Best Athletic Facilities in the SEC

by Joe Restivo

The SEC is considered the best college football conference in the nation, and with good reason. Coach Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide has won three of the past four BCS National Championships, with Auburn and Cam Newton winning the other one. With winning comes perks, such as state-of-the-art athletic facilities. The better the facilities, the better chance of attracting the top recruits to a university. For teams to be competitive in the SEC, they need to have athletic facilities on par with many NFL teams. Two programs that have great facilities in college athletics are the University of Alabama and the University of Tennessee.

The Tide of Alabama has what is considered to be the best athletic facilities in the conference. Football rules in Tuscaloosa, and that is never more evident than the money invested in the athletic facilities. Between the changes made to Bryant-Denny Stadium and the Moore Athletic Facility, the fan and player experience has become even more memorable. Home to the athletic administration and football coaches, nothing is too good for Alabama athletics. Housing locker rooms most NFL teams would envy, it also has modern weight and training rooms for athletes. The weight room, measuring 8,400 square feet, contains the latest weight and conditioning equipment. Press conferences and meetings can be held in the Naylor Stone Media Room, allowing for an all-in-one experience.

The Volunteers of the University of Tennessee are right back in the mix when it comes to athletic facilities. Rocky Top has renovated Neyland Stadium, and is ready to move into a brand-new $45 million football facility at the start of this coming season. Along with their fabulous indoor practice facility, it is the features of the new football facility that have teams in and out of the SEC drooling with envy. Players and coaches who need a bite to eat after a hard practice or tough game can dine in restaurant facilities, which comes complete with almost anything to satisfy a hungry athlete. With the popularity of MMA at an all-time high, many athletic teams have started incorporating martial arts training in with other conditioning programs. Because of this, the Volunteers built a mixed martial arts cage inside their training facilities. The locker rooms are both stunning and functional for players. To satisfy players who have all the latest tech gadgets, each locker room cubicle will have a recharging station for phones and other devices.

As standards become higher for all athletic programs, universities need to have the best facilities to attract the top players and continue their winning ways. Both the Crimson Tide and Volunteers have programs steeped in tradition, and are willing to go the extra mile to achieve success.

This content was contributed by Patterson Pope, an industry supplier of stainless steel lockers for athletic facilities across the country.