Weirdest Sports Stadium Configuations

[@tdyerwestfield]

I'm from England, they use tarp on the front rows of seating because stadiums in England have seats at ground level as when they're used for 'soccer' the edge of the field doesn't have many people on it, so when NFL plays at Wembley, they tarp over the front seats so the crowd can see over the people at the side of the pitch. They sometimes do it also when it's not a sell out so that it looks less empty. They don't use Wembley any more though as another new stadium in London has a purpose-built NFL design.

[@quetzalcoa]

They still use Wembley, they just split the games now since the amount of games would ruin Wembley's turf

[@BaseballPlayer0]

@@quetzalcoa wembely, like hogan says it

[@seen48]

That was my thought on the matter.

[@teg24601]

Check out the old configurations for the Kingdome. It was designed for Baseball and Football, but the Sonics also spent a few years there, when they didn't like Mercer Arena (fka Key Arena, now Climate Pledge Arena), and they also hosted multiple NCAA Basketball games simultaneously during multiple March Madness series, including the Final Four. Also, the Tacoma Dome, which is a wood dome, hosted the Sonics as well while Mercer Arena was being remodeled into Key Arena. They also used Safeco Field/T-Mobile Park for Wrestlemania, Hockey, and Football. And don't forget the Pontiac Silverdome for Basketball, Hockey, and Wrestlemania.

[@davidgilbert7789]

Sorry, you got the name wrong. The Mercer Arena was the ancient old building that was the old home for the Seattle Breakers/ Thunder birds of the Western Hockey league with a capacity of only about 4400. The NBA Seattle Supersonics played in the Seattle Center Colosseum that was renovated renovated in the early '90s and renamed Key Arena. Since then it was completely rebuilt and enlarged for the NHL Seattle Kraken and named Climate Pledge Arena. I've seen hockey games in all configurations Since the Seattle Totems played there in the '60s!

[@teg24601]

@@davidgilbert7789 You’re right. Been so long since I’ve been down there for anything other than going to the Space Needle/MoPop.

[@soxfan773]

I always thought one of the current strangest was us bank stadium being used for university of Minnesota baseball.

[@tomgriesser2985]

The Gophers do have a baseball field on campus-- they just use US Bank for the early season home games prior to April. It's amazing how similar the US Bank baseball setup is to the way it was in the Metrodome.

[@rylan902]

8:03 I think it’s tarpped because the sidelines are to low right there and you wouldn’t be able to see the playing field

[@truswag3D]

Another weird stadium/arena configuration is when the Phoenix Suns would play outdoor games in the late 2000s at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Or when the New York Liberty played a game at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Also we’ve seen the WWE have major PPVs in football stadiums like Jerry’s World, but a very unique one was when All Elite Wrestling does a show in Arthur Ashe Stadium. It’s definitely a cool look on TV for a wrestling show.

[@classjacksonlawsuit]

Fun fact about the NU-Illinois game that was at Wrigley the first time they did it: There wasn't enough clearance from the endzone to the right field wall by NCAA standards. So instead of having the game play out normally, they only utilized ene half of the field for offense. My dad was pissed as they had tickets towards the right field wall and had to watch the entire game from 50+ yds away.

[@tylerkochman1007]

The reason the NFL tarps off the first rows for overseas games in soccer stadiums is that soccer seating is not elevated as high above the pitch as American football seating is. That means spectators would have a hard time seeing past sideline crew and players standing on the sidelines if they were to sit in those rows.

[@dusty3033]

Winter classic in Dallas at the cotton bowl was amazing to be at

[@gocanuckgus]

I also like the NASCAR duels race at the LA Coliseum

[@fabio40]

8:28 The Rogers Centre regularly hosted CFL games for years, so the stadium was already designed to handle football. As for Wrigley Field, it was the home to the Chicago Bears for many years before moving to Soldier Field in the early 70's.

[@soxfan773]

Yeah, but since the bears last played in wrigley in 1969 they renovated the seating nearly a dozen times

[@adellis24]

How strange was it that they tarped off the front rows at the SkyDome for Bills games? Considering it was also strangely done for CFL games at the endzones (outside of Grey Cups) no wonder they left for BMO. The Argos are the least popular successful team in North American sport. They hold the Grey Cup record but can barely pull a consistent crowd.

