What MSG upgrades/updates would you like?

[NCRanger]

Yup! A neighbor handed 2 tix to this game to my dad. Dad then handed them to me and told me to take my brother. I was 16 and brother was 14. I also remember my mom gave me a handful of quarters and told me to call her when we go to MSG since the riots were happening in LA and people were afraid riots could break out in NYC. I was immediately hooked at attending games. Since May 1, 1992 I have now attended 629 hockey games (NHL, AHL, CHL, NWHL, NCAA) of those 629, 527 have been NY Rangers games at MSG.

Pretty impressive!

I've probably been to about 120 games since then, but having been a Hurricanes season ticket holder for three seasons (3 as a half season), there's about 95 there.

I've seen the Rangers play in:
MSG
Brendan Byrne
The Spectrum
Capital Center
PNC Arena
Philips Arena

 

[sbjnyc]

Pretty impressive!

I've probably been to about 120 games since then, but having been a Hurricanes season ticket holder for three seasons (3 as a half season), there's about 95 there.

I've seen the Rangers play in:
MSG
Brendan Byrne
The Spectrum
Capital Center
PNC Arena
Philips Arena

Surprised you didn't get around to seeing them at the coliseum.

 

[Machinehead]

Ticketmaster's number in NYC was (718) 507-TIXX! I remember dialing it a thousand times trying to get Springsteen tickets in high school. Another impossible ticket to get back then. The internet is like cheating in comparison. Sigh.

Anyone else remember when MSG had tickets color coded to the level that your seats were in? First event I ever attended at MSG with Red tickets (other than the circus when I was 4or 5) was the WWF in '83 when Bob Backlund lost the belt to the Iron Sheik. Some idiot, probably planted by the WWF, started circling the inner concourse between the Red's & the Oranges waving an Iranian flag yelling & screaming victory chants. People started throwing pretzels & drinks on the guy but he kept going until some guy yelled "*UCK THIS" and charged the dude. Then about 10 more guys followed suit & really messed that poor dude up. I was 12 at the time & sat there in stunned disbelief. @will1066 @Machinehead

I miss the colored seats!

Once good progression when it comes to ticket sales is all the apps available these days. No more calling the box office. And there's a bunch so you can shop around. There's an art to it. You have to know what drives prices and when to strike. In most cases, if I can't get into Yankee Stadium for under $20, I ain't going. For the Kreider 50 goal game, I sat in the 200's for $75 which is a steal for where I sat and for that occasion. I was also using a no-fee site so it was $75 flat.

When you're seeing prices like you're seeing for these playoffs, though, there's not much you can do to help yourself. I could do it if I wanted to by going into credit or savings, but one of the things I've learned over the years about the "art" of landing tickets is that if you can't pay cash, it just isn't a good investment to go to one game. They could lose 6-0.

My friend is a huge Boston Celtics fan and I went with him at Barclays this year because he had nobody to go with. Now, he wanted to sit real close, which I get, because his team is only in town a few times a year and he wanted to make a night of it. $324 to sit in the 8th row. Like six minutes into the game, it's 28-2 Celtics. Subs in. Show's over, thanks for coming. Do I regret it? No -- I helped a good friend of mine cross something off the bucket list and I paid them off. Would I do it again? Also no.

The last time I went to a wrestling show at the Garden, I managed to get in for $25 which is the max I'll spend on WWE anymore, although that number is rapidly falling to 0. AEW is always a fun night out but I think even to this day, Vince would drop over if a rival promotion went to MSG, so I don't see it happening, and I go out to Nassau for those. It's actually a very nice arena if you look past who plays there.

One thing I like about it -and others have mentioned this- is the massive Islanders store. I know MSG houses two teams but I would like to see the Rangers get a bigger store. You can't even move in there.

