Rank The Stadiums: The Great West

[darell1976]

South Dakota
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/darell1976/USD.png

North Dakota
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/darell1976/UND.jpg

UC Davis
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/darell1976/UCDavis-1.jpg

SUU
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/darell1976/SUU-1.jpg

Cal Poly
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/darell1976/CP.jpg

My rankings:

UC Davis
UND
Cal Poly
SUU
USD

These are the best pics I could find on google.

[AggieFinn]

Don't be biased. SUU has the worst.

[daneboy]

Okay, perhaps I am a little biased, but there is not a finer place to watch a game than at Spanos stadium. The sight lines are all good and there is no track. This puts you close to the field so you really don't miss much. The only other Great West stadium I have been to is the one at Davis. Before I comment let also say that I have seen college games at San Diego ST., San Jose St., Fresno St., Sac. St. and at UCSB when they had a team. I also seen football games at most of the high schools between Salinas, CA and Los Angeles. The point is I do feel that I can make an informed judgement about the quality of a stadium.
Davis's stadium would fall somewhere in the middle of my rankings. The reasons are: the bowl shape of the stands in relation to the field takes you away from the action, the number of rows--height, of the stands is kind of low to allow a good view of the action and finally, at the game I attended students kept standing up and blocking the view of whole bunch of people and the Davis Security did nothing about it. It made for a bad viewing experience....
I should also say that I do not care much for the amenities of the stadiums, just how easy it is to watch the game....
Okay, I really like Poly's stadium and I've seen more than 100 games there, but the worst stadium by far is Sac. St. The seats are extremly uncomfortable--read absolutely no leg room and you really don't want to drop anything under the seats because you won't get it back. San Jose is also a good place to watch a game...no track and good views.....and you feel close to the action ....Fresno S., no track, but the you are a long, long way from the action....
anyway, these are just my views....besides, watching any live college football, anywhere is good....

[goyotes]

http://www.d2football.com/images/stadium/south_dakota_stadium_2.jpg

http://www.d2football.com/images/stadium/south_dakota_stadium_3.jpg

http://www.d2football.com/images/stadium/south_dakota_stadium_4.jpg

Above are some better pictures of the Dakota Dome. It is showing its age, but some changes are in the works. New seats are being installed on the permanent seating side this summer. New turf will be put down in the next couple of years, possibly as soon as the 2012 season.

At present the Dome also serves as a basketball /volleyball facility. USD recently received permission from the Board of Regents to begin developing detailed plans for a basketball/volleyball arena. Upon completion of the arena the next step is a major renovation of the Dome. Included are expanded football locker room, additional seating in both the end zone and west side of the dome, new suites and new concession stands and restrooms. Seating capacity would be increased to 16,000 for football.

[bincitysioux]

I've only been to three of the five, and I'd rank those like this........

UC Davis
North Dakota
USD

Cal Poly's looks pretty nice, so I'd assume would be above North Dakota's. SUU's has a track around it so that tells me that it probably sucks.

USD's DakotaDome provides an awesome atmosphere, but it is very outdated and rather dingy.

I was very impressed with Aggie Stadium when I was there. That place is beautiful.

The Alerus Center is quite nice and modern, provides a great atmosphere when it is full.

[EdubAlum]

Polys has to be a bit higher just because of no track if anything...

[SF State Gaters]

1(t). California-Davis
1(t). Cal Poly
3(t). South Dakota
3(t). North Dakota
3(t). Southern Utah

[SUUTbird]

In our defense that is (in my opinion) a very poor picture of the stadium and makes it look worse then it really is. Eccles Coliseum though not the flashiest of football stadiums is still a very nice facility when compared to the other stadiums of the Great West. With the newest success on the football field their have been considerable improvements in the condition of the field and the facility itself (A brand new video scoreboard was installed in 2010 with rumors of turf to be installed in the future). Here are a few other better and updated pictures that show Eccles Coliseum in its true light xthumbsupx:

#1: Not bad looking with fans in the stands
http://suu.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2010/09/11/footballi_t670.jpg

#2: Glimpse of New Scoreboard (best pic I can find for now)
http://suu.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2010/10/02/SUU_VS._Northern_Arizona_2_t670.jpg

#3: Home Side, Not to shabby and grass on field looks great
http://protophoto.com/images/cedar/DSC_7251.JPG

#4: Field View towards Harris Center (Home Side to Right, Away to Left)
http://stadiums.findthebest.com/sites/default/files/542/media/images/image_251.jpg

Definitely not the worst stadium in the GWC in my opinion and with talks of renovation for the whole stadium things can only get better, anyways here are my picks:

1) UC-Davis
2) Cal Poly
3) SUU
4) South Dakota
5) North Dakota

(*No offense dakota schools just not a fan of the the astro turf*)

[clenz]

Davis
Poly
UND
SUU
USD


Damn...that means the MVFC is getting the worst GWC stadium


I mean the rankings are

USD
Davis
Poly
UND
SUU

[TheBisonator]

Davis
Poly
UND
SUU
USD

Damn...that means the MVFC is getting the worst GWC stadium


I mean the rankings are

USD
Davis
Poly
UND
SUU

[/quote]

USD is replacing their hideous yellow/brown/white spotted patchwork seats with red seats. I have a pic:

http://pressdakotan.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/ymi_1903.jpg

I still think it's nothing more than a Bison Sports Arena that you can play football in.

[TheBisonator]

Here's a couple blurry pics, but they're newer:

http://usdcoyotesports.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=downloadattachment&board=speak&thread=345&post=5221&key=uHBSpr2eqsqvjLVxQqkW

http://usdcoyotesports.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=downloadattachment&board=speak&thread=345&post=5222&key=llnwxKvtGfa1yUiCHFls

[bojeta]

Well yes, I'm biased, but it wouldn't make a difference. I've been to well over 100 games at Spanos (many before it was Spanos) and to UC Davis as well. Both are fine stadiums and the absence of a track is HUGE!!! Davis is new and well designed for expansion. Cal Poly's new side is outstanding for field views and the atmosphere as the surrounding mountains and hills are bathed in the setting sun. When the student side is renovated, it will truly be a spectacular stadium. Currently, I would have to rank Davis and CP as a tie for first. I can only comment on the others from photos so I won't say too much. Just this: 1. Not a fan of domes. 2. Prefer real turf. 3. Don't like track encircled fields. That said.... I would love to see a game at any of these facilities!

[clenz]

USD is replacing their hideous yellow/brown/white spotted patchwork seats with red seats. I have a pic:

http://pressdakotan.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/ymi_1903.jpg

I still think it's nothing more than a Bison Sports Arena that you can play football in.[/QUOTE]
The Dakota Dome is nothing more than a poor man's version of the UNIDome...litterally.

USD hired the same firm to build it that did the UNIDome after they were at the UNIDome. Only they didn't have the budget or need for the seats of the UNIDome. Oh, and theres the fact that UNI has actually updated their dome.

[frozennorth]

I've only been to the alerus, probably 20-25 games. Never really been a fan, and i'd love it if they just remodeled memorial stadium and moved back to campus (and outside). I haven't seen it anywhere near sold out since the last bison-sioux game.

[Appfan_in_CAAland]

Cal Poly's stadium should finish last because in the picture they're playing association rules football and the stands appear to be packed!

[slostang]

Cal Poly's stadium should finish last because in the picture they're playing association rules football and the stands appear to be packed!

One of the top 3 ever attended soccer game was played at Cal Poly. 11,075 fans vs UC Santa Barbara (was more than that but that is the official capacity of the stadium). We average over 3,000 per home game when most schools average less than 300.