Maybe you made it to all 12 USHL arenas in the 2000-01 season, or maybe you've only followed from online. Either way, here are one person's thoughts on the best, and worst, of USHL arenas.
LOUDEST ARENA:
1. Ice Box, Lincoln: As loud as any arena in any league. Just ask anyone who went to last year's Clark Cup.
2. Metro Ice Sports Arena, Des Moines: The curved wooden roof seems to accentuate noise.
3. Tri-City Arena, Kearney: The metal roof and warehouse-style metal building contribute to the overall noise level.
BEST SIGHTLINES:
1. Sioux City Auditorium, Sioux City: Ultra-steep sightlines give most fans a press box-style view of the action.
2. Rochester Rec Center, Rochester: The bleacher-style seats are uncomfortable, the arena is frigid, but the sightlines are tough to beat.
3. The Edge, Chicago: The fans are close to the action, and the seats are steep enough to see the game.
WORST SIGHTLINES:
1. Sioux Falls Arena, Sioux Falls: Designed primarily for basketball. The vast majority of seats have at least 25% of the ice completely obstructed.
2. Aksarben Coliseum, Omaha: The seats are too far away from the ice, and most seats have some obstruction from poles.
3. Tri-City Arena, Kearney: The rise on the seating area is virtually flat, making it tough to see through the glass. A screen behind each net doesn't help.
BEST ICE:
1. The Edge, Chicago: The NHL's Blackhawks and IHL's Wolves practice here, so good ice is a priority.
2. Ice Box, Lincoln: Despite sellout crowds, the Ice Box stays cool, and the ice benefits.
3. Rochester Rec Center, Rochester: One benefit of the frigid temperatures prevalent both inside and outside.
BEST HOME-ICE ADVANTAGE:
1. Ice Box, Lincoln: One home loss in regulation last season before the playoffs. 5,010 rabid fans are a big reason.
2. Metro Ice Sports Arena, Des Moines: The fans are on loud and on top of the game.
3. Tri-City Arena, Kearney: Central Nebraska fans may be new to hockey, but they're learning fast.
BEST PRE-GAME FESTIVITIES:
1. Ice Box, Lincoln: The "Thunderstruck" light show is the best pre-game show anywhere.
2. Tri-City Arena, Kearney: The home team introductions are impressive, capping off with the last player lighting the blade of his stick on fire.
3. Cedar Rapids Arena, Cedar Rapids: Glowing logos in the ice add a new element to the pre-game festivities.
BEST CONCESSIONS:
1. Ice Box, Lincoln: The best selection in the league, good quality, and relatively reasonable pricing.
2. Tri-City Arena, Kearney: Less selection than the Ice Box, but not bad for arena food.
3. Sioux City Auditorium, Sioux City: The Audi's "taco in a bag" is the best single food item in the league.
BEST ARENA MUSIC:
1. Tri-City Arena, Kearney: The mix of hard rock and techno music is ideal for hockey.
2. Ice Box, Lincoln: More pop than there used to be, but still plenty of hockey music.
3. Sioux City Auditorium, Sioux City: Unfortunately, the sound system falls far short of the music quality.
BEST SOUND SYSTEM:
1. Ice Box, Lincoln: Tough to find a better system anywhere.
2. Cedar Rapids Arena, Cedar Rapids: New arena with modern technology.
3. Young Arena, Waterloo: Would be much clearer with less metal in the building, but that is not the system's fault.
BEST SCOREBOARD:
1. Metro Ice Sports Arena, Des Moines: The only video replay screen in the USHL. No other scoreboard is even close.
MOST TRADITIONAL HOCKEY ENVIRONMENT:
1. Sioux City Auditorium, Sioux City: The place just feels like hockey, from the steep sightlines to the organ music. Even Dino, the tuxedo-clad zamboni driver, has become somewhat of a local celebrity.
2. Metro Ice Sports Arena, Des Moines: The place feels and smells like hockey. The locker rooms are located on the main concourse, a throwback to yesterday's arenas.
3. The Edge, Chicago: A new arena that has the feel of an overgrown youth hockey arena, which has both advantages and drawbacks.
BEST MERCHANDISE/SOUVENIRS
1. Des Moines Buccaneers, Metro Ice Sports Arena, Des Moines: The Bucs do a great job of providing high-quality merchandise at a reasonable price.
2. Lincoln Stars, Ice Box, Lincoln: The Stars have a wide range of merchandise available at a wide range of pricing.
3. Tri-City Storm, Tri-City Arena, Kearney: Storm merchandise is the hottest thing in Kearney, and the marketable purple and black colors are a big factor.
By Trevor Grimm
Send your comments to Trevor Grimm at ushlfan@aol.com.
