Comments on: Future NFL stadiums could feature less sitting, more standing

By: dmb182

dmb182 — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:54:05 +0000

It’s simple. Free wifi (that actually works) and cheaper tickets and concessions. The seats will fill up. Why would i want to fight for a view in a standing room only bar when i could sit in a seat with an unobstructed view and just check my phone for score updates?

Dont discount the importance of a functioning data stream to PDA’s too. Wifi would work wonders. Most phone carriers converage doesnt work well in crowded spots (concerts, games, ect), so if they built some crazy nice wifi coverage into the stadiums that would take away a main reason why i think twice about not going to the game and just staying at home in the comfy chair checking the fantasy scores.

I mean, sure some people might like that bar concept. But does the NFL really not get that the main reason they’re ticket sales are down is that the prices have simply gotten too high? Not even counting the actual ticket cost, you could easily drop over another 2 hundred while in the stadium on any given day for food and beer and parking.

By: oldfart49

oldfart49 — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:16:26 +0000

Years ago I wrote 12 ways to enhance the stadium experience. Not one idea cost extra and no stadium would worry about empty seats.
Apparently the NFL is hiring EXPERTS who are so dumb…well, if they’re getting paid we know who the actual dumb ones are.
They can’t make the experience better because all they care about is raising prices.

By: Mikey

Mikey — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:45:50 +0000

Its not a horriffic idea, and I will give credit for outside-the-box thinking on this one.

There are a few issues with this. For instance, I’m a Saints fan, and I choose to watch my team in a local bar. At that bar, I park for free, a bucket of beer (5 bottles) only costs $11, and food is cheap. Most menu items only run about $6 or $7, and sometimes the bar is catered for free. I can take in the whole NFL experience for a measley $20. Now, ask me if I can do that if I went to the game. “Bar atmosphere” my foot! There is no way the NFL can compete with that.

By: dukemarc

dukemarc — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:29:59 +0000

For the price of a 4 “standing room only” tickets, beer and concessions to one season’s worth of home games – I can build a decent bar in my basement…..and sit down whenever I’d like.

By: gregmorris78

gregmorris78 — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:53:11 +0000

invisible government

By: johnmorrisacu

johnmorrisacu — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 02:20:50 +0000

Everyone has already said it, but I’ll add it again. If they want a more crowded stadium, don’t charge a fortune for tickets. As far as standing room only, forget that. I love my cowboys, but Im not staying on my feet for 4-5 hours. My feet would be so sore by the end of the game I wouldn’t even enjoy myself. Go ahead, put a million seats in the stadium. Then charge me 30 bucks a seat instead of 100 + parking. If i could get an actual seat for 30 bucks, parking for under 25, and even leave the food prices where they are, I would go to at least a game a season.
If you want the bar atmosphere, go to a bar. If you want to watch 30 other games, stay home. I would love actually experiencing sitting in the stadium to watch games from time to time.

By: CKL

CKL — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 22:01:58 +0000

Maybe owners should consider something like every week, having randomly selected sections/rows whatever whose face value ticket cost is comped back to them via merchandise, food and non alcoholic drink vouchers or something. That way the money stays in house but the customer gets to go to the game and get food/drink/merchandise without spending extra. And they could even give the customer a choice of letting them use it at a future game that season, or to get half the cash now as a refund. People LOVE free stuff, and chances to win free stuff.

By: ytownjoe

ytownjoe — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 20:45:50 +0000

To those who want teams to lower ticket prices should know that ALL good seats are bought by season ticket holders. To lower these prices means more profit to scalpers.
I think that seats in the nose bleed sections should be sold for about $10 each. I’ve sat there and the players look very tiny and you can’t really see the game. However, you are part of the excitement and cheer with the crowd.
In my opinion, more and more games will be blacked out because teams have priced these seats too high and fans know that they can see the game much better on their big screen HD sets at home. But if a fan can take his family to the game for $40, plus parking, teams will have a chance to fill the place.

By: dlmayday

dlmayday — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:46:55 +0000

Now suspend this bar over the field of play so you could watch the game from all 4 sides and make the floor out of glass and then you got a winner!

By: harrisonhits2

harrisonhits2 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:39:23 +0000

Eventually the “stadiums” will be reduced to a few thousand total capacity, tickets will cost over $1000 each, parking $400, beers $80 and sandwiches $150.

The NFL will then wonder why the ultra wealthy who are the only ones who can afford to go don’t bother showing up on bad weather days or if they do only stay in fully enclosed bars and suites.

By: barbeaux

barbeaux — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:23:12 +0000

I’ve stood in the party pass area at cowboys stadium. It’s annoying. If you don’t get there hours early you end up standing behind a lot of people to get a view of the field. If you do get up to the front you’ll undoubtedly have to go to the restroom or get something to drink which means you’d lose that spot. Now I just cough up the money for a seat. That is a much better experience. Also, who goes to a restaurant and has an awesome meal but then says “dang, this steak would taste better if 100 people were in here.” A steak is a steak and is good because it’s good. Same goes for bands.

