Page 4 of 6
Brooklyn, New York
Build a rocket boys, build a rocket boys
We’re starting an all arena and stadium slideshow page in Brooklyn, New York and my first ever visit to the SHoP designed Barclays Center, the new home of the New Jersey, er, Brooklyn Nets. The arena is impressive and feels different than most, with a funky exterior, well designed concourses and black seats with overhead lighting that only lights up the aisles. Even from my upper deck seats at a game featuring the Nets vs, um, someone, Cleveland I think (I’m not a big NBA fan), the place managed to feel different enough to feel special.
I have always wanted to go the US Open at the USTA National Tennis Center by Citi Field in Queens, but never bothered on acting on it until this year. I’m not a huge tennis fan, but I do like stadiums and big events and you would think it would be right up my alley, which I guess it is. The fan fest public areas are fantastic, with an impressive options of food which are insanely overpriced, but good if you don’t think about how much you just spent.
Inside I chose less expensive seats, which were still pretty good on a warm September weeknight. We saw a mens quarterfinals with Juan Martin del Potro losing to the far better known Novak Djokovic. And more impressive than that was a mic’d up exhibition doubles match opening act featuring the team of Adam Sandler and John McEnroe play Kevin James and Jim Courier. As a non tennis fan, the opener was more entertaining than the main event, although even I could tell that the quality got a lot better later on.
And after Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the USTA in Queens, we’re in a third outerboro to finish up this page of the slideshow. Welcome to the Bronx and welcome to (New) Yankee Stadium.
I’m not a Yankee fan (I don’t hate them, just not a fan) and only saw one game an a couple of concerts in the old stadium, but thought it was ok. The new stadium is nicer and has an interesting entry gallery space, but isn’t as impressive as I thought it would be. And just like I’m more of a Mets fan than a Yankees fan, it turns out that I’m more of a Citi Field fan than a (New) Yankee Stadium fan.
Our seats were great, in an air conditioned box with a lot of solar heat gain right in the back of center field. There was a sports bar type vibe to the room, and wait staff was ready to bring you food to your seats, but it was oddly quiet and kind of off compared to the experience you might get seated just about anywhere else at (New) Yankee Stadium. There was no crowd noise or announcements or stupid little things between innings, just the radio play by play and this killer. and in the end detached, view.
