Sean Merriman, BTN.com web editor, April 4, 2014
The website StadiumJourney.com recently released a list, ranking the best college basketball arenas across the nation. The rankings are based on several categories, which include: food and beverage in the arena, overall atmosphere, the neighborhood in which the arena resides, the fans, the access (including traffic, parking, restrooms, and ability to move around in the arena), overall return on investment, and a catchall category for any extras.
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The highest-ranked Big Ten arena on the list is Michigan's Crisler Center, which comes in at No. 7 overall.
"It wasn?t too long ago that Crisler Arena was a functional, but unexciting and dark college basketball venue located next to a Big House. After $100 million in renovations were completed in 2012, the facility was reborn as the Crisler Center. To help celebrate, the 2012-2013 team, led by Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr., took the Wolverines to the National Championship game before falling to Louisville, adding another Final Four banner to hang at home. If you have been to Crisler prior to 2012, then it is time to go again, and see what $100M in renovations can do to a sports arena. It is truly something to see."
Williams Arena (Minnesota Gophers) and Breslin Center (Michigan State Spartans), also made the top 20, coming in at No. 16 and 17, respectively.
Here is a look at where other Big Ten arenas rank on the list.
34. Assembly Hall, Indiana Hoosiers
40. Kohl Center, Wisconsin Badgers
61. Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Iowa Hawkeyes
64. Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska Cornhuskers
96. Mackey Arena, Purdue Boilermakers
99. Value City Arena, Ohio State Buckeyes
190. Welsh-Ryan Arena, Northwestern Wildcats
230. State Farm Center, Illinois Fighting Illini
336. Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State Nittany Lions