Doyt L. Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, OH

Basic Information

Stadium: Doyt L. Perry Stadium

Location: Bowling Green, OH (41.37817, -83.62227)

Owner: Bowling Green State University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1966

Listed capacity: 24,000

Date last visited: October 2022

Stadium information: https://bgsufalcons.com/facilities/doyt-l-perry-stadium/2

Summary Review: 2 stars (out of 5)

Doyt Perry Stadium ("The Doyt," as they call it) was a nice small FBS football stadium many years ago, but these days it is really showing its age.  For one, almost all of the seating is bench seating with no backs, which is hard on those of us with back problems.  Also, when you look up at the press box, you can see that some of the metal is clearly rusted.  I kept hoping that the iron that holds up the stands was in better shape than the iron I could see up there.  Further, the tiny video board looks like it is from the 1980's.  That said, this stadium could be worse.  The stands are built in an arc, which makes you feel like you are sitting closer to midfield than you really are.  Mass parking is literally feet from the stadium, even though it is not free.  The bright orange and white paint scheme gives the stadium a fresh appearance...until you start looking more carefully and see the age and corrosion.  Overall, The Doyt is a well-designed small FBS football stadium that desperately needs some updating.  

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: Like many Mid-American Conference football programs, Bowling Green's football program is poorly supported.  Thus, the gameday atmosphere is somewhat lacking.  Bowling Green does have a good marching band.  You can see I-75 from the west stands, so this campus's small interstate town location really comes out.

Seating: a few chairback seats for season ticket holders; otherwise bench seating with no backs

Field View: Both stands are built in arcs, so you feel like you are sitting closer to midfield than you really are.  On the other hand, the grade of the stands is fairly gradual, so you are further from the field than you would expect for a given row.  Overall, the view of the field is decent for most seats given their position.

Audio/Video: The video board is tiny by FBS standards, even for a small FBS stadium.  The audio seemed to work fine; they enjoy blaring 80's rock songs pregame (WO-OAH/LIVIN' ON A PRAYER!).

Concessions/Hot Dogs: They serve mostly the usual fare.  They offer Jet's as a very good and different pizza option.  The hot dogs have the fake smoky taste that I detest, but they also have grill marks.  Is it possible these hot dogs are individually grilled rather than mass-cooked?

Pedestrian Flow: ramps leading to portals give access to the stands, but most of the sidewalks leading away from the stadium are rather narrow.  Thus, traffic flows fairly well unless there is a large crowd.

Parking: all of the grassy areas around the stadium are utilized as paid parking.  For day games you can park at Carter Park just over 0.5 miles away for free.

Yager Stadium in Oxford, OH

Basic Information

Stadium: Fred C. Yager Stadium

Location: Oxford, Ohio (39.51952, -84.73293)

Owner: Miami University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1983

Listed capacity: 24,286

Date last visited: October 2024

Stadium information: https://miamiredhawks.com/sports/2018/6/7/facilities-yager-stadium-guide-15-html.aspx

Summary Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Yager Stadium is one of several small college football stadiums built in the early 1980's, an era that emphasized function over elegance.  Indeed, the functionality is great: pedestrian and vehicle flow is well-maintained, and the angled stands provide the best possible view from a given location.  The wooded areas to the south and east provide an almost pastoral setting, and that calmness seems to spill over to the fans.  I am a 2-time Miami alum who has watched many games here, and the smaller contingent of visiting fans are often more raucous than the larger contingent of home fans.  Because of my allegiance, this rating may be a little higher than it ought to be, but I have enjoyed every Saturday afternoon and weeknight (for Maction games) I have spent here.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: I watched many games here in the late 1990's and early 2000's.  Crowds at Yager Stadium have always been a little on the tame side, and they have gotten even tamer and quieter:  like many football programs in the Mid-American Conference, Miami does not enjoy the fan support it did 25 years ago.  Miami has an excellent marching band and spirit squad.  I just wish the fans were more into the game.  I do like the wooded area to the east and south, especially when the leaves are changing color.

Seating: Chairback seating near midfield, high on the west side; benchback for most of the rest of the stadium.

Field View: The massive home/west stands are built in an arc, so you feel like you are sitting closer to midfield than you really are.  Thus, all seats provide a good view relative to their location in the stadium.

Audio/Video: They have a loud audio system and a medium-sized video board.  Overall, the audio/video system is about average for a small FBS stadium.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: Concessions offer only the standard fare.  I have always thought highly of the hot dogs here: they are decent sized and juicy.

