The Largest Hockey Arenas in the World

Hockey is an outdoor game in which players try to navigate a ball to their opponent’s goal by using a stick known as a “hockey stick.” The game can be played by both males and females. During a hockey game, there are two teams which play against each other. The teams have eleven members each including their goalie. There are two main types of hockey: ice hockey and field hockey. Some of the largest hockey arenas in the world are the Bell Centre, Wells Fargo Centre, and Amalie Arena.

Some Of The Notable Hockey Arenas In The World

Bell Center

The Bell Center is a sports and entertainment complex which was opened in 1996 after approximately three years of construction. It is located in Montreal, Canada and it covers 3.87 acres of land. Bell Center is owned by a group of brothers called Geoff Molson, Andrew, and Justin. In addition to the sports area, the arena also hosts four restaurants. The most popular among them is called “La Cage aux Sports.” Many years after its opening, Bell Center is still the largest hockey arena in the world. It has a seating capacity of 21,288 hockey fans. In the year 2015, Bell Center arena was renovated at a budget of $100 million. During the renovations; a new scoreboard which consists of four 510 square foot video panels was installed. The arena was also arranged in a three-tier layout such that it had a 100 section, 200 section, and 300-400 section. Interestingly, the arena retained an old-siren which goes off at the end of each session. Bell Center has hosted several hockey tournaments including the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Amalie Arena

The Amalie Arena is a hockey arena which is situated in Tampa, Florida. It was constructed at a cost of $139 million that was contributed by the city of Tampa and Tampa Bay Lightning. Amalie Arena was built because the Lightning hockey team lacked an arena that could comfortably host its games. Currently, it is mainly used by the Tampa Bay Lightning team of the Florida National Hockey League. The first hockey game that was played at the Amalie Arena venue was between Lightning and New York Rangers. Lightning won the game with a score of 5–2. Since then several games have been hosted at the Amalie Arena such as the 1999 NHL All-Star Game, four games during the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, and the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Amalie Arena which boasts of a seating capacity of 19,092 has also host basketball and football games.

Wells Fargo Center

The Wells Fargo Center, formerly known as Spectrum II was built at a cost of $210 million. It is located in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is owned by the Comcast Spectacor. The games center can accommodate 19,541 people for the National Hockey League. Furthermore, it has 126 luxury suites, offices, studios, 1,880 club-box seats, and many restaurants and clubs. Wells Fargo Center recorded the highest attendance for an indoor hockey game, 20,327, in the year 2010 during the Stanley Cup Finals. When hosting a concert, the arena can host up to 21,000 people seated and a minimum of 21,499 people standing.

The Significance Of The Hockey Arenas

It is not easy to invest in great hockey arenas such as these. However, their construction has led to a great development of the hockey games. The arenas have led to improved state economies as they are a good source of revenue. Furthermore, they provide venues for hosting events such as entertainment performances. Hence nations should plan to have such arenas to improve their national sports cultures.