Heading to JLA for the first time ever for Game 3 - few questions

[DntDrnkThWtr 0]

hey everyone, ill first start off by saying im am from *gulp* chicago and ive always wanted to experience a Blackhawks - Red Wings game in Detroit so Im planning on making the trip out there next week. Ive never been to the Detroit area so any suggestions/tips would be great.

1) Hows parking around JLA and where do people suggest to park and what should we expect to pay?

2) Doors open 1 hour before game time correct?

3) Finally, how are Detroit fans with opposing fans haha - myself and my younger boys will be repping our Blackhawks gear of course and Ive heard Detroit can be pretty brutal.

thanks for the help in advance and i cant wait for this series to get underway!

[Cali-Wing-Nut 102]

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/topic/71813-dearborn-councilman-assaulted-outside-jla/

Its not guaranteed that you walk away in one piece..

Just saying.

[MCleveland89 122]

1) I park on Cobo Roof. It's $10, which is cheaper than Joe Louis Parking ($15) and you get out way faster. Plus, it's just as close.

2) I believe so, not sure though.

3) I haven't seen any opposing fans bullied personally. Just be respectful and hopefully everyone will do the same.

Oh, and have fun. Maybe bring ear plugs. The Joe is going to be rockin' once we beat your Blackhawks!

[Cali-Wing-Nut 102]

As a typical away fan (I go to Sharks games in full Wings regalia) I can offer this small bit of advise...

if your team wins (not gonna happen) leave early or wait till all the drunks file out and have left. The main exodus is when bad things happen, especially when the away team is the winner. With kids in tow, I suggest waiting it out in the arena for 15 minutes and then make your way to the car.

The other option is to stay close to other families, as you wont be a target with more children.

This is more of a sports event suggestion in general, but during playoffs between blood rivals, it's much more important to keep in mind.

Win or lose, I hope you guys have a great time and enjoy the game without the worry of drunks and such.

[IILeiBlazeII 15]

1) The ABSOLUTE easiest time I've had as an out-of-towner getting in and out of the Joe (as long as you're willing to drop some cash and stay a night) was staying at the Greektown Casino and taking the, what, $.50 people mover (the monorail that moves around Detroit) to and from the game. There is a stop literally inside both buildings, so you don't even need to walk the streets. This eliminates the stress of getting out after the game, imo. Bonus? Delicious Greek food before the game! There is also payed parking down in Greektown, but I'm not familiar enough with it to recommend it.

2) I believe that's correct, but I've never tried to get in before 1 hour.

3) There will be assholes chirping you, even with young kids. I'm sorry in advance. Unfortunately, it happens everywhere (I can remember getting chirped throughout my childhood when my folks took me all over to away games). I don't think you'll have to worry about physical altercations or getting "beered" or anything like that, but I'd suspect nothing more than if a Wings fan tromped into the United Center and got "Detroit Sucks" yelled at them on the concourse intermittently. I agree completely with Cali that you should wait till the masses shuffle out (or - gag - leave early) before taking your leave. You aren't gonna get anywhere fast, no matter what you do.

Hopefully you have fun and good luck (with getting to the Joe, not winning the game! haha)! GO WINGS!!!

[Travis 576]

You can stay at the hotel with children, certainly. They divide the casino and the hotel so you can access the people mover without ever actually entering the casino.

That said, there is a church with a parking lot right next to Greektown Casino where you can park for $5-$10 - if you aren't staying the night.

As far as the crowds go - I've never seen Detroit fans start any real trouble, but I'm usually a frequenter of Tigers games. Perhaps you guys can simply remove your Blackhawk jerseys on your way out of the arena? I think you'll be all right, though, especially with children in tow.

[DntDrnkThWtr 0]

Well we aren't staying the night and will be heading back to at least Lansing right after the game but most likely right back to Chicago so I can get to work in the morning.

