The Chargers and Raiders both started playing in new stadiums last year, but Raiders coach Jon Gruden is not impressed with his division rival’s new building.
Lightning in the area resulted in Monday night’s Raiders-Chargers game being delayed by 35 minutes, even though the Chargers’ SoFi Stadium has a roof. Although Rams owner Stan Kroenke spent $5.5 billion on the stadium that houses both Los Angeles NFL teams, an architectural decision was made to have openings in the roof, and that meant the decision was made that the game couldn’t be played while there was lightning outside. Gruden could not figure out why an indoor stadium wasn’t built to withstand severe weather.
“I’m not an engineer, I have no idea. I have never heard that. I thought it was a joke. But it affected both teams,” Gruden said.
Gruden also dislikes the design of the visiting locker room.
“The locker room here is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen. I mean you can’t see anybody. It’s like a maze. So whoever contorted this visiting locker room, I’d like to meet this guy, see what his idea was,” Gruden said.
Asked how the delay adversely affected his team, Gruden refused to make excuses for the loss.
“It didn’t have anything to do with it,” Gruden said.
A lightning delay on a nationally televised game was not what the league was hoping for when it opened its new football palace in Los Angeles. Gruden wasn’t the only one unhappy with it.