The Stadium "Bucket List" Guide - your experiences and tips?
The discussion in the Blue Jays thread got me thinking about the sports stadiums that are still on my "Bucket List". Whether it's strictly MLB, or across all different sports, I'm sure there are plenty of them out there, including a few "must do" places or cities like MSG, Fenway, and Wrigley.
I'm also probably not the only one who gets excited about planning out potential trips to coincide with sporting events, either for a single team like the Flames on the road, or perhaps sprinkling in some other sports as well in the same city. My biggest regret is not going to NY to see the Flames play NYR, NYI and NJ in 2020 -- that got cancelled due to Covid.
But the one thing I've been thinking out lately is: What are the best sporting events / experiences / stadiums to attend in person?
Out of the major sports, I'd say baseball stadiums are the most interesting and unique in terms of the stadium itself. So even though the game might not be that exciting (we'll exclude the playoffs as that is a different beast), for me it's as much about exploring in and around the stadium. NHL/NBA arenas are neat, but that's more focused on the in-game experience IMO (versus whatever happens to be on the concourse).
As for in-game experience, I think college football is at or near the top of the list. I've only been to a couple of NCAA games, but between the atmosphere and the marching band and other traditions, I think its very unique. I could see college basketball being similar (albeit on a smaller scale versus having 70k+ in a football stadium).
What's on your list? Anywhere that you've gone recently that you'd recommend? Anything you currently have planned?
The discussion in the Blue Jays thread got me thinking about the sports stadiums that are still on my "Bucket List". Whether it's strictly MLB, or across all different sports, I'm sure there are plenty of them out there, including a few "must do" places or cities like MSG, Fenway, and Wrigley.
I'm also probably not the only one who gets excited about planning out potential trips to coincide with sporting events, either for a single team like the Flames on the road, or perhaps sprinkling in some other sports as well in the same city. My biggest regret is not going to NY to see the Flames play NYR, NYI and NJ in 2020 -- that got cancelled due to Covid.
But the one thing I've been thinking out lately is: What are the best sporting events / experiences / stadiums to attend in person?
Out of the major sports, I'd say baseball stadiums are the most interesting and unique in terms of the stadium itself. So even though the game might not be that exciting (we'll exclude the playoffs as that is a different beast), for me it's as much about exploring in and around the stadium. NHL/NBA arenas are neat, but that's more focused on the in-game experience IMO (versus whatever happens to be on the concourse).
As for in-game experience, I think college football is at or near the top of the list. I've only been to a couple of NCAA games, but between the atmosphere and the marching band and other traditions, I think its very unique. I could see college basketball being similar (albeit on a smaller scale versus having 70k+ in a football stadium).
What's on your list? Anywhere that you've gone recently that you'd recommend? Anything you currently have planned?
My bucket list is all college football:
Tiger Stadium (LSU) for a night game
Cotton Bowl (stadium)- OU-Texas. Red River rivalry
Iron Bowl - don't care, would watch in either Auburn or Tuscaloosa
Rose Bowl (stadium) - just to see a game
Neyland Stadium in Knoxville
Lane Stadium (Virginia Tech) - simply for the pregame entrance
Would love to go to a 'smaller' game too. FCS level or something. Just for the experience, they seem more intimate than at some of the huge stadiums.
Appalachian State (Boone, NC). This place looks absolutely gorgeous.
^^ when I was a bit younger I had grand visions of going to all the big stadiums like Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and yes Lane Stadium for Enter Sandman. Maybe when I’m retired and can swing a three week road trip…
I’ve been toying with the idea of heading down to Missoula to see a Montana Grizzlies game; might also be fun to see EWU play on the red turf in Cheney, or Idaho play in the Kibbe Dome in Moscow.
I did get to see a game at the Rose Bowl about five years ago — watched Josh Rosen go off against Hawaii (lol). The atmosphere was disappointing though as I didn’t find out until later that classes hadn’t started yet so the student section was almost empty I did have quite the moment though when it suddenly hit me about 10 minutes before the game started — holy **** I’m sitting in the Rose Bowl!
I've been to a couple Seahawks game, including the game where the crowd broke the outdoor stadium noise record. My hearing was distorted for a good few days after.
With all due respect to the massive college and NFL stadiums out there, NOTHING comes close to European football fans. It's truly an experience. These people live and die by their clubs, and can organize 80,000 people to sing a made up song on the spot.
I've been to a couple Seahawks game, including the game where the crowd broke the outdoor stadium noise record. My hearing was distorted for a good few days after.
With all due respect to the massive college and NFL stadiums out there, NOTHING comes close to European football fans. It's truly an experience. These people live and die by their clubs, and can organize 80,000 people to sing a made up song on the spot.
This exactly CroFlames. I went to Wembley Stadium last year for a World Cup Qualifier and it was intense. 90,000 people singing Sweet Caroline to start the match. The cheers and chants before/after goals. Was amazing
I've been to a couple Seahawks game, including the game where the crowd broke the outdoor stadium noise record. My hearing was distorted for a good few days after.
