Devils want to make Prudential Center uncomfortable for opponents

[Rock]

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2009/02...nt_to_make.html

"I do think it's important to make it, not only a place where you are very confident and comfortable, but a place where other teams are uncomfortable and don't like to play," veteran winger Brendan Shanahan said. "Which is harder for NHL teams in the day of the big, brand-new arenas.

"Now most of the arenas, rink dimensions and dressing rooms are all similar and comfortable. It used to be really awkward and uncomfortable to go into the Aud in Buffalo or Chicago Stadium. The cramped dressing room in Boston Garden or Maple Leaf Gardens."

"I loved the old arenas. I really did. It was always a curveball. I loved the old buildings with fans right on top of you. Even the depth of the corners and the difference sometimes between goal line to blue line. Or post to corner. Any shot inside the end zones in Boston Garden was a scoring chance."

"Even my years in St. Louis in the old Checkerdome, you'd have to walk through hallways to get out to the ice. Past fans with beers and hot dogs in their hands. They'd be walking back to their seats and all of a sudden, 'Could you hold up a minute, your hockey team is walking by.' You could literally smell the mustard on the guy's hot dog as you were walking by."

Center John Madden said the key to making an arena a home advantage is the fans.

"You want to get a home-ice presence going into the playoffs," Madden said. "You have to play well at home in order to advance in the playoffs.

[95Crash]

Right now, most of the fan noise comes from the Upper Corners and Upper Sides. If we could somehow convince more of the fans in the Club Seats that it is OK to make noise and join in on the chants and cheers, it would help make the building a lot louder. But how do we make that happen?

[pattyelias]

Right now, most of the fan noise comes from the Upper Corners and Upper Sides. If we could somehow convince more of the fans in the Club Seats that it is OK to make noise and join in on the chants and cheers, it would help make the building a lot louder. But how do we make that happen?

Convince them to show up?

[Prucenterrules]

Convince them to show up?

Thats the 1st step. It's a shame that these people are spending all that money on those seats and go to maybe 20 games.

[skeeter]

Or convince the Devils to make those $95 seats $49 for everyone and even cheaper for season ticket holders. Those seats and those ridiculous $115 seats the first 15 rows behind the goals that are always empty are the biggest offenders. I've sat in the 8th row behind the goal three times this year already, each some different promotional giveaway, and the face value on the ticket was $0.00. They're forced to give those $115 seats away to make it look like people are there. If I'm in the 8th row for free, you know the 7 rows behind me aren't sold either. The view for that price is horrendous.

Edited February 14, 2009 by skeeter

[The Rock 07]

Not at the Prudential Center, where the rink dimensions and boards are similar to 20 other arenas, and the dressing rooms are plush and comfortable (except when the home locker room smells like sewage).

Huh? What's the story behind this?

Edited February 14, 2009 by The Rock 07

['7']

Well basically the teams are to blame for building generic mall rinks which, while pretty and comfortable, are too big and don't inspire any kind of hockey atmosphere. The last row of the upper deck at Boston Garden would probably end at the luxury boxes at the Pru Center, or the first 1 or 2 rows of the 100 Level.

And the prices are just so insane that certain levels can not be filled, and when they are it's not with hockey fanatics. Only the seats down near the ice and at glass level should be between $70 and $90. The rest of the lower bowl should be between $45-$70.

last night it seemed like only sections 233 and 232 showed up.

[CRASHER]

Convince them to show up?

they show up

but if I was gonna pay $200 for my seat you bet your sweet ass I'd be gorging on the free buffet all night long

most of those people stay in the bars

['7']

I just did a search on Ticketmaster. 2 seats for Sundays Sharks game, best available.

Section

Row

Seats

Description

9

23

9 - 10

Price Level 2

Lower Level Seating

Club Seating Type2 Standard Admission Ticket PriceUS $250.00 x 2 Convenience ChargeUS $6.00 x 2

for that kind of money I expect to be sitting on the bench with the team...maybe then I'll ante up

I understand it's cheaper on stubhub, but for Devils-Avalanche I'm still getting between $150 and $350 a ticket in similar sections

Edited February 14, 2009 by '7'

[njdevil26]

I think the biggest offenders are the mezz seats for 100$ a pop. I've sat there and it's an amazing view of the game and the ice but really? 100$?

