The NFL Stadium Experience

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Former Clarence Red Raider, Colgate Red Raider, Washington Redskin safety and present-day President of the Green Bay Packers, Mark Murphy made an interesting comment recently.

 

"Our business is very competitive," Packers President Mark Murphy told the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "We're competing with ourselves, in a sense, because TV is so good and we want to make sure the experience in the stadium is unique. It really focuses on technology."

 

I wonder if Murphy is truly buying into Roger Goodell's mandate that the NFL stadium experience become more technological and that fans are able to enjoy high speed wi-fi so that they can use their smart phones and tablets to entertain themselves even as an actual game is going on right in front of their very eyes.

 

Admittedly this might be a subject that is interesting to me only but I think it's fascinating that Jerry Jones builds the largest television in the world to put in his football stadium and that on top of that (pardon the wordplay) he was unwilling to raise the height of said television to eliminate the risk of punts hitting it. In other words, the implication that the television has become more important than the game. Moreover I believe I read that some of the seats at the very top of the Cowboys Stadium have no line of sight to parts of the field.

 

I guess I'm old school (maybe just old) and look to the football stadium as a place of both sanctity and sanctuary… respecting being in the moment of witnessing the greatest football on earth and not being bothered by the usual distractions in life (media). I feel like it should be a place which commands our undivided attention for a few hours.

 

It was one thing when the soundtrack to a sporting event went from being the crowd itself to it being the constant barrage of music, video, and message boards. But when the Jumbotron encroaches on the physical space of the game, then something seems wrong.

 

There are a lot of related ideas to this discussion… the fact that a player running for the end zone often uses the Jumbotron to see how closely he's being pursued by other players for instance.

 

For some reason, when I think of people and their personal electronic devices, it makes me think of the times I've watched pedestrians almost getting hit by cars when crossing through intersections… and the analog of that behavior in the days before wireless devices ("He never saw that lion hiding in the tall grass"). Do we not lose something when we choose not to pay attention to that which is right before our very eyes?

 

I reflect on the fact that at AT&T Park in San Francisco, that every concourse has a view of the field and at virtually every concession stand, one can look through the stand and out onto the field. This ballpark, IMO is the greatest sports arena every constructed. Every seat is excellent. Except for the unbearably beautiful panoramas of the surrounding bay, the stadium puts the game on a pedestal. The playing field, not the television set, is the center of the universe.

 

How do all of you feel about ridiculously huge video boards and high-speed internet in stadiums? Is this something the NFL should be striving for? Are there better, less-technological things the NFL could do to improve the stadium experience?

Edited July 10, 2012 by San Jose Bills Fan

[BillyBaroo]

Former Clarence Red Raider, Colgate Red Raider, Washington Redskin safety and present-day President of the Green Bay Packers, Mark Murphy made an interesting comment recently.

 

“Our business is very competitive,” Packers President Mark Murphy told the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “We're competing with ourselves, in a sense, because TV is so good and we want to make sure the experience in the stadium is unique. It really focuses on technology.”

 

I wonder if Murphy is truly buying into Roger Goodell's mandate that the NFL stadium experience become more technological and that fans are able to enjoy high speed wi-fi so that they can use their smart phones and tablets to entertain themselves even as an actual game is going on right in front of their very eyes.

 

Admittedly this might be a subject that is interesting to me only but I think it's fascinating that Jerry Jones builds the largest television in the world to put in his football stadium and that on top of that (pardon the wordplay) he was unwilling to raise the height of said television to eliminate the risk of punts hitting it. In other words, the implication that the television has become more important than the game. Moreover I believe I read that some of the seats at the very top of the Cowboys Stadium have no line of sight to parts of the field.

 

I guess I'm old school (maybe just old) and look to the football stadium as a place of both sanctity and sanctuary… respecting being in the moment of witnessing the greatest football on earth and not being bothered by the usual distractions in life (media). I feel like it should be a place which commands our undivided attention for a few hours.

 

It was one thing when the soundtrack to a sporting event went from being the crowd itself to it being the constant barrage of music, video, and message boards. But when the Jumbotron encroaches on the physical space of the game, then something seems wrong.

 

There are a lot of related ideas to this discussion… the fact that a player running for the end zone often uses the Jumbotron to see how closely he's being pursued by other players for instance.

 

For some reason, when I think of people and their personal electronic devices, it makes me think of the times I've watched pedestrians almost getting hit by cars when crossing through intersections… and the analog of that behavior in the days before wireless devices ("He never saw that lion hiding in the tall grass"). Do we not lose something when we choose not to pay attention to that which is right before our very eyes?

