Greatest Sports Arena

[See Red]

It will soon be the Pepsi Center, my friends

Yet to cheer on a non-divisional Champion NHL team and a Stanley cup ain't bad.

And the Nuggets might be on their way to becoming a great team -- with Kiki at GM, it's possible.

And I feel a chill whenever I sit near the ice and get a little cold, does that count?

Ok, probably not. But MSG gets my vote.

Ali vs. Frazier seals the deal, in my opinion.

[sj32]

Conseco Fieldhouse (prejudiced)

I've been to MSG twice (once for the Preseason NIT and once for a Rangers game) and it's a good arena to watch a game. It doesn't have the amenities of the newer arenas and it doesn't have the history of the old arenas. Remember, the current MSG wasn't built until the late 60's and has seen exactly two Knicks championships (1970 & 73) and one Rangers title (1994). Much of the mystique dates back to the old Garden in Hell's Kitchen.

I only saw the Boston Garden from the outside. From people I know who went there, it was a rat-infested hell-hole that was almost always unpleasant to be in - particularly during the playoffs when it got hot outside (and their was no air conditioning inside). This, of course, gave the Celtics and Bruins a true home-court/ice advantage. The Celtics' championships make the Gahden the most historically significant arena in pro basketball.

I've never been north of the border, so I can't comment on actually sitting in the Forum or Maple Leaf Gardens, but they obviously are 1-2 as far as historical significance in the NHL with Boston Garden probably third. I had always heard that the Met Center was a great place to watch a game and that most of the new buildings are excellent.

[Phil]

Despite hosting major championship-winning teams in 2 different sports, Boston Garden still hosted 'only' 21 champions (according to ballparks.com, 16 by the Celtics, 5 by the Bruins).

Even if you discount the two Cups the Montreal Maroons won, the Canadiens were responsible for 24 Stanley Cup banners in the Forum, including (as CC97 already mentioned) at least one in every decade from the 1910s to the 1990s.

[JQK]

MSG is the greatest simply because it is MSG. The name "Madison Square Garden" carries with it prestige, it carries a sense of bigness. Alot of it has to do with NYC, no doubt. If the same arena was in East Bumblefu*k, Ohio... it wouldn't be considered much, but MSG isn't know as the "Worlds Most Famous Arena" for nothing.

If you are, or were, holding a big event, the top of the peak, the venue you creme over, is Madison Square Garden. Bottom Line.

My personal tastes? I loved the look and architecture of Maple Leaf Gardens and the old Chicago Stadium.

[Brass]

I have a question.

Is this topic about which arena's teams had more championships? Or is it about the history, passion for the game, and how much the place had a special feel to you?

The old Boston Garden did have the old-time hockey feel, and the passion for hockey or basketball was so much, it could knock the roof off.

Also, do baseball stadiums count as well? If so, I'll go with Fenway. I mean Yankee Stadium does have a lot, but I just love Fenway. You can't denie that you love the seats on the monster

[habsfannova]

Hockey: The Forum or MLG

Basketball: The Garden

Baseball: Fenway or Yankee

Football: Lambeau or Taylor Field

Boxing: MSG

Golf: Augusta(Even though they have had "Problems" with my race in the past....)

[CC97]

Hockey: The Forum or MLG

Basketball: The Garden

Baseball: Fenway or Yankee

Football: Lambeau or Taylor Field

Boxing: MSG

Golf: Augusta(Even though they have had "Problems" with my race in the past....)

I think that pretty much settles that

[Phil]

Hockey: The Forum or MLG

Basketball: The Garden

Baseball: Fenway or Yankee

Football: Lambeau or Taylor Field

Boxing: MSG

Golf: Augusta(Even though they have had "Problems" with my race in the past....)

Drop Taylor field from that least, and I think you might have a unanimous vote in your favour.

[habsfannova]

Can't go wrong here:

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

Ah, good ol' Centre 200. Named after Sydney's bicentenial. Former home of the Cape Breton Oilers and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. I went to a lot of games there.

[mac]

strictly speaking only on the amount of fun had at an arena, I would have to say That Nationwide Arena in Columbus is outstanding. I've been to alot of games there and even when the Jackets lose which is often, the energy level is through the rafters, not to mention the fun things they do with the jumbotron. I've been to pittsburgh, chicago, and even joe louis in detroit, they just weren't the same. ESPN magazine thought so highly of it, they ranked it as the number one in stadium experience. Historically they don't have it but if you're looking for a good time go there. Nationwide makes it fun to watch a bad team.

[Stampman]

Hey I thought I posted here already--well I'll post it again--

It's got to be the Montreal Forum.

[winters in buffalo]

There might not be much history in it, but for pure sentimental value, I'd kill for a row of oranges from Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium.

[the_cynic]

I have a question.

Is this topic about which arena's teams had more championships? Or is it about the history, passion for the game, and how much the place had a special feel to you?

The old Boston Garden did have the old-time hockey feel, and the passion for hockey or basketball was so much, it could knock the roof off.

