WP: Snyder on Gameday Experience

[pjfootballer]

What are ribbon boards? Are those just to display advertisements?

Yes. Plus they can add anything like "defense" or something like that. They go around the stadium facade and can actually move like the wave.

[Boston Skins]

I leave the Gray Lot. Usually takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the beltway, then traffic moves pretty good on the beltway. We go back to Waldorf. We stay there.

Yeah, I sit through the traffic at the field AND sit in traffic through DC THEN it's a four hour ride home to Chesapeake. You don't see me complaining.

[pjfootballer]

Yeah, I sit through the traffic at the field AND sit in traffic through DC THEN it's a four hour ride home to Chesapeake. You don't see me complaining.

That's my wait once we get in the car. After I pass the Rt 4 exit going south (innerloop beltway), we get on 301 exit to Waldorf and 301 is a ghost highway, especially for the night games.

[grhqofb5]

I don't even know what the hell the ray ray dance is (wait, you don't mean Ray Lewis' BS he does do you?). I've been to 4-5 Ratbirds games, and well over 40 at FedEx - I want to like FedEx more, I really do.

I have friends and family that are Skins fans that refuse to go to FedEx. It's mainly a traffic issue I admit, but that's huge. And I'm not buying the bad traffic in DC stuff, born and raised here I understand that. It's getting OUT of that Stadium and onto a highway that's brutal.

The only things I like about FedEx are Tailgating and watching my skins.

HAIL

Traffic can be hard to predict, so my motto is this (1) get there early, (2) if the traffic leaving sucks, sit in the parking lot and fire up the grill for an hour. That should fix the problem.

The Ravens tailgating experiance sucks. Who wants to tailgate under a highway overpass? Or off the end of a loading dock in some cash only lot? FedEx is wide open space, plenty of room, etc.

[ZRagone]

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/dan-snyder-on-the-fan-experience/2012/08/06/7d5f2984-e01b-11e1-a19c-fcfa365396c8_blog.html

Really want to improve the Gameday Experience? New Stadium, In DC. Right by Nats Park. FedEx was a colossal mistake and a dump.

They're stuck at Fedex for now, but actually I'll tell you what he could potentially do to improve the game day experience.

Organize a very low priced (like a $1 to $2) shuttle service that continually takes people from the metro station there to the stadium and vise versa. Invest in a fleet of large buses and work with Metro to allow them to routinely come through. If you can get enough to have a new bus pulling up every 5 minutes to 10 minutes, that'd be key. One of the worst things about Fedex compared to nat's park is the inability to just come off the Metro and BOOM you're at the stadium. He can't force Metro to extent a station right up to FedEx field...and he can't just move the stadium...but he absolutely could impliment something that would allow for quick, easy, simple transportation from the metro station to the stadium itself.

The last thing I want to do, after a long monday night game, is to trudge up that damn hill a mile and a half in fridgid december weather just to be able to begin the hour and a half metro ride NOR do I want to deal with that traffic. Having a shuttle service that runs continually to the Metro would be huge for improving that aspect of the game day experience imho.

Even if he takes a loss on the cost of buying the fleet, chalk that up to "game day experience" expenditures like the giant big screens. It's not about making a profit off it, it's about enhancing the experience you're already making a profit off of.

[Rocket442Olds]

Yes. Plus they can add anything like "defense" or something like that. They go around the stadium facade and can actually move like the wave.

Most Hockey Rinks make use of Ribbon Boards. They have advertisements, but also Box Scores, Stats, Penalties, etc...

If they're managed right they are definitely an enhancement. Even if they flip to advertisements.

[ZRagone]

I've never been to RFK or FedEx, and always wondered about them. Why is FedEx so awful?

Part of it I imagine is location for those looking for metro access rather than having to deal with drive time traffic.

A stadium in DC is in the middle of the metro infastructure. All ends of the metro area can reach it in relatively the same time, making it of relative good convience for everyone. Being able to roll up off the metro, turn a corner, and BOOM you have a stream of people heading into a stadium is just a great feeling. When I went to a Nat's game, back when they were abysmal, it was still unlike any experience I've had as a fan to turn a corner...see the ballpark...and just the wave of fellow nats fans streaming straight into it.

Fedex is situated off in a far end location of the metro area requiring longer travel time for many and making direct metro access a dream rather than reality. This increases the likelihood of people driving to the stadium rather than using metro which increases the traffic that is already horribly structured.

[Kilmer17]

1- Traffic sucks.

2- The CONSTANT barrage of advertisements and stupid time wasting stuff (games, dancers etc) are an affront to my senses.

3- Concession prices are outrageous.

