Last week, we had another of Mike Chamernik’s “Question of the Week” series, the response was great, and Mike is back again with his next question.
Question of the Week
by Mike Chamernik
The Intuit Dome, the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers, looks pretty awesome. Opening next month, the basketball-specific arena will feature a massive halo board and a “Wall” of fans. The arena also boasts closer seats, more leg room, better acoustics, and plenty of bathrooms. It’s a lot to like.
What are some of the “new” stadiums or arenas that you’ve visited, and what did you think about them? We’ll say venues that opened within the last 10 years. What new stadiums and arenas do you want to visit? Also, if you’re a Clippers fan (or live in or visit Southern California), what do you think of the new arena?
Thanks, Mike. This is definitely another fun QOTW.
Readers? Fire away!
I visited Little Caesars Arena a couple of years ago to see the Pistons lose to the Nets. I very rarely go to any pro games of any sort and I was amazed at how clear the video board was. We had what I would call middle of the road seats and I found myself watching the game on the video board. Growing up, I attended many Pistons games at the Silverdome and we always purchased the cheapest tickets possible which often times put us in the third deck of a football stadium watching an NBA game. The viewing experience was so much better at Little Caesars Arena but the large capacity and affordable prices at the Silverdome allowed me to see some incredible playoff games in the late 80s.
I’ve always wondered what it’s like to watch a small-footprint sport (like hoops or boxing/wrestling) in such a large stadium. If the tickets are cheap it’s probably worth it, just to be there.
I was at LCA for a Red Wings game in December 2019. The arena in general is pretty nice, but the upper bowl seats we were in were a bit too steep and the rows too narrow. We were fortunate to have seats on the aisle, as I had to have my right foot out in the aisle for the whole game, and my legs aren’t that long!
Regarding seating, I never had that much issue at the Joe or the Palace. Joe Louis Arena wasn’t the best for amenities, but the seating was terrific, and the Palace would still be an outstanding arena if it were still around today (the only drawback being the location, being an hour or more away from the bulk of the Pistons’ fanbase).
I agree Rob with your takes on the Palace a d Joe. My dislike with lca is its too stimulating. I don’t know if that’s the direction with new stadiums but the concourse, scoreboard, and pregame hype lighting gave anxiety.
Audi Field – home of DC United and Washington Spirit. I’m not a big soccer fan and disposable income has taken a hit, so I haven’t gotten there yet.
Pegula Arena – not that new, but I have only been back to Penn State a couple of times since it was built. It doesn’t look like anything special from the outside, but inside it’s apparently a great hockey environment. I would love to play broomball there too, somehow.
I almost don’t want to visit new Yankee Stadium because I think it was unnecessary and most of the feedback is “it’s like a mall.”
I’m glad there won’t be a “new Capitals/Wizards arena” in Alexandria, my current home. Nothing wrong with Cap Center II, glad it’s staying.
Hey Mike and Phil…what’s the best way to send you a suggestion for a future Question of the Week?
You can send it to me, and I’ll forward it to Mike.
Phil.Hecken@gmail
The one I’ve been to is Allegiant Field in Las Vegas. I was very impressed. From my seat (midfield upstairs) I had a beautiful view past the torch to the Luxor and the mountains behind them.
The one I want to see is Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
I was in that stadium while they were building it. Going on September 1 for the USC- LSU game.
I was there for a Raiders / WFT game a couple years ago. What I thought was kind of cool was I kept forgetting that I was indoors because it felt so open. The PA announcer was annoying as hell and I don’t think I’d want to go there for a concert because the acoustics didn’t seem that great. But good for a football game.
Went to Atlanta Cobb County Stadium 2 years ago. The Braves history museum behind home plate is very well done with a collection of historical uniforms and a Hank Aaron sculpture made of 755 bats. Overall, I give it 9/10.
I was in Atlanta in 2022 and wanted to see a game, but Truist is far from downtown, and from the MARTA (as was intended)
“I was in Atlanta in 2022 and wanted to see a game, but Truist is far from downtown, and from the MARTA (as was intended)”
I know it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that the Braves wanted to get away from the MARTA, but as someone was involved in those early meetings, I can tell you that was simply not the case. As has been stated above, Truist is about 15 mins from downtown. The reasoning for putting the new ballpark in Cobb County was driven by one reason only, they needed space to build the Battery. The Braves leadership had a vision for the a one stop shop of entertainment positioned around the ballpark. There was no way they could fit that vision in their Turner Field location. To be fair, it worked really well. The Battery is basically printing money.
