Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
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The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, usually simply called The Metrodome, and often nicknamed the Homerdome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington, and Memorial Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus.
The Metrodome is home to the following sports teams:
- Minnesota Vikings (NFL)
- Minnesota Twins (MLB)
- University of Minnesota football (Big Ten)
- University of Minnesota baseball, first half of season (second half at Siebert Field) (Big Ten)
[edit] History
Construction on the Metrodome began on December 20, 1979 and was funded by the state of Minnesota. The teflon fabric dome is air-inflated and requires 250,000 ft³/min (120 m³/s) of air to keep it inflated. Three times in the stadium's history, heavy snows have caused a small puncture in the roof and caused it to deflate. Varying air pressure due to a severe storm once contributed to a dramatic deflation during a game. The stadium construction is notable in that the $68 million price tag was on budget, and the facility was completed on time, a rare feat in the world of stadium construction. The Metrodome roof, consisting of 20 acres of double-layered Teflon-coated fiberglass fabric, is the largest application of Teflon on Earth.
During its early years of operation, the field at the Metrodome was surfaced with SuperTurf, which was disliked by both football and baseball players as being too hard. This surface was upgraded to Astroturf in 1987, and in 2004, the sports commission had a newer artificial surface, called FieldTurf, installed. FieldTurf is thought to be a closer approximation to natural grass than Astroturf in its softness, appearance, and feel.
The 1985 MLB All-Star Game, WrestleRock '86, games of the 1987 and the 1991 World Series, Super Bowl XXVI in 1992, were all held at the Metrodome.
The NCAA Final Four was held at the Metrodome in 1992 and 2001. Duke University was the winner on both occasions. The Metrodome has also served as one of the four regional venues for the Final Four in 1986, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2003 and most recently, 2006.
The stadium was named in memoriam to former mayor of Minneapolis, U.S. Senator and U.S. Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey, who had died in 1978.
The Metrodome is both beloved and reviled by Minnesota fans. The Twins have won both of their World Series championships in its friendly confines (and winning both Series by winning all four games held at the Dome), and the white roof, quick turf, and the right-field wall (or "Baggie") can provide a substantial home-field advantage for the Twins. Because it was designed for football, the Metrodome has severe disadvantages as a baseball venue. The way many seats are situated forces some fans to crane their necks to see home plate. Neither the main nor the upper concourse has visibility to the field, meaning fans risk missing play whenever they leave for the concession stands. The Dome's sight lines tend to be below average, with nearly 1,400 seats having obscured or partial visibility to the playing field. The Metrodome is widely known as a hitter's park, with a low left-field fence that favors right-handed power hitters, and the higher but closer right-field baggie that favors left-handed power hitters. Because the roof is very nearly the same color as a baseball, and transmits light, the Metrodome has a far higher error incidence than a normal stadium during day games, so instead of losing a fly ball in the sun, as is common for non-roofed stadia, fly balls can easily get lost in the ceiling.
The Metrodome is the only venue in the world to host a MLB All-Star Game (1985), a Super Bowl (1992), an NCAA Final Four (1992 & 2001), and a World Series (1987 & 1991). It is widely recognized as one of the loudest venues in which to view a game.
[edit] The Baggie
The Metrodome's right-field wall is composed of the seven-foot-high (2.1 m) fence around the whole outfield and a 16-foot-high (4.9 m) plastic wall extension in right field, known as the "Baggie" or the "Hefty Bag." The seats above and behind the Baggie are home run territory; the Baggie itself is part of the outfield wall. Fenway Park's "Green Monster," a comparable but taller feature, is 17 feet (5.2 m) closer to home plate than the Baggie is, so batters who hit short, high fly balls are not typically helped by it. However, it is an attractive target for left-handed power hitters, and it is not uncommon for upper-deck home runs to be hit to right field. When in a rectangular configuration for football and other small-field events, the Baggie is taken down and the seats behind it extend to form complete lower-deck seating.
