Zulgad: The best venue in town for a big game? The Barn remains atop the list

[BleedGopher]

per Judd:

The Twin Cities has undergone a stadium and arena renaissance since 2000.

The Xcel Energy Center was built for the Wild and remains a marvelous hockey building. TCF Bank Stadium opened in 2009, putting football back on campus at the University of Minnesota and has been followed by two terrific baseball stadiums (Target Field and CHS Field).

The Vikings’ new home, U.S. Bank Stadium, will host a Super Bowl in its second year and the United will get a soccer-exclusive stadium when Allianz Field opens in 2019 in St. Paul.

Despite the modern amenities offered by each of these venues, none can touch what was offered inside a nearly 90-year-old building Wednesday night on the University of Minnesota campus.

The Gophers’ first loss of the season might have left some disappointed, but that should not have overshadowed the incredible atmosphere in a building that is the best in which to watch a big game in this town.

http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2017/11/zulgad-best-venue-town-big-game-barn-remains-atop-list/

Go Gophers!!

 

[Moonlight]

Ain't it the truth!

 

[bfast]

Best building in college BB, no doubt.

I wish we had a little bit more of a rowdy overall crowd. They get loud when the team is clicking, no doubt, but I think the Minnesota/midwest laid back environment will always inevitably reflect. Flipped channels over to Assembly hall for IU and the volume was a whole different level.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

My nephews (5 and 3) are attending their first Gopher game on Sunday. I was explaining to them that you can yell as loud as you want and that The Barn doesn't hold animals but is where they play basketball. We then proceeded to discuss The Barn, why its so old and why we like it. Its my favorite venue in the world.

 

[gray4heisman]

Best building in college BB, no doubt.

I wish we had a little bit more of a rowdy overall crowd. They get loud when the team is clicking, no doubt, but I think the Minnesota/midwest laid back environment will always inevitably reflect. Flipped channels over to Assembly hall for IU and the volume was a whole different level.

It's because all the gray hairs (many of which are donors) and players families get to surround the court all but in the student section. Duke, Michigan State, + have students surrounding the court and it adds so much to the intensity and sets a standard for the rest of the crowd.

 

[builtbadgers]

Best building in college BB, no doubt.

I wish we had a little bit more of a rowdy overall crowd. They get loud when the team is clicking, no doubt, but I think the Minnesota/midwest laid back environment will always inevitably reflect. Flipped channels over to Assembly hall for IU and the volume was a whole different level.

One of my favorites nationwide. Would rank Allen, Assembly, Cameron Indoor ahead of it. Just a opinion but do feel strongly that you do need to see the others to offer any honest evaluation.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Best arenas

Not a huge sample, but of all the arenas I've been to the top 4 (easily) are Williams Arena, The Pit (New Mexico), The Phog, and Hilton Coliseum. I'd give the edge to Phog Allen, but The Barn when fully engaged is right up there with it.

Have not been to the Palestra, Cameron Indoor, Carrier Dome, Mackey Arena, or Assembly Hall (Indiana), among the ones I'd most want to experience with a full house.

 

[Zeppelin Gopher]

Not a huge sample, but of all the arenas I've been to the top 4 (easily) are Williams Arena, The Pit (New Mexico), The Phog, and Hilton Coliseum. I'd give the edge to Phog Allen, but The Barn when fully engaged is right up there with it.

Have not been to the Palestra, Cameron Indoor, Carrier Dome, Mackey Arena, or Assembly Hall (Indiana), among the ones I'd most want to experience with a full house.

My list looks similar to yours (haven't been to the Pit though).

The Barn remains at the top my of list, but I'm admittedly being a homer.

The Phog is the only place that comes close; it has the old school vibe and layout, crap ton of history, etc. Plus the unique feature of natural sunlight coming through.

Hilton is kind of a dumpy, concrete 70's style building but man does that place get loud.

 

[die hard gopher]

My list looks similar to yours (haven't been to the Pit though).

The Barn remains at the top my of list, but I'm admittedly being a homer.

The Phog is the only place that comes close; it has the old school vibe and layout, crap ton of history, etc. Plus the unique feature of natural sunlight coming through.

Hilton is kind of a dumpy, concrete 70's style building but man does that place get loud.

Hilton reminds me of Williams arena. I was there last yearwhen the students were on break so not the best atmosphere but I felt it had a very nice charm to it just like the Barn.

Been to Value City Arena too. Felt like I was at a T-wolves game which was not good.

 

[oak_street1981]

Hilton reminds me of Williams arena. I was there last yearwhen the students were on break so not the best atmosphere but I felt it had a very nice charm to it just like the Barn.

Been to Value City Arena too. Felt like I was at a T-wolves game which was not good.[/QUOTE

]

You are on to something about Ohio State, I think they need to move next door back into the old Williams style arena, where they played a NIT game a few years ago, and everyone loved the atmosphere.

I think the Breslin Center at MSU is by far the best building in the Big Ten when the fans are factored in as well. At MSU they do a decent job of not giving all the good seats away to the grey hairs and the crowd is overall, very into the games.

If the Gophers can get all the seats filled and get a full student section for the next few years, Williams Arena again becomes one of the best venues around, despite some of the knitters/ book readers, constipated sitters in the better seats behind the benches.

I cannot complain about the Williams $$$/ grey hair types too much after watching the horrible Wisconsin crowd vs Xavier at the Kohl Center a couple of weeks ago. They at least get up after a run or big sequence later in a big game, before they sit again and resume knitting. The Kohl Center is awful, at least on TV. There was some noise coming from somewhere far above, which must have been some students, but everyone within view of the TV cameras (or at least most) were the old geezers wearing those ugly 1980's era red sweaters they love in Wisconsin, absolutely sitting on their hands the whole game. Terrible use of a lot of money to build a crap arena. The only time they get worked up is if the officials call a flop a block or moving screen vs. UW once a game, instead of just giving UW the old "Bo" call.

Besides Breslin, Mackey arena can be pretty tough as well. The Maryland Arena is good as well, with a very well done student section.