Vikes Views: Are Old Stadiums Cool?

The Minnesota Vikings head to Lambeau Field on Sunday to take on the Green Bay Packers. Lambeau Field is revered by some for it’s history. Are old stadiums better than the shiny new stadiums built by Minnesota, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dallas and many others?

City Stadium opened in 1957 and was renamed Lambeau Field in 1965 after Curly Lambeau died that year. The Packers have played in it for 67 years. They’ve expanded the stands, semi-updated some of the concessions and other facilities over the years, but it pales in comparison to the modern NFL stadiums. Packers fans will defend the stadium to death, but I just see a terrible playing surface, bleachers in the stands and overall a bad experience wrapped in nostalgia. I enjoy beating Green Bay in Wisconsin because I just like to see Packer fans leave sad.

Another divisional rival has been playing at an older stadium. Soldier Field opened in 1924. However, Soldier Field went through a rebuild in 2003. The playing surface, however, is still from the 1920s. They might have the worst grounds crew in the history of grounds crews. They’re at least trying to build a new stadium.

The Vikings are no strangers to aging stadiums. The Metrodome roof had to collapse before US Bank was built. However, the new stadium I would put up there with any stadium of that size I’ve been to. Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, down the road from me, is newer. However, it’s not even close to as nice as the Bank.

When looking at the Vikings and Lions compared to the Bears and Packers, the decision is easy for me. TIme to upgrade those stadiums and provide a better experience for your fans. The team can sell nostalgia but from my perspective those venues are trash. You can’t convince me to sit on a bleacher seat and tell me it’s better because it’s old. I enjoy watching our Vikings at home in what every broadcaster mentions is one of the best stadiums in the NFL.