Favourite Sporting Venue

[nelsonone]

Ok so what is your favourite sporting venue and why......

was sat in the stands at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground....Australia) last saturday night watching All Blacks vs Wallabies Rigby match and couldn't help but be impressed with the changes carried out there....a great "cauldron" and wonderful atmosphere....too bad about the rain

other memorable moments of mine include Wembley (haven't been to the new revamped version yet...but great for football) Twickenham, Cardiff Arms Park and Lansdowne Rd (all for Rugby) and Stade de France (Paris) is very impressive too

I was at the openning of the Sydney Olympics (was still living there full time then) it was a magic moment and stadium as were visits to the Players Campionship (Golf tournament) at Sawgrass Course in Jacksonville and a baseball match at Yankee Stadium

Favourite venue I actually played on was Pebble Beach Golf Course near Carmel in california.......or for pure nostalgia Athletic Park in Wellington (no longer exists but it was the home of many famous All Black victories.....and a one or two losses too...55555) where I played my first representative rugby match as a 14 yo

[Schmeen]

Candlestick Park is the home of some of my happiest sporting memories.

The Rose Bowl for a Super Bowl was special.

The old Wembley I must say was a dump, the new one looks great.

Stade de France is excellent, but nothing like the atmosphere at Parc Des Princes.

I like Murrayfield.

I hate Lansdowne Road

The Millenium is awesome particularly with the roof closed.

Cardiff Arms Park is the Cardiff RFC ground, the stadium where Wales played was actually called the National Stadium. It was never officially known as CAP, but the NS at CAP, if that makes sense.

Concord Oval, cos it was where I saw Jones and Buck play together for the only time.

SCG

MCG - been in, but not for an event, same with Eden Gardens Calcutta.

Lords is wonderful.

The Orange Bowl Miami, Texas Stadium, Anaheim Stadium...all superb, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum a dump.

but the winner.........The Camp Nou Barcelona incredible place fantastic to see, but under the stands feels like something out of Lord of The Rings. A labyrinth of doom.

[briofoz]

Can't go past Athletic Park either, high up in the Millard stand, a cold southerly blowing through you. My grandparents lived in Newtown, and the Stands could be seen from their front verandah.

Lang Park (Brisbane) is a great Rugby ground now. You are very close to the action.

Telstra in Sydney I beleive is too big. I was there in 2000 for the Bled game, when 109,000 people (half kiwis) were there, but you are a long way from the game.

[nelsonone]

Originally Posted by Schmeen

Candlestick Park is the home of some of my happiest sporting memories.

The Rose Bowl for a Super Bowl was special.

The old Wembley I must say was a dump, the new one looks great.

Stade de France is excellent, but nothing like the atmosphere at Parc Des Princes.

I like Murrayfield.

I hate Lansdowne Road

The Millenium is awesome particularly with the roof closed.

Cardiff Arms Park is the Cardiff RFC ground, the stadium where Wales played was actually called the National Stadium. It was never officially known as CAP, but the NS at CAP, if that makes sense.

Concord Oval, cos it was where I saw Jones and Buck play together for the only time.

SCG

MCG - been in, but not for an event, same with Eden Gardens Calcutta.

Lords is wonderful.

The Orange Bowl Miami, Texas Stadium, Anaheim Stadium...all superb, and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum a dump.

but the winner.........The Camp Nou Barcelona incredible place fantastic to see, but under the stands feels like something out of Lord of The Rings. A labyrinth of doom.

some great ones there schmeen...so you are a Giants fan...5555

agree on Lords....a very special place...been in the press box there and just love it!!!!...great design

Concorde Oval????......WTF 55555....watched and played plenty of Rugby there.....ridiculous to think that test matches were actualy played there.....just goes to show how Rugby has grown in Australia in the last 20 years

Would love to and definitely will visit Millenium and the new Wembley stadium...and have yet to make it to Murrayfield so that is on my list too

never knew that about CAP....always thought it was just called CAP

[nelsonone]

Originally Posted by briofoz

Can't go past Athletic Park either, high up in the Millard stand, a cold southerly blowing through you. My grandparents lived in Newtown, and the Stands could be seen from their front verandah.

Lang Park (Brisbane) is a great Rugby ground now. You are very close to the action.

