Cold Weather Football - Soon Exclusive to CFB?
Given Goodell’s hinting at no more cold-weather SuperBowls, I can’t really fault the Bears for pitching a new domed stadium in the lot adjacent to the current Soldier Field.
While the Packers and Bills seem committed to playing in the elements, we’re getting pretty close to a scenario where cold-weather football could be largely limited to the “amateur” levels.
So I’m interested in perspectives on two items:
- How much do you enjoy dome football relative to the outdoor stadium experience?
- How worried are you about this trend hurting the B1G from a recruiting perspective?
The B1G will be fine - whether it eventually merges with the SEC or absorbs it.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:22 AM ^
I think football should be played outside on grass. Not indoors on carpet or turf, but I’m old
April 24th, 2024 at 10:00 PM ^
Ummm what about…
New England
New York (x2)
Pittsburgh
Baltimore
Cleveland
Philly
Kansas City
Denver
Seattle
… thats a lot of NFL cities with no dome and cold weather. Unless the Bears’ dome is gonna realllllly big.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:06 PM ^
Yeah I might’ve exaggerated the number of outdoor teams remaining, though many of their stadiums are past the 20 years mark. I honestly wouldn’t be shocked to see most of them building new arenas over the next decade. That’s more my point..
The Broncos, for instance, have recently been surveying season ticket holders about where to build a new stadium..
EDIT: The Browns’ owners also just went public last month, saying they’re torn over a $1 billion renovation vs. building a new dome. It seems a little silly to downplay the trajectory.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:28 PM ^
I'll believe Denver building a domed staIdium when I see it.
I used to live there. Much like many other NFL cities, they seem rather attached to their non-domed stadium (which sits right next to the old Mile High) and outdoor weather games. It's a part of their culture.
I've never lived in Cleveland, but from the outside they strike me the same way. An indoor Dawg Pound?!?!? That seems like sacrilege. It doesn't really compute.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:52 PM ^
Isn’t Buffalo building a new outdoor stadium?
If there ever was a team that would benefit from an indoor stadium, it's lake-effect Buffalo.
Don't forget Cincy
April 25th, 2024 at 10:03 AM ^
Everyone remembers the Ice Bowl at Green Bay but the wind chill was actually worse at the 81 AFC Championship game at Riverfront Stadium aka the Freezer Bowl. Despite being on the border of Ohio/Kentucky the Bengals have played some cold games including one against the Steelers in the 70s.
I'm staunchly anti-dome.(Lambeau season ticket holder). I believe we need about 9-10 covered NFL venues and there should be a hard cap at that number to keep the elements in the game.
It's ludicrous that Nashville and Jacksonville are getting roofs. Cleveland is also jockeying for a dome stadium because they think they will somehow compete for year round events with Nashville Atlanta LA and Chicago. Lol.
The bears are a disgrace for going indoors but what would you expect from Kevin Warren? The man contributed to dismantling of regional conferences in college football. He's a menace.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:19 AM ^
Ohio is soft.
Given the winter we just had here in Chicago, there's no reason for the Bears, or their fans, to have a domed stadium. December just isn't the same, weather-wise, like it was 20 years ago. And, after the Bears tried to take advantage of the village of Arlington Heights, they can slide into the lake, as far as I'm concerned. F them and F the McCaskeys.
Also, when did they ever play "cold weather outdoor super bowls"? I am sure you can find a couple examples but they were very rare to say the least.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:29 AM ^
Only 6 super bowls have been played north of the mason dixon line - 2 in Detroit (Silverdome, Ford Field), 2 in Minneapolis (Metrodome, US Bank), 1 in Indy (Lucas Oil), and 1 in NJ (Met Life).
The 2 coldest outdoor super bowls were in 1972 and 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans with kickoff temp of 39F and 46F. A bit ironic that New Orleans of all places has claim to the coldest outdoor super bowls ever. The game at Met Life Stadium had a temp of 49F at kickoff, third coldest.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:18 AM ^
Bengals.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:01 PM ^
i only ever played in outdoor stadiums. much prefer them, weather and all.
i have coached in a domed stadium, it was weird. i'm not going to say it was unpleasant, but there is something missing and i didn't like it as much.
disclaimer: OG
April 24th, 2024 at 10:33 PM ^
Personally I don't like weather affecting the game. I want to see these athletes do what they do best in the best conditions possible. If it's too windy to throw a pass or too rainy to catch a pass I'm a lot less interested in watching that game. Other weather conditions apply.
It's football. Weather is part of the game.
The NFL could address this scheduling by early season (Sept) games in the cities in the north and late season (Dec/Jan) games in the south or in cities with domed stadiums. It would avoid 80 - 90 degree weather games in the south early in the season and below freezing games in open air, northern cities late in the season.
So no Week 17 games for the Lions in Lambeau?
Didn't realize that CJ Stroud was a commenter on MGoBlog
As a fellow OG, the ‘67 Ice Bowl was an all time classic, (especially for those of us watching on TV). 15 below zero, 45 below windchill.
when i played out west i was one of two guys from michigan on the team, the other was our #1 RB who had played at iowa. when it would rain in socal and temps would be in the 40's or 50's, our teammates would complain about the weather. we would shame them mercilessly, using words you cannot say in polite company.
sounds like pushy????