4- Too many drunken fools.

5- The team sucks.

[DButz65]

While at some point down the road the Redskins will have a new home stadium, but I dont want that to happen any time soon because we all know Snyder will charge us for PSL's! That will keep a lot of us from being able to buy season tickets.

RFK was a really bad dump compared to Fedex Field, so those that have never been to a game at RFK and only Fedex Field really need to stfu because they have no idea what they are talking about lol I went to MANY games at RFK... if the team sucked back then, it would not of been nearly as fun to goto that place, period.

Dont blame Snyder for Fedex Field people, HE DIDNT BUILD IT NOR DID HE PICK ITS LOCATION, and stop moaning about concessions, league wide we are on average of other venues

[TheGoodBits]

You guys realize that EVERY venue has the same prices for food and drink right? It's not just FedEX Field.

EDIT: And as I said, my brother and I have had tickets in row 29 of the 400 level... if you aren't a ticket holder, I'll narrow it down for you... that is the VERY top of the stadium. I don't miss a thing.

The line of site is fantastic. And I am not just jockeying the stadium. The problems with traffic and food costs are not unique to FedEX Field. Give me another one, dude.

Just because it's not unique to Fedex doesn't mean it doesn't suck. I would much rather watch from my couch, with HD/DVR available, where I can get all the beer and food I want for the cost of 1 beer and 1 burger at the game.

[martytheman]

1- Traffic sucks.

2- The CONSTANT barrage of advertisements and stupid time wasting stuff (games, dancers etc) are an affront to my senses.

3- Concession prices are outrageous.

4- Too many drunken fools.

5- The team sucks.

Then I'm sure you'd be much happier here:

[DButz65]

Just because it's not unique to Fedex doesn't mean it doesn't suck. I would much rather watch from my couch, with HD/DVR available, where I can get all the beer and food I want for the cost of 1 beer and 1 burger at the game.

This thread is about Snyder wanting to improve the game day experience, not for people like you to beat your chest and say.. "i can watch it at home for alot cheaper" no **** shirlock :beatdeadhorse:

[RFK Lives]

Organize a very low priced (like a $1 to $2) shuttle service that continually takes people from the metro station there to the stadium and vise versa. Invest in a fleet of large buses and work with Metro to allow them to routinely come through. If you can get enough to have a new bus pulling up every 5 minutes to 10 minutes, that'd be key. One of the worst things about Fedex compared to nat's park is the inability to just come off the Metro and BOOM you're at the stadium. He can't force Metro to extent a station right up to FedEx field...and he can't just move the stadium...but he absolutely could impliment something that would allow for quick, easy, simple transportation from the metro station to the stadium itself.

Even if he takes a loss on the cost of buying the fleet, chalk that up to "game day experience" expenditures like the giant big screens. It's not about making a profit off it, it's about enhancing the experience you're already making a profit off of.

This sounds pretty reasonable.

One of the issues that tailgaters and non-tailgaters have are the people that just want to come to the game due to church or other conflict or maybe they just don't tailgate, and they look for spots but tailgaters are taking up spots with tents, grills and cornhole games down the lanes. So the tailgaters complain about cars coming late and the people looking to park complain because they can't navigate the obstacles. A shuttle service from the Metro or a designated game only viewer could alleviate some of that.

Sonny and Sam, thanks for the tip, I will definitely take a few snapshots when the line is peaking early on and get it to the right people.

[pjfootballer]

I go to 2 or 3 times a year. My Mom has the season tickets and while I do like going sometimes, sometimes I'd rather watch from home. And this is because we have to drive 6 1/2 hours.

[Tarpon75]

They're stuck at Fedex for now, but actually I'll tell you what he could potentially do to improve the game day experience.

Organize a very low priced (like a $1 to $2) shuttle service that continually takes people from the metro station there to the stadium and vise versa. Invest in a fleet of large buses and work with Metro to allow them to routinely come through. If you can get enough to have a new bus pulling up every 5 minutes to 10 minutes, that'd be key. One of the worst things about Fedex compared to nat's park is the inability to just come off the Metro and BOOM you're at the stadium. He can't force Metro to extent a station right up to FedEx field...and he can't just move the stadium...but he absolutely could impliment something that would allow for quick, easy, simple transportation from the metro station to the stadium itself.

The last thing I want to do, after a long monday night game, is to trudge up that damn hill a mile and a half in fridgid december weather just to be able to begin the hour and a half metro ride NOR do I want to deal with that traffic. Having a shuttle service that runs continually to the Metro would be huge for improving that aspect of the game day experience imho.

