karl and Kerri Anderson, class of 1988, who donated $1.5 million towards the construction of the facility. Providence College started fielding soccer teams in 1968. The Friars have qualified for 12 NCAA Tournaments, most recently in 2024. They reached the national semifinals in 2014. The women’s soccer team has qualified for three NCAA tournaments, most recently in 2023. Food & Beverage 2 Local favorite Saugy Franks operates a concession stand out of a small shack on the concourse of Anderson Stadium. Saugy's signature hot dogs are sold in regular and jumbo sizes. In addition, a selection of snacks are available here, including pretzels, cotton candy, chips and ice cream treats. Bottles of Coca-Cola products are sold here. No alcohol is permitted at Providence College soccer games. Fans are welcome to bring their snacks into Anderson Stadium. On chilly fall Rhode Island nights, you can expect to see a lot of hot Dunkin’ beverages in the stands. Atmosphere 3 There’s not a lot of room for a college game day operations crew to insert themselves into a soccer game, especially when you compare it to other sports played on campus. There just aren’t many spots where a DJ, a PA announcer, a pep band, or a cheerleading squad can make an impact on a game. That’s not to say that a college soccer game is a boring experience, it’s just different than other college sports. If you’re comparing a college soccer game to the pro experiences in North America or Europe, it’s a much more laid-back experience. There are no supporter sections here, and no student sections to be found, either. There’s a large video scoreboard in the northeast corner of the pitch at Anderson Stadium. It’s put to good use with graphics and videos throughout the game. The sound system is excellent, and music is played before the game and at halftime. The PA announcer keeps fans informed of substitutions and other game information in a workmanlike manner. Many fans in the stands have a personal connection with the players on the field and are knowledgeable and enthusiastic in their support. If you want to feel the real energy at Anderson Stadium, head to the berm on the south side of the pitch. That’s where many of the younger fans in attendance hang out, running around and making noise throughout the game. They may not always be paying attention to the game, but hey, they’re having a blast! You may even see some of these youngsters on the field at halftime playing soccer or taking shots at Providence’s legendary mascot, Friar Dom. Neighborhood 3 Anderson Stadium is located in the northeast corner of the Providence College campus next to Schneider Arena . The PC campus is located in the residential Elmhurst neighborhood, with not many dining, lodging, or entertainment options directly adjacent to the campus. Luckily for visiting fans, downtown Providence is located just a couple of miles away, so it won’t take you long to get to where the choices are more plentiful. Providence has a reputation as one of the top small cities in the nation for culinary options. Fans looking for a place to eat close to campus will find some pub-style restaurants near Anderson Stadium. Stadium Journey recommends The Abbey, known for their collection of signature burgers and a wide variety of draft beer, or New York System, one of the premier locations in the country for a Coney-style hot dog. Fans looking for something a little fancier should head over to Federal Hill, Providence’s version of Little Italy, where a concentration of top-notch restaurants can be found. Downtown Providence has no shortage of lodging options or points of interest for fans visiting the city from out of town. Check out the GoProvidence website for more information. Fans 4 The Friars draw decent crowds to Anderson Stadium. Crowd sizes can vary widely depending on the day of the week, time of the year, weather and more, but you're likely to always see an enthusiastic crowd at Anderson Stadium. Both the men's and women's teams have their share of ardent supporters. Crowds of around 1,000 are not unusual here in Providence, whether you're here to watch the men or the women play. As mentioned before, many of the fans in attendance have a personal connection with the players on the pitch and are enthusiastic about their support. There’s a significant presence from local youth teams at Anderson Stadium, and the youngsters bring their energy to the game. While there’s decent support from the student body, there’s no organized student section at Anderson Stadium. Access 3 Providence College is located in the residential Elmhurst neighborhood of Providence, about a mile from Route 146 and Interstate 95. To reach Anderson Stadium, fans will need to do some driving through the city, but the campus is still pretty easy to reach. Fans using public transportation will be pleased to know that RIPTA’s number 55 bus has a stop at the corner of Admiral Street and Huxley Avenue, just a short walk from Anderson Stadium. With the majority of fans driving to Friar soccer games, parking is at a premium. Luckily, there are plenty of options nearby. There is a three-level parking garage attached to the west grandstand of Anderson Stadium, as well as several lots within walking distance of the facility. Many fans will opt for the on-street parking available on Huxley and Admiral Streets. Seating at Anderson Stadium consists of metal bleachers in the grandstands on either side of the pitch, with some individual stadium seats around midfield of the main (west) grandstand. There is a berm on the south side of the field. The younger fans in attendance keep this area buzzing with activity throughout the game. Fans can walk completely around the stadium, with views of the pitch and standing room available at all points. Restrooms are located next door in Schneider Arena. Return on Investment 5 Admission to Friar soccer games is free, as is parking in the garage attached to Anderson Stadium. The concession items are affordable, topping out at seven dollars for a jumbo dog. Fans can bring their snacks into the game with them, meaning you might not even reach for your wallet once while at a Friars soccer match. Extras 1 Providence College’s conference championship seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances for both the men’s and women’s teams are honored on the wall of the east grandstand. Fans wishing to see the Friars’ NCAA hockey championship trophy will find it in the lobby of Schneider Arena next door to Anderson Stadium. Final Thoughts Providence College is a small school with a long history in intercollegiate sports. They have been working hard to improve their on-campus facilities, and Anderson Stadium is a worthy result of these efforts. It's a small, comfortable facility, and the price is right! ---- Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter and Instagram @PuckmanRI.

Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71 Snow Globe Stadium 1225 Reindeer Rd North Pole, Top of the World www.hohoho.edu Year Opened: A Long Time Ago Capacity: 9,500 The Stadium Claus(e) Saint Nick State University is a technical school in the ice fields of the Arctic Mountains, located north of Alaska at the top of the world. The school was founded long, long ago, and has approximately 9,500 students. They are primarily enrolled in the Toy Technology School or the Logistics and Distribution curriculum. Rumor has it that a secret IT campus is located nearby– tabulating who has been bad or good. The Saints compete in the FCS (Father Christmas Status) level of NCAA competition and are a member of the Over the River… and through the woods Conference(ORC). Other schools in the ORC include Merry State, Toys Tech, Austin Pay by Layaway, FSU (Free Shoes University… but only if you are good and earned them!), and historic Slippery Rock (because it’s Icy) University. The football program has a very successful history– they have never been bad, they’ve always been good, for goodness sake! They also own the best all-time winning record of any team in the ORC. Who would dare beat Santa? The Saints call Snow Globe Stadium (alias the Chillerdome) home. The home-field advantage is obvious, as the football team has had an amazing 1000% winning percentage in home games since the stadium opened. The original capacity of the stadium was 50,000, but numerous renovations over the years have brought its’ capacity up to its’ present 100,000 seats. Also, because most of the student body is elves, the seats are tiny. The most recent upgrades occurred in 2010 and include the addition of 33 luxury sky boxes for toy execs, sleigh manufacturers, sno – cone operators, and a new presents box for you know who! New red and green artificial turf has also been installed on the field (no tundra here!) Food & Beverage 3 Concession stands are plentiful throughout the stadium, but food choices are very limited. Beverage selections consist of hot cocoa, milk, and egg nog. Prices are very reasonable, as being a good boy or girl gets you a free serving. Food selections include chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and fruitcakes. The cookies are delicious, but I would stay clear of the fruitcake. If Oakland ever gets a new stadium they could build it out of the stuff. The concession stands are staffed by children and very friendly elves. Atmosphere 5 Snow Globe Stadium is always a festive place on game day. Families arrive early in their sleighs to begin setting up for some wonderful pre-game holiday celebrations. The settings are elaborate, as there is always a competition for the best decoration, best use of lights, etc. The fans also love their school band, the Marching Toy Soldiers (think the Texas Aggie Band at Radio City Music Hall), as they perform before, during, and after the game, often to louder applause than the team. Even though the stadium is enormous you have a great view of every play thanks to the 2,400-foot flat-screen TV /scoreboard Santa delivered last Christmas. Expect a sea of red and green as SNSU fans are not shy about being Reindeer Rooters. Other nice touches include candy cane yard markers and the referees throwing coal instead of penalty flags. Neighborhood 4 The stadium is located on campus, so it is surrounded by academic buildings, toy manufacturing labs, and dorms to house the elfin student body. The nearby college town of North Pole caters heavily to this population. Blitzen’s Bar. Area restaurants include Rudolph’s Roadhouse Grill and Mexican fast food at Jingle Bell. Holiday Inn has a monopoly on accommodations, as their franchises are the only chain allowed in town. For pre or post-game celebrating, head over to Blitzen’s Bar for a wide variety of home brews. Just beware of Vixen, who plies her trade here, when she is not in the red/green light district… she is naughty…not nice! The neighborhood gets into the home games, as they have wonderful Northern lights shows and ice sculptures on display. Fans 4 This may be FCS-level football, but you ARE at the North Pole. SNSU fans are rightfully proud of their team’s success through the years. They are predominately alums of the school and work in this company town for the major employer. Instead of Mississippi State cowbells, these fans employ jingle and sleigh bells to distract the visitors. However, they are always on their best behavior, as you know who is in the present-edent’s box, watching who has been bad or good. The recent arrival of red-nosed freshman Rudolph Reindeer is expected to light up the scoreboard. Access 2 The main shortcoming of this stadium is its’ remoteness. It is not reachable by road unless you are friends with the “Ice Road Truckers,” have a snowmobile or a mush team of dogs. Snow Globe Stadium also has stringent security measures at all gates… if you’ve been bad, you are not getting in! Airfare is prohibitively expensive and air traffic control space for most of the season is monopolized by SLEDEX and Amazon cargo flights. Even the executive airfield nearby is