Retractable domes

[RUfinal4]

Was thinking this am after the Bowl game was canceled yesterday for weather. It seems every new stadium now in the MLB and NFL is going tractable roof.

I wonder how long it will be until it goes to the college ranks.

Cost is a major consideration but as they perfect the technology and processes that should come down.

I can see it being huge for northern schools.

Rutgers for example typically is ok during football season since the weather starts getting cool after Halloween with only a couple of home games left. But when you look at other sports (Soccer / lacrosse) playing into November or in February / March the open stadium may have effects.I wonder if Rutgers Stadium may get a retractable dome some years in the future (say sometime between 2030 and 2050) after maybe an expansion to 60k seats.

Met life stadium opened in 2010. By 2035 to 2040 they will probably look to upgrade / replace it. I would not be surprised if they put a retractable dome on the upgraded stadium.

Citi Field opened in 2009. By 2035 to 2040 they will be ready for an upgrade and can see them maybe trying a retractable roof. For baseball it makes the most sense at the MLB level since there are so many games and there can be a huge walk up factor for tickets. A rainy or cold dy leads fans to staying home. Plus it is annoying when you have tickets and face a 2 hour delay or worst the game playing through 45 degree weather and rain because of tv contracts.

On the same note Baseball and Softball struggle because of weather. Not sure if it is possible for a retractable dome combined baseball / softball stadium with say 15,000 seats for spectators. Out teams tend to struggle early in the season because of weather. In college more than half the season is over before the MLB season actually starts in April. This will also help recruitment of the best area players who may tend to go south or west to play because they can play almost year round. As for the fields being idle, it probably will only happen in the May through October time period since many HS and youth leagues will wwant the field for practice and tourneys over the cold months.

 

[Plum Street]

I am split on retractable domes for football. The sport is meant to be played in all-weather . With a dome in the NFL , I believe there are NFL rules that dictate when the roof has to be closed. So with domes lots of great moments in the snow, wouldn’t have happened.
Also, you get into the home field advantage debeate too. But as a paying customer, a dome is way more comfortable .
As for rutgers, we should work on growing grass in our stadium before putting a dome up.

 

[RUfinal4]

Grass is fine and my timeline is almost 15 years in the future. By then we will have the full B10 share of money. We should also know if there is more expansion of conferences.

The key will be the cost benefit for doing the retractable dome.
- will it lead to more fans on super hot, cold, or rainy days?
- will it lead to positive revenue outside events like winter concerts, a bowl game, or maybe XFL, AAFL football in the winter
- will the baseball / softball stadiums allow Rutgers to be better on the field
- will the baseball / softball stadiums have cost benefit revenues from outside groups like HS's, AAU, and travel teams

 

[Plum Street]

Grass is fine and my timeline is almost 15 years in the future. By then we will have the full B10 share of money. We should also know if there is more expansion of conferences.

The key will be the cost benefit for doing the retractable dome.
- will it lead to more fans on super hot, cold, or rainy days?
- will it lead to positive revenue outside events like winter concerts, a bowl game, or maybe XFL, AAFL football in the winter
- will the baseball / softball stadiums allow Rutgers to be better on the field
- will the baseball / softball stadiums have cost benefit revenues from outside groups like HS's, AAU, and travel teams

From a football attendance standpoint , just win baby .

 

[MGSA99]

I remember that the Maras refused to put a roof on the new Giants stadium because they wanted to keep their cold weather advantage. BS.

 

[BigLou]

Grass is fine and my timeline is almost 15 years in the future. By then we will have the full B10 share of money. We should also know if there is more expansion of conferences.

The key will be the cost benefit for doing the retractable dome.
- will it lead to more fans on super hot, cold, or rainy days?
- will it lead to positive revenue outside events like winter concerts, a bowl game, or maybe XFL, AAFL football in the winter
- will the baseball / softball stadiums allow Rutgers to be better on the field
- will the baseball / softball stadiums have cost benefit revenues from outside groups like HS's, AAU, and travel teams

I don't have numbers to back this up but I'd bet my last nickel that there is no way the cost of a retractable roof could be justified at Rutgers, or any college facility. Very little financial benefit to be realized.