 

[Boris Zubov]

There was also a New Jersey number that wasn't ever really advertised. Then I learned that all Ticketmaster phone numbers EXCEPT Baltimore/Washington were the SAME. I was able to snag tickets to one of the Springsteen Asbury Park Holiday shows in 2001 by calling a Detroit number.

in 1984, my dad bought me and a few friends tickets to a Mets - Braves doubleheader as a gift for my 8th grade graduation. I was naive then and liked the Mets. The day he called to get the tickets was the same day Springsteen tickets for the Meadowlands Arena went on sale. We didn't have a car with an FM radio yet, and even though my dad was kind of a Springsteen fan, he completely forgot about the concerts. Anyway, it took forever for him to get through, but he got 5 tickets. So we go over to Shea, no tickets. End up buying additional ones at the gate. He gets in touch with Ticketmaster or whoever they were then and they INSIST he bought tickets to SPRINGSTEEN. Somehow he was able to find out the screwup and the name and phone number of the girl who actually bought the Bruce tickets. He got in touch with her and told her to use our name when picking up the tickets, and even sent her a handwritten note if the idiots at the Meadowlands gave her trouble.

Ticketmaster effed up a Springsteen show on me in Chapel Hill, but at least that was an issue of a guy with my exact name, and they took care of the issue. That said, Kenan Stadium didn't have ticket scanners so the cancelled tickets could have worked. Good thing the guy in Raleigh with my exact name was honest and went to the seats he bought.

Yes, I do remember the Garden tickets color coded to section. I still have a bunch of Green ticket stubs from 1979-1986. They were also closer to a cardboard stock. By 1988, they were using bigger tickets with images on them for season tickets, but the generic tickets were typical Ticketmaster stock.

WWF matches used to be shown LIVE on MSG in the early 80's. I can remember playing in a Little League championship Game 1 on a Tuesday in June, and everyone rushing home at the end of the game because some match was on MSG that was "important" (thinking Backlund vs, Snuka?)

Boxing used to be on MSG a bit too, matches called by SAM ROSEN.

Similar incident happened when 6 of us went to see Billy Joel at Giants Stadium in 1990. I don't recall the details, but the girl in our group who bought the tickets had to go to will call, but they never gave us tickets, just escorted us in to the stadium & right to our seats, 15 rows from the stage. I don't think the seats she originally paid for were that expensive or nearly as good, but we didn't complain. First & last time I saw Billy however....very generic show.

 

[NCRanger]

Surprised you didn't get around to seeing them at the coliseum.

It was a little too far from where I lived in Jersey, and there really wasn't any public transportation to get out there. Wouldn't have any issue driving out there, but tolls and traffic and then dealing with Piles fans wouldn't have made it a good day/evening/night.

I think I can make it from Charlotte to Raleigh in less time than it would have taken to get from Clark to Hempstead...unless of course it's snowing and the NCDOT doesn't do anything to the roads (1/21/22 - 6 1/2 hours back to Charlotte after the 6-3 loss...)

 

[NCRanger]

Similar incident happened when 6 of us went to see Billy Joel at Giants Stadium in 1990. I don't recall the details, but the girl in our group who bought the tickets had to go to will call, but they never gave us tickets, just escorted us in to the stadium & right to our seats, 15 rows from the stage. I don't think the seats she originally paid for were that expensive or nearly as good, but we didn't complain. First & last time I saw Billy however....very generic show.

I was at that Billy Joel Giants Stadium show. It was my first stadium concert. First non-college venue show. I kind of liked it. We were maybe 60 rows back from the stage, middle of the field seats.

Saw him again at the Garden in '93. Got ripped off, but sat in the "press row", which was in front of the old greens. That wasn't as good. My wife is jealous thogh that I got to see Billy in MSG, and has made me promise if NYC gets safer and goes back to some degree of normal that I have to take her, even though...

Last time I saw him was Greensboro with Elton John in 2002. Went myself. Not really a EJ fan, but obviously know his songs. He was FANTASTIC. Billy went second, was drunk, insulted fans for paying what we did for the show, and couldn't hit any relatively high note. I was like "f*** you Billy, spent $80 on this to sit opposite stage in nosebleeds, and you're going to act like an asshole?"

 

[sbjnyc]

It was a little too far from where I lived in Jersey, and there really wasn't any public transportation to get out there. Wouldn't have any issue driving out there, but tolls and traffic and then dealing with Piles fans wouldn't have made it a good day/evening/night.

I think I can make it from Charlotte to Raleigh in less time than it would have taken to get from Clark to Hempstead...unless of course it's snowing and the NCDOT doesn't do anything to the roads (1/21/22 - 6 1/2 hours back to Charlotte after the 6-3 loss...)

