Soldier Field is the fourth-best stadium in the NFL. No, wait, it’s the 24th-best stadium in the NFL.
The past few months have seen a stream of stadium rankings, partly because people like rankings but mostly because websites trying to sell ads love slide shows.
Soldier Field comes out looking pretty good, which might surprise those of you who think of it as an alien toilet seat that landed on the lakeshore after galactic journey. But it shouldn’t surprise anyone who has actually stepped foot in the stadium. And if you were lucky enough to be inside on a sunny Sunday for the Bears’ season opener against the Packers, you were in football paradise.
Except, possibly, for the football.
247sports.com ranks Soldier Field fourth out of 31 stadiums, saying “it’s got the old-school feel of a smash-mouth football game, and the new-school, updated amenities to keep fans coming back.’’
Athlonsports.com ranks it fifth, calling it “rich in history, tradition, prestige and pageantry.’’ AOL.com has it seventh, with no explanation. Party pooper sportingnews.com put Soldier Field at 24th, saying the 2003 renovation reduced the number of parking spaces.
I’d rather watch an NFL game on television. No weather, better views, non-existent bathroom lines. But Soldier Field isn’t a bad Plan B.
