How To Enhance The Arena Experience At HSBC Arena

by Zachary Zielonka on Oct 29, 2010 10:01 AM EDT in Enhance Your Experience

The sites around the network, thanks to Samsung, are taking a look at different ways to enhance fan experience. Over the next three weeks, we will take a look at making your experience better by examining things like home experience, arena experience, and overall good fan rules. This week's installment deals with arena issues.

The arena experience could be upgraded in a few different ways. The first and easiest upgrade would be the team that we are watching on the ice in front of us. Since the team hasn't won a game at home yet, a decent playing team would be appreciated by the home fans.

My second suggestion would deal with swag that most teams hand out to their paying customers. About the only thing that Sabres fans get during a normal regular season is a magnet schedule while most other teams entice paying customers with bobbleheads and other cool things. Most of those teams use these promotions to entice people to actually buy tickets which wasn't a problem for the past few seasons but appears to be more of an issue.

The arena itself, even in a fortieth anniversary celebration, seems to be devoid of its history. While the members of the Sabres Hall of Fame are all honored around the arena, you really couldn't tell that there was a hockey team outside of the arena devoid of the giant mural that covers the parking garage walkway. There should be some sort of honor outside of the arena and some more historic pictures as you walk around the arena. At least giving a mention to the arena's other tenant, the Bandits, would be a nice touch as well.

There are many more things that can be said: better food and beer choices, better in-game and intermission entertainment, and others. Different fans have different experiences, so tell me what I missed in the comments.

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Samsung is also a sabres sponsor!

And really, that’s more important than any of the other differences between TV brands. :)

My protest worked! Mike Weber has been freed!
Everything wrong with the Sabres is Drew Stafford's fault.

by Ubiquitous on Oct 29, 2010 10:53 AM EDT reply actions

How about a 10 minute seminar before each game teaching fans how to cheer for their team and that sometimes it’s OK to stand and cheer.

by Andy Boron on Oct 29, 2010 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, we deffinatly need it. I dont know why the chants can’t last, why theres never any real intenstity from the fans. It irks the piss out of me. Maybe everyone is frustrated and can’t get into it, or are a bunch of dinosaurs (like the cute old couples on the kiss cams. yeah they are fans, and thats cool….but i doubt they really get excited….at anything) or whatever the deal is….it sucks!
I think about the Coyotes alot when i think about this. (i have no idea why phoneix) For some reason i bet that is a fun group of fans. Think about it, the Yotes were down and out, almost sold, then they started getting hot. I bet that alot of younger guys like us (I’m 27) having never watched/played a hockey game before, getting together, buying a $20 ticket on the glass and having a blast. telling thier friends, and loving it. All younger people, having fun, getting into a sport they know nothing about, drinking and getting loud for absolutly no reason at all. I dunno if that situation in possible, I’ve never been to Phoniex, let alone Arizona, or west farther than Texas So i have no clue if it could happen, and no source either. but i feel if we re-started the fan base, with young, loud, and drunk buffalonians, it would be different.

The dinosaurs have lost thier roar, and they are holding thier damn season tickets away from people like me!!

"Just when I think you couldn't possibly be any dumber....you go and do something like this....and totally redeem yourself!"

by higs59569 on Oct 29, 2010 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions

And to not pay more attention to your Blackberry than the game…and not to leave with five minutes to go when your up by three.

I’ve got plenty of these, that’s next week’s enstallment.

Die By The Blade - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere

by Zachary Zielonka on Oct 29, 2010 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I recently moved back to wny from phx az, and made it to the devils game(0-1 ot loss) and thought the arena experience was good/not great. I had a blast- but obviously a large portion of the paying crowd was not involved in most of the game. Being a devils game and seeing the trap can take the life out of even hard core fans though. I really think that the sabres tickets are too expensive for a lot of people in this area who probably want to go to the games and stand and cheer- so they have to pick their spots(1/2 games a year) The other issue is the product on the ice. I really think that we’ve been spoiled by some good and entertaining teams for a while now. I’m sure many will disagree with that, but it seems unless we win a 5-0 or 7-3 it “wasn’t a great crowd”. The sabres are struggling this year at home- I’ll cheer every time I go to a game because i’m a fan- As homer simpson said “tyranovision will tell me what to look at” some people are just there to cheer the crowd-meter..
As for Phoenix fans- they do have a small dedicated crowd, but the state is filled with transplants who fill the arena when “their” team comes to town. HSBC blows that place out of the water- Maybe some people need to travel to different cities to see how good we have it here…

by toomanyblues on Oct 29, 2010 1:25 PM EDT reply actions

"SHOOOOOOT"

how about letting the stupid fans that constantly yell “shooot” on the PP know that the players on the opposite team are trained to block shots, and do so more often than not. That’s why the point men don’t shoot whenever they get the puck. You need to find the correct opportunity.

by lgbfromoregon on Oct 29, 2010 5:28 PM EDT reply actions

Honoring history costs money.

The ownership refuses to care or spend the money to care.

"Grind now, shine later." - Wesley Johnson

by Afino on Oct 29, 2010 7:12 PM EDT reply actions

Enhancement?

Different fans have different experiences, so tell me what I missed in the comments…..
New owner…new GM…New coach…New players…
Pleasant experience!

by boonies191 on Oct 29, 2010 7:21 PM EDT reply actions

Enhancement? Pt. 2

How about a countdown clock…next to the shot clock…with the time until Ryan Miller asks out on the Hasek Express to Dee-troy-it and a Cup ring?

by boonies191 on Oct 29, 2010 7:24 PM EDT reply actions

How bout actually using those little gaming area’s they build. Instead of a basketball shoot (I don’t even think they do that anymore), why not build a goalie game similar to that at the Hockey HOF. Or one where you have to shoot at targets similar to the HOF.
Or have an area of bubble hockey games.

Something.

Granted im 25 and used to what we have, but having season tickets with my dad since I was 10, I know how litte there is for a young kid to do to enjoy the arena before and during intermissions,

by Fedorable on Oct 30, 2010 2:10 AM EDT reply actions

Aud Experience

in HSBC the glass is too high..the seats too far back..so we need to get the crowd rocking with music..same theme music (rock) after a goal..we needsing-a-longs for the crowd…(see SF Giants fans singing at Series) and we need passion from our players..watching highights other teams celebrate goals like it may never happen again..sabres barely slap hands after a goal..bring us passionate players and they breed passionate fans..also encourage the wearing of sabre sweaters…give consession coupons to those in blue and gold…give bobble heads….or 20% off in the team store if you wear sabres gear..have a live band before during and after the games in the concourse…make us feel a part of it..not just the shills that pay for everything..also have a weekly TV show on 2-4-7..interview players, coaches, employees..have the city adopt the team more on and off the ice…see the Joe Girardi show….as an exampls..cmon it aint that hard…

by LargeTimHortons on Oct 30, 2010 10:04 AM EDT reply actions

The glass is too high?

The glass is the same around the league.

Save Jenrry Mejia!
In lobby for Chip Hale as Mets 2011 Manager.

by Ogre39666 on Nov 1, 2010 3:22 AM EDT up reply actions

WIN!!!

If Ryan Miller plays like a Vezina Trophy winner, Tyler Myers plays like last year’s rookie of the year, and Thomas Vanek plays like the highest paid player on the team, then they will actually win some games, and the arena experience will be great! Forget bobble heads and posters. Spend a little money on keeping talented players. People want Lindy Ruff fired, but I’d like to fire Golisano.

by Zack Holiskey on Oct 31, 2010 9:46 PM EDT reply actions