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There has been a buzz in the Arena District since the Blue Jackets clinched their first ever playoff berth last Wednesday. Numerous restaurants in the Arena District and around Columbus have stepped up to open their doors to Blue Jackets fans from all over to watch the games, whether they can’t make the drive to Detroit, or simply couldn’t score tickets to the home games in Nationwide Arena.
One of the more interesting options available to see the games is the Arena Grand Theater. Located just across the street from Nationwide, the Arena Grand will be projecting the playoff games onto their movie screens for the Blue Jackets faithful.
Admission is free, and parking in the adjacent garage is just one dollar for four hours or less. In addition to showing the game, there will be ticket giveaways, as well as contests for other Blue Jackets and Arena Grand merchandise. Hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, beer and more will also be available. For more information, check out their official website.
LOL, “Blue Jackets faithful.” That bandwagon just got four times as crowded.
As someone who’s been to 2/3rds of the home games since 2001, I make no effort to conceal my contempt for those who suddenly “love” CBJ hockey. I am all for introducing the game to people who may not yet appreciate it, but GOOD DOG is it irritating to come across these new fans who know they should recognize the name “Rick Nash” but probably couldn’t pick him out of a lineup.
I demand recognition for years of unrewarded support, is basically my point, and there are only a few thousand PSL and season ticket holders I’ll defer to.
Incidentally, I have the same feelings about The Black Keys, The Thurman Cafe and the work of Danny McBride.
You’re right. The rest of the citizens of this city who have various interests and constraints on their time and money should pay no attention to our only professional sports team making the playoffs because they don’t have season tickets and would walk by a player on High Street without recognizing him. Some nerve they have for actually taking notice and showing support now that the team has made the playoffs for the first time in its existence. Why rain on the parade?
I feel the same way about anyone who likes Buckeye football, no matter how long they’ve liked it, especially if they went to kent state or University of Cincinnati. But I don’t care enough to get upset because anyone who cares that much about sport doesn’t have enough real things to worry about.
FWIW I’ve only lived here less than a year and I was never much of a hockey fan to begin with… :-o
Why hate on the newbies? Without them, you would have no standard by which to judge your suddenly elite status…
It’s easy, convenient and lazy to support a team when it’s winning, and if I ever have a parade those aren’t the kind of people I want in it. I have similar contempt for Red Wings fans – what an emotional rollercoaster it must be to ONLY KNOW SUCCESS.
Meanwhile, there are a finite number of tickets available to each playoff game and Ticketmaster doesn’t care who buys them so some of us – the long-suffering – get to watch the games in a freaking movie theater while the recently converted pay more attention to seeing and being seen than watching the game (unless Rick Nash has the puck on a breakaway, in which case WOOOOOOO! suddenly the game is interesting). I hope the team breaks out the old scoreboard videos where Stinger explains complex rules like “icing” to help all these dedicated fans understand what they’re seeing. And I’m glad I don’t have to be an usher and explain why you can’t walk down the aisle while the puck is in play, no matter how much you paid for your seat.
People are welcome to pay attention but I don’t want to hear how they’re suddenly “faithful” or they “love” the team. The CBJ could’ve used this kind of support coming out of the lockout, or even last season when the team finished pretty much at the bottom of the attendance figures.
I think the argument can be made that if you were really that die hard of a fan you would be willing to pay an arm and a leg for the tickets.
I don’t get it though, do you want a cookie because you’ve been a Blue Jackets fan the longest? Is it better if those people don’t pay attention and the team can’t even sell the tickets to the playoffs?
I saw the blue jackets in an exhibition game before their first season. Do I deserve a reward? I’m pretty sure there are a lot of Red Wings fans laughing at Blue Jackets fans since anyone who’s really into hockey probably liked some other team before we had one here. So part of the problem is that half the hockey fans in Columbus already liked the Red Wings.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, get over it.
I dunno… I can understand being proud of being a long-time fan… but I guess I don’t get the anger at the newcomer fans. More fans and more support is exactly what the Jackets (and Crew) need. Perhaps many of the current Jackets enthusiasts will drop off when they’re out of the limelight, but I’m sure some of them will stick around. Build and grow. Give it some time.
It seems hard to root against the the other team if our team is too busy booing at each other.
“pay no attention to our only professional sports team making the playoffs”
Hey Jeffz, the defending MLS champion Columbus Crew called–they’d like a word.