SoFi Stadium is described on its website as “an unparalleled sports and entertainment destination” and at a cost of $5-6 billion, it certainly better be. The home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, SoFi comes with a lot of amenities and special features, including a fixed, translucent ETFE roof that covers the stadium.
Having a roof atop the stadium is an ideal way to prevent weather delays, which you never want to have to worry about when you’ve got so much invested in making this stadium a premier event space in the nation. That’s why it’s so weird that Monday night’s game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders has been delayed due to lightning.
Wait, what?
The Rams and Chargers built a $5 billion indoor stadium that is susceptible to lightning delays.
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 5, 2021
The NFL knows SoFi Stadium has a roof, right?
— Andrew Joseph (@AndyJ0seph) October 5, 2021
THEY SPENT $5 BILLION ON THE STADIUM AND THE ROOF ISN'T LIGHTNING-PROOF??!?!?!?!
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) October 5, 2021
Jon Gruden is all of us.
A confused Jon Gruden learns about the MNF weather delay at SoFi Stadium. pic.twitter.com/wFgfTrrjHw
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 5, 2021
That, uh, kinda defeats the purpose of having a roof, no? What a weird thing that no one considered when putting the stadium together. Even stranger is the fact that fans were able to stay in the stands and no one had to leave the field (because of the roof) but the game still can’t be played because of lightning (in spite of the roof).
ESPN is still broadcasting from field level and the fans don’t have to leave but you can’t play the game. https://t.co/OgL6NJYpW9
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 5, 2021
The good news is that the clear plastic roof is treated to block the sun’s rays. Panels can be opened to release hot air, which cools the space below by as much as four degrees. And yet…
Considering that Rams owner Stan Kroenke wants SoFi to be the stadium that the NFL and other sports leagues look to when they want to book major events, this is a pretty decent red flag. Especially when you have other sizable stadiums with roofs that actually make it possible to play when there’s lightning outside. Since, you know, that’s part of the point. The NFL certainly has to be looking at Super Bowl LVI, which takes place here on February 13, 2022, and crossing their fingers there’s no lightning that day.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.