The Good and Bad of KeyArena
SEATTLE — The ironic thing about KeyArena is that, for all its shortcomings, it’s a great place to watch a ball game. There isn’t a bad seat in the building. It gets loud (and these fans are loud and proud tonight). And it’s not massive like, say, Dallas’ American Airlines, so it’s a great atmosphere and you don’t feel like you’re a state away from the action. The problem for owners is that it’s so small, (the smallest in the NBA) that it doesn’t have the biggest money makers of today. Not enough suites. Not enough concession space. Not enough VIP areas. And no space for restaurants. It’s the same thing that’s going on in Oklahoma City right now with the Ford Center.
That’s a tricky balancing act. Owners need to make money, but fans deserve a great atmosphere and a good time. Houston’s Toyota Center has a great mix. Denver’s Pepsi Center is considered one of the best. You also won’t get many complaints about Staples Center in L.A. or FedEx Forum in Memphis. The only thing keeping the Hawks’ Phillips Arena off the list is that that will never be considered a great atmosphere until the place draws more than 5,000 a night. I’m quite fond of Milwaukee’s Bradley Center, which is a great place to watch a game and provides a great atmosphere but is widely considered sub par.
-DM-
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Comments
Let me see if I can paraphrase this:
KeyArena is a great place for a fan to watch a game. It has a great seats and a great atmosphere. There is nothing wrong with the building aside from the fact that the owners cannot make as much money as they would like.
Now, since the owners cannot huge profits from the building, a new arena should be constructed using public funds.
Have you lost your mind?
I know you’re a honk for Bennett’s group, but look at this and try to explain to me how it makes sense. I’d love to hear your rational for building a new arena.
“Um, we need to make sure Bennett’s group can make huge margins, so um, call your local representatives and tell them to hand over, um, about $500M”
You are right about Key Arena being a great arena for the fans. I would also add to the “good” list the experience in arriving to the arena. Traffic flows surprisingly well considering that you are moving right into the heart of the city. Parking is plentiful and close (and if you’re lucky free). Just walking into Seattle Center to attend a game is like no other experience I’ve had as a fan of professional sports.
As you’ve pointed out, this fan-friendly atmosphere does not exactly support the current NBA business model. Renovations would be a good investment for the owners to tap into these revenue streams. Of course these investments like others before them will bear more plentiful fruit if they operate a successful organization.