Top 10 Famous Sports Arenas: Most Iconic Sports Venues

1. Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden is known as the world’s most famous arena and is probably the world’s most famous city. Currently, the Garden is home to the New York Rangers, New York Knicks, and St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball team. The arena has also played host to about every big-named concert you can think of as well as simultaneous NBA & Stanley Cup Finals twice. With renovations included the cost is said to be around $1.07 billion dollars and the capacity is around 20,000 people for various events. Located smack in the middle of Manhattan, Madison Square Garden will always be known as a premier sports venue. 

2. Old Yankee Stadium

The Yankees are the most famous team in baseball so it’s no surprise their historic stadium in New York is one of the most iconic in sports history. The stadium was opened in 1923 and was the home of the Yankees until 2008. The stadium was open for a potential 83 possible world series’ and it played host to 37 of them and the Yankees ended up winning 26 of them in total. There was a total of 100 world series games played at the stadium and that wasn’t the only sport played there. The venue played host to 13 international soccer matches and numerous football games as well. In its hay day when the Yankees are winning, which was most of the time, it wouldn’t be surprising to see 60,000 fans packing the seats every night. 

3. Augusta National Golf Club

Augusta National Golf Club is the most famous and exclusive clubs in the world. It plays host to the Masters tournament every April which is regarded as the best tournament on the PGA Tour circuit and is the only major that is always played on the same course. The club opened in 1932 and started hosting the Masters tournament in 1934. You basically have to know someone to get on this course and even if you do it can be a challenge. Despite its controversial racist and sexist policies from back in the day the course hasn’t lost his allure and is widely popular. In 2019 the course began hosting the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and even though those are the only two times we get to see this course on TV, it is one of the most iconic venues in sports.

4. Old Boston Garden

The Boston Celtics were one of the best teams in the NBA during the time the Old Boston Garden was open. The Garden was home to primarily the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics and like MSG, in multiple seasons it simultaneously hosted the NBA Finals and NHL Stanley Cup Finals in the same year. The Celtics won 9 championships on their home floor and the Bruins won 2. The Garden packed around 15,000 people every night and they got to watch some of the best teams in both leagues on an almost nightly basis.

5. Fenway Park

Another Boston sporting venue to make our list is Fenway Park. Fenway is home to the Boston Red Sox and has been since all the way back in 1912. The stadium is known for its unique features such as the Green Monster, which has been replicated at other baseball venues around the country. Seating capacity is around 37,000 and when the Red Sox are winning this place is packed every game day. Despite its age, Fenway Park has been renovated consistently and it has been reported that it will remain usable until at least 2061. The Red Sox have won multiple championships here but nothing will beat a sold-out crowd singing Sweet Caroline late in a baseball game.

6. Wrigley Field

Another classic baseball stadium that makes our list is Wrigley Field, which has been home to the Chicago Cubs since 1914. Despite its age, the stadium has been renovated many times, most recently in 2019. Wrigley is known for its wind and the ivy-covered outfield walls which is not seen anywhere else in the major leagues. It is also one of the few parks that play almost half of their games during the daytime. Despite being one of the oldest stadiums in the big leagues the Cubs haven’t won many championships here. That doesn’t take away from the prestige of Wrigley Field with its unique features and it is known by tons of people, even outside of the baseball world.

7. Lambeau Field

The first NFL stadium to make our list is Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Lambeau is home to the Green Bay Packers and is the largest venue in the state of Wisconsin. The stadium opened in 1957 and is one of the most unique in the league. The stadium is named after the Packers founder Curly Lambeau and is one of the few stadiums in the league who haven’t sold their naming rights to a corporate sponsor. Four Super Bowl teams have played in this stadium and as most recently as 2011. The Packers are one of the most storied franchises in football and their stadium is no different, even if it is located in the smallest city on our list.

8. Wembley Stadium

For our next venue, we jump across the pond to London, England. Wembley Stadium has a capacity of 90,000 and close to 100,000 for concerts. This is the only stadium on our list that isn’t the permanent home to any specific team. It is home to the England National Team and hosted the Tottenham Hotspur while their current stadium was under construction. The stadium generally hosts UEFA league games as well as the rugby Challenge Cup. If there is something big going on in England, there is a high probability it will be held at Wembley. The NFL has also ventured to Wembley when it plays its annual games in London.

9. Cameron Indoor Stadium

The only college basketball venue to make our list is Cameron Indoor Stadium, which is home to the Duke Blue Devils of the ACC. In an era or sports stadiums we see going bigger and bigger it’s nice to see a place like Cameron Indoor on our list. The basketball arena holds slightly less than 10,000 people and its games are some of the most unique you will see in basketball. They are known for their home-court advantage and one reason why is because the wild student section is seated across the lower level of the floor on one side of the court. Lots of places would reserve those seats to make more money but not Duke. If you want a first-hand experience of this, check out a UNC vs Duke game at Cameron Indoor.

10. Rose Bowl Stadium

The Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA hosts the UCLA Bruins football team but it is more widely known for the large events it has hosted in the past. The stadium has hosted the Super Bowl 5 different times as well as FIFA World Cup matches and was a venue for the 1932 summer Olympics. It doesn’t stop there, the venue has also hosted huge concerts and every year hosts the Rose Bowl game which, depending on the year, is part of the College Football Playoff. Because of its age, it doesn’t get many of those key events anymore but it will always be remembered in history in the LA area.