# Best Nickname for a Sports Venue.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [August 12, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303 "2012-08-12T20:43:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/41 "2012-08-13T18:54:17Z")

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> [@markdash](#):
>
> San Jose’s team plays in “The Shark Tank.”

> [@zamboniracer](#):
>
> The old Pittsburgh Civic Arena was called “The Igloo”, which was pretty cool, pun intended. 🙂

Dammit, you thieves! The Igloo was actually how the Penguins got their name. (It was also the first venue ever to feature a retractable roof)

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/42 "2012-08-13T18:55:58Z")

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> [@Chingon](#):
>
> The Octagon of Doom aka Bramlage Coliseum

It’s probably due to my mathematical leanings, but damn, I love this one. I’d put this as #1, ahead of the Shark Tank.

Death Valley just took a big hit in my mind on learning in this thread that there are two of them. Of course, now, when someone from Clemson or LSU, respectively, mentions Death Valley, I can say, “I didn’t know you went to LSU/Clemson.”

Since I know a few Clemmers here at work, I’m looking forward to using that.

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**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/43 "2012-08-13T19:21:18Z")

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I have a soft spot for [“The Pit”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pit_%28arena%29), the basketball arena for the UNM Lobos. Doesn’t look like much from the outside, but walk inside, and suddenly you’re on the edge of a very large and noisy canyon. Watching a game at the Pit is an experience.

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**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/44 "2012-08-13T19:29:55Z")

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> [@markdash](#):
>
> San Jose’s team plays in “The Shark Tank.”

I remember when it was under construction, they had a naming contest, and someone submitted “San Jose Inferiority Complex”, in relation to the big brother up the peninsula.

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**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/45 "2012-08-13T19:59:04Z")

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I have not attended a game at the Big House but I have talked to some people there. They have said it is one of the quietest stadiums in Big Time College Football. Not that the crowd is noisy but the acoustics of the stadium does not allow the sounds to reverbiate.

I have been to football games in every SEC stadium except Vandy and UK, and I partial to “The Swamp” and the Gator Chomp. And FSU Native American War Chant.

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**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/46 "2012-08-13T20:20:47Z")

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> [@notfrommensa](#):
>
> I have not attended a game at the Big House but I have talked to some people there. They have said it is one of the quietest stadiums in Big Time College Football. Not that the crowd is noisy but the acoustics of the stadium does not allow the sounds to reverbiate.

Most of it is below ground level,not sure if that has anything to do with it.

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**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/47 "2012-08-13T20:33:49Z")

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> [@Max\_Torque](#):
>
> I have a soft spot for [“The Pit”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pit_%28arena%29), the basketball arena for the UNM Lobos. Doesn’t look like much from the outside, but walk inside, and suddenly you’re on the edge of a very large and noisy canyon. Watching a game at the Pit is an experience.

Jimmy V was looking for someone to hug in the Pit.

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**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/48 "2012-08-13T21:20:00Z")

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> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> Death Valley just took a big hit in my mind on learning in this thread that there are two of them.

I have to agree the fact there are two definitely takes away the mystique quite a bit. The LSU name seemingly derived in 2001? by ESPN? even more takes away the intimidation (my apologies for getting the facts wrong- I only looked for a short time). The fact that neither team is named the cacti, lizards, tortoises, or tumbleweeds seals the disqualification in my mind.

Should we start a new thread for venue nicknames that should exist:  
U of Minnesota’s Gopher “Hole”  
Texas Longhorn Burdizzo  
The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pub

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**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/49 "2012-08-13T21:26:59Z")

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> [@Telemark](#):
>
> Lakefront Stadium in Cleveland - The Mistake by the Lake

That’s the whole city, not just a stadium.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/50 "2012-08-13T21:30:42Z")

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> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> That’s the whole city, not just a stadium.

True, but the stadium got called that as well.

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**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/51 "2012-08-13T21:44:06Z")

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Manchester United’s stadium Old Trafford is called “The Theatre of Dreams” (note the kitschy Olde English spelling of “theatre”)

San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium was always known as “The Murph”. Since its name change to Qualcomm Stadium, it is variously referred to as “The Murph”, “The Q”, or jokingly as “The Qualiseum”.

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/52 "2012-08-13T22:08:44Z")

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Disheavel:

> [@](#):
>
> Should we start a new thread for venue nicknames that should exist:

I always thought that Shea Stadium, located in Flushing, should host a college football game and call it the “Toilet Bowl.” And as per the Rose and Orange Bowls, the stadium itself could have taken that name.

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**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/53 "2012-08-13T22:47:10Z")

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> [@TheBoltEater](#):
>
> Manchester United’s stadium Old Trafford is called “The Theatre of Dreams” (note the kitschy Olde English spelling of “theatre”)

By “kitchy olde English” you do, of course, simply mean “British” right?

For that matter, that’s how it’s spelled in Canadian English too, though many people use the Americanized spelling.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/54 "2012-08-13T22:51:35Z")

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> [@Ponch8](#):
>
> I’m partial to The Swamp at the University of Florida.

This. Evocative of both the team’s name AND the weather conditions visiting teams are likely to be dealing with.

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**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/55 "2012-08-13T22:56:45Z")

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> [@cmkeller](#):
>
> I always thought that Shea Stadium, located in Flushing, should host a college football game and call it the “Toilet Bowl.” And as per the Rose and Orange Bowls, the stadium itself could have taken that name.

Sponsored by 2000 Flushes! How could so many people have missed that money-making possibility?

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**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/56 "2012-08-13T23:54:26Z")

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> [@mnemosyne](#):
>
> By “kitchy olde English” you do, of course, simply mean “British” right?
> 
> For that matter, that’s how it’s spelled in Canadian English too, though many people use the Americanized spelling.

Someday English people are just going to have to learn how to speak English. 😉

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**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/57 "2012-08-14T00:12:01Z")

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Darkness on the Edge of Town, The Cap Center in DC

It was very dark , the interior was painted flat black.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/58 "2012-08-14T02:02:32Z")

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> [@TheBoltEater](#):
>
> Someday English people are just going to have to learn how to speak English. 😉

Well obviously. But I think we have to accept rhe spelling, since they did it first…

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**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/59 "2012-08-14T02:10:00Z")

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I thought the Ottawa Senators home arena, the Palladium, had a bitchin’ name. But then they sold out to Corel, the WordPerfect people! :mad:

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nickname-for-a-sports-venue/631303/60 "2012-08-14T22:55:02Z")

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Then got even crappier with “ScotiaBank Place.”

New name, still in Kanata.

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