FromThisSeat Blog

 

Welcome to the FromThisSeat Blog.

Here our editors will bring you plenty of news coverage on tickets, ballparks, stadiums and arenas as they pertain to the NFL, NHL, MLB and NBA.  If you have any questions or suggestions pertaining to the articles, feel free to 'Contact Us' via the navigation bar.

Photo of Jeb Bush at a public speaking event.

Image Credit: Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and former New York Yankees great Derek Jeter have committed nearly $200 million towards a $1.3 Billion acquisition of the Miami Marlins. The duo are currently seeking other investors to complete the sale, therefore, Jeffrey Loria and the Miami Marlins organization have halted talks with other potential buyers. Other potential buyers included Solamere Capital, Quogue Capital, Tagg Romney, oldest son of Mitt Romney, and Joshua Kushner, bother-in-law to Ivanka Trump.

Photo of the scoreboard at the Bloomington Ice Garden.

Image Credit: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)

Each season, Kraft Foods, the National Hockey League and NHL Players Association hold two contests for smaller communities that allows them to put their passion for the game of hockey on full display. One contest is held in Canada and the other in America. The NHL will announce the winner of the 2017 USA competition during tomorrow’s second round matchup between the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators.  

Photo of Citi Field and Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Image Credit: Patrick Stahl (CC BY-SA 2.0)

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has confirmed that the New York Islanders organization are exploring the possibility of having their own arena built near the Belmont Park racetrack or adjacent to Citi Field in Willets Point. For the Willets Point site, the Islanders have discussed the possibility of partnering with the MLB’s New York Mets. Islanders owner Scott Malkin recently sent a request for proposal to the state of New York for the Belmont Park sight in Elmont, New York.

Photo of Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred during an interview.

Image Credit: Artro Pardavila (CC BY-SA 2.0)

According to Forbes magazine, the average Major League Baseball team now carries an average net worth of $1.5 billion, an increase of 19% over the 2016 MLB season. The main culprits for the surging revenue increases are brand new local television deals as well as the growth of MLB Advanced Media. The broadcasting deal signed with ESPN, Fox and TBS in 2014 is expected to net Major League Baseball $12.4 billion through 2022.

Photo of Chicago Bears fans cheering at Soldier Field during a Chicago Bears home game.

Image Credit: Jim Larrison (CC BY 2.0)

ESPN recently debuted an 8 episode docuseries titled “We the Fans” which follows several Chicago Bears season ticket holders during the horrendous 2016 NFL season. The series looks at the fans and their gameday traditions, what the Chicago Bears means to them and how it affects their relationships with friends and family members. The series is narrated by Terry Miller who is a Chicago resident and Soldier Field beer vendor. Mike Ditka and Steve McMichael also make cameo appearances in the pilot episode.

Exterior photo of Turner Field. Former home of the Atlanta Braves.

Image Credit: Joseph Novak (CC BY 2.0)

Georgia State University has purchased Turner Field, former home of Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves. The university plans to condense the former ballpark into a football stadium for the Georgia State Panthers football team and the capacity will be in the neighborhood of 25,000-35,000 seats. Since 2010, the GSU football team have been playing their home games at the Georgia Dome, former home of the Atlanta Falcons.

Exterior photo of Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Home of the Detroit Red Wings.

Image Credit: Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Detroit Red Wings fans and the National Hockey League waived goodbye to the league's only "old barn" still standing on April 8th following a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Joe Louis Arena, which opened in 1979, was the second oldest arena in the NHL behind Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Rangers. Detroit Red Wings fans would have preferred to say the final goodbye following a 26th consecutive playoff appearance or perhaps a matchup vs. the Colorado Avalanche or an Original Six team. However, the crowd was loud and boisterous in an atmosphere that felt like playoff hockey.

Buffalo, New York Skyline

While it may have been a past ambition of yours to be a professional athlete, have comfort in knowing that their lifestyle is not always what it's cracked up to be. Professional athletes spend a significant amount of time away from their friends and families on the road, in and out of airports and hotels. And apparently, many athletes don't always enjoy the city they're playing in either. So what are some of the least favorite road trips for professional athletes?

Photo of the main entrance at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Home of the Utah Jazz.

Image Credit: Jean-Pierre Magnan (CC BY 2.0)

Vivint Smart Home Arena, formerly EnergySolutions Arena and the Delta Center, is one of the oldest operating arenas in the NBA. In an effort to enhance the fan experience at the arena, the Utah Jazz organization is conducting a $125 million renovation to the venue which will begin immediately and conclude in time for the 2017-2018 NBA season.  

Aerial photo of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.

Image Credit: CityofStPete (CC BY-ND 2.0)

The city of St. Petersburg and the Area Chamber of Commerce have launched a campaign called "Baseball Forever" that aims to keep the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg by building a brand new ballpark for the team. The proposed site is adjacent to Tropicana Field, the team's current home stadium and will also include a mixed use development similar to Ballpark Village at Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Photo of the infield at Coors Field from the 2nd level. Home of the Colorado Rockies. 

Image Credit: Ken Lund (CC BY-ND 2.0)

The Colorado Rockies have agreed to a last minute $200 million, 30 year lease with the Metropolitan Baseball Stadium District, the owners of Coors Field. The lease will expire in 2047. Coors Field has served as the home ballpark of the Colorado Rockies since 1995 and is already the third oldest ballpark in the National League.

