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When fans go to Lucas Oil Stadium, they get the number one stadium experience in the NFL. So says Stadium Journey, who for the third year in a row ranked Lucas Oil Stadium number one.
The ratings for each stadium are compiled based on a set of criteria Stadium Journey calls FANFARE: food and beverage, atmosphere, neighborhood, fans, access, return on investment, and extras. Broken down by category with explanations of each in a review by Sean MacDonald here, these are the scores for each area for Lucas Oil Stadium (on a 0 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best):
| Food and Beverage | 4 |
| Atmosphere | 5 |
| Neighborhood | 5 |
| Fans | 5 |
| Access | 5 |
| Return on Investment | 5 |
| Extras | 5 |
As you can see, the only category in which Lucas Oil did not get a perfect was in food and beverage, and even then it got a very good 4 out of 5. Stadium Journey's Sean MacDonald, who's review of the stadium is linked to above, had great things to say about every aspect of the stadium and especially about Colts fans, writing:
"Indiana may be known most for basketball, but these fans love their Colts. Each game is a major event throughout the state, and you can see the passion and appreciation for their team on gameday."
His wrap-up of the stadium states that:
"Lucas Oil Stadium is a fantastic venue, with the emphasis on the fans. The club makes sure that the people who support them are treated properly from the beginning of the game day experience to the end. There are so many thoughtful touches here, and that along with the superb location and friendly staff make it a must-see venue. This is one of the best sports stadium experiences in the country and should be on an NFL fans bucket list, especially as the team is well on its way to becoming an attraction in itself."
As already mentioned, this is the third year in a row that Stadium Journey has ranked Lucas Oil Stadium the number one fan experience in the NFL. For comparison's sake, the rest of the top five this year was Heinz Field (Pittsburgh Steelers), Lambeau Field (Green Bay Packers), AT&T Stadium (Dallas Cowboys), and Bank of America Stadium (Carolina Panthers).
There is no doubt that Lucas Oil Stadium, which opened in 2008 and hosted the 2012 Super Bowl, is one of the best venues in the NFL and is a sight to behold, especially on gamedays. It hosts several other events each year, including March Madness in NCAA basketball, and next year will host the final four and championship games. Colts football, however, takes precedence in the stadium and it's the home of the Colts, also affectionately known among fans as "the House that Peyton Built," referring to Colts legend Peyton Manning.
While there was something special about the Hoosier Dome (RCA Dome), Lucas Oil Stadium takes the experience to a whole new level by offering a much higher quality stadium and a tremendous fan experience. It was remarkable again last year, as regular season games against the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos were greeted by such an intense and electric atmosphere that you would have thought it was a playoff game, and then of course the real playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs brought an electric atmosphere too (well, in the second half at least...).
If you're looking to go to an NFL game next year, you'd better check into going to Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts and, according to Stadium Journey, the home of the best stadium experience in the entire National Football League for the third year in a row.