OT: Madison Square Garden Renovations (Part VI)

[Hunter Gathers]

Arena looks beautiful.

 

[Jabroni]

Arena looks beautiful.

Can't wait to see it in person. That scoreboard in the rink looks phenomenal.

And the screen on the ceiling is very cool too. Going to have to get a look from the new Bridges as well.

 

[NYRFAN218]

Some photos from ESPN New York.

http://espn.go.com/newyork/photos/g...w-bridge-madison-square-garden-transformation

 

[Leaf Forever]

Hi from Toronto: The Garden looks fabulous. Enjoy it Ranger fans. Curious I get the feeling the capacity will be below 18000 for NHL due to the difference in capacities for NBA and NHL. The NBA went from 19763 down 730 to 19033 and NHL went down a 1000? to 17200. Why the difference? There are only 550 seats for the bridges as noted on an earlier entry. I see capacity as 17950 and NBA close to 19750. Any official word and will there be standing room in party areas and suites like in Chicago? Do the Rangers note all the available seats like NBA(thinking of the 20 or so floor suites)?

 

[Kane One]

Hi from Toronto: The Garden looks fabulous. Enjoy it Ranger fans. Curious I get the feeling the capacity will be below 18000 for NHL due to the difference in capacities for NBA and NHL. The NBA went from 19763 down 730 to 19033 and NHL went down a 1000? to 17200. Why the difference? There are only 550 seats for the bridges as noted on an earlier entry. I see capacity as 17950 and NBA close to 19750. Any official word and will there be standing room in party areas and suites like in Chicago? Do the Rangers note all the available seats like NBA(thinking of the 20 or so floor suites)?

The 17200 capacity was last year. They don't include the suites in that number. That's probably the reason why the capacity dropped, but I doubt there are 1000 seats in those "event-level" suites there.

They said a while back that the capacity won't change, but I'm not sure if that's been updated or not.

 

[NYRFAN218]

The 17200 capacity was last year. They don't include the suites in that number. That's probably the reason why the capacity dropped, but I doubt there are 1000 seats in those "event-level" suites there.

They said a while back that the capacity won't change, but I'm not sure if that's been updated or not.

Well there's somewhere between 400-500 bridge seats plus they're selling seats where the press was last year. Don't know if they're counting those lounge seats as part of the capacity but it should be in the general area of what capacity used to be.

 

[rkhum]

The arena looks beautiful.
However I am concerned about some Yankee Staidumish type treatment.
I mean, to obstruct everybody above row 14 in the 200s, 300s, and 400s, how is that fair? They couldn't figure out another method without being obstrusive?

Also, is it me or do the bridges not really go over center ice as thought?

 

[rkhum]

I figured I would add, are the Rangers getting the shaft by not opening the building?
I don't understand why they have to play an extra road game so the stupid Knicks get a pre season game played.

 

[RothmanHockey]

The 17200 capacity was last year. They don't include the suites in that number. That's probably the reason why the capacity dropped, but I doubt there are 1000 seats in those "event-level" suites there.

They said a while back that the capacity won't change, but I'm not sure if that's been updated or not.

At the end of this article, MSG officials admit hockey attendance is dropping to 18,006.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/10/photos-the-renovated-madison-square-garden.html

 

[NYRFAN218]

At the end of this article, MSG officials admit hockey attendance is dropping to 18,006.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/10/photos-the-renovated-madison-square-garden.html

Some interesting tidbits in that article.

All the Rangers banners are grouped together on the Seventh Avenue side of the arena. (At least some of these banners appear to be updated versions of the ones that had been hanging in the Garden. Curiously, there's no banner for the Rangers' 1994 Eastern Conference title.) There's also a second LED ribbon board on both the Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue ends of the arena. (Update: We reached out to the Garden and learned that they decided not to include conference title banners for either the Knicks or Rangers if the team also won the championship that year.)

Our biggest concern about the bridges is that they'd obstruct the views of the seats in the back rows of the main seating bowl. But the views from these seats weren't as bad as we expected. This photo was taken from the last row, and though the main scoreboard is blocked, it doesn't feel as cramped as we feared. (There are smaller video boards built onto the back of the bridges.) The real test will be whether fans walking along the bridge will be a distraction during an actual game. For what it's worth, Garden officials insist it won't be. Today's tour didn't include a visit to the blue seats on the Eighth Avenue side of the building, though Hank Ratner, CEO of the Madison Square Garden Company, said that there are no obstructed views there, even in the back rows.

 

[mrhockey193195]

This may be a stupid concern, but I really don't like the idea of sitting in my seat at MSG and not being able to see every other fan in the building. As in...I'm more worried about the bridges blocking out other fans and making the atmosphere feel disjointed, than I am about obstructed views of the playing surface (and thankfully it seems like that won't be a huge issue).

I hope I'm not completely crazy...

 

[Edr1971]

This may be a stupid concern, but I really don't like the idea of sitting in my seat at MSG and not being able to see every other fan in the building. As in...I'm more worried about the bridges blocking out other fans and making the atmosphere feel disjointed, than I am about obstructed views of the playing surface (and thankfully it seems like that won't be a huge issue).

I hope I'm not completely crazy...

What makes sitting under the bridges any different from sitting under a balcony at a concert at the Beacon or Radio City? Or sitting under the over hang in a football or baseball stadium and not being able yo the fans above you?

