Washington Redskins - Fedex Field

We grew up in the Washington, DC area so Fedex was the very first stadium on our bucket list. FedEx Field opened in 1997 and was the largest NFL stadium at the time. The owners decided to place it in Landover, MD which was only a few miles from the homes we grew up in. As a matter of fact, we could hear spectators cheering from Rich's parents' house. As the stadium was being built, we couldn't wait to check it out.

We first went to FedEx for a Monday Night Football game versus the Cowboys. The experience was modest, at best. First off, parking in the stadium is expensive, so what we did was park about a mile from the stadium and then took a Metrobus shuttle to the front gate. Once inside, we sat in the corner of the end zone, so the seats were pretty good. Although Fedex is not as intimate as RFK, an advantage Fedex has is that none of the seats had obstructed views. So this means no matter where you sit, you will definitely see the action on the field.

Here are some of the drawbacks of our visit. The fans got a little irate at times, particularly when the Redskins were losing. The food and drink were pricey as well, but that is to be expected since most event food can be expensive. Also, the stadium is in the middle of nowhere, so if you are looking to dine or party afterwards,  will have a pretty long drive.

El didn't care for the open stadium; it was cold and it rained a bit during the game. RFK was an open stadium too but an advantage RFK had that Fedex lacked was the 12th man advantage. Rich could tell you stories of how fan noise could affect opponent's ability to hear and subsequently call plays. The noise and foot stomping could even be felt by players on the field.

All-in-all, FedEx will be a satisfactory visit as a Redskin fan, but fans of the opposing team may find the experience ok.

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Emmanuel was only a baby when we visited Fedex, so when he learned of our bucket list, he wanted in. Rich took him and his cousin, Kinte, to Fedex to watch Redskins vs. Vikings. This game took place Saturday, December 24, 2011 at 1pm.

El isn't a fan of the 'Skins so she went to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch all of the one o'clock games.

We bought 3 east party deck tickets which meant that they would be standing during the entire game. When the Redskins decided to remove the cheapest seats in the house to make room for a party deck, there was a lot of backlash from the fans and speculation that attendance was declining. But that wasn't the case. The Redskins decided to build party decks because it's easier to raise revenue, fewer seats needed to be sold and they could pack the party deck with more people. Also, since the supply of cheap tickets is shrinking, people who want to actually sit at a 'Skins game will be more likely to shell out for the more expensive tickets in other areas of the stadium.

However, after spending an hour or so on the party deck, Rich discovered that it just wasn't an environment for children. The people were rude, loud and obviously drunk. They were shoving and bumping into people and didn't care that there were children around. So, Emmanuel wanted to sit outdoors and watch the game. Rich was worried because it was chilly outside, but the boys didn't mind the weather.