What is your opinion on the worst MAC Stadium to play in and/or to watch a game in??
My worst has to be Eastern Michigan - its basically a prison!
<!--EDIT|AkronObsessed|May 24 2003, 05:59 PM-->
Do you really think an Akron fan should be talking smack about football stadia. The Rubber Bowl is crumbling, the light standards are strategically placed in the way of the field, the press box is put to shame by numerous high schools throughout Ohio, and those restrooms have my vote as "venue most likely to host a prison-style *****-making session".
EMU's stadium maybe empty, but good lord, at least it has been rebuilt/renovated after the Roosevelt administration, the moon landing, and the fall of the iron curtain....as opposed to the Rubber Bowl, which apparently got a new coat of paint shortly after Sputnik was launched...
Give me a break Akron Obsessed! :mad:
EMU's stadium seats 30,200 and has great site lines everywhere. The outdoor entry way has a great alumni area and with the Convocation Center overlooking it right over the ridge it provides one of the sharpest evening football settings anywhere.
The only thing missing are the people. Where does this prison crap come from? Maybe a prison break considering all of the empty space! :D
I'd take Rynearson over the Rubber Bowl any day.
RedSteve Wrote:Do you really think an Akron fan should be talking smack about football stadia. The Rubber Bowl is crumbling, the light standards are strategically placed in the way of the field, the press box is put to shame by numerous high schools throughout Ohio, and those restrooms have my vote as "venue most likely to host a prison-style *****-making session".
EMU's stadium maybe empty, but good lord, at least it has been rebuilt/renovated after the Roosevelt administration, the moon landing, and the fall of the iron curtain....as opposed to the Rubber Bowl, which apparently got a new coat of paint shortly after Sputnik was launched...
A mesage from AD Mike Thomas:
<a href='http://gozips.ocsn.com/school-bio/akoh-ad-thomas.html' target='_blank'>http://gozips.ocsn.com/school-bio/akoh-ad-thomas.html</a>
Let's all pull together for better attendance and facilities in the MAC. Please make your generous donation to the Zips Athletic Club today!
:wave:
Yeah, I have my problems with Yager -- the disproportionality between the student side and the alumni side is just plain silly (although that will be fixed in the next few years). So, that being said, I don't have a lot of room to criticize other MAC stadiums. However, I have heard a number of folks call EMU's stadium the best in the MAC. I think it's kind of funny that someone would rank it the worst.
I'll tell you, though, I love the @ssbowl. If you can get past the flying liquor bottles and portly guys serving up fruity beer, I think it's a great place to watch Toledo get their @sses beaten!
I can only comment on the one's I have been to so far. In ranking I take into account factors such as, ease of getting into the stadium (i.e. I don't have to walk a mile), concessions (they better have coffee), aesthetic appeal (how does the stadium look, atmosphere (is the crowd into it) and just the overall appearance.
I have been to:
Waldo Stadium
Rynearson Stadium
Kelly Shorts Stadium
UB Stadium
Yager Stadium
The Glass Bowl
Huskie Stadium
Ball State Stadium
Doyt Perry Stadium
Stadium that's easiest to get to from the parking lot: Rynearson Stadium (best parking of all of the MAC stadiums I have been to.
Best concessions: Waldo Stadium (Thanks to McDonald's being ousted for Damon's)
Aesthetic Appeal: Waldo Stadium (Inside Waldo gives you views of the past, present and future. In a stadium that has stood since 1939 it has withstood the test of time. The two hills on the press box side of the stadium provides a cozy atmosphere, the addition of the Seelye Center in the east endzone gives us a look at the present and the future. Also the view from the press box side of Waldo gives a tremendous look at the main campus)
Atmoshpere: The Glass Bowl and Waldo Stadium (fans of both schools are into the game from the opening kick-off to the end. The loudest I had ever heard any stadium in the MAC was when Virginia Tech played at Waldo last season)
Overall: Waldo Stadium
No before you claim me of being biased let me explain. While I agree there may be a little biasness in my assessments but hopefully this will help. These are not rankings and are not put in the order of how I am ranking these stadiums. If I had to rank the stadiums you will find my rankings at the end of my assesments.
