TD Garden: Should it be replaced or upgraded? (merged)

[Yoki_IsTheName]

The Warriors stadiums is a great example of sports entertainment innovation. The Celtics should top what their developing.

The new Warriors stadium is a disgrace to the tremendous Oakland fans who suffered through 30 years of total misery.

Eh? It's just across the bridge. It's not like the Niners moving to Santa Clara situation (for those who don't know, SF and Santa Clara is about an hour and 15 minutes drive, if there's no traffic. Oracle to the proposed stadium location is a 30 minute train ride). People from Oakland can just take BART, no biggie.

Because I'm sure the move won't result in a massive uptick in ticket prices. Priced out of San Francisco? Never happens. 

Okay. That's fair.

I mean, they upped the ticket price this season already, but that's a fair point. Regardless though, if location is just the problem, it's not a problem. As long as they'd like, I'm sure people from the East Bay can go to Dubs games no problem.

The disgrace is the Raiders being moved out of Oakland. That sucks if that happens.

[bdm860]

To paraphrase the Geto Boys (because a direct quote would be against the rules):  Real gangstas don’t flex muscles, cuz real gangstas know they got ‘em.

The person who needs to show off in the biggest palace, is probably the person whose most insecure.  Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses, just worry about raising banners.

[Celtics4ever]

The Boston Garden had all the history though the TD Garden has one title.   I don't see this happening.  NBA teams are worth a lot and I don't feel sorry for the owners with their bad deal.   These things do not get built without tons of taxpayer dollars.  So my vote is no.

[Donoghus]

To paraphrase the Geto Boys (because a direct quote would be against the rules):  Real gangstas don’t flex muscles, cuz real gangstas know they got ‘em.

The person who needs to show off in the biggest palace, is probably the person whose most insecure.  Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses, just worry about raising banners.

Well said.  The idea that the Celtics are entitled to their own arena because of their history is misguided. 

Also, it really makes zero sense to have the Bruins & Celtics playing in separate arenas this day & age.  Unless Wyc & company want to completely finance the thing by themselves (which I seriously doubt is happening).

TD Garden turns 20 this year.  It's not the best arena in the league and had the unfortunate mistake of being built just before the tech boom really took off.  But, at the time, the city desperately needed a new arena to replace the old Boston Garden which was already outdated by decades.   Still, its a suitable enough arena.

[D.o.s.]

The Warriors stadiums is a great example of sports entertainment innovation. The Celtics should top what their developing.

The new Warriors stadium is a disgrace to the tremendous Oakland fans who suffered through 30 years of total misery.

Eh? It's just across the bridge. It's not like the Niners moving to Santa Clara situation (for those who don't know, SF and Santa Clara is about an hour and 15 minutes drive, if there's no traffic. Oracle to the proposed stadium location is a 30 minute train ride). People from Oakland can just take BART, no biggie.

Because I'm sure the move won't result in a massive uptick in ticket prices. Priced out of San Francisco? Never happens. 

Okay. That's fair.

I mean, they upped the ticket price this season already, but that's a fair point. Regardless though, if location is just the problem, it's not a problem. As long as they'd like, I'm sure people from the East Bay can go to Dubs games no problem.

The disgrace is the Raiders being moved out of Oakland. That sucks if that happens.

I disagree, actually. At least there's precedent for moving the Raiders out. And the O.Co sucks, while the Oracle is awesome.

[Waew]

A replacement isnt necessary because the location is prime. However there is a nice argument to be made for a big renovation of the garden to make it nicer. I think it needs to be done anyways to be considered for all star game hosting.

[nickagneta]

Just wanted to add, its not the building itself that makes an arena a special place, its the crowd. As long as the crowd is elite, the arena will be elite, unless of course the arena is a dump, like the old Garden was. The new Garden isn't a dump so as long as the crowd is raucous and alive, the Garden will be a great arena for the Celtics.

[D.o.s.]

A replacement isnt necessary because the location is prime. However there is a nice argument to be made for a big renovation of the garden to make it nicer. I think it needs to be done anyways to be considered for all star game hosting.

Plus I kind of miss the Big Dig era construction everywhere.



(said no one ever)

[BDeCosta26]

A replacement isnt necessary because the location is prime. However there is a nice argument to be made for a big renovation of the garden to make it nicer. I think it needs to be done anyways to be considered for all star game hosting.

Plus I kind of miss the Big Dig era construction everywhere.



(said no one ever)

Yeah, that was a nightmare and the Gardens location next to the Zakim would cause similar problems.

