Side Show Joe stopped by and posed a really good question today about the Sun Belt's football stadiums and how they would rank.

Joe asked because UNT is opening a new venue.

I thought, why not go ahead and rank or at least group them? I have seen them all multiple times.

Here are my terms, though. I am not going to factor in the following items that are near and dear to my heart:

-- Does the place have a functioning wireless network? (Believe it or not, some Sun Belt venues don't)

-- Does the press box have just one entrance -- an elevator that is never available for the media to get back up the press box after games on deadline because it is too busy shuttling Gomer and Maud between suite levels, forcing the media to call a security guard to call the press box to call the elevator operator? (Yes, this happens at one place, and I have no idea how it passes fire code).

-- Where does the radio crew/media sit and how's its view?

You know what? It has no bearing on what fans and recruits feel about the place, and that's what matters.

So any way, here goes?

STADIUM RANKINGS
http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/archiv...e-sun.html

I will be very curious to see what the press think of FAU's press box. Thats the one thing we haven seen any renderings on at all.

Obviously will be an upgrade from Lockhart, but I wonder how it will stack up to the existing 'Belt stadiums.

While I'm sure UNT's new stadium is going to be awesome, how can it be ranked first in this list? it isn't even finished yet!

(05-17-2011 12:50 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  While I'm sure UNT's new stadium is going to be awesome, how can it be ranked first in this list? it isn't even finished yet!

Simple, he's the North Texas beat writer & the stadium is far enough along for an intelligent opinion to be rendered.

Because it was written by the UNT beat writer.

The list loses all credibility by putting Lockhart ahead of any stadium. I've been to both Lockhart and Malone and Lockhart was far worse.

Since it sounds like it was from the "Press box" perspective, I guess its possible that Lockhart's pressbox was better than Malone?

I honestly have no clue, but I can guess that the press box at Lockhart was somehwat revamped when the Fusion played there.

I have my doubts but hey anything is possible.

(05-17-2011 01:03 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  The list loses all credibility by putting Lockhart ahead of any stadium. I've been to both Lockhart and Malone and Lockhart was far worse.

Agreed. There can't be a worse FBS stadium then Lockhart was...Although I'm not sure why Lockhart was even relevant to the list since it is no longer a SBC stadium. If Lockhart was factored in, then UNT should lose some points based on playing last season in Fouts. Actually, if it was my list, I would have put FAU and UNT in their own category since nobody has seen a game played yet in either stadium...but then again it's his blog and he can write what he wants.

ULM has a great club level in their press box. Maybe he needs to get out more, too.

(05-17-2011 01:14 PM)fauowls561 Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 01:03 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  The list loses all credibility by putting Lockhart ahead of any stadium. I've been to both Lockhart and Malone and Lockhart was far worse.

Agreed. There can't be a worse FBS stadium then Lockhart was...Although I'm not sure why Lockhart was even relevant to the list since it is no longer a SBC stadium. If Lockhart was factored in, the UNT should lose some points based on playing last season in Fouts. Actually, if it was my list, I would have put FAU and UNT in their own category since nobody has seen a game played yet in either stadium...but then again it's his blog and he can write what he wants.

exactly!!

(05-17-2011 01:03 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  The list loses all credibility by putting Lockhart ahead of any stadium. I've been to both Lockhart and Malone and Lockhart was far worse.

He didn't. He said anything would be an improvement over Lockhart. He put them both under "special cases".

I've always really liked Middle Tennessee's stadium. I've said it before that they don't get the credit they deserve. I remember when I first saw it in 2006 and it just had a bigger time feel to it. I think it's the wrap around seating that most sunbelt stadiums lack. The enclosure gives it a tighter feel.

Reporters tend to not get invited to the club level.

The view from the press box at Malone is terrible.

(05-17-2011 03:13 PM)TroyFootball05 Wrote:  I've always really liked Middle Tennessee's stadium. I've said it before that they don't get the credit they deserve. I remember when I first saw it in 2006 and it just had a bigger time feel to it. I think it's the wrap around seating that most sunbelt stadiums lack. The enclosure gives it a tighter feel.

Best feature to our stadium, in my opinion, are the 40, or so, open air boxes that form a semi-circle within the stadium (between the first and second levels). We could use a few things to spruce the stadium up, however (brick facade, fencing, additional scoreboard, statue, fountain, hedges, etc).

Keep in mind this list is from a sports writers perspective on which stadia are easiest for him to do his job.

Agree Lockhart was the worst and cosidering Fouts Field is in the competition that's saying something. FAU's new place will be a big upgrade. From worst to second best stadium in the Belt.

Why don't we wait and see each school's finished product before we go declaring who is first, second, or whatever...

(05-17-2011 03:49 PM)fauowls561 Wrote:  Why don't we wait and see each school's finished product before we go declaring who is first, second, or whatever...

The ratings are correct. First class all the way down to 2A high school....but at lease their jumbotron will be bigger than latex... LMFAO!!

maybe....

if they can scrape up the dough...

Z

I'e been in many college press boxes, and Lockhart's wasn't the worst.

Lockhart's box(s) amounted to what looked like two trailers, side by side, with a permanent table facing the field. It offered a great view. I have even made action photos through the glass (which, unfortunately, does not open).

FAU provides a plentiful amount of food and drink, but the wireless is not up to part. At least there is wireless there. It wasn't there for years.

FIU's press "box" is an outdoor section at one corner of the stadium covered by a temporary tent-like think that tends to blow off. It's cramped, wireless is poor and desk (folding table and chairs) space is cramped, as is electricity. The view is horrible, if not non-existent.

Troy's press box is on par with any in the nation (including Nebraska, Florida, etc.), with al the amenities one might expect frm a nice place. Food and drink are plentiful, as is work space. There's a great view.

(05-17-2011 03:49 PM)fauowls561 Wrote:  Why don't we wait and see each school's finished product before we go declaring who is first, second, or whatever...

I think its pretty clear who is first and second...but FAU isn't too far off...

(05-17-2011 05:37 PM)Mean Green Matt Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 03:49 PM)fauowls561 Wrote:  Why don't we wait and see each school's finished product before we go declaring who is first, second, or whatever...

I think its pretty clear who is first and second...but FAU isn't too far off...

I don't see what is so clear about it. Especially since you have yet to play a single game in the stadium you are annointing the best in the conference. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm sure your place is going to be great, but it's a little presumptuous to proclaim your new stadium is already better then FAU's new place.

BTW, one thing I think we can agree on is that arguing over who's new stadium is better is pretty fun after playing all those years in Fouts and Lockhart listening to the rest of the conference laugh about how bad our stadium situations are.