Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Earth to the Chargers, is that an alien mothership that you play in? Qualcomm Stadium takes the form of a concrete arena surrounded by 122 acres of even more concrete – the venue’s immense parking lots that seem to pool out from the stadium. Built in the late 1960s, Qualcomm’s architects opted for a Brutalist-style arena. You can just picture how well the bland-colored monstrosity fits among the Spanish-inspired architecture and towering palms of the Mission Valley neighborhood. The access ramps have been plunked down like giant Slinkys. Once inside, you won’t notice the shame emanating from the outside. That assumes, of course, that you can still stomach rooting for the Chargers after realizing the away team has bought out much of the stadium. Its constricted facilities and outdated technology has already guaranteed that the NFL won’t award the city another Super Bowl. It’s not even a half-century old, and it’s hardly any wonder that the Chargers are already thinking about vacating the place.