Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey, and Melissa Kiser
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Paycor Stadium One Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, OH 45202
Year Opened: 2000 Capacity: 65,535
Who Dey Think Gonna Beat Them Bengals?
The Cincinnati Bengals have called Paycor Stadium since the 2000 NFL season. The 65,515-capacity football-only venue was built through taxpayer money to the tune of $555 million. The home of the National Football League’s Bengals has seen recent success at what is dubbed “The Jungle”.
The Bengals joined the American Football League in 1968 and played temporarily at the University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium for two years before relocating to the multi-purpose Riverfront Stadium with the Cincinnati Reds.
They would call the stadium home for 30 seasons before moving a few yards away along the Ohio River to what was then known as Paul Brown Stadium. Paul Brown was the founder and original owner of the Bengals until he died in 1991. The club is still owned and operated by the Brown family.
The Bengals have appeared in the playoffs on 20 occasions, capturing 11 AFC Central titles and qualifying for 5 Wildcard spots. The team made three Super Bowl appearances during the 1981, 1988, and 2021 seasons, heartbreakingly losing all three times.
Food & Beverage 4
There are various food options at Paycor Stadium, including fan and local favorites. The stadium has 30,328 concessions per square foot, second behind Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Also, the food prices are among the lowest in the NFL. The stadium offers 78 self-service kiosks, 7 self-order and pick-up locations, and 14 grab-and-go stands.
Several highlights include the following concessions: Cincy Burgers + Fries, Kckn Chckn, Nacho Tigre, Tenders, Love & Chicken, and Smoke & Sizzle. All of these establishments offer smash burgers, buffalo chicken tenders, nachos, chicken wings, and chicken tenders.
The regional food scene is duly noted with nearby Donatos Pizza, Skyline Chili coneys, and Hudy High Point (named after the long-time Hudepohl Brewery Company). The Queen City Grill sells grilled sausages, brats, and Cincinnati mettwurst (also known as a mett).
There are ample spots for beverages, including the Bud Light City Bar, Canopy Catina, The Crown’s Ruler, and Cincinnati Cocktails. The drinking areas, such as The Perch, offer a jungle theme with the Cincinnati skyline in the background. There are also massive east-side and west-side bars that provide fans plenty of drinks from cocktails, beers, seltzers, and wine in a social atmosphere.
Atmosphere 4
Paycor Stadium becomes “The Jungle” on gameday and is decorated with murals from local artists, team colors, tiger striping, and team slogans. Fans can also enjoy a lot more greenery that emulates a jungle at various parts of the concourse.
Lots open 4-hours before the game around the stadium for tailgating. Pregame at the Banks, between Race Street and Joe Nuxhaul Way, east of the venue. It is home to the Bud Light Tailgate Zone and the Jungle Zone, with live music, interactive games, face painting, and DJ music.
Once inside the venue, fans are glued to their seat, focusing on the action on the field, concourses are filled with folks purchasing food and drink, and social areas are packed with fans talking about the Bengals. When the team is winning, the atmosphere is quite festive before, during, and after the game.
Neighborhood 4
The Banks is an entertainment district that offers a place to live, work, play, and shop next to the stadium. The neighborhood offers plenty of restaurants, bars, and social spots. There are many to choose from, but favorites include the Christian Moerlein Lager House, Yard House, BurgerFi, and the Jefferson Social.
The stadium is a short walk across the river to Newport on the Levee, and enjoy time at one of the following locations: Hofbrauhaus Newport, Strong's Brick Oven Pizza, and Newport Aquarium.
Cincinnati has a few places to visit, including the American Sign Museum, which houses a collection of former neon signs from different businesses past and present, Cincinnati Museum Center, located in the old train terminal and Rhinegeist in the up-and-coming Over-the-Rhine section is a must for one can sit on top of its roof, and enjoy a few beers overlooking the picturesque hills of the city.
Fans 4
Bengals fans are loyal, dedicated, and faithful. They have weathered the storm of mediocre football for several years and are now enjoying a team that has made a recent Super Bowl appearance and is a yearly contender. The “Who Dey” chant is fun to hear at a game and to say aloud while watching a Bengals touchdown or after a victory.
Access 4
Paycor Stadium sits along the Ohio River on one side and I 71/75 and downtown on the opposite side. Five bridges from Northern Kentucky take fans by car to the game, and plenty of lots on the Ohio side to park for the game. Traffic can get congested closer to kickoff, but many arrive early for tailgating in the 16-plus lots.
The size of the venue makes it easy to navigate during the game and to and from the seating bowl. Halftime crowds create congestion in the upper and lower concourses, and some wait lines can be long, but the 78 self-service kiosks make grabbing a bite to eat or a drink quick and easy.
It is also one of three NFL venues that can be accessed by riverboat. The Queen City Riverboats depart Newport, Kentuck,y and sail across the Ohio River to the stadium for a very reasonable cost of $6 round trip.
Return on Investment 5
Attending a Bengals game is one of the more economical investments in the league. The Bengals came in at number 10 in NFL concessions in a recent poll conducted by US Betting Report. The average beer price is $5.75, while a hot dog is $5.66. A small beer costs $5.25, the third-best value in the league after Atlanta and Detroit.
The average price for a ticket is $131, but less on secondary ticket websites. Games against division rivals, especially Cleveland and Pittsburgh, will fetch a little more, while parking can be as high as $70 closest to the stadium. However, there are cheaper options.
The parking lot on East Pete Rose Way, on the west side of Heritage Bank Center, is $15. The cost under I-471 on Eggleston Ave. is between $5-$10, and lots across the Ohio River can cost $10 or less and include a $1 bus ride on Transit Authority Northern Kentucky (TANK) every 15 minutes.
Extras 3
Bengals fans earn a point for the “Who Dey?” chant that is said at every game. It comes from the Bengals Fight Song that is played after every touchdown and features the following lyrics.
"Who Dey? Who Dey? Who Dey think they gonna beat dem Bengals?"
"Who Dey? Who Dey? Who Dey think they gonna beat dem Bengals?"
"Nobody!"
A second point is for the affordability of food and beverage, tickets, and parking to see the Bengals play football every weekend in the NFL.
A third point is for the new decor at the stadium, which includes murals painted by local artists, several aesthetics to fit with the jungle motif, and new social areas for fans at the game.
Extras
The recent aesthetic changes at Paycor Stadium have been welcoming, and the atmosphere is always colorful before and after a Bengals game. It is one of the best values in the league and even better when the team plays winning football.
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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com
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