Yost Ranked 4th Best Hockey Arena in Michigan

Submitted by Fhshockey112002 on

Not sure the science behind this study, but Yost is ranked 4th best hockey arena in Michigan. I will say it is nice to see MacInnes get the respect is deserves. 

Personal Top 5

MacInnes, Yost, Lawson, Joe Louis (during playoffs), and Van Andel

Feel free to discuss.

http://www.stadiumjourney.com/news/12-11-2012/212/top-12-hockey-arena-e…

Edit: Also for further explination of how teams were ranked, you have to click on the links of each arena.  

Willhouse

December 13th, 2012 at 9:58 AM ^

It's been awhile since I have seen a game there, but as a WMU grad, I take umbrage to that statement. It might not be the most impressive facility, but the games there are exciting, the crowd is loud, and the venue was continually ranked one of the toughest places to play by other CCHA teams. I like Lawson's ranking in this list.

blue_in_kazoo

December 12th, 2012 at 7:33 PM ^

I go to about 7 games a year at Lawson and 2 or 3 at Yost.  I think people are thinking of the Lawson from a few years back.  It doesn't have the history or the soul of Yost, and never will.  It doesn't have the amenities like a cool (or even semi-cool) scoreboard, but the Lunatics are awesome, and with a low, metal roof it gets as loud as Yost.  Most of the Lunatics' cheers are copied from Yost or everywhere else in college hockey, but chanting "sausage fest" for the opposing team having two guys in the penalty box is Yost-worthy.

lhglrkwg

December 12th, 2012 at 6:41 PM ^

Wait is that actually ranked in order or is it just a list?

I can't believe anyone would put Lawson or Ewigleben over the Joe. Ewigbelen doesn't even have bleachers on half the rink

BiSB

December 12th, 2012 at 6:44 PM ^

Bwa-ha-ha, I guess?

This is the kind of thing that pisses me off about 'modernity.' If we replaced Yost with VanAndel, there are those who would consider it a win. And that would make me want to stab things.

EDIT: Oh sweet lord, they gave Munn 4 stars (out of 5) for "Atmosphere."  If that's the case, then the DMV would be a 3.5 and purgatory would be a solid 3.

CookieMonster

December 12th, 2012 at 6:53 PM ^

If you know hockey, and especially old time hockey you know about the Pullar and the tradition, and all the great players throughout the years. Isnt even close......

 

I live in Grand Rapids now, and really? Van Andel? Nice place to watch a concert but come on. 

ChosenOne

December 12th, 2012 at 7:02 PM ^

Good to see the Lawson Lunatics getting some love. As a member, I'm glad our banter doesn't go unnoticed. I would hate to be on the opposing team. Look forward to seeing the boys in blue come play.

ChosenOne

December 12th, 2012 at 11:58 PM ^

Not sure that's true, the only reason I am defending my self is I take pride in my effectiveness to get drunk and make a fool of my self. We are called Wastern for a reason.... But with that said ill actually be rooting for Michigan, I wouldn't visit this blog if I wasn't a die hard like everyone here. Not everyone can go to their dream school.

XM - Mt 1822

December 12th, 2012 at 7:02 PM ^

NMU's stadium is very nice and has excellent ice, and their old stadium, though uglier than a hedge fence, was still a fun place to play.  I also have to say that Munn (yes, that munn) always had good ice but the fans sure didn't like us for some reason....

MMBhorn

December 12th, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^

I can't speak for most of these arenas, but I thought the write up on the Berry at NMU was pretty much spot on. I grew up going to games at the old Lakeview Arena and then the Berry and always had a great time. Also, Marquette is great and everyone should visit.

 

 

Seriously, bring us your tourism dollars.

Wolverine Devotee

December 12th, 2012 at 7:58 PM ^

I've been to every arena. Besides Van Andel. HOPEFULLY if Michigan makes the tournament,  they automatically get put in the West Regional in GR. 

JLA is a dump and I'm counting down the days until it's put out of it's misery. Seriously. In the CCHA Playoff Championship game I went to last year I sat down near ice level right behind the net on the Michigan side and the seats we were in were broken. They were like rocking chairs. 

