Michael Mina, 49ers Provide Blueprint for Future NFL Stadiums

Upon first hearing that Michael Mina was building a restaurant at Levi’s Stadium, the new home of the San Francisco 49ers, some skepticism arose.  But truly, what Chef Mina and the Niners are doing should be seen as the wave of the future for NFL stadiums.

This past weekend, three of the four playoff sites struggled mightily to sell out - this was not a regular season game, it was a home playoff game!!  In some places like Green Bay, the frigid weather was partly to blame.  But you can’t say the same for Indianapolis, with the game held in Lucas Oil Stadium (a dome). So what gives?

Part of the problem is the stadium experience itself - things are much more expensive, from tickets to parking to food and drinks. And while many fans are willing to pay that added price because of “their fandom,” they also have to be asking themselves, what extra is in it for me?  Take the Bay Area teams for example. What have the Raiders or 49ers offered fans in the past few years to make going to a game a more pleasurable experience?  And they aren’t the only teams, it's a league-wide problem. As fun as the in-person experience at a stadium can be, many also view it as a major hassle now and one they would rather do without.

The game of football also plays well on television.  With the advent of HDTV and DVR, the NFL Network and the Red Zone Channel, viewers never have to leave their couch to get updates on all the games, all at once.  Viewing parties are the norm and in many households across the country, there are even specific “man caves” for football viewing.  It also doesn’t hurt that football pools are so prevalent in offices around the country, football is likely the most bet on sport, and fantasy football is played by millions or people.  Football has easily replaced baseball as “America’s Pastime.”

So what can the NFL do to entice fans back in the stadium?  Take a page out of what the San Francisco 49ers are doing with their new stadium in Santa Clara and bring that home-viewing experience to the stadium.  And that is where Chef Mina comes in.  Is the idea of having a Bourbon Steak & Pub franchise in Levi’s Stadium a bit ostentatious? Some will say it is.  5-10 years ago, I’m not sure I would have ever imagined this type of partnership happening.  But times are changing.  Gone are the days when fans just want stale stadium food like hot dogs, hamburgers and $10 beers.  If they’re going to pay that much for food, why not bring them a first class dining experience.  Chef Mina’s “Tailgate” is also a one-of-a-kind experiences that fans won’t find at any other stadium across the country.  This is about making the game day experience truly unforgettable and it is just part of the amenities being offered at Levi’s Stadium.

49ers CEO Jed York and COO Paraag Marathe have constantly preached innovation as part of the plan for Levi’s Stadium, from in-house WiFi, an innovative HD scoreboard, updates on fantasy football – it is a new model for stadiums.  And the partnership with Chef Mina should also be seen as part of that model.  Well-known chefs taking their food to a different audience, a much bigger audience, in a much different setting, all the while improving the experience for fans.  It’s the new wave of sports stadium, becoming more than just about the game itself, but an overall world-class experience.