Rate your favorite Big 12 Basketball Venues

[Haverhill]

10. United Spirit Arena

9. Reed Arena

8. Ferrell Center

7. Lloyd Noble Center

6. Frank Erwin Center

5. Mizzou Arena

4. Bramlage Coliseum

3. Hilton Coliseum

2. Gallagher-Iba Arena

1. Allen Fieldhouse

 

[Mr.B!!!]

Forgot how good the LNC looks without tumbleweeds blowing through the alleged "Crimzone".

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

AFH is probably the best place I've ever been to see a sporting event. The atmosphere, the crowd, the chants, the ghosts. Hard to beat. The time at A$M(football) in 2000 along with Arrowhead in the 90's do come close.

 

[Sooner79]

LNC hands down!

 

[HoHum]

Surprised more schools don't push for a "Wear (insert school color)" campaign. All (or, at least a huge percentage) of the fans wearing the same color always looks so much better than a 3 or more different colors all mixed in.

Edit - Or maybe the athletic departments DO push it, and it just isn't all that successful?

 

[5hrenergy]

That's a great pic of GIA, but unfortunately it really hasn't been like that for a few years on a consistent basis. I've been there when it was rocking and really only AFH is better of the places I've been. Admittedly I've only been to half of the arenas in the Big 12.

 

[campbest]

Octagon of Doom has jumped to #2....AFH is unreal.

If you get over the fact that no one goes to the game, United Spirit is really nice.

 

[SoonerEyeDoc]

Mizzou Arena is the nicest college bball facility I've ever been in as it is like a smaller top notch NBA arena. Allen Fieldhouse has the best atmosphere I've ever seen in person although LNC is really good when sold out and has a more raucous environment than MU (I've seen great games in both Mizzou/Hearnes and LNC between top 5/10 teams).

Would love to see Hilton in person someday as well as Bramlage & GIA when it's full for a good Bedlam game. Could care less about the rest of them unless it's to see OU play.

 

[KCRuf/Nek]

Have never been to duke so I can't compare the crowd to KU. What I like about KU is the overall package. On say an afternoon game you wait outside with the students in the cold. Once inside the gym is empty except for the band and the students shoehorned into their areas. The sun is coming in the windows and hits different parts of the arena. The band is playing, the crowd is rocking, and this goes on for a couple of hours. As the rest of the crowd starts coming in the place begins to buzz. It doesn't matter who the opponent is because the crowd is the same - sold out and loud. Right before the game the lights are out and the Chant and Rock Chalk begin. From then on the place pretty much is shaking until the game is over. I've been in the LNC quite a bit and have never experienced anything like that.

 

[DenverSooner]

I went to see OU play Baylor in Waco for Blake Griffin's sophomore season. I liked that venue. It was smaller than a lot of schools but I thought it was a good venue. I bet it is a lot of fun when it is sold out.

Bottom line is if you put a large, excited crowd in any arena it will be a good environment. In my opinion, the bathrooms, concessions and box seats really do little compared to the crowd.

 

[SoMuchDramaInTheLNC]

Allen Fieldhouse is AWESOME. LNC, when it's rocking, is a lot of fun. I went to GIA for the game last week, and when it's empty, it might as well be the Myriad.

 

[Sawyer]

Mizzou Arena is the nicest college bball facility I've ever been in as it is like a smaller top notch NBA arena. Allen Fieldhouse has the best atmosphere I've ever seen in person although LNC is really good when sold out and has a more raucous environment than MU (I've seen great games in both Mizzou/Hearnes and LNC between top 5/10 teams).

Would love to see Hilton in person someday as well as Bramlage & GIA when it's full for a good Bedlam game. Could care less about the rest of them unless it's to see OU play.

One thing I don't like about Mizzou Arena is how far the seats seem to be from the floor. I've never been to any other D1 arenas, so I have nothing to compare it to personally, but compare the photo above of Mizzou Arena to GIA, for example. The difference looks pretty significant. I'm also not a huge fan of the plain court design (supposedly getting a redesign after the season). I know courts like Texas A&M's receive a lot of ridicule, but I kinda like their look.

Other than that, though, I love Mizzou Arena. HUGE upgrade from Hearnes.

Anyone know the ages of all these arenas? I think Mizzou's is the newest, but I'm not sure (and don't feel like looking it up).