
### _[26 IN 26 STOP 5](/26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on February 14, 2026._

Danbury, CT is an interesting place. Aside from being the birthplace of two of my cousins, it’s also been the home of a whole host of low level hockey teams, many of which have called the same place home: the Danbury Arena.

![An wide-angle image of the Danbury Arena](/images/2026/0214-arena.jpeg)

I won't get too in depth about any of the teams that have played here in the past, but among them were a team called the Trashers, one of the founding members of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (who have since folded), a women's team in a predecessor of the [PWHL](2025-08-28_nysirens), and, of course, the current team: the Danbury Hat Tricks (who, it should be noted, are not connected to the former team in Danbury). Normally, I don't talk about building ownership in these posts, but I have to here, because part of why the Hat Tricks exist today: a 2019 sale of the building.

The Hat Tricks were were one of three teams established in 2019 as part of the building sale, and are the third team in FPHL history to call Danbury their home (there was a second team after the original team left, but they folded as well). In their short time as a club (though not by FPHL standards[^1]), they've been at least somewhat successful - after all, they have a league title to their name (won in 2023). Unfortunately, the biggest problem with planning a trip here: no afternoon games. They only host games on Friday and Saturday nights[^2], and though it’s not SUPER far (probably an hour and a half at most), I’d rather not be getting home at 11 PM (and also the roads are kinda dark at night - don’t even THINK about the Saw Mill).

HOWEVER...

The FPHL isn't the only game in town.

As mentioned earlier, the Hat Tricks were one of three teams brought into the Danbury Ice Arena in 2019. One was the aforementioned women's team (who basically folded when their league did prior to the founding of the PWHL), and the other was a NA3HL team that lasted until 2024 when they kinda sorta disappeared without a trace. There is, however, one more team I haven't discussed yet: in 2020, the Hat Tricks purchased a NAHL team that had been around since 2010 and moved them from Wilkes-Barre, PA to Danbury. This team - commonly known as the Jr. Hat Tricks to distinguish them from the FPHL team - has a VERY DIFFERENT schedule from their parent club, but most important is the fact that they had a weekend game that started at noon - i.e THIS game. There's not that much to say about the team (Wikipedia indicates that last season was the first time the team finished above last place in their division, but they were still only 8th of 10), so let's move on.

As mentioned earlier, the Danbury (Ice) Arena opened in 1999 and was apparently the beneficiary of a renovation five years later. It's very much a community oriented building  - which begs the question of whether it (and other similar venues, as I have plans for those as well) should be considered for the _26 in 26_ (though the presence of the [Westchester County Center](2026-01-25_wcknicks) on my list should, without a doubt, answer that question). Unlike the the [Middletown Sports Complex](2025-09-14_njtitans), however, there's no swimming pool here; I saw something that indicated that the main rink became a roller rink one summer, but have not seen any information as to whether or not they're still doing that.

There are, in essence, two "aspects" to the building: a lobby with your normal amenities (i.e. concessions and merchandise) plus an arcade, and the arena itself. The majority of the seats here (as in the ones that were "open" for this general admission game) are side of the ice opposite the entrances, so you have to walk around the rink to get to them - and just as a fair warning: it is COLD at ice level. If you choose to go up the seats, however, the upper rows of the seating area are warmer. There are also some seating sections on the "near" side of the ice which are "balcony style" (i.e. they end well above the ice, as they're on the same side as the lower entrances). I didn't get to see these up close, as I THINK they were meant to be for "insiders only", so to speak.

Also, I do have to give a special "shout out" to sections 108 and 109 - two of the most UNUSUAL seating sections you'll ever see in ANY arena, as they're tucked into one of the walls. Section 108 is especially weird - it only has 16 seats because the door the Hat Tricks use to access the arena is here as well!

![an image of two seating areas tucked into a wall](/images/2026/0214-seats.jpeg)

<figcaption>Diehards only</figcaption>

This building, like a lot of other lower level arenas, does not have a center scoreboard, but rather two scoreboards at either end of the ice. At one end, there's a video screen which appears to be nine monitors arranged in a grid, and at the other, a pair of horns used to celebrate goals blare rather loudly if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.

There was basically NO atmosphere for the entire game, which is a bit of a shame as the Hat Tricks withstood a 32-shot barrage and shut out the visiting New Hampshire Mountain Kings 3-0. I realized during this game what makes lower level hockey hard to watch for some: missed passes, whiffed shots, and guys falling over CONSTANTLY does not exactly make for the best entertainment...

### MERCH

One of the more curious things about the Hat Tricks: their FPHL and NAHL teams each have their own online stores. The FPHL team has a store run by the team, while the NAHL team has one of those "spirit wear" sites. One thing that I found interesting on the FPHL team store: game used jerseys for both the FPHL and NAHL.

At this game, unfortunately...the merch booth wasn't open. I guess it's only open for FPHL games, and while I DID consider sticking around for the evening contest between the FPHL Hat Tricks and the Indiana Sentinels (a game the Hat Tricks won 7-0), it didn't feel right to me for various reasons (not the least of which was the game ending just before 10:00 PM).

