Best and worst fan bases in d2

[canadarican]

Mars Hill games are fine. Like most schools, being there on a homecoming game or when they are good makes a difference.
Newberry atmosphere was great when we went a couple years ago, but the stadium itself is rough.
Wingate, I'll have to admit I was disappointed when we were there for homecoming two years ago. Most un-homecoming-y feeling ever. Most of campus was dead.
Lenoir-Rhyne was an absolute blast last time I was there (playoffs vs Shepherd). But then again I was spoiled by outstanding company.
Haven't been to a game at Tusculum since I was a student, so I can't fairly grade them. Same with E&H, haven't been in a decade.

I'm missing someone in the SAC I've been to....

[BEARS]

Mars Hill games are fine. Like most schools, being there on a homecoming game or when they are good makes a difference.
Newberry atmosphere was great when we went a couple years ago, but the stadium itself is rough.
Wingate, I'll have to admit I was disappointed when we were there for homecoming two years ago. Most un-homecoming-y feeling ever. Most of campus was dead.
Lenoir-Rhyne was an absolute blast last time I was there (playoffs vs Shepherd). But then again I was spoiled by outstanding company.
Haven't been to a game at Tusculum since I was a student, so I can't fairly grade them. Same with E&H, haven't been in a decade.

I'm missing someone in the SAC I've been to....

Maybe Catawba? They have really solid facilities and a good fan base, especially when they’ve got a decent team or are playing LR.

[pm2011]

So, are y'all talking about fanbases or school amenities? Because those are wildly different things.

My #1 least liked school fan base... NGU. Just an air of superiority that has come from them. But, that's mostly on the baseball side and I think a reflection of their head coach...

I've enjoyed the fans from E&H over the football season where it seems that the Wasps and Wolves like playing each other so much that we go multiple years in multiple OTs... Those have been fun games.

[Saints Tailgating]

So, are y'all talking about fanbases or school amenities? Because those are wildly different things.

My #1 least liked school fan base... NGU. Just an air of superiority that has come from them. But, that's mostly on the baseball side and I think a reflection of their head coach...

I've enjoyed the fans from E&H over the football season where it seems that the Wasps and Wolves like playing each other so much that we go multiple years in multiple OTs... Those have been fun games.

I agree, facilities and fan bases are very different. In the 11 years Limestone had football, my wife & I were blessed to have only missed 5 games total (home & away) so we experienced pretty much all fan bases. I must say that no one school's fanbase really stood out to me good or bad. Yes, some facilities were nicer than others. I found interactions with fans from other schools to be civil & fun. No one fanbase seemed to travel better than others, nor do I remember any sellout/overflow/standing room only crowds at away games, even at West Florida & Valdosta for playoff games. Just one man's opinion.

[canadarican]

So, are y'all talking about fanbases or school amenities? Because those are wildly different things.

My #1 least liked school fan base... NGU. Just an air of superiority that has come from them. But, that's mostly on the baseball side and I think a reflection of their head coach...

I've enjoyed the fans from E&H over the football season where it seems that the Wasps and Wolves like playing each other so much that we go multiple years in multiple OTs... Those have been fun games.

Ugh......NGU. You didn't even need to explain hahaha.

[pm2011]

Ugh......NGU. You didn't even need to explain hahaha.

Well.......

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Ashland Univ has an outstanding game day atmosphere but nothing in D2 beats Grand Valley State night games. 15K fans in their seat before kickoff, fun place !!

That's interesting. I've attended two Ashland home openers (both Thursday night games) against IUP.

The stadium and set-up is incredible for D2. No question about it.

The atmosphere, however, ... I thought was kind of blah. Granted, IUP won both games (2018 and 2024) and kind of controlled both most of the games. So, perhaps the home crowd was just taken out of it. Big crowds but just very mellow.

Fancy buildings don't always equal fancy atmospheres.

[Bearhof]

LR in my opinion has the best facilities and tailgating areas. Our biggest crowd was Wingate playoff game with standing room only crowd. West Fla and Valdosta po games were pretty full but not standing room only. The overall biggest game attendance was 1975 game against Appalachian State at LR. Stadium held over ten thousand people and it was easily 12 thousand there. App scored the first ten points and then LR scored the next 31 points to win the game.

[Bearhof]

LR stadium has five suites on the second and third floors accessible by elevators they have refrigerator and bar area. The presidents suite is plush with many upscale amenities and seats thirty people. There is a champions club box with seats for thirty, private bathroom, buffet bar and large cooler. TV in there as well. The Bears Club Pavilion is only twenty five yards away where three hundred or more members gather for food and cocktails. We also have a second covered area like Champions Club at other side of the end zone. The walkway from visitors side all the way around to home side is really amazing and several hundred people like to watch the game from here. The lacrosse locker room is part of the stadium building and is very first class as well. We also display all the flags of other SAC schools on individual flag poles along the end zone walkway. There also not one but two video scoreboards the small one is the second biggest in the conference and the other is four times bigger at a cost of one million dollars. So for now LR has the best facilities but rumors have it Anderson is drawing up plans for a very nice facility.