As far as Chicago fans, I work currently at the UC and other than the occasional Detroit Sucks chant that's the extent I've seen but I'm not inside the actual bowl so it could be different inside. I don't expect it to be that bad but you never can be too cautious with new surroundings. Obviously I won't be chirping back/standing up and cheering like an idiot but I hope people don't mind seeing the back of my Kane jersey . The most of my heckling will be with my girlfriend who will be wearing her Datsyuk jersey

[DntDrnkThWtr 0]

Well that's a shame. I apologize for any rude remarks you get in Chicago. I will give a little stink eye to opposing fans if they are obnoxious but just wearing the gear and cheerin on your team is fine by me

[Vladiator 116]

If you looking for the quickest in and out parking at the Joe, the Cobo Roof ($10) is the way to go. You can walk out of the Joe and be on the road within 10-15 minutes tops.

[OldMan333 13]

Well we aren't staying the night and will be heading back to at least Lansing right after the game but most likely right back to Chicago so I can get to work in the morning.

As far as Chicago fans, I work currently at the UC and other than the occasional Detroit Sucks chant that's the extent I've seen but I'm not inside the actual bowl so it could be different inside. I don't expect it to be that bad but you never can be too cautious with new surroundings. Obviously I won't be chirping back/standing up and cheering like an idiot but I hope people don't mind seeing the back of my Kane jersey . The most of my heckling will be with my girlfriend who will be wearing her Datsyuk jersey

I predict you are going to catch some heat for the Kane jersey. If you've got the option to switch to a Toews jersey, do it! Kane is not well liked (I think that's an understatement).

[RedLightGoesOn 81]

I would also like to ask a question regarding the JLA.

Are there any seats that totally suck at the JLA? How are the seats around/behind the goal? I am looking to score some tickets but don't know what seats are worth dodging.

[vladdy16 2,154]

There are no bad seats at the Joe. I've sat everywhere possible in the arena and have never had cause for complaint. It depends on your preference for a view. My favorites would be in the upper bowl, sections 207, 208, 221 or 222.

[jollymania 162]

I live in Chicago and I will tell you without a doubt the UC is a far more hostile environment for little kids. I've even seen Hawks fans deck Wings fans celebrating while walking in the aisles after goals and there is much more profanity. You will notice at the joe that when there isn't a goal celebration or a lets go wings chant the crowd tends to focus on the game and stay a bit quieter than in most arenas. Even during the finals I never saw that much hostility given to Pens fans as that is the only time I've been to the Joe and actually seen large throngs of opposing fans.

[vladdy16 2,154]

The Joe gets inundated with Leafs fans when they're in town, and I've never seen it become a problem. The only fanbase that I've seen problems with is Philly. Those fans can't seem to enter our barn without stirring up s***, but other than that, we're pretty respectful of opposing team's fans.

I've even run into a few Nashville fans that deserved to die and walked away unmolested,

[Seraph 240]

I will second that there are no bad seats at the Joe. I was in the very last row in game 6 and it was awesome. The arena is built on a smaller scale so you get a good view of the play no matter where you are.

[Jenny 315]

If you're in an upper bowl corner section, try to avoid rows 26 and 27. Those are short rows that are kind of jammed up under an underhang, so they don't have the same amount of rise as other rows--it's hard to see over the people in front of you. Other than that, I've never encountered a seat with a bad sightline anywhere in the Joe.

[redwings15 47]

I think your options are Cobo Roof, JLA Garage, and Greektown Casino. Cobo Roof is probably your best option. Never had a problem. Close and cheap. Greektown Casino is a little farther away, but you can get some fantastic Greek food (saw Chris Chelios at Pegasus) and take the People Mover or walk. The JLA Garage is convenient, but it's expensive and takes forever to get out of it.

JLA doors open 90 minutes before puck drop. The earlier, the better.

In general, Wings fans are not violent but can be chatty.

We don't drown out the National Anthem with cheers, so don't try to pull that here

Welcome and enjoy!

Edited May 14, 2013 by redwings15

[AL g 0]

I have been going to the Joe since they opened and have never seen Detroit fans giving a hard time to visiting fans other than some good natured taunting.....you will get that at any arena. As long as you are not disrespectful, there won't be any issues. The poster who said that Redwing fans are tame compared to Chicago fans was correct in regard to the way they treat opposing fans. Enjoy the game and spend lots of money while you are here.

[rrasco 1,312]

Just curious, why would you prefer to see a game in Detroit as opposed to Chicago, being a Hawks fan that is? I've been to plenty of away Detroit games and if I could have a choice where I saw them, it would definitely be in Detroit, even though we travel well and seem to have a home crowd at the games I attend. How are ticket prices in Chi compared to Det?

