The REAL Reviews Part 8: Yale Bowl

 

YALE

In many ways Yale Bowl is the polar opposite of Princeton Stadium, and it may also serve as the best justification for Princeton's decision to go for comfort and style over history. 

That's because for all the great history Yale Bowl, (and yes, you're supposed to just say "Yale Bowl" and not "THE Yale Bowl" ... if you care), brings to the table, it just might be the most uncomfortable place to watch a game of any kind that I've ever endured in my life. 

The Bowl has more than 60,000 seats and only comes close to being full every other year when it hosts Harvard. The seats are set back far from the field and are wooden bleachers that tilt back away from the field. There is absolutely no cover from the elements. The bathroom structures are found around the perimeter of the Bowl and are in a questionable state. Ditto for the food concessions. 

Okay, now for the good points. The tailgating situation at Yale is probably second best only to Harvard. And yes, it's amazing to think of all the history at this venue, which includes two seasons where the New York Giants called the place home (1973-74). 

There is no "press box" per say, just a semi-covered tent-like area for each broadcasting or reporting team. The players don't have many comforts either, as they have to spend halftime standing outside the stadium. 

New Haven is one of the least nice places to visit in the Ivies, but I do recommend some of the town's justifiably famous pizza places like Pepe's, etc. 

For all the pounding I give Princeton for ditching its history by completely razing Palmer Stadium, I get the feeling the Princeton trustees looked hard at the Yale Bowl and decided that's not the way they wanted to go.

I can't blame them. 

The REAL REVIEWS Part 7: Princeton Stadium

 

Princeton

Princeton Stadium opened in 1998 after the school made the difficult decision to completely raze old Palmer Stadium and go for a totally modern facility bearing no resemblance to its storied past. 

The result is the Ivy League's most luxurious football venue, keeping with Princeton's image of the wealthiest Ivy per capita and a stickler for the best amenities.

But while Princeton Stadium has everything, not everything is perfect.

Yes, Princeton has plenty of tailgating room, but almost all of it is in a concrete parking lot, (there are some spots in the fields not too far from the stadium, but you can't see the stadium from there).

Yes, Princeton has lots of very modern concession stands. But they're more like those self-serve fast food places you used to see all along the Jersey Turnpike (anyone remember Roy Rogers?). There is really nothing distinctive about them or anything that really gives you a taste of New Jersey culture, (don't laugh, I was thinking authentic Italian food, etc.).

Yes, Princeton Stadium has two decks, but the upper deck does not shade any of the first deck and there is no cover from rain or snow.

I do 100% like the Stadium's proximity to campus and the press box is the best in the league hands down. 

But there is just no effective connection to Princeton's rich history in this new structure, and I miss the classic Ivy feeling you used to get when you went to Palmer Stadium. I know they tried to recreate the look of the old stadium’s exterior with the design of the new structure. But I’m not sure anyone really notices.

Old structure

New structure

For visitors looking to stay before or after the game, downtown Princeton has a strong restaurant and bar scene. But you're also only 45 minutes from downtown Philly, where both of those scenes are better. New York City is more of a schlep; about two hours away. 

Look, Princeton is a beautiful town, the school's campus is beautiful, and its stadium is immaculate. Meanwhile, its football program has become stronger and stronger over the past decade. There's nothing really bad about visiting the venue.

But unless you take the time to stroll through campus, going to a Princeton football game doesn't feel like an Ivy League experience at all. 

 

The REAL Reviews Part 6: Franklin Field

 

PENN

Franklin Field is a story of contrasts, pluses and minuses, comfort and schlep.

The venue's best calling card is that it oozes history. Fans my age and older, (I'm 52), can't visit Franklin Field without thinking of how it was also the home of the Philadelphia Eagles for decades and hosted one of the best NFL championship games of all time in 1960. 

The fact that it's the oldest double-decker stadium in America is also top of mind, and REALLY comes in handy in bad weather. Actually, it's the best inclement weather venue in the Ivies with a multitude of seats protected from the rain or snow at all times. 

