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Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
- Thread starter shelfit
- Start date
giwan
Really??!!
robertearle
Well-known member
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
I don't think the shallowness of the benches is a function of 'cheap' as much as the small space they shoe-horned the building into; to have anything close to a reasonable seating capacity, they had to cram in the benches. But, yes, they are not at all comfortable
(Unless you want to consider the whole idea of shoe-horning the building where they did as 'cheap'. But it allows them to share equipment - Zambonis, video control facilities, environment control (?) - with the Kohl Center.)
The only others I've been to are Amsoil - which is just beautiful - and the building is St Charles, MO - which is an ugly, ugly building, with lousy ice. (And that has nothing to do with the outcome of the games.)
I don't think the shallowness of the benches is a function of 'cheap' as much as the small space they shoe-horned the building into; to have anything close to a reasonable seating capacity, they had to cram in the benches. But, yes, they are not at all comfortable
(Unless you want to consider the whole idea of shoe-horning the building where they did as 'cheap'. But it allows them to share equipment - Zambonis, video control facilities, environment control (?) - with the Kohl Center.)
The only others I've been to are Amsoil - which is just beautiful - and the building is St Charles, MO - which is an ugly, ugly building, with lousy ice. (And that has nothing to do with the outcome of the games.)
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Timothy A
Let's go RED!
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
Enough piling on LaBahn. It's a newer building, the building is impeccably still shiny and new feeling and looking. Robert is right in that the UW campus being smack dab in the center of Madison has many challenges for facility placement. If you are ever there you can see for yourself. Sure it would be nice if it was bigger and had better seating, but it's way better than playing in the Kohl Center. It's probably better than every rink out east.
Enough piling on LaBahn. It's a newer building, the building is impeccably still shiny and new feeling and looking. Robert is right in that the UW campus being smack dab in the center of Madison has many challenges for facility placement. If you are ever there you can see for yourself. Sure it would be nice if it was bigger and had better seating, but it's way better than playing in the Kohl Center. It's probably better than every rink out east.
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
I've been to a little over half of the D1 rinks: RMU, MU, LU, HC, PU, QU, PSU, RIT, BC, NE, SU, VT, BU, MC, CT, WI, OSU, UMD
My favourites are:
UMD, QU, Princeton, RIT, PSU, VT
The worst:
OSU, LU, Hurst, CT, Cuse
I don't have reference point for some of the others mentioned, since I haven't been to them...yet
I've been to a little over half of the D1 rinks: RMU, MU, LU, HC, PU, QU, PSU, RIT, BC, NE, SU, VT, BU, MC, CT, WI, OSU, UMD
My favourites are:
UMD, QU, Princeton, RIT, PSU, VT
The worst:
OSU, LU, Hurst, CT, Cuse
I don't have reference point for some of the others mentioned, since I haven't been to them...yet
pokechecker
Banned
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
MN fans just aren't the bandwagon jumpers cheeseheads are, we don't need a winning team to build up our self concept.
that and the fact MadCity doesn't have competition from pro sports like Mpls/StP does
women tell me I got a great tush, so I stand, ... to protect the assets
LaBahn has superior sight lines since the seating rises faster, but having support columns gobble up good standing room (likely a result of the already mentioned cost cutting) is a huge negative. If not for the support columns I'd rate it #1, I like the fact that it does have small capacity, creates a nice lively environment. Free parking nearby plus avenues for walking/biking thru the heart of town, and campus friendly places for alumni (or opposing fans).
Ridder has the best overall sightlines, and the fact that they took a warehouse and turned it into something interesting earns it bonus points. Worst acoustics in any building I have ever been in. Also the location in an urban campus is not a place you want to bring kids to, too many young males driving around without regard to peds. Plus it is too much of a bottleneck to drive to, especially in a city that is trying to ban cars. So ride the trolly, but that consumes too much time. Another negative is not an alumni friendly place like MadCity.
The Ralph - if it is so good, why could they only draw a handful of fans?
