20 Most Historic Stadiums In Sports Today
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For any sports fan, there is nothing better than going to your favorite stadium/ballpark and watching your favorite team. While new stadiums like Jerry World and new Yankee Stadium have been all the rage, there are some legendary buildings that are still standing with tons of rich history. Here now are the 20 most historic stadiums in sports today.
20. Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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20. Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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Opened in 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is home to the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, two of the most important races every year.
19. Daytona International Speedway
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19. Daytona International Speedway
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Opened in 1959, Daytona International Speedway is home to the most prestigious race in NASCAR, the Daytona 500.
18. Churchill Downs
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18. Churchill Downs
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Opened in 1875, Churchill Downs hosts the Kentucky Derby annually, and has hosted the Breeders Cup on several occasions.
17. Joe Louis Arena
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17. Joe Louis Arena
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Named after legendary boxer Joe Louis, Joe Louis Arena is home to the Detroit Red Wings. Unfortunately, the arena will be torn down by approximately 2017, once the Red Wings move into their new facility.
16. Dodger Stadium
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16. Dodger Stadium
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The third oldest ballpark in MLB, Dodger Stadium was open in 1962. Kirk Gibson's famous home run came in Dodger Stadium, and the stadium hosted the baseball competition for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
15. Ohio Stadium
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15. Ohio Stadium
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Also known as the Horseshoe, Ohio Stadium is home to the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and was home to the MLS Columbus Crew. Opened in 1922, the stadium has a seating capacity of 104,944.
14. Michigan Stadium
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14. Michigan Stadium
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Nicknamed the Big House, Michigan Stadium hosts the Michigan Wolverines football team. Built in 1927, the stadium now can seat 115,000 people. It also hosted an NHL Winter Classic game and a match between Real Madrid and Manchester United.
13. Augusta National Golf Club
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13. Augusta National Golf Club
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Opened in 1933, the Augusta National Golf Club is the most famous golf club in the world. Since 1934, Augusta has hosted the annual Masters Tournament. Unfortunately, the club refused to accept African American members until 1990, and refused to accept women until 2012. Amen Corner and Ike's peak are signature features of the course.
12. Notre Dame Stadium
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12. Notre Dame Stadium
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Opened in 1930, Notre Dame Stadium is home to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. The stadium can now hold 80,000 people and the statue named 'Touchdown Jesus' hovers over the stadium.
11. Dean Smith Center
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11. Dean Smith Center
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Opened in 1986, the Dean Smith Center is home to the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team. The stadium is appropriately named after one of the greatest coaches in sports history, Dean Smith. Before this season, the Tar Heels have had a record of 282-52 at the Dean Smith Center, one of the best home court advantages in the country.
10. Pauley Pavilion
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10. Pauley Pavilion
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Opened in 1965, Pauley Pavilion is home to the UCLA Bruins basketball, volleyball and gymnastics teams. Under John Wooden, the men's basketball team went 149-2 at home Between 1965-75.
9. Rupp Arena
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9. Rupp Arena
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Home to the Kentucky Wildcats basketball teams, Rupp Arena is named after legendary coach Adolph Rupp. Opened in 1976, the Wildcats men's basketball team has won more than 89 percent of their home games in Rupp, making it one of the best home court advantages in the nation.
8. Rose Bowl Stadium
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8. Rose Bowl Stadium
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Located in Pasadena, CA, the Rose Bowl Stadium is home to the UCLA Bruins football team and is the site of the annual Rose Bowl Game. The stadium opened in 1922 and has hosted five Super Bowls, the 1932 and 1984 Olympics, and the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final.
7. Staples Center
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7. Staples Center
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Opened in 1999, the Staples Center hosts three different sports franchises: the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and the NHL's Los Angeles Kings. It is the only NBA stadium that houses two teams.
6. Louisiana Superdome
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6. Louisiana Superdome
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The largest domed structure in the world, the Louisiana Superdome is home to the New Orleans Saints, the Sugar Bowl and numerous Final Fours. Opened in 1975, the Superdome has hosted seven Super Bowls, several significant boxing matches, Wrestlemania XXX and the NBA's New Orleans Jazz from 1975-79.
5. Cameron Indoor Stadium
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5. Cameron Indoor Stadium
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Opened in 1940, Cameron Indoor Stadium is home to the Duke Blue Devils basketball team, women's volleyball team and men's wrestling team. Under Coach K, the men's basketball team has gone 442-58 in Cameron Indoor, an 88 percent record at Cameron Indoor dating to the beginning of this season.
4. Fenway Park
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4. Fenway Park
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The oldest stadium in MLB, Fenway Park is home to the Boston Red Sox. Fenway Park has also hosted numerous soccer matches, the AFL's Boston Patriots, and the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.
3. Wrigley Field
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3. Wrigley Field
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Opened in 1914, Wrigley Field is home to MLB's Chicago Cubs. Wrigley has also hosted the NFL's Chicago Cardinals, Chicago Bears and the 2009 NHL Winter Classic.
2. Lambeau Field
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2. Lambeau Field
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Home to the Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field was opened in 1957 and is named after legendary Packers coach and player Curly Lambeau. Nicknamed the Frozen Tundra, Lambeau Field is one of the better home-field advantages in the NFL today. Lambeau Field was also home to the legendary Ice Bowl.
1. Madison Square Garden
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1. Madison Square Garden
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Often described as the Mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden is home to the NBA's New York Knicks, the WNBA's New York Liberty, the NHL's New York Rangers and the St. John's Men's Basketball team. Opened in 1968, the Garden is the oldest NHL arena and the second-oldest NBA arena.
Brian Kalchik is a Houston Texans writer for www.RantSports.com . Follow him on Twitter , like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+ .
Brian Kalchik is a writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook.