Before this annual tradition, a few updates as I got a couple late-season re-visits in. On December 17th, I finally made my way to Villanova for a basketball game at Finneran Pavilion. I was biding my time, waiting for when the team was average and the right event that lined up with my schedule. This was one and it was a game against Seton Hall. They want me to call it “The Finn”, it’s hard to do that and I’ll be sticking with The Pavilion. Anyway, it really impressed me upon introduction as the opening entrance post 2017-2018 renovation is stunning. Further into the arena where the court is, it’s more of a lipstick on a pig situation as it is cramped. Still a great visit and thrilled to check that off the list. A few days later, we went to see family in Rochester, NY for the holidays and I returned to see an Amerks game on a snowy night. It wasn’t the weather, but rather the insane line into the Civic Center garage that dampened spirits for this re-visit to Blue Cross Arena. It took 25 minutes to get a couple blocks into the connected garage as access is just terrible. I know better to park elsewhere having been to this place probably a hundred times as a kid, but the allure of not trekking out in the snow was too tempting. We missed the first goal of the game, but at least saw a few more as Rochester won 3-1. It’s a great AHL atmosphere and probably the best hockey option in Western NY as the Sabres continue to suck.
As for how 2024 ended up here at Stadium and Arena Visits…I was very pleased. 13 new venues! Plus, I re-visited a whopping 9 others as several of those badly needed updates after my system wasn’t quite as refined 10-15 years ago when I first made those visits. The List stands at 267 stadiums that I’ve seen a game at out of 1363 qualifying venues. A lot of great experiences and memories were made at a variety of facilities in the sporting world…let’s recap how it went:
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FAVORITE NEW VENUE VISIT: Nippert Stadium…..Only the sixth stadium to receive a ranking over 80. The home of the Cincinnati Bearcats tops my list of 42 college football stadiums as it checks nearly every single box that I look for. It is great to see a historical structure retain those characteristics while evolving to become modern as well. What I really loved about Nippert is how intertwined it is with the University. Sitting smack in the center of campus, it remains open all the time and students often cross through it to get to class.
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WORST STADIUM EXPERIENCE: Armstrong Stadium…..Way too expensive for the quality of the product and stadium. A $33 ticket and $10 parking was hard to justify for the home of Hampton Football. The historical element was kinda neat (and so was the location next to a cemetery), but man are the sightlines terrible here. The only good thing about the visit was the HU Band, which were phenomenal.
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MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: “Week 1“…..I remember as a kid that the final weeks of summer would drag on as I eagerly awaited football on the weekends. I’d beg my Mom to spend $5.99 on a Football Preview magazine. Sitting in the stands this September and feeling the energy for the first game of the season at Paycor Stadium was exhilarating. It was also exhausting as the poor signage and layout of the stadium meant that I had to climb up and down way too many stairs. My brother endured the same pain as you can see in the beginning of the video (0:48).
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FAVORITE CITY: Charleston, SC…..Not exactly a surprise as The Holy City constantly rates as one of America’s top destinations. I could see why as I fell in love the history and charm of this place. Wherever we went, it always seemed nice and our three days here were well spent. There’s plenty of things to do and I found just walking around downtown and exploring to be the most enjoyable.
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BEST RESTAURANT: Fleet Landing…..This restaurant by the water in Charleston scratched my itch when it came to experiencing Lowcountry food. Excellent seafood combined with local delicacies like Charleston Red Rice and Pimento Cheese Grits made for a fantastic meal. Service was on the slow side as our only hiccup was restless kids because the food was great.
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BEST IN-STADIUM FOOD: Mullins Center…..I may not be a fan of “The Flagship”, but I really liked the food at their venues. UMass Dining can be thanked for that and what they had to offer certainly outdid most other campus food. When I went to a hockey game, I opted for their Pulled Pork platter, which included some really good Mac & Cheese. The next afternoon for basketball, I sampled on the Ice Cream from their Creamery. Emmm-emmm!
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BEST GAME: Norfolk vs Worcester (5 – 6)…..I almost put the Cincinnati – Pitt college football game in here, but that one was more of a collapse. This ECHL game was a fun back-and-forth affair that had everything. Things began with Worcester taking 3 penalties in the 1st period and that led to a widely disproportionate shot count (18-5). I quickly came away with a strong dislike for the visitors as in that period I watched them: fake getting hit with a high stick, sucker punch an Admiral and taunt kids by pounding on the glass after a goal. Despite having the run of play, Norfolk went to the 1st intermission tied and they were even down 2-1 after the 2nd (shots at that point: 35-15). The final period was a fantastic back and forth affair with goals up and down the ice. Regulation finished 5-5 and then in Overtime, Anthony Repaci scored on an odd-man rush as the Railers won. 21 different players got on the scoresheet in this game.
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CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS: Fredericksburg Nationals…..In their 4th season, the FredNats took home the Carolina League title (Single-A). My chances of seeing a championship season were good in this league as I saw games in 4 of the league’s 12 ballparks this season. My visit to Fredericksburg came pretty early in the season as it was an April visit with the team just getting started.
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MOST UNDERATED FANS: Cincinnati Bearcats Football….There are several FBS programs in pro cities and Cincy is one of the best in terms of support for both. This was a near sellout and I was impressed with the turnout. Yes, they were playing Pitt, an on-again/off-again rival that may have enhanced crowd size. It was a red-out game and most listened as they wore the appropriate shirt to make for a visually pleasing look in the stadium. The student section was huge, as was their intimidating presence behind the end zone. Not all college kids come back after halftime, but they did at Cincinnati during a seeming blowout.
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COLOR AND CHARACTER: Alumni Hall….There is no mistaking that you are at the Naval Academy as this basketball arena features displays all over. It’s not so much about the athletic prowess, but more so what these young men and women do after they graduate. The interior walls feature the Class Crest going all the way back to 1906. It is a fascinating tour of each intricate design. The halls outside of the main court contain beautiful artwork, huge murals and replica ships.
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THE WEATHER: 13 good days, 5 ok days and 2 bad days…..For the outdoor games, I was really fortunate as it was great, especially for football. Cincinnati and Hampton were just beautiful (60s/70s and no rain). Baseball games were mostly comfortable too, though it shouldn’t be a surprise that it was hot and humid in South Carolina during late June. The only bad weather issues were when travelling to hockey games. First, was heavy rain as 2-3 inches led to limited outdoor pictures for UBS Arena and I also saw a bad hydroplaning accident driving to the game. The following season, snow covered the roadways for a return trip to see the Rochester Amerks, thankfully without any travel accidents.
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BEST SIDE TRIP: Cabana Shores – Myrtle Beach…..I have to admit that Myrtle is not my jam. I don’t like the Beach and the kitchy boardwalk scene I shy away from. But this was for the family and the kids as they love it and Cabana Shores was an ideal place. Situated away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, this was a great spot as the outdoor pool combined with the beach being a short walk away made for a nice vacation set-up. Kids had a blast and I recommend staying at this hotel.
Stadium and Arena Visits 