Improvements to North Station and TD Garden taking shape

[talkinaway]

So the last official update from the Bruins/TD Garden regarding the abomination of the new arena seats came on 10/17 according to this: A message from TD Garden President | TD Garden. Looks like they did some stuff in the lower bowl to improve legroom. Are they even bothering to look at the balcony seats?

I'm in the balcony for regular season games, too - and I literally wrote to the email address on that page for the second time last week requesting an update. Frankly, I'm not hopeful we'll get too much info, even before the renewal deadline. The only reason they gave that paltry response in the first place was that media outlets were all running stories about the downgraded seats.

I can't say they've done much in the Loge. I went to Elton a month or two ago, well after the "adjustments" they supposedly made, and had an aisle seat in a high row in 2...and thank GOD it was an aisle! I literally had to put my feet in the aisle the whole show. And I barely have any leg to begin with, so legroom is almost never an issue with me, except for those Garden seats! The entire loge area just looks awkward to me - you can see how not all the vomitoria line up with the aisles, and it's very obvious they expanded section 1 into section 21 by the way the aisle between the two sections looks.

Honestly I think the Bruins cheer everytime a STH doenst renew. Its makes more money for them by having a long time STH leave (who have tickets at lower price) so they can add a new STH off the wait list at a higher price point. Bruins dont care about STH they just want to maximize money. If you leave they make more money.

Bingo. The only years the Bruins want STHs are the years when the Bruins suck. For the last 6-7 years, they probably could have made a lot more money if they sold all tickets individually - but doing so would piss off the STH base. Also, if people leave and come back, they lose tenure, so any future bonuses that they would give to long-tenured people aren't as wide-spread. (As of now, I think the only tenure-based bonus I'd ever be interested in is $100 in Garden food/drink, and even that seems a little cheap. It's basically a six-pack for the entire year, and that requires 20 years in a row as a STH!)

 

[Fenway]

I'm in the balcony for regular season games, too - and I literally wrote to the email address on that page for the second time last week requesting an update. Frankly, I'm not hopeful we'll get too much info, even before the renewal deadline. The only reason they gave that paltry response in the first place was that media outlets were all running stories about the downgraded seats.

I can't say they've done much in the Loge. I went to Elton a month or two ago, well after the "adjustments" they supposedly made, and had an aisle seat in a high row in 2...and thank GOD it was an aisle! I literally had to put my feet in the aisle the whole show. And I barely have any leg to begin with, so legroom is almost never an issue with me, except for those Garden seats! The entire loge area just looks awkward to me - you can see how not all the vomitoria line up with the aisles, and it's very obvious they expanded section 1 into section 21 by the way the aisle between the two sections looks.



Bingo. The only years the Bruins want STHs are the years when the Bruins suck. For the last 6-7 years, they probably could have made a lot more money if they sold all tickets individually - but doing so would piss off the STH base. Also, if people leave and come back, they lose tenure, so any future bonuses that they would give to long-tenured people aren't as wide-spread. (As of now, I think the only tenure-based bonus I'd ever be interested in is $100 in Garden food/drink, and even that seems a little cheap. It's basically a six-pack for the entire year, and that requires 20 years in a row as a STH!)

The Bruins have no clue on STH's before 1995 - when they moved to the new building everybody got a 1995 start date

 

[wintersej]

I live right best leachmere. The Cambridge crossing construction is in full swing and the T supports are up in some places. It's progressing nicely. It'll be awesome when it's done.


And in the garden the new bar behind my sending (301) behind row 15 is awesome. I walk up the isle after a period, beer lines are small, plenty of places to stand fording intermission and the bathroom lines are definitely shorter. The bar is also cool with the bruins boards and parquet top

Also fwiw if you look out the window at the new grand entrance you can see the old garden faceoff dots

Shhhh.... we don't want people to know about the bar .

 

[the negotiator]

To be clear....It's a BUSINESS and it's a point the Jacobs family makes sure to remind of us multiple times a year.

Like last nights game. Silly me for thinking they would be handing out ornaments ( remember the Bear and the Cup, the Rene and Bear globe and the Rene signing ornament?) ...even sillier me for expecting live carols ( not that I was a huge fan but it was something unique for the game)

Instead this was simply one of 41 ( actually one of 44) for STHs and that's the way it is. Simple economics- things will get better when the team gets worse and that's a trade-off I am not looking forward to seeing

 

[Fenway]

Sabres beat writer went to the Celtics game as a fan last night and he didn't mince words

 

[Fenway]

He did like some of the renovations

 

[Fenway]

 

[talkinaway]

Hopefully some Boston media picks up on the Buffalo reporter’s experience and questions whoever is in charge at TD Garden again. No updates since mid-October is inexcusable. If they think they’ve done enough by changing the angle of the loge seats by 0.000003 radians, they need to admit it, and be appropriately shredded. If they have an actual plan, let us hear it and have input.