Even if he takes a loss on the cost of buying the fleet, chalk that up to "game day experience" expenditures like the giant big screens. It's not about making a profit off it, it's about enhancing the experience you're already making a profit off of.

There was a shuttle service(buses) available until a couple of years ago from the Metro station to the stadium for $5.00.I guess the local transit system(name?) that provided the service decided it wasn't profitable or had some other reason for ending the service.

As far as the stadium,I have been to a few and like it overall. There is room for improvement but it isn't that bad,in my opinion.Have been to a few games at Fedex when the atmosphere was great.The Dallas game under Gibbs when the Skins needed to win to make the playoffs was fantastic.I am in agreement with a couple of other posters that a winning team would make alot of the drawbacks of the stadium more palatable.

[Rocky52Mc]

I honestly love FedEx Field, and this is because when I've attended they've won, and typically in miraculous fashion. I don't attend a whole lot of games (maybe 20 in the past 6 years), but I've seen more game winning field goals in as many opportunities that one can see. I love it because they won, and I've shared my experiences with my fellow men around me. But don't tell me it's a ****ing dump - because I've attended losses as well. Can anyone tell me the difference between M&T and FedEx? Because I honestly can't other then fewer seats, ****tier parking, similar interior design, and purple colors.

Another one: Gillette stadium, it's a cool place, but also brings out a crappy feeling of being permanently OUTSIDE. It has the same damn prices, more expensive tickets, and it's real ****ing cold all the time. But oh, where the Patriots entered around that rocky grassy hole they build in the side makes it super cool. People can pick and choose what they want, but honestly if you want some decorations for FedEx, than be patient and wait for the day they can hang a Superbowl banner up.

Have you ever been to FedEx Field, arrived late, walked through the tunnel into your section, and every step further the game becomes louder, the sounds become more distinct, and you see a ball enter your vision, the crowd is going "OooooOOooOooOOOOooooohhhh" and it electrifies itself with intensity and you hear the words "Hankerson with the catch, gain of 14, Griffin on the throw - for a WASHINGTON 1st DOWN!..OAHAOAOOOAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

well you can just wait for next season.

[Schizlor]

Love the tailgate, we have been adding things every year to our tailgate but one thing that keeps getting removed is the number of Port-O-Johns in the Green Lot, I can only speak on the Green Lot. But, okay, so you have the piss patrol monitoring the fence and lot but you have about 12 portable toilets for the whole lot? Plus, the less you have, the more full they become just add a wonderful aroma to your after game tailgate if you are near them. How about some sort of permanent facility out in the lots? I dunno, just spitballing. Maybe I just need to buy a gas can and use it in the car, adult diapers? Not sure the people next to me would like that.

We've been bringing one of these for the past few years. Bring a bucket, some kitty litter, and a roll of TP. No #2's allowed!

Port-o-Potty lines are for chumps.

[SwampEm]

Not really. Carolina's stadium opened a year before FedEx. It's was a nicer facility at the time, and it was/is more state of the art than FedEx, despite being slightly older.

There is a old WaPo article that talks about JKC stadium and compares it favorably to Ericcson Stadium in Charlotte. I think Wilbon wrote it but I cannot find it.

[bnewbs]

My family used to have season's tickets (going back to Griffith). I was young when my family used to go to RFK, but really the only thing I remember about those games was the stomping on the metal seats that got the place so loud. I agree with a bunch of the earlier posts that FedEx isn't a dump. It's not the nicest stadium in the NFL either, but it would be a much better stadium with a consistently winning team. I was at the '99 playoff game against the Lions, and like a few other posters before me said, the stadium was ROCKING. The energy level was amazing and it definitely was the most memorable game at FedEx as I am sure a lot of the playoff games were the same way at RFK. A winning team would attract more Skins fans and less visiting teams' fans and if security could eliminate most of the obnoxious drunks whose only goal is to get blacked out before the game even starts, the gameday experience would definitely improve. High priced concessions are at every stadium including Nationals Park and Verizon Center. I do wish FedEx field had independent concessions like Nat's Park though. Love eating some Hard Times Nachos while watching the games!

[SonnyandSam]

This sounds pretty reasonable.

One of the issues that tailgaters and non-tailgaters have are the people that just want to come to the game due to church or other conflict or maybe they just don't tailgate, and they look for spots but tailgaters are taking up spots with tents, grills and cornhole games down the lanes. So the tailgaters complain about cars coming late and the people looking to park complain because they can't navigate the obstacles. A shuttle service from the Metro or a designated game only viewer could alleviate some of that.

Sonny and Sam, thanks for the tip, I will definitely take a few snapshots when the line is peaking early on and get it to the right people.

