After the off-season layoff, it’s good to have football back again. Already, the 2022-23 season is shaping up to be a great one and the Kickoff Game was just one example of the surprises that may be in store. After all, who could have predicted that the Buffalo Bills would have beaten the LA Rams by the huge margin of 31-10?
But surprise results like this are just one of the pleasures of following the game as it makes its way through the four month season and the subsequent play-offs.
Another pleasure it gives is the opportunity to visit different stadiums around the country, and beyond, to follow your team. While all attain a certain level of comfort and atmosphere, there are some that are quite outstanding.
It’s also impossible to ignore the fact that many teams give themselves even more of a home advantage by playing there, something that is inevitably reflected in the NFL odds for the game’s result.
So here, in no particular order, are five different stadiums from across the US that promise visiting fans a great experience – and which give home fans somewhere they can feel proud to have as their own.
AT&T Stadium – Dallas Cowboys
Often nicknamed Jerry World after the Cowboys’ charismatic owner Jerry Jones, the AT&T stadium is, as you’d expect, big, brash and in your face. With a capacity of 80,000, or up to 100,000 for entertainment events. it’s the biggest stadium in the league. Always a sell-out you can be sure that the atmosphere is invariably electric. This is multiplied many times when the weather means that the retractable roof needs to be closed – something that may need to be done more often than before if there are any recurrences of 2021’s mighty snowstorm. Another big plus is the size of the screen – so you can see all the action on field in bone-crushing detail.
US Bank Stadium – Minnesota Vikings
Even though it was built back in 2016, it still feels like a totally futuristic experience when you enter the US Bank Stadium. This is in complete contrast to the little-missed Metrodome which it was built to replace and which seemed more like an airport terminal than a football stadium. A great deal of its modernity comes from the enclosed dome which still manages to provide stunning views of the Minnesota skyscape. With a seating capacity of 66,000 it’s a relatively small stadium which adds to the feeling that you’re in an enclosed and welcoming space. The fact that it also offers great vistas out towards the city of Minneapolis just adds to its unique appeal.
Lambeau Field – Green Bay Packers
First opened in 1957 when it was known as City Stadium, Lambeau Field is the oldest continually-used stadium in the league. It’s also notable for being inextricably linked with the city of Green Bay – and even dominating its surroundings as it rises from the suburban grid of streets that encircle it. In the depths of winter many fans curse the old-style aluminum bleachers but these just add to its old-world charm that anyone who visits must agree is quite unique. So it must make quite a change for any fans who make the trip across the Atlantic to any of the Packers’ UK-based games played at the $1.2 billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. This first opened in 2019 and represents the very latest in sports-ground design and technology.
Mercedes Benz Stadium – Atlanta Falcons
It’s an unusual criticism to make, but many people feel that the Falcons’ home since 2017 is simply too nice. That’s because so much care has been taken in providing all the amenities fans need from bars to places to eat, these detract from the action on the field. After all, who wouldn’t prefer to sit in a warm, comfortable corner with a beer and a hot dog watching the action on screen instead of in the seats outdoors? The fact that the food and drink prices are some of the lowest in the league also act in its favor.
Lumen Field – Seattle Seahawks
The first piece of advice for anyone visiting Lumen Field is to take your earplugs. Twice it’s made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for the loudest crowd roar. The second record was set in 2014 at 137.6 decibels – about the same volume as an aircraft taking off. It also has an earthquake detector that has been known to be triggered by the noise. Fans also like it because its within easy walking distance from downtown Seattle – although residents may not be quite so delighted by its close proximity to their homes!
Of course, the league’s other 25 stadia also have their plus points, but for our money, these are the five that should be on any NFL fan’s bucket list.