29. Edward Jones Dome (STL)-Truth

[GreeneCounty]

St. Louis Rams

Opened: 1995 Capacity: 66,000 Record: 67-73 (Playoffs: 4-1)

The Rams are trying to move out of this building for a reason — or, at the very least, force major upgrades. It was originally built as a convention center and has multiple seating configurations. There is a distinct lack of character or creativity in the building and it is why the Rams' new lease requires the facility to be upgraded significantly by 2015. Time Magazine voted EJD the seventh-worst major sports stadium in the US.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I recall one home game it looked very poorly lit on the television. It was almost dreery. In other games it looks quite bright. Do they sometimes choose not to turn all of the lights on?

The game I remember was the Jets in 2011

 

[DCH]

7th worst in all of American sports? Dang.

 

[CoachO]

and yet, NO ONE complained about the building in 1999-2003

 

[classicpony]

the need is there, so why not go an make a new one that one ALL stadiums are modeled after.

 

[Oldgeek]

Agree, with Coach O, when the Rams were winning, it was a great place to see a game. I go to watch the game, not to see how pretty the building is. Clean restrooms, decent food and cold beer is all I ask.

 

[RamsJunkie]

Agree, with Coach O, when the Rams were winning, it was a great place to see a game. I go to watch the game, not to see how pretty the building is. Clean restrooms, decent food and cold beer is all I ask.

And loud fans!

 

[Mojo Ram]

It's all relative. Going to see NFL games at Sun Devil Stadium(before the University of Phoenix stadium was built) was the bottom of the barrel trust me. Try sitting on metal bleachers on the East end of an open stadium on a September day in AZ at 5PM. Bathrooms few and far in between and built for herds of cattle rather than humans. Nowhere to park unless you want to risk a traffic ticket. Sound system built in the 70's i believe...shitty. No fancy scoreboard.
The EJD sounds pretty good now doesn't it?

 

[DCH]

Agree, with Coach O, when the Rams were winning, it was a great place to see a game. I go to watch the game, not to see how pretty the building is. Clean restrooms, decent food and cold beer is all I ask.

It would be nice to have a cool building, though. Hate the Pats, but man, Foxboro is a fantastic installation - the experience of the game is amazing even for a non-fan like me. And they built a nice upscale shopping/dining/entertainment center around it (it's about 45m south of Boston).

 

[Irish]

and yet, NO ONE complained about the building in 1999-2003

Buildings built since 2001 (Rams in Superbowl):

2001-
Mile High Stadium (Sports Authority Field), Denver
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh

2002-
NRG Stadium, Houston
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Century Link Field, Seattle
Ford Field, Detroit

2003-
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

2006-
University of Phoenix Stadium, Arizona

2008-
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

2009-
AT&T Stadium, Jerry World, Dallas

2010-
MetLife Stadium, NY/NJ

In Progress-
Levi's Stadium, San Francisco
Minnesota Vikings Stadium


My point is, the Dome Situation is a perfect storm of terrible timing mixed with a pathetic on the field product. Even if the Rams were perennial Power houses and winning 12 games a year and going to superbowls every other year, fans would still be bitching about the crappy stadium experience and how the city and the team needs a new stadium to keep up with the changing standard of the "elite" NFL franchises.

It sucks, I hate it, but its the truth. I have no doubt, however, that Kroenke and local officials are going to get together and build a Rams Taj Mahal that fans all over the region will be happy to go to. The limbo and the waiting is what hurts the most

 

[CoachO]

Buildings built since 2001 (Rams in Superbowl):

2001-
Mile High Stadium (Sports Authority Field), Denver
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh

2002-
NRG Stadium, Houston
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Century Link Field, Seattle
Ford Field, Detroit

2003-
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

2006-
University of Phoenix Stadium, Arizona

2008-
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

2009-
AT&T Stadium, Jerry World, Dallas

2010-
MetLife Stadium, NY/NJ

In Progress-
Levi's Stadium, San Francisco
Minnesota Vikings Stadium


My point is, the Dome Situation is a perfect storm of terrible timing mixed with a pathetic on the field product. Even if the Rams were perennial Power houses and winning 12 games a year and going to superbowls every other year, fans would still be bitching about the crappy stadium experience and how the city and the team needs a new stadium to keep up with the changing standard of the "elite" NFL franchises.

