The Minnesota Vikings unveiled U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers. In celebration of Minnesota’s sparkling new home, NFL Nation takes you through the best and worst of all 31 NFL stadiums, while “Madden NFL 17” gives a unique look at the best venue in each division, as voted on by ESPN experts.
New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Best thing: Gillette Stadium’s lighthouse is a distinguishing feature (especially when it is covered by a Tom Brady banner), as is the bridge across part of the north end zone that serves as a meeting point for fans to congregate.
Worst thing: Traffic. The road leading to the stadium, Route 1, can be a bottleneck as it is only two lanes on each side. It’s not fun sitting in that traffic and then paying $50 to park. — Mike Reiss
Buffalo Bills
New Era Field
Best thing: Bills fans love the no-frills, often-rowdy atmosphere at New Era Field, which resembles some college venues. It’s consistently one of the cheapest tickets in the NFL, and Bills fans take pride in both their tailgating experience and the camaraderie of packing the seats on a freezing winter day.
Worst thing: The stadium is 43 years old and, despite $130 million in renovations in 2014, it still lacks many of the amenities of modern NFL venues. — Mike Rodak
Miami Dolphins
Hard Rock Stadium
Best thing: The newly rebranded and upgraded Hard Rock Stadium features four new HD scoreboards and a canopy over the venue to protect most of the fans from the rain. It will also help keep in the crowd noise.
Worst thing: Too many Dolphins fans sell their tickets to fans of visiting teams, particularly late in the year during the stretch run. That makes it hard for Miami to establish a sizable home-field advantage. — James Walker
New York Jets
MetLife Stadium
Best thing: Fans like the massive video screens, which stretch 118 feet wide and are located in the stadium’s four corners. The exotic food choices — including a seafood tower featuring oysters and crab claws; a filet mignon sandwich with red pepper and mozzarella — are also a hit.
Worst thing: The stadium lacks charm. Because it houses the Jets and Giants, it had to be built with neutral colors. As a result, it has a gray cinder-block feel and look to it. And, oh yes, the ticket prices are steep. — Rich Cimini
Pittsburgh Steelers
Heinz Field
Best thing: From the bright gold seats to the riverfront setting, Heinz Field has plenty of flavor. The venue feels intimate because of the crowd swinging Terrible Towels in unison and the scarcity of bad seats. Fans can view the Pittsburgh skyline during the game or watch replays on the customized, Heinz-inspired Jumbotron.
Worst thing: Ticket prices are on the higher end, league-wide, and parking can be a challenge because of the stadium’s location on the North Shore of Pittsburgh. Heinz Field opened in 2001, so a common online complaint among fans is that the seats are tight compared to today’s modern NFL stadiums. — Jeremy Fowler
Baltimore Ravens
M&T Bank Stadium
Best thing: Fans are on top of the action — the front row is 50 feet from the playing field sidelines and 20 feet from the back of the end zones — which has helped the Ravens have the third-best home winning percentage since 2008. The team nicely blends modern technology (giant video boards) and football history (statues of Ray Lewis and Johnny Unitas greet fans outside the stadium).
Worst thing: M&T Bank Stadium is the league’s 11th-most expensive venue, according to Money magazine. It will cost a fan $219.83 for a ticket, beer, soft drink, hot dog and parking. — Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati Bengals
Paul Brown Stadium
Best thing: The stadium is located downtown in an area of Cincinnati that has experienced rapid growth over the past few years. Its proximity to the Reds’ Great American Ball Park is another neat aspect, and you can’t beat the views of the Ohio River.
Worst thing: Fans called the 16-year-old stadium an “ode to concrete” because of its lack of personality or nods to teams of the past. If you’re looking to learn about the history of the team, don’t expect to find it at the stadium. — Katherine Terrell
Best thing: The Browns’ new stadium is built on the same piece of ground as the team’s original field. So the tradition stays the same, and the ground where Otto Graham threw and Jim Brown ran and Paul Brown coached is the same that modern players use — albeit with less success.
Worst thing: There is little inside the stadium that says “Cleveland” aside from the orange seats. It’s a stadium built in a hurry so the Browns could return in 1999, and because of that it’s cookie cutter with little character. — Pat McManamon
Indianapolis Colts
Lucas Oil Stadium
Best thing: Lucas Oil Stadium has been voted the NFL’s best game-day experience for five consecutive years by Stadium Journey magazine. Not only do the Colts have a retractable roof, but they also have the ability to open a large window on the north end of the stadium, which gives an incredible view of the city skyline. The stadium is located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, which makes it convenient for those who want to walk to the game from their hotel or a restaurant.
Worst thing: The Colts had to replace the railing that gave out in during a 2013 game against the Raiders, causing two fans to be injured. The Colts often follow a controversial weather rule in determining if they’ll keep the roof open or closed. They’ll keep it closed when the temperature is below 50 degrees or above 80 degrees. Not wanting to be outdoors in cold weather is understandable, but the 80-degree rule takes away from some of the overall fan experience. — Mike Wells
Houston Texans
NRG Stadium
Best thing: Having a retractable roof is a must for the 95-degree early-season games. And while it could be an advantage on the field to keep the roof open on steamy days since most other teams are not used to playing in the Houston heat, it would be miserable for fans.
Worst thing: NRG Stadium will be hosting Super Bowl LI in February, so the Texans spent the offseason upgrading the facility’s WiFi and turf, among other things. The biggest complaint now may be that the stadium doesn’t have the best sight lines. — Sarah Barshop
Jacksonville Jaguars
EverBank Field
Best thing: It’s really a toss-up between the pools in the north end zone and two of the world’s biggest video boards. I give the slight edge to the video boards because everyone can see them. But if you can shell out for the more expensive pool ticket, it’s worth it.
Worst thing: The Jaguars’ prices are reasonable: According to NerdWallet.com, they had the 10th-cheapest ticket prices last season. So the worst thing has to be the on-field product. The Jaguars have won more than five games in a season just twice since 2007. — Mike DiRocco
Tennessee Titans
Nissan Stadium
Best thing: Location. On the east bank of the Cumberland River, Nissan Stadium is an easy walk over the bridge from Nashville’s lively downtown. It’s very convenient for fans who want to eat/drink before or after the game.
Worst thing: As the product on the field has gotten worse, opposing fans have started scooping up good seats. Easily audible “Let’s go Vikings” chants wafted through Nissan Stadium in the fourth quarter of the Titans’ Week 1 loss to Minnesota. — Paul Kuharsky
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