Look What They've Done To The Place!
Written: Aug 17 '00
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Pros: Newly remodeled, high energy excitement
Cons: Very expensive, no parking
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| b_hodges's Full Review: Key Arena |
Believe it or not, the Key Arena is actually the old Seattle Coliseum that the Seattle Supersonics played in back in their glory years of the 1970s. It's just gotten a major facelift and a name change. But if you saw the Sonics back in the 70s in the old coliseum, you wouldn't believe it's the same place it was back then.
First of all, the configuration of the arena was completely changed so that there isn't really a bad seat in the house. I know it sounds hard to believe, but the seats at the very top of the place offer a decent view of the court -- binoculars are recommended for those with astigmatisms, but if your eyesight and your knowledge of the teams isn't bad, you can make out every player on the court. There is also a cupholder on the back of every seat. Woo-hoo!
The concessions have also improved drastically. The quality of food is much better than it was five years ago, as well as the quality of drink. It pales in comparison to Safeco Field, but the venue is much smaller and it offers plenty of selection for it's size.
Though I haven't had the pleasure as yet, many friends have told me that the luxury suites are very plush. Rich families and companies can have these areas for about $400 a game, which include dinner, snacks, drinks, restrooms, couches, and chairs. The need for the luxury suites really necessitated the remodeling of the coliseum to the Key Arena, as many pro teams have found out they are much more profitable than doing without.
Other not-so-subtle changes were made from the remodel five years ago: a state-of-the-art scoreboard, roomier seats, small scoreboards on the facades between levels, new team colors and corresponding court and arena paint job. Then, of course, it seems that they made room for more advertising -- there's the turning billboard style ads on the facades and at the scorer's table, and just about everywhere else that an ad could possibly fit. Oh well, sports in the new millenium, I guess.
The two biggest downsides to the Key Arena are ticket prices and parking. The view I mentioned earlier from the top of the arena is $28! That's right, $28 -- for a little over two hours of basketball. Though it's fun to enjoy the atmosphere of the crowd, the choice between that and watching the game at home with my friends is a no-brainer; if you have cable TV in the Seattle area, you won't miss a Sonics game -- they're all on TV. I don't even want to mention how much 100-level and courtside area seating is -- let's just say a $100 bill isn't gonna get two people into the game!
Key arena is located in the crowded and bustling neighborhood of Queen Anne in Seattle, whose residents have trouble finding parking every night, much less a game night. That's why it's advisable to take the bus or carpool and split the cost of parking in a lot. It's next to impossible to avoid paying for parking, unless you don't mind walking a mile or two.
So, in conclusion, Key Arena is a fun place to watch a Sonics game. But it's hard to justify blowing what amounts to the monthly cable bill for one night of basketball -- I'll just stay at home on my comfy couch and watch it on TV. And I can have a nice dinner and a bottle of wine with the money I saved! But for the energy of the actual game, it's nice to splurge for the tickets at least a couple times a year.
Recommended:
Yes
Parking Availability: Better Get There Early
Seat Location: Upper Level
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Epinions.com ID:
b_hodges
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Member: Barry Hodges
Location: Seattle, WA
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 6 members
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