Vikings: Athletic writers tab U.S. Bank Stadium the best in the NFL

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NFL fans cheer during play between the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Adam Bettcher/Getty Images / Getty Images)

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Writers who cover the NFL for The Athletic have spoken, and the home of the Minnesota Vikings has been tabbed as the best in the NFL.

U.S. Bank Stadium cost more than $1 billion to build and opened in 2016. While it’s an indoor venue, part of the roof is transparent with glass, and giant doors fans walk through to enter can stay open during nice Minnesota weather weekends.

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The Vikings regularly get more than 65,000 fans to fill the stadium on game days, and part of the pregame festivities includes a hype video that features fake snow falling to the ground. It gets so loud when the defense takes the field that opposing offenses often have to go to a silent count to get plays off.

Kevin O’Connell experienced the home field advantage for the first time last year, after years coming to Minneapolis as an opposing coordinator. Harrison Smith calls U.S. Bank Stadium one of the loudest he’s ever played in.

Unique to the Vikings, a pregame "Skol" chant gives every fan in Purple a chance to voice their excitement just before kickoff. U.S. Bank Stadium lives and breathes football, but it also hosts several other events, highlighted this summer by two nights featuring music star Taylor Swift.

In The Athletic’s survey, U.S. Bank Stadium was voted the best in the NFL ahead of Sofi Stadium in L.A. (Rams and Chargers), Lambeau Field in Green Bay, AT&T Stadium in Dallas and Lumen Field in Seattle. Half of The Athletic’s writers voted U.S. Bank Stadium No. 1 for 2023.

The Vikings went 8-1 at U.S. Bank Stadium in O’Connell’s first season. In the seven seasons the Vikings have called it home, they’re 41-16 in the regular season and haven’t won less than five home games in a season.

The Vikings will open their home schedule Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10.