Went to game in PIT vs SD this weekend...observations

[Snell41]

A few of my buddies and I made a pact to try and go to some home games for their favorite teams once a year. This year was PIT, next year we're going to try for Denver.

Anyway, having never been to any other stadium but the old and new meadowlands I really have to say I'm so disappointed in Woody Johnson and the Mara's for the debacle we call a stadium. Now I realize it's harder to truly customize a stadium when there are two teams playing, but there is literally nothing eye pleasing about the new meadowlands. Heinz field has tons, and I mean TONS of cool activities inside and outside the stadium, open areas all over where you can see the game while walking in (good for all you late entrants), and loads of cool abmbience throughout. The only thing I thought was better at the new meadowlands were the urinals, as Heinz literally has troths. I always thought the new meadowlands stadium was pretty bland to begin with, but after seeing Heinz it really is embarrassing how badly they dropped the ball on the most expensive stadium in the country.

[southparkcpa]

Originally Posted by Snell41

A few of my buddies and I made a pact to try and go to some home games for their favorite teams once a year. This year was PIT, next year we're going to try for Denver.

Anyway, having never been to any other stadium but the old and new meadowlands I really have to say I'm so disappointed in Woody Johnson and the Mara's for the debacle we call a stadium. Now I realize it's harder to truly customize a stadium when there are two teams playing, but there is literally nothing eye pleasing about the new meadowlands. Heinz field has tons, and I mean TONS of cool activities inside and outside the stadium, open areas all over where you can see the game while walking in (good for all you late entrants), and loads of cool abmbience throughout. The only thing I thought was better at the new meadowlands were the urinals, as Heinz literally has troths. I always thought the new meadowlands stadium was pretty bland to begin with, but after seeing Heinz it really is embarrassing how badly they dropped the ball on the most expensive stadium in the country.

Whats wrong with peeing in a troth? Very old fashined you know.

[Snell41]

Oh yeah, observation #2. SD is not nearly as good as the score, PIT's secondary is atrociously bad.

[JetsfanfromtheBURGH]

Originally Posted by Snell41

A few of my buddies and I made a pact to try and go to some home games for their favorite teams once a year. This year was PIT, next year we're going to try for Denver.

Anyway, having never been to any other stadium but the old and new meadowlands I really have to say I'm so disappointed in Woody Johnson and the Mara's for the debacle we call a stadium. Now I realize it's harder to truly customize a stadium when there are two teams playing, but there is literally nothing eye pleasing about the new meadowlands. Heinz field has tons, and I mean TONS of cool activities inside and outside the stadium, open areas all over where you can see the game while walking in (good for all you late entrants), and loads of cool abmbience throughout. The only thing I thought was better at the new meadowlands were the urinals, as Heinz literally has troths. I always thought the new meadowlands stadium was pretty bland to begin with, but after seeing Heinz it really is embarrassing how badly they dropped the ball on the most expensive stadium in the country.

I was at the game too. I go to a game once a year. I have to agree with everything you said. The crowd there is always up for the game. Especially when the D is on the field and they start playing renegade by Styx. Tho the crowd ducked out pretty early Sunday.

[PMarsico9]

Heinz field is amazing. I agree.

Simply opening up in the one end zone to the Pittsburgh skyline and the bridges is amazing the first time you walk in.

Not to mention the fact that Heinz field cost $369 Million in today's dollars.

The Met was $1.8 billion....No retractable roof, less overhangs than the old stadium.

LOL. NY Unions at their finest.

[Snell41]

Originally Posted by JetsfanfromtheBURGH

I was at the game too. I go to a game once a year. I have to agree with everything you said. The crowd there is always up for the game. Especially when the D is on the field and they start playing renegade by Styx. Tho the crowd ducked out pretty early Sunday.

Fans were very good when defense was on field. Was a little surprised at how many people were late getting in to be honest. I thought that was a Jets only issue. I tried to be fair and just judge it without comparing colors and it's still just head and shoulders better. When you walk into the Meadowlands it just feels gray and boring. You walk into Heinz and it's like stepping into a huge party.

[JetsfanfromtheBURGH]

Originally Posted by Snell41

Fans were very good when defense was on field. Was a little surprised at how many people were late getting in to be honest. I thought that was a Jets only issue. I tried to be fair and just judge it without comparing colors and it's still just head and shoulders better. When you walk into the Meadowlands it just feels gray and boring. You walk into Heinz and it's like stepping into a huge party.

