October 10, 2010
Madison Square Garden (Capacity: 18,200)
New York, NY
New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils
Final Score: 3 – 1
* The arena was revisited on March 23, 2024
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Right in the center of the biggest city in the United States is “The World’s Most Famous Arena”: Madison Square Garden. With New York being the heart of so much both domestically and globally, it makes sense that there is an arena that many in the athletic world hold in high regard. MSG opened in 1968 and though there was a renovation in 1991, the biggest changes came with a $1 billion makeover from 2011 – 2013. A lot of good and needed things were done during that renovation, but it also meant that the circular design unique to MSG disappeared. I was able to visit before and after with the first game coming in 2010 and then subsequent visits occurring in 2015 and 2024. All of those visits were to see the New York Rangers (the New York Knicks are the other primary building tenant). The Rangers are part of the NHL’s Original Six, having been around since 1926. With only four championships to their name, one of the most famous sporting moments came when the Rangers ended their 54-year drought by winning the Stanley Cup in 1994. That year included two of the greatest playoff series’ of all-time (New Jersey and Vancouver). A few years later, the team slumped and that lasted a decade or so. Since 2006, the Rangers have made the playoffs most of the time and fielded competitive / entertaining teams. They’ve made the Conference Finals four times in that 17 year period with one trip to the Stanley Cup Finals where they lost the series to Los Angeles, 4 games to 1. Despite renovations taking away from earlier charm, Madison Square Garden is still one of the best places to check out an NHL game.
Prestige Ranking: 5 out of 5
Location
New York City is made up of five distinct boroughs with the most dense being Manhattan. The majority of NYC’s popular attractions can be found on this island that sits between the East River and the Hudson River. The middle section of Manhattan is known as Midtown and that is where you’ll find Madison Square Garden. It has got to be one of the most unique urban settings for an arena as it sits on top of a super busy underground transportation hub (Penn Station), while above ground, it is surrounded by massive skyscrapers. World Famous attractions within walking distance include Times Square, the Empire State Building and a little further out: Broadway and Rockefeller Center. Across from MSG, check out the repurposed Moynihan Train Hall. It is an impressive building that opened in 1914, originally as the home to the city Postal Service. You can still see the creed at the top (“Neither snow nor rain nor heat…). Plenty of restaurants are within the area and these are usually small in square footage, but high in character. Mustang Harry’s is a recommended place before a Rangers game as we had a good pre-game dinner and drink. There is a distinct look, smell (weed and pollution) and feel to when you step out above ground from Penn Station in the heart of the city that is unlike anywhere else.
Location Ranking: 10 out of 10
Accessibility / Parking
If you decide to drive, well good luck. After fighting terrible traffic and using at least one congested bridge/tunnel to enter Manhattan, the next step is to navigate the crowded streets for parking in the area that’ll cost a pretty penny. I’ve always been too intimidated to attempt driving in. At least there are several parking garages nearby and around here, you are not that far from reaching the Lincoln Tunnel or the Queens-Midtown Tunnel. Public transportation is how most travel the City and the location of MSG couldn’t be better in that regard. You could literally walk upstairs to reach the arena after arriving in Penn Station, one of the largest transportation hubs in the world. Trains and subways arrive from a ton of different locations around the Tri-State, as for most, this is the preferred way to attend a game at the Garden. There are downfalls though as the area is a maze and it can take some time to find the NYC Subway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North or NJ Transit. In fact, signage in the Garden wasn’t clear how to get to Penn Station and I found myself outside in the open air after the event. I then couldn’t find how to get to NJ Transit, so I stumbled upon a sign for the LIRR and went underground to avoid the cold and navigate the maze better down there. In addition, you are also at the mercy of schedules and if the end of the game isn’t timed right, you’ll be sitting in the station waiting to leave and crammed in a rail car with many others.
Accessibility / Parking Ranking: 3 out of 8
Exterior
For those that do venture outside to take a look at the building, it is a tall one that still somehow gets dwarfed in size by all the surrounding structures. MSG is circular and most of it is made up of vertical concrete beige-colored panels. There are spots though with window outlooks and of course it wouldn’t be a premier NYC building without video screens all over that are plastering advertisements. It makes for a hodgepodge of visuals. The famous marquee before Penn Plaza is sadly gone, however vertical lighting adds a nice element at night as they shine for the team or event inside.
