(06-17-2016 10:28 AM)cr11owl Wrote: (06-17-2016 10:22 AM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote: I've been to quite a few of the C-USA stadiums. In terms of "total package," I'd rank them in the following way:
UTEP
Southern Miss
Marshall
UTSA
LA Tech
UNT
Rice
FIU
I can't really count the Alamodome since it's not just for UTSA...
I think based on potential Rice and UTEP are clearly the top 2 but we both lack quite a bit in game day atmosphere and facility updates. Just like how I'd rank Tulane's stadium as nicer than HRS right now but in no way would I trade their high school sized stadium for ours.
Fair enough, my perspective is somewhat different as I visited the stadiums as a manager for the team. This year, I hope to go to LA Tech and maaaaybe USM as a fan.
To elaborate a bit more on my post, here I'll give a +/- about each venue.
UTEP-I like how the stadium is tucked into the mountains and if you go to the top, you can look down into Mexico. They also have pretty good fans. On the downside, the visitor's locker room is TERRIBLE, as it two floors connected by a tiny, tiny staircase. Also, parking seemed kind of difficult unless you were in one of the donor lots.
USM-I like the steepness of the stadium. Makes it feel bigger than it is... Intense fans, even though we visited during their 3-9 campaign. The club seats in the endzone looked really nice. SOME (small minority, I'm sure) fans need to clean up their act.. Shouting at a player about his dead mother should be off limits.
Marshall-Good fans, functionally sound stadium. Locker rooms were pretty nice. Had to push all the sideline trunks up a STEEP ramp after the game in twenty degree weather, which sucked. I didn't think the stadium had a ton of character, which is why it is not ranked higher.
UTSA-Even though its outdated (renovations coming soon, I think), the Alamo Dome is still the nicest of any C-USA venue. Chairbacks, nice wide concourses, etc.. One complaint is that I think the stadium is kept too cold for an indoor venue. Also, the lighting seemed odd.
LA Tech-Seemed like a good tailgating scene... Fans invited us to their tent and were friendly! Knowledgable fans, new end zone facility looked nice (it was under construction). The stadium has somewhat of a "high school"ish feel. I think that has to do with the east and west sideline stands not being "connected."
UNT-Very, very, very nice stadium. New, well-maintained, etc.. Fan turnout was lacking, but understandable given 2015 season. I didn't like how the stadium was isolated from the rest of campus and sandwiched between two highways.
Rice-Most historic venue in the conference, not a bad seat in the venue. Concessions, bathrooms need serious work. Fan turnout not too good unless it's a big opponent. Some fans can be grouchy about loud cheering, etc... Best neighborhood of any C-USA venue IMO, hard to beat Rice Village.
FIU-Don't have much good to say about this place. I'm used to small crowds at Rice, but this was like nothing I'd ever seen. Maybe 300 fans in the building. Locker rooms sucked, and the turf was in bad condition. The weather was nice!
I forgot to include FAU on my original list, but it falls somewhere around UNT. Nice, new stadium. I got to go up in the Box and the suites were first-class. Seems to have better fan support than FIU... More like Rice. What I mean by that is FIU feels like it has NO fans, FAU and Rice just feel like they have a small, but dedicated fanbase.