[AL g 0]

• Jenny was dead on about those bad corner seats in rows 26 and 27. They added some seats on plywood platforms and they are not elevated enough to see over the fans in front of you. You can't see anything. Avoid these seats or you will end up trying to watch the game on the tv in the concourse area.

[Sprsquirt7 45]

I am a Detroit fan from Chicago, and I have the lovely perspective of being the away fan at the UC vs my dad being hte away fan at JLA.

As for your questions 1 and 2 I don't know about

3. There was some representation for the blackhawks when I went to the sellout finale last year. So you won't be the only hawks fans there as the Hawks travel well. The people who don't do well in opposing barns are the ones that overtly talk smack to other people and ignore the fact they are surrounded by people who don't like who they are rooting for. It is just a recipe for disaster. You simply just need to be respectful, the fact you came here to even check means you likely are miles ahead of these people.

As far as the experiences between the two, JLA is a million times better than the UC for an away fan. I have been to a wings game every year at the UC for many years. I can't count a single time where I didn't get one of: middle finger shoved in my face, yelled into my face, threatened to have beer thrown on me, or just general callous comments towards me. Now they aren't all combined at once, but still all happen. Luckily I am with my dad and my brother typically (im 27 now) who are Blackhawks fans. They are a buffer but walk alone down the hallways and things dont go well. This also isn't to say there aren't good blackhawks fans... I know plenty, but there are people who go out of their way to show their hatred for the Detroit red wings to the away fans.

At JLA my dad came and the wings fans were generally nice to cordial to my dad. None of the above was even hinted at towards him. My dad didn't do anything outrageous besides the cheering and the random remark so I think you'll be ok. His comment to me was "I kind of feel bad because they treat you so badly at the UC compared to how I'm being treated here". So take what my experience is for what its worth.

Enjoy the game!!!

[Peadydog 98]

As a typical away fan (I go to Sharks games in full Wings regalia) I can offer this small bit of advise...

if your team wins (not gonna happen) leave early or wait till all the drunks file out and have left. The main exodus is when bad things happen, especially when the away team is the winner. With kids in tow, I suggest waiting it out in the arena for 15 minutes and then make your way to the car.

The other option is to stay close to other families, as you wont be a target with more children.

This is more of a sports event suggestion in general, but during playoffs between blood rivals, it's much more important to keep in mind.

Win or lose, I hope you guys have a great time and enjoy the game without the worry of drunks and such.

This is great advice. I live in Denver, and go to every Wings game here. Even if your team loses, don't file out with the masses. It's the drunks that will cause the problems. I've never had trouble with the Avs fans (even back in the day when the rivalry was real). Keep the chirping good-natured, and have fun!

[wingsfan4795 552]

I have been a home fan at JLA a few times, and haven't seen away fans get heckled too much. There are always a few people who have way too much to drink and try to stir something up, but I don't see why anyone would do that to you if you have young kids with you

I've been an away fan at Honda center, staples center and the UC. The UC is the only one where I've been heckled, but I was always either a kid or young teenager at the other two. Nobody has ever really crossed a line when I've been to the UC, but they've made it annoying enough that I won't be going to any road games this series.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

I went to UC with my daughter a few years back to watch a Hawks/Canes game. We were there to watch Jeff Skinner. The Canes were losing and the guy next to me made a remark that my team was losing. I said that's okay I'm a Red Wings fan. Never talked to me again

[DntDrnkThWtr 0]

well I would have an option for either my Sharp jersey but its a red one so doesn't really help or borrow a throwback/winter classic from a friend but I have a liking for my Kane Allstar jersey from Ottawa

As for why Id like to see the battle at JLA - because I have it on my bucket list (like many men I'm sure) to see a game in every stadium and what better time than during a rivalry in the playoffs - plus as I said I work at the UC so I have to be at every game so I can't enjoy it as much

As far as prices range they are RIDICULOUSLY different. UC prices for our first 2 games this round - standing room: (up in the rafters unlike JLA) $85 - 300 level: $145 200 level: $240+ 100 level: $350 (face value on ticketmaster is like 80-600)

JLA prices range from 60-200 face value

And as for the national anthem, that's one of the things ill really miss about the game (well and the Chelsea Dagger playing )