Lucas Oil Stadium yesterday afternoon was too hot to handle for some Indianapolis Colts fans—and even players.
And I’m not talking about the action on the field.
While the Colts were getting their first victory yesterday at their new home, many fans were sweating it out, especially those who were baking in a stream of sunlight that came through the opened roof. Hundreds of fans vacated their seats on the north end of the stadium during the game’s second half, complaining about the heat and lack of circulation. Some watched the game from the shaded consourse, while others headed home early. One fan said the temperature was “barely tolerable.”
Not even opening the roof the night before the game and opening the large window on the north end helped bring the temps in the retractable roof facility below 90 degrees in many spectator seating areas. Some of the Colts coaches complained about the heat on the field and sidelines. Players used misters to cool themselves down. Colts Coach Tony Dungy reportedly told CBS commentators calling the game that he would like more input on when the roof is opened or closed.
Granted, the temperatures this weekend were unseasonably warm, but Colts and stadium officials seem to have a pretty serious issue with respect to the temperature to address.
Thoughts?
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As a die-hard Colts fan and an informed Sports Fan, I cannot let Colts fans complain or bark about Conditions inside either a Retractable Roof Stadium or somehow a Dome.
The Football conditions we have had for 25 years and will have likely forever are pretty much as cushioned and ideal (depending on what you consider ideal for football) as any city in the NFL.
No snow, no rain, little to no wind, just Sun, Stars, maybe Overcast, and a Roof.
80 and Sunny and people were complaining... Colts fans, Really? Seriously?
I really hope next weeks opponents (Green Bay) fans don't get ahold of the brazen move by us to even discuss Weather Conditions especially given the Temps they had to endure during last years NFC Championship.
I welcome the Sun like yesterday and love the Cold Temps in the Winter tailgating. I'd even welcome leaving the roof open when it gets down into the 30s and 40s as long as it's dry (no drainage in Stadium).
Keep in mind what many of you fringe fans would be saying if we were outdoors and Mother Nature threw us a 10 degree freeze fest like Lambeau, Soldier Field, Gillette, Meadowlands, or Buffalo.
A little Sun and Heat is hardly anything to complain about Colts fans when you are moping up a rival by 30 points.
These complaints -- and I wonder how many there were, really -- confirm that we have become a nation of whiners, gripers and moaners.
What about other stadiums, college and pro, whose teams and fans sit through 80-90-degree temperatures in August and September? You think it's not hot in Miami, or Tampa, or Houston, or Atlanta, or Dallas?
And as CreamCrimson points out, how would you justify our complaints on a warm, October day compared to the folks who sit through bone-chilling temps in Green Bay.
What a load of bull.
I sat in the sun during the game on north end and yes I was praying for one of the championship banners to block for some temporary shade(an awning man though and through) but alas, my sweat won out and if my 80 year old father in law can take it and not complain one bit ,... well then that says it all.
However, I do know that this is what most fans deal with in other NFL cities. So, all I ask is that the Colts organization publish guidelines for when they plan to open the roof. Houston (I believe) opens the roof when the temperature is above 50 degrees and closes it when the temperature is above 80 degrees. Perhaps elderly fans and those with small children might appreciate the heads up. I do receive the text messages on if the roof will be open or closed, but they are consistently sent only an hour or so before gametime.
Also, I would challenge anyone to name an event besides Colts games that plans to open the roof, even on a sunny, 70-degree day. Do you think a band competition would open the roof with the noted acoustics problem? Do you think a trade show will open the roof if its attendees are in suits? I truly doubt hardly any other event will utilize the open roof except the Colts. So, that leaves me still wondering why we spent the extra several hundred million to add the retractable roof...if we're all such die-hard fans that need to man up, why put a roof on at all?
I was at the game... Section 618 Row 3. It was not hot. And you're complaining about it being loud? Are you kidding? Did you ever go to a Colts game at the RCA Dome? And do you expect it to be quiet at a football game? For crying out loud, man up (or woman up, I guess) you bandwagon fan.
And IUalum, I was at the game, and enjoyed every sweaty moment of it.
It is time for the whine and cheese crowd to give up their seats to true fans. people who sit through Purdue or ND games in 90 degree heat or 20 degree cold. As far as the complainers, many will learn to look at a forecast, think where their seats are and adapt. Purdue fans know depending on the time of day and weather conditions, your seat temp will change 25 degrees or more. You dress for it. Same with these fans. My guess is there were not a large number, just enough to make a news story out of it.
You people are complaining about a Sunny Day... in freaking October. Yeah, I was at the game, just like I attend every game, and I am starting to see many Colts fans a Soft, Spoiled Whiners.
Too hot... ooohh weeee, ouch.
The Air Conditioning in the 600 level... ooohhh nooo.
The Parking... boo hoo.
The once in awhile loss... the sky is falling.
80 degrees and sunny... ouchy, it hurts, I can't see, the glare... it's too much.
Really people? Really? It's football. These men are risking bones and knees and blood and we are sitting in the sunshine drinking beer yelling and screaming and somehow people complain. You people are trying to justify complaining about Sun and Heat in October.
I question some Colts Fans grip on the realities of the NFL and really, really hope other teams fans don't get ahold of some of the comments on here (Steelers, Packers, Bears, Browns, etc... fans would have a field day listening to some of you).
Expose who? The stadium is built just fine... this isn't a venue to come sip your wine and eat your cheese in the A/C. It's a venue that was built for FOOTBALL. Yes, there will be other events held there, but it's reason for existence is FOOTBALL. If anything, I wish our tax dollars would have paid for an open-air stadium... and then we wouldn't have you whiny, cry babies taking tickets away from people who are actual Colts fans. So, I say, open the roof up every game (as long as there is no snow or rain since there is no drainage)... and when the cold comes around, freeze out all of these whiny people who just bought season tickets because they are fair-weather fans, or should I say bandwagon fans. Do you hear people in New England cry about the cold or snow during their games... heck, Soldier Field in Chicago was just renovated in the past few years and is still an open-air stadium... no crying over the cold and snow. And as I said before, go to the other extremes in Florida (Miami, Tampa and JAX... all open-air). All three of these, it gets pretty hot in August and September at these games (and even Oct.)... do you hear people crying about the heat? So, how many other cities do you want me to name off with open-air stadiums? And as another person mentioned before... look at baseball; played in the middle of summer. No wonder we'll never get an MLB team if people are whining over the heat in Oct. (I know there are other reasons, but this one sounds good right now.)
So, no need to expose anyone but yourself. You've exposed yourself as a bandwagon fan who just bought tickets because it was the cool thing to do and don't really care about the game and experience.
And for all the season ticket holders whining about it... put your tickets up on TicketExchange or StubHub then. I'm sure there are plenty of true Colts fans ready to buy your tickets and sit in the hot sun.
As some others have said... I just hope this hasn't made any national sports websites... we would become the laughing stock of the league.