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 the interior of a luxury suite at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Image Credit: Erik Drost (CC BY 2.0)

In years past, renting a private or luxury suite at an NBA game was limited to large corporations and partners of teams. In fact, many NBA arenas didn't even have the ability to provide premium seating options for local businesses which is what led to the construction of so many new arenas. A rental market for suites has also emerged which allows for fans like you and I to rent suites for family and friends on an individual game basis. Companies like SuiteHop (based in Denver, CO) are leading the suite rental industry and can set fans up with a suite with just a few days notice. 

Interior photo of a luxury suite at Yankee Stadium. Home of the New York Yankees.

Image Credit: Stacey Huggins (CC BY 2.0)

Watching a Major League Baseball game from a private suite is a first-class experience and a great way to spend an evening with friends. Several years ago, watching sporting events from private suites was an experience that was only available to corporations that purchase suites for an entire season. Private suites are seen as an excellent way for businesses to entertain clients and reward high-performing employees. However, a suite rental market led by companies like Suite Experience Group (SEG) have begun to emerge, allowing regular fans to purchase the suite experience on an individual game basis.

Exterior photo of the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.

Image Credit: Rudy Garcia (CC BY 2.0)

Autism is a mental health disorder that is unfortunately on the rise all over the United States. The Sacramento Kings have made an initiative to provide an escape for fans with autism spectrum disorder and other disorders. The Sacramento Kings organization have added a sensory room on the main level of the Golden 1 Center and will offer kits that provide comfort to fans that may become overstimulated by the noise at Kings games.

Exterior photo of Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York. Home of the New York Yankees.

Image Credit: Geoff Livingston (CC BY-ND 2.0)

The New York Yankees 2018 home opener vs. the Tampa Bay Rays has been cancelled on the account of 4 inches of snow. You read that right. Yankee Stadium was pounded with snow this morning and the Yankees have rescheduled the game for tomorrow at 4 PM (4/3/2018). Rain is unfortunately also in the forecast for the rescheduled game tomorrow. It’s been a weird week for Yankee Stadium who recently made national news when they experimented with adding player images to beer foam. Major League Baseball was not impressed and quickly ended the fun.

Photo of a baseball fan holding a beer at Yankee Stadium during a New York Yankees game.

Image Credit: Alina Gnerre (CC BY 2.0)

Earlier this week, Yankee Stadium’s food and beverage provider (Legends) tested out an imprint machine that was able to add images to beer foam. The images included the New York Yankees logo as well as the faces of players Aroldis Chapman, Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. However, Major League Baseball quickly intervened and told the organization that they were breaking league rules. According to MLB officials, active players are prohibited from being involved with any alcohol-related advertising and promotions.

Interior photo of a luxury suite at Gillette Stadium. Home of the New England Patriots.

Image Credit: Kevin - Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Watching an NFL game from a suite was something only the 1% and their friends could do a decade ago. Today, with an emerging suite rental market, it’s become much easier for NFL teams to charge more for suites while also having the flexibility to rent them out on an individual game basis when left vacant. One such company is Suite Experience Group (SEG) who are a leader in suite rentals and cater to normal fans like you and I. 

Photo of Derek Jeter.

Image Credit: Techcrunch (CC BY 2.0)

Laurence Leavy, a Miami Marlins season ticket holder since 1993, is not renewing his season tickets in 2018. Leavy, also known as “Marlins Man”, is the most famous Miami Marlins fan in the United States and possibly the most famous baseball fan in Major League Baseball. Last week, Leavy wrote a check for four Miami Marlins season tickets in the amount of $200,000. The check was to cover season tickets for the next three seasons and to his surprise, the Miami Marlins rejected the offer.

Photo of Boston Bruins players during a morning skate.

Image Credit: Dan Nicholas (CC BY 2.0) 

(Published in 2018)

Teams in the National Hockey League are having fewer and fewer morning skates these days. In fact, coaches often want their players to stay as fresh as possible during the long and strenuous NHL season. As a result, NHL practices have become very fluid and are sometimes scheduled or cancelled at the last minute. Many NHL franchises are often kind enough to let fans seek autographs and watch practices for free at the team's practice facility. Here is a list of each NHL's team practice facility and morning skate location. Please keep in mind that morning skates often also take place at the team's main arena so it's important to check your favorite team's practice schedule ahead of time. Visiting teams will also practice at these facilities from time to time as well.

Photo of the lone red seat in the outfield bleachers of Fenway Park. Home of the Boston Red Sox.

Image Credit: David - Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced they would be dedicating a seat to former player Kirk Gibson at Dodger Stadium. The Kirk Gibson seat denotes the landing spot of the game winning home run ball hit by Gibson during Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. The Boston Red Sox have a similar landing spot marked at Fenway Park which is likely where the Los Angeles Dodgers got the idea from. The lone red seat, located in Fenway Park's right field bleachers, marks the longest home run in the stadium's history.

Photo of a large crowd of hockey fans standing outside of Bridgestone Arena.

Image Credit: Stephen Yeargin (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Nashville Predators organization have come a long way since first struggling with home attendance during the early 2000’s. For the first time in franchise history, the Nashville Predators’ entire supply of available season tickets are now owned by a season ticket holder. As a result, the team has created a season ticket waitlist called Smashville Select.

