I’ve been going to games and tailgating with extended family of all generations for as long as I can remember. Bills games are all about family and tradition.
When I’m referring to acoustics this is what I’m talking about. The Seattle Seahawks stadium is smaller than both the Bills and Panthers stadium but broke outdoor sound records due to how the roof is configured, materials used, and other stuff considered for construction. The Panthers stadium is a bowl and all the sound is going upwards and outwards. It definitely gets loud in there for sure, but don’t think it would compare to someplace like Seattle.
Real sports should be played outside, on natural surfaces (that’s my opinion). There really is no case for a domed stadium, except maybe up in the north. But even then, Greenbay and Chicago say otherwise.
I don’t see many college domed stadiums. I can only think of Syracuse. Maybe because of the cost. 6-7 home games a year hardly justify the cost of a domed stadium for a university.
I stand with you, here. Cannot imagine a Bills season without at least one home snow game. I’m sure @Phil can agree too. It’s just part of Rust Belt football
TIL that hockey is not a real sport. 
Good point - I was being a bit over the top to make my point.
As for Hockey - They do play it outside.
Yeah I know, just giving you a hard time. Though I do think, especially in the Southwest, domes may become essential with climate change. Playing football outdoors in Phoenix when it’s 100°+ outside is kinda dangerous.
Idaho, the one school to downgrade from FBS to FCS this century, technically has a dome though its very small (16k for football, 7k for basketball until they got their own arena. Besides that, UNLV does share Allegiant Stadium with the Raiders, replacing the dump that was Sam Boyd Stadium.
Syracuse is a unique case given it is The College Program in New York given how incompetent and heel dragging the SUNY system is and had the money to spend on such a thing being a private university.
Well I certainly missed a lot over the weekend! It just goes to show you how passionate people are about sports that this thread continues to deliver some of the most well thought out comments on the forum…and also some of the most unhinged.
We punch at or above our weight for spectator sports considering the size of our market. Going off the very rudimentary metric of primary statistical area size, there are only four markets smaller than ours with more than one of the five major league sports (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS). Those markets are:
- Nashville: They are a peer region to us as a fast-growing Sunbelt capital so I get the alarm bells going off there…and they have three major league teams now, with MLB a distinct future possibility)
- Milwaukee: That region’s growth is stagnant, and there was a nonzero chance the Bucks were going to relocate before the state ponied up for a new downtown arena barely 20 years after their current arena was completed. Also, it is the smallest MLB market.
- New Orleans: The Saints are the heart and soul of that city so fair enough, but the Pelicans have had a less than stellar track record and every star they draft ultimately wants out as soon as possible. In addition, New Orleans no longer even has a minor league baseball team. We have two in our CSA.
- Buffalo: This is a relic of the mid 20th century when Buffalo was one of the country’s major metro areas. It no longer is, that’s for sure. Plus, the population total doesn’t capture fans that might be coming to games from Ontario.
So you see, having one major league team is on par for a metro of this size. The fact that it’s a hockey team is one of those right place at right time things rather than a concerted effort from the region to land a hockey team in particular (I happen to think an NBA team would be an absolute juggernaut financially…have you seen NBA TV ratings in the Triangle?). But as they say, it is what it is.
This region has an NHL team, three major college football and basketball programs, Triple-A AND Single-A baseball, and both men’s and women’s professional soccer. Can we try and keep this all in mind when talking about what Charlotte or any other peer city is doing?
Carter-Finley Idea: Not really focused on expanding capacity, but I think the biggest impact would be adding a canopy over the East Stand and concourse. Typical benefits of some shading, protection from rain, and containing /redirecting crowd noise. But also, I’ve heard the amount of water required for maintaining the grass is a constant factor to deal with. The canopy could be designed to mimic the old NC State bookstore canopy and then could collect rain water for reuse. Maybe add solar panels to the top as well.
Better watch that Nimby talk.
You know you nailed it when your comment gets flagged AND @Yimbyforlife throws you a like.
He better we can settle for more.
I’m genuinely surprised you don’t move to Charlotte. You would be able to enjoy their pro sports.
You could have fun with the DTCharlotte* community, express all day long how Raleigh is just a city full of NIMBYs and how Charlotte is just much better
.
*Just made that up.
i like pro tennis and i play at my own level, so i guess that makes me weird…i can understand a like of other pro sports. is what is flooding raleigh now in need of all this pro sport infrastructure for raleighs smart and continual growth? if i recall my history it was early first citizens bank heads and a few local and state legislators that got RTP going in the mid late 60’s…really why the triangle has taken off. i guess cary gets NCAA tennis there. im kinda old (and southern) so i dont get it. better tennis courts/soccer fields for everyone to play on is what i prefer.
We are supposed to get a fancy new tennis/pickle ball facility that I’m hoping can host some low level tennis events.
It is very slow going though. Was supposed to be complete this year and I don’t know if they have even started construction. I thought they did a groundbreaking ceremony but haven’t heard anything since then.
Hurricanes attendance in past 6 home games:
02/18 - 18,911 (101.2%)
02/25 - 17,112 (91.6%)
02/27 - 18,801 (100.6%)
03/04 - 19,023 (101.8%)
03/06 - 18,156 (97.2%)
03/10 - 18,056 (96.7%)
Average - 18,343 (98.2%)
Pretty good attendance for a “small market”
**next 3 home games are expected to sellout
We should keep on the lookout. If this doesn’t get approved, Miami will relocate, the league said they were guaranteed a new stadium in downtown when bidding for expansion. They said if they do not get a new stadium, the team will relocate out of Miami.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article259238025.html
I’ve lost track of Inter Miami and all their stadium plans/issues. I remember they were having legal issues just getting their current stadium in Fort Lauderdale up and running. Which, I thought, was supposed to be their HQ and temporary stadium until this big park you mentioned was voted on. I think it’s funny Miami is drawing the line with this stadium but went all in on with the Marlins and their stadium.
Their teams are not that great but, I just trying to point out here why drive that far when we can have it here. I don’t think Raleigh full of NIMBY maybe it was 30 years ago. And there losing power we need one more person out that David Cox. But that’s my point, I mean do you want you know what to be better Raleigh. Also I couldn’t live there I don’t have money.

