fairfax

We went to the Ravens/Redskins game at FedEx Field outside of DC on Sunday night and were horrified by how bad the logistics for coming and going to and from the staduim were. After the game, by which time, about 2/3 of the fans had left, there was more than an hour wait to get onto one of the shuttle busses to take us back to the general vicinity of where we'd parked.
It's FedEx Field, shouldn't someone be able to figure the logistics of getting thousands of people out of there in a timely manner?

Additionally, the acoustics were so bad, that we couldn't understand any of the ref's calls. We were in the end zone, where there were neither lights or speakers. As we were waiting for the game to end, and people were leaving, we could feel the vibrations of the crowds under our feet. Scary!

In the women's room, there weren't mirrors above the sinks, just one mirror as you were leaving the restroom. (Do ya think a man designed it?).

The scoreboards and graphics were really cheezy. All the graphics ever said was "deee-fense" with 80's pacman-style characters.

We were all excited to see Fed-Ex Field, but it pales in comparison to M&T Bank field.

Ryan

This surprises you? It's Washington, DC, they do things just a little less efficient then the rest of us. It's become ingrained in the city.

Not sure why. Sure there's a reason in there somewhere.

E

You'd think with the memory of the former Cap Center fresh in their minds, and with the example of the successful and popular MCI Center before them, they would have planned another in-city stadium, perhaps torn down the old RFK to do it. But noooo...

fairfax

Makes you wonder where they'll build the new baseball stadium? Somewhere out by Front Royal? It's like the Nissan Pavillion - a nightmare to get to and from, with no public transportation, although I hear they're putting in a Metro Station for FedEx Field.

Budman

Giant/Jets stadium in the Meadowlands is the worst!!!

cguest88

The new baseball stadium is being built right near the Navy Yard in hopes to revitalize that area. But we will see. I am just glad baseball is back and I don't have to drive 1 1/2 to go see it.

Fedex has been a nightmare since its inception. But I really don't complain when I go b/c it was fully funded by its owner and not with taxpayer's money except for a new exit off the beltway. That is a fair trade-off in my opinion.

fairfax

Dan Snyder's money??? No wonder it's so awful.

youinhaledlol

Doofus, Snyder didn't build it! And it's not in DC ... It's not even the Washington Redskins now. It's the Maryland Beltway Indians. Geez, you know nothing.

cguest88

Nope, Jack Kent Cooke actaully built it and named it Jack Kent Cooke stadium in Raljon, which is a combination of JKC's sons names. When Snyder bought the team after JKC died and did not bequeth the team to his sons, he sold the naming rights to Fedex.

The stadium might not be as nice as some of the newer stadiums but you might cut a couple of corners if if was your money instead some elses. I commend him for doing that.

The reason it is outside the beltway and not near RFK was b/c the city wouldn't let him build one there or it was prohibitavely expensive. JKC actaully looked at building in Laurel to keep a team out of Baltimore, so as a Raven's fan you should be grateful the stadium is where it is.

fairfax

OOPS! I had forgotten about the whole Raljon thing.

I guess that there were paybacks with the baseball issue and Peter Angelos. Athe game the other night a 'Skins fan and a Ravens fan were debating who was worse, Anglos or Snyder. Hard to say.

youinhaledlol

Please, get your history correct. Cooke offered to build the new stadium next to RFK, for FREE ... the city would in turn have to upgrade roads and sewers, and give Cooke a better deal on splitting the concessions. Tow idiotic DC mayors screwed around for years, never coming to an agreement. The cost to DC would have been $60 million .... anybody care to estimate what a new stadium would cost?

DC also gave into some golfers who said the stadium would take a few greens in a so-called historic course. So weak! So, Cooke got pissed and eventually purchased land in MD, and built there ... beside the beltway, with horrible traffic facing the fans.

He felt DC because of two inept mayors, one of whom spent time later in jail for coke!

repete

actually, that course is pretty historic, especially if you're not white.

youinhaledlol

The course is a very minor footnote in black history, and the small affected portion could have easily been relocated nearby. Only a few golfers were affected. And if one looks at black issues on a broader scope, by abandoning the NE section of DC for Md., when Cooke left RFK, that helped to weaken an area that was 95% black, and that hurt in terms of jobs, safety and community pride. DC could have had a free stadium, top of the line, for a relatively small investment, and two mayors squandered eight years of their tenure and hurt the city badly. Losing an NFL team has never helped any city. What occurred was an example of mayors who couldn't see beyond their noses. One was male, the other females. Boneheads come in every gender and color.

greenfieldhunter

Nissan Pavillon has got to be one of the best examples of horrible urban planning. I feel for the residents of this area as their only access to their homes is shut down several times a week during the summer.Typical of Virginia's pro growth any growth is good growth attitude. Thank god the new baseball stadium will be in DC instead of norhtern Virginia. Thank you Bud
Dan Synder's stint as the owner of the redskins began with him changing the stadium name. Jack Kent Cooke deserved to be remembered for the colorful character he was. Dan is not winning any popularity contests these days and his team has played accordingly.

youinhaledlol

The skins need to remove Washington from their name. Recent poll reported only 11% of residents ever tune into a skins game. Losers since they abandoned DC.

fairfax

I think I read that Snyder bought up all the parking lots anywhere near the stadium, so that he could control the parking and the access to the stadium. After being there the other night, all I can say is that it's a great way to make a lot of people really hate you. I considered that we were lucky that it was a cool evening, and not raining or snowing, or freezing. I can't even imagine how horrible it must be in bad weather.

I think Synder's way more meglomaniacal than Peter Angelos.

youinhaledlol

Regarding parking, check out the letter on the op-ed page in today's Post ... simply unreal how stupdily this fan was treated in their parking lot.

fairfax

What a horrible thing! I read the letter, and can't imagine how awful it must have been. Wonder what time they got home?

I think Dan Snyder's truly insane. Fans have every right to hate him for the small and large things that he does to them.

Someone told me that there's a church in the middle of the area that he's not gotten control of parking for - yet. In Baltimore, everyone around the two stadiums makes money on parking - especially for football. I have some warehouse lots, and we sell season subscriptions for Ravens parking. Secure lot and indoor bathrooms to boot!

youinhaledlol

Parking in Baltimore is a dream ... so easy for either Ravens or the Os. Easy return to BW Pkwy.

repete

Regarding Langston, it was the NPS that opposed tearing up a place that is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Of course, sticking stadia in the burbs is horrendous. My problem with the situation is there were other options for a DC stadium that weren't fully explored.

And ```Mr.'' Snyder has done nothing except make a bad situation worse.