OT: Worst sporting venues?
Since the OT season is winding down, what are some of the worst sporting venues you've been to or know of?
Obviously ones in Columbus and other B1G cities will be mentioned. This is more specifically for ones outside those awful places.
Joe Louis Arena is turrible. Every seat I sit in, something is wrong with it. Sat down by the glass at the 2013 CCHA Playoff Semifinals and the chair I was in was essentially a rocking chair.
I've seen some amazing Michigan Hockey moments there, but gosh damn that place is just a dump. I have a feeling the B1G selected a rotating tournament that includes Detroit because of the new arena coming.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:42 PM ^
Looks like Arena bowl inside, and golf driving range from outside. Probably a fun atmosphere since you are close to action and all noise held inside. Seems like a crappy place to punt though if you are inside the 10 yard line on either side!
p.s. I loved Yost Arena - super atmosphere, and I could care less about the amenities. Awesome chants (sieve! sieve! sieve) and fun action. Only went to about 6 games though - probably my main regret sports wise.
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:00 PM ^
that's the dome former Michigan QB Matt Gutierrez played in for two seasons, after transferring to Idaho St.
That's the one Michigan QB I feel we never got a chance to see enough of---fate was unkind to him, getting injured on the eve of the 2004(?) season. Instead, Chad Henne started and the rest is history.
Doesn't Northern Michigan U also play in a wooden dome? Has anybody been there that can tell us a bit about it?
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:21 PM ^
Yes -- it's known as the Yooper Dome:
Also, there's something about Idaho and indoor stadiums. Here are some pics of the University of Idaho's Kibbie Dome:
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:25 PM ^
They play at the Superior Dome.
I have a friend who is going there this year. I may go up there for a game someday just to see that thing. It looks the lobby of a wilderness lodge-turned-football stadium.
August 24th, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
As others have mentioned. NMU plays at the Superior Dome, aka the Yooper Dome. It is made out of Douglas Fir Beams and I think they claim to have the largest wooden dome in the world.
I went there to watch my old high school Harbor Beach play in the semi-finals of the state football playoffs vs Ishpeming. I was really impressed with the venue. You are close to the action, it's unique, it keeps the sound in. Really cool place. Even for a high school game the bleachers were packed and it was loud.
August 24th, 2014 at 10:35 PM ^
when we lived there we would go see the wildcats play there. kind of cool, all things considered. i always thought northern should have a solid football team given it's resources and how nice marquette is, but alas, not usually the case.
willy the wildcat walks around the stadium. he creeped oldest child out (she was quite young at the time). they host the homebuilders show there too in february, and that was very good for business in the middle of winter.
August 23rd, 2014 at 7:58 PM ^
Purdue's Ross-Ade Stadium and Chicago's US Cellular Field. Nothing sticks out being "awful" about them, just nothing exciting or special. Well, that, and West Layfayette is terrible and there is nothing around US Cellular.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:02 PM ^
Turner Field in Atlanta is pretty bad, just old and not kept up. Other than that, not many bad venues that I've been to
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
Yeah, Turner Field isn't old. However, the area that the stadium is in is just terrible. Hell, as someone who's lived in Atlanta for a collective 16 years, Atlanta is just terrible.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:07 PM ^
Cobb County! Good move for them in your mind? Never been to a Braves game, being from the midwest, but I know all of the "issues".
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:44 PM ^
I live in Cobb county, so the Braves moving there sounds like a pain in the ass to me. There will be no MARTA to the stadium, and the 75/285 Junction there is already a mess. They should have stayed in the same area, and developed the surrounding area like they've said they would do for the past 2 decades. That area where Turner and old Fulton county are/were located is coming around, but needs a bit more money, and attention.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:17 PM ^
I don't think Turner Field was ever considered a gold standard for stadiums. It's only a couple of years younger than Camden Yards. But yeah, it's bad when a stadium is not even 20 years old and the franchise doesn't like it.
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:31 PM ^
There's nothing wrong with the stadium. It's the location the Braves don't like. There's some map they produced that says all their paying fans live to the north of the city. It's actually quite a nice venue IME.
August 24th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
If there's nothing wrong with the stadium itself, this seems pretty short-sighted. I'm sure most Tiger fans don't live anywhere near downtown Detroit but the stadium is there. Can't Atlanta find some way to redevelop the area around Turner Field?
In any event, it goes down as another case of Olympic venues not, in fact, being the catalyst for neighborhood revitalization (as proponents claim every time).
August 24th, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^
i went to see the cubs-braves last year in between final four days. i thought the stadium was fine. beyond the outfield is a huge area with food and beer vendors and such. they had a band playing out there too. pretty fun before the game.
the best part was when samardjia came to bat, the PA guy played the victors. i was probably one of the few people who got the joke.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:05 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^
I'm sure i'll get flamed for this but I've said it before, and i'll say it again, Fenway Park sucks. It's kitsch baseball, and sightlines are god awful.
