As a person of humble origins who has never let stubbornness get the best of my opened-minded persona, forgive me when I say that you are wrong if you disagree with me on which sections offer the best view at the United Center – for Blackhawks games, at least.
I have witnessed it all, at all angles from inside the Madhouse on Madison.
From the nosebleeds to the glass. From the club level to the standing section. From the corners to the middle. There exists no section I haven’t sat in.
Therefore I am the authority on the matter, and you are not – unless you have sat in all the same areas as I have, that is. Either way, don’t be the kind of person who argues that a band sucks when you’ve only heard one of their songs.
Here is a Reddit threat debating the topic of best seats at the United Center.
Before I clicked the aforementioned link above, my expectations were lower a septic tank beneath a trailer park.
To my surprise, I seem to have stumbled upon some genuine hockey aficionados because my two favorite spots in the entire stadium were provided within the 30 comment thread.
Here is my breakdown of the best and worst sections the United Center has to offer for hockey games.
WORST
ANYWHERE ON THE GLASS THAT IS NOT CENTER ICE.
Sitting on the glass is a gimmick aimed at A-List celebrities and white-collared people who enjoy hockey but don’t care enough to notice that they are only able to see a fraction of what the hell is going on. In no way am I telling you to pass up such seats if ever they are handed to you. Sitting on the glass truly is a once in a lifetime experience -something I had the luxury of experiencing during game 5 of the Blackhawks’ Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Nashville Predators – which I still proclaim the greatest Blackhawks game of all time. While the idea of being so close to the action was riveting, the action, itself, was not so much. Like I said, I was only able to see about 1/4th of what was going on. The lasting memory of that game (not counting Marian Hossa’s OT winner) will be the family of yuppies sitting beside me playing on their cellphones as they dozed off in boredom IN THE MIDDLE OF OVERTIME PLAYOFF HOCKEY!!!
Not to mention, I still have nightmares to this day of a helmet-less Brent Sopel skating circles a mere five feet from me.
STANDING SECTION
My first experience with the United Center standing section had me wishing I was waiting in line at the Midlothian DMV.
It was that bad.
You see those televisions above the heads of those standing fans? Yeah, you better get used to watching those, because that’s about all you’re going to see of the game. That’s unless you showed up to the UC an hour and a half early and made a beeline for the section once the gates opened.
Now take a look at that photo again. Now imagine that line 3 rows deep, shoulder to shoulder. Do you want a beer? Do you have to use the washroom? Tough crap. You just lost your spot.
When it is all said and done, you’re going to remind yourself that you just dropped nearly $50 to frustrate yourself for 3 hours and watch a Blackhawks game on TV.
BEST
200 OR 300 LEVEL CORNERS
The dream section for a hockey nerd like myself. There’s something about the corner angle that appeals to me so heavily. If I had to pinpoint it, it would be the uniqueness of seeing the development and transition of the forecheck and offense from a backside perspective. While you can especially get this perspective from sitting behind the net, the corner angle provides you with a more-centered viewing of both ends of the ice.
I feel like the ticket pricing for this section is the best bargain you will find, as well. In the 5 or 6 home games I attend each season, I usually can find seats in the 300 level corners for around $50-$60 on the day of the game.
The fans are what make this section worth the experience, though. Here is the home of the die-hard. The ones who cheer during the anthem. The ones who throw popcorn at you when you get up to use the bathroom while the puck is in play. The ones who teach your kids the art of cursing and why the city of Detroit sucks. You’re never going to hear stories of legendary Blackhawks players or tales of the past on the glass or in the 100-level. The only place you are going to find those who lived through these experiences is here.
200 LEVEL CENTER
Far enough to where you can see the entire ice, close enough to where you can just about make out every four letter word being exchanged by the players. This is hands down the best seating area in the United Center for experiencing a game. Enough said. Did I mention they have waiters that serve you?