[@BaseballPlayer0]

the bears' gridiron went from home to left field. nw's goes to right

[@samsykes308]

Why didn't u include the CBB games on the Navy carriers?

[@custodiansrock]

I like these videos. It's interesting to see how stadiums can be used for other sports. The Toronto Raptors played at Skydome until 1999. I recall an almost sold-out NCAA hockey game between Michigan and MSU back in the 90s. Also, there were at least 5 Bills games at Skydome/Roger's Center. It failed for a bunch of reasons. But, this was fun to watch. Thanks for posting.

[@tevster1316]

Basketball at the Skydome was weird. You had the court transplanted onto one random spot and there was so much empty space on the rest of floor. It was also weird sitting in the nosebleeds. My dad would take me and we needed binoculars.

[@js8805]

Great videos. Lowest sections are tarped off in unusual configurations like this because the sight lines are brutal. You'd be looking at nothing but the backs of people on the sidelines.

[@keithharper1470]

Rogers Center was always a duel purpose stadium

[@monexpo86]

They used to play hockey at the Trop in Tampa, they played basketball in the old Silverdome in Detroit. They played baseball in the LA Coliseum . Dude is too young to remember obviously

[@LeonardWeirich-gq2gp]

The stadium for the Arizona Cardinals is State Farm Stadium. The attendance at Bristol Motor Speedway for Tennessee vs Virginia Tech was over 159,000

[@JoeOddy]

Because our seats go all the way down to pitch level they leave those seats empty so you can see over the subs/bench.

[@darrellhall6622]

A NCAA basketball game aboard an AIRCRAFT Carrier flight deck!!

[@PrinceAnt722]

Syracuse men's basketball team used to play their home games at Manley Fieldhouse before relocating to the Carrier Dome. The last Final Four to take place in an arena was in 1996 at Continental Airlines Arena (now Izod Center) in New Jersey. After that, the Final Four has been played in domed stadiums in order to capitalize on attendance. The only Frozen Four to be played in a dome was in 2010 at Ford Field in Detroit. Since then, the Frozen Four have been played in NHL arenas. Also, the New York Liberty played their home games at Radio City Music Hall due to the 2004 Republican National Convention and renovations to Madison Square Garden.

[@ericrizojkd]

LA Kings fan here, if they do another winter classic, I hope it's at sofi stadium

[@Rossturnerphoto]

As far as the carrier dime example, it is the only football dome that I know of that doubles as the home arena for a basketball team, however, the San Antonio Spurs played their home games at the Alamodome in the 90s before moving into their current arena. This actually happens all the time in college basketball at the tournaments level. The later rounds, and especially the final four, I regularly hosted at large dome stadiums, typically built for football.

[@jackD9643]

As for the tarp prior to hotspur stadium opening and the nrl pitch being under the soccer field which makes it lower, the tarps were there so fans wouldn’t sit in the front row and have the view disrupted by an entire nfl team standing up. Hence why hotspurs stadium the pitch is under the soccer pitch and lower in the ground

[@tevster1316]

It wasn’t unusual many decades ago to have traditional baseball fields hosting football games (and I’m not talking about dual usage donut stadiums). Yankee Stadium, Wrigley were used for football.

[@jeffpelletier4132]

Rogers Centre used to be a multipurpose donut and hosted many legendary CFL games there before the Argos were essentially forced out and moved to BMO Field

[@chrisstevenson9836]

You forgot to mention about the California memorial stadium at USC. Turning into a race track. And or a baseball stadium

[@NickC1966]

I’ve sat in those far away seats in Syracuse. You’re not watching a game, you’re watching people watch a game. You feel detracted from everything going on.

