Top 5 Sports Venues in the Bay Area

San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose are cities filled with pride for their many sports teams. These are the top 5 places to enjoy a game in the Bay Area. Note: This article is being written in October 2013. Levi’s Stadium has not opened yet. Candlestick did not make the list because, well… it stinks.

5. O.co Coliseum: Yeah, it may be known as the sewage capitol of the world, but O.co Coliseum is still one of the best places in the bay area to watch a game. Its old, crumbling, and has horrible scoreboards, but the crowd and fans that attend Raiders and A’s games make the venue special. In baseball season, its always fun looking to the right field bleaches to see what the RF Crew is doing this time. Raging, Doolittling, or just looking at their amazing art: NerdPower, Reddick’s Championship Belt, and the ever popular Lowrie Pop; Or head over to the black hole during a Raiders game. These fans are some of the best fans in the NFL. They are hardcore, they dress up in full Raider gear, and they support their team to the fullest even when the season is looking like a downer. The fans at O.co definitely make it a great place to watch a game.

4. SAP Center: The Shark Tank is the place to be right now, the Sharks are playing great and the atmosphere is rockin’. The parking situation is a little hassling and the sound system could be improved. However, if you live in the South Bay, SAP is definitely somewhere to be often. Its situated around great restaurants and has been having some of the best concerts coming to play. Whether you go to a Sharks game or an AFL Sabercats game, the SAP center is always well staffed. This is a venue that brings all bay fans together. Plus players come out of a giant Shark head, hell yeah!

3. Oracle Arena: Just across the parking lot from O.co is Oracle Arena, or as Warriors fans and players call it Roaracle. The Warriors always have special energy inside, its the only basketball team in the area so it brings both sides of the bay together and creates the best home court advantage in the NBA. Also, as the new arena in San Francisco project is stalling, the Warriors organization has given the arena a face lift over the summer. They have added 16 new theater boxes, upgraded concessions, upgraded wifi, and they have created a spectacular new VIP lounge for fans who buy tickets to their new expanded floor seats. Roaracle promises to be spectacular in the upcoming basketball season.

2. Sonoma Raceway: NASCAR, need I say more? This is the only place in Northern California to watch racing live. The track itself is known for the extensive amount of turns which make the races exciting and controversial. Fans in up to as many as 102,000 seats have incredible views of the Sonoma hills. This raceway is the home of the Toyota/Savemart 350 and is one of only 2 Sprint Cup races run on a road circuit. Martin Truex Jr. is the most recent winner. So once again, NASCAR!!!

1. AT&T Park: Shocking, I know! There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that AT&T is a world class baseball facility. Just ask Kanye West. The architectural design of the park makes it seem as though it has been there since the Giants moved out west. A statue of the Say Hey Kid and the China Basin known as McCovey Cove bring back thoughts of all of the great baseball royalty that has graced the Giants franchise. In the bleachers, just behind triple’s alley is a plaque with the name of the guy who made the new stadium come true, Barry Bonds. A huge glove and Coke bottle give a fun and inviting feeling to the park, not to mention some of the best views of the bay itself. Dining is great. There are so many options to choose from, including the pride of AT&T fans, the best garlic fries in the bay area. Speaking of the fans, they are great, selling out every game of the 2013 season, even though it was a lost season for the Orange and Black. Panda hats everywhere show the pride that the city has for its team. In totality, there is no better place to watch a baseball game than at AT&T Park. It is one of the best baseball fields in all of baseball. Catch a ferry and go to a game next time you’re in the Bay Area. And yes, I am an A’s fan.

Honorable mention: Buck Shaw Stadium, home of the San Jose Earthquakes. Its a great place to catch a soccer game, but it is located on the campus of Santa Clara University and this list does not include college stadiums.