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The Kansas City Chiefs' new stadium is going to be a marvel, and fans will certainly feel more comfortable under the roof when the temperature is single digits late in the season.
And yet, all the new domed stadiums are starting to make it feel like it's not football anymore. At least not the type of football that made the NFL what it is.
The Chiefs unveiled renderings for a $3 billion domed stadium in Kansas on Wednesday. It is scheduled to open in 2031. It looks fantastic. The translucent roof makes it seem like it will do a good job replicating what Arrowhead Stadium looks like, only much nicer.
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But, it's not the same thing.
It's unquestionably more prudent to build a dome and it will be more comfortable for fans in December and January. But it is taking away from the fabric of what makes football so great. This trend isn't good for the game, or its fans who will always be romantic about games being played in difficult conditions.
Bad weather games is part of NFL history
There's a reason we're fascinated by bad weather games. It's not because the level of play is great. But the Ice Bowl isn't remembered because it was pristine football, and the Tuck Rule game was far from perfectly played either.
However, that's football. The sight of snow falling at Lambeau Field or reports of a cold front coming in for a playoff game excite us because that's part of the history of the game. Playing through those conditions revealed something about players and teams. Nobody ever got excited for a football game because it was being played under a roof.
But that's the trend. Business-wise it makes sense. Everything is easier to maintain when the climate is controlled. There's fewer concerns about having to replace turf after some playoff games in winter conditions. Other revenue generating events like concerts and college basketball's Final Four are possible when the stadium has a roof. NFL team owners do like their money.
And still, the first time we see the Bears, Chiefs or Browns playing a big late-season game without a bit of snow on the ground or any breath being visible as it comes out of a frozen facemask, it's going to be a bummer.
Many teams moving indoors
Dealing with the elements has always been part of the game. It won't be soon in some cities known for tough, old school football.
Cleveland's new stadium will have a roof. Chicago hasn't settled on a site yet but reports have said the Bears want a dome. The Broncos have the ball rolling on a new retractable roof stadium. The Chiefs are moving inside. The Vikings and Lions, in the traditionally tough NFC North, have been inside for a while. Three-fourths of that division will soon be indoors.
Thankfully, the Bills' new stadium is open air, albeit with a canopy to keep the elements from affecting fans as much as possible. And we'll always have Green Bay playing outside late in the season. Hopefully.
So enjoy all the games this season that will be played in a blizzard, or those in which both teams are battling through frigid cold. That part of the NFL is quickly vanishing.