The good and the bad:
Waldo Stadium: I just love almost everything about Waldo. The crowds have been great, the noise can be incredible, concessions are everywhere around the stadium, the stadium can be expanded, with the field 8 feet below the first row of seats fans are on top of the action. there is not a bad seat in the house. The problems I see is the student exodus at half-time, those grassy hills are dangerous (if you step even 2 feet on them when it's raining or it has rained, you are falling on your rear), parking leaves a lot to be desired, port-a-potties underneath the west endzone (come on, put in permanent restrooms).
Rynearson Stadium: Best parking by far, stadium is expandable has a modern feel to it. Unfortunately for Eastern, having a track with an open pit around the field hurts this stadiums ranking. Fans a further away from the game, small building in north endzone also hurts along with the lack of fan support.
Kelly Shorts Stadium: Stadium is expandable, built sunken into the ground in the shape of a horseshoe, sight lines are great, fans are on top of the actions. This stadium could be better with either seats and/or a bigger building in the north endzone, stadium ranking was hurt by the student mass exodus towards the end of the second quarter.
UB Stadium: I really liked the looks of this stadium on the outside. As I drove by it, it really looked good, parking is okay, and room for expansion of the stadium is incredible. Unfortunately like Rynearson Stadium the track around the field really detracks from it's grade, fans are away from the action, concessions can be improved, also speaking of fans unfortunately for UB their weren't that many fans.
Yager Stadium: Great tradium at Miami University including it's stadium. Good site lines with the fans on top of the action. The bleacher seats in both endzones and on the student side really hurt this stadium (come on Miami, finish your stadium) in my opinion, with the bleachers it gives the stadium more of a high school feeling. Being greeted by religious zealots as I was walking into the stadium wasn't something I was prepared for heading into a college football game (do away with this). No lighting has hurt Miami in probably getting better attendance. Concessions, with no coffee at their concessions I gave Miami the lowest grade so far in concessions.
The Glass Bowl: The Glass Bowl is a lot like Waldo. It has the good site lines, the fans are on top of the action and it has a new and a historic feel about it. However, concessions leave a lot to be desired and there is currently no room for expansion of the Glass Bowl.
Huskie Stadium: This is a beautiful stadium. There is room for expansion and the fans are on top of the action. However, the bleachers in the scoreboard endzone needs to go (replace them with permanent seats), lady bugs all over the place, concessions could be better, gaps between sideline seating and endzone seating separates the fans.
Ball State Stadium: Good parking, recent renovations have apparantly helped. However, fans are away from the action and bleachers are not helpful.
Doyt Perry Stadium: Even though the Broncos lost the game in double overtime 48-45 I enjoyed the Doyt. The fans are into the game and the concessions are okay. Parking could be better. The thing that takes away from the Doyt is that the fans are somewhat away from the action.
1. Waldo Stadium
2. The Glass Bowl
3. Doyt Perry Stadium
4. Kelly Shorts Stadium
5. Huskie Stadium
6. Rynearson Stadium
7. UB Stadium
8. Ball State Stadium
9. Yager Stadium
I've been to two for games.........
Waldo and The Glass Bowl.......both were exceptional in my experience.
Tailgating seems to lack a little.......I guess that's because we do it so well.
That's why I didn't understand the comments of the earlier poster about concessions.
At our games, "if you ain't full at kickoff, you didn't tailgate"......and I mean cooking and grilling and smoking great foods.
Honestly, if an opposing team's fan were to just walk trhough the booster lots, you'd be offered some of the greatest food (and adult beverages :D ) of any. Maybe that's why I'm not concerned with what the stadium offers. The Dungeon does offer a whole line of foods from local resturaunts.....Pizza, Cheese steaks, Sausage, CHinese....ad infinitum.
Hope all you get a chance to visit us and our hospitality at the Dungeon (aka- Citrus Bowl)
BTW, we are much friendlier in person than on boards!!
RedSteve Wrote:Do you really think an Akron fan should be talking smack about football stadia. The Rubber Bowl is crumbling, the light standards are strategically placed in the way of the field, the press box is put to shame by numerous high schools throughout Ohio, and those restrooms have my vote as "venue most likely to host a prison-style *****-making session".