---

### ON DECK

During the game, I found out about another team that plays in the building - in a sport I've been pretty interested in for a while.

---

[^1]: Much like other "independent leagues", the FPHL is somewhat notorious for franchise instability.
[^2]: One game in December did get pushed to Sunday due to weather, but I didn't know about that until it was far too late.

Who doesn't *love* a little junior hockey?

Danbury Hat Tricks (North American Hockey League) @ Danbury Arena (Danbury, CT)


Happy Birthday to me! I won't tell you how old I am, but instead, I figured I'd look into discussing what goes into making these posts today. It's something I've alluded to quite a bit, but I figure it'd be fun to show the people the amount of work that goes into this hobby of mine.

## STEP 1: Choosing the event

As you might expect, this involves looking at schedules and finding dates and times for their games. While I'd love to go to as many things as I could, there are a few factors I have to consider:

1. Time. A lot of these stadiums are in places with...varying reputations, so I try to make sure that I'm not somehwere I'd rather not be late at night. Also, with so many events on the calendar, you have to make sure that you don't end up creating conflicts. For example, before "settling" on this past weekend's [Nets game](2026-02-08_bknets), I considered going to [Sacred Heart](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens) before moving that trip up to the end of 2025, as they had a game at the EXACT SAME TIME as the Nets game. In addition, I need to make time for other things (i.e. friends and family), so I can't exactly be traveling around to sports venues every weekend.

2. Distance. I feel like you have to consider time driving vs. time spent at an event: for example, if it takes you an hour and a half to travel to an event you spend three hours at, then you've more or less "broken even" on time (three hours driving, three hours entertainment). Therefore, pretty much anything more than two hours gets dicey for me, as it's more time driving and less time at the event, and I don't believe that's super "worth it" - though there may be some exceptions.

For me, I like to arrive early so that I can get good parking, check out team stores, and walk around the stadium/arena, so that does shift things a bit as it usually adds an hour to the "event" side of the equation (especially in regards to certain trips I'm considering which involve 2+ hours driving). In addition, I'm looking into a few overnight trips in the near future (i.e. trips where I'll be staying somewhere nearby instead of going home).

## STEP 2: Research

Once I find a game that I think works for me, I start writing! In fact, this is a large reason why I'm able to have these posts out the day after the game: about 75% of the work is done BEFORE the event even starts[^1].

Generally, I don't want to get TOO deep into writing about history: that information is available in other places (though yesterday's Nets post may be a counter argument to that idea). However, I feel like I should provide a bit of context for what you're about to read, so I do try to have a team history section and, if applicable, an arena history section. Sometimes, I do a little bit about the city the team is based in, but unfortunately, a lot of that has, for better or worse, boiled down to "this place was fine back in the day but now it's kinda sketchy" (because those are the types of places that view sports as a potential economic boost).

Like a lot of other millennials, my primary source for information is Wikipedia. Y'see kids, before we could just ask AI chatbots to answer questions for us, we had to do research ourselves, and as someone who likes diving into things, I still do my own research. Wikipedia was (and still is) a major source of information that serves as a backbone for a lot of these posts - even if it is prone to the occasional vandal/wannabe comedian.

Once the "groundwork" for a post is done, I need to start thinking about the event itself, which means...

## STEP 3: Tickets

I realize that it SEEMS unusual to work on a post BEFORE buying tickets, but the thing is that most of the time, I start my posts before I even know what ticket prices are - and I can get away with it. Since MOST of the posts on this blog have actually been about lower league teams, tickets aren't actually that difficult to come by (or not even a thing in the case of the [Cape Cod Baseball League](ccbl_overview)). Usually, I can find something for a decent price a few days to a week before the game; this also helps avoid "wasting" money if I end up having to back out of an event last minute due to something coming up (which happens more often than I'd like in the "blog era"). In fact, there's been a few times where I've bought tickets at the venue immediately before the game; more often than not, this actually costs LESS than buying online (especially when Ticketmaster is involved). I actually DON'T typically like doing this, however, as it usually means I have less control over where I sit (as someone who doesn't like having to walk through seats).

There are some times that I do have to commit to buying tickets early as well. For example, certain things - such as the strength of the opponent/whether or not they're in conference (for NCAA games) - [can affect ticket prices](2025-09-12_onthefuture). Also, spoiler alert: I'm going to see quite a bit of Banana Ball this year, and due to [the way in which I am able to get those notoriously hard-to-get tickets](bananaball2), I have to buy those MONTHS in advance.

## STEP 4: The event itself

It's kinda weird that this is the "shortest" part of these posts, but it's true: I probably spend the LEAST amount of time at the MOST important part of these posts.

Like I said earlier, I'm one of those people who likes to arrive when the doors open, so I can walk around, see the entire stadium/arena, and (perhaps most importantly) see what's going on in terms of merchandise and concessions. Of course, this is also where I learn more about the building to write about later. I've considered using my Notes app to actually write down thoughts (as the nature of how I make these posts precludes me from editing them in the arena), but that has happened VERY rarely - the only time I can recall writing things to include on the blog was a mention of getting stuck on a train...

