Stadiums house some of the best entertainment in the world. No matter what sport is playing, it brings the best out of fans in the stands, as they watch a competitive game being played between professional athletes. It’s a great experience to go to a game, but sometimes, the stadium itself leaves a lot to be desired and doesn’t give enough back to the fans who pay their money to see their favorite team play. On the other hand, there are some stadiums that go above and beyond to give fans an experience they will never forget and is totally worth the money for admission to the stadium alone.
Here are 15 stadiums that we would never step foot in, either due to the lack of atmosphere they provide for important games, their dull look, terrible food, or simply just old for the more modern sports fan. And then there are the stadiums' sports fans would throw their money at to see a game, because the stadium provides something unique, either through design, appearance, sights, or many other attractions. One thing for sure, it’s not just about the teams when it comes to sports, it’s about the places they play in that can make the world of difference in how fans react and cheer them on.
30 Never Set Foot In: Tropicana Field
When it comes to the worst ballpark in Major League Baseball, most would agree that the Tampa Bay Rays play in the worst stadium in Tropicana Field. According to the Toronto Sun, Tropicana Field was voted the worst stadium in the league and some of the buildings designs get called into question, such as the catwalk that crisscrosses over the field sometimes interferes with the ball that is live in play, meaning Tampa has to have special rules for when a ball hits as high as the catwalk.
29 Take All Our Money: Bird’s Nest Stadium
The Bird’s Nest Stadium was front and center when Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, and it will be the main stadium when they host the Winter Games in 2022, making it a place you have to check out and spend the money to see for what should be an over the top production. Just look at the design of the stadium, that weaved steel beams into an impressive design that definitely makes the stadium stand out amongst the crowd, making it the perfect spot to host the world’s athletes. According to Interesting Engineering, the steel from is 42,000 tons.
28 Take All Our Money: Stadion Energa
Stadium designers are making sure that the outside of the stadium looks just as good as the inside, and the Stadion Energa is no exception. According to Popular Mechanics, the stadium has 18,000 polycarbonate plates, which give it an amber appearance in six different shades to the 41,000 venues. It’s that color to tie it to the mineral found along the Poland coast. It’s also the largest self-supporting structure in Europe, as 82 steel frames hold the stadium up. It’s definitely a stadium that stands out on its own in a good way.
27 Never Set Foot In: Oakland Coliseum
The Oakland Coliseum has seen better days and it’s definitely a stadium to not step foot in. In fact, even the Oakland Raiders, who call the stadium home, don’t want to be there, and they won’t much longer as they will move to Las Vegas shortly. The stadium is one of the few that house a professional baseball and football team, but according to the Toronto Sun, it's considered a concrete wasteland as of today, missing every bit of charm, with even players saying they need to build something new.
26 Take All Our Money: The Ericsson Globe
The Ericsson Globe doesn’t look like your typical stadium from the outside, but it’s actually a hockey rink in Sweden and the home of the Swedish national team. According to Interesting Engineering, it represents the Sun in the Swedish solar system, which is the world’s largest scale model of the solar system. It’s also the largest hemispherical building on Earth. What a perfect stadium to go and see as it bridges the gap between sports and science in a very fun way.
25 Never Set Foot In: Calgary Saddledome
The Calgary Saddledome was built to host ice hockey and figure skating for the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary and is the home for the Calgary Flames of the NHL. The unique design was great at the time, but the arena is one of the oldest in the league and is a huge cause of conflict between the team and the city about a new rink being built. The arena was flooded from the massive floods in 2013, which damaged the rink and still causes issues to this day.
24 Never Set Foot In: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
One word is used to describe the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum: dull. That isn’t the word anyone wants to hear when they think of their home field, but the New York Islanders have played in the dull rink for years until they moved to the Barclay Center. Now they split half-time between both, and a massive renovation project is underway to fix the dullness of the rink. According to Billboard, a $260 million facelift is underway to the rink, but we’ll avoid the Coliseum until it can prove to be a better experience and have a better team.
23 Take All Our Money: Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium earns its nickname, the Big House, because it’s the second largest stadium in the world, as according to Interesting Engineering, it can hold over 107,00 people for Michigan Wolverine football games, and has had crowds as big as 115,000. For any sports fan, it’s worth the money to be part of a crowd that rivals the size of many large cities in the United States, in what is a very intimate game setting as the stadium is one large bowl, putting fans closer to the action.
22 Never Set Foot In: FedEx Field
In terms of the NFL, FedEx Field is considered to be the worst stadium in the league, as the stadium has zero characters to it at all, is not great for home advantage due to the poor design that makes it very quiet to play in, and the fact that plenty of seats still remain empty. According to the Washington Post, the second largest stadium in the league wasn’t built to be a loud stadium, making it easy for opponents to play in. If you want that NFL atmosphere, perhaps pick one of the many stadiums in the league that will offer a much better experience.
