Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, IL

Basic Information

Stadium: Huskie Stadium

Location: DeKalb, IL (41.93391, -88.77780)

Owner: Northern Illinois University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1965

Listed capacity: 28,211

Date last visited: October 2025

Stadium information: https://niuhuskies.com/facilities/huskie-stadium/6

Summary Review: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

I had read some negative reviews of this stadium, and sure enough as I walked toward the stadium from the east it appeared as a huge soulless, charmless hunk of metal.  But after I scanned my ticket, bought my hot dogs, and climbed the stairs through the portal to view the stands and the field, a whole different world emerged.  The stands are reasonably close to the field, and the field is several feet below the 1st row of stands.  Thus, the view of the field is excellent.  Northern Illinois has one of the larger and louder fan bases among non-power conference teams, and they make for an energetic gameday atmosphere.  Pedestrian and vehicle traffic flow quite well.  Overall, I enjoyed watching a game here.  Rynearson Stadium at Eastern Michigan and "The Doyt" at Bowling Green are 2 similar-sized stadiums built in the same era in this same part of the country, and I would much rather watch a game here than at either of those.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: Northern Illinois has a rather large and loud fan base for a non-power conference team.  They also have strong spirit squads, and they do a good job of keeping the fans engaged.

Seating: mostly bench seating with curved seats for more comfortable seating.

Field View: The stands are gradually sloped, but the playing surface is depressed beneath the 1st row of stands.  I sat about 20 rows up and could see the field rather well.

Audio/Video: All stadium speakers are in the south end, but the audio is plenty loud and clear.  The video board is smaller, but they also have ribbon boards, which is a rare feature for a stadium this small.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: The hot dogs are plump and barely/mildly seasoned.  The hot dogs are pricey, so I was hoping they would be Chicago-style hot dogs, which they are not.  The concessions serve mostly standard stadium fare, but a few booths offer more specialized options.

Pedestrian Flow: Not 1, not 2, but 3 levels of portals give access to the home stands.  They also have portals on the visitor side of the field, so pedestrian traffic flows well.

Parking: There is plenty of parking, mostly paid.  The bargain deal is the Visitor Pay Lot: no payment is required on weekends and evenings as of this writing.  The Visitor Pay Lot is less than a mile from the stadium, and I highly recommend it for cheapskates like me.

Barker-Lane Stadium in Buies Creek, NC

Basic Information

Stadium: Barker-Lane Stadium

Location: Buies Creek, NC (35.40463, -78.74272)

Owner: Campbell University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 2008

Listed capacity: 5500

Date last visited: September 2025

Stadium information: https://gocamels.com/facilities/barker-lane-stadium/7

Summary Review: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

Built only in 2008 when Campbell University re-started its football program, Barker-Lane Stadium is a standard 21st century small FCS stadium with few unique features, good or bad.  Being a small university, Campbell does not have a large alumni base, student body, or fan support.  Thus, the crowd is rather small and tame, and it nowhere near filled the stadium on the Saturday afternoon I came here.  My team was the visiting team, and we had almost as many fans in the stadium as Campbell did.  The stadium's layout is very standard and therefore very adequate.  As with most small stadiums, most seats give a low viewing angle of the field.  Yet the stands are close to the field, and overall the view of the field is clear and acceptable.  The pedestrian tunnel under the highway that leads to the campus center and the north parking lots is evidence of good planning.  In summary, there is nothing horribly wrong with this stadium, but there is also nothing that makes you want to watch a game here as opposed to other venues.  Unless my team plays here again, I probably won't watch a game here again.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: rather tame.  Campbell is a small school without a long football history, so they are still working to build a fan base and tradition.  That fact combined with the standard-design stadium makes for a very standard atmosphere that almost any small school could replicate.  It's not that I didn't enjoy watching a game here, but there is very little unique here that would compel me to come back.

Seating: benchbacks on home side, benches on visiting side

Field View: Most seats give a low-angle view of the field, but they give a clear view and are located fairly close to the field.

Audio/Video: both are about average for a small Division I stadium.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: located behind the stands where you would expect them.  The hot dogs are nice and plump, fairly juicy, and have just a little chargrilled flavor.

Pedestrian Flow: The stadium has plenty of portals and wide concourses, so the pedestrian flow seems fine.  The tunnel taking you under US 421 to the parking lots north of the highway is a well thought out feature.

Parking: free parking in some parking lots north of US 421; paid parking south of US 421 in the lots near the stadium.

SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ

Basic Information

Stadium: SHI Stadium

Location: Piscataway, NJ (40.51361, -74.46527)

Owner: Rutgers University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1994, but the current stadium is a rebuild from a previous football stadium built on this site in 1938

Listed capacity: 52,454

Date last visited: September 2025

Stadium information: https://scarletknights.com/facilities/shi-stadium/2

Summary Review: 3 stars (out of 5)

Rutgers University is known as the Birthplace of College Football because the first college football game was played on its campus on November 6, 1869.  Rutgers defeated Princeton 6-4 that day (points were scored different back then), but most of the rest of college football history has been less kind to the Scarlet Knights.  Unfortunately, history has not been kind to its stadium either: SHI Stadium is one of the smallest and least distinguished stadiums in major college football.  The first college football game actually took place at a field across the Raritan River, so there is no distinguished history associated with the current stadium's site.  The stands at SHI Stadium have a very steep grade, one of the steepest I have ever seen.  I sat in the upper deck and felt like I was watching the game from the press box.  Then I realized the press box was actually directly underneath me, so I was more or less watching the game from the blimp!  My aging back enjoyed the bench back seats.  The stadium has nice concourses and ramps, and the concession options are above average.  Truth be told, I actually had a pretty good time watching a game here, but this stadium pales in comparison to most of its Big Ten brethren.  Thus, while this stadium isn't as bad as this review may make it sound, the overall ranking can't go too high.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: Rutgers has possibly the smallest fan base in the Big 10 (rivaled only by Northwestern and maybe Minnesota or Maryland).  Thus, the gameday atmosphere is rather flat in spite of a "gameday carnival" outside the north end of the stadium, an ample student section, and an energetic marching band.  The stadium actually holds noise rather well, but there aren't many fans to make any noise to hold.

Seating: mostly bench and bench backs; a few chairbacks in the high dollar sections.

Field View: the stands have one of the steepest grades I have ever seen: the stairs have 3 steps per row rather than the usual 2.  I sat in the 3rd row of the upper deck.  I thought it was like watching the game from the press box, but then I realized the press box was directly below me.  Thus, it was more like watching the game from the blimp: every pass and kick was waaaay below me.  If you can tolerate looking down on the action (literally), then the field view is fine.

Audio/Video: large clear video board and nice ribbon boards.  The music was loud, but the PA had medium volume.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: The hot dogs are large but not particularly tasty.  They have plenty of concession options including a Pizza Hut in the south end of the stadium.

Pedestrian Flow: SHI Stadium has wide concourses and nice ramps, so the pedestrian flow is quite smooth.

Parking: Rutgers tries to use all of the parking on campus as gameday parking like other major football schools do, but they don't have enough fans to fill all of the on-campus spaces.  The lot I parked in can probably accommodate 1000 cars; roughly 50 cars were parked there.  All parking is paid, and there is plenty of it available due to the small fan base.

Foley Field in Athens, GA

Basic Information

Stadium: Foley Field

Location: Athens, GA (33.94105, -83.38100)

Owner: University of Georgia

Primary sport: baseball

Year constructed: 1966, last renovated in 2024

Listed capacity: 3633

Date last visited: March 2025

Stadium information: https://georgiadogs.com/sports/2023/8/16/facility-foley-field

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Recently renovated Foley Field is the 3rd smallest baseball stadium in the vaunted SEC.  Like many college baseball stadiums, Foley Field is tucked in a corner of campus near the basketball arena and the football practice field, and it feels a little crammed in.  The stadium features nice wide concourses, and the seats are fairly comfortable.  The view of the field is not as good as you would expect: I sat in the main grandstand and could not see the home bullpen due to the newly-constructed entrance plaza.  Georgia has a growing baseball tradition that now includes The Stroke and "Feed the Trees."  I came here for a midweek game against an undermanned opponent, but the crowd was still fairly large and engaged all things considered.  While I had a good time here, I can't say this is my favorite baseball stadium even though the renovation made it a decent bit better than it used to be.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: Foley Field offers a surprisingly intimate setting for a major college baseball program.  The crowd was somewhat docile because I came here for a midweek game against an overmatched opponent.  I love doing The Stroke when the opposing team has to change pitchers mid-inning because the exiting pitcher was ineffective.