It sucks, I hate it, but its the truth. I have no doubt, however, that Kroenke and local officials are going to get together and build a Rams Taj Mahal that fans all over the region will be happy to go to. The limbo and the waiting is what hurts the most

While I agree with you that has been the perfect storm, and am confident that a new state of the art stadium will be built, I think you are overstating how bad the current dome is. None of these other buildings you sited above are part of a convention center complex. Again, I compare it to the Georgia Dome in its design, and layout. And that building was good enough to host a Super Bowl.

In a perfect world, the Rams start winning, the community support increases, and they get their new complex. There are too many blueprints for this to happen, even without taxpayers having to foot the MAJORITY of the bill. But that is for a different discussion in a different thread.

 

[beej]

The only thing I hate about the dome, literally the only thing, is being told to "sit down" by the ushers.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

The only thing I hate about the dome, literally the only thing, is being told to "sit down" by the ushers.

That's better than how it was at Anaheim Stadium and being told by another Ram fan to "sit down"
I'll never forget that

 

[Sum1]

The only thing I hate about the dome, literally the only thing, is being told to "sit down" by the ushers.

I see this a lot on forums...I've been to all but maybe 5 or 6 games since 1999 and have never once experienced this. Not saying it doesn't happen but I just wonder what is going on for this to arise.

 

[beej]

I've only been there 4 times. It happened all 4 times. Upper decks. Early in a game on 3rd down defense, our section would stand up and make noise and the ushers tell the whole section to sit down, and usually threaten a couple of people who refuse to be removed. And that sets the tone for the game.
The last time I went was Bradford's first game. Got so disgusted about it, I never went back.

 

[Irish]

I've only been there 4 times. It happened all 4 times. Upper decks. Early in a game on 3rd down defense, our section would stand up and make noise and the ushers tell the whole section to sit down, and usually threaten a couple of people who refuse to be removed. And that sets the tone for the game.
The last time I went was Bradford's first game. Got so disgusted about it, I never went back.

My parents have had season ticket in 402 since the inaugural season. I go to about 3 games a year, and I have only seen it happen once about 3 years ago, but it was in the section over. Needless to say I was a little taken aback, but apparently he was jumping up and down and dancing wildly and leaning on the person in front of him and it was making him nervous.

 

[LesBaker]

and yet, NO ONE complained about the building in 1999-2003

But that was many years ago and the dome hasn't "kept up".

In 1999 how many glitzy stadia were in play?

Perspective, that's all I'm saying. And 15 years of wear and tear too. The first time I was in the dome was 2002 and I wasn't that impressed back then. I've been in several baseball, football and basketball stadiums in several different cities, for years and years. The dome at that time was one of the least impressive. It isn't an insult, the structure was never built to be top flight and it's age is showing, it happens to stadiums everywhere.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

I actually like the dark building, it's like they have to come play in our Dungeon of Pain!

 

[LesBaker]

While I agree with you that has been the perfect storm, and am confident that a new state of the art stadium will be built, I think you are overstating how bad the current dome is. None of these other buildings you sited above are part of a convention center complex. Again, I compare it to the Georgia Dome in its design, and layout. And that building was good enough to host a Super Bowl.

In a perfect world, the Rams start winning, the community support increases, and they get their new complex. There are too many blueprints for this to happen, even without taxpayers having to foot the MAJORITY of the bill. But that is for a different discussion in a different thread.

FYI the Georgia Dome was a much nicer facility all the way around so just because they were built as similar use structures doesn't mean they were built to be equals. The stadium in Indianapolis where the Colts played and the combine is held is the same type of story. Same use, meaning convention center and stadium, but a different thing than the Georgia Dome altogether.

Nothing matters anyway. SK will be building his own soon enough.

 

[StevenG-BR]

Maybe if we soak the dome in urine and cover the walls in ivy, people will treat the Ed like the Taj Mahal.

Seems to work for another losing team up in Chicago.