 

I reflect on the fact that at AT&T Park in San Francisco, that every concourse has a view of the field and at virtually every concession stand, one can look through the stand and out onto the field. This ballpark, IMO is the greatest sports arena every constructed. Every seat is excellent. Except for the unbearably beautiful panoramas of the surrounding bay, the stadium puts the game on a pedestal. The playing field, not the television set, is the center of the universe.

 

How do all of you feel about ridiculously huge video boards and high-speed internet in stadiums? Is this something the NFL should be striving for? Are there better, less-technological things the NFL could do to improve the stadium experience?

Agree with much of this -- the best bills game I ever went to there was a transformer explosion and for part of the first half there was no media; jumbotron or Tv timeouts --it was great

Edited June 30, 2012 by BillyBaroo

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Agree with much of this -- the best bills game I ever went to there was a transformer explosion and for part of the first half there was no media; jumbotron or Tv timeouts --it was great

The classic San Diego at Bills game… maybe the most memorable game of the Jauron era.

 

In addition that might have been Trent Edwards' finest moment as an NFL quarterback. And it was ironically two weeks after his career was "wrecked" by Adrian Wilson.

 

I loved that the NFL Network featured that as their Game of the Week. Because of the power outage, they had to rely more on NFL films footage and less on the television videotape. It was a glorious sunny day and I was euphoric after the win.

 

That win brought the Bills record to 5-1… they went 2-8 the rest of the way.

 

Anyways, my disclaimer is that I don't have a smart phone, and that I rarely answer my cell phone when I'm in the company of others… I think it's impolite and disrespectful of the moment. I'm a good multi-tasker but I wish people would stop obsessing over their electronic devices.

 

 

 

 

[boyst]

All you have to do is look to NASCAR to see the technology they have brought to the track to see what the league needs to bring to stadium.

 

Fan vision

Listening to in-helmet radios maybe

More screens around the stadium

[Dirtbag]

I guess I'm old school (maybe just old) and look to the football stadium as a place of both sanctity and sanctuary… respecting being in the moment of witnessing the greatest football on earth and not being bothered by the usual distractions in life (media). I feel like it should be a place which commands our undivided attention for a few hours.

 

seriously? dude, it's just football. most of us are half-in-the-bag by kickoff.

[Just Jack]

Anyways, my disclaimer is that I don't have a smart phone, and that I rarely answer my cell phone when I'm in the company of others… I think it's impolite and disrespectful of the moment. I'm a good multi-tasker but I wish people would stop obsessing over their electronic devices.

I had a decent reply, but then I had to update my Facebook status, check in on Foursquare, announce on twitter that I just had a 6 Couric crap, and take a photo with instagram.

 

All you have to do is look to NASCAR to see the technology they have brought to the track to see what the league needs to bring to stadium.

 

Fan vision

Listening to in-helmet radios maybe

More screens around the stadium

They already have Fan Vision at Buffalo, I got one for having club seats a couple years ago. I find it more of a distraction than a benefit.

[Thunderstealer]

Cheerleaders that serve beer.

[shoretalk]

Frankly ... I go to a football game to watch the game as it happens on the field while enjoying the energy of the crowd around me.

 

I don't need a lot of technology but I appreciate instant replays after every play rather than selective replays. I also want to have a running out of town scoreboard. Statistical updates are nice but that's what I have Murph in my ear for (And for so many wonderful years Van.).

 

I do not need a stadium with bells and whistles ... I want great sight lines and reasonable priced tickets. I believe that at THE RALPH I get what I want from a game.

 

It's nice to have the video screens in the halls so when I am off to get food/beer or hit the men's room I can still see the game.

 

It's three hours of live action ... if I really want a techno game I'll sit at home with my NFL TICKET plus RED ZONE and just keep my head spinning.

[bowery4]

The Ralph had at the time it was built (along with Arrowhead, which not coinsendensly was designed by the same firm and was very similar), the best sight lines in the league, great design for a stadium IMHO. Jumbotrons are cool for replays, but Dallas has what? a more than 1billion$ stadium? When I think about billion dollars, IDK, I think about starving children and out of control poverty, (this is true in terms of defense money too). And I think wow, richest country on the globe and building toys for the rich is more important than feeding people. I apoligise in advance for my liberalness and getting off topic a bit. I am sure it some how makes for a great game day experience for a few people and if I remember right it was Jerry Jones money (which he is free to do whatever he wants with). I just don't want to see BFLO with anything remotely like that.

 

Interestingly enough, if they would have spent the money they spent on Rich on the Rockpile today we could have a similar situation to Greenbay @ Lambeau field and a Downtown stadium to boot. My Dad hated RW with a passion for blackmailing Bflo into building "the Ralph" and not fixing up War Memorial and I have to agree 40 years on.

