Seats were empty of fans, so despite lots of action on the field, there was none in the standsGETTY IMAGES
SoFi Stadium officially opened its doors yesterday with a "gentle, giant thud," as even the new $5B facility "needs fans, yet there were none, the sprawling grandeur startling in its emptiness," according to Bill Plaschke of the L.A. TIMES. Rams coach Sean McVay said, "Eerie is a great way to describe it." Plaschke notes that is "too bad, because SoFi deserved better." The place is "beautiful, gorgeous, stupendous" and "could eventually earn a reputation as this country’s premier sporting arena." For all this, Rams Owner Stan Kroenke "deserved a better moment than one of silence" (L.A. TIMES, 9/14). In L.A., Ryan Carter writes the scene itself was "surreal, the grand opening of a massive L.A. stadium against the backdrop" of "soundtracked cheers and their boos piped in." Carter: "Empty seats -- save for the fan cutouts on both ends of the field. Zero activity at closed concession stands. No souvenirs. Lots of action on the field, but none in the stands" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 9/14). In San Diego, Tom Krasovic writes the game "didn’t feel big time, but the stadium did." Its "vastness suits the size and ego" of the NFL and L.A. The stadium's "signature features are a white, translucent canopy and a massive video screen that hovers over the fake-grass field like a spaceship" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 9/14).
ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL: NBC’s Mike Tirico: “A stadium fit for Hollywood. ... It’s going to host some of the biggest events in the sports world." Tirico added it “looks like the Dallas stadium and the Minnesota stadium had a baby, it is a beautiful one.” NBC’s Liam McHugh said the venue is "futuristic" and added the "walk-up is magnificent." McHugh: "Once inside, the sightlines here are great, but it might be difficult to focus on the field when the biggest video screen in the league is staring directly at you” (“FNIA,” NBC, 9/13). NBC’s Al Michaels: “It’s a building that befits the entertainment capital of the world. ... We now know what $5 billion will get for you.” NBC's Cris Collinsworth: “Congratulations, L.A., you’re going to love it as soon as you get to see it.” The game’s first play was an offside penalty by the Cowboys, and Collinsworth said, “It’s really strange. This beautiful building right now, a little bit of ambient noise. That’s all” (“Cowboys-Rams,” NBC, 9/13). SI.com's Albert Breer writes NBC "definitely made SoFi Stadium out to be the star of its first Sunday Night Football show of 2020" (SI.com, 9/14).