Especially with 60,000 terrible towels being waved

[Snell41]

Originally Posted by JetsfanfromtheBURGH

Especially with 60,000 terrible towels being waved

The towels were definitely a big help. I also have to laugh at people who think the new meadowlands is too big to be noisy. Sorry, Heinz is wide open. Nothing about that stadium is acoustically helpful to a noisy crowd, yet they still do it.

I even have to attack the excuse for the lack of color at the meadowlands. It's easy to use lighting to enhance the colors the more I think about it, I'm sure this can be done easily with all the LED options today. Posters with players can easily be interchanged like those rolling billboards. It's just a terrible design through and through.

[Traitor Jay & the Woodies]

The Pittsburgh Steelers are part of the very fabric of their community. They are a prized institution. The New York Jets are the second most popular NFL franchise in an international city that when it comes to sports, favors baseball.

You cannot compare the two experiences.

The stadiums you can compare, however. And I don't think the new giants stadium will beat out any other NFL stadium built recently. It has been universally panned, and rightfully so.

[JetsfanfromtheBURGH]

Originally Posted by Snell41

The towels were definitely a big help. I also have to laugh at people who think the new meadowlands is too big to be noisy. Sorry, Heinz is wide open. Nothing about that stadium is acoustically helpful to a noisy crowd, yet they still do it.

I even have to attack the excuse for the lack of color at the meadowlands. It's easy to use lighting to enhance the colors the more I think about it, I'm sure this can be done easily with all the LED options today. Posters with players can easily be interchanged like those rolling billboards. It's just a terrible design through and through.

They are adding 3000 seats to the open endzone. So it should be louder in there. Try catching a ravens game there. insane!

[crasherino]

Originally Posted by Snell41

A few of my buddies and I made a pact to try and go to some home games for their favorite teams once a year. This year was PIT, next year we're going to try for Denver.

Anyway, having never been to any other stadium but the old and new meadowlands I really have to say I'm so disappointed in Woody Johnson and the Mara's for the debacle we call a stadium. Now I realize it's harder to truly customize a stadium when there are two teams playing, but there is literally nothing eye pleasing about the new meadowlands. Heinz field has tons, and I mean TONS of cool activities inside and outside the stadium, open areas all over where you can see the game while walking in (good for all you late entrants), and loads of cool abmbience throughout. The only thing I thought was better at the new meadowlands were the urinals, as Heinz literally has troths. I always thought the new meadowlands stadium was pretty bland to begin with, but after seeing Heinz it really is embarrassing how badly they dropped the ball on the most expensive stadium in the country.

What were these cool activities? Met Life has a bunch of stuff going on. Personally, I've taken my boys to 3 games this year and each time we go to the pass/kick area that is set up for kids and adults. Its a great time for kids. I also went there when I went to the game with my buddies and we had a great time kicking fgs (extra points really). I am 8/8 on those kicks this year and won $30 bucks from my friends (felt especially good taking the money from my idiot friend who played soccer in college and thought he was going to kick the ball over the netting). They have some other stuff there as well that I am far less interested in. Going on stage right near the main entrance - a lot of people congregate around there and seem to enjoy it.

As far as being able to see when you're walking around.....doesn't interest me as an amenity. Unlike a baseball game, you should be sitting in your seat watching a football game. If you want to watch the game from an area that's covered, get Club Seats (the fact that you can't watch the game from inside the Club is a legitimate gripe, IMO). I would expect to see the food areas have a little more flair than drab concrete, but that doesn't really affect my experience whilst inside the stadium.

When I go to Citifield for an ordinary game, I probably spend 3 innings + walking around, getting food and enjoying the game from different vantage points. I think the Mets did a good job in that regard. For football, OTOH, there's no walking around.

Besides the outlandish cost (and the fact that our old stadium was perfectly fine), the entrance/exit situation and not being able to walk around seamlessly is a real pain in the ass. And the zig zagging escalators is a fire trap waiting to happen.

Overall, NMS isn't terrible. Its just vastly overpriced considering its nothing special. Considering the price tag was basically more than double most every other team's new construction, you'd think it would be the fanciest and most impressive place in the world. Its not though.

[DDNYjets]

It is well-documented how overpriced and underwhelming all 3 new stadiums are. IMO Citi Field is the best of the 3, followed by Yankee Stadium and MetLife is a very distant third. I think MetLife is going to get a TON of criticism when it hosts the SB.

As for the basketball arenas, I haven't been to Brooklyn yet, but I have been to the Garden and I love what they have done their so far.

