Falcons fans: Are you willing to let it snow, let it snow …? (UPDATE: Will Bears-Vikings be moved here?)
Fans' view of last week's Bears-Patriots game in Chicago. (Don't worry. Atlanta's not this bad.)
(UPDATED below with news that the Chicago Bears-Minnesota Vikings game is considering the Georgia Dome as a fallback site.)
Hello. It’s cold outside. Do you love football enough to sit in this for three or four hours?
This topic has been going around ever since Falcons owner Arthur Blank announced that he wants to build an open air stadium. Personally, I love open air stadiums. The sounds are better. The smells are better. It just feels more like football.
Besides, I get to sit inside a press box.
Loading ...No seriously, while I’ll give you that I grew up in the not-so-brutal winters of southern California, I did sit outside through many cold and rainy games. (The hot chocolate never stayed hot in the thermos, by the way.) But I’ll grant you that I never had to sit as a fan through an outdoor game in snow or ice, at least not since press boxes were enclosed.
(I twice covered NFL playoff games at the old RFK Stadium, which had an open press box. I learned it’s difficult to type with frozen fingers and icicles hanging from your nostrils. But I do remember Furman Bisher wearing a very cool houndstooth cap.)
OK, back to the point of this blog. Would you sit in this weather for a football game? I imagine many of you have done it for a Georgia or Georgia Tech game.
But have you been spoiled in the last 18 years by the Falcons playing in a dome stadium?
Got a poll up. I’m giving you three choices. But if you’ve got some time, why not share a cold weather sports story with us. Could be fun.
(FYI, I’ve added a retractable roof as one of the three choices. But because of the significant additional cost, I’m not sure Blank considers that an option.)
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UPDATE: With the Minnesota Vikings still unable to play in the Metrodome because of its collapsed roof, there’s a chance their Monday night game against Chicago will be moved to the Georgia Dome, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Vikings’ first choice is to play at the University of Minnesota’s stadium, where workers are trying to shovel snow out of the seats, aisles and field. From the story:
The Vikings badly want to play the game in Minneapolis because Monday is the culmination of a weekend celebrating the 50-year anniversary of the franchise. Other dome stadiums have been mentioned as possibilities, including stadiums in Detroit and Indianapolis. Although they don’t have final say, the Vikings logically would be opposed to both options and even St. Louis because they know the stadiums would be filled with huge pro-Bears crowds. One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said if the game isn’t played in Minnesota the likely destination is Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.
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200 comments Add your comment
JSS
December 16th, 2010
8:58 am
Ha ha, No!!!
Paul H
December 16th, 2010
9:06 am
UGA and GA Tech both have outdoor stadiums and UGA especially has NO problem with getting butts in the seats. The people in the South are passionate about football and will gladly watch an outdoor game regardless of the weather.
Paul H
December 16th, 2010
9:08 am
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad dress.
md
December 16th, 2010
9:08 am
Did it at the old Fulton County Stadium……….wouldn’t do it again.
The toes in the snow hurt too bad to ever want to do that again. Not being able to run around like one does when skiing/snowboarding makes a huge difference.
JSS
December 16th, 2010
9:10 am
Well Jeff Schultz, you know where I went to university, so you know I ain’t afraid of the elements. But as a person who sat in the old Atlanta Fulton County Stadium on multiple times in late December and once in January (1/4/1981 to be exact), the fools who want a outdoor football stadium in these climes are crazy! The NFL playoffs are played in mid to late January. You live on the edge of the Appalachians, and every cold front meets the influence of the Gulf of Mexico moisture here!!! That is insanity, add to that the silliness that Atlanta traffic flow, boom!!! Go turn on the news, don’t waste my tax money that way…
BW
December 16th, 2010
9:11 am
A retractable dome is the only thing that makes sense. Let the Falcons get their revenue and allow Final Fours and the SEC Championship and other events stay indoors.
BW
December 16th, 2010
9:12 am
I went up to Charlotte for last weekend’s game and the only two things that were fun was the Falcons kicking Panther butt and the company of friends.
mountain_jim
December 16th, 2010
9:15 am
Football is a sport meant to be played in rain, mud, and snow, or on real grass under real open skies when the weather is good.
Plus the blimp shots are so much better.
Vader
December 16th, 2010
9:15 am
The ability to retract a roof is insignificant compared to the power of the outdoor stadium.
JSS
December 16th, 2010
9:17 am
@ Mountain Jim…
Ain’t no plane or blimp shots in bad weather!
Nathan
December 16th, 2010
9:18 am
NEVER!!!!!!! We love the GA Dome. If you are building something, make a roof that opens and closes. Outside stadiums= NO!!!!!
Mel in Midtown
December 16th, 2010
9:19 am
Both UGA and GATech are NOT playing football outside past mid November, long before “winter” arrives here, so that argument doesn’t hold. While the GA Dome isn’t a perfect venue, it is a multi-use venue. Because of it, we have the SEC football championship, the Chik-Fil-A Bowl, the NCAA Final Four and is applicable for other large events that wouldn’t be possible with an outdoor stadium.
coachx
December 16th, 2010
9:23 am
I’m a season ticket holder but would probably stop renewing if it goes out doors.
If you look at the crowd of he Bears games its 95% men sitting through the snow. 40% of the Falcons game day attendants are women. I can’t see them sitting through that weather.
College is so different. There is usually only 1 or 2 at the most, cold home games per year. The UGA / Tech games is alwayse cold but the season ends 2 days after Thanksgiving. The NFL still have 5 to 6 games to play after UGA / Tech’s homes games are over.
Jeff Schultz
December 16th, 2010
9:25 am
JSS — I see you’ve become a weather wimp on the left coast.
senior falcon
December 16th, 2010
9:26 am
I, too, spent some cold afternoons in old Fulton County stadium and I wouldn’t(even if were younger)consider doing it again. And don’t forget about the rain.
Jeff Schultz
December 16th, 2010
9:26 am
FYI — folks, updated this blog with word that the Georgia Dome is a fallback option for Vikings-Bears Monday night game.
TagButler
December 16th, 2010
9:29 am
The Georgia/Georgia Tech comparison doesn’t work — college football finishes around Thanksgiving. The coldest NFL games are in December and January, risking much worse weather than the college fans ever had to deal with.
JSS
December 16th, 2010
9:29 am
@ Jeff Schultz…
Nope, I still hit Mt. Shasta and Mt. Hood… But I’ll be darned if I’m going to pay Arthur Blank to sit in the cold rain, sleet, and with boorish fans! Robert Kraft, maybe, Blank? Heck no!!!
Bravissimo
December 16th, 2010
9:31 am
Having to drive 3 hours to sit in rain,snow or sleet. Im gonna think more than twice about going to a Falcons game in Dec or Jan.
The JWad
December 16th, 2010
9:31 am
How do you vote for “Who Cares?”
Hank
December 16th, 2010
9:32 am
What! No way. I live here because it does not get cold and blustery. Let the midwest and north have the snow and cold. The dome is great and let me watch football played in the snow on T.V., where snow belongs. Football should be played in 80 to 90 degrees and practice in 90plus. The 50s are the coldest temperatures we can handle. Cold weather makes you slow and miserable, ask Ohio State.
Covers Dixie like the Dew
December 16th, 2010
9:32 am
Merry Christmas Jeff and Furman.
bmoney
December 16th, 2010
9:32 am
i watched a 1-AA playoff game in the snow in Greenville SC many moons ago. Would never, ever do it again. Play indoors at the Dome.
BTW – if the Falcons build an outdoor stadium, there’s no chance in hell of Atlanta hosting a Super Bowl.
Paul H
December 16th, 2010
9:33 am
As long as they don’t put their logo on our field like they did in Detroit!
Jeff – what do you think about that? Should a neutral game be able to remove the home team’s logo?
Wayne Langley
December 16th, 2010
9:35 am
This poll should be limited to only those who
really come to the games. Many people talk
big about sitting outside, but would never
go. I sat at the old stadium many a miserable
day, but won’t do that anymore. Give me
a dome or retractable roof.
How bout them . . . . . . . . . . 11-2 Falcons
December 16th, 2010
9:35 am
College bowl teams do it all the time.
