The future of NFL stadiums is upon us with the construction of stadiums in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. 

Next summer, the Oakland Raiders are set to relocate to Las Vegas where they will play games in their sleek new 1.9 billion dollar Allegiant Stadium: domed with a transparent roof, silver and black exterior to match their teams colors, and large retractable doors facing the Las Vegas Strip. The stadium also includes an 85 foot tall torch which will be lit in honor of Al Davis, the late long-time owner of the Raiders. The stadium will seat seat 65,000 people and will not only house the Raiders but will also be used by the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

The Raiders aren’t the only team that are scheduled to be playing in a new stadium for the 2020 NFL season. The Rams and Chargers will play their games in a futuristic stadium in a Los Angeles suburb. Like Allegiant Stadium, Sofi Stadium is planned to open in July 2020. 

Sofi Stadium is estimated to cost a whopping 5 billion dollars, will seat at least 70,000 people, and up to 100,000, including 13,00 in premium seats and those in the 260 luxury suites. This stadium includes a transparent roof and many incredible features that will change the fan experience, including fast paced WiFi. It is slated to host a variety of events year round including Super Bowl LVI in 2022, the College Football Playoff Championship Game in 2023, and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games in 2028.

Aside from the Raiders, Chargers and Rams several NFL teams are looking to build new futuristic stadiums. This list includes the Redskins and Bills, who desperately need new stadiums. 

Many of these new NFL stadiums are inspired by several current stadiums, including AT&T Stadium, which is home to the Cowboys, Mercedes- Benz Stadium, home of the Falcons, U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Vikings play, and the newly innovated Ford Field in Detroit.

From a fan’s perspective, the new stadiums aren’t everything. Matt Schraft, a freshman at New Providence High School is a lifelong football fan who has mixed feelings about the new stadiums.  Schraft said he prefers the older stadiums but likes that the new ones are better for the fan experiences. Schraft also added that he thought the new stadiums looked appealing and not tacky. 

With new NFL stadiums abandoning the classic, roofless, oval-shaped stadiums for more modern, futuristic looks, will every team make the switch?