[@KC1996LFC]

I went to Broncos Jags at Wembley this year, I believe the tarp is because due to it being primarily a ‘soccer’ stadium the front row of seats is at eye level with the pitch which 1. Would give terrible views when an entire 53 man roster is stood along the sideline (Soccer they sit on the bench) 2. There’s only a ~2 feet high barrier meaning for NFL there’s a reasonable risk of a player ending up in the crowd, which wouldn’t be good for ‘growing the game’ if new fans keep getting laid out If ticket sales were low you would tarp off the upper deck so it’s not embarrassing on TV. Manchester City couldn’t sell out their allocation Fa cup semi at Wembley last year because they have no fans 🥲 meaning they were forced to Tarp off the upper deck of their half of the stadium

[@wilderac2250]

If you want to see something jarring in terms of college hoops. The Wisconsin Badgers basketball teams (both men and women) respectively had a game played at the Milwaukee brewers stadium last November. You can see so much open grass in the background behind the grand stand of the court

[@jonathanlocy3374]

Those tarped seats are because the stands in soccer stadiums go all the way down to field level, where as NFL stadiums the stands are a little bit above field level cuz players and coaches are standing up on both sidelines

[@christopherrobinmarriott7218]

The FIRST winter classic in the Buffalo snowfall was iconic. How u missed that is beyond tarded.. As was the USA vs Canada world junior game at Ralph Wilson stadium (with USA wearing Buffalo Bills themed hockey jerseys)

[@PrinceAnt722]

Same thing with the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Just watching the Maple Leafs and Red Wings walking out of the tunnel was awesome!

[@CONSOLETRUTH2]

Playing outdoor hockey in LA is NOTHING. The first outdoor NHL GAME was in 1990 for a preseason game between the Kings and Rangers here in my home town of Las Vegas at Cesars Palace in SEPTEMBER. And Vegas in September, once the sun goes down, can still be in the upper 90s and even has high as 100 or 102. Talk about having a hard time keeping the Ice frozen especially qith the technology of 1990!!

[@iancypes5911]

Also, that Caesars Palace parking lot was a Formula One race track only 8 years earlier

[@CONSOLETRUTH2]

Having a basketball game at a stadium at like AT&T in Dallas seems like it would suck especially if you had super nose bleed seats cause the players would look no bigger than a grain of sand.

[@350stonewall]

The Carrier Dome also hosted the Gold Medal game of the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. Also one to keep an eye on is the first ever NLL Outdoor Game between the Las Vegas Desert Dogs and the San Diego Seals at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on March 4, 2023.

[@guyfaux3978]

That was so the NLL could be the first lacrosse game of some form of the game to play there, beating the World Lacrosse Cup by months. Joe Tsai's money doesn't talk, it shouts.

[@99dndd]

The strangest one has to be the San Antonio Talons playing Arena Football in the Alamodome. Indoor football being played in an indoor outdoor football stadium.

[@tortolabvi8498]

The Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium is best place to experience an NFL game in London. The NFL invested £45 million pounds to upgrade the stadium by bringing fans closer to the field and added video boards around the stadium. Wembley Stadium, where the Jags play, is like watching hockey in Jerry's World.

[@mikematson6323]

The first couple years until the ACC/Scotiabank Arena was built, the Raptors played in the Skydome..

[@bigtimeaze-azeramos9645]

the tarps at the NFL London Games is there since if you sit there the field is blocked by the players standing up.

[@jonathanlocy3374]

I’m pretty sure that football game at Wrigley both teams’ offense would go the same direction on the field. The walls were deemed too dangerous so they played on the other end of the field the entire game

[@cacawsthelaw]

The first time in 2010, yes. When they did it in 2021, they took out the Cubs dugout so that they could go both directions.

[@michaelcampbell8112]

The AFL was played in Wellington NZ at Sky Stadium, I think the dimensions for the game were shorter because Australia Rules Ovals are larger than NZ Ovals at multi-purpose stadiums. I would love to an NZ AFL team. At least we would have a good-sized oval for the cricket that way.

[@rob46711]

NASCAR running the Busch Clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, now that is rare

[@wilderac2250]

A few NBA teams used to play in nfl/mlb stadiums back in the 80’s and 90’s. The Raptors used to play At Rogers Stadium (formerly known as the sky dome) Pistons played in the Pontiac dome for a few games Wolves used to play in the metrodome Spurs used to play at the Alamodome. In fact earlier this year they went back to play there for their 50th anniversary. The game set a world record highest attendance for an nba game. The second highest attendance was the Hawks when they faced the bulls in the Georgia dome back in the 90’s.