JPO
December 16th, 2010
9:35 am
No way. And as for Georgia and Tech, they stop play long before the coldest weather hits anyway. What about rain days? None for me. It my feel more like football but it sucks. That said, I kinda like the Packers games in Winter. But keep the GaDome.
senior falcon
December 16th, 2010
9:36 am
Also, I think in this day and time that anyone who builds an open-air stadium should be required to have a covered fallback OR be required to reimburse the league for loss revenue.
Just Sayin
December 16th, 2010
9:36 am
Good point Mel. Would we sit outside in bad weather if we HAD to? Sure, some will. Do we WANT to? No. Put a retractable roof on the place. They suffer in those cold weather cities year after year because it’s tradition – a badge of honor. That’s not the case here. As far as the Bears/Vikings game possibly moving to Atlanta, there would likely be about an equal number of TRUE fans of both in attendance, not just casual spectators as in Detroit on Monday. What a treat for transplants and I think they’d sell the place out.
Ackshun
December 16th, 2010
9:36 am
Frankly I think all new stadiums should be domed or have retractable roofs. There is nothing “romantic” about freezing your butt off staring at a bunch of grown men slipping and sliding across a grid-iron in the middle of a Noreaster. When I go to a football game I want to see FOOTBALL! and don’t tell me the elements are part of it. All they do is blunt the athleticism of the player. Who wants to see Desean Jackson relegated to the sprint speed of mere mortals? Not me. Trust me if the people who invented this game had the technology and resources available to them, it would have never been played outdoors.
merculf
December 16th, 2010
9:37 am
for all of you talking about Tech and UGA playing outside…remember the last game is usually in Nov. not Dec. or Jan. Big difference.
I'm Gumby, Dammit!!
December 16th, 2010
9:37 am
I sat through the Dallas playoff meltdown, and other than the outcome, that’s the way football should be played. OUTDOORS. Yes, it was cold, but it beats sitting in the dome, feeling like you’re in your living room. For all those that say football is better indoors, grow a pair.
Nathan
December 16th, 2010
9:37 am
Been a season ticket holder since 1996, We do not need a outside stadium. It would cause attendance to decrease because many ppl are NOT going to sit outside. If you want to bring a reteactable roof, cool, but NO WAY I am sitting outside
jeff
December 16th, 2010
9:38 am
In 1996 I saw Ohio St. play Michigan in Columbus. Back then the south end of the stadium wasn’t closed and it was just metal bleachers and I swear your butt froze to the seats. It was so uncomfortable it wasn’t really any fun even though it was a great game. The Falcons play so well indoors I think they should stick with what works.
Bravissimo
December 16th, 2010
9:38 am
Actually on second thought….If Im allowed to sip from my flask and have an escort from one of the cheerleaders to the train…hell yea ill sit in the snow
DawgFan
December 16th, 2010
9:39 am
To all the people complaining about having to sit in the elements during football season… you realize Green Bay is laughing at your complaints, right?
All of the SEC teams play outside all year (save for maybe the Kickoff Classic game) and no one has a problem with weather affecting the outcome of those games, but for some reason we can have no variables whatsoever for that early December SEC Title game. What a joke.
By the by, I’ve lived in Georgia my whole life. Give me an outdoor stadium, I love it.
Double Zero Eight
December 16th, 2010
9:40 am
I spent many miserable days at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.
I prefer a dome with a retractable roof. If it is built, it should not
be funded by the taxpayers.
DawgFan
December 16th, 2010
9:41 am
Mel – remember that Georgia and Georgia Tech typically play each other the last weekend in November. Georgia plays Auburn before that, in late November. Tech plays whoever it is they play (Duke, or someone like that…) in late November.
Good Grief
December 16th, 2010
9:41 am
I believe there’s more Chicago fans living in this area than Minnesota fans but if the two teams are willing to travel I think it would work out. Im sure the transits will make it out to the game
PMC
December 16th, 2010
9:43 am
Retractable Roof is Valhalla. Football is awesome outside most of the year….but it’s more enjoyable to watch when it’s comfortable.
More people will come if they are comfortable. This city simply isn’t passionate enough about pro sports in huge numbers that would fill a huge stadium outside in the cold.
That said, if they built a reasonably sized stadium in this town for once instead of grossly exaggerating the fanbase they could easily sell it out no matter what it was.
A 50K – 55K football stadium would sell out all the time.
85K won’t unless you get fringe fans.
Turner Field should be midtown or near Centennial Olympic Park and only hold about 42,000. They would easily sell that out more often.
PMC
December 16th, 2010
9:46 am
and all that said, I still have absolutely no issue with the Georgia Dome.
Ted Striker
December 16th, 2010
9:47 am
Dome. And not a new one.
PMC
December 16th, 2010
9:48 am
Outdoor Stadiums are much much more of a showpiece, but the idea that football “should be played outsided” meh.
I liked playing it outside better. Sure, I liked getting chalk all over my uniform too. But… sitting in it. Nope.
Rambo
December 16th, 2010
9:48 am
I have watched the Bears at Wrigley Field when it was 10 degrees and at Soldier Field when it was 33 and raining. I have never been so miserable in all my life. I was at the Falcons playoff win against San Fran in ‘98 and even with a considerable amount of anti-freeze in me from tailgating, I couldn’t wait to get inside. Even drubbing the ‘9ers in that game wouldn’t have warmed me up if it was outside. At the very least, we need a retractable dome.
Larry
December 16th, 2010
9:49 am
Jeff,
Look outside right now….cold and rain! I’d rather be in the Dome!
I’ll take a retractable roof, thank you!
the real Old Gold
December 16th, 2010
9:49 am
If these Falcons were in Fulton County Stadium the seats would be full. The Peach Bowl also had no problems. Having said that, I love the Georgia Dome. It’s great for the Falcons, GA State, and GA HS football. We need to re-roof the Dome and be done with it.
Hank
December 16th, 2010
9:49 am
DawgFan – They are laughing in Green Bay and other miserable places but, the laugh disguises the absolute misery. Secretly they are hoping they die at the game and are saved from more frozen winters. Think about it, if they really like the cold, Why do they play hockey INDOORS!
mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore
December 16th, 2010
9:49 am
why is it that all these pro sports owners (pick your sport) think they can hold a city hostage by demanding a new stadium. Some of them go so far as to threaten to move their teams. If they want a new stadium pony up at least some of the money.
Angus
December 16th, 2010
9:50 am
How difficult/possible would it be to host a few Falcons game a season at the Ted?
If it could be done, I think that’d satisfy the novelty of outdoor, NFL football.
Just saying..
December 16th, 2010
9:52 am
Falcons season ticket holder since 1992, now halfway down close to the 50. I’d seriously consider giving up the tickets, without weather protection.
Bill
December 16th, 2010
9:53 am
“College bowl teams do it all the time”—yes, at the Ga. Dome, Jacksonville, Miami, Pasadena, Phoenix, New Orleans . . . get the message?
DawgFan
December 16th, 2010
9:54 am
Umm… Hank, hockey requires a sheet of ice, which is not always promised outdoors. And even though there are several groups of kids that get together in Minnesota and northern Michigan and play hockey on frozen lakes and ponds, if it warms up enough the rink goes away. Thus, at least at the collegiate/semi-pro/pro level, hockey must be played indoors to maintain the ice.If it warms up or cools down, the actualy ground does not go away, but ice will.
Larry
December 16th, 2010
9:55 am
Further, with 60″-73″ HD TV’s on the wall in Theater Rooms now (I have a 73″ at home and a 63″ at my cabin) I’d like to make a suggestion. Have the players and owners give up a few of their millions and create a highly comfortable atmosphere to sit for three hours. Just widen most or all of the seats about 50%, increase the distance about 200% on the rows, and in general make the seating like that of a high end theater. This, great food and service, a classy, welcoming environ met will get better fans to the games
My 4 seats are on ROW 1 at the 40 yard line just 20-30 feet from the players and yet I still cannot stand having my shoulders rubbing the people on each side of me!
Russ555
December 16th, 2010
9:56 am
College season ends in late November before it gets cold. I remember the Peach Bowl played after Christmans, They had rain, freezing rain, snow, hail, sleet, and a blizzard all within three hours. Last time we had a super bowl here there was an ice strom. Watching a game in late December or January in Atlanta in cold rain or ice is not something fans will want to do.
