41 replies to this topic

[Blueliner]

Does anyone know how many rows of seating there are in the upper bowl? More specifically in Section 202 B. I'm trying to buy tickets in this section, but I don't want to be stuck at the very top where you have the ceiling right above you. Can anyone help me out? I would appreciate it.

[stevkrause]

Does anyone know how many rows of seating there are in the upper bowl? More specifically in Section 202 B. I'm trying to buy tickets in this section, but I don't want to be stuck at the very top where you have the ceiling right above you. Can anyone help me out? I would appreciate it.

Unless you're in the first 10 rows of the upper bowl, it's not great...

Personally, I won't even go to the Joe anymore unless I'm in the lower bowl, the seats are too crammed up top, the concourse sucks and the bathrooms are a disaster... last season I vowed to not go to another game until they get a new arena...

[HankthaTank]

Does anyone know how many rows of seating there are in the upper bowl? More specifically in Section 202 B. I'm trying to buy tickets in this section, but I don't want to be stuck at the very top where you have the ceiling right above you. Can anyone help me out? I would appreciate it.

That section has around 22-24 rows I believe. But that section should be in an open area without the ceiling above you and you may have a wall to lean on and can see all of the play. It is actually not a bad place to sit in my opinion. Only bad part about being on that side is the Wings only shoot their once.

[Hockeytown_Ryan]

Unless you're in the first 10 rows of the upper bowl, it's not great...

Personally, I won't even go to the Joe anymore unless I'm in the lower bowl, the seats are too crammed up top, the concourse sucks and the bathrooms are a disaster... last season I vowed to not go to another game until they get a new arena...

Awesome fan spirit there!

I understand that the building is not what it used to be .. but damn.... to never go to a game because of it!!

[stevkrause]

Awesome fan spirit there!

I understand that the building is not what it used to be .. but damn.... to never go to a game because of it!!

you're going to question my fandom based off of that?!?!? I take an annual trip to GR to watch the Griffins at Van Andel (side note - it's pretty sad when your AHL arena BLOWS AWAY your NHL arena), I watch every single game, stream SEL and SM-Liga games to watch our other prospects online, and have been to over 100 games at the Joe... my point is, I am not going to pay money to support a venue that I think needs to go away anymore, the live game experience is not JUST the product on the ice, but the environment too and the Joe is a hole these days... I am simply not going to accept "bare minimum" anymore for my entertainment dollar, when I can watch the game in HD on my 52 inch LCD in my cushy chair, with my bottled micro-brew beer and my bathroom 20 feet away, without dealing with the crowd OR the traffic, just to go to a s*** arena...

Edited by stevkrause, 23 February 2011 - 11:55 AM.

[Din758]

i sat in 203c row 15 last night. id have rather been on the other side but seats were still good. lower bowl isnt all its cracked up to be, being up top gives you a better view of the whole ice. then you can see how they set up breakouts, in the O-zone, etc.

dont get me wrong lower bowl is sweet, but no reason to not goto the games if you cant sit down there.

as for the bathrooms, learn to go during commercial breaks. usually i can get from the seats, to the bathroom, and back up only missing a minute or 2 of action, if that.

[stevkrause]

i sat in 203c row 15 last night. id have rather been on the other side but seats were still good. lower bowl isnt all its cracked up to be, being up top gives you a better view of the whole ice. then you can see how they set up breakouts, in the O-zone, etc.

dont get me wrong lower bowl is sweet, but no reason to not goto the games if you cant sit down there.

as for the bathrooms, learn to go during commercial breaks. usually i can get from the seats, to the bathroom, and back up only missing a minute or 2 of action, if that.

...I am not going to pay money to support a venue that I think needs to go away anymore, the live game experience is not JUST the product on the ice, but the environment too and the Joe is a hole these days... I am simply not going to accept "bare minimum" anymore for my entertainment dollar, when I can watch the game in HD on my 52 inch LCD in my cushy chair, with my bottled micro-brew beer and my bathroom 20 feet away, without dealing with the crowd OR the traffic, just to go to a s*** arena...

Edited by stevkrause, 23 February 2011 - 11:55 AM.

[HankthaTank]

The Joe hold an amazingly special place in my heart and you can't tell me otherwise with all the "problems" it has. Just my stance on it. Like someone said there are times to get to the bathroom and back and not miss a thing. Seriously the bathrooms and other things like the concourse won't keep me from a game, ever.

[Grim]

I actually like the very top row... you get to stand up for much of the game/action.

[Learn2LuvIt]

Unless you're in the first 10 rows of the upper bowl, it's not great...

Personally, I won't even go to the Joe anymore unless I'm in the lower bowl, the seats are too crammed up top, the concourse sucks and the bathrooms are a disaster... last season I vowed to not go to another game until they get a new arena...

Whatever it is....I love it and always will. Went last night and sat Row 13 upper bowl, and saw a great game (bad outcome, good game). Really good site lines of the rink and nice seating neighbors on both sides.

It's about the hockey and the Wings to me, not the aesthetics and conveniece of the arena.

Will a new arena be nice? Sure. But I'll definitely miss all the memories of what went down at the Joe.

[stevkrause]

The Joe hold an amazingly special place in my heart and you can't tell me otherwise with all the "problems" it has. Just my stance on it. Like someone said there are times to get to the bathroom and back and not miss a thing. Seriously the bathrooms and other things like the concourse won't keep me from a game, ever.