reserved exclusively by you know who. Make sure you book your tickets for a regular season game, as the Saints are not bowl-eligible due to business commitments in December and January Return on Investment 4 Snow Globe Stadium @ SNSU and the North Pole are obviously “destination” locales for watching football over the holidays. It is a family-friendly experience that you will never forget. Tickets are free (if you have been good) and so are the food and beverage. The stadium spirit shop will remind you of the FAO Swartz toy stores of your youth. Best of all you’ll leave happy and filled with goodwill to all after your visit. That is priceless…… until the credit card bill comes in January. As to the “other” ROI, Snow Globe Stadium has a comparable return policy to most retailers. However, it is probably your fault if something does not fit or is the wrong color. After all, you gave Santa your list, dummy! . Extras 4 The staff at Snow Globe Stadium strives to provide a unique experience for every fan. There is a commitment from top management to the ushers to make sure you are happy. The newest “extras” for your game experience include: Cheerleaders recruited away from the Rockettes. A new stadium lounge for those who want to join in the reindeer games socially. Exclusive tours, including locker room visits with the team after the game. Final Thoughts Snow Globe Stadium is a magical place to be and watch a game, some may even think it is an April Fool’s Day joke.

Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86 Snow Globe Stadium 1225 Holiday Lane North Pole, Top of the World www.hohoho.edu Year Opened: 2023 Capacity: 150,000 (elves) The Stadium Claus(e) In a town known for making wishes come true, this is one that is too big for even Santa’s bag to hold. First, Snow Globe Stadium signed its first naming rights deal with Santa’s, Inc., a privately held company that has its home base at the North Pole. The signing was a key move, as it allowed for the construction of a new home stadium for the Saint Nick State University (SNSU) Saints. The stadium was ready in time for the 2023 football season. The new stadium’s construction cost was also funded by a huge new broadcasting deal with ESPN (Elves Sports Programming Network). The Saint's old stadium had been around “forever”, and was showing its age, as it lacked the amenities frozen fans have come to expect. In connection with the new stadium’s opening, The Saints moved up a wrung in the NCAA’s level of competition. They formerly played at the FCS (Father Christmas Status) level of play, and now will compete in the newly formed SAC (Santa Athletic Conference), which is legendary for its defensive style of play, as well as for delivering gifts under the tree. The new conference is a result of the recent fallout involving all the major football conferences. Teams in the new conference include LSU (Leave the Stockings Up), Sleigh State University, Austin Pay by Layaway, and Slippery Rock (because it’s icy, stupid!). The new Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium will offer many new features both on and off the field designed to maintain the Saint's 100% winning percentage in home games. First, new chillers have been installed to make it comfortable for the fans and hazardous for the visiting teams. In the past, the 100,000 elf boosters, students, and parents had complained about the former stadium’s gameday temps of 72 degrees. (have you ever smelled 100,000 sweaty elves?). A new frozen tundra turf has also been installed. It can be moved mid-game to wherever the visiting team is on offense… giving the Saints defense a big edge. We will discuss other new amenities in other sections of this review. The Saints will be bringing back most of their starting lineup, as they do every year (where else are you going to go when you live at the North Pole?) The Saint's offense has been upgraded by the arrival of stud running back Rudolf Reindeer through the transfer portal. Rudolph figures to “light up” the new videoboard/scoreboard frequently each season. Rudolph was attracted to SNSU by the huge NIL opportunities (Santa is a well-connected alum) at the school, which will bring him lots of cold cash. Food & Beverage 4 Snowbucks was brought in as the new manager for the upgraded food and beverage program at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium. The stand offers chocolate chip cookies, peppermint bark, gingerbread, Christmas hams, cranberry sauce, candy canes, and sno cones. Beverages include hot cocoa, milk, egg nog, Red Reindeer energy drinks, RC (Really Cold) colas, frozen coffee, and Icee’s. Adult beverages are also available for the first time at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium. It offers 2% beers (it doesn’t take much for the elves to get wasted), candy cane champagne, jingle juice punch, pumpkin spice toddies, and several Christmas ales. Water is not available, as it would freeze before you get back to your seat. The fruitcake stand has been dropped from the food offerings, as nobody seemed to want it. The remaining stock of fruitcakes was donated as building material