The NFL opens a pair of glitzy, new stadiums this season for the Los Angeles Rams/Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders. While it’s unclear how many, if any, fans will get to sit in these state-of-the-art marvels this season, their debut does bring excitement, inspiring ESPN to rank the 28 current NFL stadiums in use.
We considered multiple aspects of the NFL experience to come up with a 1-28 ranking. We did this by surveying 31 NFL Nation reporters, collecting cost information from SeatGeek for tickets and Team Marketing for concessions and parking. We did plenty of independent research and had some lively discussions. Spoiler alert: Cheeseheads will be happy, while those in our nation’s capital will not.
The formula we used is outlined below.
Atmosphere (20%): The overall feel of the stadium, from how modern or retro it is, overall aesthetic, atmosphere created by fans, ease of getting around, etc. Our NFL Nation reporters submitted their best and worst in this category.
Features (20%): The bells and whistles that make each stadium unique. Each reporter listed the best and worst features for their home stadium as well as others they had visited.
Traditions (15%): The distinct rituals that each stadium and fan base engage in on Sundays, gathered and rated by NFL Nation reporters.
Tailgating (15%): The party outside of the stadium before and after the game, rated by NFL Nation reporters.
Location (10%): Where the stadium is situated compared to dining, entertainment and hotels, proximity to major tourist attractions, plus a mobility score accounting for public transportation to and from the game.
Cost (10%): The combined cost of a ticket, regular hot dog, 12 ounces of domestic beer and parking fees. Ticket prices are a three-year, secondary-market average set by SeatGeek, while hot dog, beer and parking prices are Team Marketing figures from 2019. Also, we added SeatGeek’s get-in price (to the 10th percentile in 2019) to give the thriftier fan a dream scenario.
History (10%): A ranking based on the importance and significance of past games played at a stadium. Super Bowls, name plays and legendary games were factored in the most, but winning football and non-NFL events (college bowls, Final Fours, etc.) were also considered.
You can use it as a bucket list, of sorts, or just a reason for debate. Without further ado, here are the rankings to help plan your next post-COVID NFL trip.
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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG/NYJ
PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Atmosphere: 1 • Features: 3
Traditions: 1 • Tailgating: 3
Location: 27 • Cost: 24
History: 1
What’s good about it: A lot. Lambeau has history as the host of three NFL championship games, including the “Ice Bowl,” and has been home to the Packers during runs to 15 division titles, nine conference titles and seven overall championships (including four Super Bowl titles). Originally named City Stadium, it was renamed to Lambeau in 1965. It has preserved much of its aesthetic history during multiple renovations, even preserving some of the original bricks. But when surveying our NFL Nation reporters, one aspect of the stadium seemed to stand out among the rest: the Lambeau Leap. Packers players jumping into the stands following a touchdown has become a Sunday staple in Green Bay and on NFL RedZone. Bottom line: This is THE bucket list stadium in the NFL.
What needs work: Lambeau ranked in the top three in five of seven categories. It got dinged for its location, more than 100 miles from Milwaukee and set within a town of just more than 100,000 people. An overall lack of hotels, restaurants, bars and points of interest in the immediate area are mostly mitigated by the stadium’s extraordinary tailgate scene, and it does have the Titletown complex. Besides, the…
Read More: Ranking NFL stadiums 1-28 – From Lambeau Leap to D.C. disaster