Selecting season tickets

[Upper Deck]

Hi all. I live in Bemidji and will be selecting season tickets for the new BSU arena. I know many of you went through a similar process and had to make similar decisions when they were building The Ralph.

We're a family of four with two boys in hockey. Choices basically are "silver" totaling $2100, "bronze" totaling $1700 or non-donation (pink) totaling $1300. Here is a seating chart. Besides the obvious better seats, the silver provides free parking at the arena, along with a few more perks than bronze. With non-donation, you don't get any perks (ie football tickets, etc). You can park on site - but it will be pretty far away and will be $5-10 per night.

So I wanted to know, if any of you could select your seats again, what would you do different? With our boys getting older (one entering Squirts) we'll be eventually traveling more, etc. Any favorite sections within the silver, bronze or pink?

Thanks!

[LuvHockey]

The worst part about selecting seats was doing it with no availability to check out sight lines. My first two were chosen off a seating chart, and the actual seat position was NOT where the chart showed it.

The second pair I chose 3 years later with the arena built, and you could go look at the view before selecting. Wow what a difference.

Things I would consider:

-aisle seats for personal egress (if you need to leave town, easier to get going, but more getting up for others)

-get above the glass? (often less distortion, especially in corners)

-get kids away from students chants? (profanity)

-home end? (shoot twice)

-going with friends to get a group of seats (share/trade tix if you want to sit with other friends once in a while)

-parking (I really like parking at arena, so am glad to donate enough to get parking pass eligible)

Thats what I can say off the top.

[MoreSiouxForYou]

Hi all. I live in Bemidji and will be selecting season tickets for the new BSU arena. I know many of you went through a similar process and had to make similar decisions when they were building The Ralph.

We're a family of four with two boys in hockey. Choices basically are "silver" totaling $2100, "bronze" totaling $1700 or non-donation (pink) totaling $1300. Here is a seating chart. Besides the obvious better seats, the silver provides free parking at the arena, along with a few more perks than bronze. With non-donation, you don't get any perks (ie football tickets, etc).

So I wanted to know, if any of you could select your seats again, what would you do different? With our boys getting older (one entering Squirts) we'll be eventually traveling more, etc. Any favorite sections within the silver, bronze or pink?

Thanks!

Do not underestimate the value of your own car up close to the building when everyone else is waiting for shuttle. Its northern MN and it gets Damn cold when the wind whips at 10 on Friday night.

Its even worse after a Beaver loss to the Sioux!!

Congrats on the decision to let your boys love a great sport though.

[DamStrait]

On the aisle up high in (or near) the corner at the end your team shoots twice.

[Sundog]

I had to select seats for the Sundogs arena prior to its construction and had the same concerns. Here are my thoughts:

1. Seat selection in my case was based upon who put down their deposit first. People were then assigned a time when they could come into the office and select a seat. Because I didn

[Fetch]

I ditto corner & above glass & if you can get front row in upper or top row lower, it would be nice & think ahead if you want to be near family or friends - on the end where Bemidji shoots twice is a must

After over 25 yrs you get used to watching from a certain angle / height & want to sit in similar seating - it's not like Football where everyone thinks 50 yd line is best

Not having folks who jump up every time something exciting is about to happen is a must, so everyone can see, every play

that front row just above that handicapped section in upper left corner looks good - if that's the end the Beavers will shoot twice

[Upper Deck]

I ditto corner & above glass & if you can get front row in upper or top row lower, it would be nice & think ahead if you want to be near family or friends - on the end where Bemidji shoots twice is a must

After over 25 yrs you get used to watching from a certain angle / height & want to sit in similar seating - it's not like Football where everyone thinks 50 yd line is best

Not having folks who jump up every time something exciting is about to happen is a must, so everyone can see, every play

that front row just above that handicapped section in upper left corner looks good - if that's the end the Beavers will shoot twice

BSU goes left to right twice (attack end is right side twice per game). The students are also on the right side/end of the rink.

[BIGSIOUX]

BSU goes left to right twice (attack end is right side twice per game). The students are also on the right side/end of the rink.

wow, good for the students

[The Whistler]

I know a guy who took his seats in the exact middle of a run of seats so nobody would be walking in front of him. If you don't get up much that's not a bad idea.

I'd take a corner anywhere as long as you are inside the near board. That is you can see the ice surface up to the boards on both long runs of the ice surface.

IF you get the parking deal you might want to consider how close your seats are to the parking area. If you can beat the majority of the fans to your car you can avoid the long waits in the parking lot. So if the other guys in the parking lot are behind the players bench and you're on the end next to the parking lot you can watch the end and be out of the parking lot as they get to their car.

[farce poobah]

I'd try to pool up with some friends and get a cluster of 2x4 or 2x6 ... that means that when you start travelling, you'll have partners willing to help sell your seats.

I like the energy of the student section, and I think your boys will too so I would go attacking blue line so that both goals are visible above the glass.

I'd also go so that aisle-walkers don't block your view of the near goal. Nothing more annoying than missing a goal because someone's going up/down. That may mean going to middle of row... tough to tell.

I'd also recommend keeping your siouxsports.com userid, because a fair number of people will be interested in most of their WCHA games, especially on weekends the Sioux have a bye.

[Upper Deck]

Thanks for all of the advice so far. Whistler, please expand/explain what "I'd take a corner anywhere as long as you are inside the near board" means.

BTW . . . I'll always be a Sioux fan (born and raised Sioux fan) . . . I think the only time I could see me cheering for BSU over the Sioux is October 15, 2010. We get to the REA 3-4x a year and plan to continue the tradition.

[The Whistler]

Thanks for all of the advice so far. Whistler, please expand/explain what "I'd take a corner anywhere as long as you are inside the near board" means.

BTW . . . I'll always be a Sioux fan (born and raised Sioux fan) . . . I think the only time I could see me cheering for BSU over the Sioux is October 15, 2010. We get to the REA 3-4x a year and plan to continue the tradition.

Suppose you're at the Ralph and want to sit on the end where the Sioux attack twice. Figure how high you want to be and go to that row. If you move to your left (in this case) at some point you wont' be able to see the ice in front of the penalty boxes. It's my opinion the best seats allow you to watch the puck (and action along the boards) all the way up and down the boards. The only blind spot for the puck will be on the end right in front of you.

Those are the seats I prefer when I can get them.