National Football Post ranks all 31 NFL Stadiums.
 

[B]STADIUM RANKING CRITERIA[/B]
[B]1. Architecture:[/B] Basically, does it look cool in person and/or on television? Does the facility have unique features?
[B]2. History:[/B] Has the joint opened recently and never hosted a playoff game (i.e. Houston), or do you get chills when exiting the concourse and viewing the field thinking about what has taken place there (i.e. Chicago)?
[B]3. Weather:[/B] Football was meant to be played outdoors, so the domes are going to take a slight hit in the rankings. This also applies to tailgating. It’s easier to grill burgers and pound beers in San Diego than it is in Minnesota.
[B]4. Fans:[/B] A packed house with rowdy diehards is going to make for a better time, as fan participation adds value to the NFL experience. What’s the point of going to a first-class stadium if it’s only half-filled?
[B]5. Location:[/B] Is the stadium in the middle of nowhere or in the heart of a major city? Parking may be an issue, but there’s something to be said about hitting a packed bar within walking distance of the venue prior to and even after the game.


[url=http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=nfp-20110217_ranking_the_nfl_stadiums]Ranking the NFL Stadiums - NFL - Yahoo! Sports[/url]

Skins are 19th. I have never been to FEDEX but I have been to Raymond James, The Superdome, The NEW Texas Stadium and arrow head stadium. TB has a great facility but I think the Chiefs have the best overall advantage in the NFL, It's like a college atmosphere. I have seen most of you folks really complain about FedEx especially traffic. Must be pretty bad, interesting enough this article complains about the Neighborhood location But I think most stadiums are in the "rougher" neighborhoods, I would figure the land would be cheaper. Lets just say The superdome isn't exactly located in Maui.

Any thoughts?

Re: National Football Post ranks all 31 NFL Stadiums.
 

As the Chef told me; "It's not the bowl, it's the soup in the bowl!"

Re: National Football Post ranks all 31 NFL Stadiums.
 

I agreed with the list until the eagles were mentioned.

How can you put our stadium that low because of 'bad' neighborhoods when Phillys stadium is..well in Philly!?! Also I don't see how Carolina and Tennessee's stadiums are ahead of ours. I haven't heard of many bad things about the redskins stadium with being gunned down after games..any of you all?

Re: National Football Post ranks all 31 NFL Stadiums.
 

I heard RFK was way worse when it came to location

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The Eagles' stadium is not anywhere near any neighborhoods, if I remember correctly it is in an industrial park-like area. Although, you are more likely to be gunned down or stabbed by Iggles fans than in the neighborhood.

Heinz Field should not be on the top 5 with that shitty playing field they have.

Finally, if "History" is your second criteria, how can you put a brand new stadium like the Cowboys stadium.

I don't get the knock on the neighborhood for Fed Ex field. They make it sound like it is a freaking warzone.

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All I know for sure is that FedEx Field is shit compared to Qwest Field. Seriously, would it kill our penny-pinching-overpricer of a bastard owner to make the seats a little wider or put in flat screens instead of those 1970's monitors around the stadium?

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[quote=CultBrennan59;785369]I agreed with the list until the eagles were mentioned.

How can you put our stadium that low because of 'bad' neighborhoods when Phillys stadium is..well in Philly!?! Also I don't see how Carolina and Tennessee's stadiums are ahead of ours. I haven't heard of many bad things about the redskins stadium with being gunned down after games..any of you all?[/quote]

Charlotte has the worst downtown section of any city ever

downtown shouldn't be new construction :rofl:

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[quote=saden1;785374]All I know for sure is that FedEx Field is shit compared to Qwest Field. Seriously, would it kill our penny-pinching-overpricer of a bastard owner to make the seats a little wider or put in flat screens instead of those 1970's monitors around the stadium?[/quote]


The moron that wrote the artical is nuts.I go by FedEx every day first .......RFK was in a worse location then FedEx and the the traffic isn't half as bad ... as the Meadowlands.....and I don't like the New Meadowlands, and I agree with what is said about Philly it sucks ...way to high on the list.

Re: National Football Post ranks all 31 NFL Stadiums.
 