"Majestic" is another word I'd use for Franklin Field, and it's status as part of the Philadelphia skyline is unique in the Ancient Eight. 

Of course. its size is one of those trade-offs. It's great to be in a stadium that really is impressive with a 50,000+ seat capacity. But even during the best-attended Penn games, there are too many empty seats to forget the fact that Ivy football has lost so much of its fan base.

Most of the seats are the usual aluminum bleachers, but there are some nice chairback seats on the home side. During some part of the game, it's worth checking out the action from the second deck. 

Franklin Field is the most centrally located football stadium in the Ivies, as it is literally walkable from the center of the action in Philadelphia. Despite its rise in crime in recent years, the city itself has become a vigilant walker's paradise with an expanding restaurant scene that is really hard to beat, (and I say that as a New Yorker). 

You can even get to Franklin Field by taking Amtrak and then making a not-to-long walk to the stadium. I did it once and don't remember getting tired. Also try to take a walk on campus, which is right next to Franklin Field. 

Tailgating and food options at Franklin Field are another mixed bag. If you get to the game early enough, good tailgating can be had if you park at the open-air top level of the main parking garage next to the stadium. Otherwise, you're pretty much out of luck as you might expect in such an urban setting.

Food inside the stadium all depends on where you look. The road side concessions are few and far between, but the options on the home side are well worth the walk over to that side before the game and at halftime. 

For the few of you who might care, the "press box" situation at Franklin Field is really just a scaffolding in the open air elements. The one game I broadcast there did NOT include the free halftime snack. Oh well, no one should pity me. 

I recommend making your visit to a Penn football game as much of a weekend affair as you can. Early in the season, try to also check out a Phillies game. (Eagles games are a little rough for the uninitiated, but if you can handle the intensity and frequent violence in the stands, go for it). At the very least, make sure to sample some of those restaurants. Philly is really a foodie town now. 

Enjoy. 

The REAL Reviews PART 5: Harvard Stadium

 

HARVARD

Harvard likes to think it's the best of everything, and it's often wrong about that.

But when it comes to its football game day experience, it might be right.

There is something undeniably majestic and impressive about Harvard Stadium and its environs that has nothing to do with the name or reputation of the school itself. 

I'd start with stadium's resemblance to the Roman Colosseum and it's Ivy-covered facades and concrete benches that make you feel like you're living history. 

Next, it's location just off the Charles River is a nice touch and the grassy hills around the stadium make for what I believe is the best tailgating atmosphere in the Ivy League.

Finally, being just a medium-sized walk to the center of campus and a short ride on the T or by car to the center of Boston wraps this venue up as tops. 

Harvard Stadium also provides some cover from the elements around the upper seating rim inside its iconic colonnades. 

Of course it's not all perfect. The food concessions are just average and the great view of the Charles you used to be able to enjoy from the open end of the stadium has been blocked for 26 years now by the construction of another athletic building. The media press box and its amenities are not among the best in the league, especially with the box so far above the action that it can sometimes be a little hard to follow. 

Now, for some tips to make sure what I always see as a pretty amazing experience is the same for you:

-BRING SEAT CUSHIONS!! Yes, those concrete seats are nice to look at, but to avoid extreme discomfort you need to bring a seat cushion to Harvard Stadium, period.

-Get there early to enjoy those best tailgating venues. There is a lot of parking around the entire athletic complex, but the better spots within view of the stadium can fill up fast. 

-Try to take the time to make that walk across the bridge back over to campus or from campus to the stadium. It just feels good doing it.

They Got 'Em (YALE)

Yale announced its incoming freshman football class earlier this month (sorry I missed it), and it includes an unusually high number of players who were also offered by Columbia.

They are:

WR Garon Duncan

OL Dylan Garrity

DL Zairion Jackson-Bass

TE Graham Smith

DL Jaylin Tate 

QB Aidan Warner

OL Lukas Witt

The two players I think will have the most impact in New Haven are Tate and Warner. But we shall see... 