I usually see the 100$ mezz seats and the red seats behind the goals as the most empty.

Damn shame about the club seats too. My aunt gives a lot of her club seats away to charity and business. I sat in the balcony (65's) last night and the person my aunt gave her seats to (charity) didn't even show up.

['7']

Also getting to the game is not very convenient. I've got to drive to the train station, take the train, change at secaucus, hop on another train to Newark Penn station, walk past all the druggies and criminals, cross the streets where people drive like maniacs....then you're at the arena. Then do it in reverse on the way back.

It was more convenient to just drive 20 minutes to CAA, cross the bridge and you're in the building.

[njdevil26]

Also getting to the game is not very convenient. I've got to drive to the train station, take the train, change at secaucus, hop on another train to Newark Penn station, walk past all the druggies and criminals, cross the streets where people drive like maniacs....then you're at the arena. Then do it in reverse on the way back.

It was more convenient to just drive 20 minutes to CAA, cross the bridge and you're in the building.

Last night we drove from Montclair State to the Prudential Center. Took over an hour with traffic. Should take 20 minutes at the most.

[Rock]

Also getting to the game is not very convenient. I've got to drive to the train station, take the train, change at secaucus, hop on another train to Newark Penn station, walk past all the druggies and criminals, cross the streets where people drive like maniacs....then you're at the arena. Then do it in reverse on the way back.

It was more convenient to just drive 20 minutes to CAA, cross the bridge and you're in the building.

I drove twenty minutes last night from Bergen County parked across the street and was in the building. (OK, to CAA for me was a 10 minute drive. I guess Newark inconveniences me 10 whole minutes!)

Edited February 14, 2009 by Rock

[CRASHER]

Also getting to the game is not very convenient. I've got to drive to the train station, take the train, change at secaucus, hop on another train to Newark Penn station, walk past all the druggies and criminals, cross the streets where people drive like maniacs....then you're at the arena. Then do it in reverse on the way back.

Walk through the Newark Centers, there's some good stops and even a place that sells Devils stuffs out there, you think it's any cleaner or safer to go to yankee stadium... or once you walk outside the protective force field around Staples Center??

Or just drive (and then bitch about the price to park... see that coming )

One of my fastest rides up 22 to the arena was this Friday

I've gone by bus or train to the arena and it's not difficult if you're willing to take 10-15 minutes and plan it out!

[sundstrom]

It was more convenient to just drive 20 minutes to CAA, cross the bridge and you're in the building.

kydax?

the club seats are no different then toronto, the "hockey capital of the world." in toronto, those seats are also often empty due to similar circumstances as the devils clubs.

as many know, i have club seats - i'm there almost every game & when i'm not, there certainly is someone in them. there are certainly more suit and tie guys in the seats, but there are still plenty of "real fans" there.

i actually think the biggest thing is that most of the club seat holders are older - by that i mean 40+. these are established people who have been working enough to be able to afford seats like these in the case of seasons or are being given them by the businesses that likely own them. the nature of these kind of people is not to get real loud - certainly not as loud as the younger demographic that sits upstairs.

oh yeah - i drive to every game from west orange and it's 15 minutes on 280 - 1st st - market st- halsey st - broad st - greene st.

from millburn/livingston/summit/maplewood area its 20 mins most nights.

Edited February 14, 2009 by sundstrom

[CRASHER]

i actually think the biggest thing is that most of the club seat holders are older - by that i mean 40+. these are established people who have been working enough to be able to afford seats like these in the case of seasons or are being given them by the businesses that likely own them. the nature of these kind of people is not to get real loud - certainly not as loud as the younger demographic that sits upstairs.

it's funny they were talking about the same thing with the Giants fans on the FAN this year and why fans are being so quiet of late

it's a fact though

the higher the price, the more expensive the clientele.... the more they will sit on their hands

[NJDevs4978]

It's not even just the club seats that are silent, I was sitting right behind the net in the mezz section last night with $34 discount seats and you could hear a pin drop for most of the night.

