Carrier Dome

The dome is old and you can feel it, but it’s a unique place to watch a game.

This is the first time I went to the dome for a sporting event. My only other visit was decades ago for a David Bowie concert and all I remember were the terrible acoustics for that show.
A group of us attended a Syracuse B-​ball game cheering on our alma-​mater opponent, (our team won in OT, which was nice). The facility itself is not suited for basketball and our nosebleed seats required us using high powered optics to see the ball but it is still a great atmosphere and I can only imagine 30,000 fans in the place against an arch rival.
I know there is talk about replacing it — which it good because it is showing its age… not sure they would even consider building two different venues for football and basketball but it needs something.

If you’re a drug carrier, a plague carrier, or a carrier pigeon, this dome is for you. Especially if you’re a carrier pigeon because that makes you super cute, especially since you’re not human.
First-​Hand Experience: Info on my personal visit to this arena — Syracuse is one of the underrated cities of the North East with a few really amazing food gems, and this is one of the best domes in the whole country. You will never, ever hear a more intense crowd than you will hear for a basketball game in here. I see this stadium very regularly as I drive through town, and think of the intensity on the inside and all the great Carmelo and other memories. I can’t think of a better indoor arena anywhere.
It’s a little old and needs a facelift, but it’s still one of the best dome experiences I’ve ever had and a hands down 5-​star arena.
I’ve been to every cool stadium in the UK & North America, due to my obsession with travel & sport. I’ve toured America as a musician for 7 or 8 years. In that time, I’ve seen sports games at, or visited when empty (and usually both), at almost every major stadium in US and Canada. I have pictures of most which I will upload at some point. Also, on future travels, I plan to take new pix, and add more stadia! Watch this space!
***back to regular review***
I don’t like domes, but I make an exception for this big hunk of a shiny bright orange dome that hosts basketball, and not just any basketball, but the best college basketball team in the country where Carmelo Anthony once paraded his big muscles to all the cheerleader girls.
It’s right next to downtown too, and really is the highlight of driving through downtown Syracuse on their raised interconnected series of highways that criss cross the central region of this tundra-​infested part of the world.
Definitely my favourite dome in the world (although I can’t think of all the other ones that I might like just as much, such as some of the NFL ones… Dallas maybe?). Really awesome jewel in the crown of Syracuse. Don’t Syracuse me of being biased just because I live down the road in Buffalo.

I have been attending games at the Carrier Dome for the past 4 seasons of the Syracuse Men’s Basketball team. There is so much history in this building especially at packed games breaking NCAA records.
Yes the faciities are old and yes the food options are horrible and the restrooms very basic BUT nothing beats being in that building to experience the energy and phenom of Syracuse Basketball.
If you are coming to the Dome for the first time be prepared to be overwhelmed simply with the size of the building. Pay special attention to the gate your ticket says as the building is huge and walking around several times will several minutes will surely get you frustrated.

Dome sweet dome.
I grew up about an hour away from Syracuse and Orange basketball is what got me through all of my winters. The dome itself certainly shows it age in a lot of places, the temperature control is terrible it’s always crazy hot or crazy cold, the seats are horribly uncomfortable, the concessions are generally terrible (though a Dome Dog is always a must-​purchase, even though from an objective standpoint they are pretty vile). But the Dome isn’t about objectivity. It’s about walking up that terrible hill, in a snowstorm, in the freezing cold, and seeing that big, bright, mushroom off on the distance. It’s about getting into their, and joining 30,000 of my new best friends and going crazy for the Orange. Storming the court against Pitt, feeling the rafters shake after some G-​Mac 3’s against Notre Dame, watching the ‘Cuse beat that disgusting team from DC on Valentine’s Day, John Thompson egging on the crowd, too many memories to count. Come to the Dome and enjoy a game!

For a 30 year old building, still in good shape. The athletic department has done a nice job updating with color and electric scoreboards. The place rocks for football when the team is doing well (it’s been a while). For basketball, it is cool to be in a record on campus crowd but it is not as loud as a typical basketball arena as it is a little cavernous.
It serves beer and thank god for The Backcourt because the concourses are narrow and would not be navigable without it.

Love it or hate it, the Dome isn’t going anywhere anytime soon for us Orange fans. I have a lot of fond memories of the Dome going back to my childhood, although it has gotten a lot easier on the eyes under the current AD. They have recently installed full video displays all around the building which gives it a much more modern feel. Football games are still where it’s at even if we don’t fill the old girl for all the games anymore.
Basketball games are amazing, but part of me secretly wishes we had a dedicated basketball arena as the Dome tends to suck up a lot of the noise at basketball games (which is already questionable — lame SU fans).
Lacrosse games are a really underrated experience at the Dome — lots of prime seating right down near the field and usually a good crowd comes out.
I have attended two concerts at the Dome — and although I’d heard the sound was horrible — my two experiences were good. There is a bit of echo but nothing that would ruin a good performance.

Good lord, is it hot in the upper deck. If you can, get tickets in the lower levels. Heat rises, and despite the name, the Carrier Dome has no A/​C. But at the least the team I came to root for broke the hearts of the Syracuse faithful, which made it palatable.

As a caveat, I haven’t been to any Orange games, and my review is based solely on the facilities as noticed during my visit to Syracuse for my sister’s graduation. But what kind of stadium holds both football and basketball events? That’s just weird. This arena-​stadium is enormous, and the roof preserves crowd noise quite well, which is probably great during a game but also renders anything spoken over the loudspeaker indecipherable.
The bathrooms are terrible — the urinals are huge metal sinks in the center where everyone stands next to each other in full glory. The concession stands are nothing special, though you can get Buger King or Sbarro’s.
I suppose that if you’re here to watch Syracuse basketball, none of this really matters, but the Carrier Dome is what it is!

Great Bball games, and relatively cheap beers. :-)
Parking sucks though.

A little surreal watching football in a dome, it’s like being in a warehouse. I wish the acoustics were better, I could barely hear the band. Still, there’s plenty of places to park/​tailgate, the shuttle is fast and efficient, the dome is clean, has plenty of food options and bathrooms, and has bleacher seats with a back. Fun!

The highlight for me was getting blasted through the exit by the artificially high air pressure in the building.
You don’t go to a place like the Carrier Dome for good food, convenient parking or modern amenities. You go because it’s the loudest, most fun thing to do in Central New York.
Find a ticket to something and go there. Eat a slice of Sbarro. Get blown out of the Dome. Go ‘Cuse.

*Nothing* beats a home basketball game at the Dome, surrounded by 50,000 crazy fans in orange.
The Dome has average prices for beer and food — the same as any other sports arena. Options for food include your standard hot dogs and nachos, Italian sausage and pasta meals, and Burger King.
Don’t forget your Bud Light! Or if you’re clever enough to sneak past security, your flask and extra beer cans in your pants!
I miss:
Walking across a freezing campus and entering your warm and electric interior; being whipped out the doors after the game; stomping outside in your concrete pillars; Jimmy B and G-​Mac; your basketball game intro; your orange glow at homecoming; walking on the field to fly our senior design planes; talking with prospective students on the field during campus visit days; watching fantastic concerts; seeing you as I enter Syracuse on I-​81.
I’m excited to return again this February! GO ‘CUSE!
Oh, and did I mention the Carrier Dome owns the record for basketball game attendance? We’ve broken our own record a few times.

Great memories — football, basketball, lacrosse, and concerts! The mid 80’s and 90’s games with G’Town and today’s games with Uconn are the best. How can you go wrong with Jim Boeheim court and a coach with over 800 wins all at Syracuse, 12 National Championships in lacrosse, and 1 national championship in football with Ernie Davis.