What Paul Brown Can Learn From Lucas Oil

I love going to Cincinnati Bengals games. Getting to watch professional football live and in person is one of the best sports events that all fans of the National Football League should try to experience. The atmosphere is phenomenal, the action on the field is usually constant, and getting to watch the game with a bunch of fellow football fans is always fun. Until this past season, I have only watched NFL games at Paul Brown Stadium. I always have fun cheering on the Bengals, and Paul Brown Stadium is a fine place to watch a game. However, my eyes were truly opened when I went up to Indianapolis to watch the Bengals take on the Colts in their 2018 season opener at Lucas Oil Stadium.

I have seen Lucas Oil Stadium on television multiple times but being there in person was a breathtaking experience. The Colts have a gorgeous stadium. From the Peyton Manning statue that greets fans outside the main entrance to the championship banners that hang from the ceiling, Lucas Oil Stadium is a palace when compared to Paul Brown Stadium. The stadium pays tribute to the city’s racecar heritage with various NASCAR and Indy Car models and it blends together nicely with the Colts décor that fills Lucas Oil Stadium to the brim. It was a cold and rainy day in Indianapolis so the roof was closed, and I believe that helped make the stadium louder. The retractable roof structure of the stadium also allowed the team to shoot off pyro and fire off streamers every time the Colt scored a touchdown. Lucas Oil Stadium was truly an experience that I wish Paul Brown Stadium could replicate.

I know that stadiums in Cincinnati is a touchy subject considering how the Reds and Bengals stadium deals are regarded as some of the worst of all time, and FC Cincinnati’s bait and switch and three site rotation stadium saga was nauseating. However, should the Bengals decide that they need a new stadium, I would hope they model it after Lucas Oil Stadium. I love Paul Brown Stadium, but Lucas Oil Stadium is without a shadow of a doubt much better. A new Bengals stadium could feature statues of franchise legends and also pay tribute to the city’s heritage. A retractable roof would be nice during the winter and for whenever it rains during a game and having orange fireworks go off whenever the Bengals score would be awesome. 

Those are just some of the things that I think the Bengals could implement into a new stadium should one be built. It would greatly enhance the game day experience, and the franchise could host a lot more events. Final Fours, College Football Championship games, state championship football games, concerts, Super Bowls, and WrestleMania among other events could all emanate from a new Bengals stadium that followed the Lucas Oil Stadium model. Maybe one day a new state of the art Paul Brown Stadium will see the Bengals not only host the Super Bowl but win it as well. 

Who Dey!