Maybe they’re waiting for the new year. But it would honestly be in their best interest to get something out there by March - I’ve “saved” a grand TOTAL (not per game!) of $20 on my tickets as a STH this year. Ain’t worth it - I really will drop this time if I don’t see a significant change.

 

[Therick67]

Screw JJ the fans deserve better...

 

[Fenway]

Hopefully some Boston media picks up on the Buffalo reporter’s experience and questions whoever is in charge at TD Garden again. No updates since mid-October is inexcusable. If they think they’ve done enough by changing the angle of the loge seats by 0.000003 radians, they need to admit it, and be appropriately shredded. If they have an actual plan, let us hear it and have input.

Maybe they’re waiting for the new year. But it would honestly be in their best interest to get something out there by March - I’ve “saved” a grand TOTAL (not per game!) of $20 on my tickets as a STH this year. Ain’t worth it - I really will drop this time if I don’t see a significant change.

The Boston media has largely ignored this issue for over 2 months.

Mike Harrington is a good guy - Look he could have easily gotten press credentials for that Celtics game and elected to go as a fan. Now Harrington has the genesis of a column imploring the Sabres owners not to make the same mistake as Boston did and whatever he writes will be seen at Delaware North HQ's.

What I am surprised about is the lack of coverage about Celtics fans and their seat issues. There is a buzz at TD Garden that the Celtics and Encore are flirting with a possible new arena adjacent to the casino.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

The Boston media has largely ignored this issue for over 2 months.

Mike Harrington is a good guy - Look he could have easily gotten press credentials for that Celtics game and elected to go as a fan. Now Harrington has the genesis of a column imploring the Sabres owners not to make the same mistake as Boston did and whatever he writes will be seen at Delaware North HQ's.

What I am surprised about is the lack of coverage about Celtics fans and their seat issues. There is a buzz at TD Garden that the Celtics and Encore are flirting with a possible new arena adjacent to the casino.

Competition could be good for Boston fans especially if the Celtics arena had lower concession prices and Lower ticket prices for other events such as shows and concerts.

 

[Fenway]

Competition could be good for Boston fans especially if the Celtics arena had lower concession prices and Lower ticket prices for other events such as shows and concerts.

I doubt the Celtics would do the Encore deal but for the first time, they have leverage over Jacobs.

Having a high profile Buffalo writer saying that the TD Garden renovations were fueled by incompetence and imploring the Sabres not to make the same mistakes Delaware North did is seismic in Western New York.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

I doubt the Celtics would do the Encore deal but for the first time, they have leverage over Jacobs.

Having a high profile Buffalo writer saying that the TD Garden renovations were fueled by incompetence and imploring the Sabres not to make the same mistakes Delaware North did is seismic in Western New York.

If this gets the Celtics to move out? I love this guy

 

[Fenway]

If this gets the Celtics to move out? I love this guy

The last thing Bruins fans should want is the Celtics moving to a new arena - if Jacobs lost 40+ Celtics games he would try to recover some of the loss from Bruins fans.

 

[Root]

The last thing Bruins fans should want is the Celtics moving to a new arena - if Jacobs lost 40+ Celtics games he would try to recover some of the loss from Bruins fans.

Exactly, JJ would make cutbacks and Bruins fans would get screwed.

 

[Gordoff]

"Incompetence?" It's Greed!

 

[Gordoff]

Competition could be good for Boston fans especially if the Celtics arena had lower concession prices and Lower ticket prices for other events such as shows and concerts.

Competition in business is what keeps prices down and value up. Of course Jacobs would screw Bruins fans but you can't be screwed without your approval. Vote with your wallet.
If Bruins fans didn't stay away in the mid nineties to early 2000's there would've been no improvements. Price/salary certainly (via the cap) didn't translate to the paying customer.

 

[Gordoff]

Exactly, JJ would make cutbacks and Bruins fans would get screwed.

Only if you agree to it... You/we have the power of saying NO!

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

The last thing Bruins fans should want is the Celtics moving to a new arena - if Jacobs lost 40+ Celtics games he would try to recover some of the loss from Bruins fans.

