Fans React: Frozen Four Venue ‘Too Big for What It Is’

If you wanted seats on the glass at this year’s Frozen Four, you likely were disappointed. The closest you could get was sitting behind the benches or penalty box.

As the opening day of the first domed Frozen Four moved on Thursday, the seats closest to the ice on the sides of the rink got less and less inhabited.

“I think the venue is too big for what it is,” said Tim Ford, a Ferris State alum from Pittsburgh who was in Michigan for the U12 nationals. “It’s too big of a space.”

Ford was atop the lower level of the venue with which he shares a name when he talked during the third period of the second semifinal game. By that point, sections were getting thin during the second of consecutive semifinal routs.

“It’s still fantastic that they’re trying,” Ford said. “It was still well worth coming.”

The attendance was announced to the crowd as 34,954. That drew a chuckle from a fan sitting in the club section who wanted to be identified only as Pat from Toledo, Ohio.

“Where are they?” he laughed.

Pat moved down from his assigned seats in section 327 because he didn’t like the surroundings.

“From what you’re used to seeing at an arena, you lose the atmosphere, the noise,” he said. “If this was at Joe Louis Arena, this place would be electric right now.”