Photo of the construction site of the Inglewood football stadium. Future home of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.

Image Credit: Ron Reiring (CC BY 2.0)

SSL's (stadium seat licenses) for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers are now on sale beginning last week. The new Los Angeles stadium will not open until 2020 but is currently accepting season ticket deposits which will require the purchase of the SSL. Current season ticket holders for the Rams and Chargers will get a first peek at the seating options via renderings at the LA Stadium Premiere Center in Inglewood.

Photo of the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Home of the Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia 76ers.

Image Credit: Mathieu Plourde (CC BY 2.0)

Comcast Spectacor will be contributing $250 million towards the renovation of the Wells Fargo Center, home of the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) and Philadelphia Flyers (NHL). The arena is now 22 years old and renovating the venue made much more sense than building a new arena for the two teams. An estimate for a new arena exceeded $700 million. Any fan that has visited other NHL and NBA arenas know that there is currently nothing that separates the Wells Fargo Center from the rest of the pack.

Photo of Vancouver Canucks fans acting rowdy outside of Rogers Arena.

Image Credit: Vaska037 (CC BY 2.0)

Vancouver Canucks fans like to throw salmon onto the ice at Rogers Arena. How did this tradition begin? What is significant about salmon in relation to the Vancouver Canucks?

Photo of Edmonton Oilers fans walking in downtown Edmonton, Alberta.

Image Credit: Mack Male (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The National Hockey League has all kinds of quirky traditions. Chicago Blackhawks fans cheer during the signing of the national anthem. Hockey fans throw their hats onto the ice after a player scores three goals in one game. Detroit Red Wings fans throw octopuses onto the ice. NHL players grow unsightly beards during the playoffs and refuse to touch the Wales and Clarence S. Campbell trophies. But why do Edmonton Oilers fans throw Alberta beef onto the ice during games?

Exterior photo of U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings.

Image Credit: Greg Gjerdingen (CC BY 2.0)

The Sports Business Daily Journal recently announced their nominees for their 2017 “Sports Facility of the Year Award”. Nominees include U.S. Bank Stadium (Minnesota Vikings), Target Center (Minnesota Timberwolves), SunTrust Park (Atlanta Braves), T-Mobile Arena (Vegas Golden Knights), Little Caesars Arena (Detroit Pistons and Red Wings) and Notre Dame Stadium. 

Photo of an Oakland Athletics night game at Oakland Coliseum.

Image Credit: D.L. - Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Oakland Athletics are announcing a goodwill effort for the 2018 season called “Community Impact Wednesdays”. The organization will give baseball fans the opportunity to name their price for tickets in section 322 on the upper level of Oakland Coliseum. Bids must be greater than $1 per ticket and all proceeds will be donated to the Oakland A’s community fund. The promotion will run every Wednesday for the entire duration of the 2018 Major League Baseball season.

Legends Row display at the Air Canada Centre.

Image Credit: Dennis Jarvis (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The first indoor hockey game was played in 1875 in Montreal, Quebec. Fast forward more than 100 years later and the National Hockey League has expanded to 31 teams in North America and could possibly add more in the near future. We wanted to compile a list of the largest NHL hockey arenas in Canada. Our list begins with the Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Photo of the Baltimore Orioles mascot with a young fan.

Image Credit: KA Sports Photos (CC BY-SA 2.0)

After finishing the 2017 season near the bottom of Major League Baseball’s attendance standings, the Baltimore Orioles are making a family-friendly offer to fans this season. The promotion is called “Kids Cheer Free” and will run the entire 2018 season. For every upper level ticket sold, an adult will be given two free tickets if they’re accompanied by children under the age of 9.

Photo of an assortment of donuts.

Image Credit: Daniel Julia Lundgren (CC BY-SA 2.0)

In case you haven’t noticed, the culture in Seattle, Washington is a little…different. And the Seattle Mariners organization appears to be just as eccentric. Last week, the team announced they will be adding a donut bar to Safeco Field in 2018. This comes one year after hosting “Yoga Day” at the ballpark as well as debuting toasted grasshoppers as a food offering.

Photo of the blue Kirk Gibson seat at Dodger Stadium. Home of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Image Credit: Erik Smith/Facebook

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be dedicating a bleacher seat to former Dodger Kirk Gibson in the right field pavilion of Dodger Stadium. The seat will commemorate the landing spot of Gibson’s game-winning home run during game 1 of the 1988 World Series vs. the Oakland Athletics. The seat will be sold as two tickets for $150 each for the entire season and will include all-inclusive food as well as two t-shirts. More than 60% of the proceeds from the Kirk Gibson seats will be donated to the Kirk Gibson Foundation which raises awareness for Parkinson’s Disease.

Photo of seats behind home plate at Petco Park during a San Diego Padres game.

Image Credit: Stephen Kruso (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Just a few weeks ago, all 30 Major League Baseball teams announced that they would be extending the protective netting at their home stadiums to better protect spectators. The move comes after a young girl was violently struck by a foul ball at Yankee Stadium last summer. The San Diego Padres recently released the details pertaining to expanding the protective netting at Petco Park.