Yost is #1 with a bullet. Period. Especially since it has just been updated. 

GotBlueOnMyMind

December 12th, 2012 at 9:13 PM ^

Let's be real, the only two aspects of an arena that really matter are atmosphere and fans, both of which Yost got a 5 for. The other factors they use are basically meaningless to the experience. Under these guidelines, the United Center would be higher rated than the Old Chicago Stadium, because it is nicer, has better amenities, and is in a better neighborhood. However, anyone who has been to both knows that the atmosphere in the old Chicago Stadium was rivaled only by Yost.

Clarence Beeks

December 12th, 2012 at 9:38 PM ^

It's interesting to look at this list for what it is: solely for fan experience. I've played on almost all of the ice surfaces on this list, and it's obvious that they didn't take ice quality into consideration (or it has changed A LOT over the years). Lawson is one of the worst surfaces I've ever played on. It was always so warm in that building. I realize that this list is only about professional or college venues, but hands down the best venue I ever played in (anywhere, not just in Michigan) was the old arena in Alpena (Mich-e-ke-wis). Awesome atmosphere and awesome (and that's an understatement) ice. Of the venues on the list (for playing experience - of the venues I've played in), I'm partial to MacInnes, but if it were still active, I'd give the nod to Lakeview.

Clarence Beeks

December 13th, 2012 at 12:22 AM ^

I did, but for a small college out east. My experience with the venues came growing up. I don't think being on the surfaces I've been on is all that unique, and players now (who travel a good bit and camp a lot, anyway) are actually more likely to play on more of them than I did, I would suspect. I suspect the hardest one on the list to get on would actually be Van Andel, which I think is pretty much limited to college and professional use. Last time I was in Yost they had a youth camp going on, so it appears that venue has become more accessible over the years.

BeatOSU52

December 12th, 2012 at 10:01 PM ^

Good to see you put Grand Rapid's Van Andel Arena on your list, OP.  When I think of being there, I think of dollar beer night on Friday nights and being completely shitfaced by the second period.

EDIT: Oops, I see the dollar beer nights got brought above earlier in this thread.

Also, if you're from Grand Rapids, I enjoy Jolly Roger from some high school and college games.  Place gets loud when packed.

Blue Bennie

December 13th, 2012 at 10:23 AM ^

Jolly roger was a dump in the 90's.  They had chain link fence instead of glass at one end, and the locker rooms had walls made of sheet steel.  You could push out at the seams and see into the arena to gauge how much time the Zamboni had left.  It was a fun dump, though.  Very Slapshotish feeling to it.

 

Blue_in_VA

December 12th, 2012 at 10:31 PM ^

As someone who grew up with season tickets to Lawson for years but went to school in Ann Arbor, I can't imagine putting Lawson above Yost. That's ridiculous. But, that said, I think there's a special kind of hate that comes from the inferiority complex endemic to Bronco fans. When you get 4,000 people in there burning to beat Michigan or MSU, it's a pretty cool atmosphere that you don't usually feel at Michigan just due to the history, entitlement and so on. 

I'm not being sarcastic or snide, I really mean this.

XM - Mt 1822

December 13th, 2012 at 5:38 AM ^

How about Gordie Howe hockeyland?  And you want to know the be-all, end-all of places to play (and to watch)?  The Olympia.   Now just a memory, but at the end of my juniors' year, and before going to play at Mich, we got to play there and I just loved getting on the ice there.   Que the organ....

Seth9

December 12th, 2012 at 11:24 PM ^

Lawson beat Yost by a single point (which is ridiculous considering that Yost is far superior, but that's beside the point). From the detailed section on Lawson:

An extra point is awarded for the opportunity to catch a homecoming doubleheader, with the Broncos taking on Bowling Green in football earlier in the day.

So essentially, Lawson is rated above Yost because the author went to a football game between two crappy teams earlier in the day...

Also, Yost scored higher than Lawson in boh the fan category and the surrounding neighborhood. Lawson made up the difference by having free parking and cheaper tickets. So in terms of the actual experience, Yost ranked higher, as it should. Similarly, when combining the fans and atmosphere categories, Yost stands alone at number 1 in the state, with full ratings in each.