Of course, since half of going to a game is ACTUALLY GETTING THERE, that is another thing I tend to include in my writings. As of this point, I 've only made two overnight trips SPECIFICALLY for games (both of them to Boston - but I have other reasons for heading up there); however, I _can_ guarantee that this year will feature a game I have to fly to - hopefully (I already have a ticket for it, which should be a hint as to what it is).

It is somewhat ironic that the outcome of the game itself is the LEAST important part of posts here, but I figure that I really want to try and focus on the venue. Besides, if you want to know what happened, that information is readily available in other places online (though if anything super notable comes up, I may mention it).

One thing that doesn't usually find its way into these posts: clothing. I've alluded to it in places on this blog, but I've been collecting sports jerseys for a while now. Typically, I try to wear the jersey of the home team (or something relevant to them if I don't have/purchase their jersey at the game), but there are a few cases where I don't do this (one of which is actually coming up in a few weeks).

## STEP 5: Publishing

After the game ends, I try and apply the finishing touches to my writing: the information about the arena (and my impressions of it), plus any things related to the game I think are important.

One thing I've had issues with blogs I've done in the past: self-censoring. A lot of times, I work on a post only to scrap it because I feel like I'm just ranting and/or rambling too much, so very little actually gets posted. Thankfully, I don't have that problem here, as this is just me summarizing what a building looks like/what I think of it.

I think I've mentioned it somewhere, but this site is "self-published" - I'm using stuff I more or less "made" myself (as opposed to using a blogging platform like Substack, Medium, or WordPress). I don't want to get into how this is set up on that end as it's probably more technical than most readers would understand, but it does mean that there's a bit more work on my end than simply "typing and uploading" (though I find it does help me when I have to do all of my own formatting).

One thing I am kinda bad with (especially if you obsessively read my old posts over and over): editing. I mentioned it earlier, but I don't typically take notes on what I want to write about at a game; I mostly go off of memory. However, there are times when I either think I need to clarify something better and/or forget a detail after initially publishing a post (for example, the original version of my [Westchester Knicks post](2026-01-25_wcknicks) did not have any mention of the NBA G League's experimental rules, which I felt was important to include). The way this blog is set up makes those edits a bit more difficult to post, so more often than not, any sneak edits are usually made when a new post goes up (unless they're CRITICALLY important).

\-\-\-

And that's how things work around here. Hopefully that was interesting to read, 

I don't know if I intend to branch out like this more on this blog, but I feel like it might be a good way to make this blog a bit "fuller", so to speak. 

(Also, fun fact: I'm writing this BEFORE the NFL's "Big Game at the End of the Season since they trademarked the actual name of it", so I don't know the outcome of the game and am choosing NOT to edit it in. I also didn't really watch, as I typically DON'T 'cause I find it kinda stressful - and since the Patriots are in it this year...)

---

[^1]: It's also one of the reasons I'm not sure about trying to vlog sporting events - among other things.


An "inside look" into how things work

Sportventures Insider: The Process


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 4](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on February 7, 2026._

The Brooklyn Nets.

On the one hand, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Nets despite the whole “moving from New Jersey” thing. Their two NBA Finals runs were when I was just starting to get into sports, and I can remember going to several Nets games - including Shaquille O’Neal’s debut with the Miami Heat (which I am 90% certain was the last NBA game I attended before this one). On the other hand...**THE TRADE**.

I could probably go on and on about just how wild the last decade or so has been for the Nets because inasmuch as I think I like the Nets, I absolutely LOVE just how stupid **THE TRADE** ended up becoming for the franchise. For those who don’t know, let me tell you a little bit about the Nets’ history (this may or may not be short):

Founded in 1967, the Nets were originally a member of the American Basketball Association - a "rival" to the NBA in the 1960s and 70s (like the AFL for the NFL or the WHA for the NHL). In 1976, the ABA merged with the NBA, and the Nets joined the NBA along with three other teams (the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs).

The Nets were somewhat nomadic in their ABA and early NBA days - moving from arena to arena in the New York area before eventually settling into an arena in the Meadowlands Sports Complex (where the Giants and Jets currently play). For the most part, they weren't all that successful in the NBA (though they did win two ABA titles), but there was a brief period in the early 2000s where they made back-to-back NBA Finals (but lost both).

In 2004, a real estate investor bought the team and announced plans to relocate them to Brooklyn, NY; however, funding issues plagued the proposed move (which made children like me hopeful they could stay in Jersey). Unfortunately for New Jersey, said funding issues were resolved when a wealthy Russian businessman bought the team in 2009 and provided funding for the construction of the arena. The Nets played a few final "lame duck" seasons at [the Prudential Center in Newark](2025-08-28_nysirens), then made the move to Brooklyn in 2012 - becoming the first "Major League" team in the borough since the departure of the Dodgers.

