SoFi Stadium — Attraction in Inglewood

It was easy to get to the stadium. Google directions were fine and we were dropped off by ride share across the street. Short walk and there were folks stopping and directing in traffic so that pedestrians could get across safely. There are a ton of vendors outside selling everything from soda to clear backpacks which are a requirement to get into the stadium. The stadium on the outside is very nice. Everything's well maintained and clean. Of course the stadium is new so that is to be expected. Be prepared to walk. Your ticket will tell you which gate to go to but it can be quite a bit of a hike to make it there. For instance gate 11 is all the way on the opposite side of where we were dropped off and the crowds were walking in from. For some reason we were also redirected from that gate to another date where we were able to enter. Not really given an explanation why but that required us to double back on top of the already long walk. The lines to get in were long but they move fairly quickly. Security was pretty much non-existent. Some people with bags were stopped to be checked but I wasn't really checked at all. This of course meant that inside the venue tons of people were smoking and vaping and smoking pot. If you do not do that be prepared to cover your mouth and nose with a mask or something else. Absolutely no one goes around and enforces anything. The only one you see wandering around is the popcorn guy. I did buy popcorn and it was fresh. Every level had folks available to answer questions and direct you. Bathrooms and food was clearly marked. There are a ton of places at regular intervals that offer all kinds of food including vegan options. Alcohol is also available both in cans and fresh on tap. The stairs to the upper levels especially are very steep. Lots of opportunities to buy merch at kiosks as well. Bathrooms are regularly spaced. The seats are hard plastic. They are not very comfortable at all. I would highly recommend bringing some sort of cushion or blanket to sit on. It was nice that there were cupholders in front of you however. Even though it is stadium seating if people in front of you stand up to cheer you will also have to stand up to cheer which of course puts people who are more on the petite side at a disadvantage. If you are a female I would highly highly recommend avoiding a shoe that is a heel of any kind or even remotely uncomfortable for long walks and a lot of climbing up and down steep stairs. I was not cold while in the stadium but it was fairly windy outside. I had a jacket but ended up not needing it. Better to have one is the weather changes though. I would highly recommend walking somewhere else down the road away from the stadium to a restaurant or somewhere else that's got an address and calling your ride share to that place. Getting a ride share home from the same location where we were dropped off was an absolute nightmare. The incoming traffic is not well controlled at all. People just picking up people randomly friends and family were allowed into the ride share area for some reason. So instead of picking people up and driving on like a ridesharewould they would park and block the lanes. This caused a massive backup. No one was checking who was in these cars and whether they were actually rideshare or not. In addition to those, random people offering to pick people up who were not associated with any kind of rideshare business were driving up and down the lanes were also stopping a blocking traffic. I don't know who was using those services because they were literally some guy standing there holding a phone saying ride for hire. They could be axe murderers. There's no way to track them there's no way to verify they are who they are. It's very dangerous and I would not use that service. I'm not sure why the stadium allows that to happen. They're parked right outside the main entrance as well. I know that they're not associated with the stadium but they're allowed to park in the stadium area and in the stadiums...

I had tickets to see Blackpink on July 12 and 13. This was my first visit to SoFi and a co-worker had told me about issues he encountered one two evenings in 2021 to see BTS. I purchased parking passes twice, the first time after buying my tickets … I got a pass for the pink lot on July 12 and one in an off-premises lot on S Prairie on the 13th.

SoFi sent a series of emails informing one about access, food, drink and parking and I ended up purchasing passes in Lot A (green) for both days and canceled the other two passes. What would have helped was to know which gates one had to use to access the various areas of the stadium. I had a ticket in Section 328 on the 12th and a floor seat on the 13th.

On Sunday, my virtual ticket said to use gate 9 or 10 to access my floor seat but I was turned away at gate 9 and was told to use gate 9C. I understood why, as one had to get a wristband to prove floor access but the mobile message should have made that clearer as I wasted time standing in a line that wouldn’t let me in. The reason I bring this up is one should choose parking based on which entrance one uses. I should have purchased a pass for the blue (N) or purple (L or K) lots; either would have saved me a lot of walking and sped my departure after the concert. However, I found ingress and egress from Lot A (green) to be better and faster than any other stadium I’ve used.

Now, let’s talk about food and drink. There are several outlets on each level and service is fast and efficient. The prices are comparable to other stadiums and movie theaters, but the quality of the food left me wanting. Soggy fries accompanying my chicken tenders were a turn-off. I spent around $50 each night on chicken tenders and a beer and pizza with a mixed drink.

I liked SoFi … My view from my seat in Section 328 was great (I had an end seat in row 1), except the glass acting as a protector from someone falling down the stairs and over the edge proved problematic in two ways … the reflections in the glass hampered picture taking and muddled the sound somewhat. I didn’t have any problems with sound quality in my seat in section A1 on Sunday. However, having a seat close to the stage brought its own challenges … Unless you’re tall or are willing to stand up during the entire concert, your views of the main stage are compromised. I felt for the 4ft tall pre-teen in the seat next to mine … I don’t think she saw the members of Blackpink when they were on the main stage. Seats on the risers are better for anyone...

Location: Okay (Better to arrive early if you have never been to understand ticket gates, Parking, and other prerequisites before entering the stadium), Parking: This is an important asset, understand it is not normally part of your ticket and should be purchased as soon as the entertainment ticket is bought. Parking varies by colored locations, as we parked in the Orange section. Prices for Parking can vary by time of purchase, so buy sooner rather than later. Service: Here I have to give kudos to all the people working at the stadium on the first day. Some in training, some getting back into the groove, but all were there with a smile and a solid " I don't know, but I will get you an answer," and did. I was sent to the right places always with a smile. That alone made the price I paid for my ticket a value (VIP Club), should I choose to buy season tickets next year. Presentation: For those who have never been to SoFi Stadium, it is well-maintained and looks great. From our food area, to the restrooms, to the visual main screen above the audience. Military Discount: None. Overall: This was a first-time try, and I wanted to see how it would be in the location I desired, should I become a season ticket holder. Now, understand I am in my senior years, so I will put funds out for decent seats and better treatment. I did see how some Vip seats were treated better than others which I thought was unfair as we all paid the same price for the seats we held. But I wasn't a "Sean holder" so I gave them that. But to me, to be in the VIP Club area should have some additional perks like reserved parking regardless of being a "dayplayer". That is still a potential season ticket buyer and should be treated as such. Also, would it kill the club to bring back the "Gameday" Magazine? I feel that all VIP club should get one for the seats they purchase. It was always nice to see the team pictures, stats, and more from the team. Not having it on the Opening Game, I feel every fan was cheated. I also was not happy that we had to pay for an opening "pin". I mean, first game, loyal fans, I would have given something just to say "Thank You" for your support! So, will I go again? Maybe, I would like to try the 100 section before I choose if I want season tickets. So for missing some basic " Welcome Back Fan Gifts"...