SimpleDawg
December 16th, 2010
9:58 am
Georgia’s games are over by December 1. The weather really gets nasty in December and January.
I, for one, would not be as willing to buy season tickets and sit out in the elements. I’ve had tickets in the old Fulton County Stadium, and I have them in the Georgia Dome……there’s no comparison. Hot as Hell in September and early October, and cold as a banker’s heart in Winter…..no thanks. I’ll either take a Dome environment, or I’ll just watch on TV where the environment can be more comfortable.
Besides, a Dome can pay for it’s self in so many more ways than an outdoor stadium.
Concrete Pete
December 16th, 2010
9:58 am
Embrace domes people. It’s called technology. it progresses and makes life better. “Football is meant to be played outdoors in the elements”… Yea and we used to crap outside in a hole until indoor plumbing. Embrace technological advances!
Tweets that mention Falcons fans: Are you willing to let it snow, let it snow ...? | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
December 16th, 2010
9:58 am
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SacFalcFan
December 16th, 2010
9:59 am
I think Tech and the Falcons should share a stadium with a retractable roof. GO JACKETS!!!!!
JSS
December 16th, 2010
10:02 am
@ Old Gold…
“The Peach Bowl also had no problems.”
What the? The Peach Bowl almost folded multiple times because of the weather. It took Chick-fil-a and the opening of the Dome to make it the Destination game it has become.
The thing about venues is not novelty for team owners, it is revenue and revenue streams! This is not college football. There have been multiple HBCU games played at Turner Field by the way, SHOCKING!!! Again, it not about venues…
Gary
December 16th, 2010
10:04 am
I love the cold but you can have the heat. It is brutal sitting in Sanford Stadium for a 12:30 game in September in the hot sun. Those games are miserable. The Tech game this year was great. You can always dress warm, but you can’t do anything about heat humidity and sunburn. Keep the dome. I will suffer to watch the dogs. I need A/C and comfortable seats to pay for a Falcons ticket.
SimpleDawg
December 16th, 2010
10:04 am
Oh yeah, my inclement weather football story: Peach Bowl, 1970, Arizona State vs. UNC. Game played at Grant Field. We sat in the North Stands…..basically bleachers. Snowed so hard that when the action moved beyond the 50 yard line, we couldn’t see anything but a snow curtain. My date begged to leave at halftime…..she was a college girl, I was in high school…..I yielded to her wishes….never regretted the decision…on several levels.
80sFalcon
December 16th, 2010
10:05 am
My dad and I were at a Falcons/Giants game at Fulton County Stadium with kick-off temps in the single digits. We were two of the idiotic (or passionate) 7,000 fans in the stadium that day. I enjoyed it as much as any game I’ve been to since. Just want to see Falcons football. Don’t care where it’s played. With the unpredictable Southeast weather, it’s best to have a dome if we want to draw another Super Bowl. If you remember, it was a major deciding factor in Atlanta missing out on hosting the game.
falconfan 24-7
December 16th, 2010
10:05 am
On good weather days, I would be there with a cold beer. On bad weather days, will be home on a warm couch with a cold beer rooting the Falcons on to victory.
Larry
December 16th, 2010
10:07 am
SimpleDawg,
LOL…but it is most tacky to leave out the finest of details!
Sonny Clusters
December 16th, 2010
10:08 am
Clusters don’t mind bad weather but Clusters have had some big games in a dome. We would vote for a dome mostly because of the danger of never knowing when the roof might collapse and the excitement that adds to a game.
JoeMan
December 16th, 2010
10:08 am
If Buffalo and Green Bay have open-air stadiums, there’s no reason we should sit in a dome in Atlanta. It absolutely makes for a better football experience. HOWEVER, I wouldn’t support spending a DIME of public funding for a new stadium. The Dome is in great shape, and should serve the Falcs for at least another decade or so.
winkasdad29
December 16th, 2010
10:09 am
I want a retractable roof stadium so Atlanta can still host big events like the Super Bowl, SEC Championship, NCAA Final Four. I’m from the North, but winters here are different than winters up there. It’s no fun sitting in 35 degree weather and raining heavily. I’d take the snow instead.
It’s OK for the Vikings to put their logo on the field if the game is played here. I think the Vikings will need to ask the Falcons for permission, though.
Tweets that mention Falcons fans: Are you willing to let it snow, let it snow ...? | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Patrick Maness and Tim Yonkers, Jeff Schultz. Jeff Schultz said: UPDATE on #Falcons/weather blog: Will #Bears-#Vikings MNF game be moved to Georgia Dome? http://bit.ly/fdSQ7t [...]
northern neighbor
December 16th, 2010
10:10 am
I remember a Thursday night Tech game versus Notre Dame when I was a kid in the late ’60s.
I thought is was really nice of my dad to give his tickets to a friend (young ND alum) who took me to the game. I have never been so cold in my life. The frozen fish the students threw at the Notre Dame bench were originally frozen.
I love watching football played in the real elements … on TV.
I like the Georgia Dome.
After we have another 20 year economic run, then we can build a new stadium.
winkasdad29
December 16th, 2010
10:11 am
Simple Dawg,
You were wise beyond your years.
Larry
December 16th, 2010
10:11 am
Coldest and nastiest game I ever attended was the 1978 playoff game where the Falcons, in their very first playoff game ever, nipped the Eagles 14-13 in old AFCS.
The game was great but it was impossible to get warm…The Dome Please!
northern neighbor
December 16th, 2010
10:12 am
I meant the fish were orginally ‘NOT FROZEN’
chas
December 16th, 2010
10:12 am
Retractable roof stadium with real grass would be my first choice, but if that didn’t work I’d opt for an open air stadium. As long as the game is played on real grass I want to see the game live. I consider myself to be a loyal Falcons fan and watch every game on t.v., but I absolutely hate the Dome for football. I’d say I’ve been to probably 3 Falcons games in the Dome, but I used to go to Falcons games all the time at Fulton County. There is nothing worse than sitting in a Dome on a nice, cool 70 degree day in November. Sure, occasionally you will get a nasty day or night of football, but that makes it more interesting. Dump the Dome!
just sayin'
December 16th, 2010
10:12 am
why don’t the owners ask the players what they prefer?
Time
December 16th, 2010
10:13 am
Umm, Atlanta is hardly a frozen tundra where one would have to worry about snow and real, bitter cold. Atlantans are scared by 30 degree temps and the chance of snow flurries though.
That being said, if you’re building a new stadium there is absolutely no reason to not build yourself the best of both worlds. Retractable roof stadiums are pretty much the norm now and would be a perfect fit in Atlanta. That way for the majority of the season when the worst you might deal with is low’s in the 40’s you could have it open. And on those rare situations late in the season when the weather gets truly cold you could close it up.
Moddyd
December 16th, 2010
10:13 am
I like going to games outdoors. That being said I am not sure if we can get the noise level going in an outdoor stadium that we can in the dome. I think that is helping our Falcons win right now. Its also not any where near the deafing levels that place can get to. My ears were ringing in 2005 for the SEC championship game and when the Falcons killed the Rams in the playoffs. Teams are going to fear coming to our house in the playoffs. That place is going to be nuts. I dont care if bandwagons are all around just as long as they get LOUD!
Ted M
December 16th, 2010
10:14 am
The wind chill forecast for Monday night is minus 18. That’s really freakin cold. You couldn’t really enjoy the game but you would have great stories to tell about how you toughed it out.
DaBears and DaCubs
December 16th, 2010
10:15 am
Falcons should move outside – 75% of the season down here is beautiful fall weather. As for Bears v. Vikings possibly coming here for Monday – the Vikes are mistaken if they think that won’t be a pro-Bears crowd. They must not have every been to a Braves v. Cubs game at Turner Field aka Wrigley Field south. It’s all Cubs fans!!!
DJ Sniper
December 16th, 2010
10:16 am
I hate cold weather with a passion, so if we ended up with another open air stadium, you can best believe I will be rooting for my Falcons in the comfort of my own home when the weather gets nasty. Hell, I hated just walking from my job to my car during the early part of this week, so there’s no way I would sit outside for 3-4 hours for a game. Let the people in Green Bay, Chicago, and Buffalo deal with that nonsense.
