RateItAll: The Opinion Network

I am from Missouri, however my dad is from South Carolina and is a Clemson alum. Being a Mizzou Tiger as a kid, I always laughed at Clemson. When I turned 13, my dad took me to my first game at Death Valley. When I first saw Death Valley and saw the monsterous upper decks, my jaw fell open. On gameday, the area is completeley covered in orange as Clemson swells to become the third largest city in South Carolina. Tailgating is amazing and we were offered food and drink from at least 30 tiger fans. Once inside Death Valley, I could feel my excitment building. When I saw the tigers run down the hill, it was one of the most amazing spectacles I have ever witnessed. I clearly remember the upper decks swaying and shaking from the crowd noise. It was extremely loud. Death Valley is an awesome stadium located in a beautiful part of South Carolina and surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, a lake , and pine forests.

Couldn't find a place to park my tractor. On my way in to last game, some dude in overalls threw mud at us. Will never go back!

Clemson is awesome on game day. The new west endzone and the improvements they've made throughout puts this stadium back at the top of the college elites. There is nothing like game day in the valley!!!! I haven't been to many other college stadiums but its hard to believe they can be louder than death valley!!!! Its pretty loud when you can't hear yourself yell!!!! If we beat ga. tech this weekend and you want to witness the best venue in college football buy a ticket to the va. tech game and come on down to god's country and see what all the hype is about. Go Tigers!!!!!!!!

One of the best!

I am a S. Carolina Alum and Season Ticket Holder. I dont care what anybody says, there is no better game atmosphere or stadium than DEATH VALLEY, CLEMSON. I will put aside my pride and say; Everytime they board the bus and reach the top of the hill i get chills. It is such an amazing experience. I guess i would have been a Clemson fan if i would have gotten accpeted. Anyway, Go Cocks....I guess

Best stadium to view a college football game pure and simple.

Tradition. Pride. The little Big school that has heart. And that heart beats loud and strong at Death Valley.

Tiger Fans' hospitality is awesome. There may be 1 or 2 bonehead fans amongst the crowd, but overall it's good. Always got a shiver with the crowd's energy, the sea of Orange, & Tiger's Roar over the loudspeakers. One of the 1st place I wanted to go after being in Iraqi was Death Valley. Death Valley's mystique & allure did not disappoint. It was good to be home.

For those folks hating on Death Valley because your team lost to us, man up & keep your rude comments that have no relevence to yourself. For LSU fans, imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery, right? Take the complement. I've been to BOTH. Clemson Death Valley is louder. Maybe there needs to be a scale at both stadiums to record, once & for all, who the loudest is.

Looking forward to LSUs chicken fry when they play USC on the 29th. Go (Geaux) Tigers!

Great Stadium and Fans been to many LSU games and can definitely get louder than tiger stadium.
"In the 2005 season, Clemson's Memorial Stadium, commonly known as Death Valley," reached an astounding 126 decibels when a packed crowd of 77,381 fans observed a Charles Bennett sack of QB Kyle Wright during the Clemson Tigers' 3 OT heartbreaker against the Miami Hurricanes. This level easily surpassed the old record of 121 decibels set by LSU fans in Tiger Stadium, which holds 91,600. "

I am a huge Clemson fan, and i love DEATH VALLEY i went to my first game last year. (NC STATE) and event hough it wasnt a very important game, it was loud! i loved it, and no i am not being biased because i have been to about 10-15 Carolina Panthers games and i love it but its just not the same. and no i cannot judge it to other College Stadiums because i havent been to any other College game but I love Clemson because of the Wonderful lake, trees and mountains. the campus is wonderful, tailgating is great and i cant wait until i go to the Wake Forest - Clemson game this year!!

1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 C-L-E-M-S-O-N! T-I-G-E-R-S! Tigers, Tigers, Fight, Fight, Fight!

Frank Howard Field on a saturday afternoon. There is no other place to be. The sound of Tiger Band coming over the hill, The Thunder of the Cannon as You witness the most exciting thirty seconds in College Football.

Memorial Stadium Sucks! The Swamp is the loudest stadium, with the best atmosphere.

great place to watch a game... Worst fans..were incredibly ugly to me, my wife, and kids. A great campus..just wish I'd not been threatened for no reason other than being a visiting fan.

Traffic is a nightmare and the place is in the middle of nowhere. The best entertainment is 1) watching players rub a stupid rock, and 2) watching a bunch of PO'ed redencks throw beer bottles at the opposing team.

My favorite place to see a college football game! Clemson, SC is God's country plain and simple. The gameday atmosphere can't be beat. The fans are courteous, the scenery is beautiful, and the tailgating is like something you have never seen. No comparison!