EMU's stadium maybe empty, but good lord, at least it has been rebuilt/renovated after the Roosevelt administration, the moon landing, and the fall of the iron curtain....as opposed to the Rubber Bowl, which apparently got a new coat of paint shortly after Sputnik was launched...
If you've ever been in our pressbox, it is actually pretty nice there bud...and with three stories and lots of room to spare....I'd say high schools would have a tough time putting that to shame bud.
The light poles are a problem, but I'm used to them I guess.
The restrooms: Who cares? I don't watch the game from the restroom! I take a piss during halftime and I'm outta there. What do you expect from a stadium built in 1940??
Ya know, I don't know why I bother arguing this...cuz the Zips need a new stadium....
AKRON'S THE WORST!!
To rank EMU as having the worst stadium in the MAC could only mean one of three things:
1. You haven't been to ANY other stadiums in the MAC
2. You have them confused with some other school
3. You're counting lack of fans against them (but that doesn't explain the prison comment, since Michigan prisons are all over-booked).
Rynearson may be virtually empty - but it's solid, has a good field, looks good and is as clean as any stadium around - of course, no one's ever there to mess it up (I just had to say that!).
I also have not been to them all, but I would rank them:
1. Toledo's Glass Bowl (no question about it)
2. CentMich's Kelly-Shorts (I'm a homer)
3. WestMich's Where's Waldo (ok, maybe the rivalry puts them below Kelly-Shorts)
4. EastMich's Rynearson (if it were ever full - I'd move this up)
5. NoIll's Huskie Stadium (hated the outcome - but nice stadium)
6. BallState's Stadium (can't remember it "not" being ok - so I'll rank it above the one's I've never seen or don't remember)
... (a couple I've never been to - Marshall, Buffalo, Akron, UCF)
... (a couple I don't remember at all - Miami(OH), KentSt)
... (one I haven't been to since it was renovated - OhioU)
14. BGSU's "BUGS" eyesore (I can't stand even driving past it - what were they thinking? Bury the sucker!)
<!--EDIT|nert|May 24 2003, 10:37 PM-->
Quote:The Glass Bowl: The Glass Bowl is a lot like Waldo. It has the good site lines, the fans are on top of the action and it has a new and a historic feel about it. However, concessions leave a lot to be desired and there is currently no room for expansion of the Glass Bowl.
You'll have to move the Glass Bowl up to its rightful place at the top if those are your only negatives. There is a concession stand between every other entryway. Each serves 4 lines. Other than at halftime, you can get what you need and get right back to your seat. The restrooms are the same way, rarely ever is there a wait. As for expansion, the Glass Bowl was built with expansion in mind. I can't recall the exact figures, but Toledo could add quite a bit of seating without ever deviating from the original design.
John52168 Wrote:Huskie Stadium: This is a beautiful stadium. There is room for expansion and the fans are on top of the action. However, the bleachers in the scoreboard endzone needs to go (replace them with permanent seats), lady bugs all over the place, concessions could be better, gaps between sideline seating and endzone seating separates the fans.
The north end zone bleachers will be gone soon enough, and replaced with a brand-spanking new FB building. I've seen artists' renditions, and it looks phenomenal - a curved structure to create some degree of a bowl effect, though I don't think there will be stands there at least initially. The team's lockerrooms will reside in there, and they'll run out of the building, directly behind the goalpost, onto the field. It'll be
sharp! Now, if we can just improve our concessions a bit!!
Oddball Wrote:Quote:The Glass Bowl: The Glass Bowl is a lot like Waldo. It has the good site lines, the fans are on top of the action and it has a new and a historic feel about it. However, concessions leave a lot to be desired and there is currently no room for expansion of the Glass Bowl.
You'll have to move the Glass Bowl up to its rightful place at the top if those are your only negatives. There is a concession stand between every other entryway. Each serves 4 lines. Other than at halftime, you can get what you need and get right back to your seat. The restrooms are the same way, rarely ever is there a wait. As for expansion, the Glass Bowl was built with expansion in mind. I can't recall the exact figures, but Toledo could add quite a bit of seating without ever deviating from the original design.