to the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. Atmosphere 5 As you can imagine, there’s always a festive atmosphere at a SNSU Saints game. The sleigh gating starts well before kickoff, with the elf families putting out an impressive set of holiday favorites for their pregame celebrations. Decorating your sleigh gate is also important, as there is a competition for the best use of lights and greenery for all of your settings. The stadium has also added a snowball-hole competition to the pregame activities. Once inside the stadium, it’s hard to miss the new 5,000-foot flat-screen TV videoboard that Santa, Inc. has delivered to the new venue. It features the top plays from the reindeer games throughout the league, as well as sideline reports from the frozen tundra. The Reindeer Rooter elves love to cheer when a referee throws a penalty lump of coal against the visiting teams, as it means they have been bad, so the elves have one less house to prepare gifts for delivery. Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium has also increased its seating for persons with special needs. They now realize that normal-sized people need much wider seating than their elfin fanbase, and have provided expanded seats as a result. Earphones are provided as well, as UN translators are brought in to announce the games in all the languages used by customers of Santa’s Inc. Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium has increased its premium options for its most loyal customers. The Presents Box offerings seating with the Boss himself. Typically, this includes toy manufacturing execs, luxury sleigh franchisees, and other fat cats. The Reindeer Rooter’s Party Suites offers participants an all-inclusive experience featuring food, beverages, entertainment, deluxe seating, and close-in parking for their sleighs. You don’t want to leave your seat at halftime, as the Marching Tin Soldiers put on a precision marching performance that is on par with that college band out of College Station, Texas. They also play Christmas favorites during breaks in the action. Their dance team is extraordinary, especially doing the kick line. The week of the Homecoming game is especially colorful at the North Pole. The entire town takes part in a Northern Lights competition, which also includes an ice sculpturing event as well. Neighborhood 5 Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium is located on the SNSU campus. It is surrounded by the major schools at SNSU, including the schools of Toy Technology, Presents Distribution Systems, and Bad/ Good Information Technology. For the most part, the North Pole is a company town, but there is plenty for visitors to do while they are in the area. The stadium’s spirit shop is open throughout the year. It looks like an FAO Swartz toy store and offers a wide selection of Santa, Inc. swag. Dining options in the area range from the Michelin List-rated Ruth’s Christmas Steak House and Wolfgang Ice Puck’s Spago to the moderately priced Chilly’s. Fans on a limited budget will find numerous outlets of the Mexican food chain Jingle Bell in the area. For a pre- or post-game drink check out local favorite Blitzen’s Bar and Grill, which offers a wide variety of Christmas craft brews. Lodging is restricted to Holiday Inn affiliates by local ordinance. They are plentiful, as you know who is the franchise owner in the area. Fans 4 The stands are filled with a sea of green and red-clad elves for every SNSU game, as most of Santa’s Inc. workforce are alumni of either SNSU or its sister campus, Toy Technology Tech. All employees are given the day off to attend the games, as they deserve a break from the hectic pace of the toy assembly line prior to Christmas. The elves are well-behaved and welcoming to visitors, as you know who’s in the owner’s box, looking out for who has been bad. You don’t want to be on the boss’ naughty list! When the Saints are doing well on the field, you can hardly hear the announcements. The fans here love to shake their jingle bells to support the home team. Think of it as a northern version of the Mississippi State cowbells. After the Saints score, the fans sing the theme from “Frozen”, the school’s fight song. Access 3 Despite all the new features at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium, access is a major concern for visiting fans, as travel to the new venue is difficult. You’ll still need a snowmobile, a mush team of dogs, or a ride with the Ice Road Truckers to get around town. Air travel in and out of the North Pole is quite limited, especially for late-season games. This is because airspace around the North Pole is not controlled by the FAA. The North Pole International Airport (NPIA) runways are clogged with both Sledex and Amazon cargo flights throughout the year. In addition, NPIA airport has a much stricter security apparatus than the TSA…. if you’ve been bad… you are not getting in! If you do manage to get to the North Pole, just follow these easy directions: 1) Just keep heading north 2) Head over the river and through the woods to Snow Globe Stadium we go…...! Once at the stadium, you