Don't Call it a Bucket List: Sporting Events and Venues

Anfield- Liverpool FC has been playing on the ground since 1892 and has been rumored to be winding down its tenure as the home of the Reds. Located in Liverpool, England, it is a financial commitment to go there. I am trying to coincide it with trips to other venues as well. If you are making a trip like this you want it to be perfect. Maybe a Champions League game during the week and a Saturday afternoon at Anfield so you get two Liverpool games. Liverpool has a famous fan support section that leads the chants and songs. This is called the KOP("Cup"). This is because they eminate from The Kop stand. Sitting in the Kop end would be ideal for this trip. Tickets are challenging even with a fan membership and Capacity is just 45K. If this sounds like Fenway Park and Red Sox it should. The club has not won a league title since 1990 to add to the similarities.


Duke-North Carolina at Cameron Indoor. This rivalry has blown up with the ESPN hype machine starting in the early 90s. It is overrated but still a great show. I feel that the atmosphere at Cameron Indoor is better than at the Dean Dome but perhaps I am wrong. Tickets at the Dean Dome would be significantly cheaper due to being more than twice as large as Cameron. Tickets would be significantly priced at either venue and I would prefer to sit as close to the students without being inside the student section as possible.


World Cup- To go and cheer for the USA would be unreal. If attending this event I would like to be in a fun country. South Africa 2010 doesn't get the job done for me. Tickets are gettable, time off work, probably not.


USA Soccer vs Mexico at Estadio Azteca. In the heart of Mexico City lies this 105K stadium filled with insane Mexican fans. They throw bags of urine on Americans. They racially taunt, they have voodoo dolls and hang players in effugy (spelling?). It sounds like the 700 level at the Vet, only worse. I want to go in there feeling all the hate and come away with the first U.S. victory in the stadium. Ticket packages are available from USsoccer.com.


SEC Saturday- Truth is there are numerous stadiums I could put on the list. The trouble with going to many college campuses is that they are hard to get to. Usually not real conducive to reaching from a major airport. The goal is to go to major stadium for a major game and as many as possible. This is not just limited to the SEC but it would take care of an experience I have not yet had.

Texas High School football Friday night then Texas A&M the following day. Why A&M? I just feel that it is the best venue in the state with the best fans. They have the bonfire on Friday night and yelling practice. Huge ROTC program adds to tradition of 12th man.


Rupp Arena- Kentucky Basketball is a religion. Can you Imagine when Pitino comes to town on Jan. 2 this year what that place is going to be like.

Feel free to add to the list because I'm sure I am forgetting something.
Side note: Events where I could easily find Michigan were not considered because I plan on doing them anyways. ex. Assembly Hall (Indiana University) and Notre Dame Stadium.