[quote=saden1;785374]All I know for sure is that FedEx Field is shit compared to Qwest Field. Seriously, would it kill our penny-pinching-overpricer of a bastard owner to make the seats a little wider or put in flat screens instead of those 1970's monitors around the stadium?[/quote]

They did upgrade to the HiDef monitors last year, and they were SO much better than the Lite Brite screens.

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[quote=tryfuhl;785375]Charlotte has the worst downtown section of any city ever

downtown shouldn't be new construction :rofl:[/quote]
Absolutely. Your basically tailgating on public property or in a parking deck. The downtown bars like the location and it is cool to hang out before a game even if you don't have tix.
I didn't mind going to RFK though because I lived right of the Metro and before and after games you were surrounded by other people going to games and then walking to the Metro and riding home. The lack of public transportation to Fed Ex, IMO, is the only real drawback to location. But that is true of most stadiums I've been to. With the overdrinking at games I think more public transportation should be considered for all sporting events.

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[quote=Giantone;785379]The moron that wrote the artical is nuts.I go by FedEx every day first .......RFK was in a worse location then FedEx and the the traffic isn't half as bad ... as the Meadowlands.....and I don't like the New Meadowlands, and I agree with what is said about Philly it sucks ...way to high on the list.[/quote]

Also, isn't traffic during a Giants or Jets game pretty terrible around the Meadowlands? I personally avoid the area anytime there is game (when I've been up there). But I would imagine that traffic would be just as bad as anywhere in the NYC area.

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Fed Ex isnt really in a neighborhood, its an exit off the beltway. Its in PG County and certain parts of that county can be dicey. RFK is in NE DC and that really is a neighborhood. I wouldnt want to walk around there at night when nothing is going on but on a game day it was fine.

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[quote=Ruhskins;785387]Also, isn't traffic during a Giants or Jets game pretty terrible around the Meadowlands? I personally avoid the area anytime there is game (when I've been up there). But I would imagine that traffic would be just as bad as anywhere in the NYC area.[/quote]yup, the turnpike gets backed up at the ticket booth and that's only after you get out of the parking lot after a few hours.

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[IMG]http://d.yimg.com/a/p/sp/nfp/6c/fullj.05a0a45da885be349db21f62e8e18ed7/20110217_ranking_the_nfl_stadi5.jpg?&sig=38QXmqBSjsnRhGUG9zbedQ--[/IMG]

The article didnt make it clear to me, but which stadium is this?? It looks like it's absolutley in the middle of nowhere...

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Mile High in Denver

looks like this from another angle

[IMG]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sW65ilskOC8/SG7C8NcxdvI/AAAAAAAALYw/0p_l13HUHyo/s400/MileHighStadium.jpg[/IMG]

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I've been to FedEx once, for a Metallica concert, and M&T once, for HFestival the year Billy Idol and the Foo Fighters were there. FedEx is as plain as it gets, but that place is huge! getting in and out is a pain, but I have few other points of reference. M&T wasn't too bad, but we took the Metro which made it easy.

Honestly, I've never been to an NFL game. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I just usually don't have the money to drive to D.C. from Cumberland, pay for all the other crap involved. My wife's cousin, however, has a luxury box at FedEx that he uses as entertainment for his construction business. He usually has family down for one game a year. I think I'm gonna have to get the wife to kiss his arse a little lol...

I've been to Nats Park and PNC Park and both are very nice. PNC Park is pretty much in a league of it's own though. That place is truly gorgeous, too bad they don't have a team worth hating (I hate all things Pittsburgh with the exception of the Pirates as they just aren't good enough to hate). Nats Park has some narrow seats though, but then again, I'm a fatty lol... I did have the pleasure of watching the Nats put a beat down on Oswalt and the Philthies there though which was awesome.

Re: National Football Post ranks all 31 NFL Stadiums.
 

from the stadiums i've been to in my life i'd rank em like this ..

#1 RFK .. purely on old school vibes
#2 University of Phx Stadium .. I have season tix here and that stadium is a BLAST
#3 Fed Ex Field ... I do love the stadium .. obviously traffic sucks but it's worth it to me
#4 Sun Devil Stadium .. No roof .. Desert .. Nuff Said
#5 The Old Vet PHilly ... STadium sucks balls, fans suck balls, field sucks balls

Re: National Football Post ranks all 31 NFL Stadiums.
 

