Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 20 sports venues to see before you die.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 sports venues
00:11to see before you die.
00:21Formerly known as AT&T Park, this baseball stadium opened back in the year 2000, and
00:26has since been home to the San Francisco Giants.
00:28There are a few magical reasons why this 42,000 seater stadium is awesome – the great
00:33view from any seat, the electric atmosphere, the roar when someone hits a home run over
00:37McCovey Cove – but honestly, it's some of the little things that make it great too,
00:41like the stadium's vast and varied food options, which includes the likes of crab
00:44sandwiches and the famous garlic fries.
00:47It's a fairly easy stadium to access on foot, too, which cannot be said for a lot
00:52of other stadiums in the MLB.
00:55This Mexico stadium has one of the greatest World Cup pedigrees in the world, famously
01:04hosting the Italy vs West Germany Game of the Century in 1970, amongst many other iconic
01:10World Cup clashes.
01:11Home to the Club America and Mexico national football team, Aztec Stadium boasts a colossal
01:16capacity of 87,000, although it did used to be over 100,000, making it the largest stadium
01:21in Latin America.
01:23And if you ask any professional athlete, they will likely tell you that this is not an easy
01:27stadium to play in.
01:28It's been described as a bee's nest, with an atmosphere that can be intimidating, especially
01:32for the away team, and a design that almost completely encloses its occupants.
01:43The fact that it's 7,200 feet above sea level, which can make it physically hard to
01:47breathe, doesn't help either.
01:53Seed and adored in equal measure by football fans everywhere, the Bernabeu has been home
01:57to Real Madrid since the 40s, and has seen the club fill trophy cabinet after trophy
02:01cabinet.
02:02With a capacity of around 80,000, closer to 85,000 thanks to the 2023 renovations, its
02:08atmosphere, history and architecture are legendary, and for football fans, a Champions League
02:13night here is about as good as it gets in European football.
02:16The Bernabeu also has one of the coolest, most innovative pitch retraction systems in
02:20the world.
02:21There's plenty to be experienced in the stadium as part of a match day or an official
02:25tour, but regardless of how you take it in, it's a bucket list entry not to be missed.
02:32Even if you've never watched a horse race, you've probably still heard of the Kentucky
02:35Derby, the celebrated thoroughbred race that takes place every May, and it's held at
02:39Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky.
02:45Churchill Downs is rich in horse racing history, and its entryway and spires are instantly
02:50recognisable by fans of the sport.
02:52It's played host to a variety of noteworthy victories, but perhaps the most significant
02:56is still James Lee's six-race card victory back in 1907.
03:00Yep, 1907.
03:03And believe it or not, Churchill Downs is older still.
03:05Try 1875.
03:12When it comes to domed stadiums with retractable roofs, this is arguably the best there is.
03:16The AT&T Stadium is home to the Dallas Cowboys, and is officially the largest stadium in the
03:21NFL, capable of holding up to 100,000 people.
03:24As well as being home to one of the NFL's biggest teams, the stadium itself is just
03:27a modern marvel, and is consistently voted as the nicest stadium in the league, thanks
03:32in part due to its comfy seats and massive, high-def screens, which ensure you won't
03:36miss any of the action regardless of where your seat is.
03:39Whether you refer to it as AT&T, Home to America's Team, Jerry World or the Death Star, it's
03:44loved by NFL, music, motocross, boxing and rodeo fans everywhere.
04:06Often referred to as the greatest race course in the world, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
04:10hosts the Indianapolis 500, frequently labelled as the largest single-day sporting event in
04:15the world, every Memorial Day weekend.
04:18This course has a rich history of racing, and it used to be home to the United States
04:21Grand Prix.
04:22As well as giving you a race day experience you'll never forget, amongst an eye-watering
04:26capacity of over 300,000 people, one of the best things about the IMS is that you can
04:30really make a weekend of your visit.
04:32Play 18 holes at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course, visit the IMS Museum, and go for a
04:36blast in an IndyCar.
04:40London may have the Oval, and Lords, but if you ask some cricket fans, the Melbourne Cricket
04:49Ground is the best place in the world to watch the Gentleman's Game.
04:52With a capacity of around 100,000, as of this video it's the 11th largest stadium in the
04:57world, and also has the tallest light towers of any sports venue.