Telstra in Sydney I beleive is too big. I was there in 2000 for the Bled game, when 109,000 people (half kiwis) were there, but you are a long way from the game.

wow.....Athletic park eh Brio....I loved that place....its one of those that gets in yer veins.....and you are certainly right about that southerly....northerly ain't too pleasant either 55555.....I have one of the garden style bench seats from AP in my garden as a reminder.....the Cake Tin is a great venue for the size of this place but can't touch the atmosphere of AP

I have a combined membership for the SCG/Sydney Football stadium....but as I am mostly in Wellington these days I only use this a few times a year.....SFS is a geat place to watch Rugby

[Schmeen]

Not the Giants, only ever saw them once......Niners were my team.

I remember asking Riki Ellison who was a Kiwi Linebacker for the Niners in the Montana years if he'd rather be a Niner or an All Black.

He grinned and replied "You already know the answer to that mate"

Yeah Concord Oval was some test ground. I saw the last tests there before they opened the SFS. Was at the SFS when Australia beat Argentina at soccer in what I think was the opening tournament. I liked that stadium also.

That 2000 Bledisloe game I have on DVD, burned and lovingly prepared. The man who scored the winning try in that game was over in Bangkok the other week.

[briofoz]

Originally Posted by Schmeen

That 2000 Bledisloe game I have on DVD, burned and lovingly prepared. The man who scored the winning try in that game was over in Bangkok the other week.

I met Jonah, along with most of the team, in Sydney that year. Felt humbled to be around my "heros".

I remember in the 80's pub crawling to a game at Athletic Park, and was talking to some blokes who had driven from Te Kuiti for the game. They had tickets for game, but decided to watch it in the Pub a km from the ground. Go figure.

[Schmeen]

Anyone interested the Auckland Provincial team is in Bangkok for pre-NPC training this weekend. They'll be playing against Vajiravudh at their ground near Chitralada Palace.

[Bello Uomo]

San Siro for me, followed by the MCG.

Hope to get to Maracena Stadium next year to watch a game.

[IJ]

croke park on the 3rd sunday in september..all ireland final day with 85k mad shouting supporters !!!!!!!!

[Thin White Duke]

For Cricket-The Wanderers in Jhb (where you'll often bump into Graeme Pollock at the Pub) and Newlands in Cape Town.

For Rugby-Ellis Park,Loftus Versfeld and Kings Park(The Shark Tank) are all special for South Africans.The RWC victory against the All Blacks at Ellis Park with 80 000 fans makes it a religious place.

At the moment all our stadiums are being re-furbished for the Football World Cup and this should lift their standard considerably....bit of a life-line really that 2010.....

[Schmeen]

TWD

I still have a plan to go on the Lions Tour of 2009. I'd love to go to Ellis Park, LV and Kings Park.

One of my mates in BKK was at the Lions 2nd Test in 1997, reckoned it was his finest sporting moment.

[Nanook]

For Football: The old Wembley Stadium and now the Amsterdam ArenA.
For Ice Hockey: The Old Montreal Forum.
For F1: Monaco.
For Speed skating: Heerenveen Thialf Stadium.
For Cycling: The stage to Alp d'Huez during the Tour de France.
For Tennis: Wimbledon.
For Ski jumping: Holmenkolm in Norway.

[IJ]

Originally Posted by Schmeen

TWD

I still have a plan to go on the Lions Tour of 2009. I'd love to go to Ellis Park, LV and Kings Park.

One of my mates in BKK was at the Lions 2nd Test in 1997, reckoned it was his finest sporting moment.

i went to the aussie tour in 2001...one of the better sporting events i was at.........all the stadia were top class.......
i really enjoyed the atmosphere in the gabba in brisbane......small stadium but great atmosphere.....
the olympic staduim was brill...as was the one in melbourne.ij...

[Talbotman]

JUST been in the amsterdam arena on sunday for the genesis concert its a fantastic stadium !

celtic park on champions league nights or games versus rangers takes some beating and i am not even a celtic fan

the old wembley stadium when us jocks used to take it over 95% every 2 years was hard to forget !

[Thin White Duke]

Originally Posted by Schmeen

TWD

I still have a plan to go on the Lions Tour of 2009. I'd love to go to Ellis Park, LV and Kings Park.

One of my mates in BKK was at the Lions 2nd Test in 1997, reckoned it was his finest sporting moment.

Yeah Schmeen,will be one not to be missed.All our stadiums will be totally modernised by then and the atmosphere should be electric.

Forgot to mention Sun City for the Million Dollar Golf and Las Vegas for World Series Poker.

For Surfing I guess Hawaii would be the best,tho haven't been yet.......