Pedestrian Flow: Numerous portals allow access to the stands.  There is only one main walkway in/out of the concourse, but it is wide and well-regulated.  Overall, pedestrian traffic seems to flow well here.

Parking: Parking used to be a serious problem here, but the addition of some grass/dirt lots east of the stadium has helped.  There is no free parking anywhere on campus or in Oxford, unless you know the area really well.... ;)

Paladin Stadium near Greenville, SC

Basic Information

Stadium: Paladin Stadium

Location: Travelers Rest, SC, on the north side of Greenville 

Owner: Furman University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1981

Listed capacity: 16,000

Date last visited: November 2024

Stadium information: https://furmanpaladins.com/facilities/paladin-stadium/6

Summary Review: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Like many stadiums built in the 1980's, Paladin Stadium is highly functional in design but is starting to show its age.  To Furman University's credit, they recently built a new press box and football operations building, and they have worked to improve their concession offerings.  The audio/video system and scoreboard desperately need upgraded.  There is a nice wooded area beyond the south end zone and a view of Paris Mountain from the west stands.  Also, the lower tier of seats on the home side has a very gradual grade, which puts the upper tier further from the action than you might expect.  Overall, I watched games here every fall for 11 years, and I enjoyed the time I spent in Paladin Stadium.  You will probably have a good time here too.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: a lot of fans leave at halftime, which I don't really understand.  Furman does have an excellent marching band.  The FU-all-the-time cheer that spontaneously erupts in the stands is simultaneously clever and crude.  If you sit in the west stands for an early November game, you will get a great view of the fall leaf color on Paris Mountain to the east.  Overall, I enjoyed watching games here.

Seating: purple chair backs on the home side 50 yard line; bench backs on either side of the chair backs; otherwise bench seating with no backs.

Field View: you get a good view of the entire field if you have a bench back seat.  The lower tier of seats has a very gradual grade, so if you are sitting in the upper tier you will be further from the action than you might expect.

Audio/Video: the audio system and scoreboard seem to date to the 1990's, and the video board is tiny by present-day standards.  This is the weakest point about this stadium.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: located in several places under the stands.  They serve the usual stuff and (much to the Baptist I am's dismay) local craft beer.  Furman University's hot dogs are some of the best: they are juicy with good flavor and diameter.

Pedestrian Flow: you can't get from the east stands to the west stands without exiting the stadium.  Otherwise, everything is well-connected, and fans get in and out rather quickly.

Parking: Furman University charges to park in any of the lots adjacent to the stadium, but you can park elsewhere on campus for free.  I was always able to find a place to park.

Timmons Arena near Greenville, SC

Basic Information

Stadium: Timmons Arena

Location: Travelers Rest, SC; north side of Greenville (34.91793, -82.43728)

Owner: Furman University

Primary sport: basketball

Year constructed: 1998

Listed capacity: 3500

Date last visited: March 2022

Arena information: https://furmanpaladins.com/sports/2019/6/6/timmons-arena.aspx

Summary Review: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

One of the newer NCAA Division I basketball arenas, Timmons Arena is a nice small basketball arena that is more functional than extravagant.  The arena did not seem to resonate noise very well when I came here, although it was hard to judge because I was here for a conference basketball tournament.  Thus, only a few people cheered at any given time, and I never got to hear what an entire crowd in full throat would sound like here.  The plastic seats are chair-back but not particularly comfortable.  Seats in the lower tier offer good views of the court, but the gradual grade means that seats in the upper tier seem rather distant.  The video boards are just projections onto screens.  This is not uncommon for small arenas but less than ideal.  In summary, you will never mistake Timmons for a top-tier basketball arena, but it competently serves the function for which it was designed.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: I came here for an NCAA Division II conference basketball tournament, so I don't have enough information to judge the Furman gameday atmosphere.  It was a good neutral site for the event I attended.

Seating: mostly plastic chair back seats; they are tight and unpadded.

Court View: the view is great from the lower tier of seats.  The upper tier seems rather distant with people on the walkway between the tiers blocking your view.

Audio/Video: the audio is loud and clear.  The video consisted only of a couple screens on either end of the court.  While I have seen worse, the video is not really up to present-day standards: good NCAA Division I arenas have a large scoreboard and videoboard over the court.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: concessions are near the arena entrances.  As I said in my review of Paladin Stadium next door, Furman University has some of the best hot dogs around.

Pedestrian Flow: double doors at only 2 points allow access from the concourse to the seating area, and the doors can be a bottleneck while entering or exiting.

