Sunday, November 01, 2009
An old-school arena says goodbye
On Friday, I witnessed the penultimate show in the 42 year history of Philadelphia's Spectrum. Pearl Jam had the honor of closing the old building down, and I had the honor of sitting in Row 1 of Section 215 to see the Seattle rockers do their best to make the building shake. I couldn't think of a better way to say goodbye to an era of arenas.
I have been to a number of these old arenas, but more recent trips to newer versions such as Air Canada Centre in Toronto and Verizon Center in DC have changed my perception of an arena experience. It was, therefore, a great opportunity to dive back into the past. The first thing that one notices when approaching the Spectrum is its diminutive build compared to the newer Wachovia Center next door, where the Flyers and Sixers moved in 1996 in search of revenues from luxury suites and club seats. The newer arena does seat more (21600 vs 18400 for basketball), but the scale is dramatically larger than the difference in seating capacity would suggest. The smaller size is dramatized by the incredibly short amount of time that it takes to walk an entire loop in the concourse.
A lot of other features mark the differences...the narrow concourse, the relative scarcity of bathrooms and their placement downstairs. Certainly, the most dramatic differences are witnessed inside the seating bowl. Fans sit predominantly in "coach" seats, with only a few spartan luxury boxes placed between the first and second levels. The press box is equally muted. This arena is about the common fan, a place where people from all walks of life sit on equal ground cheering their favorite athletes or musicians. For that reason, there is no better place for a rock concert. For a concert, you want all eyes focused on the stage, the fans giving 100% of their energy to the performers who bounce that energy back. No white cloth dining tables a la Verizon Center, no towers of luxury suites where business deals are being made or conversations revolve around the plight of mutual funds. Just a place where everyone is there to partake in a communal party. For that reason, an old-school venue like the Spectrum will sorely be missed.
Certainly there are negatives of this place...traversing the concourses is not a task for the claustrophobic, vending options are not terribly exciting, and seats are packed just a bit too tight. But as a venue that brings people together to focus on the game or show at hand, it is hard to beat such a sparsely outfitted venue like the Spectrum.
I have been to a number of these old arenas, but more recent trips to newer versions such as Air Canada Centre in Toronto and Verizon Center in DC have changed my perception of an arena experience. It was, therefore, a great opportunity to dive back into the past. The first thing that one notices when approaching the Spectrum is its diminutive build compared to the newer Wachovia Center next door, where the Flyers and Sixers moved in 1996 in search of revenues from luxury suites and club seats. The newer arena does seat more (21600 vs 18400 for basketball), but the scale is dramatically larger than the difference in seating capacity would suggest. The smaller size is dramatized by the incredibly short amount of time that it takes to walk an entire loop in the concourse.
A lot of other features mark the differences...the narrow concourse, the relative scarcity of bathrooms and their placement downstairs. Certainly, the most dramatic differences are witnessed inside the seating bowl. Fans sit predominantly in "coach" seats, with only a few spartan luxury boxes placed between the first and second levels. The press box is equally muted. This arena is about the common fan, a place where people from all walks of life sit on equal ground cheering their favorite athletes or musicians. For that reason, there is no better place for a rock concert. For a concert, you want all eyes focused on the stage, the fans giving 100% of their energy to the performers who bounce that energy back. No white cloth dining tables a la Verizon Center, no towers of luxury suites where business deals are being made or conversations revolve around the plight of mutual funds. Just a place where everyone is there to partake in a communal party. For that reason, an old-school venue like the Spectrum will sorely be missed.
Certainly there are negatives of this place...traversing the concourses is not a task for the claustrophobic, vending options are not terribly exciting, and seats are packed just a bit too tight. But as a venue that brings people together to focus on the game or show at hand, it is hard to beat such a sparsely outfitted venue like the Spectrum.