05:01As well as hosting many cricket matches, the MCG has also famously hosted the 1956 Summer
05:06Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and to this day it hosts a wide variety of
05:11entertainment.
05:12If you're new to cricket but would like to experience at least one game, this is the
05:15place to do it.
05:23This massive stadium in Beijing is often affectionately referred to as the Bird's Nest due to its
05:28steel beam design, and even if you don't know much about it, you'll definitely recognise
05:32that exterior.
05:33This 80,000 seat stadium was constructed back in 2008, and it was specifically designed
05:38and built to host the Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
05:41It also hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, making it one of the most historically
05:46significant Olympic stadiums in the world.
05:49But this venue also hosts a wide variety of concerts, pageants, sports and motor racing
05:53events.
05:54If you love the Olympics, and like a stadium to have an artsy and quirky feel, the Bird's
05:58Nest won't let you down.
06:03Football is essentially a religion in Brazil, and the Maracana is the Brazilian football
06:14fan's place of worship.
06:16It was the largest stadium in the world when it opened in 1950, seating nearly 200,000
06:20people.
06:21A recent renovation has taken it down to a still very respectable 79,000.
06:26Named a National Landmark in 1998, it's hosted numerous impressive events.
06:30From Pele's 1961 Golda Plaka to Germany's victory in the World Cup of 2014.
06:35A stadium featuring an unbeatable historical vibe and unparalleled atmosphere, it further
06:40enhanced its prestige when it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympics,
06:45as well as football matches during those games.
06:56More commonly known simply as Wimbledon, in case you were confused, this is the venue
07:00of the only grass court Open Championship in tennis.
07:03The club features dozens of playing courts, 19 of which are the classic and now rare grass
07:08variety.
07:09The famed centre court is the world's fourth largest tennis venue, and features a translucent
07:13retractable ceiling to let light in and keep rain out.
07:17In keeping with British tradition, players must wear white, and the usual food court
07:21offering is a bowl of strawberries and cream.
07:24The palpable sense of British tradition and ceremony gives the club a very special atmosphere,
07:29and you should experience it at least once.
07:41Certain stadiums on this list are steeped in historical significance, but honestly,
07:45the Staples Centre deserves a place here because, well, it's the Staples Centre.
07:50Almost like when a celebrity like George Clooney transcends fame, the Staples Centre has been
07:54at the forefront of American sports, especially the NBA, since it was opened in 1999.
08:03Holding up to 19,000 spectators, it's the busiest arena in North America, hosting over
08:08250 events per year.
08:10And we're not surprised, as it's home to not only the LA Lakers and LA Clippers,
08:14but also the LA Kings and LA Sparks.
08:17Okay, so Crypto.com acquired the naming rights in 2021, but the Crypto.com Arena is gonna
08:23take a bit of getting used to.
08:35Appropriately dubbed the home of football, Wembley is the base for the national team
08:38of the country where the game was perfected.
08:40The towers of the first Wembley were iconic, and the arch of the new stadium, finished
08:44in 2007, is a prominent part of today's London skyline.
08:48It hosts the biggest matches in the English domestic game, as well as many huge international
08:52fixtures.
08:53The stadium, torn down in 2002, played a huge role in English football.
08:57The greatest praise the new version can receive is that it continues the legacy that the old
09:01ground laid down.
09:04Otherwise known as the Frozen Tundra, this is the home of the Green Bay Packers, and
09:08the oldest continually used stadium in the NFL.
09:11Opening its doors to cheeseheads in 1957 as City Stadium, it was the first modern venue
09:16created specifically for an NFL team.
09:19Named after the club's late founder, Curly Lambeau, those who run the stadium have managed
09:24to resist the temptation of selling the naming rights to the stadium, unlike some other venues.
09:28As the games at the site are consistently sold out, you'd do well if you got tickets
09:32to any game.
09:33If you are so lucky, be sure to watch for the legendary Lambeau leap, in celebration
09:38of a Packers touchdown.
09:52Playing host to the most famous race in NASCAR, the Daytona 500, this monster venue packed
09:57in almost 150,000 thrill-seeking spectators at its peak.