should not have to deal with emptying pockets or going through scanners at the gates. Security already knows if you’ve been bad or good… for goodness sake. We also had to grade down the new stadium due to issues involving the restrooms. Since 95% of the fans are elves, the urinals are all very low. Ask the usher in your seating section where the nearest “super-size” restrooms are. Return on Investment 2 A visit to the North Pole and Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium is obviously a “dream destination” for most fans. As we’ve mentioned earlier, airfares are very high due to the limited number of flights to the area. Ticket prices are also very high for visiting fans. This is due to the limited number of games played at home by the SNSU Saints. The Saints are not eligible for post-season play due to restrictions from their move up to the SAC, and the fact that everybody at the North Pole is busy getting ready for Christmas in December and handling returns and exchanges in January. Just remember all the happiness and goodwill you experienced during your visit…. until the bill comes in January! Extras 4 The new Snow Globe Stadium will not feature the low-altitude flyovers by Santa’s Sleigh, as it was found to cause cracks in the globe in the old stadium. Instead, the Good Boy and Girl blimp will fly over the action. During the off-season, Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium hosts the St. Elsewhere Film Festival, where every episode of the series is shown. The new Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium has also upgraded its safety and security elements. Snowballs can still be thrown in the stadium; however, rocks cannot form the interior of the snowball. Better marked sidewalks and crosswalks have been added outside of the stadium, after the tragic accident involving Grandma getting run over by a reindeer at the former stadium. Santa, Inc. has also been signed up as the stadium’s security provider. It has a world-class database of who is bad or good anywhere in the world. The elfin staff at Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium strives to provide a unique experience for every fan. There is a commitment from top management (you know who) to the ushers, snowmobile parking attendants, ticket takers, and concession workers to make sure you are happy. Final Thoughts Christmas came early to the North Pole this year, as the brand-new Santa’s Snow Globe Stadium opened in time for the 2023 football season. It offers many more premium experiences than its predecessor. Attending a Saint Nick State football game in person will definitely get you into the Christmas spirit!

Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86 Webster Bank Arena 600 Main St Bridgeport CT 06604 Sacred Heart Pioneers men’s hockey website Webster Bank Arena website Year Opened: 2001 Capacity: 10,000 Pioneering a New Era at Sacred Heart Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, has played Division One hockey since the team’s inception in 1993. Unfortunately, the Pioneers have been little more than an afterthought in the crowded New England hockey scene. For their first twenty-three seasons, Sacred Heart’s home rink was the Milford Ice Pavilion, a community hockey rink in a neighboring town. Sharing the MIP with Sacred Heart were local high schools and youth organizations. As you can imagine, it was a less-than-ideal situation for a Division One program. Stadium Journey ranked the MIP next to last among all Division One hockey facilities in 2015. To improve the stature of their program, Sacred Heart entered into a five-year agreement with the Webster Bank Arena in neighboring Bridgeport to play all their home games at the arena beginning with the 2016-17 season. As part of the agreement, the team will have a dedicated locker room, along with workout and equipment facilities, at the Webster Bank Arena. Sacred Heart has traditionally played a few games per season here in Bridgeport, but will now exist as a co-tenant with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League and the Fairfield University Stags basketball team. The Pioneers compete in the Atlantic Hockey Conference. They have not enjoyed a winning season since the 2009-2010 campaign. The team has yet to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Food & Beverage 4 With the small crowds present at Sacred Heart hockey games, visiting fans will surely be surprised by the variety of concessions available at Webster Bank Arena. One concession stand is open during Pioneer games. Hot dogs, chicken tenders, and burgers are sold here, along with a wide variety of snacks, including french fries, peanuts, popcorn, and candy. There is a portable cart open selling assorted snacks, including pretzels and churros. Also, open during Pioneer games is Rita’s Italian Ice stand, which sells Italian ice and ice cream. This stand had the longest lines during the game. If you are headed to a Pioneer hockey game and want to grab a bite, you should check out the menu at the Limerick Pub, located directly adjacent to the main entrance of Webster Bank Arena. Not