Weird stadiums

[Sykotyk]

That's the first time I've ever heard of a school's fans being told where to sit at the high school level. Most naturally gravitate to the visitor's side/section but I've been to games with friends of the opponent and we sat together wearing our respective colors on both sides.

Having lived in Steubenville and having season tickets, I'm pretty sure the entire "home side" is reserved seats. I may be wrong. But it seemed that way. If Steubenville had the option, they'd have had an 8 or 9,000 seat home side and 1- or 2,000 seat visitor side. But the land the stadium was built on just couldn't allow it. Hence the fully enclosed field and home fans on the visitors side.

 

[irish_buffalo]

Allow me to be like the 5th person to say this is one of the coolest threads I've seen. Thanks.

 

[Sykotyk]

Another interesting stadium is Crystal City, Missouri. Located in the Mississippi flood plain, it's actually built onto one of the old levies protecting the city. The main entrance for fans is to walk across an old concrete foot bridge from town to the top row of concrete bleachers. The seats have all been removed so you sit directly on concrete.

All seating is on one side. And for concrete, the stadium sells $1 seat cushions. Most fans use them or bring blankets or towels to sit on. The view is great. The scoreboard is way far from the field.

You can't see the river from the stadium however.








Map view. The stadium is covered in white in the aerial:

 

[coldshoulder]

Great stuff, Sykotyk.

And great stuff from everyone else who has contributed to this thread. Very interesting and enjoyable.

Is anybody else having trouble accessing page 4 of this thread? I keep getting redirected to a search site (Search Encrypt) with "tippecanoe football stadium" in the search box.

Weird.

 

[BigK72]

A stadium that just had its last game played back in November was always my favorite (where I grew up/played). St. Marys Skip Baughman Stadium. A set of train tracks overlooked the stadium and the self named "Tracker Backers" used to line the tracks on Friday nights.

The field was better, when the school was still there.

Those are the only pics I could find under a quick search.

 

[OUcats82]

A stadium that just had its last game played back in November was always my favorite (where I grew up/played). St. Marys Skip Baughman Stadium. A set of train tracks overlooked the stadium and the self named "Tracker Backers" used to line the tracks on Friday nights.

The field was better, when the school was still there.

Those are the only pics I could find under a quick search.

I assume the Roughriders will debut in a new stadium this coming season?

 

[BigK72]

I assume the Roughriders will debut in a new stadium this coming season?

Yes, their building a new stadium at the turf field behind the new high school. The home side is already complete. I posted a pic of it on the new stadium thread

 

[OHFball10]

Tippecanoe's stadium isn't really special, but it is about 2 miles away from the high school and is located just a few blocks from the downtown. It is surrounded by the City park and the city pool, while just across the street are houses. There used to be a large Oak tree that stood behind the north endzone but was removed with the installation of turf

The tree was actually declared dead, and was going to be removed regardless of the turf being installed. It became a safety hazard since it could rot and possibly fall.

I'd say the "stadium" could qualify as a weird one in it's previous state. A combination of the tree dying, adding turf, and replacing the grandstand (in the future) will make it nothing unique in terms of being weird.

It certainly was an odd one in it's previous state. Below is a few pictures to try and show some of it from about 10 years ago. You can see just how large an ominous the oak tree was behind one goal post. Additionally, you can see how the home stands are simply bleachers, but there was a hill up from the field that raises the stands a bit. On top of that, the crown of the football field was a bit extreme, leading to a pretty strong slope to the sidelines, and out of the back of the endzones. To top that all off, the locker rooms; the visiting team goes in a trailer put on the visiting side for the season, and the home team uses a roundhouse in the city park.

 

[Lakindo]

This thread could also double as sh*tty stadiums

 

[irish_buffalo]

Where is eastisbest? He has some cool Toledo Waite Mollenkopf Stadium pics on a packed night to show the fortress theme as well as Sacred Heart church in the background for the 43605 version of Touchdown Jesus.

 

[BigK72]

I think that should be a thread all on its own. Some of these weird/unique stadiums are still great; just odd.

We should definitely start a crappy stadium thread.

