Plenty to see and enjoy at Allianz Field — except for a lot of goals

Neither lightning nor the Loons struck twice at Allianz Field on Saturday night.

In a game interrupted by a lightning bolt that seemed to target the Brew Hall, Minnesota United tied Nashville 1-1 as Allianz Field offered the full Minnesota experience.

Rain. Freezing rain. Pre-snow. Fog. Misting rain. Lightning strikes. Maybe a hurricane — who could tell? Randomized weather gear, little of it suited to repelling all forms of precipitation and cold. Fans impervious to the cold, and probably drinking a micro-brew named something like "Impervious."

As if the sky-watching wasn't entertaining enough, Minnesota United offered the least-satisfying of all sporting outcomes — a tie.

At the 54-minute mark of Minnesota United's match with Nashville, lightning was spotted and play was halted with rain creating large puddles during the delay.

Loons fans leaped and sang in the concourse, and Loons midfielder D.J. Taylor wrapped two blankets around himself in the locker room to stay warm.

"It felt like none left, to be honest," Taylor said. "I think that's one of the best things about playing here at this club, is the fans and their support."

If you were a painter or photographer, this was your kind of game. It was an atmospheric scene, beautiful if you didn't have to worry about mud in your cleats.

For sports fans of a certain age, the first Minnesota home opener in the wake of rescinded mask mandates in the Twin Cities provided a reminder of how far sports stadiums have advanced.

On several laps around the main concourse, the modern sports experience presents itself.

While walking laps around the concourse you can see the field. This is not how it used to be. Traditionally, even the most celebrated stadiums offered a choice: See the game, or buy a hot dog. You could not do both.

These days, you won't find a venue that will make you settle for a hot dog, either. Allianz Field offers a variety of foods, many from local eateries, distillers and brewers. It's easy to forget that a certain kind of baseball fan was offended when concession stands began offering anything other than the artery-clogging staples — hot dogs, burgers on stale white buns, chips, popcorn, pop and thin beer.

The stands were far from the field, and the stadiums offered all the aesthetic and architectural charm of a Walmart.

Allianz Field is striking architecturally yet small enough to be comfortable and quaint. The weather on Saturday erased the word "cozy" from the fans' vocabularies, but on a summer night it is just that.

If COVID and masks are in retreat for good, Minnesotans are about to return to the new normal — uniformly excellent sports venues.

We are spoiled. Set aside for a moment arguments over who should fund such stadiums. (I vote for the owners paying for everything from now on.) If you pay to see a professional or Big Ten sport in the Twin Cities, you likely will spend time in a work of art.

For all of the Minnesota kvetching about a lack of championships, sports in essence are disposable, fleeting entertainment — a night or afternoon of pleasant distraction.

What can be controlled is the fan experience. The proximity to the action, the quality of the food, the comfiness of the seat, the ease of parking.