With all due respect to the massive college and NFL stadiums out there, NOTHING comes close to European football fans. It's truly an experience. These people live and die by their clubs, and can organize 80,000 people to sing a made up song on the spot.
Funny
Spoiler!
It's European sports fans in general, really. I've been to a few Premier League games and they're just excellent. I was also at some Rugby World Cup games in 2015 and the atmosphere is so good. You come from that to the Saddledome (paying more money for the Flames as well) and there's no comparison. The 'dome is like a library.
I’d like to attend a game in Yankee Stadium - Yankees vs. Red Sox preferably.
Reminds me of when we attended a game in Boston and my wife exclaimed, “Look, the Green Machine.”
I attended a game at Fenway. It was fun and charming to be in the old building, but it certainly was missing some of the amenities I've grown accustomed to in modern US stadiums.
With all due respect to the massive college and NFL stadiums out there, NOTHING comes close to European football fans. It's truly an experience. These people live and die by their clubs, and can organize 80,000 people to sing a made up song on the spot.
This is a good point -- my personal focus is on the four major sports, but there is definitely room for the soccer/football experience as well. The only problem is that I have little to no interest in soccer But I'd be curious about other types of events, like tennis or golf, which I don't mind watching on TV but might be a lot different in person?
I think the only other sport I've watched live is lacrosse (Roughnecks game), and quite honestly, it wasn't for me.
Hockey:
Stanley Cup Finals Game (Luckily enough to go to a Flames - Tampa game)
Bell Centre
LA vs Anaheim Playoff Game (Wouldn't have been on the bucket list before but was a ton of fun)
Madison Square Garden (Rangers)
Basketball:
Madison Square Garden (Knicks)
Baseball:
Jays Game
Fenway Park
Yankee Stadium (Both those legendary stadiums were a lot of fun)
Tokyo Dome (Honestly one of the coolest sporting experiences of my life and would highly recommend it)
European Football:
Italy vs Spain World Cup Qualifying
Bayern Munich vs Koln in Munich
Wrestling:
Royal Rumble (had wanted to go to a royal rumble since I was a kid)
And still so much more I'd like to do:
Hockey:
Watch the Flames Win a Stanley Cup
Baseball:
World Series Game
Wrigley Field
Basketball:
NBA Finals Game
NCAA Final Four
Football:
NFL Playoff Game (Feel like it might actually be better atmosphere than Super Bowl)
European Football:
World Cup
European Cup
Juventus Game
Milan Derby
Spurs vs Arsenal
Manchester Derby
One other idea to consider is Spring Training. I've done Phoenix and want to do Florida in the next couple of years. Going to a bunch of small parks and sitting in the sun watching a ball game or two a day for a week just works for me.
I put in my Masters entry every year, hope to get drawn eventually. College football would be great, Yankee Stadium and MSG, and some top end European football are on my list. Now that the kids are mostly self sufficient we are knocking a few off, I'm lucky that my wife is as enthusiastic as I am to do a few of these things.
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Fenway is one of the top experiences I've been to. Especially against the Yankees. Also the Salt lake Gold Medal game.
Seeing the US Open at Pinehurst with Tiger in contention was pretty cool.
I definitely want to get to the Masters one day and my son is begging to go as well.
We did a Europe soccer tour with my son's soccer team a few years back. We went to a Juventus game and a Torino FC game, and enjoyed the Torino game a lot more. Juventus felt a bit like a sterile, North American big stadium, and I guess it didn't help that the supporters were on strike. Taking the bus to Torino, we saw the police escort the opposing supporters into town and escorted their buses directly into their own sealed off entrance where they were in a glass walled section. It was pretty good entertainment watching the home supporters and visitors exchanging obscene gestures and trying to throw things at each other.
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I was in Boston for a conference when the Red Sox had a WS home game. Hotel concierge was offering to get us tickets. they were going to be expensive, like REALLY expensive so we begged off, but in retrospect that's a swing and a miss on an experience for me
fortunately I have been to games at Fenway, Wrigley, Yankee stadium (latest 2 iterations), Dodger stadium etc
I've done some pretty great ones. Saw a Cup awarded (Edmonton, but whatever). Watched the last game at the Montreal Forum. Saw a no hitter at a stadium that is no longer there (Veterans Stadium in Philly).
I've still got a lot I want to see. I'd love to say I've been to every NHL rink. NFL and MLB as well.
Totally agreed about baseball stadiums being the best, and I'm only a casual baseball fan. Yeah they're the most unique, usually have a gorgeous downtown backdrop, and they're a nice size: not behemoths like a football stadium. Plus the cool patterns they do with the grass. I've been lucky enough to be at some historic ones, like the original Yankee Stadium back in 2002, and Dodger Stadium.
I NEED to attend a college football game. Notre Dame is at the top of the list, not just for the stadium but that campus itself looks gorgeous. I also would love to attend a big SEC game, agreed it looks like the best sports atmosphere.
The Stadium "Bucket List" Guide - your experiences and tips?
I did have quite the moment though when it suddenly hit me about 10 minutes before the game started — holy **** I’m sitting in the Rose Bowl!