Exterior Ranking: 5.5 out of 10
Concourse
Small corner entrances can be found along 8th Ave while the largest introduction to the building is Chase Square on 7th Ave. This somewhat vanilla area connecting Penn Plaza and MSG features a light-colored and spacious entranceway that includes the box office, a store and a few plaques on the floor. People line up to get in an hour before game time, where you annoyingly have to scan your own phone ticket to go through the turnstiles (hate it). This brings you to one of four “Towers” which lead you up small escalator by small escalator. It’s cramped and takes awhile as this section of the building is a reminder that you are in New York City and it was built in the 1960s. The arena floor is actually on the 5th level of the building while the concourses are even further up. There are two of them, as the “Madison” level is the main concourse and then the “Garden” one is for the seats in the 200s. Space is really tight in this area with logjams common. The 100-level concourse is better as displays and lighting go with improved maneuverability. There is also some space at the very top of the seating bowl, where you can find a few concessions and bathrooms. Speaking of those, they are atrocious as lines become ridiculous at intermission.
Concourse Ranking: 2.5 out of 5
Food
Food variety is impressive as the usual arena food is supplemented by an array of local chefs and restaurants. Being a known chef in NYC is desired and you’ll see several stands that have “Food By: first name, last name”. The ones that interested me included, Hot Honey Fried Chicken, Lavo Meatballs, Avenue Cantina and Tao Sushi. Of course, you would expect traditional City food as well and I was pleased to see things like a knish and deli sandwiches like Pastrami on Rye. Drinks of all varieties can be had and (for a hefty price) beer from the boroughs includes options from the Bronx Brewery and the Brooklyn Brewery.
Food Ranking: 7.5 out of 8
Interior
Before the major renovation, MSG was unique as the circular seating bowl featured teal and purple seating that went upward in four “levels” without really having an upper deck. Suites were at the top of the arena. Seats had a gentle incline so further back was pretty far from the ice, but it still had an intimacy to it. Fast-forward to now and the seating bowl is standard for a pro arena. And that generally means boring as there is a lower (100) level and an upper (200) level that ovals around the rink. The plush chairs themselves at least are very comfortable, but they still remain a good distance away from the ice in the 200s. The signature piece from the renovation is the creation of the “Bridge”, a skywalk that includes three rows of seats way above the playing surface, allowing for a unique birds-eye view. The concept is great and if you are sitting up here, the view is awesome and I can attest to that by having a seat in Section 318, Row 1 for the 2024 game. While I appreciate those seats and the uniqueness it brings, I ultimately detest the design because for a majority of the upper sections (Row 10 and above in the 200s), the bridge blocks the view of the scoreboard and rest of the arena. Yes, they put adequate video screens on the back of the bridge, but still, you feel closed off and secluded from the rest of the building. I was not a fan of that segregated feel (sitting here in 2015). On the ends, multiple layers of club and luxury seating have been added. At least the iconic roof remains as the flat panels that fan out like a wheel provide an awe factor as you first step into the arena.
Interior Ranking: 7.5 out of 14
Scoreboard
For those that can see it, the scoreboard at center is large, but not overbearing. It’s a near design as it looks like there are four screens on each side, but in reality it’s a concave display that circles around. It can have one picture, but most times they’ll section it off. Circling the top is the “Madison Square Garden” logo. Clarity is perfect and the top of the board will have game stats during the game. In spite of showing sufficient replays, my lone beef is the ridiculous amount of fan shots. Practically every break in play features 2 or 3 camera shots of fans in the building as they excitedly are on “TV” and it gets annoying real fast.
Scoreboard Ranking: 3.5 out of 4
Displays
The main entrance in Chase Square features a “Walk of Fame” as plaques on the floor honor the excellence of the athletes, performers and announcers and coaches who honed their craft at The Garden. The better displays can be found in the Madison Concourse, where around the top wall is a well-designed timeline of all the famous moments in building history (and there are plenty of them!). The biggest ones have their own place on the wall below with a more detailed description and some terrific memorabilia to go with it. The Rangers are included in here too, but there is a certain “This is MSG” feel compared to “This is the Home of the Rangers”. That doesn’t take away from the great quality and how impressive those moments are. Banners for both the hockey team and the Knicks are found at each end of the arena. Small blue banners denote the year for each Division, Regular Season and Stanley Cup championship that the blueshirts have won. You’ll also find 11 retired jerseys up here.
