RIP Hoosier (RCA) Dome

[Bob Cook]

The Hoosier Dome goes down:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=videonetwork&videoID=972814613

Aesthetically, it was a faceless, awful dome. But it hit just as I, and the city of Indianapolis, was doing a lot of growing up. It was the first place I worked a major pro event as a journalist (a Colts game, at age 16, with Gary Hogeboom being the first players I talked to). I saw one of U2's two appearances as the Dalton Brothers, a mock country act they pulled out because Los Lobos' plane was late in arriving. I saw Jerry Rice there -- as a collegian. I saw Bruce Springsteen play an hourlong encore after the house lights went up. I went to a Genesis show with a girlfriend who became my ex in between when we bought the tickets and when we went. (Awkward!) I saw and covered a lot of pro and college sports there in my formative years. Heck, it was the site of my college graduation.

When I was at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first regular season game, it saddened me to see the RCA Dome with the logos off, surrounded by keep-out fencing. I grew up with a downtown Indianapolis bookended by Market Square Arena and the Dome, and it's weird to see them both gone.

 

[CollegeJournalist]

Was only there once, for a Kentucky-Indiana basketball game. The only good part about it was seeing the arena split exactly in half, red and blue. Not exactly the best basketball atmosphere.

 

[JBHawkEye]

Covered an NCAA first-round game there. It was a cold and lifeless dome, like most of the older domes.

A lot of big games, basketball and football, were played there, though.

 

[Sam Mills 51]

I went to a Genesis show with a girlfriend who became my ex in between when we bought the tickets and when we went. (Awkward!)

No biggie. Just make sure you shouted the words to "Throwing It All Away" or "Land of Confusion." Add in "That's All."

Then leave her before "Turn It On Again."

 

[lone star scribe]

Covered a lot of football and basketball games there, including some Final Fours. It ranked as one of the best two Final Four venues, with the Superdome the other. Nobody else came close.

 

[tapintoamerica]

It stole my football team.

 

[lono]

The Hoosier Dome was the site of the late, great Danny Federici's last performance with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I guess heaven needed an antiquated dome.

 

[buckweaver]

It stole my football team.

Damn straight.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I saw Rocket Ismail compete in the NCAA indoor meet there many years ago.

 

[Starman]

The Hoosier Dome was the site of the late, great Danny Federici's last performance with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

Actually, that was at Conseco.

 

[lono]

The Hoosier Dome was the site of the late, great Danny Federici's last performance with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

Actually, that was at Conseco.

I stand corrected. Good catch, Starman.

 

[Magic In The Night]

Yes, I'll miss it. Covered a lot of games there in my time. I always liked that Dome because it seemed very easy to navigate and the rooms for the media were very nice. Also, for the Final Four, you couldn't beat how easy it was to get around the city and the arena. Only one better, IMO, was San Antonio.

 

[pallister]

Damn straight.

The Packers never played in Baltimore or Indy, buck.

 

[playthrough]

I covered my first NFL game there and a Final Four. Good times. But yeah, it was dumpy. Bench seats in the upper deck!

Lucas Oil Stadium is very, very nice, but the Colts will never have a homefield advantage like the Dome. Even with the NFL's smallest capacity that place could get crazy loud.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Where's the sploogefest like there was for Texas and Yankee stadiums? Oh, there isn't one.

Hoosier Dome and Shea Stadium are proof that none of these eulogies are about the building but rather about the team that plays in them. And the reason why I say, "Mr. Construction Worker, Tear Down That Wall!" The team plays on; the building's gone and we'll get over it rather quickly.

 

[nmmetsfan]

Where's the sploogefest like there was for Texas and Yankee stadiums? Oh, there isn't one.

Hoosier Dome and Shea Stadium are proof that none of these eulogies are about the building but rather about the team that plays in them. And the reason why I say, "Mr. Construction Worker, Tear Down That Wall!" The team plays on; the building's gone and we'll get over it rather quickly.

You mean the story is about the people? Since when?

 

[playthrough]

Well, that's not quite true, TSP. The Dome unquestionably put Indianapolis on the map as a big-league city. It's not going to draw tearful retrospectives on SportsCenter or be revered in architectural circles but that doesn't mean it wasn't significant.

 

[KP]

They weren't kidding with those warning signs about it being windy once you exit the dome.

 

[doubledown68]

was only in it once, partaking a Mizzou-SIU first-round NCAA game as a fan. Wasn't impressed.

I understand the sentiment attached to those who saw it more than me, but it's a relic that needed to go