Worst Stadium You Have Seen (inspired by the Vols)

Submitted by marc_from_novi on

I am down in Knoxville visiting family and wandered over to University of Tennessee's football stadium today. I have to say I was shocked by how run down and ugly it is. I have been to most stadiums in the Big Ten (still need to visit Wisconsin and Minnesota) plus ND. Neyland Stadium is by far the worst that I have seen. It reminds me of the final days of Tiger Stadium with all of the rust and peeling paint. Total erector set POS. Have you been similarly surprised by any of the stadiums you have seen?

MGoShoe

April 7th, 2010 at 10:44 PM ^

...the baseball experience suffered. Three Rivers, Veterans, original Busch, Riverfront, etc. Here are the seating charts so you can see what I'm talking about. The shifting seats for football and soccer configurations allowed for the bouncing stands that Redskins and now DC United fans used/use to great effect.

Football:

Baseball:

bsdohn

April 7th, 2010 at 9:36 PM ^

I agree that Spartan Stadium is a dump, and may I also add that The Citrus Bowl in Orlando is pretty bad, but THE WORST venue I have been to in terms of cosmetics and ease of accessibility it has to be JOE LOUIS ARENA.

Believe me when I say that I am a HUGE Red Wings fan, but we need a new one folks.

Tim Waymen

April 7th, 2010 at 9:53 PM ^

This is going to sound crazy, but I really don't like Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks). It's very nice and new-ish, no doubt, but it doesn't feel like baseball. They have (had?) a pool in the outfield for crying out loud.

Fenway Park is a crappy stadium but it has a certain charm. I like how Fenway and the Big House have no gimmicks (or advertisements in Michigan's case). In another era, Fenway would be the worst baseball stadium, but it's a true gem with with character, grit, and tradition in a sport that is becoming more and more sterile due to commercialization (for lack of a better term?).

My favorite baseball stadium would have to be Camden Yards--nicest while minimalist. My favorite stadium overall is the Big House because, simply put, it's a special place to me and being there sends chills down my spine. There's nothing like the feeling of being there on a Fall Saturday, and I totally understand if that's how a Vols fan feels about Neyland.

Tim Waymen

April 7th, 2010 at 11:23 PM ^

Like carousels in Comerica Park (not a dig at Detroit's great stadium, just something I don't like), the pool in Arizona, the ginormous jumbotron at Progressive Field with the cheesy intro (otherwise a great stadium)...that sort of thing. Believe me, I have plenty of complaints about Fenway. For one thing, it's Boston and you can only get Budweiser and not Sam Adams or Harpoon??? I like how at Comerica you have choices, including Labatt. Boston sold its baseball soul to the devil long ago, but I like the organ and Sweet Caroline. And the Green Monster is an oversized slab that is a poor attempt to make up for a short field. Camden Yards is definitely my favorite.

Mattinboots

April 8th, 2010 at 1:15 PM ^

You can definitely get Sam Adams at Fenway. Small cups for $6, but it's still sold. Now one major knock is that Fenway does not sell beer in the seats. You have to go up and get it. At least that's how it used to be (I was last at Fenway in 2008). But, I think I may have seen on Sunday a beer vendor in the stands, so perhaps that's changed. Now I would not be surprised that if they are selling beer in the seats, then you can't get Sam Adams as Sam Adams does not come in 32 oz. cans.

MaizeSombrero

April 8th, 2010 at 9:00 AM ^

But where the Richmond Braves used to play was real dump. No good seat, really steep upper deck, mo atmosphere, concrete no-character, terrible concessions.

A lot like an outdoor Crisler Arena, which is also pretty horrendous. Also, how am I the only person to mention Crisler?

MH20

April 7th, 2010 at 10:44 PM ^

The Boilers play in a boring, ugly stadium. The giant video board behind the visitors bleachers constantly plays advertisements and is generally way too loud and very annoying.

Okay, so this does not qualify as a "worst stadium," I just felt like saying it.

VictorsValiant09

April 8th, 2010 at 6:20 AM ^

No offense, but I agree.

They play that damn horn after every first down, and I can constantly hear the band director address the band. Should I be hearing that in a college football stadium? Probably not.

In addition, like Northwestern and Indiana, I feel like I'm in a high school stadium.

M-Dog

April 7th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^

given how the rest of the campus looks like a resort.

It is old without being historic. The concourses look like the inside of a coal mine - creaky old wooden beams on top of asphalt and dirt floors.

steve sharik

April 7th, 2010 at 11:27 PM ^

...is pretty bad since they built around the old stone exterior with that new cinder-block-looking stuff. Inside is the most boring stadium I've ever been to. The ND campus is gorgeous (except for the library with TD-less Jesus) and they have that horseshit football stadium. ND wins my "Worst Stadium I've Been To" award.

Also:

Exterior aesthetics are bad at Penn State--it looks like it's built from Legos. The inside environment is fantastic and their fans are pretty friendly.

Wisconsin = solid, plus Jump Around is a must-do experience.

Comerica is good; I don't know what that one dude's thinking.

Haven't been to PNC but really want to go; shouldn't have problem getting seats, either.

AT&T/Pac Bell/whatever is amazing.

Ditto Camden Yards, Fenway, and Wrigley.

New Busch, meh.

I will say "no comment" regarding pre-renovation Michigan Stadium.

M-Dog

April 7th, 2010 at 11:35 PM ^

is an odd place.

It started out as a 40,000 seat horse shoe and they just kept adding to it in fits and starts to get to 100,000. They never went back and created a unified look like FSU Doak Campbell. The latest upper deck over the endzone that now blocks the view of Mount Nittany doesn't even look the same as the one over the other endzone.

It all looks like something your kid created with his Erector set unitl it was time for dinner.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

April 8th, 2010 at 7:23 AM ^

I'm with those who say the Citrus Bowl. Awful part of town, for one. For two, there's no real stadium, per se. There's just a lower deck and an upper deck, both of which are huge blocks of unpainted concrete that look like something the Soviets designed. And not attached to one another. Concourses? Sure - the patch of sidewalk (more concrete) in between the lower deck and the chain link fence that delineates "stadium" from "not stadium." And don't get me started on the stupid seat bottoms.

uofmfootball97

April 8th, 2010 at 11:12 AM ^

When i lived in California, i went to a couple Tigers-A's games at McAfee Coliseum and it was awful. It was really old and rundown and had absolutely no character. Not to mention it's in Oakland, so grabbing food after the game is a risk. Also, formerly Candelstick Park (not sure the current name) was terrible too. I was there for a Ravens-Niners game and it was equally as terrible. There is a huge overhang from the upper deck so you get those cement support beams blocking your view, similar to old Tiger Stadium. Better neighborhood than the Coliseum, but the stadium is a cement box.

Also, i disagree with Ross-Aide. I was there during Hart/Henne's freshman year (with the Shazor hit) and i really enjoyed it, but that might have been becuase i was in the press box.

Happyshooter

April 8th, 2010 at 6:03 PM ^

Michigan State's Upper Deck is bad, but Eastern Michigan's whole stadium is really really cheesy.

For as much worship as Knoxville has for Tenn, the stadium there should be a lot nicer.