Fair enough, maybe I'm just getting old, haha

I just can't rationalize spending my entertainment dollar for the hassle it entails to watch a game there anymore, I have MANY fond memories there and will always cherish them and what the Joe was, it's just become so dilapidated, that I'd almost rather stop going before the great memories are sullied with piss poor memories... the parking and "tunnel" are a mess too, I have gotten into one altercation and almost gotten into several more because of drunk idiots running over kids and pushing in there... between the horns, sure it's fine, but all the crap that falls in between those horns are what has put me off...

[Blueliner]

That section has around 22-24 rows I believe. But that section should be in an open area without the ceiling above you and you may have a wall to lean on and can see all of the play. It is actually not a bad place to sit in my opinion. Only bad part about being on that side is the Wings only shoot their once.

Thanks for the useful reponse.

[stevkrause]

I actually like the very top row... you get to stand up for much of the game/action.

What do you mean "get to"? Unless you're 4'5", you can't sit in those seats anyway...

[drumnj]

I like the feel of the JLA, has character...a more rustic look than today's cookie cutter "state of the art" arenas.

I still think the coolest look for arenas are the older town arenas (built in the 60s/70s) with the wooden bench style bleachers.

People need to stop complaining, your going to a hockey game, not the freaking opera house.

[stevkrause]

I like the feel of the JLA, has character...a more rustic look than today's cookie cutter "state of the art" arenas.

I still think the coolest look for arenas are the older town arenas (built in the 60s/70s) with the wooden bench style bleachers.

People need to stop complaining, your going to a hockey game, not the freaking opera house.

No, you're going to an NHL game, where tickets are going to cost you damn near $100 (or more)for a pair of tickets and overpriced concessions... it's not wrong to expect your money's worth and complacency and accepting less is part of the problem... It doesn't even have to be state of the art per se, but the building shouldn't be falling apart and the seats barely large enough to fit a 5'9, 160lb guy, let alone many of our much larger citizens in this area, you should get what you pay for and that is not JUST on the ice.

[Echolalia]

I hate the Joe, also. Everything about it disappoints me when I look at other arenas around the league, and hell, even in other pro sports. I don't intentionally avoid going to the Joe to watch games in person, though, but I definitely don't enjoy the experience as much as at other venues.

[Gregsbouch]

This may add some perspective to op.

Close to the top row section 211


Row 9 section 110


Almost the same angle, but totally different viewing exp. I go through phases where I like each bowl better. I do agree with alot of what people are saying on here. Everytime I go to a game I forget how terrible the seats are. I'm 6'6" with my boots on and I literally cannot lean back in my chair. My knees are in the people in fronts head. I have to lean forward the entire game. Really uncomfortable for the dopping 125 bucks on tickets. Thankfully last night the guys next to me took off at the 2nd intermission. Smaller guys on here take for granted how crappy it can be for tall people to go to a game.


Sidenote looking at the pics the iphone 4 takes way better pics than the OG iphone did in the first pic. They are a couple years apart.

Edited by Gregsbouch, 23 February 2011 - 01:31 PM.

[weGotTheCup89]

No, you're going to an NHL game, where tickets are going to cost you damn near $100 (or more)for a pair of tickets and overpriced concessions... it's not wrong to expect your money's worth and complacency and accepting less is part of the problem... It doesn't even have to be state of the art per se, but the building shouldn't be falling apart and the seats barely large enough to fit a 5'9, 160lb guy, let alone many of our much larger citizens in this area, you should get what you pay for and that is not JUST on the ice.

Man... stevkrause:

Honestly though, I don't understand your sense of entitlement here. You could always go to another city with an amazing arena to watch those games and get your 'money's worth.' Heck, go to Toronto and spend by far the most of any NHL fans and watch in comfort. The fact is, in a capitalist market, there's no reason why the Red Wings should charge less than they can get for tickets.
Myself, I attend hockey games not to be comfortable, but because I want to see some good hockey. In the terms of getting your 'money's worth', the product the Wings put on the ice consistently from year to year makes it worth my while to attend.
No one forces you to buy $8 beers or $5 hot dogs. In response to the original poster, I have sat in 203B several times, and while I agree it isn't perfectly comfortable, there isn't really a bad vantage point anywhere in JLA. If you have more money to spend on tickets and would like to sit in the lower bowl, you have a little more leg room. For me though, I'll take the seats I can usually find for $35 or less in the upper bowl.

Edited by weGotTheCup89, 23 February 2011 - 01:32 PM.

[Echolalia]

Poor Stevekrause, gets flamed for how he does or doesn't spend his money...
It is his money, he can be as entitled as he wants. Don't like the arena, don't go to it. Nothing wrong with that philosophy at all.

[Hockeytown_Ryan]

you're going to question my fandom based off of that?!?!? I take an annual trip to GR to watch the Griffins at Van Andel (side note - it's pretty sad when your AHL arena BLOWS AWAY your NHL arena), I watch every single game, stream SEL and SM-Liga games to watch our other prospects online, and have been to over 100 games at the Joe... my point is, I am not going to pay money to support a venue that I think needs to go away anymore, the live game experience is not JUST the product on the ice, but the environment too and the Joe is a hole these days... I am simply not going to accept "bare minimum" anymore for my entertainment dollar, when I can watch the game in HD on my 52 inch LCD in my cushy chair, with my bottled micro-brew beer and my bathroom 20 feet away, without dealing with the crowd OR the traffic, just to go to a s*** arena...

did I say it makes you less of a fan? no... Did I say you were not a fan? NO!

I support the product..... not the wrapping. I like to cheer my team in the place they call home..... It might not be the best house on the block... But I wont "Boycott" the Joe...
to me thats a s*** way of saying "Id rather stay home and watch every game". it s a excuse.... just sayin.