The unveiling of the Houston Astrodome prompted a major change in how fans experienced sporting events and its influence in future sports construction transcended Houston. The Astrodome was unique in its commitment to both luxury and entertainment. It was the first large-scale, indoor sports facility to be built in North America, and its impact as a model for future sports venues was profound. Roy Hofheinz, the Astrodome’s leading creator, designed the venue with luxury skyboxes, posh themed restaurants, and an amazing electronic scoreboard that served as a harbinger to today’s highly sophisticated digital Diamondvision scoreboards. This paper will draw from the extensive research of Trumpbour and Womack (2016) to explain why the Astrodome was truly a game changer for the sports spectator in America and on a global scale. Because the 2017 Super Bowl is set to unfold in Houston in luxurious a facility that replaced the Astrodome, this research is particularly timely. The introduction of food courts and major retailing centers inside newer sports facilities can be traced to the influence of Houston’s iconic Astrodome and the changes this building inspired. The research will demonstrate how the Astrodome’s unveiling in 1965 led to a philosophic change in how sports venues were planned, designed, and constructed, while demonstrating how the vision of Roy Hofheinz in some ways paralleled a philosophic commitment to sports as entertainment that was being shaped by iconic sports producer Roone Alrledge at the same time that Houston’s Astrodome was considered one of the most unique venues in all of sports. The implications of the Astrodome’s influence on future sports-related construction will be teased out and discussed.
Note: I will be presenting with Kenneth Womack of Monmouth University
About the presentersBob Trumpbour
Bob Trumpbour researches the intersection of media, sport, and society. He is Professor of Communications at Penn State Altoona, co-author of The Eighth Wonder of the World: The Life of Houston’s Iconic Astrodome and author of The New Cathedrals: Politics and Media in the History of Stadium Construction. He has authored book chapters and articles in a variety of venues. Prior to teaching, Trumpbour worked in various capacities at CBS in New York.