NHL Arenas

[esls79]

Staples Center in the suite levels is nice if you don’t have to foot the bill. Montreal is pretty fun too no matter where you sit (too bad they don’t have a smoking section). I’d say the Ralph in Grand Forks ND is the nicest pure hockey arena I’ve ever been in. And just wait until they build the arena in Singapore...

 

[thedddd]

I thought the arena in Raleigh was nice enough, but my pal down there always gets us hooked up with luxury box seating and VIP parking. Why didn't you like it?

Really very non-descript and after being to the others prior probably made that one the worst.

 

[thedddd]

The unique characteristics of the old barns died for the most part when the Gardens shut down in 99 and ended permanently when the Joe shut off the lights two years ago.

There are some good games to go to - like B's/Habs as mentioned above, or Leafs/Sabres or the Battle of Alberta but those are for the games & the fan interactions themselves rather than the building.

Yep...hence why being in Philly for a Pens/Flyers game was entertaining.

I wasn't in MSG for the Pens/Rangers but it was more the fact it was MSG vs anything else.

As for the Gardens I missed out (bad timing and availability while in Toronto) but really wished I could have experienced it.

 

[Rex Racer]

Really very non-descript and after being to the others prior probably made that one the worst.

Yeah, although I've only been to the 3 I mentioned along with the old Boston Garden I did find them to be all the same.

 

[BGDave]

Agree with all the above comments. Architecturally, they are all pretty cookie cutter nowadays. Food can vary it that is important. They have lattes in Toronto

No comments yet on Nashville, so I will weigh in although others are way more familiar. But the same really applies. The arena is the arena. They do have Genesee beer, which surprised the heck out of me. Not that it is any good, but how the heck did a small upstate NY brewery get into Nashville. And of course, Nashville hot chicken.

I would recommend Nashville, but mostly because its Nashville and you are a block or two away from all the music/bars/fun. No 40 miles drives out to the middle of nowhere.

Which reminds me, skip Ottawa

 

[RP-29]

Agree with all the above comments. Architecturally, they are all pretty cookie cutter nowadays. Food can vary it that is important. They have lattes in Toronto

No comments yet on Nashville, so I will weigh in although others are way more familiar. But the same really applies. The arena is the arena. They do have Genesee beer, which surprised the heck out of me. Not that it is any good, but how the heck did a small upstate NY brewery get into Nashville. And of course, Nashville hot chicken.

I would recommend Nashville, but mostly because its Nashville and you are a block or two away from all the music/bars/fun. No 40 miles drives out to the middle of nowhere.

Which reminds me, skip Ottawa

Nashville seems to always have a lively crowd for Preds games. That's why Nashville is at the top of my list of desired new locations to catch a hockey game.

 

[gob]

Nashville seems to always have a lively crowd for Preds games. That's why Nashville is at the top of my list of desired new locations to catch a hockey game.

One of my buddies that has tickets to Jackets games went last season. He and his wife really enjoyed it.

 

[RP-29]

St. Louis (ehh)

Yeah, the arena in St. Louis is nothing special, but I gotta give it up to whoever runs their arena entertainment outside of game action. The last couple times I caught a game there I was laughing my ass off with the stuff they did.

I took my wife and youngest brother to a Wings-Blues game there several years ago. Of course we wore our Wings apparel. My brother was in his early 20s at the time and has blonde hair. They did a celebrity look-alike bit on the Jumbotron during a stop in action and as their grand finale they put my brother in his Wings jersey on the screen matched up with Ellen DeGeneres. The whole crowd went bananas - including us.

 

[thedddd]

Nashville seems to always have a lively crowd for Preds games. That's why Nashville is at the top of my list of desired new locations to catch a hockey game.

Location near broadway and atmosphere make it fun. Part of the experience outside but never been inside there for a game.

 

[blindbaby]

Agree with all the above comments. Architecturally, they are all pretty cookie cutter nowadays. Food can vary it that is important. They have lattes in Toronto

No comments yet on Nashville, so I will weigh in although others are way more familiar. But the same really applies. The arena is the arena. They do have Genesee beer, which surprised the heck out of me. Not that it is any good, but how the heck did a small upstate NY brewery get into Nashville. And of course, Nashville hot chicken.

I would recommend Nashville, but mostly because its Nashville and you are a block or two away from all the music/bars/fun. No 40 miles drives out to the middle of nowhere.

Which reminds me, skip Ottawa

Yup. I would say better advice is which arenas to avoid. Right now, N'Ottawa is on that list.

I think this thread would have more interesting advice ~25 years ago. You had buildings with strange idiosyncracies as well as fans with strange idiosyncracies. Not so much, nowadays.

