The Best Arenas in Sports

The Orioles may not win much, but their stadium is always packed just the same. The fans come to sample great food--Boog's Barbecue, named after Orioles' star Boog Powell, is most popular--and experience the shops and entertainment on Eutaw Street right next to the stadium. Camden Yards is one of the most popular tourist destinations of the Inner Harbor, Baltimore's shopping and entertainment district.

If you aren't concerned about modern conveniences, there is no better place to enjoy baseball than Wrigley. With its hand-operated scoreboard, and ivy-covered outfield wall, Wrigley screams baseball history. The seats may be uncomfortable, and the food may be so-so, but Cubs fans--and thousands of tourists--don't care. Wrigley, the second-oldest stadium in the majors, is always sold out.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' stadium is the gem no one knows about. With a capacity of only 38,000, almost every fan is close to the action. The statues of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell that greet fans at the entrance give the stadium a historic feel. Getting there is even fun. You can drive, of course, but you can also take a boat or walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge.

There is no better place to watch college basketball than Gampel Pavilion, the home of the UCONN Huskies. With a capacity of over 10,000, it is the largest on-campus basketball arena in the Northeast. With only one professional sports team in Connecticut--the WNBA's Connecticut Sun--UCONN students and Connecticut sports fans alike cram into Gampel to watch the men's and women's teams dominate every year.

It may be getting a little out-of-date, and the food may be overpriced, but Madison Square Garden is still one of the best places to be entertained. Whether it is a Rangers game, a Knicks game, or a concert, the atmosphere of the arena is always electric. In fact, people come more to experience the Garden than to watch sports. It is even conveniently located over a subway stop.

The home of the Celtics and Bruins is located in the heart of one of America's best sports cities. It may not have the history of the Boston Garden--where the Celtics and Bruins won most of their championships--but it does boast the first high-definition scoreboard. Rowdy Bostonians fill the seats for every game, especially since the Celtics' big win in 2008.

The home of the Indiana Pacers has consistently been ranked one of the best venues in the NBA. It is styled after a historic arena, with old-fashioned ticket windows and a huge, open lobby. It has the most comfortable seats in the league, which are consistently filled with basketball-crazy fans.

For the true hockey fan, Bell Centre in Montreal is the place to be. Canadians know their hockey and they aren't afraid to flaunt their smarts. Canadiens' fans are loud, enthusiastic, and react to everything on the ice. Sure, they come for the awesome pre-game show and the state-of-the-art stadium, but hockey is always most important.

It is amazing that a small town like Green Bay has been able to support a pro sports team for so long. But what is even more incredible is the support of the fans: there is a 30-year waiting list for season tickets. Cheeseheads cheer on the Packers in any weather, snow included. Lambeau Field is not just an attraction, but is truly the heart and soul of Green Bay.

Lincoln Financial Field is a place where serious fans go to talk football. Eagles fans are smart, obnoxious, and rowdy. Lincoln Financial Field boasts the largest video screen in the NFL, and unlike the old Veterans Stadium there is no bad seat in the arena. Three of the corners of the stadium are open so fans can look at Philadelphia skyline.