Truist Park in north Atlanta was indeed built with the fan experience in mind. Great sightlines and wide concourses. Plenty of concession stands, team stores, and restrooms. In addition to the Braves museum area and hall of fame wall, there is a large area with kids activities, and the three level Chop House bar, which has seats to watch the game. Just outside the ballpark in The Battery is a large gathering area where fans without tickets can gather to watch the game, plus numerous local bars and restaurants to eat and drink.
Before building this new ballpark, the Braves tried to convince the city of Atlanta to let the Braves pay to build a similar complex downtown on the city-owned parking lots. This would’ve generated millions in tax revenues for the city, but the government turned the Braves down. The new ballpark is serviced by mass transportation – a new pedestrian bridge was built for passengers to use to walk from the busses (& parking lots) across the highway to the park. The stadium is surrounded by parking lots, and a new north lot is nearing completion. For anyone traveling to Atlanta to see a game I would recommend asking a local for advice. With the possible exception of conventioneers, most tourists stay in hotels miles from downtown. Truist Park is only 12 miles from the heart of downtown Atlanta.
Agree about the museum, but the suburban location is pure dreariness. Acres of parking that could have taken the form of garages, and a “view” of nothing much in particular. Like too many things in Atlanta (where I was born & raised) it’s a nice place if you stay inside it, and never go outside & look around.
Sorry but I just have to disagree. I’d much rather walk around outside Truist Park than Turner Field. There were acres and acres of vast parking lots downtown at Turner Field, which to me was quite dreary. The parking at Truist Park is completely different. The ballpark is surrounded by 3 decks (& soon a 4th), and numerous smaller lots that service the nearby office buildings – mostly surrounded by trees. To each their own – I’ll take the view from Truist over Turner. From the upper deck you can see Kennesaw Mountain and even Stone Mountain if you know where to look. At Turner you can see downtown in the distance, but its over a mile away.
I saw a concert at Little Ceasar’s Arena (home of the Red Wings and Pistons in Detroit). The upper level was terrifyingly steep. So no worries of anyone being in your line of sight, but if you lean too far forward, you’re definitely tumbling down a long way
I’ve been to LCA twice. The upper level was steep! And zero leg room. Also there is a lack of escalators so it gets super congested when trying to leave. But overall I liked the arena.
I haven’t been to an event stadium/ballpark that’s opened in the past 10 years, but I want to see events at SoFi and Mercedes Benz in Atlanta. These giant halo boards look impressive on TV, I wonder how much it would take away from watching the game in real life.
There are no new arenas/stadiums/ballparks near me. And I honestly am interested in the game more than the site.
There is a proposed new Sixers arena for Center City Philadelphia. If it comes to fruition (I will be 72 in 2031) I will go there less than to Wells Fargo for the Sixers because traffic and parking in Center City is a royal pain.
Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta is indeed a sight to behold. From the outside when you drive down Northside Drive it looks like a huge spaceship has landed right in front of you. When you walk up a huge falcon sculpture greets you. This east entrance has the huge window. When you walk inside you can see the field in front of you, with the stands reaching up on your left and right, and the huge circular jumbotron overhead. Above that is the unique roof that opens and closes. The concourses are wide. Windows offer views of downtown Atlanta, and north to Kennesaw Mountain. From the stands the opening to the east also offers views of downtown. Concession prices are relatively “low” with free refills of soft drinks. This offsets the huge amount you paid for parking. Not a very inviting area around the stadium, which is a short walk from Centennial Olympic Park, the College Football Hall of Fame, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Coke Museum. There are a few places to eat at CNN Center.
The Viking Ship in Minneapolis (**** Bank Stadium) is the only really new stadium I’ve been to. The exterior look isn’t for me, but it really is impressive inside. The modern era of stadiums goes out of the way to incorporate the surrounding city in sightlines and they did well here with the gigantic window to downtown.
