Express Train to the Hockey Burbs

Official Review by Paul Swaney, Stadium Journey Co-Founder

The 2011-2012 season marks the inauguration of the Chicago Express, an expansion East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) franchise. Chicago already has, not only the Blackhawks, but 3 AHL teams within a couple of hours of the Windy City; the Chicago Wolves at Allstate Arena, Rockford IceHogs at BMO Harris Bank Centre, and the Peoria Rivermen at Carver Arena. It is yet to be seen if an ECHL franchise can co-exist with these larger teams.

The Chicago Express play their home games at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. It is a beautiful and large facility known most for hosting concerts, but it has also played host to lacrosse, indoor football, and UHL hockey during its existence. The Sears Centre will also host the Big Ten women's basketball tournament in 2013 and 2015.

Fans may find the cost of attending an Express game higher than expected, and those price points may aid in the Express struggle as they find their footing in the landscape of hockey in Northern Illinois.

Food & Beverage    2

The options are limited at the Sears Centre for an Express game. The worst part is that there are several tantalizing stands that are closed during the game. This includes a BBQ concession, and an Extreme Dog concession. Both of which would have increased the level of interest of this fan. At the very least, I wished that they would cover the stands up so I wouldn't know what I was missing.

Instead, I was left with the typical options. Halftime Pizza ($6.50), jumbo hot dog ($4.75), pretzel ($4.50), nachos ($5.25), and cheeseburgers ($6.50) were available. I found all of the price points to be high, and the quality to be just average.

Beer was available, and a large costs $7.75 and a medium $7. The options I found included Coors Light, Miller, MGD, and Heineken. There was also a gluten free beer option ($7.50), which is appreciated in this era of more and more gluten allergies. Pepsi was the soda provider of choice. A small will cost you $4.75, or you can get a bottomless option for $6. Bottles of water and Gatorade ($4.50), and coffee and cocoa ($2.50) were also available. My recommendation is to plan to eat before or after the game.

Atmosphere    2

Currently, the Chicago Express are only offering seating in the lower bowl of the 11,000 seat arena. This is a good move to help concentrate the fans that they have. The lower bowl has a capacity of about 6,000, and the team has been averaging around 2,500-3,000 fans for most home games.

Venture through the concourse and you can't miss the Chicago Express train that offers kids rides around the concourse for $1. You may also want to visit Trax Town, which is located on the lower level under the scoreboard. There are several games for kids to play in this area. It is also an amazing place to stand and watch some of the action. In fact, I would have happily stood there the whole game.

Sitting in your seat you'll find a spot for your beverage, and a cushioned padding. The seats would be very comfortable if it wasn't for the below average leg room. Too often, an arena like this is built with the idea of packing in as many spectators as they can, and the experience really suffers if you are of average height or taller.

There is a large scoreboard at one end of the arena, and a ribbon board surrounds the remainder of the arena, separating the first and second level seating areas. Fights are part of the draw to ECHL level hockey, and are featured prominently in the team's opening montage on the video screen.

Overall, the atmosphere falls a bit flat, but there does seem to be the bud of a fun experience as more fans discover the Express.

Neighborhood    3

Hoffman Estates feels like the quintessential suburban oasis, replete with shopping malls and chain restaurants. I stopped in to Rookie's for a snack before the game. It is a pretty typical sports bar as far as food, but I did appreciate the multitude of TVs, especially as it was a Sunday afternoon and several NFL games were showing. Unless you are into shopping, this is probably not an area where you are going to want to just hang out. Most people will want to just come in for the game, and head home after.

Fans    2

Since the 2011-2012 season is the first for the franchise, they are still developing their ties to the hockey community. I noticed a potpourri of hockey jerseys being worn by the fans including jerseys for the Bruins, Blackhawks, Blues, Devils, and Chicago Wolves. There were very few wearing Express gear. Given the prices at the team store in the arena ($210 for a replica jersey, and most prices a tad on the high side), who can blame them? The team is affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets, so you may expect to begin to find some Jackets gear mixed amongst the spectators as time goes on.

There were few in attendance seeming to care too much about the actual play on the ice. There were the expected cheers after a goal, and rowdy cheers when a fight broke out, but for the most part, I experienced a docile group that did little to add to the overall energy of the building.

Access    3

Traffic in Chicago is notoriously bad, and if you're coming from the city, you can expect the trip to take up to an hour to reach the Sears Centre. Traffic on I-90 will dissipate somewhat once you make it past O'Hare International Airport, and the drive will be easy from there. The parking is plentiful, but costly. At $10 a spot, I was a bit dismayed. This is minor league hockey afterall, and I can generally find street parking near the United Center for a Blackhawks game for free. Unfortunately, you don't have much of an option at the Sears Centre, so have a picture of Alexander Hamilton handy.

You won't find much congestion arriving or leaving the arena, so there's no reason to strategically cut your viewing of the game short to beat the traffic out. Enjoy the game and leave at a leisurely pace.

Inside, the concourses are very large. Watch out for the occasional train coming through, but otherwise you can move about with no trouble. Bathrooms are adequate.

Return on Investment    3

Tickets start under $10, and there are further discounts for children and seniors. The Express also offer several different package options like a family pack for single games ($49 for 4 tickets, soda, and hot dogs), and bundles of games with discounts available. Top price tickets are $26 for single games to sit along the boards. I would encourage you to opt for the lower priced ticket, or find a package if you are traveling with a group.

It is good that the tickets are pretty reasonable, because the parking and concessions are priced entirely too high, especially for a first year franchise trying to build a fanbase.

Extras    2

It is a difficult climb for a new minor league team, especially in a large market like Chicagoland where there are plenty of options available. The team is doing a good job of trying to appeal to families, and I also found the staff to be really friendly and helpful. These are both promising signs for the future. In the interim, pricing feels high for the average fan, and that is something that will need to be adjusted to achieve future success.

Final Thoughts

While this would not be my first recommendation for someone looking for a hockey game in Chicago, I wouldn't recommend against it either. The ECHL is an established minor league entity with nearly 500 former players going on to the NHL. You can expect to see future top level talent at a game at the Sears Centre, and it is always nice to be able to say, "I saw him play back when".