The Glass Bowl is expandable, as is, to slightly over 50K (51, I believe)
Sorry Oddball, but I consider Waldo and Glass Bowl about even and thus maybe because I may be a little bit of a home I give the edge to Waldo.
Well, I have visited every single MAC stadium (albeit not all on a gameday), so although I can't fairly judge the "game day" atmosphere at all stadiums, in general I'd rate 'em as follows:
1) Waldo (nice setting and new luxury boxes look nice)
2) Glass Bowl (I like the stone and the cool, huge press box/luxury loges......stadium feels much bigger than 26K capacity)
3) Marshall Stadium (most modern and symetrical........nice size)
4) CMU (setting isn't much....flat and open, but renovations have really improved the stadium......tailgating is fun & convenient, too)
5) NIU (Really a nice stadium after further renovations in 94......not that it matters but the folks there are very friendly)
6). Yager Stadium (beautiful setting & good seating on home side, but still only "half" a stadium, which will be rectified next year I believe)
7). Peden Stadium: Nice setting as well, and much better after renovations....still pretty smallish in capacity.
8). EMU (mostly empty, but really very nice as it was totally redone in the early 90's)
9) Buffalo (Track puts fans away from the field, but it's a pretty impressive lil' stadium, with a second deck that is small but goes up quite a ways, making the stadium look bigger than 30K).
10-14: I won't try to rank the rest, but Akron's Rubber Bowl is a bit run-down, but still kind of a neat looking bowl.......Dix Field is not much to look at........BSU's stadium is actually much improved with new seating on the away side and a new end-zone combination stands/work out area.........BG's field was probably the class of the MAC in the late 70's, but doesn't have much of a setting right there by I-75, and is aging a bit.
<!--EDIT|exCincy Kid|May 26 2003, 02:29 PM-->
The Doyt is still a nice place to watch a game IMO.
I remember going to my first game back in 1978.
The stadium hasn't changed much since then. The field was always in great shape. Now, it needs some work. Still a nice place to watch a game but the bleachers at the endzones need replaced maybe enclose the northend.
A new state of the art scoreboard wouldn't hurt. I think that old thing at the southendzone was the same scoreboard when I first went to a game 25 years ago.
I actually like the Rubber bowl. Other then the lights, the sadium is a nice loud place to see a game.
I think that Dix is kind of a dump. Maybe it's all the bad football I sat through in college, but the old east side stands looked bush league, and the astro turf that went past the field, and up the ramps on the sidelines looked like ****** The scoreboard is too small, and traffic on game day is nuts (yes even when Kent is playing.) It's absolutly horrible when a high school playoff game is there and 20,000people are trying to leave.
Plus when I was a student, I always resented the fact that I could stumble out of my dorm and to the MACC for a bastetball game, but I had to ride the bus to a football game.
"BSU's stadium is actually much improved with new seating on the away side and a new end-zone combination stands/work out area"
I would hate to have seen it BEFORE the renovations. Besides the endzone building, it is really not that nice. The away side stands were were just flimsy aluminum that sagged under my feet (sure I am fairly heavy but still...). The stands reminded me of some bleachers for temporary purposes(which they might be, I don't know) or main stands at a "minor" sport such as soccer, rather than permanent stands. But for $8.00 a ticket at midfield on gameday, I guess I shouldn't/can't complain much.
I saw Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and the Dead at the Rubber Bowl back in 86. The hippies kept trying to sell me acid by telling me I'd see God. I tried telling them that I was in no hurry to actually meet God, since I had violated a certain number of his commandments with an astounding frequency.
Lee Owens bogarted the doob I had freshly sparked.
The Doyt is a great place to watch a game. All the place needs some paint, a new scoreboard and better seating in the end zones. Aw hell, who am I kidding, the place is a frigging dump. The concessions blow goats, the bleachers are nasty and the townspeople show up in such small numbers you'd think that they're raffling off leprosy rather than playing a pretty exciting brand of football.
I agree about the Rubber Bowl, it has something about it. However, I can only attribute your comments about Doyt/Perry to the quality time that you shared with Lee Owens. It's a terrible place to see a game.
