Last week, my colleague Charlotte Edmonds spent some time reflecting on her favorite stadiums. I thought this was an enjoyable read so I figured it was time I do the same, especially after Charlotte visited Yankee Stadium and somehow decided it wasn’t in her best sports venues ever. So, please enjoy the definitive, Lucas Masin-Moyer-approved list of the three best stadiums in the world.
Yankee Stadium
Sure, it’s not “The House that Ruth Built” anymore, but this multi-million dollar near-replica is about as close as you can get to the original thing without any of the downsides of a stadium built in 1923. The stadium exudes history, from the architecture style that was copied from the old stadium; to Monument Park, which houses images of every Yankee great of old; and the images of legends which hang all throughout the stadium’s interior.
Some of my fondest sports memories come from Yankee Stadium. The energy around the park can immediately be felt the second you step off the subway at 161st St. Yankee Stadium isn’t located, like a lot of modern stadiums, on the outskirts of the city, with the lights of the city gleaming distantly in the background — it’s right in the heart of the Bronx, and that energy is reflected outside and inside the stadium before Yankees games.
Oh, and it’s also a pretty cool venue for Notre Dame football games (not many stadiums can claim that).
Notre Dame Stadium
Speaking of Notre Dame football, the second stadium on my list of best stadiums is Notre Dame Stadium.
Now a lot of this probably comes out of sentimentality. I’ve been coming every year since I was five, and some of my favorite memories on earth have come from within the confines of Notre Dame Stadium. The place holds such a pull I did maybe the most extravagant thing I will ever do and came back from Ireland to see a game played here.
But aside from just personal preference, I think Notre Dame Stadium is an objectively cool place to watch a game. Just like Yankee Stadium, Notre Dame Stadium exudes history while mixing in some nice modern amenities, the new Art Deco design of the interior is particularly nice. And you can't beat Touchdown Jesus as a backdrop for your stadium.
Plus, the newest addition to the stadium — a massive jumbotron — lets the University waste massive amounts of energy flaunting the football team’s undefeated record or a months-old new bag policy.
Anfield
The final stadium on my list is Anfield, the home of Liverpool FC.
Last year, I had the privilege of visiting Anfield for a 3-0 Liverpool victory over Southampton and the experience was everything I’d imagined watching from across an ocean for years.
Like Yankee Stadium, Anfield sits square in the middle of a neighborhood within the city, and the place is buzzing with energy before gametime. Once you enter the stadium, you’re greeted with some pretty solid pie and beer before ascending the steps into a sea of red, with fans waving massive, often Soviet-style banners portraying club legends and celebrating club titles.
But nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever top singing the club’s anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” — a song about unity in the face of adversity, as the team walked onto the pitch. I’ve never felt closer to 54,000 people I’ve never met before.
