FINAL THOUGHTS
■ What’s your overall assessment of the game presentation?
The Bears have a very strong pregame followed by a good, clean game presentation. It’s an excellent blend of old, classic Bears tradition with today’s team.
— John Lombardo
The Giants’ game presentation was fairly tame. This is an old-school team; they’re not going to push the envelope. … They are about the game and little else. They will use replay and show the game on video boards, but not much else. I like that they did not bombard me with ads.
— Daniel Kaplan
There are certain obvious benefits to being in a dome. After sitting in Bank of America Stadium in 96-degree heat the previous week, it was nice to have climate control in the Georgia Dome. In Charlotte, the glare from the sun made it almost impossible to use my phone. In Atlanta, no such problem. The fan experience for me in the Georgia Dome was superior for the connections, the facility and the home team. Otherwise, much of the pregame and in-game programming was very similar. It made me think that the producers from Atlanta and Carolina must talk a lot.
— Michael Smith
The Ravens’ game presentation worked well. The fans stayed involved in the game.
— John Ourand
Solid, nothing revolutionary. The Eagles did the job, filled the time and space allotted without being intrusive. … With such a vibrant fan base and tailgate scene, the Eagles don’t need to do much.
— Terry Lefton
With a league-best six Super Bowl titles, a home sellout streak now in its 42nd season and a less transient population than most U.S. cities, the Steelers arguably are not in the crosshairs of the NFL’s at-home vs. in-stadium debate. But the Heinz Field game experience still showed an eye toward giving fans more of what they have come to expect in today’s information age.
— Eric Fisher
■ What would keep you in your seat, or make you want to come back?
The electricity in the stadium cannot be replicated at home. The excitement the stadium showed the first time Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III stepped onto the field, when 82,743 fans stood and roared as one, is unmatched outside of live sports.
— John Ourand
This was a Thursday night game (for the Patriots), so it was very festive to begin with, and the Jets are a big rivalry. The ability to stand outside with the crowd behind the end zone is a big allure. The game is played continuously on the big video board behind you and across the field in front of you. … I liked the experience. It was very heavy on the game, with very energetic music.
— Daniel Kaplan
To be perfectly honest, nothing really stands out in terms of the Panthers’ game presentation. To me, it’s about the game itself and decent concessions. … Fans often complain about overpriced food, but I’m willing to pay for quality, and items like local microbrews and the pulled-pork sandwiches stand out at Panthers games.
— Don Muret
Of the 15 fans I spoke with, all of them listed atmosphere or excitement as the primary reason they would still come to a Broncos game rather than watch it on TV. None of them said that access to highlights or video boards or content from other games factored into the decision to come to the stadium. Fans overwhelmingly said they did not matter.
— Fred Dreier
I enjoyed the entire experience of the Rams’ home opener. Although there wasn’t anything revolutionary, the presentation was sharp and never distracted the fan from the game. The Rams’ fans were focused on the game and supporting the team until the final second.
I’d give the Rams’ home opener an A-.
— Christopher Botta
Nothing I saw (from the Jets).
— Daniel Kaplan
