Best Stadiums in the ACC

[Towaliga]

If I were 4 feet tall or shorter, I would agree with Kenan being #1.

Totally agree. I’m 6’3”, and Kenan had the most uncomfortable, cramped stadium seating I have ever experienced.

 

[boger2337]

If I were 4 feet tall or shorter, I would agree with Kenan being #1.

I'm 5'9. It's uncomfortable, but it just looks nice.

 

[rfjeff9]

Our stadium looked great circa 1990. Sorry, and I know a lot of you are fond of the upper north, but since 2003 BDS has been more of a Frankenstadium than I’d like.

Exactly, yes - a great description!

 

[Thwg777]

I thought this was interesting… if “best” is defined by home field advantage in line making, Clemson is ranked best (3.75 pts) in the ACC - and tied for second in the nation. And BC, Stanford and Georgia Tech are tied for worst amongst ACC teams (2 pts).

 

[AUFC]

Of the ones I’ve been to…

1) Lane
2) Bobby Dodd
3) Memorial
4) Hard Rock
5) Alumni

Hard Rock gets very loud because of the awnings but has nothing else going for it aside from the fact that the home team fails to kneel the ball with the game in hand sometimes.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Totally agree. I’m 6’3”, and Kenan had the most uncomfortable, cramped stadium seating I have ever experienced.

Boy, you ain't lived until you have been squeezed half to death at Florida Field. Somehow they manage to get 80,000 plus people in that place with seats about, oh let's be generous, 12" of sitting room. Cramped is not the word for it. When I was going to the Florida games with my buddy who was a diehard Gator fan it was a blessing to go to the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville and sit in real chairs especially when Spurrier was mouthing off about Georgia. "They get good players, all these recruiting rankings...I don't know what happens to them" that is one of his more charitable comments about UGA.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

I thought this was interesting… if “best” is defined by home field advantage in line making, Clemson is ranked best (3.75 pts) in the ACC - and tied for second in the nation. And BC, Stanford and Georgia Tech are tied for worst amongst ACC teams (2 pts).

That seems about right. If you are not serious about football and not winning well, it eventually becomes a problem. That said, there have been many a time when I was at Grant Field and it was an absolute mad house. Years ago when FSU first joined the ACC, a Tallahassee news paper reporter interviewed some of the FSU players about their impressions of ACC stadiums. What they said about Tech was interesting. Not that many people but they made a lot of noise was the most common comment.

 

[AUFC]

Boy, you ain't lived until you have been squeezed half to death at Florida Field. Somehow they manage to get 80,000 plus people in that place with seats about, oh let's be generous, 12" of sitting room. Cramped is not the word for it. When I was going to the Florida games with my buddy who was a diehard Gator fan it was a blessing to go to the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville and sit in real chairs especially when Spurrier was mouthing off about Georgia. "They get good players, all these recruiting rankings...I don't know what happens to them" that is one of his more charitable comments about UGA.

I've heard the Swamp is one of the loudest stadiums in America though - something about the way it is built.

That seems about right. If you are not serious about football and not winning well, it eventually becomes a problem. That said, there have been many a time when I was at Grant Field and it was an absolute mad house. Years ago when FSU first joined the ACC, a Tallahassee news paper reporter interviewed some of the FSU players about their impressions of ACC stadiums. What they said about Tech was interesting. Not that many people but they made a lot of noise was the most common comment.

I've been to 15 college football venues now and BDS is pound for pound one of the loudest given the small number of people we stick in there. We have one of the best student sections in the country and sound must get trapped in there as it bounces around w/ high sides on all 4 sides. It helps also that there is virtually no room on the sidelines - football inside a phonebooth.

 

[stinger78]

BDS is small" only by current standards of the big state universities in SECheat and B1G country. Outside of that group, it is fairly average in size. Here's a list by size and program:
Michigan 108K
Penn St 107K
TAMU 103K
Ohio St 103K
Tennessee 102K
LSU 102K
Texas 101K
Alabama 100K
UGAg 93K
Rose Bowl (UCLA) 91K
Florida 89K
Auburn 88K
Oklahoma 85K
Nebraska 85K
Clemson 82K
F$U 80K
Notre Dame 78K
S Carolina 78K
LA Coliseum (USC) 78K
Arkansas 76K
Wisconsin 76K
Michigan St 75K
Washington 70K
Iowa 69K
Lincoln Financial (Temple) 69K
Acrisure (Pitt) 68K
VA Tech 66K
Raymond James (USF) 66K

Hard Rock (Miami) 65K
Alamo Dome (UTSA) 65K
Allegiant (WVA) 65K
Ole Miss 64K
BYU 63K
Cal 63K
Simmons Bank (Memphis) 62K
Missouri 62K
UVA 62K
Iowa St 62K
Purdue 62K
Miss St 61K
Kentucky 61K
L&N Federal (Louisville) 61K
Texas Tech 61K
Illinois 61K
Oklahoma St 60K
W Viginia 60K
NCSU 58K
Arizona St 56K
Arizona 56K
GA Tech 55K
Oregon 54K
Indiana 53K
Rutgers 52K
Maryland 52K
Utah 51K
Minnesota 51K
UNC 51K
Stanford 50K
Colorado 50K
Kansas 50K
Kansas St 50K

 

[Techfan02]

As stadiums go I won't argue, but in terms of just landscape around Uva give them credit is lovely

 

[Root4GT]

Penn State’s Stadium at a night game vs Ohio State was the loudest Stadium I have ever been in.

