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...