The REAL Reviews Part 4: Memorial Field

DARTMOUTH

If you haven't visited Memorial Field since the 80s or 90s, you've missed one of the most extensive makeovers-without-building-a-whole-new-stadium transformations in the league. 

Gone are the away stands that seemed to go as high as the stratosphere, and in their place is the Floren Varsity house atop much reduced seating, including some premium chair back seats. 

On the home side, the home stands have been reinforced and improved, and the press box has been completely modernized from its old, summer camp bunk-like past.

I'm focusing first on the non-controversial aspects of the changes, but it should be noted that the resulting reduction in seating capacity from 22,000 to 11,,000 angered a lot of Dartmouth fans who thought the shrinkage would present recruits with the picture of a small-time program that was in retreat. 

Of course, the program's impressive resurgence over the last 13 years or so proves that the changes to Dartmouth's home haven't done any damage at all. 

As far as the fan experience goes, the changes have been a total positive. The beat-up concrete steps and hard-to-navigate corners on the home side are gone. Aluminum bleachers have replaced some of the less comfortable concrete seating, etc. 

On the away side, you can usually sneak into one of those chair back seats, but it's comfortable anywhere you sit.

Like just about every other Ivy stadium, you're out of luck when it snows or rains at Memorial Field, with no cover available. So you've been warned.

You almost never see pics of the outside of Memorial Field, but here it is

Dartmouth provides plenty of tailgating space, it's just not right next to the stadium and that angers some of the fan base. But there is a very well-placed tent inside the stadium that the Friends of Football folks use to host a nice reception every home game. (Brown has copied that idea a bit with tables and seating beyond one of the end zones, and Columbia has tried something similar recently beyond the North end zone. But neither use a tent). 

Parking opportunities are good and you can even find very cheap municipal parking in Hanover a short walk to the stadium. (Actually, I feel like I've parked for free each of the six times I've visited. 

As I mentioned in the Cornell review, Hanover is remote but not as remote as you might think. Boston is close by and there's not as much travel required on rural roads to get there like you face when going to Ithaca from any direction. 

Memorial Field is very centrally located to the heart of the town of Hanover, (even Franklin Field isn't as close to Center City Philadelphia), so when you're there, you're there. 

Hanover has plenty of nice restaurant and bar options and there's some of those country-like antique and clothing boutiques you'll see in a lot of New England. Leaf watchers are in a prime spot in the area, especially during October home dates. 

Columbia has played Dartmouth during the same part of the season forever, but that doesn't mean the weather can't really be different on the same week from year to year. I've been generally warm at games at Memorial Field (1991, 2007, 2017), soaked (2009), and absolutely frozen (2013). You have to be prepared for anything. 

Food choices could be better. There is a decent-sized concession area on the road side, but there are a lot of missed opportunities in that area because it's spacious. I'm envisioning BBQ pits, etc. 

The press box and media experience is much improved since the renovation. I don't remember the food provided to the media being very special or poor in any way, but I' sure it's fine. 

I feel like the dream scenario for a visit to a Dartmouth football game is to get there Friday early afternoon, go for an outdoor walk in nature, enjoy a meal and stay overnight at the Hanover Inn, wake up early for a bicycle ride, get an early lunch in town, and go to the game. 

After that, the more urban-minded crowd may want to hit the road for a Saturday night in Boston. But it's up to you. 

The REAL Reviews Part 3: Schoellkopf Field

 

CORNELL

You can't start any conversation about Cornell's Schoellkopf Field without first mentioning the remote nature of the stadium and the school itself. 

While Dartmouth is also a remote and very rural location, it's still relatively close to Boston and some other relatively large population centers. Cornell's home of Ithaca, NY is simple the most remote and isolated Ivy locale. 

For those who crave that kind of atmosphere, then game day at Schoellkopf is likely to be a big plus. For those who don't, the place will have to grow on you. 