 

[goshengophers]

If they host a game during the Noble County Fair, they usually host it on Thursday night. What's great, is the admission to the fair includes your access to the game. It's great getting fair food and being able to walk it into the stadium to watch a game.

Plus, it's covered, so no matter the weather, rain or glaring sun, you're protected.

With Bridgeport closed, the stadiums with roofs that I know of are:

Chagrin Falls, Martins Ferry, Bellaire, and Caldwell

Alliance plays at Mount Union Stadium, which has covered stands.

 

[OUcats82]

I think that should be a thread all on its own. Some of these weird/unique stadiums are still great; just odd.

We should definitely start a crappy stadium thread.

There are probably more "ho-hum" or "meh" stadiums than anything. So many are just boring, cookie-cutter venues. I try to still respect what everyone has- a lot of these stadia are the result of lots of hard work and $acrifice on behalf of these communities, boosters and other volunteers.

I go mainly to D1 games around Southwest Ohio who all have turf these days. When I do go to game on a grass field, the smell of the mud and fertilizer is actually kind of odd.

 

[Raider6309]

Having reserved seating for faculty on the other side of the field is weird.

That was weird when Athens played at Steubenville. The Steubenville people said this was a rare game since Steubenville usually plays teams with zero fans.

 

[Auggie]

Alliance plays at Mount Union Stadium, which has covered stands.

One thing "weird" about Mount Union's Stadium was that back in the day the field actually slanted south to north. Not only could you tell while playing but they installed an all weather track in the late '70s and in one end it was level with the back of the end zone and in another it was couple feet below. Wish there was a picture because it looked stupid that they didn't level the thing when building it.

 

[toledomansfield]

toledo waite. i cant find any pics but it felt like playing a game in a prison.

 

[Sykotyk]

Alliance plays at Mount Union Stadium, which has covered stands.

I didn't count them because it's technically Mount Union's stadium. No different than not calling Stambaugh Stadium a 'high school stadium'. Even if Mooney and Ursuline play there.

Is a nice stadium though.

 

[StateChampion2012]

A stadium that just had its last game played back in November was always my favorite (where I grew up/played). St. Marys Skip Baughman Stadium. A set of train tracks overlooked the stadium and the self named "Tracker Backers" used to line the tracks on Friday nights.

The field was better, when the school was still there.

Those are the only pics I could find under a quick search.

I think they need to build a "Track Backer Pavillion" at the new stadium. I unfortunately never made my way over to the original Skip Baughman Stadium but if they never built that complex, they could've spent the money on renovating it instead now it's going to be a youth football field I think.

 

[doverbuck]

The old Adena then Buckeye West Stadium had a bar (think beer) that ran along the back of the home stands it was practically in the stadium, the end zone on the visitor side ran uphill by enough that you wanted your receiver on the high ground and the visitor seats were about 10 feet from train tracks. It was a wild atmosphere fans would line the streets and taunt the visiting fans as they entered town.
.

 

[Struthersfan]

Still Around?

The old Adena then Buckeye West Stadium had a bar (think beer) that ran along the back of the home stands it was practically in the stadium, the end zone on the visitor side ran uphill by enough that you wanted your receiver on the high ground and the visitor seats were about 10 feet from train tracks. It was a wild atmosphere fans would line the streets and taunt the visiting fans as they entered town.
.

Is that place still around?
:help:

 

[doverbuck]

After Buckeye West consolidated into Buckeye Local I doubt it,last time I went for a game was around 1982.
It was known as The Pit

 

[eastisbest]

Where is eastisbest? He has some cool Toledo Waite Mollenkopf Stadium pics on a packed night to show the fortress theme as well as Sacred Heart church in the background for the 43605 version of Touchdown Jesus.

I didn't quite get ToledoMansfield's "prison" reference but to each their own I guess.

I wish I could find a photo on-line from this year's Clay-Waite game. I know I saw one. Most would presume an inner-city school and two marginal programs playing, stands would be empty but there had to be 2000. Hard to tell with all the walking room, there's always several hundred just milling at that plaza (or whatever they call that area in front of concessions).

