Getting to Know the Joe

Official Review by Johnny Lawrence, Stadium Journey Correspondent

The NHL's most successful team over the last two decades resides in Joe Louis Arena, a drab gray structure that succeeded the classically brick Olympia Stadium in 1979.

Home of the Detroit Red Wings, designers executed a plan to build the city's first waterfront sports arena. "The Joe", as it is affectionately referred to by locals, sits on the Detroit River just a few blocks south of Detroit's dominant skyline piece, the Renaissance Center. When walking up the riverside staircase to enter a game at night, lights from across the river reflect onto the water creating a picturesque view of Windsor. The Red Wings have been the only professional sports team to utilize the Joe for nine years--two professional soccer teams and OHL franchises formerly called this plot facing Canada home.

A stark contrast from modern NHL palaces, Joe Louis Arena will never be confused with a half-billion dollar venue. Its simplicity is resounding. Concourses are expectedly lined with pictures and sculptures of Red Wings past. Stands and booths await passersby, while scorebook sellers dish product behind solid-colored podiums. Detroit's hockey cave matches former MLB parks Veterans Stadium and Three Rivers Stadium in uniqueness. Built in an era when efficiency was valued over aesthetics, the only standout features hang in the rafters above the ice.

Food & Beverage    4

From Tim Horton's to Little Caesar's Pizza, Red Wing fans are provided the opportunity to choose from the same options they have driving home from work. Here you can grab a $2 ice cream sandwich, a $3 Drumstick, a $3.25 stadium frank, or a $4 sausage. Little Caesar's offers individual slices of pizza, or full pizzas for $13.50 if a few stomachs seek to be nourished. America's favorite chicken wing establishment, Buffalo Wild Wings, also has a stand in the Joe, ready to burn off the tongues of customers with its Blazin' sauce.

Beer and liquor options are far from narrow around the arena. Molson products are offered in multiple locations, where a 12 oz. costs $6, a 16 oz. is $7, and a 24 oz. is $8.75. Several inlets, uninterestingly labeled "Bar", offer 12 different mixed drinks between $6.25 and $8.25"??order anything from Grey Goose Vodka or Bombay Sapphire at these stands. If neither beer nor hard liquor appeals to your tastes, you can drive down daiquiri road.

An option-limiting dilemma may greet the unsuspecting concourse walker"??only one establishment, Hockeytown Cafe, accepts credit or debit cards. If a Red Wing game is on your schedule, be sure to bring plenty of cash if you are looking to please your palate.

Atmosphere    4

Though Joe Louis Arena is a little more than just a roof and sheet of ice, it's clear the playing surface is the focal point of all within.

Those entering must scale an imposing staircase if they bypass the catwalk crossing Jefferson Avenue. Once inside, red and white jerseys, walls, and seats dominate every vantage point, flushing out other colors. In Hockeytown, an overbearing show of support is never lacking. "Let's Go Red Wings!" chants pervade throughout the course of the game to accompany the visual display of loyalty. Tightly packed, seating in the Joe is a squeeze. The organization of the arena allows for excellent viewing from any section, despite the absence of leg room. No matter what section your tickets are in, you're never too far from the action. The young attendee sitting next to me commented, "there's not a bad seat in the barn." Few arenas in the NHL keep spectators closer to the action.

Whatever the Joe lacks in amenities it makes up in soul. The sheer number of banners hanging from the rafters drops the jaws of first-timers. Though Detroit doesn't quite match the Montreal Canadiens in championships, the Red Wings proudly display 11 Stanley Cup Champion banners and a flurry of Western Conference flags. And be warned: If you attend a Red Wings playoff game, don't get hit by an octopus!

Neighborhood    3

From early November until March, Detroiters can skate outdoors at Campus Martius. A 10-minute walk from Joe Louis Arena, this park is home to a skating rink, historical statues, a live music stage, and a water fountain that serves as the city's Christmas tree stand during the holiday. Across the street, Hard Rock Cafe jumps and jives all night long.

A fifteen minute walk down Woodward Avenue will land you at Hockeytown Cafe. Once rated the No. 2 sports bar in America by ESPN, sports memorabilia and suspended motorcycles decorate this well-beaten night spot. $5 pizzas and pitchers during Red Wings and Tigers games, as well as a choice of 40 different beers, keep customers flocking to Detroit's most recognized restaurant. Closer to the arena, Cobo Joe's Sports Bar and Grill waits for exiting fans next door. Burgers, sandwiches, and pizza highlight the menu of this all-American establishment, where it is not difficult to escape with a tab under $10.

Fans    4

Each game, a sea of red lines the upper and lower bowls of the arena. For generations, Red Wing fans have bought jerseys to support their team, and perhaps in no other American stadium will you find such a high percentage of people uniformed in their team's garb.

But Detroiters don't simply don the gear, they know their history. Detroit may possess the highest hockey IQ in the nation. From Alex Delvecchio to the Broad Street Bullies, expect to engage in intelligent conversation if you don the jersey of an opponent.

Crowds are extra rowdy when Original Six contenders come to town. Over the years, Chicagoans and Torontians have infiltrated the Joe en masse, encouraging Detroit supporters to amp it up to drown out the noise of their regional rivals. Engaging and civilized after wins or losses, the class of the majority normally shines through. That is, unless you root for the Colorado Avalanche.

Access    4

The Joe can be accessed via "The Lodge" (MI-10) in downtown Detroit. I-75, I-94, I-96, or any combination of the three will lead to the Lodge and spit you out next to the stadium. Easy to reach from any suburb or outskirt, the easiest and most preferred place to park is on Cobo Hall's roof. It costs $20 on average to park downtown, but plenty of spots exist at $10 or under. Also, free shuttles from over 10 bars will drop fans within a block of the action.

Return on Investment    5

Taking into consideration average ticket price and quality of play, the Detroit Red Wings give you the most bang for your buck in the NHL. With four Stanley Cups in 12 years and an 18-season playoff streak in tact, you can enjoy championship-level hockey at an average of $46.60 per ticket, which ranks 20th highest in the league. Across the board, prices were frozen from last year. Hot dogs ($3.25), programs ($7), pop ($3.50), and beer ($6) all cost as much as they did in 2008-09. Though the cost of parking is a bit inflated (avg. $20), the low cost of all other intangibles designates a night at the Joe a supreme value.

Extras    4

A few days after Christmas, Joe Louis Arena hosts the Great Lakes Invitational each year. Michigan Tech founded the college hockey tournament in 1965 and it annually competes against powerhouse hockey programs like the University of Michigan and Michigan State. This four-team invitational bring thousands to Detroit from all reaches of the state, including Ann Arbor, East Lansing, and the Upper Peninsula. Outside this tournament, the Joe also hosts a select few home games for U-M and MSU.

The Olympia Club is a downstairs restaurant open exclusively to season ticket holders. Live entertainment and a vast beer selection keep the joint buzzing all game long.