 

[RUfinal4]

I remember that the Maras refused to put a roof on the new Giants stadium because they wanted to keep their cold weather advantage. BS.

8 years later and Met Life Stadium has proven not be as good a new stadium as other new stadiums (Minnesota, Dallas, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Arizona).

Haven't been to Philly but how does the Linc compare to Met Life from a fan perspective

 

[RUfinal4]

I don't have numbers to back this up but I'd bet my last nickel that there is no way the cost of a retractable roof could be justified at Rutgers, or any college facility. Very little financial benefit to be realized.

Would depend if they can get 3rd party events in the winter months, if they can use it for Soccer and lacrosse in colder weather months, and if they do an analysis of weather for football games where they can say x% of the games would be better experiences with a roof closed (ie.early Sep high 90s weather, late Octobe40s / rainy, lightning delays, etc...).

If you have 40k season ticket holders and avg attendance of 50k that show up but on bad weather games only 25k show up you lose revenues for parking and concessions. That can be as high as 350k per game of lost revenues just on parking / concessions.

 

[R1766U_rivals]

8 years later and Met Life Stadium has proven not be as good a new stadium as other new stadiums (Minnesota, Dallas, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Arizona).

Haven't been to Philly but how does the Linc compare to Met Life from a fan perspective

The Linc is far and away better than MetLife.

I am not a Giants/Jets fan but man would I be pissed if that is the stadium that my team built. Especially having been to Dallas, there is nothing that compares. Yeah sure people complain that the jumbotron is too big there. What a nice problem to have.

 

[BigLou]

Would depend if they can get 3rd party events in the winter months, if they can use it for Soccer and lacrosse in colder weather months, and if they do an analysis of weather for football games where they can say x% of the games would be better experiences with a roof closed (ie.early Sep high 90s weather, late Octobe40s / rainy, lightning delays, etc...).

If you have 40k season ticket holders and avg attendance of 50k that show up but on bad weather games only 25k show up you lose revenues for parking and concessions. That can be as high as 350k per game of lost revenues just on parking / concessions.

Season ticket holders pay for parking even if they don't show up. Also they tend to tailgate and don't spend much on concessions when they do attend the games. Soccer and lacrosse draw few fans. And you could still have few outside events such as concerts for many of the same reasons they don't occur now.

MetLife stadium does not have a retractable because the teams did not want to pay for it. The Giants excuse about the weather was cover for them not wanting to put up the dough.

 

[Plum Street]

8 years later and Met Life Stadium has proven not be as good a new stadium as other new stadiums (Minnesota, Dallas, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Arizona).

Haven't been to Philly but how does the Linc compare to Met Life from a fan perspective

Agree. Met life stinks . There was nothing wrong with the old stadium.
They built a stadium for 2 football teams and the place is sterile as can be. Also, the worst moment in rutgers football history happened there .

 

[rutgersal_rivals139582]

Giants do not want a retractable roof because they want to keep their "cold weather advantage". Thats why the dome wasn’t added, which would have cost $250 Million.

That’s why I’ve previously posted that Rutgers Stadium should have a retractable roof, but it would have to be completely rebuilt, from the ground up. Another less cost prohibitive idea, is to erect a giant bubble/ tent over Rutgers Stadium on cold days/ special events. You could bring in heaters for climate control.

 

[Plum Street]

I don't have numbers to back this up but I'd bet my last nickel that there is no way the cost of a retractable roof could be justified at Rutgers, or any college facility. Very little financial benefit to be realized.

You are right . This school doesn’t have the money to fire an awful football coach . But it will somehow find a way to spend hundreds of millions to build a football stadium ? And then have lousy coach and lousy team play in empty, expensive stadium?
Actually, sounds like something rutgers might do.

 

[RUfinal4]

You are right . This school doesn’t have the money to fire an awful football coach . But it will somehow find a way to spend hundreds of millions to build a football stadium ? And then have lousy coach and lousy team play in empty, expensive stadium?
Actually, sounds like something rutgers might do.

15 years from now and at least 10 years of earning $50 mil a year from the B10 when a full member should change the financial situation.