Larry
December 16th, 2010
10:18 am
Joe,
The goods folks in Green Bay and Buffalo are Neanderthals! They love this lifestyle! Here in the south we have evolved into cro magnon. Let’s just leave both alone so I can enjoy a coke in the dome in January!
SimpleDawg
December 16th, 2010
10:19 am
Larry, let’s just say that she warmed up considerably.
Bird Droppings II
December 16th, 2010
10:19 am
@ Angus
Great idea the TED could be converted to play football games and the parking is much better than the GA Dome. However, the MARTA rail doesn’t pass through only the bus. I still believe it would work.Maybe, the Falcons could experiment with a preseason game. It would create a entirely new vibe.The Titans have an out door staduim and there weather is similiiar to ours.They have a magnificient facility and fan base.
season ticket holder
December 16th, 2010
10:20 am
can’t really compare UGA and Tech outdoor stadiums to the NFL. College teams don’t play in December or January; weather isn’t very cold in November when the college teams finish their home schedule.
Innocent Bystander
December 16th, 2010
10:21 am
I’d love if my Bears came to play MNF at the Dome. I’d be there in a heartbeat. (For the record, the Bears are my 2nd favorite team behind the Falcons, of course)
we don't have a winter
December 16th, 2010
10:22 am
Honestly, Georgia almost never gets snow or extreme cold, so playing in the “winter” elements here has little appeal to me. If we’re talking about Chicago or Minneapolis, I feel differently.
Idea
December 16th, 2010
10:23 am
Can’t believe all these people who want a roof. Football doesn’t feel like football in a gymnasium. It’s meant to be played outdoors. Every time I watch the Falcons, I feel like I’m going to an opera. Maybe it’s not possible, but I would really love to see a roof just over the seats. It’s got to be possible.
joe
December 16th, 2010
10:24 am
GT and UGA’s season ends in Nov…the Falcons play at home through Jan…and if they make the playoffs each year, through mid-late Jan…there’s a huge difference in that 2 month time frame. I’d opt for the retractable roof…get the best of both worlds…open air when nice, and closed roof when ice…see what I did there?
GTIronman
December 16th, 2010
10:25 am
Outdoor Stadium? Are you kiddin’ me?
We got global warming, baby. It will be too hot to play outside in 5 to 10 years.
As Hemmingway said in A Farewell to Arm Warmers, “We’re Cooked!”
Keep us indoor and turn up the AC!
gbal
December 16th, 2010
10:25 am
Honestly folks (ABlank included) Tell me what’s really wrong with the Ga. Dome? The team plays well as they have the last few years, and the place fills up. So it’s 18 years old. So is my house and it is still just fine. The Ga Dome serves the purpose well. I just can not understand why owners insist on new venues…Why the NFL insist on a new venue if ATL wants another Super Bowl. The SEC Championship is a GREAT event in the GA Dome. Save the $$$ and stay in the G Dome.
suwaneefalcon
December 16th, 2010
10:25 am
I lived and had season tickets in Denver back in the ’80’s. Been to Soldier Field to watch a snowy Bear’s game. I am sorry but, I will take a retractable roof any day. Sitting in the type of weather that we have today to watch a game is not fun to me or enjoyable. Technology is a great thing, if it wasn’t we would not be posting these comments today like we are. You know, on a computer.
oldfart
December 16th, 2010
10:27 am
4th option. Retrofit the current Dome with a retractable FIELD a la the Arizona Cardinals stadium. Natural grass rolls in leaving a natural “patio” area for tailgating/pre-game festivities, whatever. Controlled environment for the fans and the game but played on real grass and no huge burden for the taxpayer to build an entirely new arena.
gbal
December 16th, 2010
10:29 am
And if we must have a new stadium, another dome. No sense in the additional expense just so we can have the novelty of opening or closing the lid depending on weather. Just like a convertable automobile. Kinda fun to let the top down when it’s nice but not necessary.
Steve
December 16th, 2010
10:30 am
Schultzie –
I was at the Falcons/Bears night game a few years back in Chicago…it was end of December and the temperature was around 6 degrees with a windchill of -5 to -10. Every time they put the temperature up on the scoreboard, the fans cheered. Me? I just curled up in my 12 layers and Warrick Dunn jersey and prayed that the game would end soon. The Falcons lost 17-3 (or something like that) and it was the most miserable experience of my life. Maybe I’m spoiled by Atlanta weather or it was the fact that the Falcons blew it big in that game, but I absolutely hated the experience.
RoadDAWG
December 16th, 2010
10:31 am
I was at the Pats-Titans snow game last season (I’m a Falcons season ticket-holder, but a client offered me tix to that game when I was up there for work). It was MISERABLE. Freezing rain, snow, sleet, wind…it was not at all fun. I will say that I was impressed with the fact that the entire stadium was full anyway; though once the Pats built a 45-0 halftime lead, we (along with many Pats fans) hit the road.
If cost was no object, a retractable roof would be best. Outside in good weather, inside in bad. I don’t get why the Falcons need a new stadium though…the Dome is fine…and they almost NEVER lose at home.
GO FALCONS!
papadawg
December 16th, 2010
10:32 am
Don’t care what kind of stadium it is as long as it’s not in downtown Atlanta. the old Doraville general motors plant would be a excellent location. On 285, near I85 and near a Marta train station
North Atlanta
December 16th, 2010
10:32 am
I will gladly sit outside as long as the stadium is moved to the northern suburbs of Atlanta. I am sick and tired of driving downtown.
timthebrave
December 16th, 2010
10:34 am
The only time I would want outdoor games is half of October and all of November. The first part of the season would be brutally hot and 2nd half freezing cold with horrible traffic. Dome or retractable roof is the best option.
kreedham
December 16th, 2010
10:37 am
I had heard the Georgia Dome folks were given a plan with the retractable roof or without. At the time it was an additional $50 million, which is certainly cheap now but the powers that be decided that was just too much!
Arthur needs to look at the new Cowboy Stadium…looks pretty cool!
stand strong Atlanta
December 16th, 2010
10:38 am
If the Falcons or the NFL wants to pay for a new stadium, I’m cool with that. However, the Georgia Dome is working perfectly for the SEC Championship, the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game, the SEC basketball tournament, the ACC basketball tournament, and the NCAA basketball tournament (even though I personally think the basketball events should be played at Philips b/c basketball in a dome sucks more than football in a dome).
There’s no incentive for the taxpayers to fund a new stadium (the payoff from the ONE Super Bowl that we MIGHT be awarded is not enough to warrant funding the stadium.
I love the Falcons and the NFL but I feel very strongly that a new stadium should NOT be funded in any way by the taxpayers at this point.
timthebrave
December 16th, 2010
10:38 am
Jeff Schultz, you should have just put up the options without the comments so you could really find out what people think.
JC
December 16th, 2010
10:39 am
I consider myself a football purist, and naturally am inclined to balk at any notion of replacing the GA Dome with another dome. Upon further thought, I believe that a retractable roof makes the most sense, but that a new dome also makes a lot of sense. The ability to protect the playing surface from the elements allows the venue to be used for a variety of purposes year-round, opening up many revenue streams and not limiting it to just football. One of the main reasons the SEC loves its championship game in ATL is because weather is never a concern. The NCAA men’s and women’s b-ball tourney can be played here, as well. Other events can be held at any time of year. If we build an open air stadium, then its likely that only football and soccer can be played on it (and we now know that we aren’t getting the ‘18 or ‘22 World Cup, so it’ll only be for exhibitions). We will likely lose, at least part of the time, the SEC championship game to Nashville or Jacksonville or NOLA. The best solution is therefore a compromise – a retractable roof that allows the field to be open to the elements during good whether and can be closed during inclement weather. Natural grass can even be grown during football season and replaced during the off season. I realize the cost is higher, but you also have to realize that it will generate more revenue over the long run.
John Ellison
December 16th, 2010
10:43 am
Mr. Blank should build any type of stadium that he wants as long as he pays for it.
stand strong Atlanta
December 16th, 2010
10:43 am
I will also say that building another Dome without a retractable roof is something I disagree with even more than having the taxpayers fund it.
Then again, if the Falcons pay for it, they can build whatever they want.
Tech Rules
December 16th, 2010
10:45 am
Jeff, you should have included the option to not build a new stadium (seeing as how the current one is only 14 years old.) and simply refurbish the current one.
