The truth about seat removal at FedEx

[Hog Fever]

I can't remember who it was who mentioned that it looked like they were removing seats at FedEx last time they were there. Well, they were. Apparently they are adding two "Party Decks".

I think I can speak for all of us when I say the party decks will be critical to future team success.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=nfp-20110611_redskins_working_on_relocating_seasonticket_holders

 

[hail2skins]

Yeah the Skins were being pretty tight-lipped about it but when you had a good number of folks at the Kenny Chesney concert a few weeks back notice the torn-out seats it got attention from the Post and that probably what was prompted the Skins to make the annoucement.

They not only have torn out the seats but are removing the concrete rows as well, giving the effect of a more open stadium, at least at the ends up top. Pics can be seen on the blog at the main Skins site.

The party decks aren't supposed to be complete until 2012, and there are some that are speculating about the possibility of the Skins building some sort of roof as well, but again, that's just speculation. The Redskins did mention that further improvements to the lower level will occur in 2011-12, but no further details on those have been announced.

 

[Hog Fever]

I don't like the idea of a roof but Dan wants a Super Bowl in DC very badly and adding a roof would make sense if they want that to happen.

 

[SNF]

Matt Terl is trying to keep us up to date with the renovation, including pictures, for those interested.

http://blog.redskins.com/2011/06/14/the-emerging-new-shape-of-fedexfield/

 

[Elephant]

I was going to try to sneak in and get some shots, but I have outgrown that behavior.

 

[Sarge]

So, this is what teams do when they can't sell out their stadiums

 

[servumtuum]

So, this is what teams do when they can't sell out their stadiums

Sarge, you're not the only one who came up with this angle.

From an article done by Sean Leahy of USATODAY on the FexEx renovations.

"The Redskins have not had any games blacked out in recent years because of unsold tickets. But the team's poor performance lately has led to pockets of empty seats at Fedex Field.

Reducing capacity with the party zones also allows the Redskins to lower the threshold they need to meet to satisfy the NFL's rules for selling out a stadium in order for games to be televised each week."

Article link: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/06/redskins-reducing-capacity-installing-party-decks-at-fedex-field/1

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Thanks for the pics, El!

 

[SNF]

Matt Terl gif of the concrete removal from one end zone.
[media]http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.redskins.com/media/2011/06/fedexseatsanimated.gif[/media]
http://blog.redskins.com/2011/06/24/fedexfield-seats-gone-in-more-ways-than-one/

And they've started on the other side.
http://blog.redskins.com/2011/06/29/work-begins-on-the-other-side-of-fedexfield/

 

[Hog Fever]

Looks like you called it Sarge.


"Redskins say they were unable to sell season tickets for seats removed from FedEx Field"

By Dan Steinberg and and Mike Jones, Published: July 14

A top Washington Redskins official said the team had been unable to sell season tickets for the thousands of seats it removed from FedEx Field this summer, a rare admission by the franchise that demand for its in-stadium product has declined.

Lon Rosenberg, the vice president of operations at FedEx Field, said in a radio interview Wednesday that the approximately 10,000 removed upper deck seats had been offered to fans on the team’s season ticket waiting list, and that “these are seats that they were not wanting to buy.”

In a telephone interview Thursday, Rosenberg described the removed seats as “the least desirable seats in the stadium,” but added that the decision to remove the seats “has nothing to do with ticket sales.”

“It’s about making a more fan-friendly experience on game days,” he said. “There will be less traffic, shorter lines and and again, enable us to better serve our fans.”

Rosenberg estimated that the capacity of FedEx Field for the 2011 season will be around 82,000 — down from 91,704, which had made it the second-largest capacity in the NFL.

When the team began removing seats in the 400 levels of both end zones this spring, the Redskins published a story on their official Web site saying they would be replaced by standing-room only party decks that would offer fans a different in-game experience. The story called the decks “another major upgrade” that were expected to be completed “for the start of the 2012 season.”

Click link for the rest of the story.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/redskins-say-they-were-unable-to-sell-season-tickets-for-seats-removed-from-fedex-field/2011/07/14/gIQA1vbwEI_story.html