April 25th, 2024 at 10:01 AM ^
Prefixed with a word that rhymes with ducking.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:34 AM ^
dear autocorrect..... I have never meant to type 'ducking', never, ever....not even once.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:01 PM ^
My own view - I personally enjoy outdoor NFL games much more than domed games - both in-person and watching on TV. And ofc, I much prefer college to NFL football (mainly bc of the energy of the crowds).
RE: recruiting, I’d wonder if B1G football gains a nostalgia edge because of the exposure to real elements (rainy day games in the south honestly suck in comparison to cold and/or snowy games in the Midwest).
April 25th, 2024 at 10:52 AM ^
I think with the cost of tickets going up and up, there is a push to entice more money by making the viewing experience more posh. While it sells tickets, it does detract from the overall experience.
I'm reminded of Paul Harvey's essay (which has a different title but I think of as) "We Tried to Make Things Better But We Made Them Worse."
April 24th, 2024 at 10:01 PM ^
- The cold weather/snowing 2021 Ohio State game triumphs any sporting memory of my lifetime in any outdoor or dome stadium that I have attended.
- Michigan should always be fine if they are a consistent winner, NFL Draft producer, always playing on national television, 110,000 people in the stadium. I could care less about the other B1G schools. After this past season, to hell with them.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:03 PM ^
The NFL will always have cold-weather football in our lifetimes. Green Bay, Buffalo, New York. Cleveland, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Denver, Philadelphia, New England, Baltimore ... they don't all have the desire or the resources or the land to get domed stadiums. The Big Ten will always be able to sell recruits on the benefits of toughening them up for life in the NFL.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:20 PM ^
Mentioned above, but both the Cleveland and Denver ownership groups have begun socializing the idea of building new domes to replace their current headquarters.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:06 PM ^
I'm usually a traditionalist, but I have to admit -- I didn't mind the three games Michigan played in Lucas Oil.
I like the result, but those were the most drab, sterile, antiseptic games of the year. There was just no environment.
April 26th, 2024 at 12:12 PM ^
But the WiFi amirite
April 24th, 2024 at 10:07 PM ^
I like retractable domes. Am surprised there aren't any really. The old Dallas stadium apparently was supposed to be a full dome but they ran out of funds so left it with a small opening. Why not do that but have the remaining small hole retractable. The grass can still grow and it can be closed when really cold. Play in the elements until December.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:09 PM ^
I hate domed sports in general, particularly baseball. On the other hand, I've sat at Soldier Field in 25 degrees and hated every minute of it and I can't imagine sitting through a baseball game in Phoenix in August. Retractable roofs might be a happy medium, as long as stadiums only close them when absolutely necessary.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:59 PM ^
We went to a Texas Rangers game in May of 2018. Specifically requested seats in the shade as it was 90° that day. I understand why they built the new stadium there. Got to admit it was nice to sit inside at the Pontiac Silverdome for December Lions games.
We went to see Michigan play in Arlington a few years ago in one of those pre-season tournaments. I felt like I was in a mall. It's a cool building but I'm old school. Give me Wrigley or Fenway.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:26 AM ^
You may be the first person that has ever said anything nice about the Silverdome.
This game at Arrowhead was nuts last year. No way would I ever go to a game in those conditions.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:29 PM ^
Let's recognize the difference between playing in college in November in Michigan stadium and the NFL in Green Bay in January. Totally different, potentially.
The snow against OSU was magical, but it wasn't -20F. How many NCAA games happen outside in the north after the official start of winter?
April 24th, 2024 at 11:13 PM ^
Very true. I read somewhere that the Kansas City playoff game this past year resulted in a decent number of frostbite-related amputations.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:28 AM ^
Well, the first round of the playoffs this year could very well happen in A2, Columbus or State College. (Don't think you have to worry about Minnesota or Wisky)
Btw, South Bend in December could potentially be just as bad as a Bills game. Lake effect weather in South Bend can be insane.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:40 PM ^
Illinois vs Michigan in 2022 was miserable, until moody sent us all home happy. The idea of the ACC and SEC coming north in December, sounds amazing ...
Football doesnt belong in a dome. Turf doesnt belong in an outdoor stadium.
April 24th, 2024 at 10:54 PM ^
You mean 2022
April 24th, 2024 at 11:00 PM ^
Yes 2022, I fixed it, thanks!
it was the drive home up north after that game that made that game such a zinger for weather. absolute blizzard, white-out conditions, cars littered on the side of the road the whole way home. i was passing county plow trucks like slalom gates on a ski hill, but we made it home.
April 25th, 2024 at 11:29 AM ^
But a dome wouldn't help that....lol
and for all or nearly all of the game v. illinois, the sun was out. granted, it was windy and all, but it wasn't an ugly day. we knew what we were headed into though, but proudly claiming my yooper roots, it was no big deal, holy wah!
That was one of the most thoroughly enjoyable games to be at. The wind, the storm blowing in and covering the sun, the dry bitter cold, it was beautiful. Except Corum going down, that was awful.
Now, 2008 Northwestern and 2006 Northwestern, those were not as fun to be at