Displays Ranking: 4 out of 6
Cost
Insanity. If you are crazy enough to drive, the combination of tolls and parking will cost you over $60, at least. Obviously mass transit would be much cheaper. The only way to get tickets is through the secondary market and the CHEAPEST will generally start at $150 – $200. Sitting in the 100s will likely cost over $250, especially if it’s a weekend game. I know the team is having a streak of good seasons, but there are 81 games per year and I can’t believe the supply/demand allows for the entire building to cost that much. Despite being in the most expensive city in the country, it wasn’t always this bad. When I went to my first game here in 2010, a 1st row seat in the 400 section cost me $55 including fees. Concessions are just as nuts, as a Burger and a Beer is $15….each!
Cost Ranking: 1 out of 8
Fan Support
Fan support is great and there are plenty of Ranger fans not just in the City, but also in New Jersey and Southern New York / Western Connecticut. However, it should be noted that of the four major pro sports, the Rangers (like hockey) has the relatively smaller number of the popularity. You’ll typically find New Yorkers rooting for the Giants – Yankees – Rangers together, while the other group follows the Mets – Jets – Islanders. Despite the ticket prices, the building still is full for the majority of games and the team does well from an attendance standpoint, along with local TV ratings. The swanky 100 level will have some empties, along with slow-to-arrive and fast-to-leave fans, while the upper sections are pretty much full. For all three of the games I’ve attended here, it has been a mostly packed house.
Fan Support Ranking: 7.5 out of 8
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is amazing, but it has to be noted that the 2010s redesign reduced it a bit. The deafening noise created by the old building does not translate as well anymore, especially with how things were in the old 300 and 400 section. Ticket costs have been pricing out many real fans down below, but there are still plenty of loud and true hardcore fans in attendance that comprise one of the most vocal and animated crowds in the league. The group is also quite vulgar as I lost count how many audible f-bombs there were (though I cracked up at one dude who shouted in a high-pitched, New York accent: “Shoot the f’n puck!”). It can get very, very loud in here and I’m impressed that even early season games reach a notable decibel level. The “Let’s Go Rangers” chant is the loudest and most frequent, while chants of their goalie’s first name can bring goosebumps. For many years, this would be the awesome “Hen-rik”, clap-clap “Hen-rik” after a big save from Lundqvist. Currently, they’ll do it for Igor Shesterkin. Then there is the chant that starts with a whistle, followed by a small “Potvin sucks”, which has been going on since the 1980s (in reference to the Islanders’ Denis Potvin). I always have loved hearing the Rangers horn and goal song, which is remarkably one of the very few (only?) that has lasted decades in the NHL. It’s catchy and unique to the team. Other traditions heard and seen: Dancing Larry, who during the 3rd period does this crazy dance to “Strike it up”. Then at the end of the game after a win, the team gathers at center ice and raises their stick to salute the crowd, something most teams have copied at this point. When it comes to the playoffs, there are other buildings that are louder and overall more raucous. Despite this, MSG still is higher on the list for playoff atmosphere .
Atmosphere Ranking: 12.5 out of 14
Other Stuff
The Garden also has a 5,600-seat theatre that is separate from the arena and hosts more intimate shows and performances (the NFL Draft was done here for many years)…..Anthem singer John Amirante got a huge ovation before the start of the first game I attended in 2010 as he began his 30th season with the team. He has since passed and John Brancy has filled the role very well, becoming a fan favorite too…..I can’t believe how quickly they turnaround the playing surface. It is not unheard for the Knicks to play in the afternoon and then the ice to be ready for a Rangers game at 8:00 PM. Crazy!…..I love the organ at MSG, but it has taken a backseat to pop music most of the time. It’s a shame as this is one place where more frequent organ music would make sense…..The St. John’s Red Storm make their secondary home at MSG, while other long time annual events include the Big East Tournament and Westminster Dog Show.
Game (Initial Visit)
We saw a pretty good game, one that started with the Rangers jumping all over New Jersey as the home side had 17 first-period shots. None of those translated to goals, however the Rangers capitalized in the second as they scored two. One of those was scored by Ryan Callahan, somebody who I knew from growing up in Greece, NY as he lived on the street behind me as a kid. The Devils played much better in the third and eventually got a goal from Ilya Kovalchuk, who was a healthy scratch the night before. Lundqvist then hunkered down and kept out any more goals and Brandon Dubinsky threw in an empty netter with a second left as New York won 3-1.
Stadium and Arena Visits 
