Zug-Arena

Did watch today my first game in the new Zug-arena and because the game was not really that exciting I offer here some of my first impressions about this new hockey-rink: Basically I guess it's ok, maybe even good overall. But to be honest there is nothing what I haven't seen before in other arenas around this planet. It's just one of these new arenas, not less and not more. There is nothing that really disapointed me but there is also nothing what I absolutely love and did make me...wow... What do I like: I like the good view from nearly all seats. I like the idea of putting the names in a stylish way of former players to some arena-walls really a nice and pleasant idea. I really also like the garbage systems close the food-stands - they are integrated in the walls. This looks really very nice, again stylish. The video-cube is good, nothing to complain about. From players side I did listen to some positive comments in terms of the locker-rooms and from my according short view I can confirm this. What I don't like: The accustic of the arena-speaker was not very good. I hardly could understand his questions and I definitely didn't understand the answers of the players. The chairs down low are close to the glass but not close enough. The distance between the rows in the lower part is too big, I agree with big enough distance for comfortable stretching the legs but this is too much and takes away atmosphere and seats, in addition the lower part is not steep enough. I don't like so much the seats, they push you back-down and this is not so comfortable, ok this is a very personal view. In the upper part I don't understand why they did put behind every seat some sort of iron something, so every seat looks like hand-luggage in the airports. In general it looks cool but maybe too cool, too much beton, not enough living-room-atmosphere. From the players-side I did hear complaints about the soft ice, so the ice-quality seems not be real good, maybe this has to do with the still ongoing some sort of summer but basically this complaints has to be taken serious by the Zug-management and ice-technicians. My big question-mark: Why they did put just 9 or so luxury-boxes? I guess exactly the luxury-boxes would be the huge potential in the Zug-area where you never will have an endless crowd but you have nearly endless international companies around who might be interested in luxury-boxes because they want to improve their reputation with the locals. I definitely question this VERY small amount of luxury-boxes. Overall: A good arena but nothing sensational, my critics is on a high level, means I'm pretty demanding in terms of arenas... so don't take my critics too much to your heart. I wish everybody happyness and fun in the new Bosshard-arena in Zug. Enjoy!

Stallikon, 26th August 2010