Power Ranking the 15 Best Playoff Atmospheres in Sports

When the playoffs finally come around for each respective sport, what are the things that come to mind?

Which teams made it? Of course. Was your team one of those teams? Duh. 

But don't you think of which venues are going to be hosting the games? 

The most memorable moments in sports happen in the craziest atmospheres. 

Let's run down the best playoff atmospheres available in sports.

15. Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs)

Arrowhead routinely gets overlooked when you talk about NFL stadiums, but the fact is that the Sea of Red is a tough place to play. 

While the Chiefs certainly didn't prove it last season when the Ravens came into Arrowhead and whipped up on Kansas City, that doesn't deter from its atmosphere. 

And who can compete with Arrowhead's pregame tailgates? The answer is no one. Well, maybe the Packers, but the Chiefs still get the top spot. 

14. Camp Nou (FC Barcelona)

A soccer stadium? Are you serious? 

Yes. In fact, this list could probably consist of all soccer stadiums if were judging on pure passion and craziness. 

Camp Nou doesn't host "playoff" games in the most pure sense of the word, but you try telling a Spaniard that a Barcelona-Real Madrid game doesn't mean anything. 

This stadium makes the list. 

13. Heinz Field (Pittsburgh Steelers)

No city is embodied by their franchise more than the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they bring that mentality to Heinz Field. 

Plus, the Terrible Towel is the perfect addition to their playoff atmosphere. 

Once those towels start waving at Heinz Field in January, you know it's about to be a long day.

12. Staples Center (Los Angeles Lakers, Kings, Clippers)

No stadium can boast the star power the Staples Center routinely brings. 

Every playoff game feels like a much bigger deal than it actually is when Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington and Will Ferrell are watching the game courtside. 

I suppose it also helps that the Lakers are one of the most decorated basketball teams in the history of the NBA.

11. Invesco Field at Mile High (Denver Broncos)

It could be the lack of oxygen in Denver, but something makes Broncos fans go crazy come playoff time. 

The Broncos repaid their fans by compiling the best home record in the NFL from 1974-2006, a mark that ensures their stadium would make this list. 

The rest of the AFC should hope the Broncos continue to finish towards the bottom of the West. No one wants to play at Mile High in January. 

10. Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)

Again, Old Trafford doesn't host playoff games in the most traditional sense. 

But before you lash out at me for including this venue, mark this Sunday's game down on your calendar. It's Manchester United vs. Chelsea, and the winner more than likely is going to win the Barclays Premier League. 

And Old Trafford has hosted its fair share of Champions League matches, which, in my opinion, is the equivalent of playoff games.

9. Anfield (Liverpool FC)

Depending on who you ask, Anfield is the best venue in England to attend a soccer game. 

The Liverpool faithful love their Reds, and Anfield is a sight to behold for a big contest in European soccer. 

Most Americans won't know who or what I'm talking about, though, so let's move on.

8. Qwest Field (Seattle Seahawks)

Qwest Field might be the loudest outdoor stadium in the world. And it turns the volume up another notch come playoff time. 

"The 12th Man," as the Seahawks call their fans, can be all the difference.

In fact, didn't the Seahawks fans cause a small earthquake this past January when Marshawn Lynch rumbled through the Saints defense? 

I think they qualify for this list.

7. Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)

Red Sox supporters were among the most tortured of fanbases before they finally broke through with a World Series championship in 2004. 

That self-loathing and anticipation made Fenway a solid playoff atmosphere in itself, but the Green Monster and history of the park also have a lot to do with it. 

And even with the championship drought over, Fenway still rocks come October.

6. TD Garden (Boston Celtics and Bruins)

Love 'em or hate 'em, Boston fans love their teams. And it shows in the playoffs. 

The Garden can be an electric place, and it doesn't matter if it's the Celtics or Bruins running the place. 

Add the fact that it replaced an arena (Boston Garden) that saw 21 combined championships between the two teams, and you can see why the TD Garden remains a special place come playoff time.

5. United Center (Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks)

There are some stadiums where love for the multiple teams they host can be uneven. 

That's not the case in Chicago. They love their Bulls and Blackhawks equally, and, come playoff time, their crowds take it up a notch. 

I suppose cheering for the best basketball player ever certainly helped...

4. Bell Centre (Montreal Canadiens)

I'll admit, I know very little about hockey. It's a sport I've never gotten into, and that's a reason for the small number of NHL stadiums on the list. 

At least I'm honest, right? 

But from my research, the Bell Centre was the runaway favorite for best playoff atmosphere in hockey. 

3. Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks, Rangers and Big East Tournament)

Is there a more iconic basketball arena in all the world?

The Knicks haven't been to the playoffs much recently, but you got a small taste this season of what kind of playoff atmosphere they can produce. 

Don't forget the Rangers and Big East Tournament, either. MSG knows how to throw a playoff party.

2. Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers)

Matt Ludtke/Getty Images

GREEN BAY, WI - FEBRUARY 08: Fireworks are shot off over Lambeau Field following the Packers victory ceremony on February 8, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Matt Ludtke/Getty Images)

The Packers are an impressive 13-3 at Lambeau Field, and all three of those losses have come within the past seven years. 

Even if the Packers aren't perfect at home in the playoffs, Lambeau Field still represents the mecca of football stadiums. 

Add in the best fans, the coldest weather and a level of beer consumption that is unmatched, and you get one heck of a playoff experience. 

1. Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)

No ballpark in Major League Baseball can boast the same amount of history played within its walls as Yankee Stadium. 

Of course we're talking about the old Yankee Stadium, but the fans in New York have a way of transferring that history over to the new place. 

Is there another stadium in all of baseball that teams fear more than Yankee Stadium? Especially in the postseason?

The atmosphere and history of Yankees baseball has a lot to do with that.