But you can't use that as an excuse forever. The Garden is gonna need a major renovation soon enough. As someone else said, they built it just before the tech boom. It lags behind a late and growing number of NBA arenas in a fair amount of modern amenities. Much like Tropicana Field was built just before Camden Yards revolutionized baseball stadiums, albeit not as dramatically, the Garden needs updating before it's going to get major events like the All-Star game or the Final Four.

It's certainly not a dump though and the atmosphere the fans create make it a good venue.

[southshorematt]

td garden has a title and prime location. The renovations done last summer and the ones coming up this summer make a huge difference. , plus this project thats gonna clean up causeway side of the garden. Which will create a better fan experience and give it a more modern look.




http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2013/12/19/bra/LgQujsgnAPlgnkhSUGiL8L/story.html

[Celtics#18]

To paraphrase the Geto Boys (because a direct quote would be against the rules):  Real gangstas don’t flex muscles, cuz real gangstas know they got ‘em.

The person who needs to show off in the biggest palace, is probably the person whose most insecure.  Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses, just worry about raising banners.

This is an example of a fan that doen't have season tickets and doen't travel  to other arenas across the country. When you see the amenities being offered around the league you wonder why TD Garden fails to offer them. A blogger brought up a good point that the Garden was built before the tech boom so it's harder to incorporate such amenities. This whole notion that as time progresses our standards for luxury should stay the same is ridiculous. It's important to keep improving the fan experience and if TD Garden isn't modern enough to facilitate high tech upgrades and world class amenities than we need to built a new arena. When I see what other arenas offer and realize that the TD Garden fails to offer them, it's sad because we are the most accomplished team in the NBA. Celtics should have ownership in a arena. Golden State's new arena is setting the standard for amenities that other teams should offer in the future. It should be important for a team to constantly strive to improve the fan experience.

[D.o.s.]

"improving the fan experience."

   


Do you know the secret to improving the fan experience? It's having a team that could contend for a title, not better WiFi.

[Donoghus]

To paraphrase the Geto Boys (because a direct quote would be against the rules):  Real gangstas don’t flex muscles, cuz real gangstas know they got ‘em.

The person who needs to show off in the biggest palace, is probably the person whose most insecure.  Don’t worry about keeping up with the Joneses, just worry about raising banners.

This is an example of a fan that doen't have season tickets and doen't travel  to other arenas across the country. When you see the amenities being offered around the league you wonder why TD Garden fails to offer them. A blogger brought up a good point that the Garden was built before the tech boom so it's harder to incorporate such amenities. This whole notion that as time progresses our standards for luxury should stay the same is ridiculous. It's important to keep improving the fan experience and if TD Garden isn't modern enough to facilitate high tech upgrades and world class amenities than we need to built a new arena. When I see what other arenas offer and realize that the TD Garden fails to offer them, it's sad because we are the most accomplished team in the NBA. Celtics should have ownership in a arena. Golden State's new arena is setting the standard for amenities that other teams should offer in the future. It should be important for a team to constantly strive to improve the fan experience.

Here's a hint.  Most season ticket holders aren't making that investment of thousands of dollars for the amenities.  It's for what's on the court and the love of watching professional basketball. The ability to go to a Celtics game whenver they want, sit in their seats, and enjoy players from other teams pass through town.  Amenities are nice & all but they're not at the top of the totem pole for most people.  They're an added bonus to the luxury of having tickets.

And the Celtics organization has made headways in improving the in game experience.  Just look at what the Garden looks like now compared to even the mid-2000s.   The Garden has undergone significant upgrades from when it opened in 1995.  Sure its never going to be at the level of these brand spanking new arenas but they do upgrade the arena on almost a yearly basis.

[Celtics#18]

The Celtics don't need gimmicks like new stadiums to get fans interested. The Celtics faithful will always come, through hell or high water.

True. But fans should really have the best fan experience possible. Like if our Arena was sh** which compared to other arena's it is, Celtics fans would still come. But this is no way to treat the most dedicated fan base in the country. The most dedicated fan base should have the most high tech amenities.

[Donoghus]

The Celtics don't need gimmicks like new stadiums to get fans interested. The Celtics faithful will always come, through hell or high water.

True. But fans should really have the best fan experience possible. Like if our Arena was sh** which compared to other arena's it is, Celtics fans would still come. But this is no way to treat the most dedicated fan base in the country. The most dedicated fan base should have the most high tech amenities.

People don't really care. They want a good basketball team above everything else.  That's what gets them in groves to the Garden.

I don't hear people complaining about not going to the Garden because the Wi-Fi is not up to snuff or they can't get sushi in the 300s or whatever.