[@Z64sports]

Sonics at the Kingdome

[@wilderac2250]

@@Z64sports I forgot about them. But yes that’s true

[@davidsp5936]

The NFL has also been playing in a rugby stadium in London. They also helped pay for Tottenham Hotspurs nee stadium so that it can be custom built to accommodate the NFL. The natural grass soccer pitch splits and retracts to reveal a synthetic turf NFL field.

[@wilderac2250]

NBA had two preseason games in an outdoor Tennis stadium in Southern California back in the early 2000’s

[@davidsp5936]

Wrigley Field used to be the regular home field of the Chicago Bears.

[@jackD9643]

The English stadium was built to cater to the nfl, the soccer field slides out and reveals an nfl pitch. Those old grandstands at the Sydney cricket ground are heritage listed.

[@talldude5841]

Great job again on your stadium series. Both my daughter and son and their spouses went up to the hockey game in Cleveland the other day and loved it. There was almost 40 k there. Would have been more if it was snowing. But that don't happen in Ohio anymore.

[@JMRyan10]

The reason the seats are covered when the NFL plays in Europe is that those seats are obstructed. Someone sitting there wouldn't be able to see the game,

[@jsivco3sivco785]

Players standing along the sidelines will block the view of the field for people sitting in the lower seats.

[@eltigre5875]

The tarp is because the first rows of seats are below field level for most soccer stadiums. So being below field level plus the players standing on the sideline, it would be impossible to see. Thus the tarp, since they would be unable to reasonably sell them.

[@ChewingontheWire]

The Cleveland one is weird (in terms of attendance) - the second marquee matchup being played there is the AHL winter classic, and they're only selling lower bowl seats - not that i think the AHL WOULD sell it out, but like the pictures that are about to come out like "look at that crappy attendance" like they didn't even sell anything that wasn't down the middle so thats gonna be a weird look

[@sambostic8715]

College Basketball games at a NHL arena. Bridgestone is the home of the Nashville Preditors of the NHL. 7 SEC Men's Basketball Tournaments has been held there 6 SEC Women's Basketball Tournaments has been held there 13 SEC Basketball Tournaments has been held there

[@johnnyboy830]

You missed one it is similar to the Carrier Dome setup but the AlamoDome in San Antonio does the similar setup for basketball and arena football.

[@diarian]

hahaha WNBA FINAL killed me😂😂

[@AnimalClans]

The WNBA's New York Liberty had to play six home games at Radio City Music Hall in 2004 due to MSG being used for a political convention. The court took up almost the entire stage, but it worked!

[@PrinceAnt722]

The Liberty also played home games at Radio City for a few years due to renovations at Madison Square Garden over the summer.

[@davidsp5936]

Seats get tarped-off in order to jack-up prices by limiting supply. It also makes it easier to say that a game is a sellout.

[@keithharper1470]

The Bristol game holds the record for neutral site game but the real record #1 & #2 still belongs to Michigan vs Notre Dame at The Big House

[@TylerHammond-xy8uh]

Syracuse just loves the dome tbh, and they unfortunately just recently changed the name to the JMA wireless dome. Sold out SU basketball games are wild though, can hold up to 35,000 I believe. been to games in the nosebleeds before it's alot worse on camera than in person.

[@Foxstar1387]

The tarp at Wembley is there as the seats are to close to the sidelines. so the view from those seats would be blocked by the team staff. Wembley unlike the NFL stadiums and Tottenhams new ground. the lower rows are closer to the ground.

[@keithharper1470]

When the Pistons used to play at the Silverdome

[@user-ri5ff8ll4z]

11:55 NAU and Idaho state also do the same thing that Syracuse does. University of Idaho did until their new basketball specific stadium was built.

[@bdautch20]

Fenway Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl.

[@romanmalo]

I would love to see a bowl game in Bristol and name it the Food City Bristol Bowl or something

[@everythingbutthegirlfan762]

Tropicana Field had the Final Four back in 1999

[@Gonoles37]

5:45 he said Bama vs Ohio state in Ireland. Fsu vs GT was just confirmed in Ireland!

[@monexpo86]

CFL team used to play in Rogers Centre

[@GrubWarp]

the college basketball game at coors field was weird

[@JStorm13]

When they had hockey at target field and they were concerned that it was too cold for the ice sheet

[@matthewskolar5220]

NYCFC in Yankee Stadium has to be the worst.

