- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 434,050
- Reaction score
- 44
Lambeau Field in Green Bay is the oldest continuously operated football stadium in the NFL. That is only one of the ways it is different from other stadiums in the league.
Lambeau Field opened in 1957, two years before the start of the Vince Lombardi-era. Soldier Field in Chicago is older, but the Bears didn't move there from Wrigley Field until 1971. Because of its age, Lambeau Field has features unique from all the modern stadiums in the NFL, but it's also been remarkably accepting of its own modern upgrades.
The first things football fans notice when entering the Lambeau Field bowl is that most of the seats in the stadium are metal benches, which can be very warm in the summer and chilling in the winter, but allow more capacity than normal seats.
Because Lambeau Field has an upper deck only in the south end zone, even the top row of the bowl-proper feels close to the field. One reason Lambeau is often credited with having a high average ticket price is because it has so many seats in each category, i.e. end zone, midfield, etc., than do stadiums with upper decks and nosebleed sections, which often are cheaper.
The Packers made a concession to modernization when it built the south end zone. The new structure included chair seats and standing-room-only areas.
Lambeau Field is one of only two stadiums in the NFL, along with Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, with hybrid grass turf. All others have either grass or artificial turf. Both stadiums have Desso Grassmaster, a mix of artificial fibers and natural grass.
Although Green Bay is the smallest market in the NFL, Lambeau Field is the second-largest of the league's 30 stadiums. Only MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is larger by official capacity. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, can be expanded to hold more than 100,000 fans for a football game, but it's official capacity is 80,000, compared with MetLife's 82,500 and Lambeau Field's 81,441. When Lambeau Field opened in 1957, it had seating for 32,150.
The Lambeau Field Atrium, which was built during the 2001-03 renovation, includes the Packers Pro Shop, 1919 Kitchen & Tap and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Museum, the first of its kind in the NFL. Beginning as a series of exhibits in the old Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the team Hall of Fame now is a modern museum visited by more than 170,000 people annually.
Lambeau Field's residential neighbors are important contributors to making Lambeau Field work. The stadium is well short of the necessary parking for a Packers' game and neighbors take up the slack by allowing fans to park in their yards, for a fee. Neighbor parking is especially critical for hosting the 2025 NFL Draft because none of Lambeau Field's parking lots will be available to draft attendees. As of two weeks before the draft, Discover Green Bay said 600 residences representing 12,000 parking spaces expressed interest in parking cars.
Lambeau Field is owned by the city of Green Bay and the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District. The Packers lease the stadium. All three are parties to the Packers' lease.
The most important difference, of course, is that Lambeau Field is home to the Green Bay Packers.
Contact Richard Ryman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Lambeau Field is unique from other stadiums in the NFL
Continue reading...
Lambeau Field opened in 1957, two years before the start of the Vince Lombardi-era. Soldier Field in Chicago is older, but the Bears didn't move there from Wrigley Field until 1971. Because of its age, Lambeau Field has features unique from all the modern stadiums in the NFL, but it's also been remarkably accepting of its own modern upgrades.
Metal benches
The first things football fans notice when entering the Lambeau Field bowl is that most of the seats in the stadium are metal benches, which can be very warm in the summer and chilling in the winter, but allow more capacity than normal seats.
Close to the action
Because Lambeau Field has an upper deck only in the south end zone, even the top row of the bowl-proper feels close to the field. One reason Lambeau is often credited with having a high average ticket price is because it has so many seats in each category, i.e. end zone, midfield, etc., than do stadiums with upper decks and nosebleed sections, which often are cheaper.
The Packers made a concession to modernization when it built the south end zone. The new structure included chair seats and standing-room-only areas.
The turf
Lambeau Field is one of only two stadiums in the NFL, along with Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, with hybrid grass turf. All others have either grass or artificial turf. Both stadiums have Desso Grassmaster, a mix of artificial fibers and natural grass.
Capacity
Although Green Bay is the smallest market in the NFL, Lambeau Field is the second-largest of the league's 30 stadiums. Only MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is larger by official capacity. AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, can be expanded to hold more than 100,000 fans for a football game, but it's official capacity is 80,000, compared with MetLife's 82,500 and Lambeau Field's 81,441. When Lambeau Field opened in 1957, it had seating for 32,150.
Atrium, Pro Shop, Hall of Fame
The Lambeau Field Atrium, which was built during the 2001-03 renovation, includes the Packers Pro Shop, 1919 Kitchen & Tap and the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Museum, the first of its kind in the NFL. Beginning as a series of exhibits in the old Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the team Hall of Fame now is a modern museum visited by more than 170,000 people annually.
Residential feel
Lambeau Field's residential neighbors are important contributors to making Lambeau Field work. The stadium is well short of the necessary parking for a Packers' game and neighbors take up the slack by allowing fans to park in their yards, for a fee. Neighbor parking is especially critical for hosting the 2025 NFL Draft because none of Lambeau Field's parking lots will be available to draft attendees. As of two weeks before the draft, Discover Green Bay said 600 residences representing 12,000 parking spaces expressed interest in parking cars.
Stadium ownership
Lambeau Field is owned by the city of Green Bay and the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District. The Packers lease the stadium. All three are parties to the Packers' lease.
The most important difference, of course, is that Lambeau Field is home to the Green Bay Packers.
Contact Richard Ryman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Lambeau Field is unique from other stadiums in the NFL
Continue reading...