Ithaca's College Town is happily pretty well-stocked with good places to eat and stay; a nice byproduct of Cornell's hotel school. And you might want to stay overnight in Ithaca considering the long trip you're likely facing to get back home. 

Schoellkopf itself has undergone a major change in recent years with the complete removal of the away stands. The result is the stadium looks unfinished and the multi-leveled press box structure appears stranded on stilts in desert. 

What hasn't changed much is Schoellkopf's iconic crescent home stands, though they now feature aluminum bleachers top to bottom. 

One great feature are the colonnades at the top of the crescent which allow fans a place to stand and watch the game and stay dry in bad weather. (I do think some of the colonnade space is now being sold as premium seating, but probably not all). 

I always visit Schoellkopf very late in the season, and the weather is usually colder than any other game of the year at that point. During last visit in 2021, it was just about 2-3 degrees away from being uncomfortable to sit through the entire game. But I also remember a game I attended in 1991 where it was t-shirt and shorts weather in the 1st half, and brutally cold snowy weather by the end of the 3rd quarter.  

Cornell has plenty of outdoor parking on the crescent side of the stadium and a large parking garage structure on the other side. Tailgating opportunities are plentiful in that crescent-side cement parking lot, but I always prefer parking and having a tailgate on grass. (Of course, I'd give my eyeteeth for at least a lot as big as Schoellkopf's at Columbia!).

The media experience at Schoellkopf is one of the best in the Ivies. The press box is modern and the food is good. The only snag now is that it feels awkward to be in that box with no fans or stands on the same side of the field. 

Schoellkopf is an overall beautiful venue, and one can only imagine how much more it would come alive if the Big Red ever competed for the Ivy title again. A small percentage of Cornell's large student body alone could pack that place each week.  

The REAL Reviews Part 2: Wien Stadium

COLUMBIA

I suppose I could hold Columbia for last, but that would be silly since I have written so much about the fan experience at Wien Stadium that there's not much mystery to the realities at a Columbia home game. So, let's keep this going in alphabetical order. 

For an incredibly detailed guide to Robert K. Kraft Field at Wien Stadium on the Baker Field Athletics Complex (a mouthful for sure) check here and be ready for my updated 2023 version coming in about 15 weeks. 

But here's the shorter version:

Parking and tailgating at the complex are basically non-starters. If you're not a special donor with one of the few coveted spots beside the stadium, I highly suggest not driving directly to the game or at least being ready to use the parking garages in the local neighborhood. 

Tailgating space really doesn't exist, but you can have a picnic on the hilly lawn just in front of the stadium and there are usually some picnic tables available. 

Columbia once had decent tailgating space in the area now occupied by the Allen Pavilion of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, much to the continuing anger of the older alumni who remember more spacious days. 

The stadium itself offers more comfort, including a good number of chairback seats and great views of the river from the seats higher up in the stands. The new Columbia tennis center is now blocking some of that view, including the iconic blue "C" painted on the rocks above the water. But it's all still visible from the top row or two. I suspect this will create similar anger to the Harvard fans who decried the building of a new structure in front of the open part of Harvard Stadium, thus blocking the view of the Charles River fans used to enjoy. 

As far as the neighborhood goes, the Inwood section of Manhattan continues to gentrify and offer lots of new restaurant and bar options. But I suspect most fans will simply want to travel back to Midtown Manhattan or Downtown to enjoy those options. Only Wien Stadium and Franklin Field offer Ivy fans a venue so close to a major city center.

Columbia also installed a massive new video screen last season which probably is the biggest in the league in comparison to the size of the overall stadium. The often illegible official scoreboard (when the sun glares on it) has also been replaced in the last few months.  

The stadium is another one of the Ivy venues that offers no cover from harsh weather conditions when they occur. If it looks like rain, bring an umbrella. If you burn easily, load up on the sunscreen. 

The road stands are pretty decent and plentiful. Though no chairback seats are available on the visitor side. 

