Image Credit: Zack Hample

See that guy in the photo with the buckets of baseballs? That's Zack Hample. Looks just like your ordinary baseball fan that you'd encounter in any 1 of the 30 Major League ballparks on any given night. But he's not just your average baseball fan. Far from it.

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The NHL has proven that outdoor hockey games are a winning idea. In fact, the outdoor games are perhaps part of the formula that has recently helped the NHL overthrow the NBA in terms of popularity in the United States. Hockey, after all, originated on frozen ponds where there were very few rules (hence, the fighting).

Image Credit: Stadium Journey

There used to be a time when sports fans stumbled into stadiums and arenas blindly. We knew very little about the Fenway Park's and the Madison Square Garden's of the world. Maybe we had seen Google images of them or knew only what we could see on TV. But we all had heard the countless stories told by our friends who had visited those places and our interests were stimulated. Those days of the unknown, my friends, are over. Founded in 2009, Ann Arbor native Paul Swaney has launched 'Stadium Journey' into the most comprehensive stadium review site on the web. Additionally, the website is complimented by a monthly magazine he also publishes including it's March installment of "Iconic Venues of College Basketball".

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Even if you're a casual sports fan or concert goer, you may have heard about the oncoming of 'paperless ticketing', a concept implemented primarily by ticket giant Ticketmaster. What exactly is paperless ticketing?

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Since joining the NBA in the fall of 2003, all eyes have been on Lebron James; the self proclaimed 'Chosen One'. Aside from his inability to win an NBA title until last night, he has been under constant criticism for little things he has done both on and off of the court.

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It has become common knowledge in the world of sports that new stadiums and arenas rarely yield the economic impact forecasted. Take for example, Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals which created a debt Cincinnati taxpayers will have looming over their heads for years to come. And although the city of Detroit still has a fragile economy, hockey town's Joe Louis Arena has began to show it's age after it's 33rd season.

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Many basketball franchises have begun to keep up with the Jones' when it comes to the need for a new arena and the Golden State Warriors are next on the list. By 2017, the Golden State Warriors will have a new arena located on the scenic San Francisco waterfront in a neighborhood known as Piers 30-32. The construction costs for the new arena are expected to range anywhere from $450 million to $500 million making it one of the most expensive arenas in the NBA. 

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Economists suggest that there is little evidence suggesting that the construction of sports venues create a positive impact on a city's economy. However, Seattle is choosing to ignore that theory and has finally reached an agreement on a new multi-purpose arena in the SODO section of town.

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May has been a historic month for the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes. Shortly before edging out the Nashville Predators for a Western Conference Final berth,  a well-credentialed businessman has agreed to purchase the franchise that filed for bankruptcy three short seasons ago.

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See how much money it cost to build your favorite NHL team's home arena. 

1. American Airlines Center - $420 (M)

2. Staples Center - $375 (M)

3. Prudential Center - $375 (M)

4. PPG Paints Arena - $321 (M)

5. Bell Centre - $270 (M)

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See how much money was spent on constructing your favorite Major League Ballpark. 

1. Yankee Stadium - $1.5 (B)

2. Citi Field - $900 (M)

3. Nationals Park - $611 (M)

4. Rogers Centre - $570 (M)

5. Marlins Park - $550 (M)

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See how much money was spent on constructing your favorite NBA arena. 

1. Barclays Center - $1+ (B)

2. Amway Center - $480 (M)

3. American Airlines Center - $420 (M)

4. Staples Center - $375 (M)

5. Air Canada Centre - $265 (M)

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NFL Stadiums. They're the largest venues in professional sports though they're structures are all very similar in dimension and capacity. Here is a list of the 31 NFL stadiums and their construction costs. See how much it cost to build your favorite football team's home stadium.

1. Metlife Stadium - $1.6 (B)

2. AT&T Stadium - $1.3 (B)

3. Lucas Oil Stadium -$720 (M)

4. Soldier Field - $632 (M)

5. Lincoln Financial Field - $512 (M)

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Cities like Seattle, Quebec City, Hartford, Hamilton and Long Island have long been pursuing funding to build a new hockey arena. Surprisingly, the newest NHL arena could be erected in a city that already has a franchise. The Toronto suburb of Markham has just approved the construction of a $300 million arena which may or may not lure an NHL franchise in the future.

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Few NFL fans are probably aware that the NFL Ticket Exchange is a formed partnership between the NFL and ticket giant Ticketmaster. Since it's founding in 2008, the partnership's profits have multiplied extensively. So much that the NHL ticket exchange has also been launched.

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Once upon a time, the only canine that could be found at a baseball stadium was Schottsie at Riverfront Stadium. Schottsie was the lovable Saint Bernard, owned by Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott. And back then, that was a pretty odd sight. No wait a minute, a goat at Wrigley Field...now that's an even odder sight.

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With the Minnesota State Legislative session nearing it's end, the Minnesota Vikings are homeless and in dire need of a new NFL stadium. Upon the expiration of the franchise's lease with the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome last season, the Vikings are expected to share TCF Bank Stadium with the University of Minnesota's Golden Gophers until a new stadium is constructed. 

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When browsing various forums and online help services, it became obvious to me that not every sports fan is hip to the online ticket resource StubHub. I say resource only because Stubhub is not a ticket broker. Founded in 2000 by two former Stanford MBAs, Stubhub is essentially the middle man marketplace between the ticket seller and the ticket buyer. 

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Cincinnati Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty once stated that to be successful in baseball, a team must have a core group of players and then you add to the mix free agents and minor league prospects. Within the past two weeks, the former St. Louis Cardinals GM is making it obvious just who the Reds consider their core. After outfielder Jay Bruce's contract was extended thru 2016 last year, Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips will now both likely play in Cincinnati for the rest of their careers. 

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When hedge fund guru and Seattle native Chris Hansen expressed his plans to bring two additional sports franchises to Seattle, the city was filled with excitement. Hansen's group of investors would foot most of the bill for the construction of a new multi-use arena while the city would contribute it's share.