Tag: rams stadium

WATCH: Chargers RB Austin Ekeler reacts to seeing SoFi Stadium for first time

SoFi Stadium is going to be one of the best stadiums in the NFL.

The Chargers are a little over a month from playing their first game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, which will be the new home to them and the Rams.

Recently, running back Austin Ekeler got a glimpse at the stadium where he will be terrorizing offenses for years to come.

Check it out:

SoFi Stadium is 97% complete, the Oculus video board is completely finished and the field turf has been laid out. There’s still some work that needs to be done, but the stadium is just about finished. It remains to be seen if fans will be allowed in this season due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The Bolts’ first game at their new home will be on Aug. 22 in a preseason exhibition against the Rams. It would’ve been on Aug. 16 against the Cowboys, but the NFL decided to eliminate the first and fourth week of preseason matchups.

Rams-Saints preseason game is now the 1st event on SoFi Stadium calendar

It turns out the Rams will be the first ones to hold an event at the $5 billion stadium.

A Rams game wasn’t scheduled to be the first event held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, but that’s how things are turning out. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney and Guns N’ Roses have all postponed their tours – and all of their shows were slated to be held before the Rams’ preseason opener.

Swift and Chesney already postponed their shows at SoFi Stadium, and on Wednesday, Guns N’ Roses did the same. That means the next event on the calendar is Rams vs. Saints in the preseason, which doesn’t have an exact date yet.

It is scheduled to be played between August 13-17, though.

When SoFi Stadium announced its initial schedule of events, the first one on the calendar was Swift’s concerts on July 27 and 28. Construction was slated to be done by then, but they were said to be on a tight timeline.

Now with all the concerts canceled, there’s more time for work to be done on the stadium. It’s hard to find any positives to take away from this situation, but perhaps that’s a small silver lining for those working on the building.

Check out these new aerial photos of SoFi Stadium

SoFi Stadium is nearing completion.

SoFi Stadium is nearing completion as it was supposed to be finished in July for a now-canceled Taylor Swift concert, but it’s still expected to be done before the 2020 preseason. The most recent photos and videos show that it’s almost completed, and the latest aerial shots look awesome.

These new photos surfaced on Twitter and show just how close the roof is to being done. You can also see how the roof panels are able to be angled to let air into the stadium.

The Rams have requested another $500 million in funding for SoFi Stadium from the NFL, which would put the cost of the building well over $5 billion. It’s already the most expensive stadium in the NFL

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Check it out: SoFi Stadium ‘Oculus’ scoreboard tested for first time

The video scoreboard at SoFi Stadium is going to be second-to-none.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic that has affected the daily lives of many, it hasn’t slowed the construction on SoFi Stadium – the new home to the Chargers and Rams.

As the completion of the stadium is over 80%, Thursday marked the first test of the massive Oculus video scoreboard that will hang in the center of the stadium.

Here is what the double-sided video board will look like:

According to the Rams’ Stu Jackson, the Oculus that will reach 2.2 million pounds, will will be the first 4K HDR video system in a sports stadium.

A two-night Taylor Swift concert was originally going to be the opening event at the stadium on July 25 and 26, but the pandemic put the event to a halt. The next scheduled event is a Kenny Chesney concert on August 1.

Kevin Demoff acknowledges SoFi Stadium opening could be delayed

Demoff is excited for the opening of SoFi Stadium, “whether that’s in July, August, September, in 2021.”

The Los Angeles Rams and Chargers will play their games at SoFi Stadium, it’s just a matter of when. Even though construction on the project has continued amidst the coronavirus pandemic – and even after a worker tested positive for COVID-19 – there remains a possibility that the stadium won’t open on time.

Rams COO Kevin Demoff acknowledged that this week when speaking to the Los Angeles Times, admitting that he isn’t certain when SoFi Stadium will open.

“Our stadium, and I believe the Raiders’ stadium as well, will both be amazing when they are finished and when they will begin play, which will certainly happen in the near future, whether that’s in July, August, September, in 2021,” Demoff said. “I don’t think you can look at either of these stadiums as short-term projects to finish but rather long-term beacons for the franchises and for the NFL.”

While the preseason doesn’t start until August, the stadium is supposed to open in late July for a Taylor Swift concert. Even back in January, when SoFi Stadium was said to be 85% finished, Demoff admitted the timeline and schedule was tight – and that was before the coronavirus outbreak.

“I’m sure as Taylor Swift comes in, we’ll have hammers and screwdrivers, and we’ll be hanging things,” Demoff said, via USA TODAY. “Everybody we’ve talked to about finishing buildings has said that up until 10 minutes before the doors open for the first event, you’re scrambling to hang pictures and fix everything, and I think that’s going to be true for this building as well.”

If construction is halted on the project to further protect the safety of the workers and those in the community, the Rams will have to find contingency plans for the 2020 season. Could that mean going back to the Coliseum until SoFi Stadium is finished? It’s possible.

That’s still a ways out, but with the uncertainty surrounding this entire situation, the Rams, Chargers and Raiders must all have backup plans. For now, work continues, even in an unideal situation for Demoff’s team.

“This is not the time you want to be finishing a stadium, in this environment as you prepare,” Demoff said. “Because it’s when you need to be all hands on deck, walking through the building every day, meeting with your staff, working out the kinks and planning for it. So when you’ve been building something for a few years, you would love an optimal environment to finish it. “

SoFi Stadium construction to continue after worker tests positive for coronavirus

Construction on SoFi Stadium won’t be impacted by a worker testing positive for COVID-19.

