Basketball

Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savage Storm v Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II

Great American Conference

Saturday 13th February 2016

15.00 Tip off

Southeastern Oklahoma State University Savage Storm 80 Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers 62,  attendance 775

@ Bloomer Sullivan Arena

1713, North 1st Avenue

Durant, OK 74701

$6 admission

Free team sheet.

image

image

The arena was opened in November 2008 and has 3,000 seats and a total capacity of 3,600.

The official attendance for this so over the top. At no time did the crowd even get into three figures.

image

image

image

image

Basketball

University Texas Dallas Comets v Louisiana College Wildcats

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III

American Southwest Conference

Thursday 11th February 2016

19.30 Tip off

University Texas Dallas Comets 60 Louisiana College Wildcats 71,  attendance 311

@ UTD Activity Center

800, West Campbell Road

Richardson, TX 75080

$5 admission

Programme free, 20 pages, covers season. Free team sheet.

image

image

The arena was opened in 1999 and seats 3,200.

When looking through the programme I noticed one member of staff in the Administration/Operations team had a perfect name to suit the job…..Valerie Hoops !

image

image

image

image

image

Football

Mexico v Senegal

International Friendly

Wednesday 10th February 2016

Kick off 20.00 Actual 20.36

Mexico 2 Senegal 0,  attendance 15,588

73′ 1-0 J. Duenas

87′ 2-0 R. Pizarro

@ Marlins Park

501, Marlins Way

Miami, FL 33126

$30 admission  + $9.50 fees, print at home ticket *

No programme.

image

My ticket had been acquired the day they went on sale and a reasonable flight was booked at $106 return. On entering the stadium it became apparent that the top tier, where my seat was located, would not be opening, so a ‘new’ ticket was issued from a booth on the bottom level concourse, where it was total chaos. I was told I had been reallocated an excellent seat near the front, which yes, had it been for the Miami Marlins and a MLB game, this was correct as it was right behind the home plate. Certainly not the case for football however. With the crowd so sparse it was never going to be a problem as I just moved and sat wherever I wanted, trying out all the stands at some point.

Mexico, playing without their European based players, just about edged it although Senegal were worth a goal for their efforts.

As mentioned, this is a baseball stadium that has been home to Miami Marlins since 2012. It has a capacity of 37,442, making it the third smallest stadium in MLB.

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

Basketball

Midwestern State University Mustangs v Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II

Lone Star Conference

Saturday 6th February 2016

18.00 Tip off

Midwestern State University Mustangs 66 Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions 70,  attendance 2,639

@ D. L. Ligon Coliseum

3410, Taft Boulevard

Wichita Falls, TX 76308

$8 admission

Programme free, single card printed both sides.

image

image

For the second successive week I saw the Lions come away with a narrow win in what was the first outing for the new phone, so hopefully a return to a better quality of photos from here onwards.

Built in 1969, the arena was renamed from MSU Coliseum on October 18th 1975, honouring a former MSU employee for more than 50 years service in multiple roles. On November 22nd 2002 the playing court was officially named ‘Gerald Stockton Court’ after a former Coach. The current capacity is 3,640.

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

Basketball

Tarleton State University Texans v Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II

Lone Star Conference

19.00 Tip off

Tarleton State University Texans 65 Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions 67,  attendance 3,146

@ Wisdom Gymnasium

1330, West Washington Street

Stephenville, TX 76401

$7 admission

Team Sheet, free.

image

Wisdom Gym was built in 1972 and has 3,000 seats plus additional bleachers and was named after W. J. Wisdom, the athletic director at TSU from 1920-1943.

From the afternoon game in Fort Worth it was a comfortable 77 miles drive South West to Stephenville. I arrived to find the arena packed and a tremendous atmosphere and this was for the women’s game. Just as good when the men’s game got underway. Excellent game as well and could have gone either way.

Following photos of poor quality due to camera malfunction.

image

image

image

image

image

Basketball

Texas Christian University Horned Frogs v University Tennessee Volunteers

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I

13.00 Tip off

Texas Christian University Horned Frogs 75 University Tennessee Volunteers 63,  attendance 5,761

@ Ed & Rose Schollmaier Arena

2900, Stadium Drive

Fort Worth, TX 76109

$20 admission

Programme free, 48 pages, plus free team sheet

image

image

image

The arena was formerly known as Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and was built in 1961 at a cost of $1.45 million. In 2015 it underwent an $80 million dollar renovation, being renamed after the lead donors and now has a seated capacity of 8,500.

Following photos of poor quality due to camera malfunction.

image

image

image

image

Football

Austin Real Cuauhtemoc F.C. V Houston Hurricanes F.C.

Texas Premier Soccer League

Saturday 23rd January 2016

Kick off 15.00 Actual 15.11

Austin Real Cuauhtemoc F.C. 3 Houston Hurricanes F.C. 2,  attendance 58

2′ 1-0

39′ 1-1

56′ 2-1

68′ 2-2

73′ 3-2 (pen)

@ McMaster Athletic Complex

101, W. L. Walden Drive

Georgetown, TX 78626

No admission or programme.

Easier to locate this game venue as Houston Hurricanes have a good up to date Facebook page. My original plan was to do this and follow up with the 5pm kick off at the same complex, hopefully on a different pitch, between Austin Lonestar F.C. and San Antonio Generals F.C.  also in the TPSL. However, I got neither, as I arrived at 2.30pm  to see my planned second game nearing completion. Apparently the kick off was altered at short notice, but not to worry as both clubs use the same pitch anyway. Another case of how Mickey Mouse this league is.

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

Football

Dallas Clash S.C. V San Antonio Generals F.C.

Texas Premier Soccer League

Saturday 16th January 2016

Kick off 17.00 Actual 17.09

Dallas Clash S.C. 7 San Antonio Generals F.C. 0,  attendance 42

6′ 1-0

12′ 2-0

21′ 3-0

55′ 4-0 (pen)

70′ 5-0 (pen)

75′ 6-0

88′ 7-0

@ Mountain View College Football Stadium

4849, West Illinois Avenue

Dallas, TX 75211

No admission or programme.

This one took some tracking down. The venue on Dallas Clash Facebook page was different to the information on the league page. The Dallas Clash page was all in Spanish and despite an enquiry, admittedly in English, I received no reply. I did get a reply from the TPSL, who said they were right, but then replied again saying that the Dallas Clash information was indeed correct after all. Talk about Mickey Mouse !

As for the game, well, bottom of the table SAG were absolutely awful and no match for one of the title favourites. Talking to some of the home supporters about their away game the previous week, down at Brownsville Bravos, on the Mexican border, I was told it was a mere 8 hours drive each way. Now there’s dedication for you.

Following photos of poor quality due to camera malfunction.

img_0610

img_0612

img_0613

img_0618

img_0621

img_0622

img_0623

img_0624

img_0631

img_0632

img_0635

Basketball

University North Texas Mean Green v Marshall University Thundering Herd

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I

Conference USA

Thursday 14th January 2016

19.00 Tip off

University North Texas Mean Green 78 Marshall University Thundering Herd 97,  attendance 1,585

@ The Super Pit

801, North Texas Boulevard

Denton, TX 76201.

$7 admission

Programme free, poster style

image

image

The Super Pit has a capacity of 10,500 and when used for non-athletic functions is known as ‘UNT Coliseum’. It was opened in 1973 and is the largest basketball arena in Conference USA.

Following photos of poor quality due to camera malfunction.

img_0605

img_0606

img_0608

img_0609

Match day visits to sporting stadia