Parking: thanks to Paladin Stadium's parking lots, there is plenty of parking nearby.  All of it was free for the event I attended.

Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, SC

Basic Information

Stadium: Littlejohn Coliseum

Location: Clemson, SC (34.68041, -82.84642)

Owner: Clemson University

Primary sport: basketball

Year constructed: 1968; extensive renovations in 2016

Listed capacity: 9000

Date last visited: December 2021

Coliseum information: https://clemsontigers.com/sports/mens-basketball/facilities/littlejohn-coliseum/

Summary Review: 4.5 stars (out of 5)

Littlejohn Coliseum is a nice up-to-date basketball arena.  My seat was located right behind the visitor press box, and even though my view of the action seemed rather distant it wasn't a bad seat given its location.  The arena's orange and purple color scheme really pops.  The arena gets loud when the home team gets some momentum, as it should.  The 2016 renovation made the lower bowl less steep and "right-sized" the arena by removing some seats.  I have been here before the 2016 renovations and after, and the atmosphere is much more lively after.  Overall, I enjoyed my Tuesday evening here, and you probably will too.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: the energy in the arena ebbs and flows with the success of the home team.  Noise resonates nicely when the crowd gets into it.  I like being able to watch the team run past the VIP area into the arena on the video board right before the game.

Seating: chair back seats everywhere.

Court View: my seats were in some of the worst locations, but the view still wasn't that bad.

Audio/Video: nothing exceptional but definitely meets present-day power conference basketball standards.

Concessions/ Hot Dogs: located throughout the rather large concourse.  They serve mostly just the usual fare.  The menu is easy to read.  The hot dogs were satisfactory but nothing more. 

Pedestrian Flow: the concourse was expanded in the 2016 renovation, and it really helps here.  I had no trouble getting in or out or walking around the arena.

Parking: the large Memorial Stadium parking lots nearby are only for season ticket holders and paid-boosters.  If you want free parking, you will need to arrive early and park in one of the designated, smaller, more distant lots.

Tucker Stadium in Cookeville, TN

Basic Information

Stadium: Tucker Stadium

Location: Cookeville, TN (36.17811, -85.50615)

Owner: Tennessee Tech University

Primary sport: football

Year constructed: 1966

Listed capacity: 16,500

Date last visited: September 2021

Stadium information: https://www.ttusports.com/inside_athletics/Facilities_Photos/Tucker_Stadium_Page

Summary Review: 2 stars (out of 5)

Tucker Stadium was built in 1966, and other than the video board and the playing surface, it does not seem to have changed much since then.  The all-bench seating is a real killer for people with back issues, and the 9-lane track around the field makes you feel distant from the action.  The gold color scheme on the stands and press box seems more mustard than gold to me.  The layout is odd with the locker rooms under the stands rather than in the end zones.  This layout means that fans and players criss-cross beneath the stands, which overly crowds an area that is rather dark and dismal to begin with.  I did enjoy the stadium's audio and video components; they are first class.  In summary, I still had a decent time here even though this stadium leaves much to be desired.  Tennessee Tech has some enthusiastic fans, and they deserve a better place to watch football than this.

Detailed Review:

Gameday Atmosphere: kind of an odd setting, you see city-like brick campus buildings out of the south end zone and private houses out of the north end zone.  I would love to own one of those houses!  The crowd was decent-sized, but it was engaged more by the audio/video system than by the game itself on the afternoon I came here.

Seating: almost entirely bench seating, and all seats are general admission.  This is rather unusual for FCS football, and not in a good way.

Field View: the track around the field is a problem because it increases the fans' distance from the action.  Most seats give a pretty good view, albeit a distant one.

Audio/Video: the video scoreboard is huge, one of the largest I have seen in FCS.  The sound system has good clarity and volume.  This is easily the strength of this stadium.

Concessions/Hot Dogs: located at several points beneath the stands (more on that in the next point).  They serve only the usual fare.  The hot dogs were a little flavorless and dry.

Pedestrian Flow: the area beneath the stands is a dark, gloomy, tunnel-like area that feels like being in the belly of an iron beast.  The locker rooms are also under the stands!  I had to take a detour to get around the area where the players were getting ready to take the field.  Some extra stairs that descend from the top of the stadium helps to ease traffic flow in the underbelly.

Parking: the campus does not require parking permits on weekends, so you can park literally anywhere.  I parked near the baseball stadium and walked across campus, but there were plenty of closer parking options.