Started By
Message
re: Ranking the SEC basketball arenas...
Posted on 12/4/14 at 9:56 am to The Spleen
Posted on 12/4/14 at 9:56 am to The Spleen
quote:
I thought Rupp was overrated
The key to Rupp is the era in which it was built. It is not an attractive building as it was built in the age of crappy concrete box architecture but it is more than just a building. It has 4 unique things that make it awesome for a college basketball game.
#1 sheer size
#2 no corporate suites which means maximum noise
#3 built before ADA handicap rules so steep seating puts crowd closer to game*
#4 atmosphere of seeing top teams in the nation play each other
* For a few years Rupp also played home to an AHL hockey team. Both the home team and the visiting teams all commented on the "closeness" of the crowds during game play.
quote:
I like older arenas better anyway
(insert kige here)
Stokley and Barnhill were great places to see a game. Memorial (UK) in the heyday was very intense. If you are really old, Alumni Gym was a place of magic and wonderment.
quote:
My top 3:
1 Rupp
2 Memorial
3 TB
BWA is right up there but they need to get the life back in it.
2
Posted on 12/4/14 at 10:05 am to Cheese Grits
What's sad is we built BWA 20 years ago and Barnhill is nicer than some of these arenas these schools are still using.
Posted on 12/4/14 at 10:08 am to Cheese Grits
I guess with Rupp I was just expecting an on-campus palace, but got a downtown almost shopping mall atmosphere outside of it. The inside of it was impressive as hell though, so maybe I'm being unfair. It was also the SEC Tourney in the early 90's so I didn't get the full Kentucky home game experience. Need to go back there for a Kentucky game, though my interest in college basketball isn't near what it used to be.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News