Seating: mostly plastic chairback seats, some standing room, bleachers in right field.

Field View: not as good as you would expect: I sat in the main grandstand and couldn't see the home bullpen down the left field line because my view was obstructed by the newly-built entrance plaza.  The row of trees beyond the outfield fence inspired the "feed the trees" line, and it creates a visual barrier between Foley Field and the rest of campus.

Audio/Video: nice clear video board and audio system.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: large plump juicy hot dogs with a slight smoky flavor.  Main concessions are located behind the stands, but a few tents are located on the entrance plaza.

Pedestrian Flow: Foley Field has wide concourses in front of and behind the stands, so the pedestrian flow is quite smooth.

Parking: the large Carlton Street Parking Deck is nearby, but you will probably have to pay to park there.  You may find some free parking in nearby campus surface lots if you come for a night or weekend game.  Mind the parking permit regulations, which the University strictly enforces.

Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, SC

Basic Information

Arena: Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Location: Greenville, SC (34.85261, -82.39152)

Owner: City of Greenville, SC

Primary sport: hockey, but I came here for a basketball game

Year constructed: 1998

Listed capacity: 15,000

Date last visited: December 2024

Arena information: https://www.bonsecoursarena.com/

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Locally known as "The Well," Bon Secours Wellness Arena is a surprisingly large and nice sports venue for a city as small as Greenville.  It is the home of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL.  The arena sits in the northeast corner of Greenville's small downtown area, and it is easily reached from any downtown parking garage or transportation hub.  The Well's design is fairly standard for an arena of its type.  The building resonates crowd noise well, so even a fairly sparse crowd can create difference-making noise.  The audio system could use an upgrade, and the concourses inside the seating areas are rather narrow.  While not an ideal basketball venue, I enjoyed my afternoon here, and I can see why the NCAA chooses to host Division 1 basketball regionals in Greenville.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: I came here for a Furman University basketball game.  Furman is located in Greenville, but The Well is several miles away from their campus.  Even though attendance was fairly low, the arena got surprisingly loud.  For most college teams, including Furman, the building is too large even after covering the upper decks and end sections with black cloth.  For a sell-out hockey crowd, this arena would really rock.

Seating: all chairback seating, some padded, some private suites.  All seats are the same burnt orange color.

Court View: The arena floor is designed to accommodate a hockey rink, so there is a lot of open space between the seats and the court at a basketball game.  The view is fine relative to where you are seated, but you may not like where you are seated.

Audio/Video: The audio is plenty loud but not particularly clear.  A nice video board hangs over the arena floor in addition to a ring board on the wall.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: expect professional sports level pricing.  They have excellent, large, juicy hot dogs.  The arena has quite a few food options with a location for each one, i.e. a hot dog stand, a pizza stand, a sandwich stand, etc.

Pedestrian Flow: The concourses outside the seating area are wide, but they are narrow inside the seating area.  Thus, pedestrian traffic flows well once it gets out of the seating area.

Parking: 1 parking garage stands adjacent to the arena with many other city-owned garages within walking distance.  All nearby options are paid parking, but the Washington Street Parking Deck and Richardson Street Parking Deck are free on weekends.

Foster Stadium in Lexington, VA

Basic Information

Stadium: Foster Stadium

Location: Lexington, VA (37.78888, -79.43502)

Owner: Virginia Military Institute (VMI)