The only time I've been out of the upper deck this year has been for the Boston games ironically, and it is nice to have a better view every now and then but boy just one or two games away from the 200's makes me glad I'm with the noisemakers in the cheap seats.

[Devils Pride 26]

Also getting to the game is not very convenient. I've got to drive to the train station, take the train, change at secaucus, hop on another train to Newark Penn station, walk past all the druggies and criminals, cross the streets where people drive like maniacs....then you're at the arena. Then do it in reverse on the way back.

It was more convenient to just drive 20 minutes to CAA, cross the bridge and you're in the building.

My father would agree with you. I think he liked the idea of just taking the PW/TP all the way up right to the arena. He always says how much more parking there ws and such.

[themiddle91489]

All I know is if the lower bowl looks like it did last night in the playoffs, I will be embarrassed. But it's very possible we're playing the Rangers again in the first round, so that could help out.

And I don't care that club seats are empty, because if I had those seats, you could bet anything I'd be in that lounge for a majority of the night.

And I don't find the drive bad. I live in Byram, and it took about an hour and twenty minutes with traffic last night. The traffic at exit 15 was brutal. But on the way home, I was one of the first out of the building when the game ended at 9:30 and I was home at 10:20.

[robdeselich88]

I'm sorry, but I'm going to give the tradtional " it's the economy" excuse. I think if things where better a lot more seats where filled up. This whole area has been brainwashed for years for being flyers and ranger fans. Another cup/ sucsesful season and I think more butts will be in the seats. My family has always had season tickets and we don't plan on cutting them off and / or complain about ticket prices. Look how much people pay in MSG for an overrated team.

[Charlemagne]

I just did a search on Ticketmaster. 2 seats for Sundays Sharks game, best available.

Section

Row

Seats

Description

9

23

9 - 10

Price Level 2

Lower Level Seating

Club Seating Type2 Standard Admission Ticket PriceUS $250.00 x 2 Convenience ChargeUS $6.00 x 2

for that kind of money I expect to be sitting on the bench with the team...maybe then I'll ante up

I understand it's cheaper on stubhub, but for Devils-Avalanche I'm still getting between $150 and $350 a ticket in similar sections

yeah that's crazy. i wanted to sit down low for this one, so i checked ticketexchange every day and pounced on a good pair of tickets that were relatively cheap when i saw them. the "default" ticketmaster selection at the time was the same price and 20 rows farther back.

speaking of which, how annoying is the ticketmaster system in general? show me a frickin map of the arena with the taken seats and available seats and price ranges and let me frickin choose. i hate that it just picks them for you... there are reasons you'd want to sit on one side of the arena over the other, like a visiting fan who wants to be on the end his team attacks in the 1st and 3rd.

[Dev's fan in AZ]

Thats the 1st step. It's a shame that these people are spending all that money on those seats and go to maybe 20 games.

They're to busy inflating the price and trying to sell them on StubHub for a profit.

[njdevil26]

They're to busy inflating the price and trying to sell them on StubHub for a profit.

You don't get much of a profit on stubhub. My aunt sold her club seats for the 3/1 game against the Flyers and made a 10$ profit as stubhub took a 60$ commission.

[Dev's fan in AZ]

You don't get much of a profit on stubhub. My aunt sold her club seats for the 3/1 game against the Flyers and made a 10$ profit as stubhub took a 60$ commission.

Hoe does that work? I just actually bought 7 tickets for the 3/1 Devils/Flyers game and paid $60.00 a pop. The seats are up in 214 which I think are $30.00 seats? Then Stubhub put 10% on the total price after. I'm not complaining cause I waited to long to get the tickets, just curious cause it seems they're always way marked up. Does the seller get to put the price where they want?

[njdevil26]

Yeah the seller can mark the price at whatever they want. They weren't selling at 250$ each so she lowered them to 200$ each. They sold for 400$ for the two. I'm not sure what number the fees raised it to... but she told me that they took a 60$ commission and she made a 10 dollar profit.