Islanders: The Athletic Ranks Nassau Coliseum 30th Arena In NHL

The Athletic ranked the Nassau Coliseum as the 30th arena in the league. Is that fair for the Islanders’ home venue?

As Islanders fans, we hold a special bond with the Nassau Coliseum. It’s understandable because that place has so much history to us and it’s unique in the sense that it gives you old-time hockey vibes while attending a game.

While I understand that if you’re not an Islander fan you probably don’t feel that way about the arena, what I don’t understand ranking it 30th. Yes, according to The Athletic there are only two arenas worse than the Coli, the Barclays Center (Islanders second home), and the Senators arena.

The location, quality, and press box scores were all fairly low. I understand all three of those honestly. The location isn’t all that great, for visitors, it’s roughly 30 miles from Manhattan and you have a hotel and a Chipotle that’s about it.

I’d argue that, for the fanbase, the location is fine. A majority of the fanbase is from Long Island and if you ask 75 percent of the fanbase who attends games it’s a 20 minute or less drive for them to get to.

Again, for the visiting media or team, not that glamorous, but for the fanbase it’s efficient. The quality and press box I have no rebuttal for. It’s old and outdated that much I understand. My last gripe comes with the atmosphere grade.

The Coliseum’s low ceiling provides for one of the loudest buildings that we have in the NHL. Ask any player, even Kyle Okposo after he left, how hard it is to play in that building with the fans going bonkers. It’s an awesome environment.

I guess it’s because I’m looking at this through the fan’s lense, and this is clearly a grade based on the nightlife around the arena, what they’re serving in the press box, and whether or not they have a press entrance or not.

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From the fan’s point of view, I’d argue that based on pure environment for a hockey game, which at the end of the day is the lone reason to go see the sport, it’s fairly good.