Stolen from the Sun Belt and C-USA forums. An interesting read, though I think they miss the mark for a bit of the MAC. That dumpy dome up in Idaho should be below all of us, and Rynearson and Waldo are both too high up. Some other rankings (Boise at 16, but OSU at 27?) aren't exactly scientific either.

121. Scheumann
120. Yager
118. InfoCision
115. Huskie
108. Peden
102. Gillett
93. Rynearson
87. Doyt Perry
77. Dix
70. Glass Bowl
69. Kelly Shorts
67. UB
46. Waldo

http://www.stadiumjourney.com/news/02-01...kings-2012

They might as well have just put all the stadium names in a hat and drawn them randomly. It would mean about as much.

InfoCision at 118? From what I've heard, that's the top stadium in the MAC.

(02-13-2013 06:28 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  InfoCision at 118? From what I've heard, that's the top stadium in the MAC.

and I think UB's is among the worst.

(02-13-2013 06:28 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  InfoCision at 118? From what I've heard, that's the top stadium in the MAC.

Quote:Our rankings of the stadium experiences are based on considering many aspects of the stadium experience including food and beverage served, overall atmosphere, the neighborhood, fans, access to and within the stadium, and overall return on investment.

Ball States is very nice, small but nice. Waldo is dumpy and old. Idk if they are going on the environment of the game they saw? I'm sure Kelly Shorts was rockin for the MSU game... but in green and white.

Akron's is super nice, so is rynearson, but neither get fans to their games which would kill the environment for a game. Toledo's is still my favorite. Penden gets fans which makes it a cooler stadium to be at. NIU's, BG's, and Buffalo are marginal... Never been to Miami, Kent, or CMU.

I think this ranking is more appropriate:

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/120...ms/page/36

The MAC has a healthy representation.

In the MAC, can one even say there is a correlation between stadium quality and, for instance, fan size? There aren't an additional 5,000 Huskie Fans if only the neighborhood is more cool, or the food and drink is better.

(02-13-2013 06:51 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Ball States is very nice, small but nice. Waldo is dumpy and old. Idk if they are going on the environment of the game they saw? I'm sure Kelly Shorts was rockin for the MSU game... but in green and white.

Akron's is super nice, so is rynearson, but neither get fans to their games which would kill the environment for a game. Toledo's is still my favorite. Penden gets fans which makes it a cooler stadium to be at. NIU's, BG's, and Buffalo are marginal... Never been to Miami, Kent, or CMU.

To me, the Glass Bowl is a dump. What's up with lighting poles in the seating section?

I've been to about half of the stadiums in the MAC and to me, none are all that great as a structure, except maybe Akron. But if they are going based on the experience AT the stadium (for the game they saw), then it really depends on which game they attended for their write-up. As always, opinions are subjective.

(02-13-2013 08:04 PM)MileHighBronco Wrote:  

(02-13-2013 06:51 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Ball States is very nice, small but nice. Waldo is dumpy and old. Idk if they are going on the environment of the game they saw? I'm sure Kelly Shorts was rockin for the MSU game... but in green and white.

Akron's is super nice, so is rynearson, but neither get fans to their games which would kill the environment for a game. Toledo's is still my favorite. Penden gets fans which makes it a cooler stadium to be at. NIU's, BG's, and Buffalo are marginal... Never been to Miami, Kent, or CMU.

To me, the Glass Bowl is a dump. What's up with lighting poles in the seating section?

I've been to about half of the stadiums in the MAC and to me, none are all that great as a structure, except maybe Akron. But if they are going based on the experience AT the stadium (for the game they saw), then it really depends on which game they attended for their write-up. As always, opinions are subjective.

My problems with WMU are the following: 1. Concourse on the student section side is very narrow and old. 2. The steps are way too steep on the home side. 3.Press boxes on the inside are marginal, nothing like Toledo.4. WMU has carnival vendors. 5. Also two non attatched endzone bleachers that make the stadium 8k larger? Dude 35k is not coming to see the broncos take on Uconn. Toledo has a crappy away side, but other than that we have top notch facilities for the MAC. 6. Also the 50 yard field WMU has for a practice facility is a joke. I will say that when Waldo is empty and you are standing on the field, it's cool to look up at. It's unique looking. But it needs major renovations.

1. Concourse is old, but it's an old stadium! And who cares? Its just the concourse. Although it should get points taken away for the trough urinals in the men's room.
2. When you build a stadium into a hill you get what you get. The hill makes Waldo a unique setting and i'd take steep steps anyday over yet another stadium built in an open field.
3. Never been in the press box at either stadium so I can't comment on this.
4. Who doesn't love a carnival?
5. WMU had 36k for indiana state in the early 2000s, and last i checked had something like 5 out of the top 10 single attendance games in the MAC (actual home games, not off campus stuff).
6. The practice field is 70 yards

(02-14-2013 12:10 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  My problems with WMU are the following: 1. Concourse on the student section side is very narrow and old. 2. The steps are way too steep on the home side. 3.Press boxes on the inside are marginal, nothing like Toledo.4. WMU has carnival vendors. 5. Also two non attatched endzone bleachers that make the stadium 8k larger? Dude 35k is not coming to see the broncos take on Uconn. Toledo has a crappy away side, but other than that we have top notch facilities for the MAC. 6. Also the 50 yard field WMU has for a practice facility is a joke. I will say that when Waldo is empty and you are standing on the field, it's cool to look up at. It's unique looking. But it needs major renovations.

A little harsh on WMU. I kinda liked their stadium, more than EMU's.

