Athens County Stadiums

[93Bulldog]

Having the oportunity to travel to all the stadiums - numerous times the past five years - I'm gonna throw out a few observations and a top 5 list according to 'the atmosphere' in and around the stadiums on game night. Feel free to add your own list.

#5) Federal Hocking - I love the scenery out in Stewart and the hospitality you recieve is second to none. The Lancers just need a good season with some wins and the enthusiasm would be their to improve the atmosphere.

#4) Glouster Memorial Stadium - I often wondered what it was like when my Dad played football back in the good ol days ... Well, just go to Glouster on a Friday night and you get to see what it was like. Not many towns bring its entire population to the stadium for a game; except for Trimble. How many places in Ohio still have the old concrete bleachers and have seating on just one side of the field? my guess is 1 ... lol ... But you gotta love a big game on Friday night in Glouster - its definitly an experience.

#3) Scott Riggs and Family Stadium (Athens) - Yea, its new, it's shinny and the new field turf is awesome - but there is definitly a few things that keep it below Nelsonville-York and Alexander. (1) The distance from the field-to the track-to the fence seems really, really far. We use to stand right down on the track for games; now it seems like were a mile away from all the action. Everything is roped off - kids/fans aren't even allowed in the huge area behind the endzones. (2) The green covered fence at the top of the hill (where some fans use to sit for years and watch games) is no longer an option - they made it so you can't see through it and watch a game. Is money and ticket sales that important to totally dis long time Athens fans who no longer go to games just because that fence was constructed? (3) Charging young kids (even students of the Athens school system) $5.00 to watch the Bulldogs play. I was out of town for the Coal Grove game and a friend of mine couldn't afford to take her sophomore daughter & 3rd grade son (who both go to Athens) to the game. The 3rd grade boy, who can't wait to play pee-wee football for Athens, had to ride his bike over to the field and watch the game from outside the fence. That's terrible ... and sad ... especially knowing how bad the boy must have felt having to sit outside the fence while his friends played and watched the game from inside. I just don't think that would have happened at Nelsonville-York or Alexander or Trimble or Federal Hocking.

#2) Alexander - I went to the Wellston game Friday and absolutly love the atmosphere out in Albany. Fans actually pack their lounge chairs and place them right on the line in the back of the endzone. That's awesome! All fans can basically walk up to the field and watch the game ... My toes were right on the out-of-bounds line - and so was everyone's around most of the field. You talk about a great way to watch a high school football game; and as far as the hospitality - it was outstanding. I went to buy a hotdog and something to drink and was told it was on the house (I of course won't name names) but it was truly a nice gesture and very classy. I got a "thanks for all the work you did for us when you worked for the paper, and the coverage you give us on the TVC web site" and I was back to my sideline standing spot to finish watching the game.

#1) Nelsonville-York - Definitly the best atmosphere in Athens County. The stands are packed every Friday, the fans are enthusiastic, they have a big nice press box with plenty of room - and the folks inside the press box are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. The hospitality always has been great - I didn't even have to pay to go watch the NY-Logan game this year - another nice gesture from some folks who appreciate the work done on the TVC web site. Once inside the stadium, there doesn't seem to be a 'bad seat' in the house - seeing as the fence isn't too far from the field and you can basically stand anywhere around it. I liked how the NY football program encourages the 'little 'Bucks' to get involved too - by allowing them to run out of the tunnel, onto the field and through the paper sign (like the team does) before the game ... That was cool - you can really tell NY does its job in making sure the entire community is woven into its football program ... I'm sorry Athens folks - but its one area where we are lacking a little. It just seems to me Nelsonville-York does all the 'little things' to make its program what it is today ... (i.e.) Their version of the Dawg Pound ... that group of fans actually back their trucks up to the fence, just pass the home stands, where the fence is low enough for all of them to watch the game. Its definitly a roudy crowd, who seem to have a blast watching the game from outside the gate. (NY encourages this kind of fan involvement - Athens put up a huge green covered fence to not allow it) ... It seems so petty & small, but it truly defines the difference between the two programs IMO.

[A-Town Big Dog]

N-Y is the best place to watch a game IMO. The difference in distance to the field 93 is that our field is multi-sport meaning Athens plays soccer on it so the field is larger than the one at N-Y making it appear alot different.

