The Top 5 Innovations in NFL Stadiums

In this feature on football scoreboards, I will present the top 5 innovations that have been implemented into football stadiums in the last few years.

1. Retractable Grass: Glendale, AZ – The University of Phoenix Stadium (Arizona Cardinals)
A lot of football stadiums may have a retractable roof, but that hardly impresses anyone anymore. The stadium at the University of Phoenix actually has retractable grass. It is possible to roll the grass in and out of the playing field, which will provide the grass with optimal growing conditions, as well as add to the venue’s versatility. This was done because the ownership firmly believed that natural grass is needed for real football. Because of the stadium’s retractable roof, it would be difficult to provide the grass with the right conditions to grow and remain healthy. So, when it is not being used for play, it can roll out of the stadium and take in all the sunlight that it needs. So, the Arizona Cardinals are the only ones to have both natural grass and a retractable roof.

2. 2100” HDTVs: Arlington TX – Cowboys Stadium (Dallas Cowboys)

The Cowboys Stadium already has a seating capacity of more than 100,000 fans, the biggest retractable roof in the world, and it cost some $1.2 billion to build. But none of these facts are its main feature, which is two of the largest HDTVs in the world, which hang proudly 90’ above the field. Their LED displays are 2100” and 1080p, and they were installed by Mitsubishi Diamond Vision Systems. It’s hard to watch the football scoreboards, when you’ve got these massive things hanging up there.

3. Loudest Crowd: Seattle, WA – Qwest Field (Seattle Seahawks)

The former home of the Seahawks was already famous for thunderous noise, so the team decided to make this their trademark. They had a specially-designed stadium built with acoustics to make it sound even louder than it already was. Carefully measured at 135 decibels, the stadium has the noise level of a jet plane! It is so loud that the visiting teams have trouble coping with it. What makes it even louder is the partial roof, which covers about two thirds of the stadium, and the noise from the fans is reflected back to the field.

4. The ‘Green’ Stadium: East Rutherford, NJ – New Meadowlands Stadium (NY Jets and NY Giants)

These teams have partnered up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to ensure that the stadium will conserve energy and water, produce less air pollution, and decrease the construction’s impact on the environment. This new stadium is constructed with 40,000 tons of recycled steel. After the old stadium is torn down, 20,000 tons of it will go towards the new one.

5. An Enormous Sunroof: Houston, TX – Reliant Stadium (Houston Texans)

This roof is designed specifically to let natural light in, even when it’s closed. It has 92,000 sq.foot panels, which are covered by fibreglass membranes that are translucent. When closed, the two big panels meet each other at the 50-yard line, and they slide on supertrusses to open and then stay above the end zones.

Source:
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For more information on Reliant Stadium, go to:
reliantpark.com/