I'm afraid that this argument that "they can't be questioned because they're LOR", or "they are mathematical genuises" holds little or no water (if you'll pardon the pun). Just as it didn't
when people asked if KEIOC knew more than Terry Leahy and other assorted "experts" etc. For the most part, their qualifications in maths will be no higher than mine..... I'm not sure why my CV is always questioned, but I have actually taught/mentored Engineering maths to Mechanical/Structural Engineering undergraduates and Merchant Navy Officer cadets for decades, as part of my job....
However, again, this has nothing to do with the simple observation and scientific fact that.... rain doesn't always fall vertically, and consequently, it is good practice to have the front edge of a stadium roof as low as possible and/or as far in-field of the front row, as is practicable. This is covered in all stadium design guides/books.
The soak pattern is entirely predictable. Varying levels of partial protection are offered for anything upto 45° off the verical, with very poor protection at anything less than 15° from that line. If it goes well beyond the first few rows, to the extent that even some in the posh seats get an occasional soaking, then that is a design flaw.
The SoFi Stadium is not in the desert, it is in downtown Los Angeles. It is a direct response to this issue. There are several other fully covered stadia under construction or being planned, and as I said, Man Utd are also considering it. Our stadium is of the same generation, and should encompass the same lessons learnt. Bilbao had a similar problem for their waterfront stadium and have had to retrofit an inner roof to solve the problem. I asked the LOR engineer about it at the shareholders consultation a couple of years ago, he had no other response than it was a stadium and some people get wet, pass the poncho.
