Photos by Gregory Koch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
McDonough Arena 37th Street NW Washington, DC 20007
Year Opened: 1951
Capacity: 2,500
A Visit to McDonough
McDonough Arena is located on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and is the home to the Hoyas’ volleyball team as well as the women’s basketball team. Previously, it was home to Georgetown's men's basketball team as well, but in 1981, they moved to the Capital Centre in Landover, and later, to Capital One Arena in downtown DC. Stadium Journey has a separate review about the women's basketball experience here, while this review will focus on the experience at a Georgetown volleyball game.
Rather confusingly, the event space where basketball and volleyball are played is called McDonough Arena, while the whole building, which also includes training facilities and offices, is called McDonough Gymnasium.
Food & Beverage 2
There is one concession stand at McDonough Arena, located at a small window off the lobby to the right side of the main doors. The menu options here are pretty basic. Hot dogs, chips, and candy are basically the only foods, while bottled soft drinks and water are available as well. Prices are reasonable, with nothing costing more than a few dollars, and cash and credit cards are accepted. The concession stand usually sells additional options for women's basketball, such as chicken tenders and burgers, so these may be available for volleyball games from time to time as well.
Atmosphere 3
Walking through the front doors of McDonough Gymnasium will put you in the lobby of the building, from which you can check out trophy cases commemorating various athletic accomplishments. The Thompson Center will be down a hall to your right, with additional athletics displays, while the doors to the arena will be straight ahead. There is no need to buy a ticket for volleyball, so you can just walk straight in.
All seating is located on the two sidelines and consists of beige risers without backs. However, fans who sit in the top row can lean against the wall. Since a volleyball court is not as long as a basketball court, the bleachers at the ends of the arena will be outside the bounds of the playing area. You can sit here if you want, but be prepared to have your head turned to the side for the whole match. Needless to say, most fans choose to sit in the center sections, and there is plenty of space here for everybody.
There is an overhead scoreboard above the middle of the floor, as well as two smaller scoreboards in the corners. All scoreboards are rather basic and show the score of the current set. The overhead scoreboard also shows the number of sets won for each team, in the space that is dually labeled as "Fouls" and "Score".
This is a pretty basic experience, with not much going on here other than the game itself. The starting lineups are announced before the game, and the PA announcer will announce substitutes and servers, but that is pretty much it. Even for coach's challenges and video reviews, you're basically on your own to figure out what is going on.
Neighborhood 5
McDonough Arena is located in the middle of the Georgetown campus, and you’ll probably have to head off campus to do anything. However, the Georgetown neighborhood (which lends its name to the school, not the other way around) is one of the best in D.C. There are numerous restaurants ranging from casual sandwich shop Booeymonger’s to luxurious upscale restaurants such as 1789, and everything in between.
Georgetown Cupcake sells exactly what its name implies, Clyde's of Georgetown is a locally popular American pub and bar, and Chaia is known for its fancy vegetarian and vegan tacos. All of this is located just a short walk or drive away from the University.
If you’re willing to head downtown to the National Mall area, the District has so much more to offer, and the best part is that most of it is free. Whether it’s taking in the sights and monuments on the Mall itself, or visiting one of the many museums such as the various Smithsonians, there’s something for everyone. All of the government-run attractions are free, but some of the private ones are not. Just keep in mind if you wish to tour the White House or Capitol, you will need to book in advance.
Fans 3
Georgetown draws a couple hundred fans to a typical volleyball game, both friends and family of the players and members of the local community. As mentioned above, most fans sit in the center bleachers rather than off to the sides, so this allows them to consolidate the crowd energy and noise. It can get loud in here at times, such as during long rallies or when Georgetown scores a point in a phenomenal fashion, but there simply aren't enough fans to make that big of a difference. McDonough Arena does have low ceilings, so that helps trap in the crowd noise.
Access 4
The Georgetown campus is located just across the Francis Scott Key Bridge from Virginia. Fans coming from that direction should turn left on Canal Road after coming across the river, and the campus is just up ahead after that. Coming from Maryland isn’t quite as easy, but still is pretty simple. Most games are played on Friday nights or weekends, allowing you to avoid the worst of DC rush hour traffic. Still, if coming to a Friday night game, allow extra time.
Once you’re on campus, parking is available in the Southwest Garage. There is ample space available, but some of the spaces may be tight, especially for drivers of larger vehicles. Parking is free on Sundays but is $5 hour, up to a total of $25, the rest of the week.
You can then enter through the front doors of the John Thompson Athletic Center, the training facility attached to McDonough Gymnasium, and walk through there to get to the arena lobby. The Thompson Center entrance is right next to where you come out of the garage, assuming you use the right elevator. Alternatively, you can walk around the building exterior to the front doors of the arena and enter through there. Either way, it is only a couple minutes of walking. Take your garage ticket with you and pay at the station in the elevator lobby when you return.
Restrooms are available in the lobby, with the men's room to one side of the arena doors and the women's room to the other side. You will need to leave the arena properly to access them but will be allowed back in without an issue.
Return on Investment 4
Admission to a Georgetown volleyball game is free, and concessions are affordable as well. However, the high cost of parking drives this score down. You can park for free on Sundays, so try to go to a game that day to maximize your value.
Extras 2
Be sure to check out the various trophy cases in the lobby honoring not just Georgetown’s volleyball achievements, but their championships in other sports as well. Once inside the arena itself, be sure to check out the banners honoring Georgetown achievements in volleyball and men's and women's basketball.
Final Thoughts
McDonough Arena is a historic gym that, like many old college basketball arenas, is still used for volleyball. A Hoyas volleyball game is a pretty simple experience, but it's hard to argue with free admission, and you will definitely want to check out all the history while you are here.
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