In contrast to college football stadiums, the largest of which can and regularly do accommodate over 100,000 spectators, no stadium in the league currently has a listed seating capacity of more than 82,500. In the opposite direction, the league has a firm minimum on the number of seats an NFL stadium should have; since 1971 the league has not allowed any stadium under 50,000 seats to host a full-time NFL team. In normal circumstances, all NFL stadiums are all-seaters. FedExField has consistently made it to the list of worst NFL stadiums.
One reason cited is its location, which makes it difficult for fans to reach especially via public transportation. The five-level venue has hosted college football games, as well as occasional international soccer and rugby matches. The Saints are the only team to have won a Super Bowl at home, a domed stadium. Miami's Hard Rock Stadium hosted the championship game, and the Colts' home games were played in a retractable roof stadium.
Tepper said in 2019 he hoped to build a retractable roof stadium in Charlotte within the next 10 years, in part to draw other big sporting events to the city like the NCAA men's basketball Final Four. But Tepper has backed off that idea after the coronavirus pandemic turned the sports world upside down, prompting teams to limit seating for fans last year. Pricing is also a factor when it comes to building domed stadiums. The added price of an extra roof often inflates the budget of a stadium. A fixed roof can add around $40 million extra to a stadium. Any city or financier of a stadium would not want extra tens or hundreds of millions added to their stadium project because of an "unnecessary" component.
In the future, more franchises may opt to break ground on domed and retractable-roof venues, but the data indicates it isn't in their best interest, unless every team is on an equal playing field. Until then, the teams with open-field stadiums appear best suited to march on to victory, especially when the games count the most. Most people at the open-air stadium Thursday night didn't wear masks. There was no vaccine requirement for fans, something Biden has urged sports and entertainment venues to impose. Many other football stadiums are taking a similarly lax approach to pandemic measures this fall, and that worries health experts. MetLife's seating capacity is the biggest among all NFL stadiums.
It hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, as well Wrestlemania, soccer games, as well numerous concerts. It covers 2.1 million square feet, provides parking for 28,000 vehicles, and cost $1.6 billion to construct. "The football games have probably the least to do with that decision," Waggoner said. If a municipality wants the stadium for use in concerts, rodeos or other year-round events, a closed building is the way to go.
Purists who see football as an outdoor game may be mollified by the open-stadium option of a retractable roof. In a study done by Pinnacle.com on scoring in the NFL from 2003 to 2015, they found that total points per game scored in outdoor venues was 42.4. Alternatively, in games played in a dome stadium teams combined for 46.2 ppg.
While this margin may not seem significant, you have to keep in mind that this is an easily predictable 9% increase in scoring output. In the highly competitive world of the NFL and fantasy sports, no advantage can be ignored. In fact, this correlation is so strong it is even factored into betting lines in Vegas. During the same period of time the average Over/Under betting lines in Vegas for indoor games was 44.6 ppg while outdoor games were listed, on average, at 41.7. Football season is just around the corner, and it's time to get pumped. Soon stadiums will be packed with fans roaring their approval as their chosen team battles it out for glory on the field.
But with all that excitement going on, it's easy to overlook one of the most important aspects of football — the stadiums themselves. The NFL has stadiums that run the gamut from ancient and revered to cutting edge experiences. Here are just a few of the most memorable NFL stadiums you should try and grab round trip flights to visit, regardless of which team you like to root for.
Yes, Soldier Field did open in 1924 as a major event facility, seating 74,280 for major events like Notre Dame/Northwestern football soon after opening. But pro football eschewed it until 1959, when the Chicago Cardinals played a season there before departing for St. Louis. It wasn't until 1970 that the Chicago Bears moved to Soldier Field from Wrigley Field, and it came with some changes, as the seating capacity was downsized. A 2003 renovation dramatically altered Soldier Field, keeping the historic exterior while adding a next-generation seating bowl.
There's plenty to debate within the NFL's various playing surfaces, and there are also plenty of complaints to go around. The trend is toward artificial turf, as several stadiums have replaced natural grass with artificial turf in recent years. Facilities managers say artificial grass provides a more consistently reliable surface than natural grass fields.
