Levi's Stadium is a freaking mess.

[kerouac9]

Good job on the York Family to keep this kind of stuff bottled up as long as they have. What a way to utterly dismantle something special.

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/kawakami/2014/12/12/levis-part-2/

 

[82CardsGrad]

Wow... Again, only shows just how fortunate we are to have a situation where our owner, GM and Head Coach are in sync...

 

[football karma]

The best comp from the series linked to is that Levi's is a smaller version of Jerry world in Dallas --

A top of the line facility that is stripped of any ambiance, and, charging prices that attract the corporate crowd rather than passionate fans.

The UOP has very reasonable lower bowl prices, so the place has plenty of fans who REALLY care about the outcome -- rather than the average corporate "this is pretty entertaining ---- hey, how is my fantasy team doing?" attendee. Combine that with the dome required in AZ and you get a real home field advantage and a place that when buzzing is a fun building to be in.

 

[Jay Cardinal]

I don't know what is more of a mess; the niners on the field or the field itself.

Still bummed the PAC-12 Championship is there for several more years. The difference in atmosphere between this years game in Santa Clara and last year's in Tempe was dramatic.

 

[TigToad]

Wow, a good article, but it sounds like their financial success is going to be there undoing. They are idiots where it concerns Harbaugh... and I'm grateful.

 

[NJCardFan]

The author is right. New stadiums do change things. I went to plenty of Eagles games at the Vet in the 90's and early 90's when my dad had season tix and then I went to the Linc and believe me the Linc is not the nuthouse the Vet used to be. Same with the Spectrum and the Corestates Center(now known as the Wells Fargo Center). What happens is that $30 lower level football tickets or $40 low level hockey tickets turn into $200 + PSL and $135 tickets respectively essentially pricing the real fan out of the building.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

They've got their pants on the ground!

 

[ajcardfan]

For our team, newer was definitely better in terms of a stadium. But, I think if you look at not just the Niners new stadium, but a whole lot of NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA teams, the move into more expensive and glitzier digs was not 100% good for teams. A lot of them gave up traits that made them very tough places for opponents to visit and win in.

For me Exhibit A: Yankees Stadium. Probably the most storied venue ever in the history of pro sports and the new place just has no soul compared to the old. Old Yankees stadium had a nasty, almost scary vibe. You could feel the weight of history there. You looked at right field and thought, "Wow, Babe Ruth stood there. At first, Lou Gehrig. Center, Mickey Mantle." etc, etc, The new one... it could be anywhere really.

 

[Darkside]

Stadiums don't make teams. It's the other way around. If the 9ers were lighting it up that place would be on fire. But they can't generate points. Or wins. Period.

 

[Chopper0080]

What K9 said...lol.

 

[NJCardFan]

For our team, newer was definitely better in terms of a stadium. But, I think if you look at not just the Niners new stadium, but a whole lot of NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA teams, the move into more expensive and glitzier digs was not 100% good for teams. A lot of them gave up traits that made them very tough places for opponents to visit and win in.

For me Exhibit A: Yankees Stadium. Probably the most storied venue ever in the history of pro sports and the new place just has no soul compared to the old. Old Yankees stadium had a nasty, almost scary vibe. You could feel the weight of history there. You looked at right field and thought, "Wow, Babe Ruth stood there. At first, Lou Gehrig. Center, Mickey Mantle." etc, etc, The new one... it could be anywhere really.

That used to be the Spectrum for opposing hockey teams. Once upon a time it was probably the most feared place to play a game. The way it was set up was that the fans were packed together, but not uncomfortably so, and the place got so loud that one time part of the roof blew off(OK, I made that up. Not the roof blowing off, that really happened. Just the fact that it was so loud that the fans did it). Of course the Broad St. Bullies didn't help matters much in instilling fear. Even the storied Soviet Red Army were intimidated to the point of leaving the ice in 1976(they came back when they were told they wouldn't be paid. 17 seconds later the Flyers scored and ended up pounding them 4-1. To this day the Flyers of 1974-76 are still the only team to be true World Champions). Anyhoo, when the new place opened up, it seemed like something was missing. Teams didn't fear playing in Philly anymore(AHL teams did as the atmosphere at Phantoms games were similar because they were now playing at the Spectrum). I'm going to guess it's the same with places like the old Montreal Forum or Boston Garden.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

The Yorks are amateur hour. They fell ass backwards into Harbaugh (his wife didn't want to leave Bay Area) and despite three NFC championship games are going to force him out amidst a childish smear campaign. Guaranteed they hire a Nolan/Erickson/Singletary type character next.

I certainly don't agree with everything Michael Bidwill has done starting with the Glendale location of the stadium but he's far superior to Jed and his play toy football franchise.

 

[PDXChris]

Stadiums don't make teams. It's the other way around. If the 9ers were lighting it up that place would be on fire. But they can't generate points. Or wins. Period.

Sun Devil Stadium vs. University of Phoenix Stadium

You must be registered for see images

 

[cardpa]

For our team, newer was definitely better in terms of a stadium. But, I think if you look at not just the Niners new stadium, but a whole lot of NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA teams, the move into more expensive and glitzier digs was not 100% good for teams. A lot of them gave up traits that made them very tough places for opponents to visit and win in.