In their first year in Brooklyn, the Nets decided to suddenly be aggressive in terms of acquiring star talent from around the NBA (because OF FREAKIN' COURSE THEY DID)[^1]. This push saw them go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to the fourth best team in the Eastern Conference, but the team fell in the first round of the playoffs. In the wake of that playoff exit, management decided to continue to be aggressive in trying to win a title in the short term - thus...

## THE TRADE.

The Nets sent a handful of “lesser” players and several draft picks to the Boston Celtics (i.e. my hometown NBA team) in exchange for the Celtics’ best players - who had won a championship in 2008 and SHOULD’VE won a second two years later (grumble grumble). The belief now was that the Nets had the pieces to deal with the NBA’s “megavillains” at the time: LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

It didn’t work. Despite the Nets making the playoffs the first two years after the trade, they never made it to the Eastern Conference Finals (and actually won FEWER games each passing year). The players they got from the Celtics didn’t last long either; a large part of that being the fact that they were WELL past their primes (i.e. north of 35) while the core pieces of the aforementioned Heat (i.e. LeBron) hadn't reached 30 yet. In addition, the team was unable to add the pieces that were going to be necessary in order to sustain the team for ANY length of time - short or long.

By 2015, many of the players who made those first three years in Brooklyn successful were gone, and the team sank like a rock in the standings. They spent a few years languishing near the bottom of the NBA, but instead of being able to get young players to develop through the draft...the picks they traded to the Celtics were due. Not only had the Nets torched their own chances at a rebuild, they ended up giving the Celtics - who were on the rise at the time - access to the best players coming out of college, who did in fact become stars (something that is definitely deserving of more discussion - maybe if I visit the Sixers one day).

After several years of watching the Celtics rise to the upper echelons of the NBA with players who probably should’ve been Nets, the team chose once again to try and land marquee players - and they did! Heck, they even got a star FROM THE CELTICS who they had acquired using one of the Nets’ picks (IYKYK, but I sure as heck ain't saying who). Those marquee players got the team within literal inches of the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since moving to Brooklyn, but came up just short[^2]. In the wake of that near miss...the team imploded again.

Now, the Nets are basically in full rebuild mode - trying to develop a young team to lead the franchise towards consistency and...losing a lot. They're at or near the bottom of several statistical categories in the league, and are currently the only team in the NBA with more than 10 sub-100 point games in the "anything less than 100 is AWFUL" NBA (which includes them posting the two lowest scores this season). With that territory, however, comes relatively inexpensive tickets[^3]; when I looked at the Nets’ schedule for 2025-26, this was the only afternoon game I could find that seemed doable for me, so I decided to go for it.

Part of the reason _this_ game was so cheap: it's against the Washington Wizards - another one of the East's bottom feeders (case in point: I went to the NBA Store in Midtown Manhattan about a month before this game and couldn't find any Nets OR Wizards jerseys). However, about a month before this game (and after my visit to the NBA Store), the Wizards shocked the NBA by acquiring one of the league's higher profile players, then subsequently added another well known name a few days before this game. However...neither of those guys played.

Anyway, now that I've discussed all of THAT, let's move on and actually start talking about the game/building itself. As mentioned earlier, Barclays Center has been the home of the Nets since they moved to Brooklyn back in 2012; in 2021, the New York Liberty (officially) moved in since the team was sold to Nets ownership a few years prior[^4]. It's also a fairly important building for the NBA as a whole - being the host of the NBA Draft each year since 2013 (except for 2020 when the draft was remote because of COVID). As a side note, I saw some parking options when I got my ticket and they were kinda expensive (partially due to city parking prices); however, the arena is right next to the subway PLUS a commuter rail terminal, so I assume a lot of people (myself included) are more likely to arrive by train rather than car[^5].

The arena features two concourses that both fully encircle the court. The main entrance (which faces a subway entrance) is at one of the ends of the court, and from what I could tell, a few luxury seats plus an area where the YES Network (which airs Nets games) does their desk segments (i.e. pregame and postgame).

The far end of the lower concourse as well as both ends of the upper concourse feature bar areas where fans can more easily watch the game with a drink in hand. I didn't really check these out too much, as I did something I rarely seem to do on this blog: spend most of the game in my seat. Also, the upper concourse only has concessions/merch on the "sides" of the court and basically nothing outside of bathrooms in the corners - and it also feels a bit narrow/cramped. One thing I must admit, however, is that even though I was in the upper deck, I REALLY liked this view:

![A view of Barclays Center from the upper deck](/images/2026/0207-arena.jpeg)

As for the game itself...

For a team as bad as the Nets, the crowd seemed rather decent. There were quite a lot of fans for this game, and they were cheering the Nets/booing every Wizards free throw throughout the game (and also banging thundersticks which were given out around half time).

I do not want to get into the idea of tanking here - i.e. trying to lose games to improve draft position. Fans don't like the idea of intentionally losing games (a Wizards fan in my row admitted as much), and there's an element of "rigging" involved which should - ESPECIALLY in the era of prop bets (i.e. betting on a player to reach certain statistical thresholds).

