Top 10 Most Recognized Venues in Sports
This is not a list of the best sports venues but rather a list of sports venues that, when mentioned, immediately conjure up specific imagery for the seasoned sports fan.Perhaps it's the city that hosts the venue or a unique feature of the venue that sticks in our collective consciousness. Maybe it has been home to many memorable sporting events, and in some cases, the venue no longer exists.
I've included 10 venues that, to me, are hallowed ground. Some I've been to, while others I have not but would very much like to visit if possible. Please add any I may have missed that hold a special place in your heart.
Home to 24 Stanley Cup Champions. Home to some of the greatest players the sport of hockey has ever seen. Truly hallowed ground. Sadly, it closed in 1996, and I will never see a game there.
Whether it's old or new Yankee, it's a place that even the novice sports fan has heard of, and it immediately calls up memories of some of the greatest players the sport of baseball has ever seen. Time's a-runnin', I gotta find a way to see a game at Yankee.
I've seen many races, quite a few live, but I've never been to the Indianapolis 500. This, of course, is an American's perspective. Many European race fans might prefer to see the Grand Prix of Monaco, perhaps. And while I actually prefer Formula 1 racing, there's just something about Indy that's very appealing to us here.
I saw a game here, and it's an electric environment. I can easily see why so many top recruits choose Michigan when visiting this monster stadium.
Any baseball fan dreams of seeing a game here. It's been home to some of the sport's highest highs and biggest heartbreaks. With its famous "Green Monster" and short right field line, it is iconic. The game will suffer a lot when they finally close this treasure. I have to find a way to get to Fenway.
All you need is the Green Monster, and people know what they're seeing.
While it's known as a landmark today, it is also recognized as a truly famous historical venue. Imagine being an ancient Roman watching events in this Colosseum.
The Flavian Amphitheater. Built in 70-80 A.D., it hasn't hosted any sporting events in quite some time, but it is highly recognized.
I suppose I can't include the Big House without also including the Horseshoe. That's no slight. This venue deserves all the hype it garners. I saw a game here as well. The atmosphere is incredible, but what I remember most is partying with the great students of this university before the game. Great time! The OSU Marching Band is incredible as well. College football doesn't get any better, and top recruits come in droves to this storied program and stadium.
I will watch professional tennis occasionally, with Roland Garros and Arthur Ashe stadiums being particular favorites, but nothing can match the history and nostalgia associated with Wimbledon.
Wembley Stadium is a football stadium located in London, England, and serves as the home of the England national football team. Reopened in 2007 after extensive renovation, it has a seating capacity of 90,000, making it the largest stadium in the UK. The venue is known for its distinctive "Wembley Arch,"... read more This iconic stadium has been around for ages and has hosted many Champions League finals and even a World Cup Final. Too bad this list is run by Americans.
Any football (soccer) player dreams of playing here. I consider it the home of football, and it is home to the Three Lions.
This iconic stadium used to cram in a huge number of fans for the 1950 World Cup. Too bad all-seaters being mandatory significantly dropped its capacity.
Rio de Janeiro. The 1950 World Cup final housed a staggering 199,000+ fans here. The current capacity is listed as 78,000+, which sounds a bit more reasonable. I would love to see a match here, home of "the beautiful game."
The Newcomers
People from all around the world have heard of this arena. It has had some of the greatest sports moments in modern history, and it is only at 22?
Aka Jerryworld. This stadium is pretty much built to satisfy Jerry Jones's massive ego.
I love this stadium, and it's my favorite.
I thought maybe the Champs-Élysées in Paris, to watch the winner cross the finish line, but this race is usually decided in the grueling climbing stages in the mountains. While not a traditional sports venue, these mountains remain one just the same and have seen some of the greatest athletes in history climb here since 1903 (interrupted only by the two World Wars).
What was once the largest stadium in the South has become a safe haven for the most high-demanding, psychotic fans in college football.
Heck yeah! I see those checkerboard end zones and know it's gonna be a good one. Go Vols!
Thought about including Staples in the original 10. It didn't miss by much...
The Australian Cricket team has arguably been the best in the world throughout history. Although Australia has several cricket grounds, this is undoubtedly their main one and is the world's largest cricket stadium. It is also the home ground of Australian Rules football, a sport that is almost unknown outside Australia but ridiculously popular within the country. A typical game of the AFL, the country's professional league, draws crowds of 35-40 thousand. Only the NFL and a couple of European association football leagues (in England and Germany) can boast more. The Melbourne Cricket Ground has also been used to host the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and many other sports events. I am not from Australia - indeed, they are my country's number one rival in almost every sport we play - but I just had to add this stadium.
One of the most iconic arenas in college basketball. It offers one of the best home-court advantages and has a rich history, as the original 13 rules are located there, and the court itself is named after James Naismith.
It's the second biggest stadium in the world (behind a literal North Korean stadium), and it hosts matches in an international sport, unlike other venues popular only among non-soccer fans in the US. Europeans wouldn't name Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, or the Forum over this and Wembley Stadium.
Home to 5 of the Bruins' Stanley Cup Championships and an incredible 16 Celtics NBA Championships. Sadly, it closed in 1995, but it obviously had a great run.