Flashback Friday: The Silverdome Opens [Video]

It was on August 23, 1975 that the Detroit Lions moved from Tiger Stadium to a new home in the suburbs, only we didn't call it the Silverdome back then.

Mainly because there was no dome. The air pressure dome wasn't installed until October of that year.

Yup, the first game in what became the Pontiac Silverdome was played outside, with sheets of the yet to be assembled cloth roof hanging down over the proceedings.

Over 62,000 fans showed up for that first game, an exhibition game between the Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The original name for the stadium was the Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium, which was shortened to the PonMet.

When the roof was finally put up in October, the Lions became the third team in the NFL to play their games indoors. The other two were Houston (Astrodome, which opened in 1968) and New Orleans (Superdome, which also debuted in 1975).

The Lions stayed in the Silverdome until 2001. It finally was torn down by demolition, after decaying into disrepair, in 2017.

The first major rock show at the Silverdome: The Who in December of 1975.

The largest crowd: 93,682 to see Pope John Paul II to say Mass on September 18, 1987.

Wrestlemania was also held at the dome, and it also hosted World Cup soccer games in 1994. Many big concert tours stopped at the dome, including Led Zeppelin, the Stones and The Jacksons Victory Tour.

In its prime, the Silverdome was known for the loud sound produced by the crowds during Lions games. Often resulting in warnings by the officials.