HOWEVER...

It's a bit difficult to gauge whether or not "tanking" is involved when the Wizards DELIBERATELY nerfed their own roster to HELL and trailed by 33 at half time, yet the Nets "only" won by 14 points - though that may just be due to these being two of the worst teams in the NBA...

Also, I found out that the NBA's shot clock features a secondary clock for timeouts to inform everyone of how much time is left before play is to resume - something I've never seen before and REALLY like (as I've tried to time breaks in the action for other sports in the past year).

![An image of the shot clock, which features a secondary clock for timeouts](/images/2026/0207-shotclock.jpeg)

### MERCH

I visited the arena's main store [one day last fall](2025-09-01_bkncyclones2); it was during the Liberty's season, so they were the "main team" at the time (but I didn't end up buying anything). I personally found it to be a bit on the small side and kinda hard to navigate, as the racks made the aisles fairly narrow (and the thing with this visit was that I was the only person browsing). One thing I did not remember from that last visit that I wish I did, however, was THIS:

![An image of a support beam blocking an aisle in the Barclays Center team store](/images/2026/0207-support.jpeg)

<figcaption>Not something you want to deal with in a crowded store</figcaption>

At this game, I was a little surprised to find that there were only five other merchandise areas in the arena: one just inside the main entrance, two on the upper concourse, a kids area, and what I can only describe as a "high end street wear" kiosk.

I've mentioned my relative lack of interest in basketball jerseys on this blog in the past, but one thing that irks me more than anything else: heat pressed/glued letters and numbers (which most replica jerseys nowadays feature in the NBA/MLB/NFL/NHL[^6]). I do feel like they LOOK a bit better than the old material (i.e. ironed-on rubber that fades after several turns through the laundry), but I always worry that they're going to fall off after a couple of washes, and once that happens the jersey is basically ruined (especially if you don't wash the jersey "the right way").

NBA "Authentic" jerseys do feature stitching, but I could not find ANY authentics at the team store. Maybe it's due to the Nets being, well, rather obscure, but while I did THINK about getting a jersey, I ended up not due to the heat pressed details plus the base material feeling "not right".

Also, I'm not sure where to mention this, but there was a VERY short lived mac and cheese spot here back when I was in college. I know this because I passed by it a few times when I was trying to see the team store back in the day (it was never open though), as their original location was right by my school[^7].

---

[^1]: Obligatory "\_\_\_\_ John Fisher" goes here - we'll see if he ever gets the A's to Vegas...

[^2]: Okay, so they didn’t actually make it to the Eastern Conference Finals that time, but had they made it there, there was little stopping them from getting to - and then likely winning - the Finals. Also, FWIW, the Nets have a perfect Eastern Conference Finals record - interpret that how you will.

[^3]: So...this isn't entirely true. Some games cost WAY MORE to get into - an issue [I wrote about last year](2025-09-12_onthefuture).

[^4]: The building also hosted the New York Islanders for a few years, but no one wants to relive the Barclays Center Hockey Experience...also, I'd like to see the Islanders someday, but I've heard that getting to their arena is a bit of a pain.

[^5]: NJ Transit decided to NJ Transit REAL hard (read: a downed tree causing 45 minute delays), so I ended up driving all the way to Jersey City and taking the PATH from there.

[^6]: I don't have as much "experience" with NHL replicas since 2017, but a lot of the replicas I've bought from before then do feature glued on logos. Conversely, MLB replicas up until about the mid 2010s were usually stitched, but I THINK they switched BEFORE Nike took over in 2020 - as evidenced by a few MLB replicas I've seen.

[^7]: RIP Elbow Room - you got me through so many days when I had night classes, but once the prices jumped to "probably out of reach for broke college students" a semester after they opened...


The NBA's Bad Boys - as in THESE TEAMS ARE TERRIBLE

Brooklyn Nets (National Basketball Association) @ Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 3](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on January 24, 2026._

The NBA G League: where NBA dreams go to...I’m honestly not sure how to finish this.

Unlike baseball and hockey, the NBA has only one “official” minor league: the G League. It's a rather "recent" development for the NBA: founded in 2001 as the National Basketball Developmental League (NBDL), it was renamed to the NBA Development League (or D-League) in 2005, then became the G League after a sponsorship deal with Gatorade, making it the first league in the United States to bear the name of a sponsor (and one of very few leagues in the United States to be named after a sponsor[^1]). Similar to the AHL, it is RARE for guys to end up becoming NBA mainstays from the G League; in fact, at least two infamous draft busts have ended up in the league - a move that all but killed their NBA careers.

Originally, teams in the league were independently owned and “affiliated” with NBA teams similar to how MLB/NHL teams are affiliated with minor league teams. However, as part of an initiative by the NBA to make the league more akin to other sports, NBA teams started setting up their own operations in the D-League, with many teams outright buying their affiliates (and in many cases moving them). Now, all but two NBA teams (the Nuggets and Rockets) own their G League affiliate (many of whom are either named after the parent team or in the same city), and there's also an "extra team" in Mexico City which lacks any NBA affiliation (meaning that the G League has 31 teams versus the NBA's 30)[^2]. With that in mind, let’s focus on the team at hand: the Westchester Knicks.