I attended my first college football game here as a kid. Great memories...

Great atmosphere. Hills,a lake,and real saturday afternoon FOOTBALL!!!

Pretty good stadium and fans for an ACC school. Fans are top notch and the only stadiums louder are a few of the SEC and Big XII state schools. Clemson should be proud of their well deserved reputation of being a tough place to play.

A dump...pure and simple.

Awesome stadium - DEFINATELY best in the ACC - most tradition, best fans, nice structure - BEST ATMOSPHERE ALL AROUND! As a Florida State student, I can honestly say it was the loudest place I have ever been - MUCH louder than "The Swamp."

AWESOME stadium...i went to my first Clemson game this year (my senior year)...as i was searching for colleges...I live in Baton Rouge, so I never had a doubt that I wanted to go to LSU, but my parents told me to look around...and Clemson got my attention...the campus is beautiful, but the football stadium!?!?! ALL THE ORANGE, THE NOISE, ITS BREATHTAKING! I have been to PLENTY of LSU games, and let me tell you, I LOVE my LSU tigers, but the title of DEATH VALLEY has to "GEAUX" to CLEMSON! Can't wait to move to South Carolina and attend a university with such great tradition!

It sucks! Clemson is gay.

a orange joke. They suck.

What a frickin' JOKE!

Gay.....very gay fans.

Of all the stadiums I've been to, this is probably the absolute loudest of them all. The fans get progressively louder as the Tigers move towards a touchdown or are beat back to their end zone, regardless of the score. The sight of the stadium is as startling as the noise that comes from within it. On game day, the seats are almost entirely Orange, Purple, and White. Pre-game pageantry is absolutely killer, complete with explosions, music, a staggering amount of noise, and a loved and supported team.

I'm a Texas A&M fan, so I was pissed when Clemson beat them. However, watching A&M play at Clemson was awesome. The tiger faithful proved to everyone that they can be just as loud as any school in the nation (except Texas A&M, obviously). Fantastic place to watch college football.

Florida, Tennessee, Ohio State, Michigan, etc. all are very huge and very loud but Clemson has so many intimidating factors that play in with the rateitall.com #2 college football stadium. Clemson never runs down the hill until the opposing team has entered the field, that would be so intimidating, fans that are less than 15 feet away is intimidating. When you arrive at Clemson there is always something about seeing that stadium that sends chills down your spine. I was riding in the car taking some Georgia fans to a game at Clemson and an 11 year old kid which was in the car said I wonder why they call it Death Valley and when he saw it he was speechless. A sportsmagazine went around the country to notable football campuses and asked a simple question to some of the students and football fans: What school do you think of when you hear the word Death Valley? 12 of the 15 schools said Clemson (Included Southern Cal, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Nebraska) Maybe because Tiger Stadium is used just as often for LSU's stadium as Death Valley and maybe Clemson deserves the name Death Valley because they have a better winning percentage at home and Clemson's stadium is actually in a VALLEY. Also, about LSU, on their official website, on the facilities page it says to get a link to the football stadium info, it said Tiger Stadium, on the other hand Clemson's official website says Death Valley, come on if your own school doesn't refer to your stadium as Death Valley then don't call it Death Valley. If you have never seen a game at Clemson in person then you shouldn't rate this at all. A word for yall nogamecocks or lamecocks (which ever you prefer), if you can't beat us on the field, don't try to beat us up ;). Because yall suck at that too. Here is a quote from CHris Rix after the 2001 gome in Death Valley: Florida was loud in the Swamp. But, the loudest, not only the stadium, but the lousest place I, have ever been around in my life was Death Valley. I was yelling at the top of my lungs and I couldn't even hear what I was saying. The place was unreal how lound it was. I don't I will ever be in a louder place than Clemson." Ok, this is an update, since going to the Miami-Clemson game this year I can't believe how loud it was. 124 Decibels, I talked to Larry Coker after the game on the field and he said The Swamp was loud, Clemson is deafening. Fans and players alike said the same thing, if you were privilged enough to see the game on television it underestimated how loud it was. For once this is not a hyperbole (exaggeration): you couldnt hear yourself yell. Sorry LSU, Texas A&M, Florida, Ohio State, etc. Clemson is just louder. Do this stadium some justice and rate rationally not biasedly. I also only rate stadiums that I have been to.

I've been to many other pro and college football stadiums (Bank of America, Williams Brice, Tiger Stadium(LSU), Doak Campbell, The Swamp, ets..), but I've never experienced anything like what I did when I saw FSU vs. Clemson in 2003. That atmosphere and noise is amazing.