 

[jhnyr]

What makes sitting under the bridges any different from sitting under a balcony at a concert at the Beacon or Radio City? Or sitting under the over hang in a football or baseball stadium and not being able yo the fans above you?

I don't think you understand spatial differences.

You said it yourself. "Under." At a concert or other stadium, the overhang/balcony isn't part of your forward field of vision. In this case at MSG, the bridges are now part of the forward field of vision. For a lot of people, it's not above them, it's in front of them. Yes, it doesn't block the playing surface, but it blocks a fairly sizeable chunk of the forward field of view of the Garden. Some people don't care how their view is affected, and that's fine. Other people want the "whole" Garden atmosphere when at a game, not just a sliver.

 

[broadwayblue]

If you don't like the view, don't sit there. The renovation is complete, and everyone won't be satisfied. As paying customers we can choose where we sit.

 

[abev]

If you don't like the view, don't sit there. The renovation is complete, and everyone won't be satisfied. As paying customers we can choose where we sit.

I agree with that to an extent but myself, along with other season ticket holders, just can't pick up our seats and move them. The company line about the bridges to this point (with regards to obstruction) was anywhere from we don't know to it won't obstruct anyone.

 

[ratdog07067]

I figured I would add, are the Rangers getting the shaft by not opening the building?
I don't understand why they have to play an extra road game so the stupid Knicks get a pre season game played.

Yes.

Same reason the Knicks will almost never get bumped to MSG2, MSG+, MSG2+, etc. For the most part the Rangers are an afterthought for the MSG organization (in my humble opinion, of course)

 

[broadwayblue]

I agree with that to an extent but myself, along with other season ticket holders, just can't pick up our seats and move them. The company line about the bridges to this point (with regards to obstruction) was anywhere from we don't know to it won't obstruct anyone.

True, you can't pick up and move this season. But, we've known for 3 years now that some or all of the top half of the upper bowl would be affected by the bridges...so it's not like this is a surprise. Bottom line is it appears that as far as obstructions are cancerned only a few rows at the very top and perhaps a few more in the corners will have anything to complain about. Now as far as distractions from above are concerned, yeah, more people will likely be unhappy about that. But like most things I bet people will block that out after a while. If either proves too much to deal with relocate or cancel next summer.

 

[broadwayblue]

Yes.

Same reason the Knicks will almost never get bumped to MSG2, MSG+, MSG2+, etc. For the most part the Rangers are an afterthought for the MSG organization (in my humble opinion, of course)

Television ratings are all that matters.

 

[rkhum]

At the end of this article, MSG officials admit hockey attendance is dropping to 18,006.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/10/photos-the-renovated-madison-square-garden.html

While the Knicks capacity rises to 19,812. Again, we get shafted.

Yes.

Same reason the Knicks will almost never get bumped to MSG2, MSG+, MSG2+, etc. For the most part the Rangers are an afterthought for the MSG organization (in my humble opinion, of course)

If that is the case thought, why does Dolan spend so much on payroll?

Does anybody else feel this is kind of a slap in the face us having an extra road game, the Knicks pre season game being the opener, and our capacity being lowered and the Knicks raised?

 

[Megustaelhockey]

Does anybody else feel this is kind of a slap in the face us having an extra road game, the Knicks pre season game being the opener, and our capacity being lowered and the Knicks raised?

It is not a slap in the face; it is business.

 

[trueblue9441]

While the Knicks capacity rises to 19,812. Again, we get shafted.

If that is the case thought, why does Dolan spend so much on payroll?

Does anybody else feel this is kind of a slap in the face us having an extra road game, the Knicks pre season game being the opener, and our capacity being lowered and the Knicks raised?

maybe it has more to due with scheduling than you think. the rangers could have played on saturday at home. i'd take it up with the schedule makers, not MSG.

 

[GordonGecko]

maybe it has more to due with scheduling than you think. the rangers could have played on saturday at home. i'd take it up with the schedule makers, not MSG.

Yep, I don't think in the case any favoritism was at play. The Knicks added the preseason game last minute when they knew the garden would be ready. By that time the NHL regular season was already finalized.

But we all know that Hockey is a growing sport and still much smaller than Basketball, so the owners follow the money and will usually favor the Knicks in terms of priority

 

[NYRFAN218]

Yep, I don't think in the case any favoritism was at play. The Knicks added the preseason game last minute when they knew the garden would be ready. By that time the NHL regular season was already finalized.

But we all know that Hockey is a growing sport and still much smaller than Basketball, so the owners follow the money and will usually favor the Knicks in terms of priority

Pretty much. Garden saw it was possible to get an extra game in for revenues so they did it. Rangers were playing 41 at home regardless of when they started.

 

[GordonGecko]

anybody going to the Knicks game tonight? I was going to pick up a cheap ticket to tour and snap some pictures, but incredulously enough tickets are going for about face (for preseason!!)

 

[NYRFAN218]

anybody going to the Knicks game tonight? I was going to pick up a cheap ticket to tour and snap some pictures, but incredulously enough tickets are going for about face (for preseason!!)

Considered it but I've got work tonight. Tickets were as cheap as $30 earlier in the week but I don't think I would have even done it for that. I'll just wait until Monday.