Established in 2014 when the New York Knicks entered the G League via expansion (i.e. not a relocation of another team), the Westchester Knicks have some kinda random titles that I don’t fully understand because for some reason, the G League has a bunch of tournaments besides the main championship series (though something to keep in mind with “minor league” teams: championships aren’t exactly a “goal to be strived for”). What is easier for me to discuss, however, is their home: the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY.

![An image of the Westchester County Center](/images/2026/20260124-outside.jpeg)

The third oldest arena in the G League, the Westchester County Center was opened in 1930 - sixteen years before the NBA was founded. It’s hosted a LOT of things in the almost 100 years since it opened - I won’t get into all of them, but one that is relevant to the Knicks is that the New York Liberty played their final year as the Knicks’ WNBA sister team here before being sold to Nets ownership (and then played a second year in Westchester before moving to Brooklyn). There are at least eight "meeting rooms" and a smaller theater area within the building, but I didn't even bother trying to access any of them during the game (I think they were used for "behind the scenes things"), so I'll focus purely on the main event space.

The layout here is, to be fully honest, actually kinda interesting: there isn't exactly a "seating bowl" here as the venue is basically an auditorium which is converted for basketball use, and there are VERY FEW lower level seats; only one side of the court has more than one row of seats, and the rest seems to be premium seating - including the stage. Most of the "standard" seats, then, are in the balcony, and as a theater, they're a bit more "luxurious" that what you'd expect from upper deck seating (being quite padded). One MAJOR drawback of sitting up here, however: you don't get to see the full court from pretty much anywhere, but it's more pronounced if you're sitting at the end (which is probably why those are the least expensive tickets).

Thanks to the building's many uses, there's no center hung board here. Instead, there are three massive screens here; two on the stage end show the action/replays, while one above the entrance acts as the main scoreboard. There was also a television in the lobby showing the game, but the feed was INCREDIBLY choppy. Both floor level and balcony level have their own concession stands (pretty much in the same spot), and similar to [Maimonides Park](2025-08-09_bkncyclones), it's "branded" as Nathan's Famous. I ended up getting things from both stands at various points during the game, and the line for the upper stand was notably longer than the lower stand (and from what I heard, it seems like this was the case throughout the night).

![An image of the interior of the Westchester County Center](/images/2026/20260124-inside.jpeg)

<figcaption>It's a little hard to see in this image, but the near baseline is impossible to see from this vantage point - thus, you end up missing a lot of corner threes</figcaption>

One thing to think about if you want to come here: there’s parking lots for the building as it's operated by Westchester County's parks department (and is right next to the Bronx River Parkway), but it costs $15 to park in them for games (which is almost the same as the ticket prices)[^3]. There is street parking available nearby, but I've heard not-so-great things about White Plains, so I wasn't sure about that (plus it's a total crapshoot if you actually manage to get a spot, and you have to cross a busy street to get to the arena).

This trip has been "yanked around" my calendar quite a bit. For starters, it was always more likely that I'd come here rather than trying to get into a New York Knicks game thanks to the NBA Knicks being one of the better teams in the league (plus Madison Square Garden being, well, Madison Square Garden)\*. When I first looked at the Westchester Knicks' schedule near the end of 2025 (i.e. when I first thought about coming here), I saw a game on New Years Day - one I almost went to until ultimately deciding against it (partially due to plans I had the next day plus the fact that [I had been somewhere a few days prior](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens)). I then thought about going on January 9 due to a potential conflict with the [Bridgeport Islanders](2026-01-12_bptislanders) game I had planned to go to that weekend, but then that got resolved and I was able to go to the Islanders game[^4], so I decided not to go then. I did look at other dates, but ultimately ended up landing on this one - partially as my intended game for today got cancelled (in fact, I ended up getting a ticket at the door which saved me a bit of money because Ticketmaster).

To be honest, I realized something: I don't know how I feel about the NBA/the live basketball experience. I realize that might be a bit controversial, but like I said [the first time basketball was on this blog](2025-11-25_rubasketball_womens), it's a little hard to get excited about individual baskets when SO MANY of them happen during a game (unlike other sports). This game...did not do much to help move the needle: I kinda liked the "vibes" of the arena (minus the obstructed views from the balcony), but the Knicks got blown out by their opponents thanks to a combination of the opponent hitting over 50% of their shots plus the Knicks not being able to handle the ball very well (though that may just be a G League thing...); also, both teams got to 100 points because OF COURSE.