Awesome stadium

Very loud and nice stadium. The running of the hill is one of the great traditions in college football

Death Valley thats right its dead as the team.

Upper deck is way to big, gaps behind endzones makes it very dull ( why couldn't they just make some bleachers behind the endzones instead of making space deck section 944?) Big boring and the same as every other big boring stadium.

What a dump!

A nice rural campus. But the stadium doesn't live up to its reputation. It's not very loud and the bathrooms are bad even for stadium standards. Most people were nice but many were not as we walked to the stadium.

NEVER HAVE BEEN DO NOT EVER CARE TO GO. BOBBY BOWDEN WANT TO BE'S

B/c Clemson sux! GO GAMECOCKS!!!!

Great fans, but the Stadium itself blows. Exactly what you would expect from a bunch of coots.

It sucks just like the team who plays there. Everybody knows the tigers really do suck!

Freaking stupid design that is totally unsafe for the Mount Everest climb getting to your seats high up in the second deck...this is a case that SIZE DOES MATTER personified....why have seats so high that you can't even see a players number! Dumb....but great fans!

The gameday atmosphere around Clemson is great, the trees are colorful in the fall, there are places for parking and tailgating, and most Clemson fans are very friendly, win or lose. Unfortunately, the stadium is too steep and you'll cook if in the direct sunlight.

Great stadium and tailgating. Great fans who are friendly. They need a new long snapper though. =]

Clemson's atmosphere is fantastic. Perfect college setting & enthusiastic fans...coming from a GT fan.

I am first a Clemson fan - so there is bias. BUT, I have attended college football games all over the country. I have been to the Swamp in Florida, the Big House in Michigan (very disappointed in lack of noise with all those people - too much wine and cheese), I have been the Happy Valley, the Horseshoe, Carter-Finley (surprising loud given the relative small number of fans), Keenan Stadium, Wake Forest, Texas, Williams-Brice (hate to say this, but as long as the lamecocks are in the game - which is not much - they can get very loud) and some others of 1A, 1AA and small college ranks. Based on this, I can provide a good comparison. Clemson is picturesque, loud, has great traditions and visiting fan friendliness. I agree with some of the comments that it was louder in the 80's when we were a power in college football - but it is still very intimidating for opponents to play in. It is the best I have been to - although the Swamp will rate a close second with Williams-Brice 3rd (in close or otherwise competetive games being played). The Valley has The Rock and The Hill - no one else can match the traditions when coupled together. I do believe research will prove out that Clemson's Death Valley was named by a visiting coach and stuck much earlier than the LSU version. Both schools are proud of setting off seismic vibrations to the level of small earthquakes during big games. I have never been to the LSU Valley but would love to go to do a comparison - but, all in all, Clemson has them on tradition, name and noise. As for fight songs, Clemson's IS Tiger Rag and only Tiger Rag since the 40's - which ends that discussion. So add music to the list. Finally, research on the internet will show that most people refer to Clemson's venue as Death Valley while most refer to LSU's venue as Tiger Stadium. End of discussion. Go Tigers! (those of Orange of course)

Death Valley at Clemson is definitely an imposing stadium size wise. The facility is beautiful with a lot of seats and a great view. That being said, I went to the Clemson NC State game there this yr and I was disappointed with how loud it was. Im a Virginia Tech student and I went to every away game this yr and I can safely say Georgia Tech was louder than Clemson. I was cheering for clemson and every time I yelled to try to throw off NCSU's offense, everyoen stared at me like I was stupid. I was also asked to sit down at one point in the game. Awesome stadium. Disappointing fans.

My daughter, who is a Clemson student, and I attended our first Clemson game last season. Even though I am a graduate of Virginia Tech, I was adopted by the fans and we all had a great time. The atmosphere was wonderful, the fans were excellent and we had a great view. I plan to make Clemson games a family tradition far into the future.

No atmosphere, no fans, no team.

What's the arguement here? Clemson is the Original Death Valley. You idiots from LSwho don't even know your stadium used to be Deaf Valley.

day games are ok ...but night games are better at clemson.

Great fans .Horrible sight lines and distant upper deck seating.Traffic is a mess..Great game day experience

All you dumb drunk cajuns stick to using your computers as porn boxes and come to the realization that Memorial Stadium is the finest in the land.

Nice that it is on the river, but Its not Death Vally. Was better in the 80's but times are changing and Clemson is not for the better. The Rock and hill is nice, but I thought it would be louder there I was not impressed.

