City: Richmond, VA

Category: Spectator Sports

Description: Fielding 19 NCAA Division I athletic teams means the University of Richmond always competes against somebody somewhere. The 2010 football season marks the first time that the Spiders will play their football games on campus at the brand-new $25 million, 8,700-seat Robins Stadium, leaving City Stadium near Carytown behind for the more handsome West End digs. It’s likely the stands will fill up fast at this smaller, classy-looking, brick-detailed stadium, as the team, under new head coach Latrell Scott, hopes to build on its recent successes. It will be hard to beat the 2008 season that culminated with the team winning the 2008 Football Championship Subdivision (and running back Tim Hightower being drafted by the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals), but the Spiders will try. Richmond competes in the Colonial Athletic Association in football, so games against William & Mary and James Madison draw crowds of loyal alums for and against, with the requisite tailgating, bragging, and boasting. Season tickets cost $150, and single game tickets go on sale Aug 1. The 9,071-seat Robins Center is the home court of University of Richmond Spiders men’s basketball, who, under head coach Chris Mooney, compete in the Atlantic 10 conference. The team lost the A-10 championship in 2010 to Temple University, but received a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament. Nationally ranked as high as No. 23 in 2010, the Spiders expect to be a contender for years to come. Tickets for home games cost from $10 to $20, and kids age 12 and under get in free with a paying adult. For more information call the Robins Center Ticket Office at (877) SPIDER-1. The women’s basketball team hasn’t had quite as much success, but they often rate postseason play. During the regular season, tickets are $5 for every home game, so it’s a bargain for its devoted fans. There’s plenty of free parking around the Robins Center.