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The Detroit Lions are one of the most storied franchises in NFL (National Football League) history. They have won four NFL Championships. The Lions have also produced some of the game’s greatest players, including Hall of Famers Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson, and Dick Lane.
But for all their early success on the field, the Lions have been notoriously unlucky. They are the only team to have gone 0-16 in a season, and they have lost a playoff game every decade since the 1950s. Despite their struggles, the Lions remain one of the most popular teams in the NFL. Their fans are passionate and devoted and continue to support their team through thick and thin.
When it comes to American football, there are few places more iconic than Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Home to the NFL’s Detroit Lions, this stadium has seen some of the most unforgettable moments in gridiron history. From the roar of the crowd to the smells of grilled food, everything about Ford Field evokes the passion of sports fans.
Back to the Beginning
The Lions have a long and storied history in the city of Detroit. They first began playing at Tiger Stadium in 1938 (then dubbed the Detroit Tigers), and they called the Pontiac Silverdome home from 1975 to 2001. In the mid-1990s, the Lions began exploring the possibility of returning to Detroit to build a new stadium. In August 1996, the Lions announced their intention to build a new stadium in Downtown Detroit. November 1996, Wayne County voters approved a referendum for the stadium across Brush Street from Comerica Park.
On November 16, 1999, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new stadium “From the Ground Up” revealed renderings of the new facility and the name “Ford Stadium.” Construction continued over the next three years, and in November 2000, NFL owners unanimously voted to hold the Super Bowl XL in Detroit (February of 2006). Later that month, a camera was installed, fondly nicknamed the Ford Field Cam, to allow fans to watch the process.
In 2002, the Ford Motor Company purchased the naming rights to the stadium where the Detroit Lions play for $40 million dollars. The deal was for 20 years, and at the time, it was the most expensive naming rights deal in NFL history. The Ford family has a controlling interest in the company that bears their name, and they also happen to control ownership of the Lions franchise. So when you break it down, the Ford family technically owns the stadium.
Ford stadium “Kicks Off”
The very first game played at Ford Field was a Detroit Lions preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers in August 2002. Completed in 2002, Ford Stadium cost an estimated $430 million to build and can seat up to 65,000 people on game day. The stadium is located in downtown Detroit, near Comerica Park and the Fox Theater.
It features a retractable roof and a glass-enclosed atrium that overlooks the Detroit skyline. The roof features large skylights allowing ample natural light into the stadium for Lions games. The stadium’s design is reminiscent of the old Hudson’s warehouse.
The home of the Detroit Lions has some of the best playing field views in the NFL. Ford Field claims the best sight lines of any football stadium in the United States, made available by a design that omits the traditional club seats and suite levels, thereby lowering the upper level. And while it’s true that some fans might miss out on the luxury amenities offered by premium seats, they’ll undoubtedly be able to enjoy the view of the FieldTurf field from wherever they’re seated.
From 2002 to 2013, the domed stadium was home to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. The event was sponsored by Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. The event always featured a Top Ten Conference team and a Mid-American Conference team. In 2014 the Little Caesars Bowl was renamed the Quick Lane Bowl and began featuring teams from the Big Ten Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference, sponsored by the Detroit Lions and Ford.
Ford Field also has several restaurants and bars, as well as a hotel and banquet facilities. The stadium’s clubs and lounges boast locally made brews and food. In addition to being the home of the Lions, Ford Field has also hosted many other events, including the Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four, and concerts by Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul McCartney concerts.
Renovations
If you’re a Lions fan, you know that the team has struggled over the years. But if there’s one thing that the Lions have always been good at, it’s making sure their home field is top-notch. The most recent example is the $100 million renovation project that was completed before the start of the 2017 season.
The most noticeable change for fans is the new HD video board in both endzones, which measures an impressive 39.5 feet high by 152.5 feet wide. But that’s not all – all of the concourses were updated to provide a more football-themed look, and a new 90-foot long bar, named the “Corner Bar,” was added. So even if the Lions don’t give you much to cheer about on the field, at least you can enjoy a cold beer and watch the game in style.
The Detroit Lions
It’s no secret that the Detroit Lions have had a tough go over the years. They’ve been dubbed the “worst franchise in sports” and have only made it to the playoffs ten times in their history. There was a time when the Lions were one of the most successful teams in the NFL.
They won three championships in the 1950s and made the playoffs 12 times between 1958 and 1970. So what went wrong? Many people point to the decision to move from Tiger Stadium to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1975 as the beginning of the end.
The Silverdome was plagued with problems from day one, and the Lions never managed to recapture their former glory while playing there. In 1996, they finally moved back to Detroit, but it was too late. The Lions now have an uphill battle to fight to win their luck back.
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