There used to be a shuttle from westbury and hempstead LIRR stations but don't know when thy started. I once got stuck in Greenville airport (SC) and had to drive to Charlotte to catch next flight. Was supposed to take an hour or so but got delayed due to traffic and missed the flight.

 

[NCRanger]

There used to be a shuttle from westbury and hempstead LIRR stations but don't know when thy started. I once got stuck in Greenville airport (SC) and had to drive to Charlotte to catch next flight. Was supposed to take an hour or so but got delayed due to traffic and missed the flight.

Who told you Greenville to Charlotte is an hour? LOL

It's two, MAYBE an hour and a half if there is no traffic and you can maintain 70, which is pretty tough due to the condition of 85 in places.

 

[sbjnyc]

Who told you Greenville to Charlotte is an hour? LOL

It's two, MAYBE an hour and a half if there is no traffic and you can maintain 70, which is pretty tough due to the condition of 85 in places.

This was at the airport. Airlines flew the embraers to NY area from GSP but from CLT they flew 737s more frequently. So when a flight got cancelled and we tried to rebook I guess they fibbed a bit when trying to get everyone rebooked. "Don't worry there's no traffic, you'll make it". This was maybe 15 years ago.

 

[Boris Zubov]

I was at that Billy Joel Giants Stadium show. It was my first stadium concert. First non-college venue show. I kind of liked it. We were maybe 60 rows back from the stage, middle of the field seats.

Saw him again at the Garden in '93. Got ripped off, but sat in the "press row", which was in front of the old greens. That wasn't as good. My wife is jealous thogh that I got to see Billy in MSG, and has made me promise if NYC gets safer and goes back to some degree of normal that I have to take her, even though...

Last time I saw him was Greensboro with Elton John in 2002. Went myself. Not really a EJ fan, but obviously know his songs. He was FANTASTIC. Billy went second, was drunk, insulted fans for paying what we did for the show, and couldn't hit any relatively high note. I was like "f*** you Billy, spent $80 on this to sit opposite stage in nosebleeds, and you're going to act like an asshole?"

I didn't not enjoy the show, it just felt like a very lazy performance...like a recycled greatest hits show he did over & over. Plus I was such a huge Bruce fan that I compared every show to him...which was unfair.

Wasn't the press row behind the last row of the Greens, directly in front of the first row of Blues? I sat there for a Knick game once.

 

[JRinNYC]

Pretty impressive!

I've probably been to about 120 games since then, but having been a Hurricanes season ticket holder for three seasons (3 as a half season), there's about 95 there.

I've seen the Rangers play in:
MSG
Brendan Byrne
The Spectrum
Capital Center
PNC Arena
Philips Arena

Places I've see the Rangers play: (using the name of the arena when I visited them)

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (NYI)
Barclays Center (NYI)
Continental Airlines Arena (NJD)
Prudential Center (NJD)
MCI Center (WSH)
TD Banknorth Garden (BOS)
Xcel Energy Center (MIN)
Scotiabank Place (OTT)
Centre Bell (MTL)
Scotiabank Saddledome (CGY)
Rexall Place (EDM)
Joe Louis Arena (DET)
PNC Arena (CAR)
MTS Centre (WPG)
Gila River Arena (ARI)
T-Mobile Arena (VGK)
Pepsi Center (COL)
PPG Paints Arena (PIT)

Citizen Bank Park (2012 NHL Winter Classic)
Yankee Stadium (2014 NHL Stadium Series both games)
Citi Field (2018 NHL Winter Classic)

I've been to the other remaining arenas except Climate Pledge Arena (SEA) to see the home team vs whatever team they were playing. I also went to the Igloo (PIT). As you can see I need to go back DET, and EDM as they got new arenas after I visited.

 

[sbjnyc]

You need to see the rangers beat the isles at UBS to complete the hat trick.

