Is there anything quite like watching Duke play in Cameron? Even for those contrarians among us who shun the thought of wasting a day waiting in line, consider most line monitors to be power-tripping and, on spotting another overzealous undergrad squatting in a lawn chair days before tip-off, churn with anger and frustration, even they cannot resist the magic of a home game.
It’s the atmosphere. No other sport’s venue quite matches up to Cameron in this crucial category. And while every Dick Vitale broadcast affirms the banality of such sentiments, Cameron is to be experienced, not explained. Yet, this begs a question: Is there a best way to experience Cameron? To give a simple answer, yes.
Although Cameron’s builders may appear egalitarian by having unknowingly outlawed luxury boxes through their humble design, all seats were not created equal. Unverified and most certainly
subjective, what follows is an assessment of the best and worst seating sections in the building.
The Student Section
Most ratings probably start off with the best or build their way up from the worst; here, we’ll start off with the most famous. The student section (and by student section we mean the sideline stand reserved for undergraduates) rates near the best place to watch Duke take on their foes. However, an individual’s affinity for this area hinges on their personal level and/or tolerance of so-called “craziness.” Proximity to court and overall view are usually outstanding, depending on your relative size to those crammed on all sides of you, but the price comes in comfort. For the more passive observer, the loud, pugnacious, irritably bouncy and endearingly oddball students that, depending on the time of year, most likely have forgone decent standards of hygiene by camping out to secure these very spots where they jump and sweat twice a week, make this the last place such a patron would want to watch.
Grad Section
Each rectangular block that sits behind the baskets provides a close-up look for about half the game. The other half of the time, all the action is on the far end of the court—not the most ideal set up, but not the worst way to watch a game either. It’s kind of like when TV broadcasts switch to those annoying artistic angles: It’s cool for a second, but then it just becomes annoying. The crowd’s conduct strictly dictates standing throughout the game, and, as if to make up for time lost rooting for teams of lesser institutions, the grad crazies seem thoroughly intent on outdoing themselves in their spirited hijinks. The costumes and rituals you may be subject to by sitting in these sections range from the quirky and creative, to the overly enthusiastic, to the flat out weird—case in point being a particular grad who’s choreographed his own dance, complete with illustrative hand movements, to the pep band’s rendition of “Break Your Heart”. Constant lip-biting and general embarrassment are the hidden discomforts of this section.
The Upper Bowl
If the upper deck is the worst Cameron offers in the way of seating, then you really can’t go too wrong, expect for a few notable seats in the top corners. Cameron, somewhat famously, is an incredibly small stadium, but these scant perches do their best to make it feel bigger. But if you happen to sit there, a select portion of these already undesirable seats come with an obstructed view. In those cases, you must crane your neck to follow the ball as it moves down the court. But all in all, the upper deck generally provides high-quality viewing, particularly on the sides, plus the rare advantage of a seat with a back support. Besides, the true stress for all Duke faithful is trying to get in in the first place.
The Non-TV Side
The side of Cameron the broadcast world never sees is also the best place you could hope to watch a game. Tucked in with the notables of the audience—celebrities, basketball recruits, NBA stars and their wives—and removed from the sporadically synchronized mass across the court from you, you can appreciate the Crazies’ antics without taking part in accidental contact with the pungent, paint-smeared person in front of you. Sitting is also possible and standard practice with the aid of plush, Duke-blue padding placed over the 60-year-old benches—lap of luxury indeed! Once again the view is superb: You’re close enough to the action to pretend to be an out-of-shape, talentless and hopelessly short benchwarmer that never has to worry about being subbed in.
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