Working With a Hockey Ticket Broker
Easy to work with a hockey ticket broker, you think. Hockey's considered a second-tier sport, except in Canada where it's a national religion. I should be able to get dirt cheap NHL hockey tickets. Show the puck some respect. We're talking about an Olympic sport and the Stanley Cup. Then again, the Luge is an Olympic event and we've never liked it. But hockey is different. Don't name a ridiculously low price (below $30) if offered a "name your own price" for your National Hockey League ticket. Sports tickets sellers don't have time to waste on your ignorance. That said, some ice hockey tickets are ripoffs, so research the arenas before you consult with a hockey ticket broker. Most sellers of sports tickets are honest, and will provide you with seating charts. They don't assume that you're a second-class sports fan--hockey is big business, after all. But if your broker says the Mighty Ducks, a team that plays in a warm climate, is the greatest, find yourself another broker. We're just kidding. We love the Ducks.
Hurricane and Hockey
The Carolina Hurricanes haven't been benched by Katrina, Wilma and Rita, but you could have difficulty getting sports tickets to your favorite teams in hurricane-damage zones. Fortunately, the hockey teams in the Southeast are in the Carolinas, Atlanta, and Mississippi, but two are in beleaguered Florida. You can still get a National Hockey League ticket for the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Check hurricane damage reports, but support Florida recovery by buying ice hockey tickets. As a side note, run, do not walk, to get Dallas Stars NHL Hockey tickets. The Dallas Stars contributed to Hurricane Katrina relief. And of course, there's always the Hurricanes.
Picture Perfect Hockey Seats
Whether you're in Anaheim watching the Mighty Ducks or in Detroit watching the Red Wings, chances are you'll want a picture. What hockey tickets, especially NHL hockey tickets, will let you get a good shot? Check the arena's policies after you buy tickets from a hockey ticket broker. Your ice hockey tickets may come with restrictions on photography. That said, fans with sports tickets have taken plenty of photographs of the ice action. The problem is, they're not very good unless you have a National Hockey League ticket for the sidelines, which most of us don't. Hockey photographs for big-league events are typically aerial shots. Local hockey tickets are your best bet for close shots. That said, you can always ask the PR director of the arena. If you're planning to post your photos on a fan Web site, the PR office may even indulge you--especially if you buy season hockey tickets. Be courteous and respectful of the players and the crew. After all, if this is the match of the century, you want proof other than your ticket stub that you were there.
Dangerous Hockey Tickets
Danger and hockey seem to go hand in hand. You've purchased a National Hockey League ticket behind the goal--will the puck fly over the goal and strike you? Or how about if your hockey tickets are for the sidelines? Would you be safe in the upper boxes? Or should you skip the game altogether and just go to the pub? American rinks have been trying to upgrade their siding so that it's comparable with European and Japanese rinks. But still, in every sporting event where a moving projectile is in play, fans assume the risk when buying sports tickets. In our litigious society, we tend to insist that everything be common sense-proof. No one should be hit by a puck...but then, no one should get trampled by rioting fans, who can control their own behavior. No one should sue a hockey ticket broker or a hockey arena as long as a reasonable standard of care has been taken and the hockey players aren't jumping into the stands and whaling on each other. Many hockey fans say they like to purchase NHL hockey tickets for the goal area. The thrill of a hockey fight is part of the action. The old joke goes, "I was at a fight and a hockey game broke out." Live a little.
General Motors Place
Despite what you think, General motors Place isn't where the Detroit Red Wings play, so don't go buying ice hockey tickets to the Red Wings at the General Motors Place. Do, however, expect to buy NHL hockey tickets and get a great view--so fans say. Although parking and food are reputed to be impossible and uninspiring, respectively, fans say you never miss a detail of the action at "The Garage" no matter what National Hockey League ticket you choose. It's also close to a monorail in case you leave your car at home or visit GM Place in Vancouver. Ice Paks, or season ice hockey tickets, are sold out this year, but you can reserve your spot for 2006-2007 today. Even the top row of seats is said not to inspire vertigo. So don't think Michigan. Think Canada, eh, and catch the next Canucks game!
Pepsi Center Seating
A visit to Colorado wouldn't be complete without skiing and hockey. Avalanche hockey tickets, that is! But you're a Floridian. How do you know where the good NHL hockey tickets will put you in the Pepsi Center for an Avalanche home game? When buying your National Hockey League ticket for the Avalanche, say in the match up with the San Jose Sharks, you should generally avoid the upper balcony with the even-numbered 300 sections, insiders say. We hear side court sections 104, 122, 128 and 146 are just as good as the premium seats and you can see the players bounce on the ice. If you prefer to sit on the ends of the court, you'll find some great price breaks there through a hockey ticket broker in the secondary market. Now if you could only catch the Telluride Film Festival, your visit would be complete.
Joe Louis Arena Seats
You've heard Detroit is a jungle. Despite urban renewal efforts, it is--just try driving on the Lodge Freeway. Yet you can't miss a trip to Joe Louis Arena to see the Detroit Red Wings. buy your NHL hockey tickets for the Red Wings and avoid the Lodge Freeway, which can take forever on a good day. What other Joe Louis Arena tips can we give you from Motown? When buying Red Wings ice hockey tickets: Expect octopuses. It's a tradition. Be prepared to bargain for your soul with that hockey ticket broker. Red Wings hockey tickets are as rare as white people were on the Motown Label. It's better than bargaining with scalpers in downtown Detroit. Don't buy the cheapest seats in the house--around $30--that are obstructed by ads. Don't gripe about "the man." The man has lifted the corporate seats up higher, so a peon can buy a National League Hockey ticket for a seat closer to the ice. Did we mention not to drive the Lodge? Have a great time and don't forget the octopuses.
Minor League Hockey Tickets
Although you'd love to get ice hockey tickets for the Vancouver Canucks, the price of coffee and gas in Seattle has iced your plans. Fear not. Minor league hockey tickets are growing in popularity. If you can't get Canucks tickets through a hockey ticket broker, you can watch the Silvertips play in Seattle. Silvertips sports tickets are as popular among Seattle fans as NHL hockey tickets. You might miss out on a Molson that way, but you'll get to meet the players afterwards, and the prices are more reasonable--$50 for a family of four. Who needs the Canucks?