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1962

Listed capacity: 10,000

Date last visited: November 2024

Stadium information: https://vmikeydets.com/news/2007/12/31/1357385.aspx

Summary Review: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

For many years I had been wanting to watch a game at a military school, and in November 2024 my travel schedule finally coincided with one of my teams playing at VMI.  As I expected, the gameday atmosphere is full of organization, formality, and pageantry.  The stadium offers no comforts or frills whatsoever, not even any backs on any of the seats.  My seat in the 10th row combined with the low November sun angle made it hard for me to see the action on the field.  Also, this stadium has the dreaded running track encircling the field.  Thus, the field view is pretty bad.  VMI football is well-supported only by the students, but the students in uniform are great to watch and listen to.  The video and audio systems are adequate but nothing more.  I wouldn't want to watch a game here every week, but for a one-time visit and a unique military school experience it's not bad.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: My trip to VMI was my first visit to a military school.  I have no military background, but I respect people who do.  VMI definitely has a different atmosphere; it is more structured and mechanical than you will find at any civilian school.  The entire student body comes to the game in uniform and marches onto the field before the game.  There is no marching band or halftime show.  The student section makes up more than half of the entire home fans, and they are very involved in the game.  Every building on campus (including the press box and stadium support buildings) looks like a fort or castle, and every building is painted the same dank light brown color.  While military life isn't for me, there is a certain formal beauty to it all.

Seating: all bench seating with no backs.

Field View: This stadium has the dreaded running track between the stands and the field, but the track goes to the very edge of the field, which is unusual.  The players on the sidelines stand on the track.  This is as close to the field as I have ever been at a stadium with a track.

Audio/Video: 1 nice video board at the east end.  Audio comes only from the east end.  The audio is loud enough but sometimes not very clear.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: The hot dogs are big, and the buns are even bigger, almost hoagy-sized.  They are not particularly flavorful.  These hot dogs are great if you want quantity over quality.

Pedestrian Flow: Foster Stadium has wide concourses and many entrances, so the light pedestrian traffic at VMI games flows fine.

Parking: even though few people travel from off campus to the games, parking is a real problem: the campus layout is so compact there are few places to park.  There is a free garage downtown, but I recommend the free street parking east of the stadium.  Don't park on the street in one of the nearby residential neighborhoods: you can be towed.

Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, MI

Basic Information

Stadium: Rynearson Stadium

Location: Ypsilanti, MI (42.25588, -83.64738)

Owner: Eastern Michigan University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1969

Listed capacity: 30,200

Date last visited: October 2024

Stadium information: https://emueagles.com/facilities/rynearson-stadium/2

Summary Review: 2 stars (out of 5)

Eastern Michigan nicknames their stadium "The Factory," and indeed it has a soulless, heartless, manufacturing center feel.  When you look around the stadium, you see concrete literally everywhere.  Even the turf is grey like concrete.  Moreover, some of this concrete is literally falling apart.  I thought about grabbing a small chunk of concrete and sticking it in my pocket as a souvenir, but I refrained.  Also, there used to be a running track between the stands and the field.  While the track has been removed, removing the track did not put fans any closer to the field, and the field area may be the largest I have seen in any college football stadium.  There are no concessions on the visitor's side, but there are some nice restrooms on that side.  The concessions are cheap.  Parking is free and less than a block from the stadium.  Wide concourses and many portals ensure good pedestrian flow.  While Rynearson Stadium probably won't make any lists of best college football stadiums, I have spent Saturday afternoons in worse stadiums even if this one needs some major reconstruction to be a high quality football venue.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: Like many Mid-American Conference (MAC) football programs, Eastern Michigan is not supported well by its fans.  The stadium is separated from main campus by a mile of other athletic fields and private property, an arrangement that ensures low student attendance.  Besides, EMU has a large commuter student population, so many of its students are off campus on Saturdays.  The marching band has a strong brassy sound, and their high stepping entrance is entertaining.  This is not the best gameday atmosphere, even in the MAC.

Seating: seating consists entirely of bench seating, and hence sitting in this stadium for 3 hours is fairly uncomfortable.

Field View: there used to be a running track between the stands and the field.  The track was removed a few years ago, but the stands are still a long way from the action.  The curvature of the stands relative to the sideline helps with the viewing angle but only a little.

Audio/Video: The public address system kept cutting out.  There is 1 decent sized video board at the north end of the stadium.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: regular concessions are located only on the home side, but there are some food trucks on the visitor side.  The hot dogs are large and juicy but also greasy and tasteless.

Pedestrian Flow: excellent wide concourses and a large number of portals to get fans in and out of the stands ensure good pedestrian flow.

Parking: lots of free parking right across the street west of the stadium.