Fan food options are good at the concession stands, but the days of added concession and open pit BBQ's in the concourse area seem to have gone away in recent years. They may come back. 

Columbia puts its best foot forward at Homecoming, which is extremely fan and family friendly no matter whom you're rooting for. The annual Homecoming tent, carnival, and free product giveaways make it very special to be our Homecoming opponent, period. 

The broadcaster/reporter experience at Columbia is pretty stellar. Lots of good food and other amenities are provided in the press area. It's been 39 years now since the new Wien Stadium replaced the old Baker Field, and some updates are needed by now. But comfort is still not an issue at all. 

Overall, I think it's fair to say that if you're okay with a mini picnic replacing a bigger tailgate, and you plan ahead for transportation or parking, the fan experience at Wien Stadium is very good. But I can still objectively say it's not the best in the Ivies, or even in the top three. Perhaps on Homecoming day it is, but that's it. 

The REAL Reviews, Part 1: BROWN Stadium

My friend Bruce Wood at the Big Green Alert blog has been posting some videos folks have been making reviewing the different Ivy football stadiums, campuses, and overall college experiences at each of the eight schools. 

I agree with Bruce in that the videos, and the "information" contained in them have all been subpar at best. 

I'll leave out the educational and campus life reviews since it's now been 31 years since I was a student at any Ivy college and what college applicant today wants to know what a 52-year-old guy thinks about that anyway?

But I can give a more realistic quick review of the Ivy football stadiums and fan experiences therein.

I'll start with Brown:

BROWN STADIUM

Brown Stadium is not right on the Brown campus, but also not too much of a trip from it either. I suppose it makes for a good walk from a dorm or the quad, but that's a hike that's probably best for the warmer earlier weeks of the season. (Thus, begins a recurring theme in this review).

The stadium itself is located in a wealthy, residential, suburban area and happens to be surrounded by synagogues and a Jewish community center that, being that all games are on Saturday or the rare Friday night, are all active during game time. This has no real affect on the games or the fan experience, but it's a unique thing to see active houses of worship from your seat at any game. I assume even the churches on the Notre Dame campus aren't exactly jammed during football game times (before and after the games, sure... but not DURING). 

There's really nothing special about Brown stadium. I do like the basic design of the limestone outer side of the home side of the stadium. It looks old and appropriately neoclassical for an Ivy setting. 

Like almost every other Ivy stadium, Brown Stadium does not have any cover options during rain or snow storms. If it's raining, you will get soaked. 

But the actual seats are not comfortable and the away side is sparse to say the least. All of that, however, adds to the charm and seems to be indicative of Brown's overall image as a less pretentious Ivy. In fact, Brown's run of frequent championships in the earlier 2000's all seemed like a blue collar statement against the wealthier and flashier Ivies. So the Bears have a home that matches their team image. 

Parking is okay at Brown but I'd say the tailgating situation is in the lower end of the pack as Ivy homes go. What Brown does have going for it is its proximity to so many other Ivies, especially Yale and Harvard, (and frankly the trip from NYC isn't so bad either). 

Downtown Providence, again especially in the warmer weeks of the season, is a great restaurant town and sometimes has some great other attractions. I must say that as a Columbia fan, it's a shame that the Lions have only visited Brown in week 9 or 10 of the season in my lifetime. (For many years in the 50s and 60s, the Lions season opener was vs. the Bears). 

I'm not sure how many people reading this care about the media experience, but the Brown press box is probably the worst in the Ivies with a bathroom situation that is not too great. BUT the food offered to the media in the box, which includes great soup and other goodies may be the league's best. Brown is all about the tradeoffs.

The bottom line is that Brown Stadium doesn't offer a lot of physical pluses. But most Brown teams are exciting to watch year in and year out, the Providence area is more exciting than about half of the other Ivy college towns, and it's not a hassle to get to from most major Northeast population centers. 

Again, my only regret is that every visit I've made to Brown over the years has generally been well past the best weather for the season. Everyone other than Columbia and Dartmouth fans have better options schedule-wise.