 

[MozRU]

Metlife is horrible for the money spent. What upgrade was made from the old stadium? At least the old stadium spoke of yesteryear with 70s character. Jesus, for 2 or was it $3billion? What did they upgrade? Its still a sertile concert box with exposed plumbing. There were plenty of coroporate boxes in the old one.

As you can tell I miss the old one with ghosts of seasons past, Parcels, Goldilocks, Taylor, Sack Exchange, Marino - whoops mean O'Brein...etc. At least the Yankees built a shrine for themselves...

Rumors abound, the Mara's wanted contol and cold weather games and with a roof the NFL dictates when its open and closed.

Or they didn't want to spend? But that doesn't make sense. They could rent it out for concerts and conferences year round and gotten some corrupt Jersey politician to have the tax payer pony up some dough.

So, so I am going with #1. The Mara's are old school, football outside for a playoff advantage and total control away from the NFL brass.

 

[tico brown]

The Linc is far and away better than MetLife.

I am not a Giants/Jets fan but man would I be pissed if that is the stadium that my team built. Especially having been to Dallas, there is nothing that compares. Yeah sure people complain that the jumbotron is too big there. What a nice problem to have.

Ive been to The Linc for Temple games and it is way better than MetLife. For costing over a billion and a half dollars, MetLife has the charm of an air conditioner, which it looks like seeing it from route 3. And the players are too far away from its upper level. Unfortunately ticket prices on its 100 level is above my portfolio so i will never get a seat there.

The Linc view from their upper deck is kind of like Rutgers Stadium, still able to see good action thats close enough from up top. Another good thing is you can catch the SEPTA line and from what I heard its not as bad as after an Eagles game as it is with the Hoboken train from MetLife, which is a joke... and like gathering up cattle.

 

[RUfromSoCal?]

JMHO-

makes a lot of sense in NFL (no roof on MetLife was a tragic mistake)

I would hate to see it much in college.........

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

Doubt it will happen in college...

Metlife sucks...what an awful stadium...

Toronto was way ahead of the curve!!

 

[superfan01]

Rutgers stadium will never have a retractable roof. OP is smoking something to think in 15 years it will happen.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Metlife sucks...what an awful stadium...

Amazing that Jerry Jones paid something like $400 million less and got that palace down there.

 

[PSU_Nut_rivals17625]

I don't have numbers to back this up but I'd bet my last nickel that there is no way the cost of a retractable roof could be justified at Rutgers, or any college facility. Very little financial benefit to be realized.

I agree 100%. There are a few college programs that it could make sense but most it doesn't. Most pro venues do it more for the ability to be a 365 day venue. Those types of spaces aren't needed in most college towns like a State College or Bloomington ect.

 

[miketd1]

Ive been to The Linc for Temple games and it is way better than MetLife. For costing over a billion and a half dollars, MetLife has the charm of an air conditioner, which it looks like seeing it from route 3. And the players are too far away from its upper level. Unfortunately ticket prices on its 100 level is above my portfolio so i will never get a seat there.

The Linc view from their upper deck is kind of like Rutgers Stadium, still able to see good action thats close enough from up top. Another good thing is you can catch the SEPTA line and from what I heard its not as bad as after an Eagles game as it is with the Hoboken train from MetLife, which is a joke... and like gathering up cattle.

Right on all accounts.

I've been in the upper decks of both MetLife and Lincoln Financial Field.

Your assessment is spot on: at the Linc, the upper deck is much like Rutgers Stadium's; at MetLife, the game looks like this:

 

[huskersalways]

Has been discussed at one college that I know of to try and add one to existing structure. Cost per number of times it would be used was too high.

 

[tico brown]

Right on all accounts.

I've been in the upper decks of both MetLife and Lincoln Financial Field.

Your assessment is spot on: at the Linc, the upper deck is much like Rutgers Stadium's; at MetLife, the game looks like this:

Its more like this at Met Life, excluding the cat lol.

 

[RUdude]

This is somewhat of an older article but really has good insight on cost of stadiums and how design plays a larger factor in cost...

https://www.athleticbusiness.com/st...-construction-costs-reached-the-billions.html

 

[mdk02]

Giants do not want a retractable roof because they want to keep their "cold weather advantage". Thats why the dome wasn’t added, which would have cost $250 Million.