Still miss the dome though
I’ve been to two NFL games there. That stadium is incredibly impressive, and the city’s light rail makes it quite accessible. All of the glass is really cool, and when we were there in October, it was sunny and warm, so they actually opened the whole entry side of the stadium (it’s like a giant glass wall). Both times, we sat in the uppers under the glass ceiling portion. I love how they make it snow inside during the game in the stands.
As much as I’m a traditionalist and think all sports should be played truly outdoors, it is very nice to have the open-door option for fall and enclosed for winter.
The first game I attended there was in December. Let’s just say I was pretty glad to be inside in Minnesota at that time.
There are actually fewer new stadiums/arenas than I thought. Since 2014, it’s only been two new ballparks in MLB and five new football stadiums and NBA/NHL arenas (Detroit counts twice).
If anyone has thoughts on “new” venues going back further, feel free to share. Yankee Stadium and Jerry World still feel new, to me.
I went to Citi “I Still Call It Shea” Field in 2010–had a lot of fun but it was a cold night and I felt VERY far away from the field. I’ve been to Fenway more than any other MLB park, and even when I’m sitting behind a big metal pole, I still feel like I’m at least close to the action wherever I sit. I’ve also been to a game at T-Mobile Field back when it was still Safeco, thought that was in 2017, so it definitely wasn’t new when I went. Still, a really impressive ballpark.
Surprising you feel (felt) that way about new Shea. Maybe because you’re used to the Fens.
As a frequent Shea attendee, THOSE seats felt far away. I watched the 1999 NLDS clincher from the upper left wing of old Shea and damn near got vertigo. Couldn’t even see whether Pratt’s game winning homer had left the park. But new Shea (to me anyway) feels like almost every seat is right on top of the action.
When Paul & I (and others) attend Mets games, we purposely get tix in the 500 section right behind home plate. For the $, best seats in the house, and you’re definitely right on top of the action, even in the upper “deck”.
Prior to my trip to new Shea, my only other MLB ballpark was PNC Park in Pittsburgh, where I sat in in the back row of one of the lower bowl sections behind home plate, so I was very close–and I think I just hadn’t experienced sitting one level up before. Wish it hadn’t been cold, but a great experience nonetheless!
Only Stadium that I have visited that has opened in the past 10 years is Allianz Field in Saint Paul. I’ve never been to another pro soccer stadium. Inside was great. Only downer was that there wasn’t a big enough area after the game to catch a Lyft. But that may be a ‘problem’ at all venues, I honestly don’t know.
BTW – I LOVE this UniWatch feature. I look forward to your questions every week Mike!
Thank you! I like reading people’s stories.
I am a huge Clippers fan, I can’t wait for Intuit Dome to open! It is going to be awesome…and it’s closer to my house than Staples Center!
I can ask a million questions about being a Clippers fan. … it might become a new QotW soon.
Are your friends and family Clippers fans, too?
My wife married into Clipper fandom, no other family members are fans. I have a few friends who are Clipper fans, but more friends who are Lakers fans, or other teams.
I just missed the boat on this one – the newest stadiums I’ve been to are Emirates Stadium, (new) Yankee Stadium, and BMO Field, all of which opened between 2006 and 2009.
I suppose its context-dependent, but I do wonder the time frames for considering something “new.” I chose 10 years as a cutoff because it was a round number.
10 years makes sense. If it wasn’t me, it would have been someone else!
The only “new” stadium or arena, by definition of the question, that I’ve been to in recent years is Colorado State University’s football stadium in Fort Collins, which opened in 2017. For a 41,000-seat stadium built on a much more limited budget than what Power Five schools like Minnesota or Baylor have had for their recent stadium projects, it’s a solid facility (more on that in a moment). But I have mixed feelings about it because of what CSU left behind to move to the new stadium and because of the lingering controversy around its construction.
The Rams’ old stadium – Hughes Stadium – was built in the ’60s on cheap land at the base of the foothills west of Fort Collins and was certainly showing its age by the mid-2010s. But the views from the seats were second to none, even if the product on the field wasn’t.
The new stadium is on the south side of campus, in the middle of the city. School administrators forced its construction through despite varying degrees of opposition from students, alumni, the city government, and local residents. I think there’s still a lot of resentment in the community for how it all happened, which probably won’t subside until the Rams put a consistent winner on the field – something they haven’t done in the seven seasons since the stadium opened.