However a majority of NFL stadiums now use artificial turf, a big vote of confidence in commercial artificial grass. If it's good enough for millionaire athletes, chances are that it's also good enough for your home or business lawn. When the Raiders left town at the end of the 2019 season, the doors closed behind them on the last ever dual purpose surface in the NFL. Yes some venues are still used for soccer games time and again, but no other venue has the historic look of a baseball infield dominating its gridiron. The famous black hole was one of the most daunting supporters sections in all of sports and something Raiders fans prided themselves to be a part of.
A piece of history has left the NFL with this classic venue being closed. U.S. Bank also ranks among the best, and its design is considered a trendsetter for stadiums that have come after it. It has a roof that mimics the effect of a retractable one, effectively protecting fans and players from the city's chilly weather. State Farm Stadium is regarded as an architectural landmark in the area, and has won awards for its design. It boasts the first retractable natural grass-playing surface in the US, as well as the first completely retractable roof operating at an incline. State Farm is a multi-purpose facility, also having hosted soccer and basketball matches, motor sports, and trade shows.
The NFL uses several other stadiums on a regular basis in addition to the teams' designated regular home sites. In England, two London venues—Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley Stadium—are contracted to host a combined four games per season, as part of the NFL International Series which runs through 2020. Estadio Azteca in Mexico City hosted NFL International Series games in 2016, 2017, and 2019, and is under contract to host one game per season through 2021. In addition, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, is the location of the annual exhibition Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.
If you're looking for a classic football experience, complete with natural turf, you absolutely cannot miss swinging by the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina. As natural grass turf becomes increasingly rare, with more and more stadiums turning to artificial turf over time, the Bank of America Stadium stays firmly rooted in the past. The stadium carries its history with pride, meticulously updating and maintaining its classic architecture and distinctive style. That doesn't mean that the Panther's home turf is against some modern flair; in recent years it's added LED lighting, wi-fi service, and digital menu boards. The end result is a stadium that perfectly combines the feel of the past with modern day fun.
When it comes to over-the-top fun and style, it's hard to think of a more must-see stadium thanMetLife Field in New Jersey. It's one of the largest in the world, holding a whopping 82,500 fans, and it definitely turns a football game into an all-out experience. No expense has been spared in the $1.6 billion stadium, which plays host to two NFL teams . There are dozens of concession choices for every possible taste, luxury suites, over 2,000 HD TVs, and everything you could possibly think of to make your favorite game an unforgettable experience.
If you get a chance, take a stadium tour for the chance to really soak up everything this field has to offer. In 2010, the first bowl game was played in this stadium and became the third-highest attendant game of all Cotton Bowl games. AT&T also holds a record for arranging 101,763 seats for fans in professional wrestling of 2016.
The public share included a state grant and a tax increase on rental cars. SoFi Stadium is the most expensive sports venue ever built in this country and is the centerpiece of a 300-acre, multipurpose development site in Southern California. Rams owner Stan Kroenke, worth a reported $10.7 billion, covered the full cost as its price tag ballooned from early estimates of less than $2 billion. The city is providing tax breaks that could reach $100 million over time. The stadium will host the 2022 Super Bowl and events for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Sometimes a picture says a thousand words, and in the case of Raymond James Stadium the attached image does exactly that. Any stadium, anywhere in the world and in any league that comes with a pirate ship at one end of it deserves to be in every top 10 list ever. Despite the Bucs fans being treated to below average levels of on field play, the tides are turning. The arrival of Tom Brady will pack out RJS for all 8 home games this season and hopefully create a raucous atmosphere for the long deprived Bucs fans.
This article is a list of current National Football League stadiums, sorted by capacity, their locations, their first year of usage, and home teams. Although the National Football League has 32 teams, there are only 31 full-time NFL stadiums because the New York Giants and New York Jets share MetLife Stadium. The Superdome has hosted seven Super Bowls, and is considered one of the remaining old-school domes in any sport. It has seen NCAA basketball championships, college football games, and was formerly the home of the New Orleans Jazz of the NBA. The stadium has a Mardi Gras feel, fitting for the city of New Orleans. We've had season tickets for the Texans at Reliant Stadium for the past few years and when the roof is closed the place feels great.
The atmosphere is insane inside domed stadiums, and maybe it's because i've actually never seen a professional event in an outdoor stadium, . They do a great job of regulating the temperature and it really does amplify the noise making the game that much more enjoyable. Houston Oilers fans enjoy a victory over the Cleveland Browns at the Astrodome on Dec. 9, 1990. Originally built for baseball's Houston Astros, the Astrodome was a common host of football games.
