By Luke Geraghty
As a sports fan, I have been to many sporting events. From college basketball to the NBA and from peewee football to the NFL, I have seen the excitement that sports has to offer. However, there are many things that I still have on my sports bucket list I have not done yet. I narrowed my long list to the top five places and events I would like to visit.
#5: The Rose Bowl
Opening in 1902, the Rose Bowl is one of the most historic college football stadiums in the U.S. Its Pasadena setting gives a beautiful background to an already beautiful stadium. Fans from all across the country come to watch the bowl game which features the Big Ten and Pac-12 champions. Because of this, it has been the highest attended bowl game since 1945. The great setting and tradition of the Rose Bowl makes it one of the best sporting venues in the U.S.
#4: Phog Allen Fieldhouse
One of the most historic places in college basketball, Phog Allen Fieldhouse is a nightmare for the visiting team. Since Feb. 20, 1994, Kansas has won over 95 percent of its regular season home games. Their home court was recognized as being the loudest college basketball arena in the country by ESPN magazine in 2010. Around 5,000 of the 16,000 seat arena is dedicated to the students. With a lot of the other seats bought by season ticket holders, it makes attending the games very difficult.
#3: The FIFA World Cup
The Olympics are supposed to be biggest sporting event around the world, but the FIFA World Cup might be an exception. People all across the world tune in to watch this extravaganza. Countries put aside their problems just to cheer on their team all the way to the FIFA World Cup Final. Stadiums are filled with people from all across the world. From the Americas to Asia, all of the cultures unite in one place. The U.S. last hosted a world cup in 1994 so they are not exactly due to receive one in the near future.
#2: Super Bowl
Super Bowl Sunday is constantly one of the most watched events every year. The top two teams in arguably the most popular sports league give the people plenty of reason to watch the this incredible event every year. However, attending the Super Bowl can be very expensive. It is practically impossible to purchase a ticket less then $1,000 in less you win it in some competition. This can make it hard for the casual fan to a purchase a ticket, but if you are willing to make it your vacation for the year then it could work out.
#1 Fenway Park
Home of the Boston Red Sox, my favorite Major League Baseball team, Fenway Park might be the most unique sports venue in America. From the green monster to Pesky’s Pole, this park has a great history. Fenway Park opened in 1912, making it the oldest ballpark in the MLB. Much like the other places on the list, attending a game at Fenway Park is very difficult. Fenway Park is one of the smallest ballparks in the MLB and with a large fan base, it’s hard to find an available ticket. Quite possibly the biggest regular season game in Red Sox history will take place on April 20. This will be the day that the Red Sox celebrate Fenway’s 100th anniversary. Something tells me it is not a coincidence that the team they will be playing are their arch rivals, the New York Yankees.
Each of these places brings a great tradition that draws attention of avid sports fan like me and even though they all will be difficult to attend, I will refuse to cross them off my list.