21 Take All Our Money: AT&T Stadium
AT&T Stadium is one of the NFL’s premier stadiums, and it should be, considering it cost over $1.15 billion to construct, all paid for by Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones. According to Interesting Engineering, it’s the most expensive sports stadium ever built, and it is known for its large high definition video screen that runs from the 20-yard line on one end to the 20-yard line of the other. If you’re going to pay to watch football, this stadium in Dallas is definitely worth the money.
20 Never Set Foot In: Chase Field
When buying tickets to sports games, you think you would be sitting in the stands, bleachers or bucket seats. At Chase Field, there is the option to sit, or rather, swim, in a swimming pool. According to the Toronto Sun, the novelty of the swimming pool out in the center field has worn off and it’s actually a weird place to watch a game with a bunch of strangers swimming in a pool where drinks and who knows what else have been split in the water.
19 Take All Our Money: T-Mobile Arena
The Las Vegas Golden Knights were an amazing story last season when they reached the Stanley Cup Final in their first year in the NHL. But that wasn’t all that got people talking about hockey in Vegas, but also T-Mobile Arena did its job in attracting hockey fans in a way that only Las Vegas knows how – showmanship. The pre-game drama unfolded on the ice with video displays on the ice and live action characters that would make you think you’re at a Cirque du Soleil performance. You definitely get your money’s worth at T-Mobile arena, even before the puck hits the ice.
18 Take All Our Money: Camp Nou
If you are looking for Europe’s largest stadium, then you are heading to Spain, as that is where Camp Nou is located, home to the FC Barcelona football club. With a capacity of just under 100,000, it’s one of the world’s largest, according to Interesting Engineering. For football fans in Europe, it’s a special place to watch a game in one of the liveliest crowds in all of Europe. The stadium has gone through plenty of renovations over the years to try and increase the capacity, and plans are to build another, yet pay respect to the stadium that has been up since the 1950s.
17 Take All Our Money: Melbourne Cricket Ground
If you’re heading down under to Australia, then definitely spend some money and head to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. If you have never experienced cricket before, this is the stadium to watch it in, as it is the 10th largest stadium in the world and largest cricket ground in the world. According to the Victoria Heritage Register, it also has the highest tower of any sports stadium in the world. Many consider it the symbol of Melbourne to the rest of the world and has a capacity of 95,000.
16 Never Set Foot In: Barclays Center
The Barclays Center is the brand new complex in Brooklyn, New York that is home to the Brooklyn Nets and New York Islanders. But according to Business Insider, it has some of the worst sightlines for a hockey game you will find in the NHL. As shown in this photo, you can’t even see the net and half the attacking zone. Sure, you’re right on top of the action, but no one goes to the game to watch the scoreboard video of the game when they are literally feet away from the action.
15 Take All Our Money: Wembley Stadium
There have been a few Wembley Stadiums in London, England, but it’s still worth the money to go and see the current version which is rich in history and one of the top football stadiums in Europe. According to Popular Mechanics, the new stadium opened in 2007 to replace the old one built in 1924, and it includes a 436-foot-tall steel arch to support a retractable section of the roof. The 1,033-foot span makes it the longest single span roof in the world at over 11 acres, four of which are retractable.
14 Take All Our Money: Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca is regarded as one of the most famous football stadiums in the world and it is the largest stadium in Mexico. It’s the first stadium to have hosted two World Cup Finals, doing so in 1970 and 1986. It has a capacity of 87,000 and has even hosted NFL games in Mexico. But if you’re a football, as in soccer, fan, this is the stadium to spend money on and go and visit. It is held in such high regard in the football world, with some calling it the most important stadium for the game in the world.
13 Never Set Foot In: Rogers Centre
The Toronto Blue Jays are the only Major League Baseball team outside of the United States, making the Rogers Centre, the only MLB park in Canada. But despite that, it’s also considered one of the ugliest, especially when the roof is closed. According to the Toronto Sun, when the roof is closed, you lose the view of the Toronto skyline, including the famous CN Tower, and instead see nothing but steel and concrete. It used to be something amazing to see, but as the stadium gets older, it’s not holding up to what new ones are offering.
12 Never Set Foot In: Soldier Field
Soldier Field gets a lot of love from the people of Chicago, but according to Bleacher Report, it’s one of the ugliest stadiums in the NFL. They called it a staph infection on the Chicago skyline, as the stadium has no character at all to it, and the playing surface isn’t the greatest either once you hit the later part of the season. The Chicago Bears are one of the league’s oldest team and have to play in one of the worst stadiums.
11 Never Set Foot In: Stade Louis II
Stade Louis II has all the makings to be a great stadium, as it is located right next to the Mediterranean. But according to Forbes, it is one of the worst places to watch a football game, as the pitch sits on top of a large car parking lot, making the playing surface very hard. And the atmosphere is quiet, as the people in Monegasques hardly support their team, leaving the stadium empty most games, even though they are one of the most exciting teams in Europe. So a lot of that has to be the stadium's fault.