In addition to the Houston Oilers, the University of Houston, the United States Football League's Houston Gamblers and the World Football League's Houston Texans each called the dome their home. The Oilers played at the stadium from 1968 until the franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997 to ultimately become the Titans. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsRANKING NFL STADIUMS TOP-FIVE Built for $1.9 billion, one would certainly hope Allegiant Stadium delivered a tremendous fan experience.
What NFL teams have domed stadiums Even before people walked in for NFL games, the place drew glowing reviews for concerts. Fans experienced major traffic problems getting to the stadium, located in Paradise, but it's worth it once you step inside. With 65,000 seats, the Wynn Field Club and an array of restaurants (BBQ Mexicana, Guy Fieri's Tailgate Kitchen and Bar, Pizza Rock) and so much more, Allegiant Stadium needs to be on bucket lists.
Santa Clara, California, USA; Pregame festivities before the San Francisco 49ers play against the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Divisional Round playoff football game at Levi's Stadium. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsIt's inexcusable that a stadium that opened just a few years ago is this mediocre. Of course, it doesn't help that they built it in Santa Clara to make the travel experience worse for fans. Did we mention that they spent over $1 billion on this place and failed to protect fans from the glaring sun? If you can look past the inconvenient location, the sun in your eyes and the costly tickets, everything else is really nice.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, many NFL stadiums prevented fans from attending games early in the regular season. As the year unfolded, with the NFL losing billions of dollars in stadium revenue, teams started welcoming a smaller number of fans back into their buildings. "This is not a choice between a full stadium and an empty stadium," the Panthers said in a statement. Other venues will operate at a reduced capacity at least for the time being. Opening in 2006, the stadium offers outstanding, unobstructed views for 63,400 fans with the ability to expand to 73,000 for mega-events. The stadium has hosted two Super Bowls , two National College Football Championship games, and the 2017 NCAA Final Four Basketball Championship.
Encompassing over 1.7 million square feet of space, State Farm Stadium has numerous premium seating and space options including 88 lofts and 7,505 club seats. Built for the NFL expansion team, Bank of America Stadium is first and foremost a football stadium, hosting ACC championships and a bowl game in addition to the Panthers. At the time, the uptown Charlotte location was unique; now downtown locations are proving to be popular in the NFL. The stadium is in the midst of $47 million worth of renovations.
Despite what many say, this is not the renovated Gator Bowl, one of the great old college bowl stadiums. In 1994 construction began on the old Gator Bowl site; the old 1949 stadium was mostly torn down and Jacksonville Municipal Stadium was constructed to house the Jags. Since then it's hosted the NFL, a Super Bowl, major college games and the Gator Bowl, now called the TaxSlayer Bowl. The stadium was constructed by the project manager John Klipsch for Consukting LLC. Besides, Lucas Oil Stadium can comfortably arrange 67,000 seats for football games.
The Cardinals threatened to move unless they got a new stadium, largely financed by taxpayers, to replace the stadium at Arizona State University in Tempe where they played home games. The county agreed to impose car rental and hotel taxes, aimed at tourists, to cover most of the public share. Continuing the run of domed stadiums is the NRG Stadium in Texas.
A large and commanding arena it is often filled with passionate and loud Texan fans who are not shy in letting their voices heard. Home of the infamous 28-3 Superbowl 51 meltdown, this stadium is no stranger to comebacks and most notably in this year's Wildcard game between the Bills and Texans. Despite its sheer size it is not a rare sight to see Texans DE J.J Watt throwing the ball a couple tiers deep in his pregame warm ups.
When the NFL began in 1920, there was no such thing as a dome or stadium with a roof. The oldest original NFL stadium still in use today is Soldier Field in Chicago, home to the Bears. It opened in 1924 and was used by a number of sports teams and the city until the Bears moved in permanently in 1971. Because of its long history, Soldier Field is one of the league's most famous open stadiums. Heinz Field is primarily a football stadium that has hosted hockey games and concerts.
It has a scenic view, situated right on the banks of the Ohio River. The fans add color to the venue, waving Terrible Towels in support of the Steelers. Allegiant, one of the newest stadiums, is domed and has ten levels.