[quote=Ruhskins;785373]The Eagles' stadium is not anywhere near any neighborhoods, if I remember correctly it is in an industrial park-like area. Although, you are more likely to be gunned down or stabbed by Iggles fans than in the neighborhood.

Heinz Field should not be on the top 5 with that shitty playing field they have.

Finally, if "History" is your second criteria, how can you put a brand new stadium like the Cowboys stadium.

I don't get the knock on the neighborhood for Fed Ex field. They make it sound like it is a freaking warzone.[/quote]

Philly's stadiums are in a sports complex that's sort of cordoned off from surrounding neighborhoods. But there are surrounding neighborhoods; South Philadelphia. They're not bad neighborhoods; they're working class.

You can walk around those neighborhoods at night and not run into trouble.

But you're right, you don't really feel like the stadiums are amongst neighborhoods because they're kind of cordoned off, and the exits to the interstate are right there. You just hop right back on 95 and you're out of there.

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[quote=saden1;785374]All I know for sure is that FedEx Field is shit compared to Qwest Field. Seriously, would it kill our penny-pinching-overpricer of a bastard owner to make the seats a little wider or put in flat screens instead of those 1970's monitors around the stadium?[/quote]

saden1:

Agree completely that Qwest Field is a GREAT NFL venue.

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[quote=Giantone;785379]The moron that wrote the artical is nuts.I go by FedEx every day first .......RFK was in a worse location then FedEx and the the traffic isn't half as bad ... as the Meadowlands.....and I don't like the New Meadowlands, and I agree with what is said about Philly it sucks ...way to high on the list.[/quote]

Giantone:

Lincoln Financial Field is in a good neighborhood with good road access, public transit and parking. The stadium is top-shelf too.

The fans who inhabit the stadium - - and their average state of iniebriation - - leave something to be desired. But Lincoln Financial Field is a light-year ahead of Fed Ex.

I have not yet been to New Meadowlands so I cannot say what that stadium is like.

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I went to Oakland Colliseum twice for Raiders games and for numerous A's games. The stadium is terrible. It has like no redeeming factors. How ever the fans are super ridiculous. It's fun to get in to it with them. Except you have to be careful of getting beat up. I have whitnessed a shit load of fights there.

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[quote=musicmaster45;785449]I went to Oakland Colliseum twice for Raiders games and for numerous A's games. The stadium is terrible. It has like no redeeming factors. How ever the fans are super ridiculous. It's fun to get in to it with them. Except you have to be careful of getting beat up. I have whitnessed a shit load of fights there.[/quote]

You're lucky to just get "beat up" in Oakland.

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we try not to roll down the widows too much

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[quote=CRedskinsRule;785382]They did upgrade to the HiDef monitors last year, and they were SO much better than the Lite Brite screens.[/quote]

I'm talking about the TVs near the concessions stands. I have to squint to see what's going on.

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[quote=sportscurmudgeon;785440]Giantone:

Lincoln Financial Field is in a good neighborhood with good road access, public transit and parking. The stadium is top-shelf too.

The fans who inhabit the stadium - - and their average state of iniebriation - - leave something to be desired. But Lincoln Financial Field is a light-year ahead of Fed Ex.

I have not yet been to New Meadowlands so I cannot say what that stadium is like.[/quote]


I will admit I've only been to the new Vet once ......and the fans tend to be....aaaaaaaa (asswipes) so that might have been why, but to be honest I'm old school,I liked the "old Giants Stadium" not the new ...I still like RFK ......to hell with the new fancy crap....I go to watch the game not drink or eat my way to death.

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[quote=Giantone;785481]I will admit I've only been to the new Vet once ......and the fans tend to be....aaaaaaaa (asswipes) so that might have been why, but to be honest I'm old school,I liked the "old Giants Stadium" not the new ...I still like RFK ......to hell with the new fancy crap....I go to watch the game not drink or eat my way to death.[/quote]


Good point! Too many people going to games worry more about the tailgating (although I'll say tailgating is very fun) then the game itself. As far as the physical stadium goes, I wasn't THAT impressed with Fedex. I actually thought Carolina's stadium as a lot better looking (I'm not concerned about the tailgating.)

