Rank the Stadiums: The Big South

[Coastal44]

Oh god what am I about to do!?! This is going to make our conference home look even worse...

1.) Liberty- I hate them but hands down the best facility in the conference
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4066/1stgamerenovatedwilliam.jpg

2.) Stony Brook- Really nice stadium. Good looking interior and exterior.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Stadiumt.jpg

3.) Coastal Carolina- Man my school really sucks at taking up to date pictures. We have a brand new field house that is not pictured. And on top of that the stadium is only 8 years old.
http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/coas/graphics/brooks-stadium.jpg

4.) VMI- Stadium is old but the atmosphere at VMI with the cadets on game-day is unbelievable.
http://cdn.wn.com/pd/60/58/2c25d1b10791c6398522bd39a916_grande.jpg

5.) Gardner-Webb- Bad field. Ok stadium.
http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/wp-content/gallery/gardner-webb-runnin-bulldogs-earnest-w-spangler-stadium/spangler-stadium-1.jpg

6.) Presbyterian- Pretty good venue nestled away in the back of campus
http://image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com/pics31/640/VU/VUELSSMDYLEHQAL.20100330210027.jpg

7.)Charleston Southern- Sh%*!!!! :pumpuke:
http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/wp-content/gallery/charleston-southern-buccaneers-buccaneer-field/buccaneer-field.jpg

[HighCountry]

Not trying to troll...but I really can't believe that is a D1 football stadium. I have been to high school games that look better than that. Liberty's field, on the other hand, looks great.

[pike51]

Not trying to troll...but I really can't believe that is a D1 football stadium. I have been to high school games that look better than that. Liberty's field, on the other hand, looks great.

Yep. My high school's stadium is one of them... Lowndes High in Valdosta, GA

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OLc2TjnHOgQ/S82uM-yjmUI/AAAAAAAAwHg/5-H_B8x-7MY/s1600/Lowndes+County+GA.+Vikings+High+School+Football+Ch ampions+banner+years,+Martin+Stadium,+Valdosta+Geo rgia.JPG

This photo is old and doesn't show the new endzone seating where the 500 marching member strong Georgia Bridgeman band sits with new visitor locker rooms underneath.
http://www.lowndesfootball.com/05_photos/valdosta/stadium.jpg

Current seating capacity is 15,000+. If an FCS school doesn't have something at least this level, they shouldn't be playing FCS football.

[Coastal44]

Not trying to troll...but I really can't believe that is a D1 football stadium. I have been to high school games that look better than that. Liberty's field, on the other hand, looks great.

Yep, overall the stadiums aren't that good (Charleston Southern's is terrible) the only thing I like about Coastal's is that it has room to grow and is the youngest out of all the rest. Our field house is just a sign of the expansion that will become as the years go on. I might just be partial but I think it's really nice.
http://www.christmanco.com/admin/uploads/project_images/271_267087.jpg
http://www.christmanco.com/admin/uploads/project_images/271_385907.jpg
http://www.christmanco.com/admin/uploads/project_images/271_23419.jpg
http://www.christmanco.com/admin/uploads/project_images/271_313946.jpg

[Seawolf97]

Charleston Southern needs a Federal Bailout. I have heard about it -first time I saw it in living color. Our stadium is phase 1 opened in Sept. 2002 current seating is 8200. When we eventually expand to phase 3 it will seat 22,500 but thats down the road. Phase 2 would be about 15,500 seats.
Liberty by far has a class venue no doubt about it !

[kdinva]

Yes, VMI's original stadium built in 1921, went through a major renovation prior to the 2007 season.

On the "visitor's" side, replaced all the seating, added some railings, modified/widened the entrances, whole new rest rooms and concessions. Lots of paint, too.

Main grandstands: replaced all the seats, widened the aisles and entrance portals (lost about 200 seats, I believe, during that process), re-did the main entrances all along US-11 with wrought-iron fencing and gates (got rid of the chain link fencing), larger ticket booths (including separate comp. windows for home and guests). Re-did all the concessions and rest rooms on the concourse levels (got rid of our pee walls), and installed SprintTurf on the practice field (up behind the press box/football offices) plus lights there. Very nice, detailed scoreboard w/video.

[GSUhooligan]

How is Chuck South allowed to field a D-I football team with that p.o.s.

My high school's stadium

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/georgia/powder_springs_cantrell.jpg

[darell1976]

Don't people like to sit in endzones? Why do most stadiums have seating on just both sides of the field but not in the endzones?? Our dome is the same way. I just don't get it.

[JMUNJ08]

Pretty clear 1-7 IMO. With a HUGE gap between Liberty and Chuck....only been to VMI but it was definitely a cool experience even though under 10K overall. The cadets sounds like a few extra K even if they are down 30. Few stadiums can say that about their crowd...

[cmaxwellgsu]

Yep. My high school's stadium is one of them... Lowndes High in Valdosta, GA

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_OLc2TjnHOgQ/S82uM-yjmUI/AAAAAAAAwHg/5-H_B8x-7MY/s1600/Lowndes+County+GA.+Vikings+High+School+Football+Ch ampions+banner+years,+Martin+Stadium,+Valdosta+Geo rgia.JPG

This photo is old and doesn't show the new endzone seating where the 500 marching member strong Georgia Bridgeman band sits with new visitor locker rooms underneath.
http://www.lowndesfootball.com/05_photos/valdosta/stadium.jpg

Current seating capacity is 15,000+. If an FCS school doesn't have something at least this level, they shouldn't be playing FCS football.

There are FCS rivalry not as well attended as Lowndes-Valdosta. The irony is that Valdosta High's stadium is borrowed by Valdosta St.'s championship D2 team, not the other way around.

