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5. U.S. Bank Stadium, Minnesota Vikings, est. 2016
Atmosphere: 4 • Features: 4
Traditions: 4 • Tailgating: T20
Location: 4 • Cost: 19
History: 10
![]() ![]() What's good about it: The baby of the top five, U.S. Bank has already seen its share of memorable moments, including two name plays in the "Minneapolis Miracle" and the "Philly Special." Not a bad start, kid. Pair those plays with the raucous "Skol" chant, the indoor/outdoor aesthetic provided by the glass walls and a superb downtown location and it's not hard to figure out why this purple palace is already ranked so high. Never hurts having a Viking ship out front, either.
What you pay at U.S. Bank Stadium Ticket: $205 (get-in price: $94)
12 oz of domestic beer: $5.88
Hot dog: $6.25
Parking: $19.90
Total: $237.03
What needs work: Cost and tailgating are where U.S. Bank suffers a bit in our formula, but it wasn't a big hit overall. Some concerns about the width of the concourses and the glass exterior being a hazard for birds have also been raised. As new stadiums go, though, this is the standard.
NFL Nation commentary: "Age is just a number. While U.S. Bank is only 4 years old, its traditions, like the chill-inducing Skol clap, sounding of the Gjallarhorn prior to kickoff and the fire-breathing dragon tunnel that players run out of, make it worthy of being at the top of this list. Members of Minnesota's defense have constantly lauded the advantage they get from the crowd noise that reverberates inside, thus creating an uncomfortably loud scenario for opposing offenses to work with while defenders hunt down quarterbacks in the process." -- Courtney Cronin
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2937...c-disaster
The formula we used is outlined below.
Atmosphere (20%): The overall feel of the stadium -- how modern or retro it is, overall aesthetic, atmosphere created by fans, ease of getting around, etc. Our NFL Nation reporters submitted their best and worst in this category.
Features (20%): The bells and whistles that make each stadium unique. Reporters listed the best and worst features for their home stadium as well as others they had visited.
Traditions (15%): The distinct rituals that each stadium and fan base engage in on Sundays, gathered and rated by NFL Nation reporters.
Tailgating (15%): The party outside of the stadium before and after the game, rated by NFL Nation reporters.
Location (10%): Where the stadium is situated in relation to dining, entertainment and hotels, proximity to major tourist attractions, plus a mobility score accounting for public transportation to and from the game.
Cost (10%): The combined cost of a ticket, regular hot dog, 12 ounces of domestic beer and parking fees. Ticket prices are a three-year, secondary-market average set by SeatGeek, while hot dog, beer and parking prices are Team Marketing figures from 2019. Also, we added SeatGeek's get-in price (to the 10th percentile in 2019) to give the thriftier fan a dream scenario.
History (10%): A ranking based on the importance and significance of past games played at a stadium. Super Bowls, name plays and legendary games were factored in the most, but wins in football and in non-NFL events (college bowls, Final Fours, etc.) were also considered.
You can use it as a bucket list, of sorts, or just a reason for debate. Without further ado, here are the rankings to help plan your next, post-COVID NFL trip.
Its a beautiful stadium with a great atmosphere, its downtown and has the awesome 'Skol' chant. Fun place. It deserves to be even higher quite honestly.
Quote: @"StickyBun" said:
Its a beautiful stadium with a great atmosphere, its downtown and has the awesome 'Skol' chant. Fun place. It deserves to be even higher quite honestly.
It's tough imo to put an indoor stadium before some of the grand, outdoor ones. That said, I dont miss freezing my nads at the old Metropolitan Stadium.
I'd have it #4 in front of Heinz Field myself.
All that said, with so many chances to get it wrong? They got it right. Once they get all the outdoor panels replaced lol!
That fire breathing dragon tunnel has had no fire for some time. Because the Titans attempted to burn up their field, there has been no fire since September of last year. It's such an integral part of the intro package that the absence is noticeable. For most of last season, our dragon released smoke and bubbles.
But there is no doubt there are reasons to be a fan of our stadium. It is absolutely beautiful at night. The sounds, the lights, the skol chant, the experience... it's just amazing.
https://youtu.be/h8oDaI8N3Jw?t=98
I wish the tailgating situation was better. Other than that, I love game day at US Bank.
Quote: @"Nichelle" said:
That fire breathing dragon tunnel has had no fire for some time. Because the Titans attempted to burn up their field, there has been no fire since September of last year. It's such an integral part of the intro package that the absence is noticeable. For most of last season, our dragon released smoke and bubbles.
But there is no doubt there are reasons to be a fan of our stadium. It is absolutely beautiful at night. The sounds, the lights, the skol chant, the experience... it's just amazing.
https://youtu.be/h8oDaI8N3Jw?t=98
I wish the tailgating situation was better. Other than that, I love game day at US Bank.
It's amazing how warm it is when that fire is going. I freaking love that dragon. Tennessee fucked it up for everyone though. I love the atmosphere at US Bank stadium. It's so well done. Heinz field has such a crappy field. Lambeau sucks. Arrowhead is cool. Seattle is meh. I think US Bank stadium should be higher than 5 regardless of being indoor. US Bank stadium kicks ass. It's amazing seeing people come for the first time and stare in awe. I have met people from around the world at the stadium. The Skol chant is awesome too.
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