only does the Limerick Pub feature a full bar serving mixed drinks along with several brands of draught beer on tap, but a varied menu is also served at Limerick Pub’s small counter. Irish nachos, loaded baked potatoes and corned beef sandwiches are sold here, as they would be at any self-respecting Irish pub. In addition, beef stew (in a bread bowl), chicken wings, short rib sandwiches, and salads can all be purchased by hungry Pioneer fans. It’s a surprisingly diverse menu, especially considering the small crowds in attendance. Atmosphere 2 Perhaps the largest obstacle that the Sacred Heart gameday staff will encounter in the early days of their stay at Webster Bank Arena is how to make the large area lively when there are only a couple hundred fans in attendance. The staff here are working out the kinks, but early signs are promising. Most prominent at Sacred Heart hockey games is the school’s pep band, which sets up in the northeast corner of Webster Bank Arena. The band is hooked up to the arena’s PA system and fills the rink with sound during play stoppages. Strangely, almost the entire seating bowl is open for Pioneer games. This has the result of spreading out the crowd, making the arena feel emptier than it otherwise may feel. The most prominent feature of Webster Bank Arena is the giant video board that hangs over the ice, stretching from blue line to blue line. It’s used to good effect here, showing game highlights and some games during play stoppages. Neighborhood 3 Downtown Bridgeport has a really bad reputation, and in the past, it may have been a deserved one. However, like many other cities in the region, the city’s leaders have worked hard to revitalize the downtown area. The building of the ballpark and hockey arena next door were to be the anchors of this revitalization when they opened in 1998 and 2001, respectively. Unfortunately, the development of the Harbor Yard area never happened. The lots that were ticketed for the development of a retail center next door to the sports complex remain empty. They are presently used for parking at game events. While this development has not occurred as hoped for, the downtown area is not the wasteland it was rumored to once be. Downtown Bridgeport proper is located on the other side of Interstate 95. Access can be gained through several underpasses near the arena. There are several restaurants worth visiting in the area, with Ralph N Rich’s serving up fine Italian fare, and the newly opened Barnum Publick House serving a traditional bar menu. For those looking for other things to do while visiting Bridgeport, the P.T. Barnum Museum is located a short walk from the arena. Fans 2 Before Sacred Heart moved their home games to Bridgeport, they had the lowest average attendance in all of Division One hockey. Early returns this season are promising, as 1,200 fans attended opening night. Even games held on weekend afternoons so far in 2016 have exceeded the average attendance at the Milford Ice Pavilion. Student turnout continues to be minimal thus far at Webster Bank Arena, but expect that trend to improve as the team progresses through its inaugural season here. Access 5 Arenas don’t get any easier to find than Webster Bank Arena. Located directly off Interstate 95, all one has to do to get to the rink is take exit 27 (whether traveling northbound or southbound), follow the signs for a block, and you are there. Parking is available in a surface lot across the street from the arena or in a parking garage next to the arena. Those looking for free parking can find on-street parking within a short walk of the arena. Despite downtown Bridgeport’s less-than-sparkling reputation, the area around the arena is safe. Getting to Bridgeport is a snap, as Interstate 95 passes directly through downtown. The city is located 60 miles northeast of New York City, an hour’s drive south of Hartford, and 20 minutes from New Haven. Amtrak’s northeast corridor trains pass directly behind the arena, with the station only a couple of city blocks from the arena. Webster Bank Arena has a somewhat unusual design in that the concourse is on street level, and fans walk up from the ice level to their seats in the seating bowl. This setup means that handicapped seats are located right on the glass. All seats at the Webster Bank Arena are blue folding stadium seats. Except for a few sections at the end of the rink near the entrance, all of the seating bowls are open. Fans are given an assigned seat with a ticket, but most fans sit where they please. With the small crowd present, why not spread out? Likewise, all restrooms are open during Sacred Heart hockey games. Predictably, there is no wait to use the facilities, and plenty of room to roam on the concourse. Webster Bank Arena is modern and clean, and this is evident when a small crowd is present. Return on Investment 2 One drawback Pioneer fans will notice in moving to a professional arena is that now they will be paying professional-level prices to catch their favorite team playing. While ticket prices are reasonable at ten dollars, everything else at the Webster Bank Arena feels much