How many (and which) professional sports venues have you been to?

[1995hoo]

....

Basketball is the US's only real export, sport wise ....

I rather think Japan and Latin America prove this statement to be wrong. I think it's definitely fair to say that basketball is the US's greater contribution on the global stage since it's played everywhere (and is perhaps one of THE ideal sports for small places or for places where buying equipment is a problem), but to say that baseball has not been a significant US export is incorrect. If anything, the imported talent in the major leagues (Latin American players) might be predominant over the homegrown talent. But I understand that since you're from Europe you probably tend to look at it from a European perspective and thus you'd overlook baseball in those parts of the world.

[mgk920]

....

Basketball is the US's only real export, sport wise ....

I rather think Japan and Latin America prove this statement to be wrong. I think it's definitely fair to say that basketball is the US's greater contribution on the global stage since it's played everywhere (and is perhaps one of THE ideal sports for small places or for places where buying equipment is a problem), but to say that baseball has not been a significant US export is incorrect. If anything, the imported talent in the major leagues (Latin American players) might be predominant over the homegrown talent. But I understand that since you're from Europe you probably tend to look at it from a European perspective and thus you'd overlook baseball in those parts of the world.

There's quite a few Japanese 'Basabaru' players playing in North America's Major Leagues right now, too.

Also, if I posted this satellite image as a 'guess the city', would you correctly come up with 'Prague, Czech Republic'?
http://maps.google.com/?ll=50.034513,14.430993&spn=0.008215,0.021973&t=k&z=16

Or 'Bologna, Italia' for this one:
http://maps.google.com/?ll=44.462762,11.382523&spn=0.009204,0.021973&t=k&z=16

Ditto 'Haarlem, Netherlands' for this one:
http://maps.google.com/?ll=52.408133,4.631928&spn=0.003737,0.010986&t=k&z=17

OTOH, how many would at first blush say 'Lauderhill, Florida, USA' (in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area) for this one?
http://maps.google.com/?ll=26.140086,-80.198865&spn=0.011095,0.021973&t=k&z=16



Mike

[formulanone]

NFL:
Dolphins Stadium and Orange Bowl (defunct, later demolished...to be rebuilt as future "Marlins Stadium")

NBA:
American Airlines Arena and Miami Arena (demolished)

NHL:
Bank Atlantic Center (whatever they call it now)...also, Miami Arena

MLB:
Fenway Park (also, Dolphins Stadium)

Racing:
Daytona International Speedway
Sebring International Raceway
Circuito de Catalunya (outside Barcelona, Spain)

Also have been to Lockhart Stadium, which was the former home of the defunct MLS Miami Fusion; but I've visited it in its capacity as an exhibition baseball stadium and college football stadium. That's probably the smallest standing venue that will make it to this thread.

As most of you may know, the Miami area was famous for multi-use facilities until around 2000. Now they all get their own facilities...what a waste of money, as most stadia are empty 200-300 days of the year. Baseball parks are kind of the exception with their 81 regular-season home games. That said, I suppose most race tracks lay dormant most Mondays through Fridays.

[tchafe1978]

I've been to:
NBA
Old MECCA Arena (Bucks)
Bradley Center (Bucks)

MLB
Old Milwaukee County Stadium (Brewers)
Miller Park (Brewers)

NFL
The Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field (Packers)

Auto Racing
Milwaukee Mile (IndyCar)

I'd like to make it to Wrigley sometime, but not to root for the Cubs. Just for the experience. Can't stand the Cubs otherwise.

[wriddle082]

NFL:
LP Field (Titans)
Edward Jones Dome (Rams)

NHL:
Bridgestone Arena (Predators)
St. Petersburg Times Forum (Lightening)

MLB:
old Riverfront Stadium (Reds)
Great American Ball Park (Reds)
PNC Park (Pirates)

Never been to an NBA game or a NASCAR race.

[Scott5114]

None. Until recently there were no pro sports here, and I haven't bothered going to a Thunder game.

[triplemultiplex]

Since I've lived in Milwaukee, I've been to Miller Park more times than I can remember.  I think I've been to 9 games this season already.
Saw a few games as a child at the old County Stadium.
Only been to one Bucks game there at the Bradley Center.  NBA doesn't do it for me.

Been to five games at Lambeau.

Seen both baseball and football at the Humpty Dome there in Minneapolis.

I've seen college hoops in the old MECCA (now the US Cellular Arena; or "The Cell"), but that doesn't count.  It is shocking that pro ball was played there, though.  It's so tiny and there's all of two restrooms.

[ftballfan]

I've never been to a professional sporting event, but I did go to the Silverdome (former home of the Lions) for a George Strait concert in roughly 1998 and the Palace of Auburn Hills for a Bon Jovi concert in 2005.

[hobsini2]

Football
Lambeau Field Green Bay
Soldier Field Chicago (both old and new)
Metrodome Minneapolis (dump!)
County Stadium Milwaukee (last home opener for Packers vs LA Rams)
Silverdome Pontiac
Ford Field Detroit
New Jersey Meadowlands Rutherford NJ (old)


Baseball
MLB:
Wrigley Field Chicago
Old Comiskey Park Chicago
New Comiskey Park Chicago (i refuse to call it US Cellular)
County Stadium Milwaukee
Miller Park Milwaukee
Old Yankee Stadium New York
Shea Stadium New York
Fenway Park Boston
Camden Yards Baltimore
Metrodome Minneapolis
Target Field Minneapolis
Comerica Park Detroit
Citizens Bank Ballpark Philadelphia
Riverfront Stadium Cincinnati
Ameriquest Field Arlington TX

Minor League:
Dodd Stadium Norwich CT
MCU Park (formerly Keyspan Park) Brooklyn NY
Ephstrum Stadium (Kane County) Genvea IL
Silver Cross Field Joliet IL

Basketball
Chicago Stadium Chicago
United Center Chicago
Bradley Center Milwaukee
Target Center Minneapolis

Hockey
United Center Chicago
Madison Square Garden New York

[Michael in Philly]

Arranged geographically:
Fenway
Hartford Civic Center (for NCAA games - I was in the band at Georgetown.  But it counts as professional because the Whalers played there at the time).
Shea Stadium
Yankee Stadium (the original)
MSG
The Meadowlands arena, or whatever it's called this week (if it's still there at all)
Giants Stadium
The Vet
Citizens Bank Park
The Spectrum
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Camden Yards
Capital Centre (which tells you how long ago I was in the band at Georgetown)
Was it called the Omni?
The Kingdome.
And lots of college arenas but I can't think of any more that have or had pro teams playing in them.

[Ian]

I've been to all of the current Philadelphia sports complex area's including the recently torn down Wachovia Spectrum. I've also been to Boston's Fenway Park and the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Le Forum (when it still existed; former Canadiens venue, went to see some figure skating back then),
Bell Centre (formerly Molson Centre; current Canadiens venue; I went there many times, but never to actually watch Hockey),
Montreal's Olympic Stadium (former Expos venue, now used by many different events).

[Jim]

MLB: All 30 current stadiums plus 9 former (Comiskey, Shea, Old Yankee Stadium, Riverfront, Old Busch, Metrodome, Olympic, The Vet, RFK).  If I started working hard on this a couple years sooner, I could have had several more former ones.  This thread isn't about the minors, but I just got my 37th minor league park last week.

NFL: Orange Bowl, Rich Stadium, Joe Robbie, LA Coliseum (preseason LA Raiders).

NHL: Boston Garden, Nassau Coliseum, NJ Meadowlands, Fleet Center, St. Pete Times Forum, Philips Arena.