Getting Out to See the ‘Yotes at the New Digs
So, I heard the news about the Phoenix Coyotes, well, Arizona Coyotes now, and their whole arena situation. Moving out of the big place in Glendale, ending up in that smaller rink over at the university. Curiosity got the better of me, I guess. I felt I needed to go see it with my own eyes, experience what it’s actually like.
First step was figuring out the tickets. Went online, poked around a bit. Wasn’t too hard, surprisingly. Found a game that worked, grabbed a couple of seats. Felt a bit weird, booking tickets for an NHL team playing in a college arena, but hey, gotta see it, right?
Game day rolled around. Made the drive over to Tempe. Finding the arena wasn’t tough, but parking… well, it’s a college campus. You expect a bit of a walk, and that’s what I got. Found a spot eventually, then started the trek over to the building. Already felt different than pulling up to the old place.
Walking In…
Okay, stepping inside, the first thing that hits you is the size. It’s compact. Like, really compact for professional hockey. You feel much closer to everything immediately. It’s not bad, just different. Less cavernous, more intimate, I suppose. Found our section, then our seats. No nosebleeds here, pretty much every seat feels close.
- The low ceiling definitely traps the noise. When the crowd got going, it was loud. Really loud.
- Looking around, you could tell it wasn’t built with the scale of an NHL operation in mind long-term. Stuff felt a bit crammed in places.
- Watching warmups, you were right there. Could almost hear the skates carving the ice. That part was pretty cool, have to admit.
The Game Experience Itself
The game started, and the energy was definitely there. Because it’s smaller, the fans felt packed in, and it made for a pretty intense atmosphere. Every goal, every big hit felt amplified. You’re so close you see the expressions on the players’ faces, the speed feels even faster.
Getting concessions or using the restrooms involved navigating smaller concourses. Lines moved okay, nothing too crazy, but you could feel the difference in scale compared to a typical pro sports venue. It worked, it just felt… temporary.
Honestly, watching the game was fun. The close proximity was unique. But throughout the night, you couldn’t shake the feeling that this was a band-aid solution. It’s a decent enough place to watch hockey, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t feel like a permanent home for a major league team. It felt like visiting a team, not being in their house.
Leaving after the game, walking back to the car, I just kept thinking about the whole journey for this team and its fans. Moving from downtown, to Glendale, now here. It’s been a saga. Seeing it play out in this small arena was interesting, a unique chapter for sure. Glad I went to see it myself, got the feel for it. Just hope they find a stable, long-term place eventually. It’s what the team and the folks who support them deserve, really.