I was thinking more on the quality of ice. Not sure things can get any worse in regards to pricing on tickets.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Competition in business is what keeps prices down and value up. Of course Jacobs would screw Bruins fans but you can't be screwed without your approval. Vote with your wallet.
If Bruins fans didn't stay away in the mid nineties to early 2000's there would've been no improvements. Price/salary certainly (via the cap) didn't translate to the paying customer.

It’s the same thing with the Red Sox if there where empty seats at Fenway park on tv you can bet there would be changes like not playing Sweet Caroline in the middle of a blow out and lower ticket price’s.If Jacob’s saw empty seats in the garden against a team like the hab’s on nesn or national tv on a regular basis. There would no doubt be changes.

 

[Gordoff]

It’s the same thing with the Red Sox if there where empty seats at Fenway park on tv you can bet there would be changes like not playing sweet Caroline in the middle of a blow out and lower ticket price’s.If Jacob’s saw empty seats in the garden against a team like the hab’s on nesn or national tv on a regular basis. There would no doubt be changes.

Exactly. I'm as generous as anyone but I will not contribute to the cattle type atmosphere of TDG and that whole atmosphere. For the first time in 7 years I turned down free tickets to games (as a volunteer chaperone) for my wife's school. I don't like the atmosphere, the seats and then the near fist-fights that happen because one of the "chaperoned" adult aged students spills a drink on another patron in front of him/her. The spillee immediately thinks that it was done on purpose and (last year) while I was away from my seat my wife had to jump in between the crying students and the irate (slightly inebriated) guy in front of them. I get back to the area and it looks like the aftermath of a fender bender, complete with hysterical students. Last year I went to see a fellow who works a concession stand (who is a tradesman) in between periods. I was hiring him to do work at my house and thought that since I was there I would say hello. We talked for a minute and then he said "would you like a beer and a hotdog, how about it?" He said it in a tone that he was offering it for free. I accepted and he said (not sure about the dollar amount) "that'll be $12.
*LOL, it is a business I understand that, and business. But, I give away so much to my customers, I give discounts and free stuff and when I hear that you have to be a STH for 20 years to get $10 of free food I cringe. Anyway, I don't have $80-$90 million in payroll to pay out but I also don't make a fraction of $190,000,000 either. The Boston Bruins are my number one team and I am truly glad that they're a top NHL team and that there's no threat of them moving to NH as was the threat a few times in the late 70's, and 80's. On the other hand treating fans like cattle with tiny seats, knees in each others backs etc, and turning their pockets inside out shows no respect for them and the hard earned money that they could be saving or spending on life's necessities. My wife talks about taking our grandchildren to B's games but I'm just as happy taking them to college and AHL games.

* BTW, he chewed out a kid whom he managed because he didn't give me a napkin. Kid was shaking in his boots. Really? I was wondering, do they count every bun and have to account for it? Depressing.

 

[talkinaway]

If you're the owner of a rinky-dink dive bar, you might be able to get away with giving customers a free beer, despite it being illegal. But the Massachusetts happy hour laws prohibit any licensee (ie someone who is using a license to sell booze - ie bar, restaurant, TD Garden) from giving away free alcohol. I haven't had a beer in the Garden since the Cup loss, but I know they card EVERYONE because there are alcohol compliance folks who wander the arenas. If a vendor passes a free beer to someone and gets caught, they're probably done for - even if they pay for it themselves at the time of purchase. Possibly the same if they don't card someone who is under 30 - if you're selling beer, you HAVE to card. I'm 42, and while I may look a little younger than my age, I look well over any reasonable "drinking limit" boundary - yet I still have my card out at the Garden. That said, if he charged you $12, you did get a free hot dog - he just charged you for a beer. Yes, they're that expensive.

Unrelated, but a few weeks ago, a bro at The Fours was really whining at the bartender because the bartender couldn't serve shots after the game - Fours policy. Dude, that's their policy - do you think a bartender's going to risk their job just to give you a shot? Not to mention if the bro did some stupid shit afterwards, dram shop laws can take into effect, and the bartender (and establishment) could get into legal trouble.

 

[jgatie]

Yeah, the Ground Round incident really killed happy hours in Mass.

 

[TD Charlie]

looks like the Concessions staff are headed toward a vote on Sunday to authorize a strike. I always wondered what sort of leverage we had, and I’m guessing they’re banking on other union workers in the building refusing to cross.

with all the renovations in and around the building, the concessions game has changed mightily in the 4-5 years I’ve been doing it

 

[Fenway]

This is the new Chicago board