By: stevedigre

stevedigre — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:44:20 +0000

Finally an original idea. I bet the truth lies somewhere between today’s experience and a variant of this.

By: rcali

rcali — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:43:19 +0000

Between Parking and Tickets, that’s one hell of a cover charge to watch a game on a TV in the bar. Next idea.

By: cantarguefacts

cantarguefacts — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:32:57 +0000

This concept might make more sense in baseball than it does in football.

By: azpackerbacker

azpackerbacker — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:31:01 +0000

Cheaper beer, better view, DVR, no lines to park or go use the restroom, my iPad and recliner at my house always has and still will beat this. Nice try though.

By: nashz84

nashz84 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:28:32 +0000

The average fan is being squeezed out and can’t be able to afford to attend a game bc of the tickets price. Parking, food etc,,,, so there for they have to watch at home

By: whatevnfl

whatevnfl — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:06:35 +0000

Translation…we hope we have enough Super Bowl seats in Nola or we’re going to have to stick people at a bar in the stadium and throw cheap food and drinks at them.

By: Mr. Hand

Mr. Hand — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:57:26 +0000

They already have this in the Jacksonville stadium, it’s called the bud light party zone or something like that.

Wall to wall people the time I was in Jax, seemed like anyone that had a seat facing the sun or got hot was in the party zone.

Good looking babes EVERYWHERE, but a little too crowded for my taste.

By: greenerbleeder

greenerbleeder — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:16:18 +0000

Everything at the game is grossly overpriced ($7.50 for a beer I wouldn’t drink for free) and until a way is found to fix that, it’s going to be impossible to attract new people. Plus the fact that it takes 2+ hours to get out of the parking lot when the game is over. I’ll take the Directv NFL package, thanks.

By: wwwmattcom

wwwmattcom — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:15:00 +0000

Directv

By: stoytashaan

stoytashaan — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:11:18 +0000

They are already doing this here in Miami – oh, and let me tell you, it’s a packed house every week. That is, if your house is a studio apartment.

By: tmkelley1

tmkelley1 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:02:40 +0000

If memory serves (as if you’ve come this far down the column to read this) one of the huge problems with English soccer hooligans was, in the older stadiums with few if any seats, they stood and got ripped with their mates, raising hell, and terrorizing the community they were in. Getting rid of SRO largely solved that problem, I believe.

And if this was done at the Oakland Coliseum, holy moly!!!

By: ErinAndrewsStopCallingMe

ErinAndrewsStopCallingMe — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:53:49 +0000

Yes, make the seats all very cheap….then good luck ever getting a ticket! For all you supposed lovers of free economics on this site, it’s interesting now you complain of capitalism since it affects YOU.

Owners can charge whatever they want for ticket prices and food/drink, and people are still going to pay. It’s never a matter of price of going to a game when the city has a winning franchise. Show me one time where a playoff team wasn’t near full capacity and I’ll retract my statement.

It’s not a matter of cost, it’s a matter of if the owner and GM can put together a winning team.

By: cometkazie

cometkazie — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:19:10 +0000

Can’t you do just that at the corner tavern?

I’m gonna waste a day and a week’s salary?

It’s easier to leave the pub when the rowdies get rowdy, too.

By: logast

logast — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:18:16 +0000

So the NFL still wants a new stadium in LA. This one wont work either. First, you will get a less than stellar team. How exactly will fans get behind that?

Second, will the owners charge a personal standing license?

I love the NFL, but it is far more economical for me to stay home and watch via Sunday Ticket. Plus, who likes being around drunk and rowdy “fans” anyway?

By: baron30

baron30 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:04:43 +0000

Cheaper tickets and less amenities.

By: cardmagnet

cardmagnet — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:02:14 +0000

Actually, when a restaurant gets busier, the service suffers, the food usually tastes lousy, and most people would rather not frequent until customer volume tapers off.

By: gizzmonic

gizzmonic — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 15:29:00 +0000

20,000 hooligans… great idea

By: leatherface2012

leatherface2012 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 14:39:03 +0000

gimmicks and then goodell would fine you for not having enough fun

By: 1uniquename

1uniquename — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 14:21:59 +0000

This will sound stupid but why not leave the amount of seats alone but create a division where one side of the stadium, 30,000 or so seats is pure family friendly, no beer allowed. The other side, 20,000 seats with a 5,000 standing room bar at each corner of the other side of the stadium. This would only work if you dramatically lower ticket cost while increasing alcohol cost, make the dude with the kids pay $2 per soda and hot dog but the drunk gets to pay $12 per beer. Or something along these lines, basically separate the morons, kind of like sky boxes did originally.