Still, the stadium amenities are a significant upgrade over Hughes Stadium. The food options, in particular, are significantly improved (which isn’t saying much considering the little league snack bar-quality concession stands of Hughes Stadium). The stadium’s concourse includes a mural showing all of Colorado’s “Fourteeners” (mountains whose peaks are over 14,000 feet above sea level in elevation), a decorating touch that most Coloradans can appreciate. And New Belgium Brewing Company, probably the most successful and nationally known of Fort Collins many excellent breweries, hosts a well-appointed biergarten, just beyond the north endzone. So at least you can watch a subpar team play in a nice new stadium, even if you can’t see the mountains from the seats anymore.
The only new stadium I’ve been to is Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton for the ’22 USFL playoffs.
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It was a big difference from the old Fawcett Stadium, which was all bleachers.
The nice thing was, I could move around throughout the stands, as long as it was General Admission. I started on the visitors side, but it was too sunny and the plastic seats felt pretty cheap.
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Moved to the shady home side, where the seats were sturdier. Then I ended up in the end zone.
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Went back to the visitors side when the sun went down.
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Not a bad seat in the house, as long as the camera guy doesn’t get in your way.
If you count an 11-year-old stadium, I went to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds stadium to see Ultimate Frisbee. Right on the Monongahela River with a great view of downtown!
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I wanna see an ultimate frisbee match
You live in Chicago, right?
Here you go.
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Ok, so it doesn’t fit your definition of new, but Safeco Field… um, T-Mobile Park is a place I enjoy going to even when the Mariners are stinking it up. It’s very easy to meander around the entire 360 degrees of the stadium, visit multiple levels, ushers are helpful, and there are some sweet view spots – both of the game and of the city!
Down sides are all $$ oriented.
Still, we typically go to at least one game a year simply for the reasons listed above.
Had a really great experience there in 2017–really awesome ballpark, and kind of a thrill for me as a 90s kid who grew up on the east coast trying to stay up late when Griffey and the M’s were on ESPN.
I wish I could’ve gone to the Kingdome
Having been there many times, no, you don’t. LOL ;-)
As far as new stadiums I’d like to see, my answer is all of them! I love stadium aesthetics and would be thrilled to visit any that I come across in my travels. If I were to target some specifically as “bucket list” choices, I’d love to see LA’s SoFi Stadium. And I’m also interested in visiting Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle to see how the incorporated the roof of the old arena into a completely new facility underneath it.
Locally in Colorado, I’m hoping to catch a hockey game at Colorado College’s Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs, which opened in 2021. I’d also like to visit the new 6,500-seat stadium of the Northern Colorado Owlz of the Pioneer League whenever it opens. It was slated to be ready in 2023, but has been delayed multiple times and is now apparently going to open sometime before the end of the current season.
Good answers, everyone!
I went to DePaul, and the Wintrust Arena opened in 2017. I like it a lot: It’s designed for basketball so the seating is close to the court and the sight lines are good.
Yankees fan here. Current Yankee Stadium is a soulless experience. Feels like watching baseball in a car dealership. I much prefer Citi Field.
I went to both the Winter Classic (in Seattle) and Stadium Series (in NJ) this year. It’s amazing how much of a difference it makes having a stadium somewhere that isn’t just an endless parking lot. Seattle’s stadium setup is the best I’ve experienced location-wise.
I’m stretching the definition of ‘new’ but a couple of seasons back we took a trip that included a game at Target Field in the Twin Cities. I was impressed with the place from the moment we arrived. We had come straight from the airport via their metro line and had our luggage We found a place just outside our gate where we could check our bags. The best part was it was manned by a couple of guys who kept up a running, comedic, baseball-related patter. Inside I enjoyed the great view of downtown. The folks around us were friendly and directed us to the food concessions that specialized in local items, including Summitt beer from St. Paul I believe. I wish we had had longer to visit the area but maybe we’ll get back there. As for a ‘new’ park I’d like to visit…again, stretching the definition of ‘new’, I’m intrigued by PNC Park.
The new Raiders stadium is nice. I was surprised that you can’t walk all the way around the upper levels. You have to go up and down to make a full lap of the upper decks.
The new Islanders arena… exists.