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[quote=skinsfaninok;.[B] I have never been to FEDEX [/B]but I have been to Raymond James, The Superdome....[/quote]

Its great to see a sea of burgundy/gold jerseys/flags/cars/and plants all burgundy/gold but no matter what game pre-season or regular theres at least 3 cowboy jersey's -idk why.

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I like Fed-Ex but I really think they need to locate into the city.

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Pfffff ... he hasn't ever been to FedEx, or even half of the stadiums in the league.

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I go to a lot of Redskins games each season...I am not from the area so I don’t really know landover that well other then driving in there for the game but I don’t recall ever feeling like my life was in danger being there. That was a really odd comment. You can knock fedex for the traffic or them not really winning since they been there but the neighborhood by the stadium is a total non issue.

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[quote=skinsfaninok;785366]I have seen most of you folks really complain about FedEx especially traffic. Must be pretty bad, interesting enough this article complains about the Neighborhood location But I think most stadiums are in the "rougher" neighborhoods, I would figure the land would be cheaper. [/quote]I'm not sure the writer knows what the hell he's talking about. Maybe he's getting Fed-Ex and RFK mixed up. Most games I've gone to at Fed-Ex, I've taken Metro and walked from the stop. Never felt the least bit concerned for mine or my son's safety(including night games). Last time I checked they don't have $ 300K + townhouses on the walk from the train to the stadium in "rough" areas. I'll bet there are far more arrests per year in Fed-Ex and in the parking lot than there are in the area immediately surrounding Fed-Ex.

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This isn't a list to be taken seriously. Several years ago, Jim Caple at ESPN did a season-long tour of MLB stadiums in which he ranked each team's venue from a score derived from ten different categories (or something like that). The scores weren't perfect, and there was room for disagreement, but overall, it was a great series to follow, given the depth of analysis for each team. By contrast, this is a list that seems like it was scratched together on a long plane ride. The writer is glaringly inconsistent in some of his points and, as just about everyone else has said, ludicrously labels as a warzone an area that basically has distinguished itself by its barrenness.

While I haven't been to Arrowhead, I'm assuming a more seriously contemplated list of NFL stadiums would have it ranked near the top. Additionally, Ralph Wilson would probably register a much higher ranking, and the writer himself actually makes the case for RW being higher in his description of it, despite his ranking of it as #20.

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[quote=Slingin Sammy 33;785595]I'm not sure the writer knows what the hell he's talking about. Maybe he's getting Fed-Ex and RFK mixed up. Most games I've gone to at Fed-Ex, I've taken Metro and walked from the stop. Never felt the least bit concerned for mine or my son's safety(including night games). Last time I checked they don't have $ 300K + townhouses on the walk from the train to the stadium in "rough" areas. I'll bet there are far more arrests per year in Fed-Ex and in the parking lot than there are in the area immediately surrounding Fed-Ex.[/quote]

I always heard how ghetto RFK was but not FED EX

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[quote=Schneed10;785434]Philly's stadiums are in a sports complex that's sort of cordoned off from surrounding neighborhoods. But there are surrounding neighborhoods; South Philadelphia. They're not bad neighborhoods; they're working class.

You can walk around those neighborhoods at night and not run into trouble.

But you're right, you don't really feel like the stadiums are amongst neighborhoods because they're kind of cordoned off, and the exits to the interstate are right there. You just hop right back on 95 and you're out of there.[/quote]
yep, never had a prob in the area

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[quote=sportscurmudgeon;785440]Giantone:

Lincoln Financial Field is in a good neighborhood with good road access, public transit and parking. The stadium is top-shelf too.

The fans who inhabit the stadium - - and their average state of iniebriation - - leave something to be desired. But Lincoln Financial Field is a light-year ahead of Fed Ex.

I have not yet been to New Meadowlands so I cannot say what that stadium is like.[/quote]

I've been to the old Meadowlands for a concert. It's just in a complex off the NJ turnpike. (exit 16 if I remember right). No neighborhood around.

