Billion-dollar stadiums come with retractable roofs, giant video boards and the latest technology. Fans keep handing their highest marks to century-old ballparks with hand-operated scoreboards.
According to Alchemer’s 2026 Stadium Scorecard, three of the top four venues are among the oldest in professional sports: Wrigley Field (1914), Lambeau Field (1957) and Fenway Park (1912). Several stadiums built in the last decade land in the bottom half. Across 6,238 Google reviews, the reason is consistent: fans rate the people and the traditions more than the amenities.
TL;DR — key takeaways
- Three of the top four venues in Alchemer’s 2026 Stadium Scorecard opened in 1957 or earlier.
- Several stadiums built in the past decade rank in the bottom half of the 20 venues analyzed.
- Lambeau Field earns the highest share of five-star reviews in the study at 89.5%, led by praise for knowledgeable staff.
- Fenway Park’s top entertainment ranking comes from tradition, not production value.
- Across all 20 venues, fans give an average rating of 4.62 out of 5.
Do fans prefer older stadiums?
The 2026 review data says yes. Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field and Fenway Park all rank in the top four, and Wrigley holds the highest raw star rating of any venue at 4.83. Meanwhile, newer venues such as Allegiant Stadium (#12), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (#13) and SoFi Stadium (#18) sit in the bottom half of the ranking.
Why do older ballparks and stadiums score so well?
Fans aren’t rating the amenities. They’re rating the feeling of being there. Wrigley reviewers say this almost word for word: the bathrooms and concessions aren’t the reason to go, and the ambiance, history and vibe are. Fenway works the same way. Fans rarely mention scoreboards or light shows. They mention “Sweet Caroline” in the eighth inning, the Green Monster and the pregame atmosphere.
Which stadiums are best for value, parking, tailgating and more?
Alchemer read past the star ratings into the language fans used and named a winner in 12 categories. Here’s the lineup, per Alchemer’s 2026 Stadium Scorecard:
| Category | Winner | What fans cite |
|---|---|---|
| Best in-game entertainment | Fenway Park | “Sweet Caroline,” the manual scoreboard |
| Best value | PNC Park | Bring-your-own snacks and sealed water |
| Friendliest staff | Lambeau Field | Staff who know team history |
| Best concert atmosphere | Allegiant Stadium | Smooth entry, climate control |
| Best merch experience | Lambeau Field | Pro Shop paired with Hall of Fame and tours |
| Easiest parking | PNC Park | Clear signage, walkability, light rail |
| Loudest venue | Arrowhead Stadium | Record-setting crowd noise |
| Best tailgating | Arrowhead Stadium | The parking-lot party |
| Cleanest venue | AT&T Stadium | Clean restrooms, short lines |
| Most iconic ballpark | Wrigley Field | History and ambiance |
| Best family experience | Coors Field | Staff help for guests with mobility needs |
| Best views | Gillette Stadium | Clear sightlines, even from upper decks |
Look at the third column. Staff, traditions, policies and small courtesies show up far more often than technology.
Find out what fans say about your venue. Alchemer Pulse analyzes reviews and open-text feedback for themes and sentiment, so you can see which moments earn five stars and which ones send fans home frustrated. Explore Alchemer for Sports and Venues →
What can new stadiums learn from older ones?
People and tradition do work that technology can’t. Lambeau’s 89.5% five-star rate comes with reviews describing staff who know Packers history, turning a game into what several fans call a pilgrimage. At Coors Field, reviewers name the specific employees who helped guests with mobility aids reach their seats. Survey data points the same direction: in Alchemer’s 2026 Fan Experience Report Card, 70.3% of fans describe venue staff as friendly and helpful.
For newer venues, three lessons stand out:
- Invest in staff knowledge as well as staff count. Fans remember the person who knew the history.
- Build rituals fans can repeat. Fenway’s eighth-inning tradition does more for reviews than any video board.
- Make small policies generous. PNC Park earns value praise partly by letting fans bring in snacks and sealed water.
The full Stadium Scorecard includes the fan quotes and category detail behind every award.
Want the full rankings? Download the complete 2026 Stadium Scorecard for all 12 category awards, the complete MLB and NFL rankings and the fan language behind each one.
Methodology: Alchemer analyzed 6,238 public Google reviews of 20 major U.S. sports venues (10 MLB ballparks and 10 NFL stadiums) posted between September 2025 and September 2026. Venues were ranked using a blended score weighting overall star rating (65%) and category sentiment (35%).
FAQ
Q: Do fans prefer old or new stadiums?
A: Older ones, based on 2026 review data. Three of the top four venues in Alchemer’s 2026 Stadium Scorecard, Wrigley Field, Lambeau Field and Fenway Park, opened in 1957 or earlier.
Q: Which stadium has the friendliest staff?
A: Lambeau Field, where 89.5% of reviews are five stars and fans praise staff knowledge of Packers history.
Q: Which stadium has the best in-game entertainment?
A: Fenway Park, where fans credit traditions like “Sweet Caroline” in the eighth inning and the manual scoreboard.
Q: What is the cleanest stadium according to fans?
A: AT&T Stadium, which earns the highest cleanliness sentiment score in Alchemer’s 2026 Stadium Scorecard.