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Best Arena?

Re: Best Arena?

I enjoyed AMSOIL in March of 2012. But the best sports arena in the country? A reach to see how one would find it more memorable than somewhere like Fenway or Churchill Downs. Maybe when compared to the old DECC ...
 
Re: Best Arena?

Stadium experience? Maybe the writer(s) got some free nachos at Amsoil or something.
 
Re: Best Arena?

It is an opinion piece. AMSOIL is a nice arena and depending upon how you twang your nostalgia twangers maybe it really, really does it for you. That doesn't mean that it does it for everyone.

I think AMSOIL is a very nice arena, a huge upgrade from the old arena in the DECC.

But opinions are like, well, you know, that other thing. Everyone has one.

Ahead of the Rose Bowl? The Rose Bowl when USC is playing Michigan?

Ahead of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? When Marco Andretti is trying to stare down the Andretti curse?

Ahead of Churchill Downs? On the first Saturday in any May?

Ahead of Sunday on the back nine at the Masters?

And have any of you ever been to the Drake Relays?

Amsoil is a very, very nice arena.
 
Re: Best Arena?

5 of the top 15 are hockey arenas, obviously whoever did the picking likes hockey.

here is the college hockey picks:
1. Amsoil Arena, Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

2. Compton Family Ice Arena, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

3. Mariucci Arena, Minnesota Golden Gophers

4. Kohl Center, Wisconsin Badgers

5. World Arena, Colorado College Tigers

6. Ralph Engelstad Arena, North Dakota Hockey

7. John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena, Michigan Tech Huskies

8. Agganis Arena, Boston University Terriers

9. High Point Solutions Arena, Quinnipiac Bobcats

10. Matthews Arena, Northeastern Huskies

and the pro:
1. Xcel Energy Center, Minnesota Wild

2. Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

3. Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa Bay Lightning

4. Scottrade Center, St Louis Blues

5. Bell Centre, Montreal Canadiens

6. United Center, Chicago Blackhawks

7. Jobing.com Arena, Phoenix Coyotes

8. Staples Center, Los Angeles Kings

9. SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose Sharks

10. MTS Centre, Winnipeg Jets
 
Re: Best Arena?

I'm surprised it was able to pull off such a high ranking given the well-known problem with toxins that the arena faces.
 
Re: Best Arena?

I don't really have a strong opinion of the rankings (which I'm pretty sure come down to little fractions of stars in the venues' ratings), but I do enjoy browsing that site.
 
Re: Best Arena?

pokechecker said:
5 of the top 15 are hockey arenas, obviously whoever did the picking likes hockey.

here is the college hockey picks:
1. Amsoil Arena, Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

2. Compton Family Ice Arena, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

3. Mariucci Arena, Minnesota Golden Gophers

4. Kohl Center, Wisconsin Badgers

5. World Arena, Colorado College Tigers

6. Ralph Engelstad Arena, North Dakota Hockey

7. John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena, Michigan Tech Huskies

8. Agganis Arena, Boston University Terriers

9. High Point Solutions Arena, Quinnipiac Bobcats

10. Matthews Arena, Northeastern Huskies

and the pro:
1. Xcel Energy Center, Minnesota Wild

2. Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

3. Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa Bay Lightning

4. Scottrade Center, St Louis Blues

5. Bell Centre, Montreal Canadiens

6. United Center, Chicago Blackhawks

7. Jobing.com Arena, Phoenix Coyotes

8. Staples Center, Los Angeles Kings

9. SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose Sharks

10. MTS Centre, Winnipeg Jets
Click to expand...


The Amsoil inside and out makes the MTS Centre look like a dump. And The Ralph makes it look ...exponentially so...as I'm sure it would to many other venues.

Amsoil reminds me a lot of Agganis (which I think is a great arena) but nicer looking, better location (wouldn't be as nice if it was on campus) and lots of surface and parkade parking.