Also, do baseball stadiums count as well? If so, I'll go with Fenway. I mean Yankee Stadium does have a lot, but I just love Fenway. You can't denie that you love the seats on the monster

If you read the title of this thread is says "Arena". Stadiums don't count! Well flip any big arena located in a city like New York City is going to be consider one of the greats just because of it's location. Tack 50+ years onto the arena and of course you're gonna call it "The Greatest Arena in the World". I'll still take the Boston Garden anyday. If you ever went there you'll know what I'm talking about. As far as tradition, history, and the goose bump feel the Boston Garden is hands down the top arena. Take my word for it!

[CZzyzx41]

OK I think we've just about reached an end to the favories. MSG, MLG, Boston Garden, and Montreal Forum. There ya go.

Now...what is THE WORST arena ever to host a top level professional league team such as the NHL, NBA, etc.

At the moment I'll say San Diego Sports Arena. Perhaps back in the days of the San Diego Rockets (I'm too young to remember) it was ok but by the time the Clippers rolled in it stunk. I watch Sockers and Gulls games there and it still amazes me that this crap hole is still hosting sports teams.

[NJTank]

The Montreal Forum is the greatest hockey arena of all time all teh Stanley Cup Finals played there, RIchard, you name it.

However the best overall Arena has got to be the garden

All teh professional and college basketball history the Big East Tourney every year is among the best postseaaon tourneys. The NIT to a lesser extene is classic too. Willis Reed limping on to teh court in 1970.

It has a a great hockey history the 1994 playoffs.

Then you have boxing Ali Vs Frazier 1, cant get bigger then that.

You have the largest indoor track event the MIlrose Games there every year too.

And all this in the middle of the biggest city n the world. Its the ultimate showcase. Everyone who plays basketball dreams of playing in the Garden.

It simply has more history then any other building.

As the slogan says Its the Worlds Most Famous Arena

[habsfannova]

Nothing will ever beat the one time I got to go to the Forum. The hot dogs, the noise, the banners in the rafters, that feeling when Roy made a save....I didn't care that I was standing up!

[fiasco!]

my opinions, my choices:

baseball: Tiger Stadium, followed closely by Wrigley Field....there's no place on earth i loved more than Tiger Stadium, i must have been to over 500 games there in my life...i worked security there for a couple seasons, just so i could get paid to see ballgames...to me, the history, the smells, the ambience, the close proximity to the field of play and the players made it the best stadium experience i ever had, or will ever have. when the stadium closed, it was one of the saddest days of my life.

hockey: Maple Leaf Gardens, followed closely by Olympia Stadium (Detroit) and old Chicago Stadium

football: Soldier Field

basketball: i've only seen basketball at the Rosemont Horizon and The Palace of Auburn Hills, so i'd go with the Palace.

minor league baseball: Ned Skeldon Stadium (Toledo Mud Hens)

[NJTank]

Nothing will ever beat the one time I got to go to the Forum. The hot dogs, the noise, the banners in the rafters, that feeling when Roy made a save....I didn't care that I was standing up!

Im sure the Forum was great its a shame the Habs felt they had to leave it. In hindsight Montreal should have built a Stadium for the Expos and fixed teh Forum since Habs fnas didnt mind that it was old.

[habsfannova]

Nah, the Molson Centre was built with private money. They were gonna move the team anyway. It's just logic: 21k seats v. 16 and change. Any rennovation would be a complete and total rebuild.

I wish they'd call the Bell Centre the "Forum presented by Bell", but that'll never happen.

[Roger Clemente]

In spite of the history of Maple Leaf Gardens and the Montreal Forum, to me the most historic arena in North America is Madison Square Garden. From all those boxing matches, to those concerts and movie premieres, Rangers hockey and Knicks basketball (which, in spite of only winning two titles, seems to be the premiere basketball organization). The fact that the final buzzer is a real buzzer is cool. It has that historic feel that you can pick up just from looking at it, plus the fact that each incarnation of the arena still maintained that same rustic feel. It's also the only arena in the NHL that has a circular seating pattern, which I feel offers great sightlines around because you're mostly facing in towards the middle where the most action happens and you only have to tilt you head slighty to see the action in the ends. And it's perfectly for basketball because the court is smaller and you don't have to move your head are far. The front row is about three feet above ice level and it weilds lengthy penalty boxes. (I'm thinking that if they never cared about that that fact that the front row is above the ice, I could imagine that they could lop off a couple more rows and put in an Olympic sized surface.

MSG is the one Original Six arena that intrigues me the most. Followed in second by the Maple Leaf Gardens (just for those end zone sections) and then the Olympia (for it's apparently deformed ice surface that I've never seen.) Boston Garden is, IMO, one of the ugliest interiors I've ever seen. It looks way too small to be comfortable in, has the most disjointed upper deck I've ever seen and the most cluttered rafters I've ever seen (I could never think of 30 different accomplishments worth putting up a banner for the Bruins.) It may all be something that adds to the mystique of the building, but IMO, every old school arena does it. Besides, I can only conjure up goosebumps from memories I have.

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.