A SoFi Stadium construction worker tested positive for COVID-19 recently, but the project will move forward as planned. According to USA TODAY, construction will continue as the worker never entered the stadium or used any of the common areas, working exclusively in an “isolated area outside the building.”

“First and most importantly, the worker is doing well, receiving care and is recovering,” Chris McFadden, vice president of communications for Turner Construction Company, told USA TODAY. “The safety of the people on site and in our community remains our top priority.”

Despite the “stay at home” order issued by California governor Gavin Newsom last week, construction on SoFi Stadium was allowed to continue. There was some concern initially that work on the stadium would be halted after that order was made.

SoFi Stadium is on track to open in July for a Taylor Swift concert, and then host Rams and Chargers games beginning in August when the preseason begins. The coronavirus could still impact the opening of the stadium, but not with construction delays.

If the outbreak isn’t contained, it’s possible events this summer, such as Swift’s concert, could be canceled or postponed  – just as the NBA, NHL and MLB seasons have been put on hold. The NFL has yet to be significantly impacted, with the draft still taking place on April 23-25, but the Rams did announce their refund policy in the event that games are canceled.

Crane collapse not expected to delay SoFi Stadium opening

A large crane collapsed last week at SoFi Stadium but it won’t delay the venue’s timeline to open.

A large crane collapsed at the construction site of SoFi Stadium last week, and fortunately, no injuries were reported. It occurred when a moving crane struck the stationary one, causing it to come crashing to the ground.

The stadium is set to open in July for a Taylor Swift concert and then for the NFL preseason in August, and that timeline apparently won’t be affected by this recent accident. According to Forbes, citing SoFi Stadium officials, the crane collapse won’t delay the stadiums’ opening.

The crane was stationed outside of the stadium, so it didn’t cause any damage to the $5 billion structure itself. That’s great news for everyone involved, especially after the stadium’s opening was already delayed a year in 2017 due to rainfall; it was originally slated to open for the 2019 season.

The stadium is more than 85% complete with roof panels being installed, seats being put in place and the double-sided Oculus scoreboard being assembled.

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A large crane collapsed at Rams’ SoFi Stadium in Inglewood

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

A large crane at the construction site of SoFi Stadium – the future home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers – collapsed on Friday morning. The crane was positioned outside the stadium, not on the interior.

It’s unclear what caused the accident, but according to the L.A. County Fire Department, no injuries were reported.

The $5 billion stadium is more than 85% complete and is set to open in July for a Taylor Swift concert. The Rams and Chargers will both play preseason games there in August before the regular season begins a month later.

“We’re on a really tight schedule to deliver the building for July 25, yet everything remains on schedule,” said Jason Gannon, managing director of the stadium project at Hollywood Park.

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Get a look inside SoFi Stadium with new photos and videos

SoFi Stadium is more than 85% complete.

It won’t be long before the Los Angeles Rams are taking the field at SoFi Stadium wearing new uniforms, helmets and colors – as well as a refreshed logo. The stadium is close to being finished, which COO Kevin Demoff said on Wednesday it will be for Taylor Swift’s opening concerts on July 25 and 26.

Members of the media were treated to a tour of the stadium this week, sharing photos and videos inside the spectacular venue. The progress that’s been made in Inglewood is remarkable, as the stadium is more than 85% complete.

“The finishes for the whole building, that’s the last piece,” Demoff said, via the Associated Press. “All of the structural stuff is (already) in place, and I think everybody here feels confident about the timeline and how it will come together. There’s been no indication to us that there’s been any slippage.”

Here’s a look at the stadium from under the swooping canopy, which is where fans can enter.

In addition to housing the Rams and Chargers, and hosting marquee events like the Super Bowl, national championship and the 2028 Olympics, SoFi Stadium also has a 6,000-seat amphitheater for more intimate concerts and events.

The Oculus video board will be one of the iconic parts of SoFi Stadium, as it will hang above the field to show videos, replays, stats and everything inbetween. It’s double-sided, too, so it’ll be visible from everywhere in the stadium.

It’s currently under construction on the ground level, and up close, you get a sense of how huge it really is.

The seats at SoFi Stadium rise much steeper than those at the Coliseum, making even upper-level views feel better than ever. They’re much closer to the field than the Coliseum’s, as seen from this photo – which is near the top of the upper level.

The clear glass roof is also a big feature of the stadium, allowing the sun to shine through, while also giving that open-air feeling, unlike most domes.

Fans can also watch the planes going in and out of nearby LAX. And once finished, some of the panels can be opened on hotter days.

The team store will be located near the entrance, which appears to be on one end of the stadium, and is sure to come with some great views of the Southern California landscape.

And here’s a sweeping video from inside the stadium, showing how great the view is from the end zone sections.

The Rams’ schedule has not yet been released, so we don’t know who they’ll open SoFi Stadium against – or if they’ll even be the first team to play there. It’s possible the Chargers will get the first home game, depending on travel and scheduling decisions made by the NFL.

Watch: New SoFi Stadium construction video shows roof coming together

The Rams’ new stadium is coming along well and will open next year.

The Rams only have two games left at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, pending a playoff appearance. It’s highly unlikely they’ll host a postseason game anyway, so these last two games against the Seahawks and Cardinals will be it for the Rams’ tenure at the Coliseum.

They move into the grand SoFi Stadium next year, which is currently under construction and nearing completion. It’ll open in the summer and be ready for Rams games in the fall, making for a spectacular venue to watch games.

John Kay shared a new update on the progress being made in Inglewood, showing just how well the stadium is coming together. It shows off close-up views of the roof paneling, as well as the performance venue that’s attached to the stadium.

The stadium is also going to be home to NFL Network and other league offices, as well as the Chargers, of course.

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