All things are not equal in the sporting world. There are some places in the sporting world that make attending an athletic event just that more special. Rolling Out lists the top ten sports arenas in the nation:
Yankee Stadium, New York: Let’s face it — every professional baseball player wants to play in the Bronx. The Yankees, perennial lords of the American League if not all of Major League Baseball, are the most beloved and reviled franchise in sports — and the richest. They have the most obnoxious fans, the most arrogant owner, the most $100 million players and their legacy lists many of the greatest legends of baseball lore: Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, Maris, DiMaggio, Jackson, Jeter, ad nauseum … Even though they moved into a $1.3 billion palace across from the original Bronx base, its awe quotient is still high in the eyes of Middle Americans.
Madison Square Garden, New York: The greatest athletes of all time love performing at MSG, also affectionately referred to by locals as “The Garden.” Michael Jordan himself said that this was his favorite place to showcase his aerial acrobatics. Located in the heart of the borough of Manhattan in New York City and situated atop Penn Station, the 19,700-seat facility is treated like a sacred athletic cathedral. Not only do the NBA’s Knicks, the NHL’s Rangers and the WNBA’s Liberty play here, the greatest musical acts of the rock era broke records as well as hearts here, like the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Jay-Z, Michael and Janet Jackson, and the list goes on and on .
Augusta National, Augusta, Ga.: Home of the Masters, the grandest of all of the four major golf tournaments and the one that cemented the legendary careers of Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and of course, Tiger Woods.
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.: The home that Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr built is home to the only team owned entirely by the fans. Lambeau comes equipped with a museum and a unique lobby layout — the lines on the field go straight into the atrium, so the leather lungs will be able to navigate their way back to their seats. Sports Illustrated ended the previous millennium by naming it the eighth best facility to watch an athletic event as well as the single-greatest experience in the NFL in 2007 and 2008.
Wrigley Field, Chicago: Built in 1914, this 41,000 seat architectural wonder bedazzles visitors and television viewers alike, even though the Chicago Cubs — the hapless tenants of this gorgeous sports edifice — have displayed competitive impotence for nearly a century now.
MGM Grand, Las Vegas: The name alone conjures up the greatest boxing matches of the modern era. MGM Grand has almost become synonymous with Vegas, multimillion dollar fights, drinking, gambling … need I say more?
Wimbledon. Wimbledon, England: The third of the four major tennis Grand Slam tournaments gets cracking north of London. It is hallowed ground and the most beloved arena in professional tennis, with Centre Court being the dream play venue for every aspiring player.
Staples Center, Los Angeles: This replacement arena for the Great Western Forum of Inglewood, Calif., is an embarrassment of riches, both in championships and celebrity appearances, starting with the ever-present Jack Nicholson. With Kobe Bryant following up the “Showtime” years of Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers’ crib is where you want to be and be seen — and see a great game played by great players while you’re there.
Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans: That the NFL’s New Orleans Saints play here is almost an afterthought to what goes on here in the off-season. The most watched sporting event in the country, the Super Bowl, is played here at regular intervals. It also hosts the Essence Music Festival, Jazzfest, the crème de la crème of musical events. Not to mention the fact that it’s located tantalizingly close to Bourbon Street and the rest of the French Quarter.
Fenway Park, Boston: The “Green Monster” — the nickname of the thirty-seven-foot, two-inch left field wall at the home of the Boston Red Sox — is a popular target for right-handed hitters and augments the aura of Boston’s famed baseball team, which frequently rumbles with the NY Yankees in this memorable ballpark. –terry shropshire
