Texas A&M has an okay basketball tradition. And that comes to light in this Reed Arena review. The venue is a perfectly acceptable place to watch a game. But there is nothing memorable or exciting about it whatsoever.
This is pretty common among college basketball arenas built between 1975 and 2000. They don’t have the history to make them unique and lack the bells and whistles of modern buildings. As we mentioned in our Thomas & Mack Center review, these places exist, but you can’t say much more than that.
That being said, Reed Arena is fractionally nicer than UNLV’s home. It has a little more character and doesn’t look out of place in the SEC. It can get rowdy during big games and the layout is solid. Most seats feel close to court.
Perhaps the most interesting thing to note is just how intimate the Aggies’ homecourt feels. The capacity is a tad under 13,000 but it doesn’t seem that big. That’s a positive when compared to the likes of Washington State’s Beasley Coliseum which seats fewer people but seems cavernous.
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From a logistical standpoint getting to Reed Arena is easy and there is plenty of parking around the stadium. Most lots are $5 which is a bonus. There are a bunch of really generic concession stands all along the concourse.
If you go during a meaningless non-conference game, the seating is pretty open. But perhaps the best thing is that 10-minutes after the game finishes, they will let people mingle and take photos on the court. That was much cooler than seeing Texas A&M squeak past UL Monroe in a contest that I might be the only person to remember.
Reed Arena review score: 5.5
Reed Arena isn’t bad. But the best part of visiting was being able to walk on the court after the game ended. Everything else was just sort of there. No amount of Alex Caruso or Acie Law IV memorabilia along the concourse changes that fact.
Don’t take our Reed Arena review as negative. It’s really not. This is an okay place to watch basketball. However, there is this isn’t a stadium that needs to be on your bucket list. If you do go, be sure to stop by J. Cody’s Steak and Barbeque when in College Station. They have some damn fine brisket and unlimited side.
