Goodbye RCA Dome

Since 1984, the RCA Dome has been the home of the Indianapolis Colts, but of course before rapid commercialization of naming arenas, it was known as the Hoosier Dome. The Dome while being the smallest Pro Football stadium in the NFL, was also one of the loudest there was out there.





Being a season ticket holder along with Floyd Hustle, by god I am going to miss this place. Not the outdated fixtures and the small hallways, but the loud ambiance that it had. The sight lines were great, and while we were stuck the last three years in Section 317, way up in the top. You could see the whole field and the way the sound reverberated throughout the whole stadium. But the bathrooms were packed and crap, hallways were too small, mainly when there were breaks where the concession stands would have lines almost back to the end of the wall.

I have seen a lot of things in the RCA Dome, I saw Jeff George during his rookie year, was lucky enough to see Eric Dickerson play there, lived through the Ron Meyer years as head coach. Saw many of IU and Kentucky games at the Dome, saw a Super Bowl winning season, NCAA playoff games, NCAA Final Fours, watching Damon Bailey on TV his Senior year of High School play at the Dome as well. Watching Floyd and Row 26 break the benches more than one time. The place did it all.

The RCA Dome also led the the basic revival of downtown Indianapolis, it is no longer "Naptown" but a thriving bustling downtown city, complete with crime (see Jamaal Tinsley). And with the Colts being successful it has only helped out immensely to what Indianapolis is.

But next year Lucas Oil Stadium opens. My seats are a little lower, and probably a lot higher. it will not have those unforgiving metal bench seats, it won't have the crowded hallways, and the old small TV screens, it will have everything and more that the RCA Dome didn't have. I can't yet figure out if that is a good or bad thing....I just hope it keeps the noise in like that Dome did.