We have come a long way since sports stadiums were purely a place for teams to play their games and events. Arenas have always been a place of congregation but a number of modern structures built in the last few years have transformed what we expect from a day out at the game.
These high-tech marvels now provide entertainment, dining options and much more – as well as the sport on offer. Even more space-age stadiums are being designed all the time. But we think that these five are some of the most futuristic right now.
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
LA Rams owner Stan Kroenke spent over $5 billion on a stadium for his NFL franchise in the hope that a Super Bowl would one day be played there. This weekend his own team will be playing in the greatest game in football and will be the subject of millions of dollars in Super Bowl betting.
The stadium has a converged network system that connects all attached devices and is home to a 70,000 square foot, dual-sided, 4K videoboard. As well as this central feature hanging from the roof, there are also almost 3,000 smaller screens elsewhere. Rams fans will never have to miss any of the action anywhere in the stadium ever again.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England
English soccer stadiums used to be decrepit structures more suited to demolition than world-class sporting events. But after a number of tragedies at the end of the last century, a new style of arena was designed, taking spectator comfort and safety into account like never before.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London – named after the host soccer team – was opened in 2020 and is one of the most high-tech in the world. The natural grass playing surface can be folded away for other events and there are 1,600 Wi-Fi access points around the concourse. It is also home to a food hall, a microbrewery, a number of pubs and Europe’s longest bar.
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Better known as the home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, the AT&T Stadium has become the benchmark for futuristic, high-tech sports stadiums in recent years. Much of this is down to the 180-foot jumbotron positioned in the east end zone that is able to rotate through 360 degrees.
The league’s fourth biggest stadium can hold up to 100,000 spectators and has huge retractable glass doors at both end zones. The stadium is reported to be the largest column-free room on the planet and yet another example of how everything is bigger in Texas.
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Compared to some of the other stadiums already listed, the Levi’s Stadium – home to the San Francisco 49ers – actually looks more like a traditional sports arena. There is definitely a trend in new baseball parks to include a nod back to the older designs, but this football stadium also manages to include some charm along with its technological advances.
Levi’s Stadium is one of the greenest in the world but also boasts one of the most tech-friendly event-going experiences in sports. High speed Wi-Fi and a mobile app connects spectators to highlight videos as well as directions for parking and even where to find the shortest bathroom line.
Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
For our final futuristic sports stadium we return to Europe and soccer – but this time to the home of German giant Bayern Munich. Opened in 2005, with a capacity of just over 71,000, the design of the Allianz Arena spawned the Schlauchboot – or inflatable boat – nickname.
Originally shared with fellow soccer club 1860 Munich, who played in blue as opposed to Bayern’s red, it was the first sports stadium in the world to have the ability to change color in accordance to who is playing. These days it can change color for special events and causes.
