ThinIce
Well-known member
I wasn't there, but that was a nice article from the N&O, which has been pretty AWOL when it comes to writing about the Canes lately.
2019-20 Canes Miscellaneous News Thread
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I was there also, and you're correct on both counts. The Tank scored Carolina's first goal in the new barn, albeit in a loss to the Devils, and the original name of the arena was the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena. I've got one of the first season jersey patches around here somewhere. The one with a sketch of the exterior of the building one it. If you'll recall the Arena Authority was still engaged with a naming rights dispute with NC State at the time that they eventually won when they sold the rights to the Royal Bank of Canada the following year. Wendell Murphy ended up allowing State to apply the money he donated to make it the Murphy Family Farms Arena to the new Field House project at Carter Finley instead. Thankfully somebody talked him into putting his own name on the thing instead of naming it after the family business.
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
I was there for the Greensboro opening game vs the Pens and the RESA opening night, and I still fondly remember how nice it was to tailgate in style when they finally played that first home game in Raleigh and knew it would be a great spot for an NHL rink because of the setup and all that extra greenspace in and around the arena. Count me as someone against a downtown rink because I just love the tailgate atmosphere and overall appeal of the PNC arena as a whole.
ThinIce
Well-known member
I feel the same way. I love the open space and the inviting tailgating atmosphere surrounding the PNC arena. Plus, it's very easy to get in and out of (when the state fair isn't going on). And it's hard to believe the building itself is 20 years old, because it sure doesn't feel old.
I went to Chicago this weekend and saw the Blackhawks-Kings game--nothing to write home about game-wise. But I thought the "rink" and seating environment (lighting, everything) was fantastic. The concourses...not so much (other than a few areas that are very open with lots of space and food/drink/concession options countered by narrow hallways. Nationwide (Columbus) is pretty bad in rink (dark), but nice on the concourse.
That's where the Arena Authority in Raleigh gets the highest marks from me as a consumer. Our concourses are HUGE and well lit. Nearly every other arena I've been in that was built in the same timeframe or since seems to concentrate on other things. Often it's an issue of footprint, because you need a huge building footprint to get all that space outside of the seating bowl and arenas in urban settings just don't have that option. There are several buildings that I really love in terms of sitting and watching a game ... DC, Tampa, Scotiabank in Toronto, even Barclays (not for hockey) ... but all of them are dark, cramped and impossible to navigate compared to PNC. I will say I do like the layout in Charlotte at Spectrum Center. They still have the narrow walkways but at least they offer some relief with wide, tall, open spaces in the ends to mix things up. But yeah ... our building is a good one. We should appreciate it and not get so used to it that we don't notice anymore.
Yeah, but it's still nice up there. Go try out the upper level in DC sometime if you want a real cave dweller vibe.
StormChaserBH
Well-known member
Judging from the Simon's Soldiers crowd and similar DC guests, maybe that vibe could be influenced by the average residents of that habitat? Just sayin'.
Fair
Punzil
Well-known member
I think he kinda looks like Kilowog.