Photo of a concession area at Miller Park during a Milwaukee Brewers game.

Image Credit: Ed Bierman (CC BY 2.0)

With the 2017 Major League Baseball Season underway, Milwaukee Brewers fans are finally able to enjoy the food and beverage upgrades made to the stadium this past off-season. The upgrade cost more than $20 million to complete and features 11 brand new concessions stands with increased emphasis on the offering of local companies such as AJ Bombers, Holey Moley Doughnuts, Smoke Shack and Zaffiro's Pizza. 

Panorama of Citizens Bank Park during a Philadelphia Phillies game.

Image Credit: Jim Epler (CC BY 2.0)

If you're like us, you love traveling and seeing places that you've only seen on the Travel Channel; especially when sports are on the itinerary. And sure, there are iconic venues like Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and Madison Square Garden that plenty of people have on their bucket lists of places to visit. However, we wanted to take some time to highlight the stadiums and arenas that are rarely talked about and deserve plenty of recognition. Here are five of the most underrated stadiums and arenas in professional sports. 

Photo of a basketball court being installed inside an arena.

Image Credit: David Jones (CC BY 2.0)

There are 11 arenas in professional sports that are home to both NBA and NHL teams. If you've ever wondered how these arenas can transform from a basketball venue to a hockey venue and vice versa within just a few hours, you're not alone. If you think that this transformation and changeover process is easy, well, you've got a lot to learn.

Photo of a New York Yankees game at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.

Image Credit: Jared - Flick (CC BY 2.0)

Spring training baseball marks the beginning of America's favorite pastime just before the closing of schools and during America's best weather of the year. There's something special about seeing baseball after a long cold winter without the sport. Beginning in February, Major League Baseball players report to their team's training facility in either Arizona or Florida where the weather is warmer. Some teams even share a facility with other ball clubs. If you're a Major League Baseball fan and have kids that would love to meet their favorite Major League player, Spring Training is the best place to make it happen. Here are Major League Baseball's spring training ballparks which are split into two divisions; the Cactus League (Arizona) and the Grapefruit League (Florida). 

Photo of Minnesota Wild players during a morning skate. 

Image Credit: Lorie Shaull (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The morning skate is an NHL tradition that has been around since the 1970’s. With the 16 game winning streak that the Columbus Blue Jackets displayed this season, the morning skate is a hockey tradition that could soon end. The Columbus Blue Jackets and head coach John Tortorella have abandoned morning skates in an effort to keep the team as fresh as possible. But how did the morning skate tradition start to begin with?

Photo of a hockey fan holding Toronto Maple Leafs tickets.

Image Credit: Michael Schneider (CC BY-SA 2.0)

For many consecutive seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs have boasted the most expensive tickets in the NHL when it comes to resale value. According to TiqIQ, the average ticket to a Toronto Maple Leafs home game costs $374 on the secondary ticket market (marketplaces like Stubhub, SeatGeek, etc). That's nearly $100 more expensive than the average ticket to a Vancouver Canucks home game. The Canucks boast the second most expensive tickets on the NHL's secondary ticket market. In an effort to combat the lucrative resale market of Toronto Maple Leafs single game tickets, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) are raising season ticket prices to cut into the profit margins of scalpers. Many fans and individuals in the ticketing and entertainment industry are skeptical that this is a solution that will work. Won't ticket scalpers just raise their asking price in order to recoup that money?

Photo of the Little League World Series field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Image Credit: Michael Stokes (CC BY 2.0)

On August 20th, 2017, Major League Baseball comes to Williamsport, Pennsylvania's historic BB&T Ballpark at Bowman Field, home of the Little League World Series. The game will be known as the MLB Little League Classic and will be played between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The game will be broadcast on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball and is being orchestrated by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Player's Association. 

Photo of the Carolina Hurricanes' bench at PNC Arena.

Image Credit: Doug Kerr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

When the Hartford Whalers relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina a little over two decades ago, NHL fans weren't completely confident that the National Hockey League could survive in a southern market like North Carolina. Turns out, they may have been right. Despite winning the Stanley Cup Championship in 2006, the Carolina Hurricanes have only made the playoffs on one occasion since then. The Hurricanes have also struggled with attendance and failed to create a rabid fan base like other southern market teams like the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Photo of Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.

Image Credit: Rain Rannu (CC BY 2.0)

Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and Stan Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams, are currently in discussions about bringing the Los Angeles Clippers to Inglewood, California. Inglewood is the former home of the Los Angeles Lakers who played at The Forum (also called the Great Western Forum) from 1967 to 1999. The move would be an effort for the two organizations to capitalize on the mixed-use development that Stan Kroenke (a real estate mogul) is currently building. 

Aerial photo of the Stubhub Center. Temporary home of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Image Credit: Paul Thompson (CC BY-ND 2.0)

The San Diego Chargers have relocated to Los Angeles, California and will begin play at a temporary home stadium in 2017; the Stubhub Center in Carson, California. The Chargers will also play their 2018 home games at the Stubhub Center. Their new home stadium in Inglewood, California will be completed in 2019 and will be the most expensive stadium in the NFL. The Stubhub Center will be the smallest stadium in the NFL for the next two seasons which will create a high demand and limited supply of Los Angeles Chargers tickets. The team's decision to play their home games at such a small venue is an effort to help the Chargers begin to build a strong foundation of a fan base in the Los Angeles area. The Stubhub Center is also home to Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy.