SoFi Stadium Ranked Among NFL's Top Venues by The Athletic

Aug 21, 2023 at 09:44 AM

Eric Smith

Editorial Director

It's no secret the Chargers play in one of the top stadiums across the NFL.

That sentiment was recently reflected in a ranking done by The Athletic where the outlet asked 30 of its NFL writers to rank their top and bottom five stadiums in order.

The Bolts home stadium ended up with seven first-place votes and placed second overall in the rankings.

Josh Kendall, who covers the Falcons for The Athletic, offered his take on SoFi Stadium.

"I hate indoor football stadiums, but I grudgingly understand why they are preferred/necessary for NFL teams," Kendall wrote. "SoFi manages to 'feel' like an outdoor stadium while still offering the benefits of being indoors. Throw in the bells, whistles and the fact that you can walk to one end of the concourse and see the Forum (I mean, it's the Forum) makes SoFi a winner."

Jon Machota, a writer at The Athletic who compiled the rankings, noted there are multiple reasons why the stadium ranked so high.

Machota wrote:

This venue also has a transparent roof, allowing for an outdoor feel in an indoor stadium. It received seven first-place votes. It's not a surprise to see one of the NFL's newest stadiums rank so highly. One of its best features is the double-sided video board that hangs from the ceiling, circling around the entire field.

The Chargers have had a winning record at home in both of Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley's first two seasons at the helm.

Staley commented on the passion of the Bolt Fam a year ago after the Chargers beat the Titans on a last-second field goal, noting how the crowd played a part in helping the Bolts get a win.

"I definitely felt the Powder Blues, saw the Powder Blues," Staley said back in mid-December. "I've been seeing it all year, on the road in Atlanta, Arizona. Then, in our home games, we've been in primetime a bunch, where a lot of people travel to LA and big cities, and I've felt the Powder Blues the whole season.

"This was a big game for our team. You could really feel it on defense. When we were on defense, you could hear it, the energy that it provides your team," Staley added. "Then, obviously, the big plays on offense, you're going to get all that noise. Then, when your kicker hits it at the end, that eruption. The Powder Blues are coming."