Under a new partnership between the NFL and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, four stadiums have been selected to open their doors during hurricanes, tornadoes and floods, transforming into shelters, staging areas, emergency hospitals and distribution centers.
As reported by CNN, the stadiums selected so far include MetLife (home of New York's Jets and Giants); Lumen Field (Seattle Seahawks); Acrisure Stadium (Pittsburgh Steelers); and Raymond James Stadium (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
One other stadium — SoFi Stadium, which hosts the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers — is under review to be included, according to CNN's Ella Nilsen.
FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell called the plan a “groundbreaking opportunity” that other stadiums could join.
“While we are starting with the NFL, all venues across sports organizations and leagues can become assets to their communities, and I encourage them to join in this collaborative effort as we grapple with the impacts of the climate crisis,” Criswell said in a statement.
The Superdome in New Orleans was used as a shelter of last resort during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, though the conditions there deteriorated rapidly when the stadium lost electricity and supplies ran out, Nilsen reported, adding that several stadiums also served as hubs for Covid-19 response at the height of the pandemic.
As Athletic Business magazine first reported 20 years ago, college athletic departments likewise have opened their doors to disaster relief efforts.
From AB: College Athletic Departments Tackle Disaster Response
The NFL and FEMA jointly recognized the value — with ample planning and coordination — of America’s vast sports infrastructure in times of emergency, per Nilsen's reporting. The league actually reached out to the federal government with the idea to open their stadiums during extreme weather and other disasters.
“Stadiums are valuable community assets that are often used in times of disasters,” NFL chief security officer Cathy Lanier said in a statement. “This designation reflects the role that many stadiums play, not only on Sundays, but especially in times of need.”
According to Nilsen, to be officially designated by the federal government as an emergency location, stadiums need to be centrally located, close to major roadways and health care services such as hospitals, accessible for those with disabilities, and able to deploy food, water and medical care quickly.