One last thing I want to mention: the G League is also where the NBA tests out potential rule changes (Minor League Baseball does this too for baseball, but i'm not sure if the AHL and ECHL do this for hockey). The most notable one (at least in the context of this game) is the "one free throw" rule: in instances where a player would shoot multiple free throws (i.e. getting fouled while shooting), the player instead shoots one free throw that, if made, scores however many points the shot would have made (for example, if someone was fouled while shooting a three, the one free throw they take would count for THREE points). There's a bit more to this rule that's kinda hard to explain, but in short: free throws after made baskets (aka "and ones") are still one point, I'm not sure how this would work for technical fouls as one WAS called during the game but the free throw was missed, and this rule does not apply in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime (which has its own unique rules in the G League, though that didn't come up because 21-point margin)[^5]. I think this helped shorten the game a bit, as it ended sometime around 9:15 PM (I was expecting to be out MUCH later than I was, which helps because we're getting buried in snow right now).

(And if you’re wondering about the Nets’ G League team, they’re at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. That’s a bit too far for me I think...)

### MERCH

I’m not sure if it’s surprising or not that G League teams sell merchandise - after all, it is a way to connect fans to the team (and also something they can get signed after games).

What isn’t super surprising, however, is the fact that said merchandise...is okay at best. At the game, it's sold at a table near the entrance of the auditorium (i.e. NOT in the lobby), and it's mainly a fairly limited selection of hats, shirts, and a few novelties (by which I mean only three: a mini basketball, a teddy bear, and a rally towel). I did see a photo somewhere online of the merch table having jerseys, but none were available at the game I went to.

I personally found that a number of the items felt like they were overpriced, but one thing to note: it seems that unlike other fan amenities here, the merch table is controlled by Madison Square Garden Sports (AKA the controlling company that owns the Knicks). They use MSG bags if you choose to get one (I didn't), and thanks to the company's relationship with Chase Bank, you can get a small discount if you use a Chase debit or credit card when you buy things.

---

\*As a small side note, St. John's men's basketball also plays at MSG (plus one specific women's game); there's a game in a few weeks that I am thinking about going to (either that or the women's game), but tickets are surprisingly pricey because MSG (and also probably Rick Pitino[^6]).

---

[^1]: The only other league I can think of is the Gainbridge Super League - a women's soccer league [I saw once](2025-11-09_bkfc_womens).

[^2]: Fun fact: there’s a “San Diego Clippers” currently in the G League - if you know basketball history, then you’ll know why that is SUPER ironic...

[^3]: I had read online that they were cash only (and I did pay cash), but it seemed like they could have taken card.

[^4]: It's a good thing I went to that game, as a few days before this was posted, the rumored move to Canada was seemingly confirmed.

[^5]: Another rule that came up: both teams get two challenges a game, and to challenge a call requires using a timeout - irregardless of whether or not the challenge is successful (i.e. winning a challenge does not "return" your timeout).

[^6]: Personal story time!<br>When Pitino was coaching Louisville, they had a practice in my high school's gymnasium during my senior year - I distinctly remember seeing him in sweatpants and thinking it was kinda funny. Louisville ended up losing to Seton Hall that evening, and coupled with another team losing at Seton Hall a few days later, I made a comment that more teams should practice at our high school.<br>_Source: trust me bro aka Facebook posts from when I was in high school (aka when I was EXTRA cringe)._


My first "Minor League Basketball" game

Westchester Knicks (NBA G League) @ Westchester County Center (White Plains, NY)


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 2](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on January 17, 2026._

Before I dive into the specifics of BU's women's hockey team, I should probably give a few details about NCAA women's hockey as a whole (something I probably should've read more about before visiting [Princeton](2025-11-16_princetonhockey#womens)...).

For starters, there wasn't an "official" NCAA women's hockey tournament until 2001. Prior to that, there were a number of schools that had women's hockey teams, but there was no "official" championship until 1997 (a tournament that technically wasn't NCAA sanctioned). Despite being around for about 25 years, the NCAA women's hockey tournament has only been won by five schools: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Ohio State, and Clarkson (a school in Upstate New York); all of them have multiple championships.

Hockey East started its women's conference in 2002, but Boston University wasn't one of its original members. While there was an existing club team for women's hockey, it wasn't until 2005 that the program became a D-I program (and thus joined Hockey East). They haven't won a national championship (again, only five schools have, and all of them are in states that touch the Great Lakes), but they have been to the national championship game twice - which is the same amount of finals as the rest of Hockey East combined[^1]. The school also doesn't have a Patty Kazmaier Award winner (the award for the best player in women's college hockey) despite having Marie-Philip Poulin - widely regarded as one of the best players in women's hockey today - as an alum[^2]. What they do have, however, is an arena all to themselves: Walter Brown Arena.

![An image](/images/2026/20260117-wba.jpeg)

Walter Brown Arena opened in 1971, and is named after the original owner of the Boston Celtics (who retired the number 1 in honor of him). When it opened, [Boston University's men's hockey team](2025-10-04_buhockey_mens) moved in from what eventually became [Matthews Arena](2025-11-30_northeasternhockey_mens), and played here until they “outgrew” the just under 4,000 seats of the arena and moved (again) to Agganis Arena (where they play now). Coincidentally, the move occurred right when the women's team became a D-I program, so they basically got an arena all to themselves - something which is quite rare in D-I women’s hockey (case in point: it’s the only “women’s only” arena in Hockey East). Part of the reason the women got Walter Brown: it's part of an athletics complex which includes the school's basketball arena (which is on the top floor of the complex - leading to its nickname of "The Roof"). Also, fun fact: the arena (along with BU's soccer/lacrosse stadium) is on the site of the old Braves Field - where the now-Atlanta Braves played from 1915-1952[^3].