[SACgrad]

LR stadium has five suites on the second and third floors accessible by elevators they have refrigerator and bar area. The presidents suite is plush with many upscale amenities and seats thirty people. There is a champions club box with seats for thirty, private bathroom, buffet bar and large cooler. TV in there as well. The Bears Club Pavilion is only twenty five yards away where three hundred or more members gather for food and cocktails. We also have a second covered area like Champions Club at other side of the end zone. The walkway from visitors side all the way around to home side is really amazing and several hundred people like to watch the game from here. The lacrosse locker room is part of the stadium building and is very first class as well. We also display all the flags of other SAC schools on individual flag poles along the end zone walkway. There also not one but two video scoreboards the small one is the second biggest in the conference and the other is four times bigger at a cost of one million dollars. So for now LR has the best facilities but rumors have it Anderson is drawing up plans for a very nice facility.

LR does have great facilities, but the games I’ve been to and talked to fans most dislike the pop warner streamers that fans and club people shoot off after a touchdown. Just doesn’t suit a college football team.

[BEARS]

I think the streamers are awesome. They complement the new touchdown fireworks very well!

[FootballCoach]

My thoughts...

1. Lenoir Rhyne - definitely has the best "game day" experience. Tailgating is small D1 type, fireworks, excellent facilities (all the things Bears & BearHOF said) but a lot of fans do not come into the actual game and those that do are very similar to a UNC basketball game... "Wine and Cheese". If LR is up, then the stadium is empty after halftime.
1. Newberry - Home side of the stadium is very out dated. I enjoyed the improvements that they have made so far and I believe I have seen that they will continue to improve the stadium?... However, I will say that their fans get ROWDY when it is a good game.
3. Wingate - Older stadium but they have a good many fans at the game and they stay involved. I will say that I miss the hedges in the endzones.
4. Carson Newman - Love the endzone facility that they have. Outdated inside but you can't tell from the outside. The large sidelines make the stadium feel a little bigger than it is. Visitor side is decent enough.
5. Catawba - I love their stadium and concourse area on the home side. Fans are not in attendance when they are bad. I can't remember what it was like when they were good. I don't like that the home side and visitor side don't connect.
6. Mars Hill - Depending on the year and the game, I could put them at 5. It definitely feels like they have had more fans in recent years than Catawba. Definitely louder. I also always enjoy watching Coach Clifton standing by the hashes for most of the game wearing his yellow vest and rocking his mullet.
7. Tusculum - Pioneer Field never has any fans regardless of how good or bad they are. Very quiet crowd. Overall facilities are decent. I hate how far visitors have to walk to the bathroom.
8. UVA Wise - Never an enjoyable place to drive to or watch a game. The last time I was up there was for the LR game in 2022. It says that 272 people were at the game. I remember counting less than 20 people on their side and I don't think THAT many LR fans were there.


I have not been to Anderson or Emory and Henry but both stadiums look like cool places to watch a game from what I have seen. Can you drink at Anderson?...

[BEARS]

Generally speaking these are my thoughts exactly. I’m not sure if it’s a criticism necessarily but LR consistently has as many fans stay out at the tailgate as are in the home side of the stadium for most games. I would estimate there are easily 10k people in and about Moretz for every home game but never anywhere near that amount actually go in the game. Too much caviar (non Piedmont livermush) in the grass lot to compel people to enter the stadium.

[Eagle74]

WSSU had 12,000 at their last home game of this past season against Fayetteville State, and they too typically have as many people in their tailgating (one of the very best in the southeast for D2) area as inside their stadium. The last time I was there, you could smell the good food cooking at their tailgating well before you get there. They also have a great (and loud) marching band, very enjoyable football atmosphere. Worthwhile checking out.

[BEARS]

WSSU had 12,000 at their last home game of this past season against Fayetteville State, and they too typically have as many people in their tailgating (one of the very best in the southeast for D2) area as inside their stadium. The last time I was there, you could smell the good food cooking at their tailgating well before you get there. They also have a great (and loud) marching band, very enjoyable football atmosphere. Worthwhile checking out.

Been there. Bowman-Gray is awesome and extremely unique. I said this earlier but it bears repeating, HBCU’s are the best atmosphere in the country during their homecoming and there’s no debating that fact.