DJ Eco Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Thing is the place needed new signage all around, more luxury boxes and a brand new concourse at the very least. I think at that point a renovation would be almost the same cost as building a new arena. Plus I don't care how much fun tailgating is, that parking lot sucked ass. Yeah, agreed. If Prudential Center weren't an option though, I think CAA could have definitely be made more viable, but yeah, that's another discussion haha... I love Pru Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmann422 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Lots if great memories and moments- both for the devils and other events. Honestly the whole complex shouldn't have been built there in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecoffeecake Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I saw a few Nets games after the Devils left. Like a lot of people here, it was the first stadium I regularly went to and will always have a soft spot for it. To me, it feels like it's been gone for almost a decade. It was almost eerie going in 2009 or 2010, whenever I was there last. I tend to romanticize demolished or unused major sports venues, though. It would be cool if the Devils did what the sixers did in 09 when they took down the spectrum and have one game there. Obviously it's a totally different situation and never would or could happen. Maybe we'll get a video montage or something next season. From an architectural standpoint, good riddance. Nothing good was built in the middle of the twentieth century. At least not in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zubie#8 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Its sad to see it go but its for the best especially for Prucenter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matteau#32 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Funny...this thread made me flash back to my very first time I walked up to and then went inside Brendan Byrne Arena...I don't remember the exact date, but I know it was in 1981 (I was eleven). We went to see the Nets (the Devils were still the Rockies at that point and were playing their final season in Colorado). My dad sometimes took me and brother to Nets games when they were playing in the Rutgers Athletic Center (waiting for BBA to be completed), so he thought it would be fun to check out the new building...can't say I ever became a huge basketball fan (I don't follow basketball at all now), but it was always fun to just get out...when you're a kid, an event's an event. Anyway, though my 11-year-old eyes, going to BBA that first time was kind of mind-blowing. It just looked so clean and new...and felt so BIG! I was too young to realize that some of its design elements were not good (especially having everyone spill out onto one concourse)...at that age, I just saw this huge, white, brand-new new building that felt very state-of-the-art and awesome in every way. Hard to believe that was over 33 years ago. Even though it's clearly a dated facility that can't hold a candle to modern ones like the Rock, I'll always have a soft spot for it. I always thought the 1-concourse at Brendan Byrne was MUCH better than at the Coliseum. It was much wider, so even though it was crowded, you didn't feel like you were packed in like sardines. I always liked that arena, shame they couldn't do something with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghdi Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Its official. Its closing at the end of the month. Vote passed 10-2 in favor of close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 (edited) I always thought the 1-concourse at Brendan Byrne was MUCH better than at the Coliseum. It was much wider, so even though it was crowded, you didn't feel like you were packed in like sardines. I always liked that arena, shame they couldn't do something with it. I'll give you that it wasn't that narrow, but it could still get tight in a hurry. Food lines could get backed up very quickly at intermissions. Same with the rest rooms. I kind of liked seeing a game during a sunny day...something about the sunlight coming in was kind of nice. It wasn't a great building by any stretch (and it WAS cavernous in the actual arena portion itself...hard to believe it didn't even have a center-ice scoreboard for many years, which only made it feel that much more huge), but I can't really say I had any major complaints about it either. Edited January 15, 2015 by Colorado Rockies 1976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevsMan84 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I'll give you that it wasn't that narrow, but it could still get tight in a hurry. Food lines could get backed up very quickly at intermissions. Same with the rest rooms. I kind of liked the fact seeing a game during a sunny day...something about the sunlight coming in was kind of nice. It wasn't a great building by any stretch (and it WAS cavernous in the actual arena portion itself...hard to believe it didn't even have a center-ice scoreboard for many years, which only made it feel that much more huge), but I can't really say I had any major complaints about it either. I have faint memories of the arena without the center scoreboard as well. I remember when I first went there all they had was 2 of those upper corner screens and that's it. If you sat in the lower level on the near side to the screen you had zero chance of seeing anything. Plus it had those colored seats based on the pricing tiers in the early days (gold near the boards, orange the rest of the lower level, etc). That arena was just awful. I am glad we are out of there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilMinder Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/01/its_official_izod_center_to_close_by_end_of_month.html#incart_m-rpt-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxm262 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I found this line interesting from the below link: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/izod_center_could_soon_close_report_says.html "The two-year agreement calls for all future events currently scheduled for the Izod Center to be moved to the Prudential Center, effective Jan. 31." That says to me in two years, it's conceivable to reopen in private hands. Maybe not, but it seems designed to keep the option open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck the Duck Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I found this line interesting from the below link: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/01/izod_center_could_soon_close_report_says.html "The two-year agreement calls for all future events currently scheduled for the Izod Center to be moved to the Prudential Center, effective Jan. 31." That says to me in two years, it's conceivable to reopen in private hands. Maybe not, but it seems designed to keep the option open. I think they are hoping that Triple 5, the developer of the "money pit" mall, will purchase or lease the building and renovate it the way the Coliseum is being renovated. There was some talk last year about them doing that, so this buys a few years for the mall construction to be completed before a decision needs to be made on the Arena's future. It also stops the state from bleeding money from operating the facility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Rockies 1976 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I have faint memories of the arena without the center scoreboard as well. I remember when I first went there all they had was 2 of those upper corner screens and that's it. If you sat in the lower level on the near side to the screen you had zero chance of seeing anything. Plus it had those colored seats based on the pricing tiers in the early days (gold near the boards, orange the rest of the lower level, etc). That arena was just awful. I am glad we are out of there. Yeah, the original seating color scheme sure feels early '80s now. To me, the Spectrum was pretty awful. Parts of MSG pre-renovation were pretty crappy too. The old Cap Centre...yikes. The BBA may have been kind of no-frills and a bit sterile, but I've seen much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roomtemp Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 (edited) The one thing I hated about the BBA was the concourses were so small it felt like a cattle call getting out after a game. I do love the size of the arena. I know it was rarely ever filled but its just fun seeing 19k in there. http://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/199403050NJD.html My first game that I ever went to. Got the tickets through the Catholic school group sale thing. Tried with the Nets agains the Warriors. Didn't hook me as much. Also I don't remember them doing Nets group fundraiser sales ever again. Did Devils a few years. Edited January 16, 2015 by roomtemp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neb00rs Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Farewell storied arena. I won't miss much about the commute there or the arena itself. But the on-ice memories and the wild playoff crowds will forever be etched into my consciousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grcenter47 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 a guy called wfan who was doing construction around the arena and said that they plan to convert it to an expo center for car shows and minor events Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 http://m.ibtimes.com/chris-christie-jerry-jones-campaign-donor-benefit-izod-center-decision-1786230 Shocking right? [emoji57] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak926 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Have not been there since the Devils left. Good Memories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck the Duck Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 (edited) http://m.ibtimes.com/chris-christie-jerry-jones-campaign-donor-benefit-izod-center-decision-1786230 Shocking right? [emoji57] The premise that Christie is closing Izod so Jerry Jones can makes few hundred thousand more dollars in concession $ from the Rock is astoundingly dumb and is lazy journalism that simply is taking a talking point from empty headed politicians. Thats's pocket change to guys like JJ. Now, if you want to find a more plausible reason behind this weeks decision, look into Christie's relationship with Joe DiVincenzo (Essex Co. Exec), or a behind the scenes agreement with triple 5 to have them take over and renovate the arena to make it a part of their new complex after the 2 year moratorium ends. And, by the way, you know who stands to make out much better than JJ in this whole deal? Harris, Blitzer and the taxpayers of the State of NJ. But why let facts get in the way of a good story, am I right? Edited January 17, 2015 by Chuck the Duck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Brown Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Great memories in that place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devlin Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I remember when I was a kid... we used to run to the top and walk around looking for unlocked doors! We did find a few Sent from my TAB2 using TapaTalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MantaRay Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Saw Judas Priest, Marvel Super Heroes, and Disney on Ice there in the past year. Small crowds at each, so surprised that the arena has lasted so long in the middle of nowhere. They had to have been taking some huge losses over the years. I could only imagine had the Stevens era Devils played at the Rock how much money the franchise would have been worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Leeds Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Saw Judas Priest, Marvel Super Heroes, and Disney on Ice there in the past year. Small crowds at each, Saw Priest there 4th row..................in '86. Think my ears are still ringing. Still listen to them, but some bands just gotta let it go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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