[edit] The roof
The Metrodome's roof is made of two layers of Teflon fabric, and is supported by positive air pressure. To maintain the differential air pressure, spectators usually enter and leave the seating and concourse areas through revolving doors, since the use of regular doors is accompanied by a strong breeze. The double-walled construction allows warmed air to circulate beneath the top of the dome, melting accumulated snow. However, on November 19, 1981, a rapid accumulation of over a foot of snow caused the roof to collapse, requiring it to be reinflated.
Because it's unusually low to the playing field (172 feet/52.4 m), the air-inflated dome is occasionally touched by the ball, altering play. Any ball which strikes the Dome roof remains in play; if it lands in foul territory it becomes a foul ball, if it lands in fair territory it becomes a fair ball. Any ball which becomes caught in the roof over fair ground (which has only happened twice in its history - Dave Kingman for the Oakland Athletics in 1984 and Corey Koskie in 2004) - is a ground rule double. More common is for a ball to strike an overhead speaker, which are even closer to the playing surface; such balls are also alive and in-play (although starting with the 2005 MLB season, the ground rules for balls hitting the speakers have been changed as David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox discovered when a deep fly ball that should've been a homerun bounced off a speaker and landed in fair territory. Ortiz only got a single and the Twins went on to win the game). The low roof has never been a concern for events other than baseball.
[edit] Other events
- Prep Bowl (Minnesota State High School League; state high school football championships)
- Various small college football games
- Various high school baseball, softball, soccer and football games
- Monster truck, motocross, and other motorsport events.
- Large concerts
- Large religious services and gatherings
- Rollerdome and MDRA running (exercise programs in the concourses)
- Conventions, such as TwinsFest, golf shows, home and garden expos, and car shows
- Cultural celebrations, such as Hmong New Year gatherings.
[edit] Travel and accessibility
The Metrodome is located near the junction of Interstate 94 and Interstate 35W, and many fans come by car. There is limited parking in surface lots throughout eastern downtown, ranging from $5 for a Twins game, to $50 for a close stall at a Vikings game. On-street meters provide the lowest parking rate, especially the "free evenings" meters near the heart of downtown six blocks from the Metrodome. A new option as of 2004 is the Downtown East/Metrodome station on the light rail Hiawatha Line. Many people also come by bus, whether on a charter or on the regular regional bus system. A shuttle from the University of Minnesota is available when the Gophers play games at the dome.
Tailgating has often been a popular pre-game activity for football fans, and many nearby parking lots have been available in the past for people who want to start early. However, in recent years, new development in the downtown region of Minneapolis has meant that these parking lots have begun to disappear. In 2004, the Vikings offered fans a tailgating area in the huge parking lot known as Rapid Park. The area however is on the opposite side of downtown Minneapolis from the Metrodome itself, next to the Target Center, (although shuttle buses go back and forth) and is the planned building site for the new Twins Ballpark which the Twins are setting to break ground for in 2007.
[edit] Trivia
- After Kent Hrbek's infamous 1991 "T-Rex" tag of Atlanta Braves player Ron Gant, the Metrodome has been referred to as "The Scene of the Crime" by Atlanta fans.
- Dave Kingman of the Oakland Athletics in 1984, apparently hit a ball up into one of the roof's drainage holes. There are different tales about whether the ball actually came down or not. One rumor apparently had the ball coming down, and consequently being sent to Cooperstown.
- In 1986, a severe thunderstorm outside the Metrodome during a Twins game had winds of up to 65 mph. Near the bottom of the fifth inning, the wind tore a hole in the roof on the third base side of the stadium.
- (Since the Iowa/Minnesota football game was played in Iowa City in 1991, the following did not happen that year): The only crowd noise penalty against a visiting team in the NCAA was called against the Iowa Hawkeyes while playing the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 1991 (1990?). Iowa fans typically bring 15,000-25,000 fans every other year to the Metrodome, and brought more in 1991 (1990?) due to the team's contention for Big Ten champion that season. This is why the venue is commonly known to Iowa fans as "Kinnick North".
[edit] Picture Gallery
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