(02-13-2013 06:51 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  Ball States is very nice, small but nice. Waldo is dumpy and old. Idk if they are going on the environment of the game they saw? I'm sure Kelly Shorts was rockin for the MSU game... but in green and white.

Akron's is super nice, so is rynearson, but neither get fans to their games which would kill the environment for a game. Toledo's is still my favorite. Penden gets fans which makes it a cooler stadium to be at. NIU's, BG's, and Buffalo are marginal... Never been to Miami, Kent, or CMU.

Just wait until we get our new video board(and possibly ribbon boards)! No more marginal!

(02-14-2013 01:06 AM)Ubish Wrote:  1. Concourse is old, but it's an old stadium! And who cares? Its just the concourse. Although it should get points taken away for the trough urinals in the men's room.
2. When you build a stadium into a hill you get what you get. The hill makes Waldo a unique setting and i'd take steep steps anyday over yet another stadium built in an open field.
3. Never been in the press box at either stadium so I can't comment on this.
4. Who doesn't love a carnival?
5. WMU had 36k for indiana state in the early 2000s, and last i checked had something like 5 out of the top 10 single attendance games in the MAC (actual home games, not off campus stuff).
6. The practice field is 70 yards

Yes it's all my opinion, but still.
1.) No one said you couldn't lay new concrete, or put in light fixtures that give off actual light rather than the headlights of a 1987 Buick Skylark.
2.) The Hill is pretty sweet, but I can't imagine what that is like for handicapped or older people who want to sit closer to the field.
3.) Waldo has decent press boxes for the MAC. Probably the next best I have seen outside of Toledo and Akron.
4.) ...
5.) WMU: 36,361 Indiana State (N) W 2000
36,102 Central Michigan (N) W 1999
35,874 Youngstown State (N) W 1999
35,107 Northern Illinois (N) W 1998
33,976 Illinois State (N) W 2001
33,272 Central Michigan L 1989
32,285 Central Michigan W 1988
32,255 Central Michigan L 1980
31,129 Indiana (N) L 2007
30,848 Central Michigan L 1983
30,734 Western Illinois (N) W 1994
30,472 Marshall L 1999
30,327 Eastern Illinois (N) L 1996
(N)= night
Toledo:
36,852 vs. Navy (2001)
36,502 vs. Northern Illinois (2001)
34,950 vs. Minnesota (2001)
34,900 vs. Marshall (2000)
33,040 vs. Indiana State (1994)
32,726 vs. Weber State (2000)
31,981 vs. Bowling Green (2004)
31,711 vs. Pittsburgh (2003)
31,458 vs. Bowling Green (1994)
31,369 vs. Bowling Green (1982)

Maybe Waldo has been full before, but not many times since 2000. Also Toledo's capacity is 26k and could do what they have done. It wouldn't hurt WMU to downsize for their outlier of 30k+ crowds. I'd Rather have 26k stadium with crowds in the high teens and low twenty thousands, than the same attendance in a place that seats nearly ten thousand more.

6.) Outside of not having one, it's got to be the worst in the MAC.

(02-14-2013 01:56 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  I'd Rather have 26k stadium with crowds in the high teens and low twenty thousands, than the same attendance in a place that seats nearly ten thousand more.

Waldo only seats 30,200.

(02-14-2013 01:56 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  6.) Outside of not having one, it's got to be the worst in the MAC.

Is that only based on the 70 yards?

Surely you aren't suggesting your sams-club inspired design is nicer than our beautiful building that includes suites for the football stadium and is built into the historic facade of the old Oakland gym?

Also, it seems you've never seen eastern's "facility".

Dear Ubish,
Defend your own...Don't start slamming Eastern. Our stadium has symmetry. I know people complain about the track, but we still have a track team. All we need is more fans.

This list is so poor its not even worth discussing.

Not a fan of any stadium that has a track on the perimeter. It reminds me of a HS.

Here is my perspective from the 90's. I've been to every MAC stadium except Buffalo (wasn't in the league yet), NIU (wasn't in the league then, and WMU (we didnt play in K-zoo for a 4 or 5 year stretch.)

Miami's stadium is the best (of course, Im a Miami fan)

BG's stadium looks a lot like Miami's except has a bunch of orange

Toledo and Ohio both have some character to them

The Rubber Bowl looked like at one time would have been real cool, but was a dump at the time

CMU had a good crowd following and could look real nice if they ever got rid of that terrible cinder-block shed at the one endzone and renovated the stadium

Eastern Michigan looked kinda cool and had some potential if they could just get some people to show up. At the time the turf was real bad.

Ball State and Kent had zero character and weren't very impressive, but this was before both were recently renovated so Im sure they are better now.

at the time, here is how I'd put them:

Miami
Toledo
Ohio
BG
CMU
Eastern (would be higher if no track and had fans)
Akron
Ball State
Kent

did not go to NIU, WMU, or Buffalo

(02-13-2013 06:22 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Stolen from the Sun Belt and C-USA forums. An interesting read, though I think they miss the mark for a bit of the MAC. That dumpy dome up in Idaho should be below all of us, and Rynearson and Waldo are both too high up. Some other rankings (Boise at 16, but OSU at 27?) aren't exactly scientific either.

121. Scheumann
120. Yager
118. InfoCision
115. Huskie
108. Peden
102. Gillett
93. Rynearson
87. Doyt Perry
77. Dix
70. Glass Bowl
69. Kelly Shorts
67. UB
46. Waldo

http://www.stadiumjourney.com/news/02-01...kings-2012

This is nothing new. The NIU review is from 2010 and has been discussed every off season. They just update a few stadiums a year.

I have been to 4 MAC stadiums now and each one has good and bad parts.