Stadium Journey Magazine released its latest rankings of the top stadiums in the country and has UCF’s Bright House Networks Stadium No. 98 in the country.
Bright House Networks Stadium certainly lost some of its charm in the 2015 season.
Really anything associated with the football team this year lost any and all of its charm. That is what an 0-12 season will do for you.
By the end of the year, Bright House Networks Stadium was full of fans with bags over their head, signs pleading for the season to be over and <gasp> USF Bulls fans.
It was not a pretty sight for the Knights at the end of the season.
And that certainly affects perceptions about the stadium and the gameday experience.
It might certainly explain why Bright House Networks Stadium slipped to No. 98 in this year’s Stadium Journey rankings for college football game experiences from No. 72.
The critics also continue to criticize the stadium design:
When the stadium opened in 2007, camera operators struggled keeping the frame steady when the crowd would get rowdy, literally causing the metal stadium to flex in tune with the jumping. Since then, renovations have limited the amount of movement, but the structural design still remains.
Yes, the stadium does have a cookie cutter quality to it considering how quickly the stadium was built and they had to add those reinforcements and limit the amount of times “Zombie Nation” is played.
The game experience at UCF is very good when the students and fans fill the stadium still. And adding the cabana club area has the potential to give the stadium a unique aspect and a high-priced suite for fans.
The more detailed analysis of the stadium experience though criticizes the food selection and says to plan to eat before entering the stadium. Otherwise, UCF seemed to get decent marks.
What was clear is that when the team is winning Bright House Networks Stadium is a great place to watch games. The Knights just did not win any this year, and that sucked the energy:
The stadium experience at the Bounce House is not what it used to be, but it’s also about to grow into something better than it was. This program will continue to build under the new leadership of Head Coach Scott Frost. There is a lot of excitement in visiting some of the best traditions in college football, but it’s also special to visit a campus that continues to build a legacy. The area around the stadium continues to grow with new businesses and opportunities. There will continue to be a demand for quality football in Orlando and with that success brings 44,000 jumping fans into the stadium. Once this is accomplished, there will be no stopping these Knights.
Regaining that energy will be part of Scott Frost’s job as the new head coach. Hopefully putting a better product on the field will entice fans and make Bright House Networks Stadium the place to be again.
