Nostalgia Fix/Reality Lesson

[sportscurmudgeon]

Every once in a while, someone here remembers ever so fondly the raucous and glorious times back in RFK Stadium. Folks go off on riffs about how great it would be if the Skins can go back and play there and how that would be a benefit somehow to the team - - minus about 30,000 seats for each game.

So, for the folks who love nostalgia, there will be a football game at RFK on the 29th of December this year. Maryland will play E. Carolina in the "Military Bowl" - - a game with a storied history that goes back at least a couple of years.

Head on out to the game. I guarantee you will be able walk up to the ticket window 15 minutes before kickoff and get a seat - - just about anywhere you want a seat. Then you can experience the exquisite lack of facilities/amenities of RFK Stadium on a day when the weather is most likely to be less than wonderful.

For those younger Skins' fans who never had the opportunity to enter America's version of the "Black Hole of Calcutta", this is an opportunity to experience RFK Stadium in a football setting.

Me? I will definitely be elsewhere. I will probably tune into the game to see a few plays and recall why RFK Stadium is as relevant to major sporting endeavors in 2010 and the future as Urkel is to linebacking.

[hooskins]

Is this really new thread worthy?

[freddyg12]

At the rate DS is losing ticket sales moving back to RFK may be an economy of scale! I don't have good #s, but I know they aren't sold out when a sales woman w/friendly, sexy voice calls me after I entered a contest to win FREE tickets!

[MTK]

SC with your daily fix of:

[Longtimefan]

Moving the team back to the city is a reasonable consideration, but any thought of the Redskins ever playing another game at RFK is totally preposterous.

[skinsfan69]

I went to a few Nats games while they played there and to be honest RFK is a complete shit hole. I hadn't been there since the last Skins game back in 96 and don't care to go back. But I'll always have the memories so that's really all that I personally care about. No way am I going over there to see Maryland play in the cold.

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by Longtimefan

Moving the team back to the city is a reasonable consideration, but any thought of the Redskins ever playing another game at RFK is totally preposterous.

On one hand I agree completely, maybe if just thinking in current terms. Yet, I think the organization might be facing tougher economic times than it is has in decades. I think B. Allen coming on board is part of that, he's a moneyball guy who will control spending. Ticket sales are down, no way to deny that, they can only spin it in their marketing. The NFL is also at a crossroads that may bring further trouble to its economic health.

That said, I'm not saying the sky is falling, but at the same time I can foresee a trend of nfl stadiums getting smaller in the near future. The trend was to go huge, but those owners that have done so are now in tough positions to keep revenue coming in while managing their debt service. JJ is the most obvious, his future decisions will largely hinge on how his stadium is financed.

As c. cowherd pointed out; the stadium experience at nfl games is declining while the tv experience is improving. I think a lot of owners will think twice about building 90,000 seats. I think Seattle really did it well. So, if it were possible to renovate RFK & add seats, I could see it happening in the next decade. It may be completely idiotic from a construction standpoint, I don't know, but from a capacity/marketing standpoint, I could see it.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

SC with your daily fix of:

Matty:

In all seriousness, when was the last time you were in RFK? I went to more than a couple of Nats' games there before that team moved to their new park; I went to a DC United game there last year in September (I think).

If you have seen/experienced the condition of that stadium recently, you would not consider my comments as "Debbie Downer".

In 2010, RFK Stadium is worse than The Vet was when they demolished that disaster (I was there in the final year of The Vet) and worse than Shea Stadium was when they demolished that other disaster (I was at Shea in 2006).

The University of Maryland has 25,000 undergrads and 35,000 total students; the campus is a subway ride away from RFK Stadium. What is your over/under on the attendance for the game? RFK seats 55,000 for football.

[SmootSmack]

Why did you start a new thread on this? Why not just bring it up in the most recent thread about the Skins moving back to RFK?

[freddyg12]

SC, any knowledge of plans for RFK's future? I've seen it come up a # of times in DC council news, but never heard they want to raze it.

I wish DC could make a play to get the skins back there, whether by rehab or new stadium. Raze the old one & create "New RFK" if needed. I know there's interest in DC to bring them back, but the city's got nothing to entice DS right now.

[irish]

I just dont see the the stadium revenue stream getting better because as has already been said, the TV experience is great and getting better. In fact it seems like stadiums are doing whatever they can to make the stadium experience more like being at home. I think an owner would be crazy to to build a stadium larger than 75K seats.

I also echo the fact that RFK is a total dump. I went to loads of Nationals games there and have been to every Eagle Bank Bowl played there and its just a run-down old stadium that needs to be put out of its misery.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

Matty:

In all seriousness, when was the last time you were in RFK? I went to more than a couple of Nats' games there before that team moved to their new park; I went to a DC United game there last year in September (I think).

If you have seen/experienced the condition of that stadium recently, you would not consider my comments as "Debbie Downer".

In 2010, RFK Stadium is worse than The Vet was when they demolished that disaster (I was there in the final year of The Vet) and worse than Shea Stadium was when they demolished that other disaster (I was at Shea in 2006).

The University of Maryland has 25,000 undergrads and 35,000 total students; the campus is a subway ride away from RFK Stadium. What is your over/under on the attendance for the game? RFK seats 55,000 for football.

I'm well aware RFK is a dump, heck it was a dump back in it's glory days.

Was that your point? Just to tell us it's a dump that needs to be plowed under?

Still doesn't change the fact the Skins had a great run there, nothing wrong with people fondly reminiscing about it is there?

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I'm well aware RFK is a dump, heck it was a dump back in it's glory days.

Was that your point? Just to tell us it's a dump that needs to be plowed under?

Still doesn't change the fact the Skins had a great run there, nothing wrong with people fondly reminiscing about it is there?

And the reminiscing is not only because our glory days were so long ago, also because the stadium experience at fedex sucks in comparison. It might just suck period. I've only been once but it can't compare to RFK's feel. The team really needs to get that vibe back in its game day experience. Winning would be a start!

[JoeRedskin]

^^ Went to several games at RFK as a kid - saw some great games and will always have fond memories of it. As I was a kid, I had no clue that it sucked. The first professional sports game of any sport I went to was a Skins' game at RFK. To me, at the time, it was the best f'ing stadium in the whole f'ing world!! Later, in my 20's when I went to games, I was one of those dumb drunk punks who didn't really care about amenities - I didn't care where I puked.

Now? I've gotten very demanding and want only the best at a stadium. You couldn't get me into RFK for love or money on a game day.

Doesn't change the great memories and the special place in my heart that RFK holds. Still remember pulling up some grass from the field after that first game (Dallas v. Skins). I don't remember who won, but I remember saving some grass, putting it in a plastic baggie, and hanging on my Skins' Wall by my bed.

Sure it's a hell hole, probably always was and I wouldn't want to go there now. Still the best f'ing stadium I ever went to!

(Next SC will say that, if they were playing today, the Beatles would just be a bunch of hacks who got lucky with some hits in the 60's)

[hooskins]

SC, as SS said this is a very very dumb new thread. What do you want to gain out this?

You are upset people overly reminisce about RFK, so you want them to go the MD game, realize they are wrong, come back to this thread, apologize and anoint you their savior?