INDIANAPOLIS – A new study has revealed that Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts, is the 10th-least congested NFL stadium for fans. The study, conducted by sports specialists Pickswise, analyzed factors including gameday congestion, rush hour travel times, and local pollution levels to rank all NFL stadiums.
Lucas Oil Stadium earned a congestion score of 57.6 out of 100, securing its place in the top 10. The study found that gameday congestion around the stadium increases by just 20%, which is 5.3% less than the NFL average of 25.3%. Additionally, the time it takes to travel 10 kilometers during evening rush hour in Indianapolis is among the quickest in the league, at 16 minutes and 47 seconds.
However, the stadium’s ranking was impacted by its pollution levels, which, at an IQAir air quality index of 45, are slightly above the NFL average of 42.4.
Best and Worst Stadiums for Congestion
According to the study,
Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is the easiest stadium to travel to, with a score of 85.2 out of 100. The stadium has a congestion level of just 8% on gamedays, and the average rush hour travel time for 10 kilometers is only 12 minutes and 41 seconds—the quickest in the league.
Following Arrowhead are the Jacksonville Jaguars’
EverBank Stadium (score of 71.3) and the Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium (score of 66.9).
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Chicago Bears’
Soldier Field was identified as the most congested stadium in the NFL, with a score of 20.3 out of 100. It sees a significant 42% increase in gameday congestion, and the time to travel 10 kilometers is the third-worst in the league at 27 minutes and 55 seconds.
Andrew Wilsher, Managing Editor at Pickswise, noted that the top 10 ranking for Lucas Oil Stadium indicates that “Colts fans benefit from a smoother gameday experience compared to most of the league”. He added that Indianapolis offers a “far less stressful trip to the game than many NFL cities”.