The photos from the inside looking out at the neighborhood and the Sacred Heart when it's lit, I wouldn't have on-line. And I'm no great photographer. Best one's would be from Press Box anyhow and I don't have access to that. I hear they're finally going to get a track in the Ravine. They're also I guess putting in turf, not sure how I feel about that but I guess even this NFL stuff gets worn out by the grade school games. The new lighting is the best I've ever seen, even better than the universities. It's horizontal so doesn't glare into the eyes.

 

[fortfan]

https://twitter.com/ohiostadiums/status/755544149345140736

Waite's stadium-think it is more fort looking than prison looking. (My mom's alma mater)

 

[DawgPounder]

Maybe not classified as weird but Mollenkopf stadium (Warren G Hardin)g has a few quirks. First the visitors side used to be the fair grandstands and are off-center. Also the place has a whole different feel since they tore the old school down. Now it feels way too open to me. I liked the old feel much better.

Also, Sharon Pa set up is a bit unusual. Great old stadium.


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sharon+High+School/@41.2358393,-80.4885446,203m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8833c045696c276b:0x32da33440a4784c2!8m2!3d41.2330769!4d-80.4882147

 

[firewatch]

Maybe not classified as weird but Mollenkopf stadium (Warren G Hardin)g has a few quirks. First the visitors side used to be the fair grandstands and are off-center. Also the place has a whole different feel since they tore the old school down. Now it feels way too open to me. I liked the old feel much better.

Also, Sharon Pa set up is a bit unusual. Great old stadium.


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sharon+High+School/@41.2358393,-80.4885446,203m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8833c045696c276b:0x32da33440a4784c2!8m2!3d41.2330769!4d-80.4882147

I have watched games at Warren and also played there and never noticed the visitors side was off center. One end goes to the goal line the other stops about the 20 yard line.

 

[Auggie]

Mollenkopf Stadium use to be a great place to see a game, not so much anymore and could be classified as weird. I agree that without the school and the gym in the northern end zone it is a Football Stadium in a ugly almost brown field like setting, especially with an asphalt ring between the field and the stands. The scoreboard is not as cool either, I miss the big panther on the top.

One thing that is still cool though is the band shell with the neon "W" above it.

 

[BearcatBengal]

Chargin falls has their stadium set up so the entrance to the home locker room is directly in the middle of the home stands it is the only one I have ever seen like that
http://ohiostadiums.com/stadium.php?id=1530

 

[jmog]

Adams Field in Cuyahoga Hts is pretty unique based on the fact the stadium is perched up on a cliff and beyond the visitors bench down the cliff is I-77. The home side is just a concrete grand stand the houses both the home and visitors fans.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Being a Mogadore fan I was going to mention Cuyahoga Heights if no one else did.

Both home and away fans on the same side separated by just a line in the same stands. Visitor sideline has a cliff/ravine behind them as Interstate 77 is behind them.

 

[Sykotyk]

Maybe not classified as weird but Mollenkopf stadium (Warren G Hardin)g has a few quirks. First the visitors side used to be the fair grandstands and are off-center. Also the place has a whole different feel since they tore the old school down. Now it feels way too open to me. I liked the old feel much better.

Also, Sharon Pa set up is a bit unusual. Great old stadium.


https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sharon+High+School/@41.2358393,-80.4885446,203m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8833c045696c276b:0x32da33440a4784c2!8m2!3d41.2330769!4d-80.4882147

I noticed Mollenkopf once. Chagrin Falls is another. Their field isn't even parallel to their stadium because it's the old fair grandstand.

Hersheypark Stadium in PA is notoriously off-center.

As for Sharon, I was actually just about to post about them. Another WPA project. The home side wraps around behind each endzone. And with that tunnel shown in your picture.

 

[jmog]

If out of state is on the table, one must mention Barrow, Alaska, literally a stone's throw away from the Arctic Ocean.

I watched a documentary about how Barrow started its football program and before they received their turf, they literally spray painted the field markings on the dirt/tundra mix. Talk about rug burn!

Barrow is my "go to" anytime someone asks about odd/weird high school football teams/stadiums/stories. Loved the documentary and love the one picture on google with a polar bear walking by the stadium.