For me Exhibit A: Yankees Stadium. Probably the most storied venue ever in the history of pro sports and the new place just has no soul compared to the old. Old Yankees stadium had a nasty, almost scary vibe. You could feel the weight of history there. You looked at right field and thought, "Wow, Babe Ruth stood there. At first, Lou Gehrig. Center, Mickey Mantle." etc, etc, The new one... it could be anywhere really.

Agreed, some places just held so much history and had a certain aura about them. In most cases new stadiums are about making money, not giving the fans and players better digs.

I think the only place left that holds a special place is Wrigley field. Well Lambeau field too.

 

[Reddog]

To me the craziest part of that piece is the fact that the players are in segregated locker rooms based on where they want to be. Not good and it is symptomatic of their year.

 

[Russ Smith]

The best comp from the series linked to is that Levi's is a smaller version of Jerry world in Dallas --

A top of the line facility that is stripped of any ambiance, and, charging prices that attract the corporate crowd rather than passionate fans.

The UOP has very reasonable lower bowl prices, so the place has plenty of fans who REALLY care about the outcome -- rather than the average corporate "this is pretty entertaining ---- hey, how is my fantasy team doing?" attendee. Combine that with the dome required in AZ and you get a real home field advantage and a place that when buzzing is a fun building to be in.

I don't think the stadium is the problem, and if you've seen the people attending the games you wouldn't make that corporate not die hard fan comment. I live a few blocks away and we see all kinds of people walking or taking light rail to the games and they are in fact hard core fans. They might not be all the same fans, i'm sure they lost some fans who think Santa Clara is too far South for them to travel, but they've gained fans who thought Candlestick was too far North. Yes it's more expensive but NFL football has always been expensive.

The problem they have this year is pretty simple IMO. First off you take Bowman, Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis off any team for a length of time they're not going to be as good. The defense has been good but not great this year. But the real issue is on offense and to pat myself on the back I predicted that before the season started. They went out and got more weapons for CK, and the downside to that is, he's going to be expected to use them, and he hasn't done that well. Vernon Davis has dropped off dramatically, but the guys getting those catches instead haven't replaced him. CK isn't flourishing with new weapons he's confused and struggling.

They made a big decision a few years ago, at the time it made sense, now it looks like a massive mistake, they picked the wrong QB.

If they are healthy next year they will be better and whoever the coach is will be credited for turning the team around.

The grass situation is bad and there have been growing pains with the stadium absolutely, but they are not struggling because of Levis Stadium, they are struggling because they are in a very tough division with a tough schedule and they're not as good as they were the last few years/.

 

[NJCardFan]

Sun Devil Stadium vs. University of Phoenix Stadium

You must be registered for see images

I disagree. Had the Bidwill's attempted to put a competitive team together, the stadium wouldn't have mattered but they didn't. In fact, immediately following the playoff year of 1998, they broke the team up. It was like they were throwing a temper tantrum because they weren't given the stadium they were promised when they moved there hence this team didn't start putting a team together until the new stadium was announced.

 

[PDXChris]

I disagree. Had the Bidwill's attempted to put a competitive team together, the stadium wouldn't have mattered but they didn't. In fact, immediately following the playoff year of 1998, they broke the team up. It was like they were throwing a temper tantrum because they weren't given the stadium they were promised when they moved there hence this team didn't start putting a team together until the new stadium was announced.

That is because they received no revenue there. He always said he needed a stadium to generate revenue to spend. Plus, how did it take to even get alcohol in there? Bill may have been cheap, but the lack of stadium revenue didn't help the team.

 

[kerouac9]

Agreed, some places just held so much history and had a certain aura about them. In most cases new stadiums are about making money, not giving the fans and players better digs.

I think the only place left that holds a special place is Wrigley field. Well Lambeau field too.

I dunno. I think that Arrowhead, Ralph Wilson, Soldier Field, and the new Mile High stadium are all pretty special places.

I disagree. Had the Bidwill's attempted to put a competitive team together, the stadium wouldn't have mattered but they didn't. In fact, immediately following the playoff year of 1998, they broke the team up. It was like they were throwing a temper tantrum because they weren't given the stadium they were promised when they moved there hence this team didn't start putting a team together until the new stadium was announced.

No. There were structural issues with Sun Devil--beginning with an outdoor stadium in the summer time--that prevented the Cards from being successful. I think in the 15-20 years before UofP opened, the Cards had maybe one home game on opening day. You couldn't play day games there in August; it was too hot.

There was also revenue pieces that were a problem with hosting an NFL-caliber team.

 

[PDXChris]

No. There were structural issues with Sun Devil--beginning with an outdoor stadium in the summer time--that prevented the Cards from being successful. I think in the 15-20 years before UofP opened, the Cards had maybe one home game on opening day. You couldn't play day games there in August; it was too hot.

There was also revenue pieces that were a problem with hosting an NFL-caliber team.

That too