Welcome to the Kohl Center, home of the University of Wisconsin Badger basketball and hockey teams. We've been to the Kohl Center for more games, quite possibly, than the rest of the venues on our tour combined. It's one of our favorite places in the sports world, but we'll try to keep it objective in the rankings. Enjoy.
1. Access (5 points) - Madison isn't a hard town to get to. Nor is it a tough place to find your way around. Find your way through the city's series of one way streets and you'll have no problem getting to the game. 4.5/5 points
2. Fans (5 points) - The University of Wisconsin sits among the elite in the Big Ten in attendance for the big three sports: football, hockey and basketball. While Camp Randall Stadium's capacity is tens of thousands less than a few of its conference rivals, basketball and hockey need to pick up the slack. And do they ever.
Basketball tickets have been sold out for years. And men's hockey, even in down years, perennially leads the nation in attendance. The student sections are tenacious. At hockey games, the fans are led by Phil, the team's unofficial cheerleader. Decked out in his trademark white turtleneck and always sitting up by the glass, Phil unifies the students and other fans in support of the Badgers. 5/5
3. Exterior Architecture (10 points) - Of course this category is where hoops and hockey get killed in the ratings; they just can't compare to football stadiums and baseball parks. Still, while the Kohl Center isn't an architectural marvel, it's a pretty sweet and modern looking arena. In a 2003 stunt we dubbed "Urban Camping," my friends and I camped out in front of the building for a couple nights while waiting for hockey tickets. So perhaps, I'll always have a bit of affection for the shimmering glass exterior and the glow of the big, red sign. 6/10
4. Interior Architecture (10 points) - The Kohl Center is clean and crisp. And it probably should have been built bigger to accommodate the huge crowds. The arena's modest capacity provides a sort of intimacy; the fans are close to the game. Even the third tier, though pretty highly elevated, provides seats that are not removed too far from the action on the court or the ice. The sight lines are great. The only complaint is the bland concrete concourses. 8/10
5. Food (10 points) - The Kohl Center has all the basics you could ask for: hot dogs, nachos, candy, soda, pizza, etc. While we'd love to see a little more local flavor, they do serve brats--A Wisconsin requirement. That's certainly worth an extra point. Always a sucker for good deals, we love that the sodas come with souvenir cups. Our kitchen cupboards are stocked full of them. 6.5/10
6. Surroundings (10 points) - There's not a ton to do immediately outside the Kohl Center. It's largely surrounded by university residence halls and dingy college housing. But when the final horn sounds, you don't have to go far to find a good time.
The Nitty Gritty, Madison's official birthday bar, is just a block away. If you head there on your birthday, you can drink for free all night. And local landmark State Street is just a couple blocks further. While there's plenty to do on State Street, you will want to be sure to get a pre-game bite to eat at State Street Brats. (Just call it "brats" and you'll blend right in with the locals.)
While State Street is a good time, after the game we advise checking out the bar scene on University Avenue. The Church Key and Red Shed are two of the foulest, most disturbing bars you'll ever enter, but you won't regret going there. If you remember them the next morning that is. After your postgame bender, getting some specialty pizza (Tortellini, french fries, and steak are just a few of the notable toppings) at Ian's Pizza is a MUST. 9/10
7. Local Flavor (10 points) - As we mentioned before, brats are served. The band plays polkas. And fans in the student section show up in anything from cow suits to beer mug hats. 5/10
8. Team Prestige (10 points) - The Badger Hockey program is one of the elite programs in the nation. Its latest national championship came just two years ago. To go back a bit more, 1980 Olympic MVP Mark Johnson (of Miracle on Ice fame) won a national championship with the Badgers. Meanwhile, the basketball program doesn't have quite the same legacy, but it has become a national power and a Big Ten powerhouse over the past decade. Men's basketball reached the Final Four in 2000 and was ranked number one in the nation for a short time in 2007. Balancing the success out, and we get a solid 7/10.
9. Signature Quirk (10 points) - Lack of a signature quirk is definitely the Kohl Center's biggest flaw. There's nothing outside the arena or inside the seating bowl that really grabs the eye. A photographic display commemorating great moments in Wisconsin athletics is neat but could really stand to be expanded. This blown glass artwork is probably the closest thing you get to a signature. Not good. 1/10
10. History (10 points) - The Kohl Center opened in January 1998. So there's only ten years of history to draw upon. It is worth noting that No Huddle Offense first asked Mrs. No Huddle Offense to go on a date during the aforementioned Urban Camping trip--though that's probably not the type of history you're interested in. In that case, we can look to the 2000 Final Four team and the 2006 hockey National Championship teams, which played their home games in the Kohl Center. 6.5/10
11. Atmosphere (10 points) - Since the Kohl Center opened a decade ago, Wisconsin Badger basketball has compiled a home record of 125-11. Under current head coach Bo Ryan, that record is 102-7. One of the reasons for the strong play at home: an atmosphere that ranks among the best in college sports. Basketball's "Grateful Red" and Hockey's "Crease Creatures" help create one of the most intimidating environments in the NCAA.
"The Kohl Center has an atmosphere unlike any other in college sports," said Patti Reis, who has held hockey season tickets for the last five years. "Whether you're inside enjoying the game or sitting outside for five days waiting for tickets."
The Kohl Center certainly features its share of cool frenzy-inducing scoreboard montages, sound bites, and bells and whistles. But the arena's energy is really enhanced by the University of Wisconsin Marching Band. The band turns up the heat throughout the game, but it's at it's best after the second intermission of a hockey game. That's when the student section turns into a big, red choreographed dance party. From "Tequila" to the Rocky Horror Picture Show's "Time Warp" to a collection of other favorites, the entire section shares in one crazy dance routine.
10/10
Total: 68.5/100
There's really nothing spectacular about the construction of the Kohl Center. No amazing architecture. No signature quirk. Nothing incredibly aesthetically pleasing. But it's what's inside that makes this a great place to watch a game: the fans, the passion, the band.
And, oh yeah--Don't forget to hit up the fine eating and drinking establishments on campus. You may not remember the experience, but you definitely won't regret it.
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