A very interesting but maybe not well known factoid about the Amsoil is that during construction both the women's and men's team members were given the opportunity to emotionally buy in to the history of the program and be part of this historical juncture and process by affixing their signatures to a "white" beam which was later erected in the arena just inside the (main) north east entrance. If you look way up you can see it...a camera with a zoom lens or a pair of long eyes is helpful. Always thought that was an extremely nice touch.
 
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Re: Best Arena?

TonyTheTiger20 said:
I'm surprised it was able to pull off such a high ranking given the well-known problem with toxins that the arena faces.
Click to expand...

It was deadly but fortunately short lived. Air quality control tests confirmed normal readings as soon as the government interlopers, following Elvis's lead, left the building.
 
Re: Best Arena?

Having been in both, I'd replace the Staples Centre with the Honda Centre in Anaheim. Anaheim's a great place to watch a game. Easy access inside and out, plus great sight lines...Staples Centre is nice, but pain to get in and out and the sight lines can be bad...really bad. Plus, you really have to watch your ***** outside Staples...lots of low lives hanging there.

pokechecker said:
5 of the top 15 are hockey arenas, obviously whoever did the picking likes hockey.



and the pro:
1. Xcel Energy Center, Minnesota Wild

2. Verizon Center, Washington Capitals

3. Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa Bay Lightning

4. Scottrade Center, St Louis Blues

5. Bell Centre, Montreal Canadiens

6. United Center, Chicago Blackhawks

7. Jobing.com Arena, Phoenix Coyotes

8. Staples Center, Los Angeles Kings

9. SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose Sharks

10. MTS Centre, Winnipeg Jets
Click to expand...
 
Re: Best Arena?

My view of the Xcel took a bit of a hit a couple of months ago. I had won a couple of free tickets to a Wild game, and became especially excited when I found that the seats were located in the lower bowl. But when we got to the seats that excitement quickly evaporated. Not because the seats were in the top row of the lower bowl, but because they were on the aisle immediately adjacent to a camera/handicap seating platform that juts out, completely blocking our view of the goal at the other end of the ice. And the price of those tickets? $103 EACH, about a season's worth of Gopher women's hockey, with unobstructed viewing at that. :cool:
 
Re: Best Arena?

SeymoreHockey said:
Having been in both, I'd replace the Staples Centre with the Honda Centre in Anaheim. Anaheim's a great place to watch a game. Easy access inside and out, plus great sight lines...Staples Centre is nice, but pain to get in and out and the sight lines can be bad...really bad. Plus, you really have to watch your ***** outside Staples...lots of low lives hanging there.
Click to expand...

I've never been there, but I'm curious - where are the bad sightlines? Are they obstructed views?
 
Re: Best Arena?

Since were on to personal favorites and opinions now...been to a couple Rose Bowl games which were probably the biggest / greatest spectacle surrounding an arena / sports event I've experienced. Rose Bowl Eve float construction...Rose Parade make it quite an experience.

USC vs. OSU and UCLA vs. OSU.

Been to the Indy 500 a few times which is comparable for me. Race fans know how to party.

Hope to get to the Derby someday.
 
Re: Best Arena?

As far as college rinks, World Arena home of Colorado College is nice but my favorite is Magness Arena on the University of Denver campus. There are no bad seats in the house. Drawback is not sufficient parking.
 
Re: Best Arena?

We were in the upper seats and they are soooo far away that the game became secondary to listening to the uninformed LA "hockey fans." Also, there was only single escalator taking spectators down from our section and it took us a good half hour at least to get out of the arena. I'd hate to see what would happen if an emergency took place.

Anaheim is my fave arena! But then again, I haven't been to too many NHL sites to properly judge.


WiscDC said:
I've never been there, but I'm curious - where are the bad sightlines? Are they obstructed views?
Click to expand...
 
Re: Best Arena?

I'm a big fan of Mariucci out west. But Mariucci and Ridder are the only western rinks I've been to. I just know that it ranks ahead of all of the arenas I've been to out east. I *love* Ridder too.

Also the Alfond up at Maine is a perfect example of a dumpy craphole of a barn that makes it one of my absolute favorite places to watch a hockey game. Great fans too.
 
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