Photos by Aaron S. Terry, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57
Knight Stadium
Buena Vista, VA 24416
Year Opened: 2017
Capacity: 1,000
Knights of the Virginia Table
Southern Virginia football’s Knight Stadium is not large by any means, but it has some modern touches that many sports facilities its size cannot boast. The facility is also used by the school’s lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer teams and boasts a wide concourse, a fabulous statue of a knight on horseback, and a decent concessions menu – the only modern touch lacking is a video scoreboard.
Food & Beverage 3
The food & beverage menu at the concession stand here is not wide, but it does have plenty of options to get you through a game. The burgers are quite tasty despite being pre-made, which makes them able to be served over to you in seconds – they come wrapped in aluminum foil, and there is no loss of flavor whatsoever from being made in advance. Both hamburgers and cheeseburgers are available for the same cost of $5.
Besides the burgers, you can find hot dogs for $3 and chicken tenders (with fries) for $7, along with fries by themselves, nachos, popcorn, chips, and candy, all ranging from $2.50 (chips) to $5 (nachos w/ chili & cheese). There are also bottled Dr Pepper and Pepsi products for $3.50 or bottled water for $3. While there is nothing over the top, the prices are good, and there are more than enough options.
Atmosphere 3
While there is no mascot here, there is a great statue on the concourse of a knight with an exceedingly long lance, shining in the sun due to the material it is made from. You will also find a few fans sitting on its base during the game to get a little shade.
The Knights do have a small band that performs during the game, and at half-time, fans are also entertained by the school’s dance team, which, for some games, is joined by junior dancers (little kids) from the local area. There is also a small team gear tent on the concourse near the concession stand.
While there aren’t any other amenities to speak of, the stadium still feels new, and the scenery of the nearby hills is quite nice.
Neighborhood 2
Buena Vista is located in what might be called a small valley nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains – there are a few fast food restaurants and pizza places in town, but no hotels or major attractions to speak of unless you travel about 10 miles to the west, along the I-81 corridor. You will have to travel along some winding mountain roads to get here, and you will feel how rural it is.
In terms of attractions, there are some scenic overlooks nearby and, of course, hiking trails through the Blue Ridge Mountains, but not a lot else to do if you come in for the day or the weekend. You might check the school’s other sports schedules, however, to see if you can take in another game while you are in town.
Fans 2
There aren’t a lot of fans here, but they are very nice, and you will see a lot of them in team gear. They tend to cheer loudly at the right times and seem to be enjoying themselves, even if the score is not exactly going their way.
Access 3
I will start with a couple of positives in terms of access – first, you can park right next to the field, second, you can sit wherever you want, and third, there is plenty of room to move around the concourse. When you arrive, the parking attendant will ask if you are there for the home or visiting team; if you say visiting team, you will have to park a little further away, but it is not a long walk, while if you say home team, you can park right next to the stadium.
And since they don’t sell tickets (at least they didn’t when I was there last), you can sit wherever you want, even in the few rows of chairback seats in the upper middle part of the stands. The chairbacks are a nice option, as they are more comfortable than sitting on the metal bleachers, and they also get a little more shade, being in the shadows of the press box.
As for the negatives, the parking next to the stadium is on pock-marked grass, not real cement nor asphalt, so it can be a little rough on your car – an SUV would come in handy here. Also, the fact that Buena Vista is a little off the beaten path means that Southern Virginia football isn’t the easiest sporting event to get to.
Return on Investment 3
On my most recent visit, I paid $20 for parking, which seems high, but I didn’t have to pay for a game ticket either – I think this is an interesting strategy, and I wonder if a per-car approach to payment might be a good idea for other schools to adopt. It certainly makes it easier in terms of logistics since it eliminates lines at the gate and would create more of a bargain for those willing to carpool.
On the downside, the lack of a video board means you can’t watch the replays if you happen to miss something, so I am a little torn – it is a nice facility, being only a few years old, and you can get really close to the action here, but there isn’t much in the way of amenities. Therefore, Knight Stadium may be one you save for when your team is playing in Buena Vista.
Extras 2
Except for the statue of the knight, there aren’t really any amenities to speak of – they do have the band and dance team, which is nice, but no giveaways or contests on the field as you might see at other sporting events.
Final Thoughts
Attending a Southern Virginia football game at Knight Stadium is a pleasant enough experience, but it is more about the game on the field than the other festivities you might be used to at a sporting event. Still, it won’t cost you a lot, and the scenery is very nice, so coming to Buena Vista isn’t a bad way to spend an afternoon.
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