10:01Although more recent renovations have left the seating capacity at closer to 101,000
10:06and 125,000, which is still massive, the $400 million renovations have drastically improved
10:12the experience for fans, with more comfortable seats and better amenities.
10:16The Speedway features a track that can be configured in several ways.
10:20For ardent fans, the Fan Zone allows a more up-close-and-personal experience of the races.
10:34Dubbed the Theatre of Dreams by club legend Bobby Charlton, the ground at Old Trafford
10:38is as much a tourist attraction as it is the home of one of the most successful clubs in
10:42English football, Manchester United.
10:45Although the atmosphere may not be what it once was, this stadium can pack in 76,000
10:49fans and is still a must-visit for any fan of English football.
10:53The ground has seen some of the greatest players and teams grace its turf, but during Sir Alex
10:57Ferguson's historic 27-year reign, the ground earned its reputation as an indomitable fortress.
11:10From one gigantic Premier League club to another next, with Anfield being the home of the most
11:14successful club in English football, Liverpool.
11:17Just like Old Trafford, Anfield is often referred to as a fortress, and its atmosphere
11:21is arguably unmatched by any other stadium in the Premier League.
11:25The roar from the famed Kop End has been known to suck the ball into the goal, and with the
11:29stadium being expanded significantly over the past 10 years to over 60,000 seats, that
11:34atmosphere is only growing.
11:37Bob Paisley, Bill Shankly and more recently Jürgen Klopp are just some of the big names
11:43to manage the club and sit in its dugout.
11:46Now, judging by my accent, you may assume I'm a Liverpool fan and that I've ranked
11:50Anfield above Old Trafford out of pure bitterness.
11:53And you'd be absolutely right.
12:06It's had a couple of different names since it opened in 1914, but it's pretty much
12:09always been the home field of the Chicago Cubs since 1916.
12:13As the second oldest Major League ballpark still in use, it's brimming with features
12:17that would never be seen at a modern stadium.
12:20The ivy-covered walls are famous, and the hand-turned scoreboard is one of the last
12:24of its kind.
12:25The bizarre winds and impressive views of the city are also among the many legendary
12:29features that make Wrigley unique.
12:31While some newer stadiums like Camden Yards in Baltimore have sought to replicate the
12:35old feel of ballparks like Wrigley, nothing quite matches the original.
12:39And yes, it's named after the chewing gum maker.
12:44Touted as the world's most famous arena, MSG stands out even among the many other famous
12:49landmarks in NYC.
12:51Although frequently used for concerts, basketball, hockey and even boxing, fans know it as the
12:55home of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, as well as the site of many historic boxing
13:00bouts.
13:01Several other structures bore the name before the current stadium was built in midtown Manhattan
13:05in 1968.
13:08The oldest major sporting facility in the New York metropolitan area, the Garden is
13:12the only major sporting facility with a concave ceiling.
13:16This structural oddity allows unobstructed views from all seats.
13:20But there's an unspoken, unexplainable quality that truly makes MSG stand out from similar
13:25sites around the world.
13:28It's fitting that Europe's largest stadium houses one of the greatest football clubs
13:32in the world, FC Barcelona.
13:34Aside from having a committed local fanbase, it attracts spectators from across the globe,
13:39who travel to the concrete monolith to see Barca play.
13:42With a capacity of almost 100,000, Camp Nou is frequently used for some of the biggest
13:46games in Europe.
13:48And as Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is significant for those in Madrid, Camp Nou is an integral
13:53part of FC Barca's Catalan identity and is much more than a mere stadium.
13:58You have no idea how stunning it is to hear 100,000 people sing the FC Barca anthem whenever
14:03the team walk onto the pitch.
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14:26It's simple, Fenway's history cannot be matched by any other venue in the USA.
14:31By capacity, it's actually one of the smallest parks in the MLB, but that pales compared
14:35to the history that the home of the Boston Red Sox has developed over time.
14:39The lone red seat is a symbol representing the longest home run ever hit at Fenway, at
14:44502 feet, and the wall known as the Green Monster dominates left field.
14:48The park is on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning that features like Pesky's
14:53Pole and Duffy's Cliff will forever be part of American history.
14:57So that's our list.
14:58Did we miss your favourite stadium or team out?
15:01Let us know in the comments below.