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Nicest SEC Stadiums/Arenas - Football/Basketball/Baseball
Posted on 5/8/24 at 1:53 pm
Posted on 5/8/24 at 1:53 pm
Now that the conference is at 16 schools, do you think your school has stadium or arena in the top half of the conference in at least one of the three major sports?
Football
Basketball
Baseball
Vanderbilt is the only school that immediately comes to mind that would be excluded, but are there any others? Missouri maybe?
Football
Basketball
Baseball
Vanderbilt is the only school that immediately comes to mind that would be excluded, but are there any others? Missouri maybe?
24
Posted on 5/8/24 at 1:55 pm to gamecockman12
quote:
o you think your school has stadium or arena in the top half of the conference
Yes, in all 3
Posted on 5/8/24 at 1:58 pm to gamecockman12
The Texas basketball arena is new but not very large (by design)
Baseball is fine but could improve. Still top 8 in the country according to d1baseball.com
Football is old but big and mostly pretty nice now. But I'm not even going to attempt getting into a SECRant pissing match over that one
Baseball is fine but could improve. Still top 8 in the country according to d1baseball.com
Football is old but big and mostly pretty nice now. But I'm not even going to attempt getting into a SECRant pissing match over that one
Posted on 5/8/24 at 1:58 pm to gamecockman12
quote:
Vanderbilt is the only school that immediately comes to mind that would be excluded
Vanderbilt has one of the best basketball venues and they upgraded baseball and are upgrading football.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 1:58 pm to gamecockman12
At the moment, I'd say Tennessee isn't in top half of "nicest" in any sport. Possible Florida is in this list with OU/TX joining but idk about enough everyone else's baseball stadiums
Posted on 5/8/24 at 2:00 pm to gamecockman12
How long before this gets the same responses as uniform threads?
This post was edited on 5/9/24 at 9:28 am
Posted on 5/8/24 at 2:05 pm to gamecockman12
It's fun for everyone to 5hit on Neyland Stadium as an erector set...but the size and location on the Tennessee River make me hold it in the top half. Setting that aside, I submit Thompson Boling Arena for Tennessee:
Located on the banks of the Tennessee river. Capacity is just under 22,000. Luxury box seats on perimeter blend in with the architecture.
Located on the banks of the Tennessee river. Capacity is just under 22,000. Luxury box seats on perimeter blend in with the architecture.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 2:09 pm to gamecockman12
It’s really tough to rank stadiums by how nice they are.
Jordan-Hare has really fallen behind when it comes to number of box and club seats, but for the average seat, I’d say it’s as nice as any other “average” seat in the league.
Put it this way… I’ve sat in a box at Neyland before and their club areas are vastly superior to Auburn’s. But I’ve sat in the lower bowl and the upper deck at Neyland, and Auburn’s general seating blows away those tiny seats in Knoxville.
Pretty much the same goes for Athens, Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, etc.
Tuscaloosa’s stadium’s round shape makes for seating being way too far from the field. A seat at the 50-yard line feels like you’re a mile away. Those upper decks are wayyyy to high and any seat in the upper end zones is utter garbage. Their lack of a big screen video board also sucks… those small corner video boards just don’t do it for me.
I love that in Athens, you can drive or walk across the bridge and have a view inside the stadium 365 days a year…. But that also makes for way too high of a percentage of seats being in the upper deck….. there are a lot of bad seats.
Baton Rouge is a good venue inside the stadium, but the concourse areas are complete dumps.
Jordan-Hare has really fallen behind when it comes to number of box and club seats, but for the average seat, I’d say it’s as nice as any other “average” seat in the league.
Put it this way… I’ve sat in a box at Neyland before and their club areas are vastly superior to Auburn’s. But I’ve sat in the lower bowl and the upper deck at Neyland, and Auburn’s general seating blows away those tiny seats in Knoxville.
Pretty much the same goes for Athens, Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, etc.
Tuscaloosa’s stadium’s round shape makes for seating being way too far from the field. A seat at the 50-yard line feels like you’re a mile away. Those upper decks are wayyyy to high and any seat in the upper end zones is utter garbage. Their lack of a big screen video board also sucks… those small corner video boards just don’t do it for me.
I love that in Athens, you can drive or walk across the bridge and have a view inside the stadium 365 days a year…. But that also makes for way too high of a percentage of seats being in the upper deck….. there are a lot of bad seats.