[Mav]

The old MCG

The old Wembley

Lords # 1 for me

Flemington

Ascot

Happy Valley

SCG

St Andrews Golf Course

[Bello Uomo]

Ascot racecourse in Perth I presume...

[IJ]

Originally Posted by Bello Uomo

Ascot racecourse in Perth I presume...

i doubt it.......55555555..........our mav lived in pommy land for a while..........
ij

[sarsbuk]

When I lived in Cardiff, I lived on Westgate Street in the apartments there. My apartment looked out onto Cardiff Arms Park and could watch all the Cardiff games free from my flat!! So thats my fav...

[falanger]

Originally Posted by IRISH JONNY

croke park on the 3rd sunday in september..all ireland final day with 85k mad shouting supporters !!!!!!!!

1973 was the last time we won it...beaten in the final 94...
We got waterford on sunday,in the munster final...I'll be going if i can get a ticket...Might still get up to croker yet 555

Thomond park for munster rugby,Landsdowne rd,Anfield when i was a nipper, Elland rd and the old wembley....

[mars]

Originally Posted by Schmeen

Stade de France is excellent, but nothing like the atmosphere at Parc Des Princes.


.

I have to agree with that one, Great atmosphere at the old Parc Des Princes,

[nelsonone]

San Siro Milan?? and Nou Camp Barcelona

Funny I go to these two cities for work each year....Milan usually around easter/mid April and Barcelona late August/early Sept.....have been offered to be taken to a Milan game but I am always too busy with shows etc.....and i think Bracelona in August is out of football season.....the people in both cities are very proud of their stadia.....

[Nanook]

Originally Posted by nelsonone

San Siro Milan?? and Nou Camp Barcelona

Funny I go to these two cities for work each year....Milan usually around easter/mid April and Barcelona late August/early Sept.....have been offered to be taken to a Milan game but I am always too busy with shows etc.....and i think Bracelona in August is out of football season.....the people in both cities are very proud of their stadia.....

I never was in San Siro, but Nou Camp is also a great venue, where I was a few times, as Barcelona used to have many Dutch players.

Next time you're going over there, you should ask your business partners to arrange a ticket for a game. Do it well in advance as all the 98,000 seats are going like bread over the counter. But you will love the experience. Usually the footbal season starts from mid August.

[marc26]

after reading this post i sat back and started to think

I have just started in recent years to relaize how extremely lucky i was growing up
as an American sports fan i lived right by 2 of the most storied venues there is, the old Boston Garden where trhe Celtics won 16 championships and Fenway Park, the oldest baseball stadium in US

being a kid, and being able to take the train 10 minutes with just my friends at the age of 10 to go see Larry Bird play was just a normal occurance because of where i grew up and how close i lived to these places. i neevr realized people make a whole night of it maybe once a year

in 1986, one of the Boston Red Sox best years, i went to about 40 out of 82 home games. either with my friends on weekends or with my brother after he'd get home form work. nothing ever planned, just a "you wanna go to the game" and we were off

damn i was lucky

[Nanook]

Originally Posted by marc26

nothing ever planned, just a "you wanna go to the game" and we were off

damn i was lucky

Yes you are, because here it is always very difficult to get tickets for major sports games. For example, if I want to go to an AJAX match, I must have a so-called club card, which you only get after submitting a passport copy and pay some fee. Then I still have to buy the tickets a few weeks in advance, especially for the big games.

Advantage is though, that you can buy them in any cigaret shop which has access to the central national ticketing computer system.

But in general it is very difficult to get the tickets for the better Dutch footbal teams, National Team and the speed skating events.

[marc26]

Originally Posted by Nanook

Yes you are, because here it is always very difficult to get tickets for major sports games. For example, if I want to go to an AJAX match, I must have a so-called club card, which you only get after submitting a passport copy and pay some fee. Then I still have to buy the tickets a few weeks in advance, especially for the big games.

Advantage is though, that you can buy them in any cigaret shop which has access to the central national ticketing computer system.

But in general it is very difficult to get the tickets for the better Dutch footbal teams, National Team and the speed skating events.

what i was talking about was when i was younger. my big brother would take me during the week and we would buy standing room only for about $4usd each

nowadays-i will scalp at the baseball games. last time i paid 150usd/per ticket for tickets thatw ere 100usd/per,
Superbowl- i paid 2000usd for 1 ticket last time i went

[Nanook]

Originally Posted by marc26

what i was talking about was when i was younger. my big brother would take me during the week and we would buy standing room only for about $4usd each

nowadays-i will scalp at the baseball games. last time i paid 150usd/per ticket for tickets thatw ere 100usd/per,
Superbowl- i paid 2000usd for 1 ticket last time i went

An average ticket in the Amsterdam Arena for a league game is about € 30. For a Champions League game it is usually € 45.
National Team games are more expensive and much harder to get tickets for. Scalpers may sell easily for hundreds of Euros too.
During the last World Cup in Germany tickets for the Dutch national team were sold on the black market for way over € 1000.
Same goes for the world championship speed skating in Heerenveen last winter.

