Share
this

The Bradley Center, Home of the Milwaukee Bucks

Official Review by Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Co-Founder

Amazingly, the Bradley Center is the fourth oldest arena in the NBA. Opened in 1988, it has the feel of an outdated venue, while still providing excellent sightlines from anywhere in the building. With $23M in renovations expected in the years to come hopefully they'll be able to give the Bradley Center some much needed attention, especially in the seating areas. For now, fans will find somewhat cramped seats, but an affordable opportunity to see some NBA action.

Food & Beverage    3

You would expect to find sausages and brats in Milwaukee, and you would be right. I decided to venture off the expected path, and try some BBQ. In many ways it's a great way to know where you are. In this case it may have been a mistake. The pulled pork sandwich tasted like it was bathed in a traditional Chinese sweet and sour sauce- not good at all.

Beer prices were reasonable, and Miller products could be found in abundance as well as offerings from Leinenkugel, a large Wisconsin based brewer. One of my greatest pet peeves is the lack of offering of a souvenir cup for your soda- always an affordable way to find a memento.

Atmosphere    3

I love the enormity of the retired number banners and the 1971 Championship banner that hang from the ceiling of the Bradley Center. When you imagine Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson suited up for the same squad, you wish that you had been a Bucks fan in the early 70's. For this generation X'er, the only other names that I recognized were Sidney Moncrief, and Bob Lanier, although I frankly didn't realize he had an impact on the Bucks organization before the trip.

At tip off, music was played well into the first possession which I thought was overly distracting, but ceased and seemed tame for the remainder of the game. The Bucks mascot, Bango was truly hard core, especially when he served as a deterrent for a contest between two fans dressed in sumo gear, tackling each as they tried to make baskets the way Bruce Lee would have done it if he were an NFL linebacker.

The game I witnessed against the Timberwolves was a blowout so it was hard to get the full effect of how noisy the arena could get, but for the most part the decibel level was fairly tame.

Neighborhood    4

The Bradley Center is situated in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, with plenty of interesting bars and restaurants within easy walking distance. A walk along the river or down Old World Third Street would be great places to start. Also, if it isn't too cold, spend some time meandering along the Wisconsin Sports Walk of Fame. With 114 members including Hank Aaron, Oscar Robertson, Vince Lombardi, and Al McGuire among others, it's a great way to spend some time without spending any money.

We began with a stop at Water Street Brewery where they have several homemade brews on tap. The appetizers were average and the service was very friendly with plenty of tv's to stay up on the sports action. Try the "Brew Ton" (think won tons filled with nacho toppings).

Our second stop claimed to have the best brats in Milwaukee, The Milwaukee Brat House. How that was determined is dubious as they were unspectacular, other than being served on a pretzel roll. They had a good beer list with 12 beers on tap, and 20 more in the bottle, and had a cozy feel. Being just over a block away from the Bradley Center makes them a good option for pre or post game hang time.

Finally we tried the Red Accordian, a new bar still trying to find their identity. The best description I can give is that they are a slightly upscale sports bar and gastro-pub with somewhat goofy sports quotes as the only noticeable wall decor. They are certainly trying, but perhaps they are trying too hard. They do have an impressive beer list and a menu that is trying to be avant-garde, but they need to focus a bit more on their true identity.

Fans    4

There is one particularly impressive band of fans in the upper section across from the Bucks bench that deserves a special mention. Adorned with flags from seemingly every country of the world, and a loud horn, they stood for the entirety of the game cheering fervently for their Bucks, and veraciously against the visiting T-Wolves. I specially loved their rendition of the J. Geils Band, 'Love Stinks' whenever Kevin Love went to the free throw line.

The woman next to me pointed out two Wisconsin elected officials, Bucks Owner and Senator Herb Kohl, and another person, and seemed shocked that I didn't know who they were. I told her it was ok, when I went to political games, I could always recognize the basketball players in the crowd. Apparently, these would be the local celebrities.

Access    5

Parking was an absolute breeze, with a covered lot a block away that cost $10. It took a little while to get back on the freeway after the game, but certainly nothing unreasonable for a post game exit. Bathrooms were never crowded, even at halftime.

Return on Investment    3

This was the toughest area to rate. On the one hand, food was priced effectively and parking is an absolute bargain. Tickets prices are also very reasonable starting at $9.

On the other hand my two major complaints are that the food really wasn't all that good, and the seats are incredibly cramped even in the better sections of the arena. We sat in about the 15th row, right at center court- absolutely unbelievable seats. I'm taller than most fans (6'3") and had my legs pressed against the seat in front of me the entire game. What's more, I really don't understand stadium seating without cup holders. It affects the fans ability to clap and cheer, and is a nuisance (as well as a deterrent to buying additional beverages).

Extras    3

Extra points for the unbelievable fan section I mentioned earlier, the Wisconsin Sports Walk of Fame, and the opportunity to sit below the banners of Abdul-Jabbar and the Big O.

Not a bad place to see a game

I was pleasantly surprised by the Bradley Center. The sightlines are excellent, even from the cheap seats, and it's very easy to get from the entrance to wherever your seats are without getting held up in a crowd. While the Bradley Center is clearly an older stadium, the Jumbotron does the job just fine - the video quality is as good as you'd expect at a more modern stadium. The area around the stadium is walkable and has plenty of options for dining and drinks before or after the game.

It's from a revenue-generating standpoint that the Bradley Center is most outdated. It has about half the corporate boxes that other stadiums do, which is a limitation of the stadium's layout. But some of the other revenue problems would be more easily solved - for example, not a single vendor appeared anywhere near us during the game. They're missing out on a lot of extremely profitable $9 beers and $7 ice cream cones. The merch and food offerings in the hallways are also few and far between. One of my friends went out for a drink during halftime and eventually returned empty-handed, having given up. So while a lot of the Bradley Center's problems are due to age, a lot more could be solved by sending a few consultants to observe operations at a major market.

We were there during a game against the Bulls, as were about 17,000 other Chicago fans, and I'd give extra points to Bucks management for their playful handling of the takeover by Bulls fans. They did a great job of maintaining Bucks pride while acknowledging the Bulls fans in good humor.

by Marc | Feb 19, 2012 03:53 PM

You must be a Stadium Journey member to post a comment.

Already a member? Sign in or Create a Stadium Journey Account

-- OR --