FanPost

Levi's Stadium: Jed's Palace needs to be less like Jerry's Palace

The official ribbon cutting of Levi's Stadium this past week marked a significant and exciting point in 49ers history. With the help of a successful few seasons from the team on the field, Levi's was funded and constructed in under three years. Seemingly overnight, the 49ers will go from playing in an absolute relic to a modern spectacle. My only concern going forward is whether or not this is going to be a "fortress" where we can "lock the gates behind us," as Jim Harbaugh used to say about Candlestick. While the new Santa Clara stadium is undoubtedly a spectacular architectural feat, is it going to be a good environment for the home team? A loud environment for the home team? An intimidating environment for opposing teams? This all remains to be seen, but if the stadium's features (green roof, state-of-the-art technology, VIP lounges) are any indication, it's starting to look and feel a lot like another venue in Arlington, TX.

Since its opening, Cowboys Stadium has been a friendly environment for opposing teams. The place is littered with distractions and fancy amenities. The stadium is more about the experience than the football. And that's okay. If you're going to dump hundreds of millions into an establishment, there has to be entertainment value outside of football. Nevertheless, there is something to be said about a true football environment. Candlestick had one. We know all too well that the Seahawks have one at CenturyLink. I really hadn't given this much thought until Matt Maiocco posted a video of where the 49ers will enter prior to kickoff. It's a similar tunnel to the one the Cowboys enter before the game where they walk past high-paying attendees on their way to the field. In this fan's humble opinion, that's a weak entrance; one far removed from the days of running out of hallowed tunnels like Maximus Decimus Meridius.

Now, this 49ers team is in a far better position to succeed than the Cowboys were during their inaugural season. In fact, they're in a far better position than the Cowboys have been in every year since. But if Jed York wants to ensure that Levi's Stadium serves its purpose as a advantageous environment for the 49ers, he'll want to keep the focus on football and the distractions to a minimum. Then again, this team is probably good enough to win in any setting and nothing else but the product on the field is going to matter.

A few questions for some NN readers:

Will the fog horn still be apart of celebrations? This thing was a great touch when it was (re)installed in 2012.

Will the first down chant persist? This was a little ridiculous, but it definitely encouraged a certain cohesion amongst the fans.

What other nuances would you like to see instilled at Levi's?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.