10. Madison Square Garden — St. John’s University
Capacity: 18,200
Opened: 1968
Location: New York
Madison Square Garden has history; I don’t need to tell you that. Their claim to fame is “The World’s Most Famous Arena.” The arena houses the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Liberty, St. John’s, the circus and boxing. As the famous saying goes, “if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” Ladies and gentleman, St. John’s has made it.
9. Albertsons Stadium — Boise State University
Capacity: 37,000
Opened: 1970
Location: Boise, Idaho
The Boise State stadium is on this list for one reason: their field. What a statement distraction the Smurf Turf is. At the same time, the iconic blue turf has brought much notoriety and fame to the school. Its capacity is weak, but its turf game is strong.
8. McKale Center — UA
Capacity: 14,655
Opened: 1973
Location: Tucson
One of the newest arenas on the list, McKale Center holds a deep place in the heart of Tucson basketball fans. McKale also houses Arizona volleyball and gymnastics. One reason this stadium is so high on our list is simply because of the ZonaZoo. Ranked the No. 1 student section in the nation, the ZonaZoo proudly chants at opposing teams and waves big heads to distract opposing shooters. McKale also received a renovation just last year.
7. Bryant-Denny Stadium — University of Alabama
Capacity: 101,821
Opened: 1929
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
You can’t talk about college football without having Alabama on the list. This stadium is big and intimidating, and it may be a reason why the Crimson Tide have won 15 national titles and are consistently ranked in the top five. The facility itself has had seven expansions over the years. The stadium is used to hosting winner, as 82 percent of all games played at the stadium have turned out to be wins for Alabama. That dates all the way back to 1929. Woah.
6. Rupp Arena — University of Kentucky
Capacity: 23,000
Opened: 1976
Location: Lexington, Ky.
Nobody can argue Rupp Arena’s size. It houses the men’s basketball team along with concerts and family shows. According to UK Athletics, Rupp Arena has seen Kentucky victorious in 89 percent of home games. According to the arena’s website, the facility is also the largest arena specifically for basketball in the nation.
5. Allen Fieldhouse — University of Kansas
Capacity: 16,300
Opened: 1955
Location: Lawrence, Kan.
According to ESPN The Magazine, Allen Fieldhouse was ranked No. 1 for loudest college basketball arenas. The Jayhawks have a wicked home court advantage with a record of 732-109 as of March 2015. Allen Fieldhouse is home to both the men’s and women’s basketball teams.
4. Tiger Stadium — Louisiana State University
Capacity: 102,321
Opened: 1924
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
The south is known for football and Tiger Stadium is one stadium not to be reckoned with. LSU has arguably one of the best atmospheres in all of college football. Being the third-largest stadium in the Southeastern Conference has its perks, of course.
3. Rose Bowl — UCLA
Capacity: 92,542
Opened: 1922
Location: Pasadena, Calif.
Besides now being the host to the College Football Playoff semifinals, the Rose Bowl hosts the Bruins and 92,542 of their closest friends. The storied stadium is known as “America’s Stadium.” The Rose Bowl has hosted five Super Bowls, the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games and the annual Rose Bowl Game. It’s truly a piece of California history.
2. Cameron Indoor Stadium — Duke University
Capacity: 9,314
Opened: 1940
Location: Durham, N.C.
When you think about Duke basketball, two things come to mind: national championships and Mike Krzyzewski. Cameron Indoor Stadium, easily the oldest college basketball arena on this list, is arguably one of the most competitive to acquire seats, especially for students. Many camp out for days or weeks to get tickets for the big game. Its capacity is much smaller than other arenas, which is why finding seats can be a full-time job.
1. Ohio Stadium — Ohio State University
Capacity: 104,944
Opened: 1922
Location: Columbus, Ohio
You gotta respect the champs, as in the reigning college football champions. The Buckeyes play in the fourth-largest college football stadium in the country. Boy, would that be intimidating. Buckeyes fans are known to get wild. According to their Athletics, it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of sports. Its nickname is The Horseshoe.
Follow Matt Wall on Twitter.
