The Georgia Dome has become one of the most feared environments in the NFL for opposing teams since the duo of Atlanta Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff and head coach Mike Smith joined forces in 2008. And beginning with Sunday's 2013 home opening game against the St. Louis Rams, the Dome will also become one of the League's best venues for new in-stadium enhancements.
The Falcons – owners of a 33-7 home record since 2008 – have added a number of new elements to their energy-charged game-day presentation.
Before the game, fans can stop by the State Farm Falcons Landing and take photos in front of the giant RISE UP letters measuring 52 feet wide and 8 feet tall. Once fans enter the Dome, they will be able to upload their favorite photos utilizing Twitter and Facebook hash tags and see them displayed on the video board throughout pregame and at various times during game action. Fans can also make game day music requests via Twitter by using the hash tag #falconsmusic.
"Every offseason, we put our entire game-day presentation through a very thorough analysis to make sure we're presenting our fans with the best possible day-of-game experience," said Falcons Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jim Smith. "We gather a ton of fan data from the NFL, and we conduct a series of fan surveys to find out exactly what fans want. We then take what we've learned and put the best practices in action on game day."
Prior to Sunday's 1 p.m. kickoff at the Georgia Dome, Falcons fans will get a live look into the locker room to see the team as they prepare for the game. Additionally, flame-filled cannons and CO2 jets in the Falcons tunnel have been substantially increased to produce a more dramatic entrance for the hometown team. Falcons fans should also be on the lookout for members of the Ford Fan Patrol, a group that has been doubled in size to allow for more engagement with fans. The Ford Fan Patrols will be stationed at the gates for fan arrivals and departures throughout the Dome during and after the game.
The NFL and its partners will offer season ticket holders complimentary access to the NFL RedZone on mobile devices throughout the 2013 season. This service may be utilized both inside and outside the stadium, and fans will also notice an increased number of video replays on the Jumbotrons throughout the game.
In addition to these exciting game-day elements, the Falcons are also introducing Falcons Memories, a program that will allow season ticket holders the chance to watch player introductions from the tunnel, hold the Falcons flag during player introductions, be featured on the video board, and more. Falcons Memories will be delivered to season ticket holders exclusively through the Falcons game day app.
"In our minds, the game day experience for our fans begins as soon as they leave their respective driveways and enter ours," Smith said. "We've already got one of the best teams in the NFL, and we're working hard to make sure our game day experience is just as good as our football team."
