Athletic competitions have always been a part of the human population. Even during the ancient days, people have fallen in love with sports. So to gather the crowd in just one location, arenas were built to cater to the audience.
Throughout history, stadiums have been a staple venue not just for sports. It also became a place for plays and even combat matches.
And as years go by, paired with technological advancement, sports venues have evolved. Some features of these grounds were etched into people’s minds that they became iconic and legendary. So for this blog post, we look at ten of the most popular sports venues in the world.
Brief History
Before we delve into the most iconic sports venues in the world, let us quickly talk about the arenas of the past.
The Greeks were among the first civilization to build an arena. Their building was shaped like a letter U, with locations mostly near hillsides. The common materials used were an assortment of stones—or marbles—that gave spectators a stair-like view of the foot races.
Although the Greeks were the first to build arenas, the Romans’ Colosseum actually became the blueprint of modern stadiums.
Rome’s Colosseum was an ellipse-shaped arena with three materials: travertine, concrete, and stone. For the field’s surroundings, the Romans used tiles along with other stuff.
The crowd also bet on the winners, just like in today’s era. The difference is that bookmakers like OKBET offer betting options for different sports.
The Arenas
Now without further ado, we share with you the famous sports venues in the world.
1. Rose Bowl Stadium
In California, a stadium hosts the UCLA Bruins football team. Called the Rose Bowl Stadium, it is located in Pasadena and has hosted major sporting events in the past.
As a legendary arena, Rose Bowl was the place for Super Bowl 5. It also held FIFA World Cup matches. During the Summer Olympics of 1932, the stadium was the main venue for the multi-sport event.
2. Cameroon Indoor Stadium
The home of the Duke Blue Devils, the Cameroon Indoor Stadium is a college basketball location. Although it only holds less than 10,000 people, it was where some of the most unique basketball games happened.
3. Wembley Stadium
This stadium is located in London, England, capable of sitting 90,000 to almost 100,000 for concerts—Wembley Stadium. It is the home of the England National Team, hosting Tottenham Hotspur in the past even if it was still being built.
It is the go-to arena in England, hosting UEFA league games happen. It is also where the rugby Challenge Cup occurs.
4. Lambeau Field
This arena—the largest stadium in Wisconsin—can be found in Green Bay, the home of the Green Bay Packers. It is such an iconic sports arena after witnessing four Super Bowl teams compete in it.
5. Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field was built in 1914 and has been the place for the legendary baseball team, the Chicago Clubs. It is a unique arena due to its windy and ivy-covered outfield.
Wrigley Field is one of the oldest baseball arenas. Thus, it constantly undergoes renovation. Its most recent being in 2019.
6. Fenway Park
Fenway Park has been Boston Red Sox’s home since 1912. It is widely known because of its features, particularly its Green Monster. The baseball stadium can sit at least 37,000 people.
Now at age 111, Fenway is believed to be useable until 2061, with its home team, the Red Sox, expected to win more championships.
7. Old Boston Garden
The venue witnessed 11 championships during its time. The Old Boston Garden was home to one of the greatest NBA teams, the Boston Celtics. It also houses the two-time NHL Boston Bruins, a two-time NHL champion.
Old Boston Garden was the place where the Celtics had nine NBA championships. Because of how legendary this stadium was, the Garden always has around 15,000 fans watching every night.
8. Augusta National Golf Club
The Augusta National Golf Club is the most famous and exclusive in the world. Every April, and since 1934, the place has hosted the Masters’ tournament. Some of the most iconic golfers, like Tiger Woods, have been here.
9. Old Yankee Stadium
Home of the most famous baseball team in sports history—the New York Yankees. It has been the home of the team from 1923 until 2008.
Old Yankee hosted 37 world series, with 26 of those events having the Yankees declared world champion. Apart from baseball matches and tournaments, the venue also partook in 13 international soccer matches and several football games.
10. Madison Square Garden
The home of the New York Rangers, the New York Knicks, and St. John’s Red Storm, New York City’s Madison Square Garden is the world’s most popular arena. It is where the NBA and the Stanley Cup Finals happened, not only once but twice.
Apart from sports, Madison Square Garden was also an events venue for every big-named concert.
Conclusion
Although there are 5735 stadiums in the world, only these ten have witnessed some, if not, all of the greatest matches to have ever been played by professional athletes. They are forever etched in the sports history books as the greatest venues for sports.