SoFi Stadium’s roof to shield Georgia vs. TCU game from majority of storm’s elements except this one flaw
SoFi Stadium was built to be impenetrable, but Mother Nature found its flaw. The $5.5 billion dome-like stadium has openings on its sides which leads the stadium to be impacted by weather. No. 1 Georgia will take on No. 3 TCU at 4:30 p.m. Pacific on Monday evening.
College football national championship game Monday in the rain in L.A.
The field will be dry for college's national championship game on Monday in Los Angeles thanks to SoFi Stadium's dome. But fans will have to battle another atmospheric river storm to get to the venue.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – As atmospheric rivers continue to bring relentless rain to California, the 2023 CFP National Championship game with the Georgia Bulldogs taking on the TCU Horned Frogs shouldn't be affected by the storms since SoFi Stadium has a roof – or so you would think.
SoFi Stadium, the most expensive NFL stadium (by a long shot), was built to be impenetrable, but Mother Nature found its flaw. The $5.5 billion dome-like stadium has openings on its sides.
$5 BILLION SOFI STADIUM HAS LITTLE AC
INGLEWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 8: A view of the SoFi Stadium during Super Bowl LVI media availability day on February 8, 2022 in Inglewood, CA before Sundays game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals.
(Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images / Getty Images)
On Oct. 4, 2021, weather impacted a Monday Night Football game. The Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders had to wait to start their game as it was delayed due to lightning.
Thunderstorms moved through the Los Angeles area as an upper-level low tracked across Southern California. Still, because the sides of the stadium are open, people could've been impacted by lightning.
HOW THE HOME OF THE FIESTA BOWL PUTS A SPIN ON THE CLASSIC GRASS FIELD
INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 04: The College Football Playoff National Championship event logo is displayed on a merchandise truck during the week leading up to CFP National Championship game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Georgia Bulldogs on January 04, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.
(Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
The openings in the stadium were meant to pull in ocean breezes through its aerodynamic shape and supposedly can tune wind flow, the LA Times reported.
There presents another problem, as the wind is the most significant weather factor during football games.
So, while the roof may give an illusion of windless conditions, the stadium was designed to have drafts, which brings up concerns for the all-important kickers.
INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 04: The College Football Playoff National Championship event logo is displayed during the week leading up to CFP National Championship game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Georgia Bulldogs on January 04, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire / Getty Images)
The teams' kickers' main job is to get the ball through the uprights, but with an unpredictable breeze, the stadium may prove to be a more challenging field than it looks.
"I've seen some games where those winds are really high, 30+ (mph), and they go to punt the ball, and it comes back at them like a boomerang," said Rotogrinders.com sports meteorologist Kevin Roth.
SOFI STADIUM’S DISTANCE TO LOS ANGELES AIRPORT PROVIDES WEATHER ADVANTAGE
Inglewood, California, home to SoFi Stadium, has not only a Flood Watch in effect through Tuesday but a Wind Advisory, too, with wind gusts forecast to be as high as 35 mph.
Forecast for CFP National Championship game -- TCU vs. Georgia.
(FOX Weather)
"If you get these winds over 15 mph sustained or over 20 mph sustained, especially, it has a massive correlation – a negative correlation – to scoring to yards to passing yards to all of these important stats," Roth said.
HOW THE WEATHER CAN IMPACT FOOTBALL GAMES
He noted that strong winds could lead to shorter, more conservative passes for the offense.
No. 1 Georgia will take on No. 3 TCU at 4:30 p.m. PT on Monday evening.
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