[@KDRW-yv9yy]

8:52 I remember that game. It was against Seattle in 2012 I believe. Seattle beat them like 52-17.

[@ryanstrnad8442]

What about the time they "wedged" a baseball field in the LA Coliseum for a "throwback" exhibition game between the Red Sox & dodgers?

[@bosports3396]

Carrier dome is the best to me. I can’t get over it. Just maybe the atmosphere idk

[@larkhigginbotham5374]

Been there for football but not for basketball.

[@bigkahunaburger5185]

How about that NASCAR race at the LA Coliseum? The track is tiny.

[@garybattle2388]

The worst was Tennessee vs Virginia tech at Bristol

[@guccidan719]

I went to an air force vs CC hockey game at the football stadium

[@bullwinkle2380]

Welcome to Allegiant Stadium!!! Home of the Oakland-Las Vegas A's!!!

[@jdmcknight41]

How about this ... Having a nba , or college basketball games ( i know it has been tried before , on tennis courts , and in unorthodox situations , like on warships but... ) outdoors ( like inside of football stadiums " and i know that they all had final fours played there too )...

[@gamelard1963]

i think because in europe the closest seats are at ground level so you wouldnt be able to see over the bench players lol.

[@flxgld7096]

This dude rather have events being shown at your local high schools GYM or Park

[@Xolanidj]

Football at a Nascar track doesn’t look too bad. Nascar at a football stadium, looks horrible. 🤷🏿‍♂️😂

[@jeffreyburgess645]

So glad the bills stopped playing in Toronto

[@Miklos82]

OP: Would you like some cheese to go with your whine???

[@SupermanHopkins]

Lucas Oil is a bland, boring stadium. Going to a game there feels like you're watching a disturbance in a mall food court.

[@larkhigginbotham5374]

I went to the 2010 Final Four in Lucas Oil. Would have been better if the floor had been centered in the stadium. It was when they played a basketball game earlier in the season. One end was way too far from the floor in the upper level.

[@Duck82392]

Your mind is being the Spurs playing in the Alamodome for probably I don’t know how long but they made it the regular home and they will never first title in the Alamodome and then they moved out of there probably in the 2000s and then they had to do one game. I think this year in the Alamodome regular season gam

[@18MikePowers88]

Notre Dame is playing in Ireland

[@randommhafan1370]

How about citi field soccer mls and the Toronto raptors in Rogers centers

[@alexe1707]

Levi's is in Santa Clara

[@lancevance3512]

4:28🤣🤣

[@WackZest]

You should write a script before you make these videos.

[@jsivco3sivco785]

For many years, the Chicago Bears played in Wrigley Field. Right behind the one end zone was the brick wall... without padding. In fact, the 1963 NFL Championship Game (now called the Super Bowl) was played in Wrigley Field.

[@CONSOLETRUTH2]

Actually the Super Bowl started in 1966 when the NFL champion played the AFL champion because in 1960 the AFL started and was a totally separate league which finally merged with the NFL IN 1970 and the AFL basically became the AFC and the NFL teams basically became the NFC teams.

[@jsivco3sivco785]

@@CONSOLETRUTH2 ..Yes, however, the league championship game was simply called "the NFL Championship Game" back then. Now, the Championship Game is called simply "The Super Bowl,"

[@JOEYdaMUSH]

Field of dreams game

[@erickurtz2750]

Well I mean you are not you are not a known without them build it if it was gonna be worth the money to do it I mean the design looks cool but at the same time something can look good on paper and but making the parking lot bigger for people to be able to park but I mean how do you know they would’ve turned it down I mean Northwestern getting a new football stadium I’d I don’t really think they need one I mean obviously no it’s it’s not gonna be as big as like him yo the big HOUSTON at Michigan

[@Pats7coachC]

WNBA final four 🤣🤣

[@thataboytrevor8486]

It might be covered up soccer teams name that is on the seats maybe and nfl doesn’t have agreements to remove and replace with other seats.

[@aidanharris915]

WNBA final four😂

[@CONSOLETRUTH2]

The craziest has to be the building at Clemson cause they play both football and basketball in the same stadium....I think it's the Carrier dome?

[@richardstephens5570]

Syracuse, not Clemson.