Joe Bob Thibodaux
December 16th, 2010
10:46 am
Jeff, I live in the deep south and I believe in natural turf.
Going to a game when it rains like bloody hell in a mud hold can be part
of the game and it impacts both teams. If I lived near Green Bay or elsewhere in thr frozen Nauth, I probably would be more or a basketball or hockey fan, but I don’t think a dome adds much to the game, it just makes the fans comfortable and perhaps lazy. Unfortunately the cost of dome stadiums adds to the cost of seeing the events too.
As I age I am becoming lazy and desirious of comfort, so I would just say, don’t let your covered enclosure to to waste. There is something a little cheesy about arena ball to me. Keep it outdoors on natural turf if possible, and cut out the TV timeouts–they ain’t part of the game.
JBT
papadawg
December 16th, 2010
10:47 am
everybody should go and buy alot more from Home Depot so Mr. Blank can build his own stadium
Bill
December 16th, 2010
10:50 am
They’re putting a retractable roof on the BC Place domed stadium in Vancouver, BC (where the CFL BC Lions play). It looks like a similar building to the Georgia Dome. Why isn’t that an option?
logic
December 16th, 2010
10:53 am
Dear Falcons and the NFL,
Pay for a new stadium or any more renovations to the Georgia Dome yourself. The Georgia Dome is having no trouble attracting other big time events at this time.
Thanks,
Falcons fans and citizens of Atlanta
stand strong Atlanta
December 16th, 2010
10:56 am
If we’re talking about putting a retractable roof on the Georgia Dome, I could possibly get on board with splitting the cost between the Falcons/NFL and the taxpayers, as it will make the stadium almost like new and greatly extend its life.
Rob
December 16th, 2010
10:57 am
As long as no taxpayer funding is involved, the Falcons can do what they want. Given the current state budget (today’s paper has an article about probable state layoffs), there should be no taxpayer funding for any stadium project. Also, the Falcons should be held to their current lease, which I think runs through 2020. The dome works fine and could be refurbished.
JD
December 16th, 2010
11:00 am
Ok, Ga Tech and Ga seasons end before the really cold bad weather hits. The old Peach Bowl was a miserable place to be almost every year because of freezing rain, etc. If the Super Bowl in 2000 had been played outdoors in Atlanta, it would have been miserable instead of one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever.
Go Franco
December 16th, 2010
11:03 am
When the Steelers built Heinz Field there was no hue & cry to build a dome. But, there, of course, we are talking about real football fans — as opposed to the fickle, ignorant posers in Flop–lanta.
Tech Fan Since 1950
December 16th, 2010
11:05 am
As “Stand Strong Atlanta” states, “if the Falcons pay for it, they can build whatever they want.” HOWEVER, using tax dollars to build an outdoor stadium for Atlanta is just plain whacky. The Georgia Dome is still a great facility. I don’t consider myself ancient, but during my lifetime I have seen Atlanta build three stadiums, including the Georgia Dome, and tear one down. I also saw the multipurpose OMNI (the modern facility of its day, and that was just the 1970’s) built from scratch and then leveled for the Phillips Arena. Atlanta has remained great because it has been progressive, but an outdoor stadium for the cold months of December and January at the expense of taxpayers is again just plain whacky and a waste of public funds.
Northern Songs LTD
December 16th, 2010
11:06 am
Schaeffer/Sullivan Stadium (Foxboro). Aluminum benches. ’nuff said.
Chris
December 16th, 2010
11:08 am
Watching a game outdoors at GT or UGA in November is a lot different than it would be in December or January during a playoff run. I really like wathing games in Domes. It takes the elements and randomness out of it and allows for the best team to win the game. If you really want an outdoor stadium then go outside, at night and stand there for 4 straight hours. Then come back and tell us if you still would support the idea.
Belcher
December 16th, 2010
11:09 am
Why does Atl need another stadium??????????
BeerDawg
December 16th, 2010
11:09 am
Not no, but H-E-L-L NO!!!!! There’s a reason why the SEC champ game is here in Atlanta….Georgia Dome. We southerners do not do well in the cold. I’m proud and willing to accept that. And those Northerners who have transplanted here also are the first to admit they do not miss the cold, otherwise, most of them wouldn’t have moved here in the first place
Northern Songs LTD
December 16th, 2010
11:10 am
Schaefer/Sullivan Stadium (Foxboro). Aluminum benches. ’nuff said.
senior falcon
December 16th, 2010
11:13 am
Aurthur Blank is too smart to have built a “dome team” and a steadily increasing fan base to negate both by building an open-air stadium. ‘Nuff said!
Tigerpaw
December 16th, 2010
11:16 am
All of the SEC comments endorsing an outdoor stadium need to look at a calendar.
All of the folks who think that we care about Chicago or Green Bay laughing at us should ‘grow a pair’ and realize that peer pressure doesn’t work for adults.
I don’t shovel show, I only drive in snow when absolutely necessary, largely due to realizing that I’ll be driving around a lot of people who won’t be familiar with the conditions (half of them look panicky when it’s raining down here already – like the bobble heads who put on their emergency flashers while driving in heavy rain, without realizing the combination of several people in the same area with flashers creates a NEW HAZARD!!!!) and I’m NOT paying to renew my season tickets to games in wet, soggy and cold conditions.
($20 worth of food that’s cold before I get back to my seat – now that’s appealing)
Other option?
December 16th, 2010
11:16 am
Would it be possible to convert the Georgia Dome to a retractable roof? I know this would take a long time to do, but the Falcons could play a season at GT’s stadium, similar to what the Bears had to do when they renovated Soldier Field. And this would have to be cheaper and more practical than building a new stadium, where the Falcons would have to purchase additional land and build from scratch. On the other hand, the infrastructure of the Georgia Dome is in place – they would just have to put a new retractable roof on it. And this would allow the newly renovated Georgia RetraDome to continue to host the Falcons, the SEC championship game, Final Fours, etc. But I’m no engineer… Thoughts?
Love the elements!
December 16th, 2010
11:17 am
Sat in Tuscaloosa in sleet and feeezing rain in the Iron Bowl in 2000. Amazingly enough, it got much WARMER once Auburn kicked a third field goal to take the insurmountable 9-0 lead and clinch the SEC West.
Love the elements!
December 16th, 2010
11:17 am
fReezing rain is what I meant to say. My bad.
SWAT Native
December 16th, 2010
11:18 am
If the Vikings-Bears game is played in the GA Dome, I wonder if the tickets would be free like they were in Detroit?
kevin
December 16th, 2010
11:21 am
An outdoor stadium is the only way to go. I find it hilarious that in Atlanta, known for it’s seasonal and all around good weather, people are whining about sitting in a cold stadium–dress warmer pansies…or, you could always move to FL and pull for one of the lame teams down there.
Atlanta Bear
December 16th, 2010
11:21 am
Please let the Bears-Vikings game be played here Monday night as that would be the best present Santa could bring for Christmas!!
Delbert D.
December 16th, 2010
11:24 am
Outdoors-men prefer the great outdoors. I can’t see Les Stroud camping under a retractable roof stadium for a TV show.
Michael
December 16th, 2010
11:24 am
Still wondering how the dome became antiquated.
5150 P.O.A.D.
December 16th, 2010
11:27 am
If you want an outdoor stadium so be it. Make it seat about 40k. Locate it next to the Falcons Training camp. The Falcons can build and pay for it on their own. I will save money and time by watching it at HOME. The Big Flat screen is already paid for. The Beer is cheaper. I can get more and better food during the comercials or DVR it. I don’t have to pay to park or ride the train. Not having to sit with drunk a..holes in bad weather is pricless………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. If you people want a new outdoor stadium, then I would tell Blank to make all you people sign a contract to buy season tickets for the next 10 years. If you can/will make that commitment then Blank will know how big to make the building.
observer
December 16th, 2010
11:27 am
People who believe that the elements are a necessary part of football also think premature ejaculation is a necessary part of sex.
Charming Harmon
December 16th, 2010
11:27 am
I love out door football but if Arthur does not want to pay for a retractable roof then I prefer a dome stadium to an outdoor stadium. If the Falcons were in town this weekend could you image watching their game in an open air stadium? No thanks, did that years ago in the old stadium.
