Williams Arena — Attraction in Minneapolis

Great place to watch basketball. The historic building has been refurbished with modern multimedia amenities but they’ve maintained the old-school charm of the original structure. Sight lines are great throughout the lower bowl and in the upper deck. You never feel very far away from the action. Concession stands can get cramped at well attended games because of the older construction style - the concourses can also get quite crowded. The same can be true for the bathrooms as well. Every staff member we encountered was cheerful and friendly.

Nonetheless, since it feels like you’re stepping back in time, I feel like the charm of the old place overshadows its...

A rustic arena, modernized where possible, that harkens to the days of universities constructing unique structures to host college athletics. The Barn is truly one of a kind for its atmosphere; the fans in the upper deck seem to hang over the floor, the raised court provides a performance stage whose quirks can befuddle opposing players, the background behind the baskets plays tricks with players' depth perception, and the concourses and stairwells can seem labyrinthine. It is a building reviled by opposing fans, but one that provides the Gophers a...

An elevated basketball floor that the visitors hate. Gophers also not keen on it when they're flying out of bounds trying to save a basketball or occasional volleyball. But the Barn is a superb, boisterous venue. The Pav is also cool. A great place to see volleyball. Opposing teams are shocked when they come in and it's jam-packed. Both the Barn and Pav have a few bad obstructed-view seats. Unless you are familiar with them, I don't recommend trying to save a few bucks for those seats. Otherwise, the views are good...