[dgtw]

Doesn't people like to sit in endzones? Why do most stadiums have seating on just both sides of the field but not in the endzones?? Our dome is the same way. I just don't get it.

My guess is that they were built with no end zone seating to save money and if you aren't selling out what you have, why build more seats. For older stadiums it may not be feasible to add end zone seats if it would require major construction just to make room for new seats. A couple seem to have a press box. Coastal has a street behind the back end zone and Presbyterian has a house behind the end zone.

[JRCA]

I was in Lynchburg (my favorite city, lived there for a decade) this week and was amazed at the renovated Liberty stadium. Great job Flames, that campus is just exploding, along with Ward's Road. VMI is a very cool stadium, all the history and a great atmosphere, you gotta love it.

Now, I want Elon and Liberty to renew their rivalry in football! We should play every year. Matter of fact, I'm a big believer in Liberty joining the Southern Conference, you guys would make a perfect fit and there are tons of wonderful people at Liberty.

Elon University
1980 &1981 NAIA National Football Champions
1983 NAIA National Golf Champions
1990 NAIA National Tennis Champions

[Coastal44]

My guess is that they were built with no end zone seating to save money and if you aren't selling out what you have, why build more seats. For older stadiums it may not be feasible to add end zone seats if it would require major construction just to make room for new seats. A couple seem to have a press box. Coastal has a street behind the back end zone and Presbyterian has a house behind the end zone.

True. The street you speak of is university boulevard behind our scoreboard. There are plans in the future to realign University boulevard behind the soccer field allowing for expansion of that endzone. You can see the soccer field in the upper left corner of this picture.http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/coas/graphics/brooks-stadium.jpg

The other end zone the one at the bottom of the above picture now houses the Adkins Fieldhouse. I think there are plans to horseshoe the stadium in the near future.

[Wildcat80]

Well at least UNH has Charleston-southern beat.

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

I've been to Lexington and thought it was a great place to watch a game. I look forward to going to our game at Liberty in a couple years.

I wish we had a return date at Coastal from the game up here last fall. Looks like a nice place.

Yeah, Chuck South really does look like a ish-hole.

[Wofford Oaks]

Wanna know how bad CSU's stadium really is? I found out firsthand when Wofford played there last season. The visitors' stands are low aluminium bleachers, visitors' restroom facilities are two portable chemical toilets, and visitors' concessions are sold out of an Igloo cooler sitting on the ground.

If there's a worse FCS stadium in America, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

[Coastal44]

Wanna know how bad CSU's stadium really is? I found out firsthand when Wofford played there last season. The visitors' stands are low aluminium bleachers, visitors' restroom facilities are two portable chemical toilets, and visitors' concessions are sold out of an Igloo cooler sitting on the ground.

If there's a worse FCS stadium in America, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

Don't think there is any worse stadium it's a complete embarrassment to our conference (which ain't saying much). And Big House I really want us to play Richmond again too.

[doolittledog]

Wanna know how bad CSU's stadium really is? I found out firsthand when Wofford played there last season. The visitors' stands are low aluminium bleachers, visitors' restroom facilities are two portable chemical toilets, and visitors' concessions are sold out of an Igloo cooler sitting on the ground.

If there's a worse FCS stadium in America, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

What about most of the stadiums in the NEC???

[bjtheflamesfan]

doolittle, I think that even most of the NEC has nicer facilities than CSU...and that's saying something

[doolittledog]

doolittle, I think that even most of the NEC has nicer facilities than CSU...and that's saying something

Upon further inspection...I think you are correct:D

[pike51]

Wanna know how bad CSU's stadium really is? I found out firsthand when Wofford played there last season. The visitors' stands are low aluminium bleachers, visitors' restroom facilities are two portable chemical toilets, and visitors' concessions are sold out of an Igloo cooler sitting on the ground.

If there's a worse FCS stadium in America, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

First off, I in no way am saying Wofford's facility is anywhere near as bad (I actually think it is very nice), but... FTR, the visitor concessions were sold out of coolers during the playoff game against GSU. Just sayin'...

[Wofford Oaks]

First off, I in no way am saying Wofford's facility is anywhere near as bad (I actually think it is very nice), but... FTR, the visitor concessions were sold out of coolers during the playoff game against GSU. Just sayin'...

Were the permanent concession windows on the visitor's side not open and operating during the playoff game?

[Gringer1]

If there's a worse FCS stadium in America, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

You have clearly never seen Jacksonville University's Milne Field. I don't know how they are allowed to call themselves division 1 when their "stadium" is a dirt hill with metal bleachers propped up.

http://www.stadiumsusa.com/images/thumbs/b72b05f8c45ea0ba9c0735a73cabbbc76cea756e.jpg-590x1000.png

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4851395208_be99a866f3.jpg

[cmaxwellgsu]

You have clearly never seen Jacksonville University's Milne Field. I don't know how they are allowed to call themselves division 1 when their "stadium" is a dirt hill with metal bleachers propped up.

http://www.stadiumsusa.com/images/thumbs/b72b05f8c45ea0ba9c0735a73cabbbc76cea756e.jpg-590x1000.png

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4851395208_be99a866f3.jpg

That is a ****hole. No wonder they missed out on the playoffs.

[TheBisonator]

To be completely fair about Jacksonville: They just installed a new field turf-type playing surface (can see it in the 2nd pic) and resurfaced their track, plus they are going to build new grandstand seating for 5,000 for the 2012 season.

But this is just what the Jacksonville athletic site told me. I don't know any details on how the project is progressing.

[pike51]

Were the permanent concession windows on the visitor's side not open and operating during the playoff game?

Apparently not? I actually didn't see them onthe visitor's side at all but I may have missed them. They had a table set up for some food stuffs and they had a trailer with Hot Choc. Not much else. Nice restrooms though. :)