As far as the Bears – Vikings game being played in the Georgia Dome…tell them “Welcome to the ICE HOUSE”!
letter from a concerned taxpayer (and Falcons fan)
December 16th, 2010
11:28 am
Dear Mr. Blank and Mr. Goodell,
The Georgia Dome is only 18 years old and was just recently renovated. It’s a great facility that has little problem attracting high profile events. When it gets to be 30 or so, that might be a more appropriate time to start talking about building a new retractable-roof stadium (or renovating the Georgia Dome with a retractable-roof) funded by taxpayer money (or partially funded). Until then, please stop bringing this up. If you would like a new stadium now or would like to renovate the Georgia Dome now (again), I suggest paying for it with your own dollars.
Thanks,
Falcons fan and Atlanta resident since 1985
Kennesaw Falcon Fan
December 16th, 2010
11:30 am
I won’t be renewing my ticket if it is outdoors. My living room is way to comfy. I have become wimpy as I age. No thanks to an outdoor venue here. The weather just gets to cold and rainy late in the season. No way I am paying to sit in the rain.
Bill
December 16th, 2010
11:40 am
BC Place: http://www.bcplacestadium.com/
Sportsfan82
December 16th, 2010
11:43 am
IMO, it would irresponsible for the city of Atlanat and the Falcons ownership to build an open air stadium. I remember sitting at the old Fulton County Stadium and seeing it half full. The Georgia Dome brought new life to the city. When the Falcons are having a down year, it’s much easier to sit in the conforts of the Georgia Dome and endure the pains than too be wet and cold outside.
If Atlanta lose the Georgia Dome, kiss the SEC Championship good bye along with reduce attendance to the Chick-fil-A bowl and kick off classic; not to mention other large events such as the NCAA Final Four and major concerts.
Building the Georgia Dome was the smartest thing done for the city….DO NOT GO BACKWARDS..
Dontavius Supremo
December 16th, 2010
11:43 am
I wouldn’t mind the domed stadium so much iof they’d turn the da** music down! Can’t even have a conversation; it’s worse than NASCAR!
Stewie
December 16th, 2010
11:45 am
I’ve always thought it ridiculous that Atlanta has a domed stadium, though I will admit that I don’t care much for sitting in the stands watching a game when it’s 38 degrees and rainy (which is more likely here than getting snow). Went to a Steelers game in Pittsburgh a couple of years again when it snowed and loved it. Would not have felt quite the same in a cold rain.
And, like several other posters, I’d be interested in the revenue forecasts for future non-NFL events for an open stadium vs. a domed/retractable roof stadium. My guess is that later type offers greater potential.
Kennesaw Falcon Fan Too
December 16th, 2010
11:46 am
I sat for years in the South end of Atl. Stadium and froze my butt off in the late season. Moved to the North end for the last three or four years in the Stadium and suffered 2nd degree sun burn in the early season. Moved with the team to the dome and was glad to do it. Until, that is, we had to watch commercials on the big screen at every TV break! That sucks.
Bibb Dawg
December 16th, 2010
11:46 am
Too many short memories out there. Sitting in Atlanta-Fulton County in the blazing hot of early season and the rain and cold of late season was miserable.
falcon1
December 16th, 2010
11:48 am
Do you folks want to sit in the pouring rain, walk to your car and get the seats saturated? Wow I would love to do this. Give me a break, open air stadiums are great for college knuckleheads but not for the money we pay for a pro seat.
dean
December 16th, 2010
11:59 am
Gumby: Did you see me over at Aisle 139 that horrible coldazz day on 1/4/81?
Larry@10:11: Yeah it was cold that day too in ‘78. Bartkowski to Wallace Francis and the Eagles kicker shanking a 30-something yarder that would have won it for them at the end. What cold!? We won! It was great. (My brother and I saved an Eagles fan life that day. It’s one thing to cheer for your team in enemy territory versus dogging the home team. He never dogged ATL that game. He didn’t deserve what was about to happen to him.)
Rain. I took my father-in-law to his first pro game against the Aints. Year range was early-mid 80’s. It was frog-strangling raining before, during, and after the game. We got beat by at least 30 as memory serves. My father-in-law, until the day he died, still never saw a “Professional” football game. We miss you poppa.
jackyldo
December 16th, 2010
12:02 pm
We had tickets for 30 years for the PATRIOTS in Boston and Foxboro — One season of the 8 home games the game with Seattle was played in driving rain and winds from a coastal hurricane and the finale against the 49ers was clear skies at +5* for kick off at 1 PM in late December.
Outdoors is where football is meant to be played and I’ll be more than happy to see Dome teams come to Foxboro in January when the Pat’s have the home field advantage.
For the Falcon’s playing outdoors in Atlanta the weather would be far more sunny and 40 than cold and icy… in December..
Norcross
December 16th, 2010
12:05 pm
As a long-time NY Giants season ticket holder (living in Atlanta and also rooting for the Falcons the way one roots for a three-legged dog to safely cross the street), I like the dome for all the obvious reasons. So what if real professional football teams staffed with real men play in the open, exposed to the elements, and without cheer-babes. Since the Falcons usually play like a real team’s practice squad– this year is the exception that proves the rule– give us somewhere comfortable to watch when they are 3-7 in December and have no realistic chance of making the playoffs.
Seriously, I like the current dome a lot, especially since the renovations. Improve the Gulch, improve the neighborhoods around the stadium, and keep winning games. A new stadium only lines Mr. Blank’s pockets, since it would increase the premium revenues that he doesn’t have to share with the league.
just restating what the logical minds are saying
December 16th, 2010
12:08 pm
Seems like the eventual way to go is a retractable-roof stadium. However, there’s no need to do it now unless the Falcons/NFL want to foot the bill. The Georgia Dome was just renovated, is still a great facility, and gets great events. Let’s talk about it in 10 years or so and get the ball rolling then.
zgoldatl
December 16th, 2010
12:13 pm
I prefer a retractable roof, but it has to stay downtown whatever they do. My grandmother is 93 years old. She grew up in Manitowac, Wisconsin, about an hour away from Green Bay, on Lake Michigan. Let me tell you that she has frost bite on both feet from the famous Snow Bowl against the Cowboys. She now has bone cancer in her legs, and the frostbite make is much harder according to her doctor. Its a great bar story, but I prefer a dome or a retractable roof.
just restating what the logical minds are saying
December 16th, 2010
12:15 pm
While we’re talking about logic, why won’t the Braves pay for a short connecting Marta rail line from Turner Field to the existing rail line? I don’t get it. It would increase their attendance for weekday games significantly.
Hillbilly Deluxe
December 16th, 2010
12:16 pm
What kind of stadium should the Falcons build?
d) One that they pay for with private funds.
BirdDog
December 16th, 2010
12:17 pm
I was at Fulton Co Stadium as a kid in the freezing rain and sleet when Billy “Whiteshoes” Johnson made the last second catch to beat the Niners. What a game! But now that I’m older, I have to say the dome is freaking plush!
gramafan
December 16th, 2010
12:22 pm
Enter your comments here
Will vs Shall
December 16th, 2010
12:36 pm
I don’t mind the cold as you can always get a good North Face jacket to handle that. But if it rains and is somewhat cold…forget it.
mrs football fan
December 16th, 2010
12:57 pm
I relocated from Tampa Bay to Chicago many moons ago (prior to living here) and thought i’d watch the Bears and Bucs battle it out at the ‘old’ soldier field…in JANUARY! Their was not enough hot chocolate in the WORLD to keep me warm (and other folks were out there drinking COLD BEER!!!), it was the MOST MISERABLE sports spectating moment i’ve ever had, I had 50 million layers on and was still freezing. I don’t think Atlantans would survive a football game in the open cold.
Open air anywhere with the possibility of freezing temps is not fun for fans. Why can’t we have a retractable roof? It’s not like we can’t afford it.
Jay
December 16th, 2010
12:59 pm
I certainly hope Arthur does some focus groups with season ticket holders before building an open air stadium. As a season ticket holder, I’m not paying my money to freeze my butt off or sit in the rain.
Also, not that this is the reason, but is it possible that it may just easier to fill up a stadium in the south on a Saturday than a Sunday (Bible-belt)?
