INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts are ready to welcome fans back to Lucas Oil Stadium for the first home game of the 2022-23 season against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Lucas Oil has added several new additions to the fan experience through the offseason.
”Every video board inside and out is new at the stadium,” said Eric Neuburger, the Stadium Director.
Lucas Oil Stadium added almost 2,000 new square feet of video boards, adding up to a 400% increase in pixels. The old video boards were the originals from when the stadium was built in 2008.
”The resolution is probably about double what it was in the old formats, the brightness and the contrast are significantly up,” said Roger VanDerSnick, the Colts Chief Sales and Marketing Director. “It allows us to really do a lot of neat things through the game presentation to add to the game excitement.”
From the big screens to your smaller ones, you can now rent portable phone chargers from kiosks around the stadium.
”You’re not tethered to the wall anymore, you’re able to get a fast charging pack, take it back to your seat and then return it after you’re done,” said Neuburger.
Another new addition to Lucas Oil Stadium is the Damar Sensory Wall near sections 144 and 145. The wall will help engage the senses and encourage relaxation to kids with autism and other development disabilities.
”There is going to be a wall that really showcases all of Blue’s outfits and the textures and that, so we’re excited to have that included here at Lucas Oil Stadium,” Neuburger said.
Lucas Oil Stadium is cashless, one of many ways staff is trying to speed up concessions.
”We’re really working hard to make sure people don’t wait in line a long time,” said Neuburger.
One of the new additions to Lucas Oil this year is grab and go concessions. All fans need to do is a pick out a drink and snack on their own, take it to the register and check out.
”It’s just a quick, fun way to get what you want and get back to the game, because that’s what we’re all here for,” said Lauren Fitzmorris with Sodexo Live!
The grab and go concessions will be near sections 135, 323 and 521.
Fitzmorris said there will also be more menu items at concession stands. The kids menu has expanded from one option last season to six this season.
There will also be a new Maniac Burger. Fitzmorris said it will be a different burger each game and benefit Colts LB Shaquille Leonard’s foundation.
”For every burger that is sold we are actually going to donate a dollar of the proceeds to his foundation,” she said.
Going outside the stadium, VanDerSnick said Touchdown Town is back and better than before.
”It’ll be larger this year, we’ll have even more concerts this year. Clayton Anderson is going to do a kickoff concert,” he said.
If you’re headed to Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday or anytime this season – remember all parking passes and tickets are mobile.
Neuburger said the gameday staff is ready to go and the biggest staff they have had in years.
”We’ve done a lot of training and we have a lot of new folks who are very excited to serve Colts fans,” Neuburger said.
The best advice for Sunday, though, is to arrive early.
”We’re going to have probably 66,000 tickets distributed, it is going to be a packed house,” VanDerSnick said. “This game sold out really, really early this year.”
As for the question everyone wants answered, Neuburger said they are leaning toward the roof being open Sunday but that is all weather dependent.
FOX59 Meteorologist Beth Finello said highs Sunday will be in the mid-70s, a mix of sun and clouds with showers moving in. Game time is at 1 p.m., there is a low chance showers during that time frame.
For a final answer on the Lucas Oil Stadium roof, fans will have to keep an eye on Colts Owner Jim Irsay’s Twitter account.
