This year's Stanley Cup Playoffs featured one of the greatest games in NHL history as the Pittsburgh Penguins outlasted the Detroit Redwings 4-3 in three overtimes. In that spirit, we'll head to the only NHL arena on our tour (at least thus far), the Nashville Predators' Sommet Center.
Nothing says hockey like Nashville, right? OK, not so much. But even if the Music City isn't exactly a hockey haven, if you're an NHL fan is a great place to catch a game--if only for the post-game party scene.
1. Access (5 points) - I caught a Predators game on a Tuesday evening during a business trip. It wasn't easy to get there. I took a cab, and it took seemingly forever. The cabbie wouldn't even take me all the way to the arena because he didn't want any more wasted time without the odometer--and the price--rising. With the gridlock, I can't imagine personal vehicles or public transit faring much better. 1/5 points
2. Fans (5 points) - Well, the crowd seemed alright the night I was there. On the other hand, the franchise is almost certain to move because there's little interest in hockey in Nashville. Why did this city get a team? 1.5/5
3. Exterior Architecture (10 points) To be fair, hockey and basketball arenas are never going to fare as well in this category as football or baseball stadiums. So while the Sommet Center's exterior can't hold a candle to the cathedrals of those two sports, it is a pretty attractive venue, built as part of a gorgeous downtown. 8/10
4. Interior Architecture (10 points) - Again, it's a pretty basic hockey arena. But there's not a bad seat in the house, so we'll give it seven points. 7/10
5. Food (10 points) - As someone who loves to sample sports venue cuisine, I was hoping for a nice array of concession stand options. After all, the company was footing the bill, right? I settled for a couple hot dogs and a soda. The hot dogs were good, but the menu desperately needed more options. 2/10
6. Surroundings (10 points) - Now here's a category where the Sommet Center is built to succeed. It's located right in beautiful downtown Nashville. If you visit, you'll be tempted to move here. Seriously. The Predators' rink is located right next to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It's also by a great stretch of bars.
Even if you don't like country music, you will in Nashville. Grab a cold beer and get ready to "Holler and Swaller," as the locals like to say. You can check out bars where numerous country music stars--including the legendary Willie Nelson--were discovered. Furthermore, you never know when you might stumble upon the next great country star. And the karaoke bars don't feature your usual rag-tag assortment of dropouts and rejects. The talent is phenomenal. The post-game scene is as good as it gets in pro sporting venues. 10/10
7. Local Flavor (10 points) - Well, you get to see Tim McGraw on the scoreboard singing about hockey. And the crowd often sports famous musicians or Tennessee Titans players. But that's about it. Can't we at least get some southern food in the concession stand?! Still upset about that. 2/10
8. Team Prestige (10 points) - Well, the team has only been around a decade. And it's never advanced past the first round of the playoffs. 2/10
9. Signature Quirk (10 points) - The 22 story mock radio tower celebrating the Music City is kind of neat, but we're not sure it does a ton for the stadium experience. 3/10
10. Atmosphere (10 points) - The atmosphere is, like much of the rest of the Nashville Predators experience, unremarkable. Here's a video of the player intros that isn't terrible, but isn't special either. We prefer this intro recorded by kids in their basement. We'll add an extra point because Gnash the mascot does some pretty cool stuff, including repelling from the rafters. Sweet. 3.5/10
11. History (10 points) - Just ten years of unspectacular hockey. The arena has hosted numerous NCAA March Madness tournament games though, so that's a big plus. 2/10
Total: 42/100
Wow. I'm depressed and nearly catatonic after writing this one. There is nearly nothing interesting about a Nashville Predators game. If you like hockey, see a game. But whatever you do, be sure to hit the honky tonks down the road after the final horn sounds. You won't regret it.
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