Vikingsfan1
December 16th, 2010
1:06 pm
I am a huge Vikings fan. This would make my day to have a Minnesota Vikings home game in the Georgia Dome verses the Bears unbelievable!!!! I hope it happens.
DawgFan
December 16th, 2010
1:10 pm
So, what? Should we put every team in a dome? Perhaps we could wrap all of the players in bubble-wrap and pillows and have them play with a Nerf football? I know, better than all of those. The players can play flag football instead. That way the league doesn’t have to worry about it’s oh-so-precious quarterback and receivers getting hurt.
TG
December 16th, 2010
1:22 pm
My cold weather memory game was back in 1990 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. GT was playing Virginia tech on their way to a National Championship. The temp was like 30 degrees with a howling wind that made the wind chill single digits. We sat in the old North End Zone with the old bleachers and the wind hitting us in the back of the head the entire game. The final was something like 9-0 or 6-3. All field goals. We couldn’t wait to get back into the car and get the heater going.
Retractable roof or stay at the Dome. I love outdoor football but i love the creature comforts of indoor football better. GO FALCONS!!!!!
Dome Only
December 16th, 2010
1:23 pm
I will not sit in bad weather and watch a bunch of millionaires throw, catch or run with a ball. Make it a dome only or retractable roof, or I’ll stay home–very simple.
Go Birds
December 16th, 2010
1:23 pm
I’ve had season tix since the mid 80s. I also have them for UGA. I like the Dome: the home field advantage is tremendous in a Dome (did the Cards have their roof open for playoff football in 08?). Play to your strengths-the Dome is outstanding and it won’t result in more taxes for a new stadium. I love Sanford and being outdoors, but we’ll never get 92000 Falcon fans, and I’ve seen enough Bengal/Raven/etc fans this year…the size is right and so is the stadium, especially for our playoff run this year! GO FALCONS!
falcon fan
December 16th, 2010
1:25 pm
There is nothing wrong with our current stadium. Even if someone wants to pay for the entire new facility it would be a waste of money that could be spent elsewhere. I am from up north and respect the outdoor game, but having an enclosed facility has many benefits for both the falcons and panther games and the other events that the GA Dome is used for.
Giants Fan
December 16th, 2010
1:26 pm
In 1978, the inaugural year for the NY Giants at their own stadium in the Meadowlands, I attended a game in freezing rain with my 9 year old son. At half-time I said “let’s go”. He, all bundled and snug said “no way”. With the promise of a hot chocolate at Rosie’s Diner on the way home he relented. Got home in time to view the second half in warmth with a sniffter of brandy in hand.
And to think they’ll host a Super Bowl in the new stadium!!!
DTC
December 16th, 2010
1:55 pm
It has not been that long since Atlanta Fulton County Stadium hosted the Falcons. I was there more times than I have been to the Dome (I am much older now, than I was then – I think there is a song out there somewhere along this same line), however, I have always enjoyed the games in the dome than the games in AFCS.
Why in the world can they not do some renovation to the dome, to make whatever upgrades to the stadium that Blank wants. Money is too tight in this day in time to build another football stadium.
BoLegs
December 16th, 2010
2:22 pm
Hell no to out- doors..Old Fulton Co. I froze my A@@ off for 10 years..never again.
Love to see Monday night’s game in Atlanta.
Matt
December 16th, 2010
2:23 pm
the georgia dome is the only dome i’ve been to, and i must say, it’s always felt cheap to me. the fake field, the way sound echoes, and the perfectly conditioned air all leave something to be desired. i’d be happiest if they replaced the current dome’s roof with a retractable one; that way, 2/3 of the falcon’s home games that take place during nice weather would have a natural, open-air feel to them. and then take a page from the arizona cardinal’s dome, in which they have a retractable, natural grass field that lends itself to the traditional football turf. both changes could be made without building an entirely new complex… what a waste of money that would be.
Bob
December 16th, 2010
2:38 pm
I have sat at Georgia games in the cold, but that season ends in late November. The last time I sat outside for a Falcon game I froze while the Birds let the Cowboy come from behind to win in a play off fame. I swore then I would never do that again and I never will.
JSS
December 16th, 2010
2:44 pm
To all of those citing the BC Place renovation…
The cost ($458 million Canadian) is too close to what Blank and McKay have said is there cost for a completely new stadium with the number of Luxury suites and concourse accommodations… Blank has shown no inclination to compromise on those matters…
Kane337
December 16th, 2010
2:48 pm
I’m a season ticket holder. Retractable roof please!
Falconsnut
December 16th, 2010
2:57 pm
As a long time Falcon fan (had my picture made with Tommy Nobis and Randy Johnson at a county Fair as a kid) and a season ticket holder, I would not renew to sit out in this kind of weather. It’s bad enough with the long walk from the parking lot. I have been to Carolina several times and much prefer the Ga. Dome. Besides, the Falcons play great in a dome. Outdoor stadiums are for baseball.
a football fanatic
December 16th, 2010
2:58 pm
I cannot believe how people have become so soft….Football was meant to be played outside, on real grass, in the elements…..mud, rain, sleet, snow, sun…it dont matter…and I can gaurantee that if Atlanat built a new outdoor stadium, it would be full…..that is if the Falcons are winning…..This is the SOUTH folks…It is not Green Bay or Chicago…..How many games in a row has the Packers sold out in sub Zero temps???….all of them…You will never see a dome in Green Bay, and we should not have one either.I sat through alot of cold, wet Falcons game in Atlanta Stadium and loved every minute of it….Lets Get Back Outside
Headley Lamar
December 16th, 2010
3:01 pm
Im for outdoors football.
Sure you are going to have cold weather or rain/snow on occasion
But lets not act like Atlanta is the South Pole. Most of the time it is quite pleasant in Atlanta.
Year Round.
Headley Lamar
December 16th, 2010
3:04 pm
For example.
This Sunday is going to be clear and 46 degrees and Sunny.
Sounds like a great day to be outside at a football game.
The Hell with Goodell
December 16th, 2010
3:12 pm
Hey King Arthur: The heck with what Goodell says. Listen to your season ticket holder base. We aint renewing if it goes back outside. Who the heck wants to sit out on days like today. Sorry purists. The only thing bad about domes was the artificial turf. Now with the advent of fieldturf even the outdoor stadiums have gone to it…so what’s the purpose…put a roof or at least a retractable one on there and you are in the hunt for superbowls, final fours etc. Listen to your season ticket holders. I, for one, would not renew.
Kane337
December 16th, 2010
3:18 pm
I can handle the cold and snow. No problem. But cold rain and ice? EFF that.
fish2774
December 16th, 2010
3:27 pm
Jeff, it wouldn’t work. a retractable roof would be Arthur’s best bet. When the falcons played at the old Fulton County Stadium with Deion they couldn’t fill the seats when the weather got cold or when it rained. But, if Arthur thinks a outdoor stadium is going to be profitable tell’em to try it and he’ll lose out. To many season ticket holders will cancel their accounts. For those that really haven’t experienced the riggers of sitting in a cold weather stadium like Fed Ex Field during mid december it’s brutal. You’re coco and coffee gets cold the minute you’ve paided for it………. LOL
Enemas for Christmas
December 16th, 2010
3:29 pm
It’s not the heat but the humidity.
Jack G
December 16th, 2010
3:30 pm
In 1948–give or take a year either way–I sat through a downpour to watch Tech play Tenn. Since that game I have watched a number of games in icey weather, but have never watched another game in the rain. My date and I were soaked to the skin. Drying out was fun but that is another story for another day.
Oscar
December 16th, 2010
3:35 pm
No surprise that you are from S cal being the ignorant liberal you are. Go back to that bankrupt state please.
fish2774
December 16th, 2010
3:37 pm
Somebody please tell me what’s fun about watching a parent bring their kids to a game with blankets to keep them warm. It happens all the time in D.C., Baltimore, Jersey, and New England. I’ve seen it for myself when parents had to leave at halftime because they’re kid or kids were to cold. And please quite saying that UGA and GA Tech play outside because their season is normally over before the cold sets in, and their bowl games are played in warmer temperatures.
Falcon from Rockdale
December 16th, 2010
3:44 pm
Let Blank build what he wants and pay for it himself.