Edited June 30, 2012 by bowery4

[Dirtbag]

i disagree with most of this. i went to the san diego game last year. it was the first nfl game i've been to in over a decade (when i lived back east). i was shocked by how slow the "live" game was (i've had the nfl ticket for well over 10 years). maybe it was the fact that the bills sucked that day. maybe it was the fact that the "jumbotron" there was anything but. the time-outs and instant replays bored the crap out of me. watching a game at home, on tv, is a million times more interesting, particularly because it allows the viewer to dissect everything in minutia, thereby increasing the drama. all that dead time between plays is diminished.

 

i don't think any sport has been more enhanced by technology. the time between play is shortened, consumed by replays and second-guessing, and the drama is greatly heightened. if anything, football needs to rely more on technology, not less.

 

regardless, as far as live-viewing, no sport holds a candle to hockey. it's not ever close.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Dirtbag

[IslandBillsFan]

This is related but going in a bit different tangent. I'll tell you what has driven me nuts lately..... the commercials on the jumbo tron. I lived in Miami the last seven years and went to many games there. The commercials are OUT OF CONTROL! During normal television time outs they go to commercial. What makes these worse is the commercials are boring and can't really be heard well. So it basically just kills the mood of the game. I look back to the old days when cheerleaders or local announcers would fill that time.

 

What makes this even worse is the fact that the stadium even squeezes in more jumbo tron commercials than regular television broadcast. During some of the regular timeouts and injuries, where TV would just cut to the announcers and add a few replays, they squeeze in a couple more commercials.

 

Changing direction....

 

I haven't been to many soccer games and none in Europe of Latin America where it is the dominant sport. What has always impressed me about these stadiums and games (from what I can tell on TV) is the fact the energy is derived from the fans. Due to the fact the game has very little "set" breaks... the fans are constantly entertaining themselves with songs, chants, and generally craziness.

 

I am not saying eliminate breaks or lets start making crazy songs and dances.... however, I would just rather hear music, or chant lets go Buffalo than hear "Come on down to Marooni Ford, the home of the Miami Dolphins."

[Offside Number 76]

I agree with most of what is written above. If the league wants to improve the in-stadium experience, it has to do so at the expense of TV timeouts and in-stadium advertising. An NFL game, in-person, is so slow. The San Diego "no charger" game is the last I went to, and it was great. It was like being at an untelevised college game. The pace was good and we entertained ourselves just fine without the loudspeakers blaring ads at us in between every play. Actual conversations took place with fans two rows away!

 

But the NFL, of course, is not going to cannibalize its TV revenues for the sake of improving the in-stadium feel. To the contrary, the movement of late games back to 4:25pm means that the in-stadium experience will be worse; it's obvious that they are going to add more TV timeouts and such.

 

So the league is turning to technology? Does the NFL really think that I'm going to bring my iPad into a stadium so it can get beer-soaked and broken? Does the NFL really think that I want to fiddle with a smartphone to find a replay, seven minutes later over an overloaded wifi connection, of some missed call?

 

If the Bills want to improve the live game experience:

 

1. Widen traffic routes and/or increase public transportation so it doesn't take two hours to leave.

 

2. Expedite the entry process, and it is a process, by adding gates (as long as they're renovating) and staff.

 

3. Cut the in-stadium noise through the loudspeakers so that we can hear ourselves talk and cheer.

 

4. Cut the TV timeouts.

 

 

MAYBE no. 2 will happen; the rest will not.

[BillyBaroo]

i disagree with most of this. i went to the san diego game last year. it was the first nfl game i've been to in over a decade (when i lived back east). i was shocked by how slow the "live" game was (i've had the nfl ticket for well over 10 years). maybe it was the fact that the bills sucked that day. maybe it was the fact that the "jumbotron" there was anything but. the time-outs and instant replays bored the crap out of me. watching a game at home, on tv, is a million times more interesting, particularly because it allows the viewer to dissect everything in minutia, thereby increasing the drama. all that dead time between plays is diminished.

 

i don't think any sport has been more enhanced by technology. the time between play is shortened, consumed by replays and second-guessing, and the drama is greatly heightened. if anything, football needs to rely more on technology, not less.

 

regardless, as far as live-viewing, no sport holds a candle to hockey. it's not ever close.

I disagree with the hockey point. But as far as the length of the games watching live - I can live with most of the breaks but that scenario of: 1) a score. 2) a Tv timeout 3)kickoff 4) Tv timeout is absolutelu brutal!!

[San Jose Bills Fan]

But as far as the length of the games watching live - I can live with most of the breaks but that scenario of: 1) a score. 2) a Tv timeout 3)kickoff 4) Tv timeout is absolutelu brutal!!