That’s why I’ve previously posted that Rutgers Stadium should have a retractable roof, but it would have to be completely rebuilt, from the ground up. Another less cost prohibitive idea, is to erect a giant bubble/ tent over Rutgers Stadium on cold days/ special events. You could bring in heaters for climate control.

Maybe budgeted at $250 million but in real life probably $500-700 million. Remember this, and know the RU is in the same market as Met Life as far as costs are concerned:

Cost to build Met Life - $1.6 billion

Cost to build Jerry World with the dome - $1.1 billion

There is no conceivable way RU can afford a retractable dome.

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

Amazing that Jerry Jones paid something like $400 million less and got that palace down there.

I’ve been to one game at MetLife...my brother the architect was appalled at how ugly and simple it seemed for all the $$$

Some seats have obstructions...

 

[SU68]

Amazing that Jerry Jones paid something like $400 million less and got that palace down there.

Texas is one of the right-to-work states. That reduces the power of labor unions and lowers construction costs.

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

Texas is one of the right-to-work states. That reduces the power of labor unions and lowers construction costs.

Love it!

 

[i'vegotwinners]

retractable domes are a huge waste of money, and much better to just have a plain ole dome.

retractable domes are more like cars with sun roofs than convertibles, and even on nice days opening the sun roof causes more problems than improves things.

Indy has a retractable, and just the retractable part cost a ridiculous amount for the couple times a yr it's used.

and it's only used at all, because it cost so much and the powers that be don't want to look like total idiots for going with a sun roof.

when it is opened, a portion of the crowd is in the sun while everyone else is in the shade and there's a huge temp difference between the two situations.

on top of that, the shadows on the field cause havoc to the tv feed which can't deal with the sharp contrast in brightness, thus the tv pic is not near as nice as when the roof is closed.

imo a retractable is a mistake even if you don't consider the ridiculous added cost, and shouldn't even be considered once you do.

that said, any cold weather city that builds a new stadium that isn't a dome, has total brain dead leadership.

not just the comfort factor, but a dome allows you to book the stadium for a zillion other things an open air isn't practical for.

 

[[email protected]]

I am split on retractable domes for football. The sport is meant to be played in all-weather . With a dome in the NFL , I believe there are NFL rules that dictate when the roof has to be closed. So with domes lots of great moments in the snow, wouldn’t have happened.
Also, you get into the home field advantage debeate too. But as a paying customer, a dome is way more comfortable .
As for rutgers, we should work on growing grass in our stadium before putting a dome up.

Apparently all weather doesn't include Lightening Strikes.

IMO all bowl games should be scheduled in Domes: Period!

MO

 

[Bagarocks]

Cost to build Met Life - $1.6 billion

Cost to build Jerry World with the dome - $1.1 billion

There is no conceivable way RU can afford a retractable dome.

Worked on the Demolition of Giants Stadium and construction of Metlife.
Estimated cost of retractable roof was $800 million.

 

[Plum Street]

Wife wanted a retractable roof on the house. We didn’t do it

 

[RUScrew85]

Agree. Met life stinks . There was nothing wrong with the old stadium.
They built a stadium for 2 football teams and the place is sterile as can be. Also, the worst moment in rutgers football history happened there .

We've got like a dozen worst moments in Rutgers Football History - you're going to have to be more specific. LOLOL

 

[RUScrew85]

Rutgers stadium will never have a retractable roof. OP is smoking something to think in 15 years it will happen.

I think we should shoot for a bowl game in the next 15 years. We can worry about a roof after some winning seasons.

Cue the Rutgers Stadium Death Star picture.

 

[Plum Street]

We've got like a dozen worst moments in Rutgers Football History - you're going to have to be more specific. LOLOL

You must be kidding .
We only played one game there.
Eric LeGrand.
How doesn’t every rutgers fan know this?

 

[RUScrew85]

You must be kidding .
We only played one game there.
Eric LeGrand.
How doesn’t every rutgers fan know this?

Of course I know this - I was making a joke.

 

[Plum Street]

Of course I know this - I was making a joke.

Oh ok . Figured you did . But sometimes never sure on these boards!