GEAUX TIGERS!! LSU is better than Clemson any day. So what, you may have aquired the name Death Valley from another coach- from another school just because they always ended up losing an average of 90% of the time they played Clemson. The school was horrible to begin with anyway. The only Death that Clemson should be recognized for is the death of their football program- and the death is self-inflicted. GO LSU!!!

The tradition of Clemson is like nothing I have ever seen. Running down the hill, howards rock, rusjing the field, and many more are what make tis college football stadium one of the elite. Another thing for all of America to think about, this years upcoming season opener against Texas A&M was asked to be televised on a Sunday by ABC Sports. The Clemson Athlectic director said NO because of church. Now that is awesome, national television on SUNDAY, no other college games on, 1:30 kickoff for the whole Nation to see and the southern way of Christianity is shown. Thank you Terry Don Phillips for showing Clemson's way of life. Even though it will be on at night televised by ESPN anyway on Saturday and Gameday crew will be in Clemson for the first time ever. Nothing is like the passion and history of clemson fans and its stadium. They are loud proud and r full of tradition. I was at the GT in 2004 and clemson lost in the closing sec. of the game. Myself and hundreds of other clemson fans i saw were crying. NOW THAT IS PASSION.

Please, PLEASE stop it! Yes, it is a big stadium, and yes it's set with a nice back drop, but honestly leave the rest alone. For all you yokles that seem to think Clemson is the real Death Vally, tiger rag is your song, and the Pride of the Southland is your band think again. I believe LSU's named it's stadium Death Valley first, Tiger Rag wasn't origionally written for or by you (It's an old Dixie Land one), and Tennessee's band is known as the Pride of the Southland (a much older, and prestegious ensemble). The stadium itself looks like a high school stadium on roids. And, oh what faithful fans Clemson has. I believe I saw a LOT of aluminium during this year's streak of consecutive loses. Didn't really see much of that color when other teams went on longer losing streaks. As for the Clemson's pregame I like to call it, The most forgetable 25 seconds in College Football. Why, because it starts and is over before anyone knows what just happened, no build up, no nothing. And lastly, let me point to the Classiness of Clemson fans. I ask anyone out there to view the 2002 Carolina at Clemson game....you'll notice 3 inflatiable penises bouncing around the home stands.

Nothing is closer to heaven than Clemson, SC on Saturday's throughout the fall. The atmosphere is perfect! This small town in the SC foothills fills with orange as all the tiger fans tailgate and walk downtown, enjoying every moment. Then they head to the valley, where soon the tigers will storm down the hill, beginning a deafening roar for the following three hours. This town, campus, and fans continue each season with the traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation...CLEMSON FOOTBALL! That's what makes the real Death Valley by far the best stadium in college football!

O my God you Clemson fans or a joke. Lets stick with the facts, in 1998 Sport Magazin said LSU is the most feared playing spot in America, in 1996 ESPN named LSU's pregame party the best in all America, and just recently Sporting News ranked LSU as the 6th best college stadium in America. So just read the facts and currently lsu stadium is undergoing a 60 million dollar remodeling phase. So come on we all know who deserves the name 'Death Valley

I can't believe this is the number one stadium. It's a great place to see a game, but it's a concrete mid 1900's design that has produced eye sores all over school campuses. They however hide it well with lots of pretty trees flowers and the valley it sits in, and the mountains are nice in the background. Also great student tradition of greeting the players as they run down the hill. Stadium is also right in the heart of campus.

Great place to watch football. Beautiful setting, great tradition. I'm an Alabama fan but love watching games in the REAL Death Valley!

i absolutely dispise this arena

This stadium is just ok. When you go to a game at Kyle Field at Texas A&M or a game at LSU you will understand.

Clemson fans, you need to visit LSU stadium just once and this argument will be forever settled. No comparison! Also, look at who dubbed your stadium death valley -Oooooh! I think it was that powerful and football famous Presbyterian College. Gee Whiz! A good high school team would feel like death valley to Presbyterian College. Instead, just ask famous coaches and players if they would rather play in Memorial or LSU Stadium. Therein lies the real answer! No doubt Tiger Stadium reigns as the true Death Valley Sorry Clemson.

Sure LSU may be called Death Valley as well, but two things stand out, that in my mind, make Clemson University the REAL Death Valley: 1. LSU doesn't have a piece of Death Valley, CA at its stadium 2. LSU's winning record at home is HARDLY good enough to call its stadium Death Valley...sure, they win a lot of games at night, but if you check out their win record during the day time or overall at home, Clemson takes cake AND the title of Death Valley. Long live the Clemson Tigers!

Not bad, but a lot of dumb imbread hicks at the games. Most are hopped up on moonshine, so don't cross them!