At least they don't go to commercial between a TD and the extra point. Yet.

 

I agree that there's a lot of dead time to fill during an NFL game. I guess it's just a matter of how they go about doing it with the constant media bombardment.

 

Between the commercialization of the sport and the catering to attention deficiters, the stadium experience is not so great.

 

And I totally agree with Offsides's point about personal electronic devices and football games not going together. You're supposed to be yelling and screaming and if you aren't clapping with your hands, the only excuse is that you're holding a beer.

 

Can you imagine a football game where people have their noses buried in their smart phones while the game is going on?

 

The whole concept of wi-fi in the stadium is ridiculous.

 

 

[NoSaint]

At least they don't go to commercial between a TD and the extra point. Yet.

 

I agree that there's a lot of dead time to fill during an NFL game. I guess it's just a matter of how they go about doing it with the constant media bombardment.

 

Between the commercialization of the sport and the catering to attention deficiters, the stadium experience is not so great.

 

And I totally agree with Offsides's point about personal electronic devices and football games not going together. You're supposed to be yelling and screaming and if you aren't clapping with your hands, the only excuse is that you're holding a beer.

 

Can you imagine a football game where people have their noses buried in their smart phones while the game is going on?

 

The whole concept of wi-fi in the stadium is ridiculous.

 

There's a lot of dead time in a game and sometimes it's nice to see stats, injury updates, news around the league etc....

[Chandler#81]

FANtastic thread! Well articulated by all. Thanks, SJBF!

For me, having the homer radio feed in my ear is a Gameday essential. With Season Tix in the Kelly era, listening to the Van feed kept me constantly updated with the game in front of me. I could still easily converse with everyone in the area and the occasional Classic Rock licks keep many fans up-tempo. SHOUT! should live for ever. OK, so I'm an Audio-head... As for the commercials, how else could we pay $100M for 1 injured player?

 

This said, I loath Jerrah's gluttony. Illegal Procedure should be called every time the stadium interferes with the game.

 

I share Bowery4's Dad's view!

[BillsWatch]

From WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303561504577495083707417526.html:

The league also is planning to introduce wireless Internet in every stadium and to create smartphone apps that could let fans listen to players wearing microphones on the field.

 

I could see a lot of fans doing this.

[Mr. WEO]

 

I guess I'm old school (maybe just old) and look to the football stadium as a place of both sanctity and sanctuary… respecting being in the moment of witnessing the greatest football on earth and not being bothered by the usual distractions in life (media). I feel like it should be a place which commands our undivided attention for a few hours.

 

 

I respect the sentiment, but that type of nostalgia is not part of the every day stadium experience--certainly not at the Ralph, unless you are inside or in primo seats. Often the "usual distractions" in this "sanctuary" are drunk or passed out teens being fireman carried down the steps by security (or simply simply falling down them), drunk adults swearing and screaming at other adults, minor fights, etc. It's not different from most places, I would bet--and that's why the experience at home is competing favorably with that at the stadium and why the commish is pushing this high tech nonsense.

 

Also, the jumbotron is essential to the experience at the stadium for instant replay--which everyone looks for after each play.

[KD in CA]

I've talked to guys that are running start ups that focus exclusively on how to tie fans into sporting events, TV reality shows and other live events via smart phone technology; both directly from the phone and tying the smart phone through your TV. So basically voting for your American Idol will not require a text message or phone call, just a click of a button on your phone as it's pointed at the TV screen. Or, fans in attendance (or at home or both) can vote for the 3 starts of the game immediately after the game with instant tabulation. Content providers like the NFL or Disney are going to jump at the chance to introduce ways to make fans feel closer to the action.

 

Example: When I was a kid, we had a game where you had to predict the next offense play (inside run/outside run/ short pass/long pass) or success of a kick. You'd put your marker on the appropriate square and if you were right you'd get the alloted points. Winner had the most points at the end of the game. Imagine 30,000 people doing that at an NFL game with the winner getting free season tickets or whatever.

 

Yes, a lot of us can't fathom the idea of going to a game and spending the whole time staring at a smart phone, but football isn't going to ignore the possibilities that technology is going to offer. Younger generations are being raised on this (my 3 year old has complete command of an ipad) and it will be second nature to them to participate in such fan expereinces.

 

The future is coming to a stadium near you....

 

 

[Mr. WEO]

 

Example: When I was a kid, we had a game where you had to predict the next offense play (inside run/outside run/ short pass/long pass) or success of a kick. You'd put your marker on the appropriate square and if you were right you'd get the alloted points. Winner had the most points at the end of the game.

 

How many kids repeatedly put the marker on "pass" on 3rd and 2?