'It's the roof': Lucas Oil Stadium named top 2% of America's 900 pro sports venues
INDIANAPOLIS -- Some of Indianapolis Colts' owner Jim Irsay's most popular tweets revolve around a roof. Whether the retractable roof topping a $720 million NFL stadium will be open or closed on game day.
When it's open, some fans say there is nothing better than looking out on the city skyline, feeling the breeze in the air. Other fans complain that the roof should be closed.
When it's closed, some fans say there is nothing better than a neutral, weather-free environment for NFL play. Other fans complain that the roof should be open.
"The roof. When it's closed we get complaints on Monday and when it's opened, we get complaints on Monday. So maybe half open next Sunday? Thoughts?" Irsay tweeted in 2020.
Forget the complaints. The Lucas Oil roof in all its glory -- and grumbles -- has emerged as a key reason the Colts' stadium catapulted to the top of a list of the best pro sports venues in the United States.
Lucas Oil was rated 19th best, putting it in the top 2% of America's 917 pro sports venues, according to the report from Betsperts, a crowdsourced sports betting social media platform.
Rankings were determined by averaging reviews (5 being the best) from Google, Facebook, Tripadvisor and Yelp. The report details the top 117 venues that cater to the biggest sports teams in the country.
Lucas Oil finished with a 4.7 on Google, a 4.3 on Facebook, a 4.5 on Tripadvisor and a 4.5 on Yelp, which gave it an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, finished at the top with a 4.93 overall score. Just two other NFL stadiums ranked above Lucas Oil -- Lumen Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks (11), and Heinz Field where the Pittsburgh Steelers play (16).
The rankings looked at the number of positive reviews across the four media platforms for each venue. In Lucas Oil's case, it was praised for its connectivity to the city, its exterior view, its cleanliness and its kindness of employees.
And, also, the roof.
"The architectural design and multi-use element is perfect for our city," said Pete Ward, chief operating officer of the Colts. "When the roof is open on a sunny day, there is no stadium in the world more beautiful."
A 5 million-pound roof
Lucas Oil Stadium, covering 1.8 million square feet and with a seating capacity of 70,000, opened In August before the 2008 Colts season, replacing the RCA Dome.
With the team's glitzy new stadium came the much-talked about roof.
Its designer, Uni-Systems Engineering, describes the 180,000-square-foot, pitched retractable roof on its website. "When closing, the two retractable roof panels climb a 13-degree slope along five rails mounted to exposed steel trusses. The panels meet to form the peak of the roof, which is then covered by a mechanized weather-tight ridge seal."
A moveable window wall (part of the roof) stands 88 feet high and 214 feet wide, creating a more than a 3,000-square-foot window.
The roof, made up of two panels that weigh 5 million pounds, can open or close in about 10 minutes, operated by a computer in the control room, Uni-Systems says. Irsay must determine at least 90 minutes before kickoff if the game will be played with the roof opened or closed.
While Irsay's decision can often come with complaints, the roof has won out in this report.
As one reviewer on Tripadvisor, which gave Lucas Oil a 5 out of 5, simply said "It's the roof. In all its glory."
Ward said the latest ranking for Lucas Oil "just confirms what our fans continue to tell us. It’s a stadium that was built to be timeless, and despite newer 'super stadiums' opening with more up-to-date assets, Lucas Oil continues to provide fans with an outstanding game day experience."
The top 19
1. Lambeau Field: Green Bay Packers
2. PNC Park: Pittsburgh Pirates
2 Oriole Park at Camden Yards: Baltimore Orioles
4. Children's Mercy Park: Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
5. Busch Stadium: St. Louis Cardinals
6. Wrigley Field: Chicago Cubs
6. Oracle Park: San Francisco Giants
6. American Family Field: Milwaukee Brewers
6. Progressive Field: Cleveland Guardians
10. Target Field: Minnesota Twins
11. Amway Center: Orlando Magic
11. Lumen Field: Seattle Seahawks
11. T-Mobile Park: Seattle Mariners
11 Great American Ballpark: Cincinnati Reds
15. Fenway Park: Boston Red Sox
16. Heinz Field: Pittsburgh Steelers
17. DRV PNK Stadium: Inter Miami CF (soccer club)
18. Climate Pledge Arena: Seattle Kraken (ice hockey)
19. Lucas Oil Stadium: Indianapolis Colts
Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via email: dbenbow@indystar.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Lucas Oil Stadium, home of Colts, is 19th best sports venue in nation