Also I noticed that in Montreal there are many scalpers trying to sell tickets for the Montreal Canadiens games, but I don't know how much the would cost.

[marc26]

Originally Posted by Nanook

An average ticket in the Amsterdam Arena for a league game is about € 30. For a Champions League game it is usually € 45.
National Team games are more expensive and much harder to get tickets for. Scalpers may sell easily for hundreds of Euros too.
During the last World Cup in Germany tickets for the Dutch national team were sold on the black market for way over € 1000.
Same goes for the world championship speed skating in Heerenveen last winter.

Also I noticed that in Montreal there are many scalpers trying to sell tickets for the Montreal Canadiens games, but I don't know how much the would cost.

all regular games here can be expensive
i prefer to sit in good seats or not go unless it is a big playoff game than i will sit anywhere

New England Patriots(NFL Football) i sit in club seats which are 400usd/per ticket but can get good seats for 75-100usd

Boston Red Sox-i usually pay about 100-150usd for good seats right near field. for game 7 of playoffs once i paid 500/ticket for front row seats

NBA- i pay about 100-150/per ticket for seats close to the court

i am a pretty big sports fan so will pay alot for good seaTS

[Nanook]

Originally Posted by marc26

all regular games here can be expensive
i prefer to sit in good seats or not go unless it is a big playoff game than i will sit anywhere

New England Patriots(NFL Football) i sit in club seats which are 400usd/per ticket but can get good seats for 75-100usd

Boston Red Sox-i usually pay about 100-150usd for good seats right near field. for game 7 of playoffs once i paid 500/ticket for front row seats

NBA- i pay about 100-150/per ticket for seats close to the court

i am a pretty big sports fan so will pay alot for good seaTS

Yes, like you I am a big sports fan too, but can not always combine it with other obligations at work. I always try to get tickets for our National football team or the Ajax games, but even though I have club cards, it is still difficult.

But that are really steep prices you talk about Marc.

[marc26]

Originally Posted by Nanook

But that are really steep prices you talk about Marc.

for baseball. my favoprite team has the smallest park, only seats about 35k, so very hard to get tickets when playoffs come

i tried to buy season tickets even though i live across the country. i was just going to give half the tickets to my family and the other half to charity just so i could get playoff tickets but their is a 5 year waiting period

[seafox]

Baseball---Yankee Stadium---so much history

Basketball---old Boston Garden---same same

Football---Astrodome---First huge indoor sports arena

College Football---LA Coliseum

Golf---Pebble Beach

Formula 1 racing---Monaco Grand Prix

Motorcycle Racing---Laguna Seca

[cybernator_uk]

Originally Posted by nelsonone

San Siro Milan?? and Nou Camp Barcelona

Funny I go to these two cities for work each year....Milan usually around easter/mid April and Barcelona late August/early Sept.....have been offered to be taken to a Milan game but I am always too busy with shows etc.....and i think Bracelona in August is out of football season.....the people in both cities are very proud of their stadia.....

Both stadiums are fantastic. When you walk into the Nou Camp you get a real sense of the history at the stadium, the atmosphere can be great, especially when a Madrid side is there.

Also a derby game at the San Siro is one to see..... The Stadium comes alive when Ac Milan play Inter. Love both those stadiums.

I also used to love the walk to Wembley. That long walk down wembley way, seeing the twin towers, just a shame the stadium was a dump. And, for me, Stamford Brdige because that is my home.

[Nanook]

Originally Posted by cybernator_uk

I also used to love the walk to Wembley. That long walk down wembley way, seeing the twin towers, just a shame the stadium was a dump. And, for me, Stamford Brdige because that is my home.

Yeah, I have been to Wembley a few times and the walk from the metro station to the stadium with the twin towers was really great. And in the stadium, you could really smell the history of football.

[cosa]

For me it has to be Wembley. During the 70s and the home international games we werent going to a match when Scotland went down it was more of a pilgrimage.

2nd is the camp nou when Barca play either Madrid or Espanyol