By: Cole A. McMahon
The 49ers want to borrow $120 million from the NFL to renovate Levi’s for the upcoming World Cup in 2026 – and for a chance to host Super Bowl 60.
Levi’s Stadium opened nearly 10 years ago in 2014 and the stadium has not held up to the standards of new stadiums such as U.S. Bank Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Allegiant Stadium. Each of these stadiums has a unique, modern look. Levi’s, on the other hand, has a generic look with no real character.
What the 49ers Have Planned
According to Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic, the renovations include enhancing the scoreboards and upgrading suites and premium seating. Their big plans include adding lockable wine fridges and liquor cabinets. On top of these stadium upgrades, the 49ers plan on building a “300-acre retail development adjacent to the stadium organized by the developer Related,” according to Kaplan.
Owner Jed York wants to create a better experience at Levi’s, however, the targeted improvements would mainly benefit the fans who get seats in suites. York should invest in improvements for the overall fan experience in the stadium.
Seating around the Stadium
For instance, there are limited seating areas around the whole stadium for fans to relax and enjoy food from the concessions. The lack of seating around the concourse leaves fans awkwardly hovering around railings or forcing them to eat at their gameday seats.
Over the years, Levi’s has added a few more chairs and tables around the stadium, but it still does not allow a lot of fans to eat with their friends and family before heading to their seats at game time.
TVs in the Bathrooms
Another way to add to a better fan experience is by adding TVs in the restrooms. The Atlanta Falcons have 50-inch TVs in the restrooms to keep fans engaged with the game, according to Global Partitions.
No one wants to find themselves using the restroom and hearing the crowd roar from the doorway not knowing what happened. TVs take away the FOMO of peeing during a game. Something as easy as TVs in the bathrooms should be easy for a team that is located in Silicon Valley.
Levi’s Stadium Overview
Levi’s Stadium has become an electric stadium creating a real home-field advantage for the Niners. However, the stadium itself feels outdated compared to the new stadiums that teams like the Vikings, Falcons, Rams, and Raiders have built. These stadiums are state of the art – all with domes and signature features. The Mercedes-Benz stadium has a “100-Yard Club” with concessions spanning the whole field.
(https://asi-globalpartitions.com/case_studies/mercedes-benz-stadium/)
The signature feature Levi’s Stadium has is there 49ers Museum. The museum is filled with decades worth of Niners’ history dating back to 1946. The five Lombardi trophies displayed and a statue room with 49ers’ legends tells a legendary story. The museum is great, but it does not offer an enhanced gameday experience inside the stadium like the Falcons’ “100 Yard Club.”
In recent years, the 49ers have added banners throughout Levi’s commemorating legends. Something that Levi’s was lacking when it first opened. The entrance of the stadium is fan oriented with a great tailgate scene and booths with different activities for fans.
Levi’s Stadium has the potential to become a better gameday environment if Jed York thinks about all the fans.
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