[southparkcpa]

Originally Posted by crasherino

Overall, NMS isn't terrible. Its just vastly overpriced considering its nothing special. Considering the price tag was basically more than double most every other team's new construction, you'd think it would be the fanciest and most impressive place in the world. Its not though.

Sounds like the Esplanade job.

[Snell41]

Originally Posted by crasherino

What were these cool activities? Met Life has a bunch of stuff going on. Personally, I've taken my boys to 3 games this year and each time we go to the pass/kick area that is set up for kids and adults. Its a great time for kids. I also went there when I went to the game with my buddies and we had a great time kicking fgs (extra points really). I am 8/8 on those kicks this year and won $30 bucks from my friends (felt especially good taking the money from my idiot friend who played soccer in college and thought he was going to kick the ball over the netting). They have some other stuff there as well that I am far less interested in. Going on stage right near the main entrance - a lot of people congregate around there and seem to enjoy it.

As far as being able to see when you're walking around.....doesn't interest me as an amenity. Unlike a baseball game, you should be sitting in your seat watching a football game. If you want to watch the game from an area that's covered, get Club Seats (the fact that you can't watch the game from inside the Club is a legitimate gripe, IMO). I would expect to see the food areas have a little more flair than drab concrete, but that doesn't really affect my experience whilst inside the stadium.

When I go to Citifield for an ordinary game, I probably spend 3 innings + walking around, getting food and enjoying the game from different vantage points. I think the Mets did a good job in that regard. For football, OTOH, there's no walking around.

Besides the outlandish cost (and the fact that our old stadium was perfectly fine), the entrance/exit situation and not being able to walk around seamlessly is a real pain in the ass. And the zig zagging escalators is a fire trap waiting to happen.

Overall, NMS isn't terrible. Its just vastly overpriced considering its nothing special. Considering the price tag was basically more than double most every other team's new construction, you'd think it would be the fanciest and most impressive place in the world. Its not though.

There's a huge stage outside with a band playing, tons of tents with parties going on, they had the pass and FG challenge as well. Inside you immediately end up in a pavillion where the floor is painted as a football field, tons of visuals, another band on a stage, lots of vendors and bathrooms, tv's playing all the pregame shows. It's just a far better stadium experience. I looked past the fact that the entire fanbase is different. I get that. But there's a huge difference between walking into a drab gray box that's even more boring and drab inside than there is walking into Heinz stadium.

As for the views to the field, I got to my seats before kickoff. Actually well before, but it's cool to be able to look out onto the field while you're making your way to wherever you're sitting. It at least takes your mind off being in a cattle brigade to be able to see the pregame practicing, etc.. It would also be beneficial to the fans who do show up late as well as the team. They can see while they're making their way in, but more importantly they can CHEER and be heard while making their way.

[CleatMarks]

Originally Posted by southparkcpa

Whats wrong with peeing in a troth? Very old fashined you know.

He obviously never went to a Pats game at the old stadium. He'd be lucky if the troth weren't overflowing by half time. It adds to the metal benches in December experience.

[Snell41]

Originally Posted by southparkcpa

Whats wrong with peeing in a troth? Very old fashined you know.

Well for starters the water was very cold! Plus people tend to stare at me alot without the divider.

[124]

I heard similar things from buddies who went out to Pittsburgh for the 2010 AFCCG. I can say similar things about Lucas Oil Stadium from when I went out there for the 2009 AFCCG, as well as Gillette Stadium and even dare I say it, Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Our stadium is a cell tower of depression.

[BamaJets]

NMS wasn't built solely for the Jets/Giants. Super Bowl, huge concerts, wrestlemania, college games, soccer, etc. All those extra seats take away extra room for the "fan experience" things. And the huge capacity zaps any hopes for an intimate atmosphere/great homefield advantage

[jetswinbaby!]

Originally Posted by southparkcpa

Whats wrong with peeing in a troth? Very old fashined you know.

Troth??

[RoadFan]

Nice that you stepped outside your comfort zone to see other NFL venues. I have not been to Metlife because I cannot stand home games. The new stadium might suck, but the lack of energy has everything to do with the fans and not the building. A mediocre team can also breed apathy but that excuse does not fly most of the time. The Packer game in 2010 was a disgrace. The team was good, the opponent was good... and there was no noise and empty seats everywhere. I have been to 11 stadiums around the league and let me tell you, the only place I have seen with less energy is Jacksonville. Miami fans are apathetic due to years of below average football, but their hatred for the Jets breathes at least some life into the game. Only road games for me...