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College and pro are so different it is hard to compare them. I'll break my list down seperately and do NFL now, maybe I'll make one for college later. These are all places I have actually been to.
1. U of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona: Very cool modern stadium with a retractable roof. Looks like an alien mothership. Inside it feels very comfortable, clean and airy. Location is okay. It is a long way from Phoenix, but there is lots of parking and an entertainment district (Westgate, I think they call it) nearby. It is smaller than most NFL stadiums and all of the seats seem pretty close to the action. Four and a half stars.
2. Superdome in New Orleans: The dome itself is just average. It has an iconic look from the outside but inside you can feel the age. What make it great is that it has the best location of any NFL venue I have been to b/c after the game you can walk to the French Quarter! Three and a half stars for the stadium, and five stars for the experience.
3. M&T in Baltimore: This is a nice open air stadium. Feels modern and well appointed. Close enough to walk to the Inner Harbor, but there is also a good bit of parking. Nothing really jumps out about this place, but it is all well done and is an enjoyable place to watch a game. Three and a half stars.
4. Georgia Dome in Atlanta: The Dome has an unusual look from the outside, but I'm not a huge fan. Inside the seats are fine, but the concourses feel kind of spartan. Nice location on the edge of downtown Atlanta so you can bar hop before and after games, and I like that it is MARTA (rail) accessible. The Falcons are wanting to upgrade sometime soon. There is definitely room for improvement, but I think the Dome does just fine and it isn't worth the hundreds of millions of dollars a new stadium will cost. Three Stars
5. FedEx Field in Washington: Actually, it is in Landover, Maryland, which is one of the biggest problems. This place is literally in the middle of nowhere. It is surrounded by a sea of parking and there isn't any convenient public transportation. The stadium itself is okay. It is modern and fairly comfortable, but feels very generic. It just doesn't have much personality and b/c of its size there are a good many bad seats. Two Stars
The GAA was good this year Brian. It was better last year cause the Dubs won Sam but it was nice to see Donegal win it this year. The hurling was even better. A replay in the final this Sunday between Galway and Killkenny. If it is anything like the last game, then we will be in for some game.
All these new stadiums keep you far away from the players. I remember being at the AFC Championship Game at Mile High Stadium, the Cleveland Browns and Bernie Kosar were there. There was a chain link fence keeping the visitors away from the walkway where the front row seats were. I stood by the fence for around 5 minutes before being told to leave, Bernie Kosar was warming up about 10 feet from me.
The new mega stadiums will never give you that type of intimacy and connection.
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