“Very few cities in the NHL have the history or the following of the Detroit Red Wings.” – Steve Yzerman

Arena: Little Caesars Arena (2017)

Location: Midtown Detroit

Game Attended: December 8, 2018 vs NY Islanders

Game Result: 3-2 Islanders win with two fights and a lot of chippy play.

Seat Location: Upstairs Center (first period), Downstairs Corners (second/third periods)

Overall Impression: A Fitting New Castle for Hockeytown

When you think of Detroit, you may think of Ford and General Motors, of Motown and Eminem, and of a city that has fallen on hard times with the decline of industrial production. But Detroit has another important role in American society: that is, of course, Hockeytown.

I was very excited to connect with fellow Wells Fargo analyst and hockey player Graham for a Red Wings game. And true enough, Detroit lived up to its Hockeytown hype. The city was full of red jerseys, hats, and sweaters, even hours before face-off. Red Wings fans are very hockey-smart and intensely dedicated to their team, but with a welcome dose of that Midwestern hospitality.

And while the days of Joe Louis Arena are sadly gone, Little Caesars Arena is a gorgeous venue befitting the Red Wings’ rich history and optimistic future. It’s one of the newest arenas in the NHL, and it strikes a nice balance between honoring the 11-time Stanley Cup champions of the past and presenting a state of the art modern facility with bright young talent like Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, and Michael Rasmussen.

The arena is clean, spacious, vibrant, well-organized, well-concessioned (if we can make that a word), and really really red!

It’s also unique in that the arena itself is surrounded by an office complex, which gives the interior concourses a welcoming atrium-style vibe. My only real complaint was the sightline from our upper level mid-ice seats; I found it difficult to see the near half-boards and corners without leaning forward or standing up some. The built-in video screens above the seats did help some, though. And the name Little Caesars Arena doesn’t exactly have the same connotation as going to The Joe.

The immediate surrounding neighborhood is okay, but the real place to be is Greektown, which is about a ten-minute walk away. Tons of bars, restaurants, and clubs with a very young and gentrifying vibe. The Hockeytown Cafe is two blocks away and is a neat spot for a pre or post-game drink or bite, complete with half-boards built into the walls and tons of Red Wings mementos.

Overall, I was very impressed with my experience in Detroit. Tickets were very reasonable ($37 for row 6 upstairs at center ice) for a Saturday night game in a brand new facility. Fans were friendly and the arena had a nice game-day buzz. But the night was about more than just the score, because it’s pretty cool for any hockey fan to look up at the rafters and see Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Ted Lindsay, Nick Lidstrom, and 11 Stanley Cup banners.

Congratulations Hockeytown, you have your beautiful castle for the next 30 years of Red Wings hockey!

Building: 5 / 5

Atmosphere: 3.5 / 5

Neighborhood: 3.5 / 5

Overall: 4 / 5