 

[thedddd]

Can really equate all-new arenas to the 70's multi-use (cookie cutter) Stadiums built in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Atlanta and NY (Shea).

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Agree with all the above comments. Architecturally, they are all pretty cookie cutter nowadays. Food can vary it that is important. They have lattes in Toronto

No comments yet on Nashville, so I will weigh in although others are way more familiar. But the same really applies. The arena is the arena. They do have Genesee beer, which surprised the heck out of me. Not that it is any good, but how the heck did a small upstate NY brewery get into Nashville. And of course, Nashville hot chicken.

I would recommend Nashville, but mostly because its Nashville and you are a block or two away from all the music/bars/fun. No 40 miles drives out to the middle of nowhere.

Which reminds me, skip Ottawa

I may be in the minority here, but that's specifically why I would skip Nashville unless you can be there for a Monday-Weds game.

The overwhelming number of woo-girl bachelorette parties and just over-the-top drunkenness in the downtown area has gotten to be too much. There are still some great neighborhoods, but the downtown area isn't one of them IMO.

 

[gob]

I may be in the minority here, but that's specifically why I would skip Nashville unless you can be there for a Monday-Weds game.

The overwhelming number of woo-girl bachelorette parties and just over-the-top drunkenness in the downtown area has gotten to be too much. There are still some great neighborhoods, but the downtown area isn't one of them IMO.

So... A reason to go

 

[BGDave]

woo-girl bachelorette parties

Very true. Thats what me and the missus call them, as well. They outdo Vegas as far as that goes.

Whether that appeals depends on your demographic I guess. And I am closer to the Depends demographic

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

So... A reason to go

Haha...but seriously, not really.

It's not even the good "I bet there'll be at least one single one in the group" kind of parties.

It's the "hosing rosé vomit off of everything by 9:30PM then loudly reminding everyone of how drunk you are and HOW MUCH FUN YOU'RE HAVING before vomiting your hot chicken all over the floor of the restaurant and crashing your electric scooter into traffic while your designated semi-sober friend laments every decision in her life that's brought her to this moment as she tries to battle the other thousand woo-girls to figure out which Uber she'll be dumping you in and praying to god that you can hold something down long enough to avoid another $150 cleaning fee because you barfed in the Uber while telling everyone that you're desperately looking forward to bloody mary's at brunch tomorrow" kind of parties.

 

[gob]

Haha...but seriously, not really.

It's not even the good "I bet there'll be at least one single one in the group" kind of parties.

It's the "hosing rosé vomit off of everything by 9:30PM then loudly reminding everyone of how drunk you are and HOW MUCH FUN YOU'RE HAVING before vomiting your hot chicken all over the floor of the restaurant and crashing your electric scooter into traffic while your designated semi-sober friend laments every decision in her life that's brought her to this moment as she tries to battle the other thousand woo-girls to figure out which Uber she'll be dumping you in and praying to god that you can hold something down long enough to avoid another $150 cleaning fee because you barfed in the Uber while telling everyone that you're desperately looking forward to bloody mary's at brunch tomorrow" kind of parties.

I have been down there once (actually, a combined bachelor/bachelorette party, haha)

 

[forty_three]

Haha...but seriously, not really.

It's not even the good "I bet there'll be at least one single one in the group" kind of parties.

It's the "hosing rosé vomit off of everything by 9:30PM then loudly reminding everyone of how drunk you are and HOW MUCH FUN YOU'RE HAVING before vomiting your hot chicken all over the floor of the restaurant and crashing your electric scooter into traffic while your designated semi-sober friend laments every decision in her life that's brought her to this moment as she tries to battle the other thousand woo-girls to figure out which Uber she'll be dumping you in and praying to god that you can hold something down long enough to avoid another $150 cleaning fee because you barfed in the Uber while telling everyone that you're desperately looking forward to bloody mary's at brunch tomorrow" kind of parties.

But what about standing nearby waiting for a chesticle to pop out?

 

[BGDave]

"hosing rosé vomit off of everything by 9:30PM

GF in University loved this stuff

Memories....

 

[puckhead]

GF in University loved this stuff

Memories....

hey hey, Mateus Rose!




I went to a business lunch yesterday and the guy ordered a bottle of Chianti.
I cringed, because I was expecting this ----\/ but it was actually pretty good. (and no wicker on the bottle)

 

[dash]

Very true. Thats what me and the missus call them, as well. They outdo Vegas as far as that goes.

Whether that appeals depends on your demographic I guess. And I am closer to the Depends demographic

I hear ya, buddy. Actual footage from a recent shindig I attended

 

[Eco]

I used to go to Thrashers games.
I've seen a game in Nashville and Tampa also. Would like to make it up to Raleigh, and of course I'd love to see all the Original team's arenas.