pricier than it should be. Parking in the garage next door to the arena costs ten dollars. Concession prices, while comparable to many arenas in the American Hockey League, feel much too high for this level of college hockey. For example, Purchasing two sodas and two candy bars here will cost you almost $20. Extras 2 An extra point is awarded for the school’s attempt to make the hockey program competitive in the crowded southern Connecticut hockey scene. Fans will reap the rewards of these efforts. Any Pioneer fan who caught a game in the cold, cramped Milford Ice Pavilion will feel as if they have traveled forward in time as they watch a game in the modern, comfortable Webster Bank Arena. A second extra point is awarded for the slick gameday presentation which integrates the best parts of college hockey (the pep band and student sections) with the best parts of professional hockey (the giant video board). Final Thoughts It is a big year for many teams in the Atlantic Hockey Conference. Schools that have traditionally played in small, substandard community rinks are moving to local professional rinks, or are making plans for new on-campus facilities. These moves are designed to make the programs more attractive to recruits and fans alike. In moving to Webster Bank Arena, Sacred Heart has made a quantum leap towards making the program more competitive with the other schools that play in southern Connecticut, and Pioneer hockey fans are sure to reap the rewards. ------- Follow Paul Baker’s stadium journeys on Twitter @PuckmanRI .

Photo by Greg Venuto, Stadium Journey Streaming services have become the dominant force in entertainment in the past decade. With more and more entertainment companies looking for ways to take advantage of the growing streaming market, it was only a matter of time before they fully turned their eyes towards the world of sports – live sports – in an effort to fulfill the viewing public’s rabid appetite.   Amazon and its Prime Video service have been one of the leaders in live sports streaming in recent years. They recently announced a partnership with arguably the most recognized brand in all of sports: the New York Yankees  – on March 1, Amazon announced they will have exclusive rights to stream 21 Yankees games this upcoming season in the team’s “footprint” viewing area of New York state, Connecticut, and parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.   The broadcast of the games will come at no additional cost to select Amazon Prime viewers. Of the 21, 19 are slated to be Wednesday games, with the first broadcast set for April 10 against the Miami Marlins .   The YES Network’s Emmy Award-winning broadcast team will be the producers of the games, in concert with Amazon. There will also be a 30-minute pregame show for each game, hosted by YES’ Meredith Marakovits for home games and Bob Lorenz during away contests.   Calling the games will be YES Network play-by-play announcer Michael Kay, entering his 33rd season as the voice of the Yankees . He will be joined by a host of color analysts, including former Yankee greats David Cone, Paul O’Neill, and Joe Girardi.   The full schedule of exclusive games on Prime Video can be found here: www.amazon.com/yankees . ----- Follow Eric Moreno’s Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477 . Visit Eric Moreno’s writer’s portfolio site at ericmoreno.contently.com .

Photo by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey On Saturday October 26, BYU’s football team visited Central Florida  for the 4th time in series history, defeating the Golden Knights 37-24. The Cougars improved to 8-0 in conference play in only their 2nd season as members of the Big 12, and now stand atop the Big 12 standings – Iowa State  is also undefeated, however, but is only 7-0 since they already had their bye. BYU’s performance was good enough to move them into the top 10 of the AP Poll, the first time they have been in the AP Top 10 since a 9-0 start in 2020. After decades in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), which was re-formed into the Mountain West Conference (MWC) in 1999, Brigham Young University joined the Big 12 in 2023 as part of the larger conference alignment that in some way affected almost every team in the FBS. That conference realignment saw the end of some rivalries which have existed for over 100 years, for example Texas -Texas A&M, who first played in 1894 – the last meeting was in 2011, but the rivalry is being reborn in 2024, as Texas A&M  and Texas are now in the same conference again, the SEC. Photo by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey That conference alignment also brought together teams that are separated by thousands of miles, most notably in the Big 10, which now stretches from USC  and UCLA  in California all the way to Penn State  in State College, PA. Such distances have become commonplace in college football these days, however – years ago it was surprising, for example, to see West Virginia  join the Big 12, over a thousand miles removed from its conference rivals in Texas and Oklahoma; such distances are no longer remarkable.