Places I've see the Rangers play: (using the name of the arena when I visited them)

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (NYI)
Barclays Center (NYI)
Continental Airlines Arena (NJD)
Prudential Center (NJD)
MCI Center (WSH)
TD Banknorth Garden (BOS)
Xcel Energy Center (MIN)
Scotiabank Place (OTT)
Centre Bell (MTL)
Scotiabank Saddledome (CGY)
Rexall Place (EDM)
Joe Louis Arena (DET)
PNC Arena (CAR)
MTS Centre (WPG)
Gila River Arena (ARI)
T-Mobile Arena (VGK)
Pepsi Center (COL)
PPG Paints Arena (PIT)

Citizen Bank Park (2012 NHL Winter Classic)
Yankee Stadium (2014 NHL Stadium Series both games)
Citi Field (2018 NHL Winter Classic)

I've been to the other remaining arenas except Climate Pledge Arena (SEA) to see the home team vs whatever team they were playing. I also went to the Igloo (PIT). As you can see I need to go back DET, and EDM as they got new arenas after I visited.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Places I've see the Rangers play: (using the name of the arena when I visited them)

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (NYI)
Barclays Center (NYI)
Continental Airlines Arena (NJD)
Prudential Center (NJD)
MCI Center (WSH)
TD Banknorth Garden (BOS)
Xcel Energy Center (MIN)
Scotiabank Place (OTT)
Centre Bell (MTL)
Scotiabank Saddledome (CGY)
Rexall Place (EDM)
Joe Louis Arena (DET)
PNC Arena (CAR)
MTS Centre (WPG)
Gila River Arena (ARI)
T-Mobile Arena (VGK)
Pepsi Center (COL)
PPG Paints Arena (PIT)

Citizen Bank Park (2012 NHL Winter Classic)
Yankee Stadium (2014 NHL Stadium Series both games)
Citi Field (2018 NHL Winter Classic)

I've been to the other remaining arenas except Climate Pledge Arena (SEA) to see the home team vs whatever team they were playing. I also went to the Igloo (PIT). As you can see I need to go back DET, and EDM as they got new arenas after I visited.

Awesome.

My list pales in comparison.

MSG
Nassau
Brendan Byrne
The Spectrum
FU Center (Philly)
Hartford Civic Center
Staples Center SCF Game 1
Honda Center (Ducks)
T-Mobile

 

[JRinNYC]

You need to see the rangers beat the isles at UBS to complete the hat trick.

I know..I wanted to go see them this season, but the first game at UBS was the day before Turkey day, and I was en route to see family. The second time, also didn't work for me. Maybe next season I'll see the Rangers there. I also want to go to the other arenas I've been to to see the Rangers:
NSH, CHI, BUF, TOR, VAN, DAL, CBJ, LAK, ANA, SJS, STL, TBL, and FLA. As well as EDM's and DET's new arena.

These are photos I took of every NHL arena I visited.

 

[NCRanger]

I didn't not enjoy the show, it just felt like a very lazy performance...like a recycled greatest hits show he did over & over. Plus I was such a huge Bruce fan that I compared every show to him...which was unfair.

Wasn't the press row behind the last row of the Greens, directly in front of the first row of Blues? I sat there for a Knick game once.

I've learned if I compare anything to a Bruce show, I'm going to be disappointed. The biggest thing is setlist changes for me. Knowing what the next song is going to be isn't as fun as being surprised by the first notes of a song.

As I get older, my tastes have gotten harder and heavier. Hard rock and metal bands don't usually vary their setlists all that much.

I forget if the row was in front of the greens or in front of the blues. I just remember having a clear view even if everyone was standing.

 

[nyrmetros]

Yea.... The 200 level concourse really needs additional work to relieve the overcrowding.

 

[FMichael]

Places I've see the Rangers play: (using the name of the arena when I visited them)

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (NYI)
Barclays Center (NYI)
Continental Airlines Arena (NJD)
Prudential Center (NJD)
MCI Center (WSH)
TD Banknorth Garden (BOS)
Xcel Energy Center (MIN)
Scotiabank Place (OTT)
Centre Bell (MTL)
Scotiabank Saddledome (CGY)
Rexall Place (EDM)
Joe Louis Arena (DET)
PNC Arena (CAR)
MTS Centre (WPG)
Gila River Arena (ARI)
T-Mobile Arena (VGK)
Pepsi Center (COL)
PPG Paints Arena (PIT)

Citizen Bank Park (2012 NHL Winter Classic)
Yankee Stadium (2014 NHL Stadium Series both games)
Citi Field (2018 NHL Winter Classic)

I've been to the other remaining arenas except Climate Pledge Arena (SEA) to see the home team vs whatever team they were playing. I also went to the Igloo (PIT). As you can see I need to go back DET, and EDM as they got new arenas after I visited.