Amsoil - too shallow of seating makes inferior sight lines, best food, in fact the only food I would purchase at a hockey game. Nice scoreboard. Nice that you can park downtown and use skyway, although a bit of a maze to walk thru. In addition, if you want to take a stroll between periods, nice wide concourse. best rest rooms.
nobody else matters
MN fans just aren't the bandwagon jumpers cheeseheads are, we don't need a winning team to build up our self concept.
that and the fact MadCity doesn't have competition from pro sports like Mpls/StP does
women tell me I got a great tush, so I stand, ... to protect the assets
LaBahn has superior sight lines since the seating rises faster, but having support columns gobble up good standing room (likely a result of the already mentioned cost cutting) is a huge negative. If not for the support columns I'd rate it #1, I like the fact that it does have small capacity, creates a nice lively environment. Free parking nearby plus avenues for walking/biking thru the heart of town, and campus friendly places for alumni (or opposing fans).
Ridder has the best overall sightlines, and the fact that they took a warehouse and turned it into something interesting earns it bonus points. Worst acoustics in any building I have ever been in. Also the location in an urban campus is not a place you want to bring kids to, too many young males driving around without regard to peds. Plus it is too much of a bottleneck to drive to, especially in a city that is trying to ban cars. So ride the trolly, but that consumes too much time. Another negative is not an alumni friendly place like MadCity.
The Ralph - if it is so good, why could they only draw a handful of fans?
Amsoil - too shallow of seating makes inferior sight lines, best food, in fact the only food I would purchase at a hockey game. Nice scoreboard. Nice that you can park downtown and use skyway, although a bit of a maze to walk thru. In addition, if you want to take a stroll between periods, nice wide concourse. best rest rooms.
nobody else matters
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TonyTheTiger20
#SOAR
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
Which is why looking at LaBahn is so frustrating, despite the slashed costs. You can do a lot to make a place look better with a few strokes with a paintbrush.
Honestly I think the biggest advantage that Ridder has is that it's a work of art -- the whole building is covered in maroon and gold with giant murals everywhere. It's awe-inspiring. You feel like caring so much about the sport means something when you walk in.
Which is why looking at LaBahn is so frustrating, despite the slashed costs. You can do a lot to make a place look better with a few strokes with a paintbrush.
ZedLeppelin
Motormouth
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
Penn State's Pegula Ice Arena - what's not to like about it? I sit up at concourse level, where there is a continuous countertop and rolling chairs. The concessions are typically expensive and pretty limited, but that's probably true at every arena. The student section at one end of the arena is a madhouse during men's games (well, the whole arena is). It's a great place to watch hockey.
A couple things I don't understand. With the Pegula money, why didn't they build a parking deck? The men's games are always packed - that's 6000 fans looking for parking. Even for women's games, I've been turned away at the lot entrance (ticket in hand) because some other event was using the small lot for overflow parking.
Another policy I really don't understand is that once you enter the arena and get your ticket scanned, you're locked in for the duration. You can't leave the arena between periods, you can't run out to your car, etc, unless you want to buy a new ticket to get back in, even though you've already paid for the game. If there's a sensible reason for locking you in, I'd love to hear it.
Penn State's Pegula Ice Arena - what's not to like about it? I sit up at concourse level, where there is a continuous countertop and rolling chairs. The concessions are typically expensive and pretty limited, but that's probably true at every arena. The student section at one end of the arena is a madhouse during men's games (well, the whole arena is). It's a great place to watch hockey.
A couple things I don't understand. With the Pegula money, why didn't they build a parking deck? The men's games are always packed - that's 6000 fans looking for parking. Even for women's games, I've been turned away at the lot entrance (ticket in hand) because some other event was using the small lot for overflow parking.
Another policy I really don't understand is that once you enter the arena and get your ticket scanned, you're locked in for the duration. You can't leave the arena between periods, you can't run out to your car, etc, unless you want to buy a new ticket to get back in, even though you've already paid for the game. If there's a sensible reason for locking you in, I'd love to hear it.
TonyTheTiger20
#SOAR
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
EDIT: Other than women's arenas that don't require tickets, obviously.
Eh that's true at every arena I've ever been to, other than for events with multiple games like the Frozen Four.
EDIT: Other than women's arenas that don't require tickets, obviously.
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ZedLeppelin
Motormouth
CARDS_rule_the_Burgh
Nate LePage, Siena '13
Middlebury used to be a great arena when their men's team was successful and people actually filled the place. Now, it's a dud for both genders.
As for Oswego... even as a Plattsburgh fan, I have to admit that NOTHING in D3 comes close to the atmosphere in Oswego for a men's game, especially while the students are in session (they reserve 4 sections for students, and the students fill them). Perhaps it's a bit of a dud for a women's game, but it is the best in D3 for a men's game.
SeymoreHockey
New member
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
Let' s not forget the forgettable "ShadowDomes" in Elmira. Might be nice some day if they ever discover electricity and they remove the asbestos ceilings!!
Let' s not forget the forgettable "ShadowDomes" in Elmira. Might be nice some day if they ever discover electricity and they remove the asbestos ceilings!!
FiveHoleFrenzy
Well-known member
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
Echoing KTDC...This is a great description of the feeling you get walking in. Makes the minor issues mentioned with parking and food seem trivial.
Echoing KTDC...This is a great description of the feeling you get walking in. Makes the minor issues mentioned with parking and food seem trivial.
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
There are several reasons. One is that they don't want you leaving the arena to buy concessions somewhere else between periods. This has two elements. The first is obvious: they want you spending your concession dollars there. A second is that, before this policy was in place, there were a number of arenas where fans, especially but not exclusively students, would rush out at the end of a period, go to a nearby bar, pound some drinks, and come back continually drunk. It wasn't safe, and it led to an often unpleasant experience for others.
Another problem is that you have to have some policy to avoid a group of people coming in, one person leaving with all of their tickets, and bringing in another group. You can require hand stamps to get back in, but this leads to additional logistical hassles at the door.
In all, I prefer the hassles involved in a no readmittance policy to those produced by allowing it.
There are several reasons. One is that they don't want you leaving the arena to buy concessions somewhere else between periods. This has two elements. The first is obvious: they want you spending your concession dollars there. A second is that, before this policy was in place, there were a number of arenas where fans, especially but not exclusively students, would rush out at the end of a period, go to a nearby bar, pound some drinks, and come back continually drunk. It wasn't safe, and it led to an often unpleasant experience for others.
Another problem is that you have to have some policy to avoid a group of people coming in, one person leaving with all of their tickets, and bringing in another group. You can require hand stamps to get back in, but this leads to additional logistical hassles at the door.
In all, I prefer the hassles involved in a no readmittance policy to those produced by allowing it.
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
I like the old school vibe of Cornell's barn. Where RMU plays, I got the sense 90% of the folks there had no idea a game was going on next door, they were just there for the open skate. D3, I really like Norwich's arena, don't really care for Johnson and Wales (assuming they still play there..just an old run down community rink about 20 min from campus.)
I like the old school vibe of Cornell's barn. Where RMU plays, I got the sense 90% of the folks there had no idea a game was going on next door, they were just there for the open skate. D3, I really like Norwich's arena, don't really care for Johnson and Wales (assuming they still play there..just an old run down community rink about 20 min from campus.)
robertearle
Well-known member
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
When Wisconsin men played at the Dane County Coliseum, you could do that and never leave the building. (They sold beer, but you couldn't take it to your seat. So run down between periods, hammer down a beer r two, and then run back up to your seat.)
When Wisconsin men played at the Dane County Coliseum, you could do that and never leave the building. (They sold beer, but you couldn't take it to your seat. So run down between periods, hammer down a beer r two, and then run back up to your seat.)
Does Robert Morris have an on campus rink? I thought they did, but this sounds like a community rink.
Re: Favorite Rinks (D1 & D3)
It's off-campus, 10-15 min ride if memory serves me correct. There are 2 sheets, it seemed pretty busy with the local folk, just not women's hockey busy when we visited. Not exactly related, but I really like Coach Colontino and the coaching staff. There's a team photo around there somewhere of one of asst Coach Bittle's teams when he used to play there. Dude had some flow.
It's off-campus, 10-15 min ride if memory serves me correct. There are 2 sheets, it seemed pretty busy with the local folk, just not women's hockey busy when we visited. Not exactly related, but I really like Coach Colontino and the coaching staff. There's a team photo around there somewhere of one of asst Coach Bittle's teams when he used to play there. Dude had some flow.