[93Bulldog]

I see A-Town ... good point ... It seems are track is bigger as well, even so, why not allow fans to stand on the track like in years past? Rope off the field (like they did versus NY in 2009) and that takes care of people getting onto the playing surface. Like I said before - I like the new stadium, its great to have - but you can't beat that atmposphere in Albany ... Those folks think they're going to a baseball game, placing their lounge chairs on the back of the endzone line ... Makes for a crazy place to play when you have fans right on top of you.

[A-Town Big Dog]

I'd love to see them let people on the track but it just isn't going to happen. The main reason being that no non clear liquids and no food is allowed on either the track or field (even though they allowed the major donors to do it week 2) and policing the people entering the track would just add to the confusion and would be very difficult.

[93Bulldog]

The same guy not allowing anyone on the track area - could make sure nobody had drinks or food ... lol

I see your point though A-Town - I guess we have to enjoy the game from afar ... Its an awesome stadium, there is no doubt about it, and I'm not really making complaints here - I just like what they do at Alexander and at Nelsonville-York a little better. The Spartans offer an 'up-close' view of the game - the Buckeyes offer a pretty good seat (or standing room) for basically anyone and everyone ... And of course the Buckeyes 'Dawg Pound' is better than the one at Athens ... Sorry Bulldog fans - I know I'm gonnna get ripped for that comment ... But when we can back our trucks up to the fence and watch the game from 'The Pound' - I'll vote for ours for sure!

[A-Town Big Dog]

I'm not in disagrement with you on your points. I do think things will get much better over the next couple of seasons when construction is complete and you'll be able to go all around the track with ease.

[ShoeHorn]

93bulldog---just curious, but why is the third grade kid that can't wait to play football not already playing football for Athens? My son has been playing football for the Dogs since he was in the second grade.

[Nybucks70-80]

Even though it is a #h*t hole... If you like to stand on the fence , Glouster Stadium is a great place to watch a game. But they do have Bad lighting, bad parking, No seating.

[93Bulldog]

Even though it is a #h*t hole... If you like to stand on the fence , Glouster Stadium is a great place to watch a game. But they do have Bad lighting, bad parking, No seating.

That's good - Bad lighting, bad parking, no seating - yet a great place to watch a game ... The funny thing is I know exactly what you mean ntbucks70-80.

180 Out - He is going to play next year ... I'm not exactly sure why he hasn't up till now ...

[saintsfan]

I like all the stadiums and all of them have positive and negatives. I agree that it was not cool to put up the green fence stuff at Athens up on that hill so some people could not watch the games I mean, how many people went up there and how much money is Athens loosing on them anyways, not a big deal to me, if they want to watch from the hill go ahead. I think it is a travesty that the students of Athens have to pay to get into the games, to me it is all about mismanaged funds in the Athletic Dept. at Athens, they used to let kids in the games and all of a sudden stopped. As for the track my only guess is that they don't want to mess it up too bad before they even run on it, it is a state of the art brand new track and I think they want to keep the skittles and gum off of it! Can't blame them for that. I think the atmosphere is still lacking at Athens. I think part of this can be atributed to not having a long outstanding tradition, there are alot of fair weather fans in Athens and once a good tradition gets started it can soon be stopped when the fans stop going to the games cause the Bulldogs aren't winning. Nelsonville has a great stadium and a great tradition and Boston Field is in my mind the best place in Athens Co. to watch a HS football game. Alex is a crazy atmosphere and the fact that you can get right up to the field not only suprises me but is exciting. I would hate to see two players go diving into a croud of people sitting in lawn chairs. Fed Hock has a beautiful setting to play ball and has a great small town feel to it. Trimble is awesome cause you feel so packed in there and you dont see stadiums like that anymore with all the concrete right off the main drag.

[The Ultimate Lancer]

The Alumni group at Trimble is incredible. Seems as if they could undertake a stadium project and give that place the love it deserves. Because its an old stadium and is reminiscent of the good old days it could and should be the best place to watch a game.

Give it new lights, fix and up and use the locker rooms. Heck, house the home team there and make the visitors walk the bridge. Sell tickets through the old window again. Set up temp seating in the back of the end zones for the two bands and give stadium seats to the fans. Put in a top notch watering system and new sod. None of that would cost much and would make the place great.

[saintsfan]

Bulldog 93. It would be cool to have a stadiums section on your TVC website. There are some cool stadium wibsites out there that feature mainly college and pro stadiums but some feature high school stadiums as well. Maybe a few pictures, facts (capacity, field truf/natural), history, etc.... I know it is alot of work for the site but something fun to think about. Just a thought.