VT at night vs Miami when Vick was their QB was a close second.

Both encredible.

 

[Thwg777]

That seems about right. If you are not serious about football and not winning well, it eventually becomes a problem. That said, there have been many a time when I was at Grant Field and it was an absolute mad house. Years ago when FSU first joined the ACC, a Tallahassee news paper reporter interviewed some of the FSU players about their impressions of ACC stadiums. What they said about Tech was interesting. Not that many people but they made a lot of noise was the most common comment.

I find it (statistical home field advantage) interesting.

I can’t help but wonder if our relatively smaller advantage is less of a slight on stadium size and/or noise levels and more to do with logistics. By that I mean being in Atlanta, it’s extremely easy to get here via nonstop commercial flight from anywhere and there are private airports even closer. There’s also a bounty of hotels.

Comparatively, for schools in the proverbial college towns in the boonies, it may be more logistically taxing for away teams and their fan bases.

 

[gtcole]

This is what we need to do for the upper north. Duke reduces capacity and adds deck. https://goduke.com/news/2024/7/29/f...-to-brooks-field-at-wallace-wade-stadium.aspx

 

[AUFC]

This is what we need to do for the upper north. Duke reduces capacity and adds deck. https://goduke.com/news/2024/7/29/f...-to-brooks-field-at-wallace-wade-stadium.aspx
View attachment 16442

Wow this is fantastic! I love that it's grass too. $45 for AYCE tickets is a hell of a deal (I misread this - it's a $45 add-on). If we did something like this at Tech, I'd probably just dump the AYCE aspect and make this free flowing space open to all ticket holders on a first-come-first-served basis though. I met several Millennial Tech alumni yesterday and none of them had been to Bobby Dodd since graduating. I guarantee many would renew their fandom with access to this type of "seating". Hope this Duke project serves as an inspiration to J Batt and GTAA. It would be the hottest (probably non-figuratively too - an awning wouldn't be a bad addition) place to spend Saturday afternoons in the entire city.

 

[ME22]

This is what we need to do for the upper north. Duke reduces capacity and adds deck. https://goduke.com/news/2024/7/29/f...-to-brooks-field-at-wallace-wade-stadium.aspx
View attachment 16442

That is very neat and would be a great way to attract new fans

 

[Ramble1885]

This is what we need to do for the upper north. Duke reduces capacity and adds deck. https://goduke.com/news/2024/7/29/f...-to-brooks-field-at-wallace-wade-stadium.aspx
View attachment 16442

This would be okay. My opinion would be don’t do it to the whole upper north, just do it to the very top. (See diagram I’ve done below)

 

[stinger78]

They might put some pretty sweet boxes up there in the last 10 rows of the UN. Also, what's with the junk pile between the N and W stands? My gosh, folks, can we at least plant some grass there?

While we're at it, we were right at 60K capacity before the old S stands were demolished for the Wardlaw Buidling, but we've gone backward since. That was a good addition, IMPO. Those S stands were awful on their best day, and they were about to be condemned. (BTW, I'd like to see a new facade for the Wardlaw that actually lines up with the field - this is an artifact from me sitting in the UN dead center between the uprights for years). I'd wouldn't mind sacrificing the top 10 rows of the UN for similar boxes, but only if the UE is redone, modernized, and enlarged. I'd like to see the capacity remain between 55-60K, personally.

 

[lauraee]

Lol Duke at 14 seems high, they should be right above the U

 

[iceeater1969]

I have been to (6) other ACC stadiums. For me the travel situation is a big factor, but you can better believe I am heading to Blacksburg this year. They shuttle you in on buses. But, it is an electric environment and we usually play well there. . Scott Stadium is nice, but Chancellorsville is a long drive. (Fly into Richmond and the drive is 1.5 hours.) The city village area has wonderful places to each lunch and have a beer. Pittsburgh- no. Clemson- easy drive and fun atmosphere. FSU- I just like travelling south. I will say that I am not overblown by their crowd's impact on the game. Although Hard Rock Stadium is not on campus, I do like watching a game there more than MCB. Also, the flights are cheap. As far as a weekend trip- Miami is my favorite. This year I want to experience Chapel Hill and hopefully Louisville.

I love the sharp slope angle of the BDS. U are right on top of the field. Built way before govt regulations. At the benz you are on such a gentle slope you end up watching jumbotron.

I hope we have some great crowds this year.

We are going to Vt to see pregame campus and the Sandman hype.

Then we will cheer as we see them have cry pry party as we score 35.

 

[ThatGuy]

This would be okay. My opinion would be don’t do it to the whole upper north, just do it to the very top. (See diagram I’ve done below)View attachment 16443

I'd be a fan of that - as well as @AUFC 's suggestion that you remove the AYCE and make it accessible to all ticketholders, first come, first serve.

Reminds me of the upper deck we have at the Rockies games here in Colorado: called The Rooftop, it's open to all ticketed fans, and has a few bars, restaurants, and brewpubs - along with views of the mountains and the Denver skyline (as well as the game).

I think the top of the UN stands would be an amazing spot for this sort of thing - not only because it would finally turn that section of stands into something we can easily monetize, but it also offers the best views of the game and the city all at the same time.