NEW YORK – I could not let a whole advent calendar pass without giving a day to our beloved Giants stadium, with the deep blue sign and GIANTS STADIUM proudly displayed across the face of the stadium. Yes, the new stadium is up and has been for a little while now, one year. The old name of New Meadowlands stadium was replaced by MetLife stadium when the Giants and Jets agreed to sell the naming rights. Many fans were hoping to see JetBlue stadium or Green Giant stadium but they weren’t meant to be. The billion dollar behemoth had been built and needed a name. Yankee fans weren’t too pleased with MetLife stadium and at least half of all Yankee fans are New York Giants fans. What can you do?
But before the ‘House that PSL’s Built’ was erected ($1.6 billion dollars), there was Giants stadium. Big and Blue and home to millions of Giants fans. Arriving to a game a couple of hours early meant you were tailgating and there is nothing more fun then tailgating with your friends before a big game at your home stadium. The sea of blue is what I call it in the parking lot. You’ve got people from all over the tri-state area in that parking lot. If you are going to the game with noobs or adults who dislike the elements of weather involved with tailgating, you can go to a local bar for your pre-game hang out for a bite to eat and a drink. Personally, I think the best bar around Giants stadium is Red’s Bar. I have been going there for years and it serves as a solid meet up spot for you and your friends. They even have the infamous Giants shuttle to the parking lot area. A diabolical looking blue mini school bus designed to look like a Giants version of the ‘Slap Shot’ bus. If you haven’t been to Red’s Bar you should stop by before or after a game, they are good people in there.
DAC Fact
Did you know the old Giants stadium was opened on October 10, 1976? It had a maximum seating capacity of 80,242 fans. The first ever Giants game to be played there was on September 18, 1977 and it was a stadium born into winning with a victory over the Washington Redskins 20-17. Besides Yankee stadium, I have been to that old stadium more then any other sports complex on the planet and it will be missed. The old Giants stadium was demolished in 2010. There will be a whole generation of kids who will never know that old stadium except through our stories and modern libraries of information on the internet. I’m glad I was able to tour both the old Giants stadium and old Yankee stadium before they were demolished. On February 2, 2014, MetLife stadium will host Super Bowl XLVIII for the first ever New York Super Bowl. Will it snow?
After losing badly to the Redskins, the Giants play the Jets next on Christmas Eve at 1:00 PM EST. This is a must win game.
What is your favorite memory from the old Giants stadium?
RD – nygreporter.com
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