SEC Arenas

#1

BACKDOC

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#1
I'll start to by saying, we had an awesome experience yesterday at TBA; from the light show to the halftime entertainment; (my daughter loves dogs). TBA is the only arena I've seen a game. I have been to Coleman for a graduation; I really liked the exterior, but the interior was not the best at Coleman. I've noticed on TV some of the SEC arenas look like crap, (Mizzou). Stegeman also looks kinda small and in need of a facelift. I would kinda like to come up with a ranking of the best to worst basketball arenas in the conference.
 
#2
#2
I've only been in a few but Ole Miss and Auburns new areans are solid. Rupp is old and outdated but certainly has the "it"
Factor

I know I am crazy but I like Vandys the best. It has "character" and I like that


Tenn is by far the nicest, biggest and most modern one I have been too.
 
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#3
#3
I guess everyone has their own taste but Vandy is the worst I’ve been to. LSU, while dated and only 14k or so, is good. All good seats and no upper deck. I’m going to Rupp for the first time this yr for the Fla game ( free tickets and free drinks)

Ole miss & Aub need to be at top. They’ve spend a fortune for new places in last 4 yrs.
 
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#5
#5
I guess everyone has their own taste but Vandy is the worst I’ve been to. LSU, while dated and only 14k or so, is good. All good seats and no upper deck. I’m going to Rupp for the first time this yr for the Fla game ( free tickets and free drinks)

Ole miss & Aub need to be at top. They’ve spend a fortune for new places in last 4 yrs.
I understand Auburn and Ole Miss are nice arenas. But, if you want big time attendance as well, then Tennessee is outstanding. It is modernized inside and the capacity is beyond norm. Ole Miss has a capacity around 9500 and Auburn 9100. If I'm a recruit, give the the enormous crowd every time.
 
#6
#6
This is slightly off topic but I think Texas Tech has the best looking court in all of basketball.............if it were in Tennessee orange it would be the prob the best court in the entire world........in my opinion (I like TBA better, and I love UT's colors WAY better.....but I do love TT's floor).

Many folks love ND's court and arena, some love Duke's and a lot of folks love OSU (Oklahoma ST) floor and arena..........but for me TT's is awesome, just behind TBA.
 
#7
#7
I've only been in a few but Ole Miss and Auburns new areans are solid. Rupp is old and outdated but certainly has the "it"
Factor

I know I am crazy but I like Vandys the best. It has "character" and I like that


Tenn is by far the nicest, biggest and most modern one I have been too.

The layout of the court is too much for me to like Vandy's arena. I liked the A&M facility (Reed Arena), but I still prefer TBA.
 
#8
#8
The layout of the court is too much for me to like Vandy's arena. I liked the A&M facility (Reed Arena), but I still prefer TBA.

I just have a soft spot for older venues With character. Wrigley field is a dump in many ways but I love going there. Legion field is just plain ole awful but you can feel the history when you go there.

JMO
 
#9
#9
The layout of the court is too much for me to like Vandy's arena. I liked the A&M facility (Reed Arena), but I still prefer TBA.

Whoo I am with you on Vandy........I hate theirs. I hate the openness of the court, and the frekin huge corners in the "gymnasium." Sry Vandy fans but it sux.
 
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#10
#10
I guess everyone has their own taste but Vandy is the worst I’ve been to. LSU, while dated and only 14k or so, is good. All good seats and no upper deck. I’m going to Rupp for the first time this yr for the Fla game ( free tickets and free drinks)

Ole miss & Aub need to be at top. They’ve spend a fortune for new places in last 4 yrs.
The "garage" at vandie is the worst anywhere. Sightlines awful, aisle flow wretched, upper levels ridiculous, end zone benches laughable & it's butt-ugly.
 
#11
#11
I have only been to 4 and would rank them:

1) TBA
2) Rupp
3) Memorial Gym (Vandy)
4) Coleman Coliseum (Bama) - it is really nice on the outside but as a basketball venue? It's an even worse place to watch a game than Vandy and surprisingly small for an arena which claims to have a capacity of over 15,000.

I haven't been to either of the Auburn or Ole Miss new arenas but they do look nice on television, just not as nice as TBA. I have to think if an independent poll was conducted, TBA would be #1 in the SEC.
 
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#12
#12
Btw the worst arena I have been in is Cameron Indoor but boy oh boy can you feel the history. I just can't judge sporting venues without also thinking about the history of those places.
 
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#13
#13
The only one arena better than TBA that I’ve been to is Memphis Fedex forum (and that was for Grizzles game, not Tiger High). The Memphis game Sat vs ranked Cincinnati appeared pretty tame. Nothing like the Tennessee game atmosphere
 
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#15
#15
I'll start to by saying, we had an awesome experience yesterday at TBA; from the light show to the halftime entertainment; (my daughter loves dogs). TBA is the only arena I've seen a game. I have been to Coleman for a graduation; I really liked the exterior, but the interior was not the best at Coleman. I've noticed on TV some of the SEC arenas look like crap, (Mizzou). Stegeman also looks kinda small and in need of a facelift. I would kinda like to come up with a ranking of the best to worst basketball arenas in the conference.

I was at the Mizzou game and actually enjoyed that arena.
 
#16
#16
I can't imagine that vandy's bball court is even legal.
They have a HUGE home court advantage because of the player/coach placement............. but this year they are 0-10 in SEC.(they must be REALLY bad)

Stokely was cool. but not a good place to watch (I was behind a structure a few times)........unless we were beating KY!
 
#17
#17
How bad is Bama's place? Stokely and KY's Memorial (before the rehab) are/were superior. Vandy is like Fenway…..if it wasn't freaky it would have been rubble decades ago.
 
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#20
#20
I really don't get how Rupp is always mentioned in the best venues discussion. Same w TBA or the Dean Dome. Large and nondescript. I haven't been to any SEC venue that I thought was all that great. Although I would like to go to Bud Walton.

Outside of the SEC I really like UD Arena in Dayton. A lot of character and a good place to watch a game. I liked Xavier's arena too.
 
#21
#21
I've only been in a few but Ole Miss and Auburns new areans are solid. Rupp is old and outdated but certainly has the "it"
Factor

I know I am crazy but I like Vandys the best. It has "character" and I like that


Tenn is by far the nicest, biggest and most modern one I have been too.
The Vandy Barn is the same it has been sense the mid fifties(?). I thought it was a barn when I went there as a high schooler and don't see much difference now.
 
#22
#22
Never understood the BBall courts like Vanderbilt's, I have seen a few other with the same design. If I were paying big money for front row seats I wouldn't want to my direct line of sight being players shoes. The views have got to be horrible.
 
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#24
#24
I've always kinda liked the "Starkvegas." What I hate is the striped ceiling at Coleman, and how the "hot" cheerleaders have to stand way over in the corner, that seems ridiculous.
 
#25
#25
Also, I wish we would go with the power T in the middle, but it still looks good the way it is.
 

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