August 23rd, 2014 at 11:10 PM ^
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August 23rd, 2014 at 8:06 PM ^
The new Yankee stadium, on the other hand, is pretty dope.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:22 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:30 PM ^
I can't speak for JGB, but to be absolutely fair, I did try out twice and fail spectacularly each time, so there was at least some effort put into the notion of playing football. I think that's rather how you eventually end up being a mod actually, as it doesn't necessary require excellent vision or the quickness of judgment to find gaps between the tackles.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:02 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
August 24th, 2014 at 8:51 PM ^
August 24th, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
perhaps my only disagreement with mgobrewmom ever. the actual grass field was decent, the locker rooms were fine, and i was always fond of the area around the stadium as opposed to most places where you find large stadiums.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:20 PM ^
My problem with Comerica is that the upper deck seats are way too far from the action. I'm amazed at how many people buy tickets up there. Even the first row of the upper deck feels really far away. If I go to a Tiger game, I only want to sit in the lower deck - but then it costs an arm and a leg.
August 25th, 2014 at 9:15 AM ^
Comerica Park is 10x better stadium than that poured concrete Great American in Cincinnati. GABP is probably the worst of all new baseball stadiums. It was done on the cheap.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:12 PM ^
Does it count as terrible or awesome, since it's both the basketball and football arena?
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:23 PM ^
Our very own Doug Nussmeier played on that field.
The Kibbie Dome is another crazy stadium in Idaho. Blue Turf, Holt Arena and the Kibbie Dome.
Crazy thing is, the Kibbie Dome was originally an outdoor stadium until they enclosed it. It was built after their old home, Neale Stadium, was destroyed by arson.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:25 PM ^
Wait wait wait... he was a leftie?? It's settled then, Shane Morris will lead us to 2 national championships and will win 2 Heisman trophies after this season.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:12 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
It was great for football because of the atmosphere created by the crowd. But without that crowd atmosphere, ala the exhibition baseball games they played there before the Nats stadium was built, it was awful.
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:24 PM ^
Sort of.
Concourses, etc were terrible. But, the seats were reasonably close to the action. Because the upper deck hung over you were very close to the field, at least if you were inside the infield.. Someone above pointed out that the problem with Comerica (and really most new places) is that the second deck is pretty far away.
I think FedEx in where Washington's team plays isn't bad when you get there, but the trip there is absolute misery, and getting out is no picnic either.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
For pro sports:
Oakland coliseum is a crap hole. It's terrible for both baseball and football.
For college:
Probably Qualcomm. It's actually pretty bad for NFL games too but when SDSU plays it is a wasteland. Martin Stadium in Pullman is also extremely bad. Not only is the stadium tiny and soulless there is nothing, nothing to do after the game.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
The RCA Dome in Indy was pretty bad. The nosebleed seats were some of the highest seats I've ever been in - not to mention the obstructed views abound due to supports. Also agree with Purdue's Ross-Aid Stadium although it does have that old school charm to it somewhat. IU's Memorial Stadium always kind of felt like a TX High School stadium. The bleachers were always half empty - just kind of gave it that "who cares vibe".
Stadiums I like: Sun Devil Stadium, Michigan Stadium, Hinkly Fieldhouse, Lucas Oil Stadium, University of Pheonix Stadium, and I kind of miss Riverfront Stadium from a nostalgia pov.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:18 PM ^
I wonder how many people died of cancer from secondhand smoke at the Pontiac Silverdome.
August 23rd, 2014 at 8:29 PM ^
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August 23rd, 2014 at 8:16 PM ^
The Citrus Bowl was absolutely awful. Just awful.
And, honestly, I don't care how much I get negged, the Horseshoe is a spectacular stadium. It's no secret Bill Martin made a visit down there to see how they did their renovation before they started on the luxury box project. They did it right.
August 23rd, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:27 PM ^
It's not just concrete shit. The concourses were woodchips and temporary trailers. The place was literally falling apart. Not to mention it's in a pretty shady stretch of Orlando.
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:37 PM ^
Let me go ahead and pile on the Citrus Bowl, because that was gonna be my entry too. It's a monstrosity of concrete surrounded by a chain link fence. What bathrooms there are, are just concrete-block shacks. The concourse isn't really a concourse, it's just the empty space between the bleachers and the chain link fence, and the upper deck isn't even attached to the lowers, it's just a separate structure looming over top. And the seats pissed me off; they bolted seat bottoms to the bleachers so you couldn't slide half a seat over to get a better view around someone in front of you. (This was at a not-sold-out game.) No seat backs, just uncomfortable seat bottoms. Stupid.
I understand the place is going through a "renovation," which basically involves tearing down the old stadium and building a new one. None too soon.
August 23rd, 2014 at 11:42 PM ^
My buddy stomped on a bleacher a little too hard near the end of the game, and one of the Citrus Bowl medallions on the end of the row just flat-out fell off. We heard it clink onto the concrete, a nice little ceramic disc with the old stadium logo. He wasn't even trying to do it. He pocketed it. I've always wished I'd gone up a row and tried to do the same.
August 24th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
Is the Citrus Bowl used for anything besides a couple of bowl games? Rebuilding the whole thing seems like a costly proposition.
August 24th, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^
FHSAA hosts their state title games there, and the new Orlando MLS team is going to play there.
August 24th, 2014 at 10:14 PM ^
I may be biased against it because the only game I saw there was the Citrus Bowl vs. Tennessee, but what a dump. An overgrown high school stadium, complete with dilapidated concession areas, cheapo concrete and exposed steel beams everywhere.
August 23rd, 2014 at 10:10 PM ^