If he is smart he will build a stadium that the majority of his season ticket holders want. Never mind the bloggers.
bamaguy
December 16th, 2010
3:51 pm
You can’t compare the loyalty of a southern football fan to his college team and professional. Most southerners are fans of either the Saints or Falcons. Around my house we love watching the Falcons, even go to some games, own a Matt Ryan jersey, but our blood runs Crimson! I’s say the same is true for Auburn, UGA and Tech fans who are also Falcons fans. The loyalty to their college teams comes first.
Kane337
December 16th, 2010
3:52 pm
The reason the Falcons want a new stadium is because they do not own the current stadium. It is owned by the World Congress Center. Owning a stadium = revenue. The Falcons revenue stream is consistently ranked around 29-32 out of the 32 teams primarily because their currently stadium deal sucks (thanks to the Falcons previous owners, the Rankin Smith family). A good chunk of the gameday profits go to the World Congress Center. Teams with new stadiums make money. The Falcons are running a business and want to make money also. That is the reason for wanting a new stadium.
Decatur Falcon
December 16th, 2010
3:52 pm
You have to love football to be outdoors, I have experience it, and it is not cool. Hail, rain, snow, and wind be at you at a outdoor stadium. You are at the mercy of God when go to football game in December thru January. I went to Carolina game, and folks I won’t do it again. So, I hope Authur Blank think heavy about a outdoor, put a attractable roof on the stadium when bad weather hits Atlanta. I understand this is the South, come on this the technology age, and we need to be inside where it is nice and warm.
Falcons Fan
December 16th, 2010
3:56 pm
There is absoluetly NOTHING wrong with the GA. Dome and if Blank wants to build another stadium LET HIM PAY FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!
keep your hands off the tax money
December 16th, 2010
4:23 pm
Kane,
I think most people understand that but it doesn’t mean the taxpayers should foot the bill. If the Falcons want their own stadium, they should pay for it.
Ditka
December 16th, 2010
4:49 pm
Love hearing from people like bamaguy. In Chicago, we adopt OUR team, the Bears. In the south, they adopt a college team regardless if you went there or not. It’s not even in Chicago really…it seems like it’s everywhere. Too bad the Falcons don’t get the support of all those from this area, they actually deserve better…a college should get your support if you went to school there. Could care less about people’s thoughts from around here, just funny to see how bizarre things are with the rest of the country. Go Bears-bring a real teams’ fans into the Dome please!
chipontheroad birdsrus
December 16th, 2010
4:50 pm
I went to the peach bowl at fulton county stadium a couple of times brrrrrrrrrr
Mike R.
December 16th, 2010
5:04 pm
bmoney @9:32…..You must be talking about the 1-AA playoff game in Dec of 1989 between Furman and Stephen F. Austin. I was there too. Stood the whole game. Too much snow, sleet, and ice on the seats.
Jacques Strappe
December 16th, 2010
5:09 pm
I would prefer the retractable-roof option, but a dome if retractable is too expensive. I love outdoor football, but the good-weather games are too few. Most games here are the wet/cold variety that are enjoyable only on tv. I for one have not forgotten the shivering suffered in the Fulton County Stadium.
I believe there should be a vote by only season ticket holders, maybe even weighted on cost of tickets. Those who are single-ticket purchasers (which they probably would NOT be on wet/cold sundays) should not be allowed to influence the decision.
JohnnyP
December 16th, 2010
5:09 pm
Is it a given that the GA dome will come down when a new stadium is built? If not, can’t it continue to host all these other events? I understand the Falcons want a spiffier place but it does not mean the GA dome has passed its useful life… just its Falcons’ useful life. If we keep the dome it leaves the Falcons and GWCC folks with fewer restrictions on what the new place will have to accommodate. Of course, the question is then, will there be sufficient income to keep them both going?
26belly
December 16th, 2010
5:47 pm
Build a new stadium…If they make the stipulations the same as it was when Atlanta-Fulton County stadium closed…oh heck yes! Nose-bleed seats, 30-degree weather in December, but heated up and full of liquor, and a snack box from KFC! Oh man, talk about some great times.
As the saying went, “the Georgia Dome is like a big living room with guests you don’t know!”
heartofdarkness
December 16th, 2010
6:41 pm
Whatever the final decision, just do it smart. That would mean build the stadium so that there is no access to public transportation, and lots of surface traffic around the site on a normal, non-game day. In fact, the old Atlanta Fulton County Stadiium site would be perfect. You could absorb all the street level parking for both the Ted and the new stadium.
Fair weather hater
December 16th, 2010
6:45 pm
I’ve always thought that Atlanta had the worst fair weather fans and these comments prove it. Better make it a dome, Arthur, or no one will show up to the games!
Katie
December 16th, 2010
7:46 pm
Football is meant to be played outdoors in the elements! If Lambeau field can fill the seats I would think that Georgia would be able to fill an open air stadium too.
JSS
December 16th, 2010
7:56 pm
@ Bill…
Read it and weep…
http://cynicalpinnacle.com/?p=52
Mike
December 16th, 2010
8:16 pm
Does it matter if it’s a dome stadium or not. Yes. A dome stadium brings in more people. Being comfortable makes a big difference. But it’s not the stadium thats the problem it’s the parking and since MARTA quit going to the stadium people have to walk a long distance to the stadium. Then there is the cost of parking at those out of the way places. Then when you get to your car it has either been broke into or stolen or booted or towed off. We need better and more and closer parking at the stadium.
fish2774
December 16th, 2010
8:29 pm
JSS, that’s a good article. It truly makes sense to build a retractable stadium instead of trying to upgrade the old one. This city couldn’t afford to have and outdoor stadium that would only be used during football season. During the off season the taxpayer’s would foot the bill on a outdoor stadium while a retractable stadium can generate revenue throughout the year by hosting numerous events. makes sense to me…………..
JSS
December 16th, 2010
10:41 pm
@ Fish2774…
Thanks, he certainly breaks it down… Arthur is going to have pony up more assets or actually finance the whole thing if he wants something different it seems…
Jay
December 16th, 2010
10:49 pm
Fans do watch UGA and GT games outdoors, but their season is over before it really gets cold in this area.
Bill
December 17th, 2010
8:21 am
JSS: I read the article and didn’t weep. The article indicates that many BC taxpayers are not happy paying for a retractable roof for a stadium especially when there are more important priorities, that there have been major cost overruns and that there could have been cheaper options. All facts. It’s simply an option for Mr. Blank (hopefully not GA taxpayers) to consider given that the GA Dome is a perfectly good facility.
jw
December 17th, 2010
10:11 am
In an open air stadium, I wonder if Arthur Blank would be so quick to be on the field for those very important TV shots he gets at the Dome? Cold weather messes up those Italian suits – plus he doesn’t strike me as a heavy wool coat and hat kind of guy – he just wouldn’t come off as being the cool, suave multi-millionaire in a Lombardi like woolen coat and Landry type hat.
With an 18 game season looming – January/February weather would be brutal – plus he’s taking away an advantage that we have in the Georgia Dome –
Don’t do it Arthur – just strong arm the group running the Congress Center – they will cave in, they can’t afford to lose tenants in the Dome. Trade some 2×4’s for some concession money.
JSS
December 17th, 2010
8:44 pm
@ Bill…
They (the BC voters) are unhappy and the next provincial elections are going to be a blood bath… Unlike GA where the General Assembly gave Arthur Blank as close to a $725 million dollar tax credit last March, the other $400-600 million will have to come from him now… The Municipal Bond markets are not going to let him get away with only carrying 20% of a stadium financing scheme… Bernie Madoff would blush at the proposed financing scenarios being floated by Rich McKay to community leaders…
Conner Huffman
December 22nd, 2010
6:34 pm
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen so many babies in my life before. THIS IS GEORGIA!!!!!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AVERAGE HIGH IS FOR DECEMBER AND JANUARY?? 50-55 degrees. On average, it doesn’t get down much further then 30 at night. Yeah, there are times when the temperature is down in the teens and 20’s but not often in late fall, early winter. Having an outside playoff game in Georgia in January wouldn’t be that big of a deal. Are all you southern folk really that much of a baby to not go out in 30 or 40 degree weather for 3 hours? Were not talking about Chicago, Minnesota, or New England. Were talking about GEORGIA. We don’t get blizzards, heck we hardly get snow for that matter. Get over yourselves!