Good to know about the Linc...going there in June with my son for a Monster Jam event. :D


Baltimore is the same way. Camden Yards and M&T are beside each other and in a clean, safe part of Baltimore, one of the few. You can take the Metro literally right up to the stadiums and it's about 2-3 blocks from the Inner Harbor.

Stay near the Harbor when in Baltimore. You'll get mugged, shot and an STD if you venture one street over too far.

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[quote=BringBackJoeT;785615]This isn't a list to be taken seriously. Several years ago, Jim Caple at ESPN did a season-long tour of MLB stadiums in which he ranked each team's venue from a score derived from ten different categories (or something like that). The scores weren't perfect, and there was room for disagreement, but overall, it was a great series to follow, given the depth of analysis for each team. By contrast, this is a list that seems like it was scratched together on a long plane ride. The writer is glaringly inconsistent in some of his points and, as just about everyone else has said, ludicrously labels as a warzone an area that basically has distinguished itself by its barrenness.

While I haven't been to Arrowhead, I'm assuming a more seriously contemplated list of NFL stadiums would have it ranked near the top. Additionally, Ralph Wilson would probably register a much higher ranking, and the writer himself actually makes the case for RW being higher in his description of it, despite his ranking of it as #20.[/quote]I was at Arrowhead in January (not the playoff game), and I really wasn't very impressed by the stadium, particularly the 2009 re-design. Cool atmosphere and everything, but the stadium struck me as a big, old building which wasn't improved in any way by the renovations, and the upper deck is a pain in the butt to navigate, as parts of the upperdeck just end, and then you have to go down/up a level to reach the next quarter of the stadium.

Ford Field is the most impressive sports venue I have ever been in. But there are a whole bunch of NFL venues (including FedEx) that I've never been to.

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Gtripp:

I had been to the old Silverdome in Pontiac but have not seen Ford Field. I presume from your location that you probably also visited the Silverdome.

For its time, I thought the Silverdome was a lot better than most of the other "first generation domes". How is Ford Field better - - other than the fact that it is newer and with advanced tech gadgets?

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Went to a game at Arrowhead years ago when my brother and sister-in-law lived in KC. It was a great stadium all the way around. It reminded me of RFK in some ways. Nothing fancy, the way stadiums used to be.

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Denver has a nice stadium, I have never been there for a game but have visited the stadium. I used to work for the Panthers and when they built their stadium it was one of the better ones. Their admin offices are all based out of there too. I remember the guys from Pburg and NE came to check out how we had things laid out especially in the basement where I worked. The location of the stadium is in an awkward part of town. It doesn't really lend itself to tailgating. However most Carolina fans tend to be of the wine and cheese variety.

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[quote=sportscurmudgeon;785992]Gtripp:

I had been to the old Silverdome in Pontiac but have not seen Ford Field. I presume from your location that you probably also visited the Silverdome.

For its time, I thought the Silverdome was a lot better than most of the other "first generation domes". How is Ford Field better - - other than the fact that it is newer and with advanced tech gadgets?[/quote]Grew up near Chicago, and I have never been to the Silverdome. I do live with someone who grew up in Dearborn, and thus has been to the Silverdome multiple times, but it wouldn't help to make a comparsion.

Ford Field blew me away with how a football venue can be built to have state of the art facilities from the bathrooms to the concessions, to the the sightlines, be indoors, be as large as the stadium is, and still not have the game experience ruined by a stadium that is as large and not open-air as Ford Field is. Basically, I was impressed by the gameday experience, even though the Skins-Lions game I went to was in Detroit's 0-16 year.

Arrowhead, by comparison, is a really impressive football atmosphere, but for a football-only stadium, really was kind of a pain. There are "good" kinds of old, and Arrowhead wasn't of that kind. I know they did a really expensive renovation on it recently, but I have a hard team believing the stadium improved in any meaningful way.

(Kauffman Stadium (KC Royals) -- on the other hand -- is a beautiful venue, albiet preposterously limited in # of seats for an MLB park. I suppose though if you're the Royals, that doesn't much matter.)