[93Bulldog]

The Alumni group at Trimble is incredible. Seems as if they could undertake a stadium project and give that place the love it deserves. Because its an old stadium and is reminiscent of the good old days it could and should be the best place to watch a game.

Give it new lights, fix and up and use the locker rooms. Heck, house the home team there and make the visitors walk the bridge. Sell tickets through the old window again. Set up temp seating in the back of the end zones for the two bands and give stadium seats to the fans. Put in a top notch watering system and new sod. None of that would cost much and would make the place great.

Good ideas Ultimate Lancer

... I seen where Kroner Animal Care has donated 100 student tickets (for the first 100 students who are wearing green) to get into the game free Friday versus Alexander ... Kudos to Kroner Animal Care ... And to all the folks who bought bricks to help fund the new Athens stadium ... And to Scott Riggs & Family for putting up so much money that the new stadium is now named after them ... And to Wendy's for the new scoreboard ... And to the insurance company that suplied funds from the devastating tornado that hit last fall ... It seems like a lot of funding going on - yet the students of the Athens City school district are having to pay $5.00 to watch a game? Yea, I'm just not sold on that one.

saintsfan ... Good idea - I'm just waiting to purchase a very expensive camera (to take action photos during games) and I will definitly look into that ... Having to spend $30.00 or so to take some kids to games at Athens on Friday nights isn't helping matters when it comes to the camera ...

[saintsfan]

I hear you about the cost of the game. Rediculous. At least if it was just $1 or $2 for the kids instead of $5! There has got to be a secret entrance or something into Scott Riggs and Family Stadium! Good luck with the camera.

[yabbadabbadoo]

Nelsonville's is nice, just not a big fan of fields with tracks around them. It puts the fans to far away from the action.


Having watched Wheelersburg play up there the last two years, really enjoyed the atmosphere there. The field kind of sets off out by itself.

[noreply66]

Haven't been to the new field in the Plains yet but I did at the old one.

I don't see anyone better than Nelsonville.Doesn't have anything to do with the field or location.Those Buckeyes are born to play football.

[NYBUX]

At NY all seats are $4 and NY students (with ID) get in FREE

[93Bulldog]

At NY all seats are $4 and NY students (with ID) get in FREE

You forgot to mention that if you want to watch a game from the 'Dawg Pound' - it's free as well ...

At Nelsonville-York it's: "Come out to the game Friday night & support your Buckeyes ... sit in the stands, stand around the fence or hang out in the Dawg Pound - its all affordable - just make sure your their!"

End result = Pretty much the entire town of Nelsonville & Buchtel are at Dave Boston Field on Friday nights.

At Athens it's: "Come out and watch the Bulldogs Friday - but uh - make sure you bring your wallet because you must go through the gate, your tiny kids still have to pay the same $5.00 as you and NO it doesn't matter your older kids go to Athens; they still have to pay too."

End result = The entire community DOES NOT feel a part of the program, some fans can't even afford to go - including some Athens High School students (which is ridiculous) ... I know the Athens stadium, I mean Scott Riggs and Family Stadium, WILL NOT HAVE its entire community out supporting the 'Dogs on Friday nights ... Its amongst a long list of reasons why Nelsonville-York's program is considered one of the best in Southeastern Ohio ... They know how to do things and they know how to create and keep a fan base - which in turn produces a pipeline of young football players who are enthusiastic about potentially playing for the Buckeyes one day.

[saintsfan]

Well said Bulldog 93. As I had said before I think the charging $5 for all home games this year is a result of mismanaged funds over the past 5 years. The stadium was paid for with 1million in donations raised by the bulldog blitz and sports teams. The school also get or got insurance money for the damage caused by the storm. You can't tell me that the athletic dept. at Athens spent so much money on field renovations and that they could afford to let students in for free anymore! There is no way they should be having to make all people pay to get in to home games. All it is doing is keeping people away from the stadium and program which is not helping the future of the bulldogs. I believe the bulldog blitz bought 400 tickets for the home opener against Coal Grove to give to the first 400 students that came to the game. I thought that was a great thing for them to do.

[buckfan84]

Gotta agree with you on NY's stadium. The staff is one of the friendliest ever. Band Boosters and Athletic Boosters feed the opposing team after the game. Great place for playoff games. Not sure about Athens hosting a game besides their own this year, parking could be an issue there but it looks like they are putting parking in closer to field.