UW-River Falls was not notably a great football team for a long, long time. They also weren't a powerhouse until the last few years. They were typically an also-ran and a practical easy W on the schedule for a lot of teams. Something happened after the time of the pandemic. River Falls became a very, very good football team. Sometimes that happens, and one coach helped changed that mindset as the Falcons kept winning and winning. Matt Walker changed the trajectory of this program, one that led to a major job at Drake (good luck to him sincerely, even if I am a Warhawk fan). The reason I bring all this up, is during their darling run to being NCAA champs last year, I was able to attend the game they became WIAC champs, a demolishing of UW-La Crosse led by the Top Gun offense that amassed nearly 600 yards a game. With that, how did I rate Ramer Field? Let's look below!
Amenities:
A large food stand behind the main grandstand is what is introduced to you right away. As you walk around the stadium, another stand, this for the adult drinks is provided and their is some sort of VIP/booster area which not many stadiums had featured which is honestly pretty neat. This stadium is WIDE, like many people side by side wide, which makes it very nice to just walk around. The bathrooms, pretty alright honestly, no major lines even with the near sellout crowds that Ramer Field likely accustomed themselves to the last couple of years. All in all, 5 out of 5.
Atmosphere:
This is an easy one, a major matchup of two top ten teams in the WIAC, conference title hopes that were happening. The crowd was jazzed all day long as they were reveling in this run of success and that run ultimately led to a national championship. Even if the weather was cold, the fans were energetic and it was a blast to be around. Definitely a 5 out of 5 atmosphere. I desperately hope that even though Coach Walker moved on that UW-RF is a solid program still and the atmosphere stays great.
Location:
It is on the outskirt of campus but it is with the other athletic facilities. Sometimes that happens with these D3 colleges. I do note it is on campus and there are a few things nearby and it is close enough to downtown to warrant a solid rating. 3.5 out of 5 overall.
Price/Quality:
The burger I had was decent, and they had Coca-Cola products here. The alcoholic drinks are pricey if you go, but then again most places are so.. you get what you pay for there. I forget what the ticket cost but that's fine considering the high level of football played. Parking while free is kind of a nightmare to deal with. There wasn't a sign saying the main lot was full, so it took a lot of patience going in and out, then going across the street, which doesn't seem like a fully safe street. I'll have to knock it for that. 4 out of 5.
Review:
Ramer Field is a very top of the line D3 stadium by 2025 standards. I do want to observe the Post-Coach Walker era to see how they keep their team going, if it is still a strong unit or if there is a significant drop off. All in all though, on my visit, it was a very awesome atmosphere and the Falcons and their staff and fans deserve this solid 17.5.
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