Baton Rouge is a good venue inside the stadium, but the concourse areas are complete dumps.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 2:09 pm to gamecockman12
State is definitely in the upper half in all three:
Baseball-The Dude sets the standard
Basketball-The Hump very nice after the recent renovations.
Football-DWS solid. Not large but a very family friendly stadium and not a bad seat in the house. Had a very renovation in 2014 and another one is in the works in the next few years.
Baseball-The Dude sets the standard
Basketball-The Hump very nice after the recent renovations.
Football-DWS solid. Not large but a very family friendly stadium and not a bad seat in the house. Had a very renovation in 2014 and another one is in the works in the next few years.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 2:21 pm to gamecockman12
Only stat that matters.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 2:22 pm to gamecockman12
Alex Box..beautiful shade of green
Posted on 5/8/24 at 2:49 pm to gamecockman12
For Ole Miss basketball arena and baseball stadium are certainly top half. Football, while the atmosphere has improved tremendously, the stadium itself is probably fighting with Mizzou Kentucky, and State for 2nd worst only ahead of Vandy. They had plans for a huge upgrade tearing down the entire West side and rebuilding from the ground up, but Kiffin nixed it and asked for donations to go to the Manning Center and NIL
This post was edited on 5/8/24 at 2:51 pm
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:00 pm to gamecockman12
Football-No
Basketball-Yes
Baseball-Yes
Basketball-Yes
Baseball-Yes
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:12 pm to gamecockman12
If the criteria is "nicest," in football, that's going to be Kyle Field. 60% of the seats built in 2014-15, 80% of the concourses date from that renovation, and the rest from 1999.
I have not been to any SEC basketball venues except Reed, so I will pass on that. Reed seems to be kind of middle of the pack, but I couldn't say more than that.
For baseball, I haven't been to Missouri, Tennessee, Ole Miss or Auburn. Of the ones that I have been to, I'd say that State, South Carolina and Florida are the "nicest." There are other nice parks to the point it would almost be easier to identify who does not have a nice park, and for me that is Missouri and Vandy (OU will be in this group next year). Not sure where to put Tennessee, but they are improving that park.
I have not been to any SEC basketball venues except Reed, so I will pass on that. Reed seems to be kind of middle of the pack, but I couldn't say more than that.
For baseball, I haven't been to Missouri, Tennessee, Ole Miss or Auburn. Of the ones that I have been to, I'd say that State, South Carolina and Florida are the "nicest." There are other nice parks to the point it would almost be easier to identify who does not have a nice park, and for me that is Missouri and Vandy (OU will be in this group next year). Not sure where to put Tennessee, but they are improving that park.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:13 pm to gamecockman12
I was blown away at how dated and crappy The Swamp was.
I liked Sanford more than The Swamp but still kinda dated.
Jordan Hare is alright.
I liked Sanford more than The Swamp but still kinda dated.
Jordan Hare is alright.
This post was edited on 5/8/24 at 3:15 pm
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:14 pm to gamecockman12
Baseball for sure, basketball probably, definitely not football. Vaught-Hemingway is due for an upgrade.
This post was edited on 5/8/24 at 3:14 pm
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:22 pm to gamecockman12
Football and baseball, yes. Basketball, absolutely not.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:28 pm to gamecockman12
UGA's Sanford Stadium would be in the top half for football arenas. Basketball and baseball, I don't think so. 
On second thought, UGA's Stegeman Coliseum (basketball) has been greatly improved both outside and inside. I especially love its looks on the outside.....sorta like a giant flying saucer that's just landed (you UFO weirdo's would love it).
Stegeman Coliseum
On second thought, UGA's Stegeman Coliseum (basketball) has been greatly improved both outside and inside. I especially love its looks on the outside.....sorta like a giant flying saucer that's just landed (you UFO weirdo's would love it).
Stegeman Coliseum
This post was edited on 5/8/24 at 3:37 pm
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:47 pm to gamecockman12
quote:
Missouri maybe?
Our basketball arena is very nice, I’d say comfortably top half of the conference. Football is catching up to the rest of the conference very quickly. Our baseball stadium is worse than some middle schools.
Posted on 5/8/24 at 3:57 pm to gamecockman12
Ags
Kyle Field the #1
Reed Arena is probably near the bottom
Olsen Field is mid tier, but will be top 1-2 after the upcoming renovation.
Kyle Field the #1
Reed Arena is probably near the bottom
Olsen Field is mid tier, but will be top 1-2 after the upcoming renovation.
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