While at the Joe in Detroit - did you have the pleasure of taking a leak in the men's room troughs?

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

I wish they had toilets all the way at the top. I’m probably moving to the bridge this year because those toilets are much more accessible, but I hate the idea of not being with the fans. But my wife is gonna start going to games and wants to be on barstools with easily accessible restrooms and food. The 200s upper level are great otherwise.

The arena is pretty damn nice compared to others I’ve been to in terms of quality and modernism (on the inside). Whatever comes next will probabaly be worse ala yankee stadium, Giants stadium, etc

 

[nyrmetros]

While at the Joe in Detroit - did you have the pleasure of taking a leak in the men's room troughs?

View attachment 553419

The troughs were very popular at all Midwest stadiums and arenas.

Chicago Stadium
Wrigley Field
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Joe Louis Arena

 

[sbjnyc]

The troughs were very popular at all Midwest stadiums and arenas.

Chicago Stadium
Wrigley Field
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Joe Louis Arena

Candlestick park had them too on its last day.

 

[JRinNYC]

While at the Joe in Detroit - did you have the pleasure of taking a leak in the men's room troughs?

View attachment 553419

I might have blocked that out. I do recall the troughs at Wrigley though.

Looks like they added more LED lights this time above the beer signs in the corners.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Speaking of tickets, still bummed out that MSG decided to go paperless. I liked the actual season ticket stock. This was my first hockey game ever. Rangers won 8-4 vs NJD. Also check out that price!View attachment 552134

Wanted to follow up...my stubs were at my mom's house (now my sisters house) since I moved out west. Haven't been here since I'm back on the east coast. Dogsitting for the week, so it gave me the chance to pull my things out of the basement.

Here's some of my collection. Used to have a lot more game, but after my parents got divorced, not all my stuff made it. Sigh..luckily I have most of my '94 stubs.

Start with the '92 playoffs....Still angry that we lost in Round 2. Grrrr...

 

[Boris Zubov]

A few from the 94 regular season....Went to about 5 more games than this, but no idea where the stubs are.

The game against NJ was Gartners 600th goal.

 

[Boris Zubov]

Went to 10 games in the '94 Playoffs. Don't have stubs for Game 1 vs Wash, Game 7 vs NJ or Game 5 vs Van.

94 schedules. The larger one is magnetic.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

I think just fix the ice. It's better than back in the day, but still needs work.

Arenas I've seen the Rangers play in:

-MSG (Home)
-Nassau Coliseum (Old Islanders)
-Hartford Civic Center/XCel Center (Old Whalers/Current Wolfpack)
-Prudential Center (Current Devils)
-TD Garden (Current Bruins)
-Centre Bell (Current Canadians)
-Wells Fargo Center (Current Flyers)
-Capital One Arena (Current Capitals)
-Climate Pledge Arena (Current Kraken)

I also was at Citizens Bank Park for the 2012 Winter Classic, and Yankee Stadium for the second Stadium Series game in 2014 vs. the Islanders.

I've seen NHL games in all the current Cali arenas (Sharks vs. Flyers, Ducks vs. Canucks, Kings vs. Jackets) because as many know I've had my adventures and 808s and heartbreaks in The Golden State, saw a Raptors Game in what is now Scotiabank Arena, was outside Rogers Arena during the 2012-2013 lockout to pay my respects to the Roger Neilson statue, and unfortunately watched Game 7 of the 2015 ECF literally next to the Xcel Energy Center during a wedding weekend.

I'll probably walk by the Bridgestone Arena in a few weeks as I'm there on business, and waiting for the schedule to come out. They owe me a crapload of vacation time this year for working evenings and weekends, and I'm hoping to either see the Rangers in Dallas or Vancouver, or if it's early enough in the season, go to a game in Winnipeg or the Alberta loop before it becomes tundra.