Send the pictures to the control center on game day!

---------- Post added August-7th-2012 at 04:23 PM ----------

Fed Ex Field is a perfectly good stadium IF/WHEN the Redskins are winning. All this other whining about stuff (parking, traffic, beer cost, drunks, etc) is either the same for most other NFL stadiums or because people are tired of the Redskins sucking and need something else to complain about. Snyder to his credit has made major improvements in the stadium during his tenure. He's also made it worse for some of us (Dream Seats; obstructed view seats). When the place was built, it was described as a huge improvement over RFK and most NFL stadiums. Yes, it is getting old now. My biggest complaint is that it is a boring architectural design. But in the end, I am there to watch football. All the other petty stuff is BS IMHO. When the Skins start winning again, complaints about FedEx Field will decrease.

[mokeface]

I think he's done a good job the past few years with improvements. I went to the skins dolphins game in Miami last season. now their stadium is a dump. that place sucks.

[frostyj]

There was a shuttle service(buses) available until a couple of years ago from the Metro station to the stadium for $5.00.I guess the local transit system(name?) that provided the service decided it wasn't profitable or had some other reason for ending the service.

As far as the stadium,I have been to a few and like it overall. There is room for improvement but it isn't that bad,in my opinion.Have been to a few games at Fedex when the atmosphere was great.The Dallas game under Gibbs when the Skins needed to win to make the playoffs was fantastic.I am in agreement with a couple of other posters that a winning team would make alot of the drawbacks of the stadium more palatable.

Full Article

New U.S. Department of Transportation rules to encourage use of local charter bus services have knocked Metrobus out of the running for special events services.

Under the federal rules, finalized in May(2008), the team would have to pursue a bus lease with a private charter company, rather than use the cheaper Metrobuses. The Redskins said unsuccessfully they sought a season-long waiver from the Department of Transportation.

"Unable to continue our partnership with Metro, we had numerous discussions with a variety of transportation companies, only to find that the best private transportation option would increase the fan shuttle fare from $6 to nearly $20," Mitch Gershman, chief operating officer of the Redskins, said in a statement.

[pjfootballer]

Fed Ex Field is a perfectly good stadium IF/WHEN the Redskins are winning. All this other whining about stuff (parking, traffic, beer cost, drunks, etc) is either the same for most other NFL stadiums or because people are tired of the Redskins sucking and need something else to complain about. Snyder to his credit has made major improvements in the stadium during his tenure. He's also made it worse for some of us (Dream Seats; obstructed view seats). When the place was built, it was described as a huge improvement over RFK and most NFL stadiums. Yes, it is getting old now. My biggest complaint is that it is a boring architectural design. But in the end, I am there to watch football. All the other petty stuff is BS IMHO. When the Skins start winning again, complaints about FedEx Field will decrease.

I think this is why the stadium gets a bad rap. It's design is dull. RFK had the little overhang, the seat pattern in the upperdeck was like a wave and the metal bleachers for baseball gave it character. The big Bud sign with the clock gave it an old time look. Fed Ex has nothing unique about it. It's design is from that architectural firm in KC (HOK?) that pretty much designed most of the cookie-cutter multi-purpose stadiums from the 70s and 80s. The new stadiums in our division (Dallass, NY Giants and Philly) all have a different look to them. I will agree with you about the design.

---------- Post added August-7th-2012 at 04:50 PM ----------

I think he's done a good job the past few years with improvements. I went to the skins dolphins game in Miami last season. now their stadium is a dump. that place sucks.

I've been in that stadium. It's 25+ years old and I expect them to probably make some upgrades to it now that the Marlins are in their new digs. Oakland is the only football team in the NFL that still shares a stadium with a baseball team. But I hear the A's are looking into getting a new stadium.

[thebluefood]

It's funny when FedEx was first built it was the stadium of all stadiums. It was the first of it's kind. Now it is one of the oldest of the new stadiums and considered a dump!! lol My biggest complaint is the music they blast. The only sound I want is the anouncer and the crowd.

Forgetting about something?

[Gart Monk]

The barrier wall that surrounded the field quickly went from green to burgundy after Snyder bought the team. +1

My biggest issue is that the stadium holds too many people. It used to be a big deal just to get a ticket to any Skins game at RFK. Usually had to go through a travel company on a bus trip. (this was before the internet) Now people give them away in Nov/Dec.

I went to the 2007 Sunday night game vs CHI. It was cold as **** and the concrete in the 400s was solid ice. Had to rest our feet on pizza boxes to divert the freeze. It had rained pretty good and then turned to snow the day of the game. Does that happen in other stadiums?