The most notable feature about Walter Brown - especially compared to Agganis - is the lack of end seating: ALL the seats here are along the sides, and the entrances to the arena are on BU's defend twice end. Each section in the arena has a "lower" and "upper" seating area; the "lower" area has individual seats, and the "upper" area is bench seating. The end with the entrance also has a lot of standing room, which in a sense, is fairly similar to the standing area in [Bridgeport](2026-01-12_bptislanders).

Also, old photos of the arena featured an old school electronic scoreboard, but in 2024, the building received massive upgrades - one of them replacing the scoreboard with a modern video board; in fact, the women's team spent half of a season at Agganis to accommodate these renovations. However, the strangest thing I found was in the men's bathroom, where there's a certain machine much, MUCH more likely to be found in a women's bathroom (but also urinals, so it's highly unlikely women are in there that often).

In a lot of ways, it's a minor miracle that this trip occurred AND that it's "_26 in 26_ eligible". I had intended to see the women back in December (along with [one final visit to Matthews](2025-12-13_farewallmatthews)), but ended up being unable to due to a schedule mix up and a vintage market (which I only found out about that morning)[^4]. In addition, I had made other plans for this weekend, but something came up which not only made those plans unfeasible, but opened up THIS opportunity. Tickets are rather inexpensive for hockey IMO, but do be forewarned if you want to come to a game: the Ticketmaster shenanigans are a bit INSANE here...

This is not only the first time I've seen a Hockey East women's conference game, but in addition, it features the conference's sole women's only member: the [College of the Holy Cross](2025-10-21_holycrosshockey_mens) (the men are in Atlantic Hockey America)[^5]. Apparently, the two schools have a rivalry trophy known as the "Turnpike Trophy" due to them being in the Patriot League for other sports; the winner is based on whichever school wins more events against the other across all sports (BU has won it every year its been contested, and it typically isn't close).

To my surprise, there was a band at this game (and only about a dozen other students). However, the crowd seemed a lot more behind Holy Cross, and the Crusaders ended up winning 4-2 - their first win in the Turnpike Trophy series this year. Before moving on, however, I should mention that this is the first college hockey game I've been to since I don't know when where they used the red/green lights behind the goals (the red lights signal that a goal has been scored, and the green lights signal the end of a period/intermission), and this arena also has one of the things I really liked from Agganis: Boston University's patented system for determining which end they're defending each period:

![A photo of a banner that says "GOALIE"](/images/2026/20260117-goalie.jpeg)

<figcaption>hung near the entrance for the first and third periods</figcaption>

![A photo of a banner that says "SIEVE"](/images/2026/20260117-sieve.jpeg)

<figcaption>hung near the entrance for the second period. The reason the scoreboard says "1" is because this was during the intermission between periods.</figcaption>

### MERCH

There were only three open concession stands here: the "main stand" with "regular stadium food", a stand selling alcoholic beverages, and a Dippin' Dots stand, where you could get a novelty ice cream helmet! Here's the thing, however...that helmet was the only "merch" available at the game. There were two closed "stands" in the concourses that looked like they my have sold merchandise back in the day, but neither one was open (and there was one concession stand that was closed).

Of course, if you're looking for Boston University stuff, the bookstore isn't too far: it's basically right across Comm Ave (having moved there from Kenmore Square some time ago) and features a TON of hockey merch since it's BU's top sport. I thought about taking a look at it before the game, but opted not to due to cold and snow (though I've been there quite a bit in the past for jerseys and other stuff). I should mention, however, that I recall seeing things at the men's game I went to in 2023 that I never saw in the bookstore (and I'm not just talking about the media guide).

---

A few final notes on this trip:

1. I wanted to see Northeastern's men here since they were going to be playing a "home game"[^6] the day this was published and it was FREE ADMISSION, but then New England Winter decided to winter REALLY hard...

2. I had thoughts about visiting Providence College since they were home as well, but they were taking on Boston College which, for some odd reason, means WILDLY EXPENSIVE ticket prices[^7]...

---

[^1]: Two schools with one appearance each - coincidentally, those schools are Boston College and Northeastern.

[^2]: Boston College has had two, Northeastern three, and somehow, Harvard is tied for the most winners in the country with SIX.

[^3]: Not-so-fun fact for Clevelandtown baseball fans: Braves Field is where the team clinched its last World Series title...

[^4]: Speaking of vintage markets, I would've gone to one today had this trip not happened!

[^5]: Hockey East has two men's only members: the two UMass schools ([Amherst](2025-10-05_umasshockey) and [Lowell](2025-08-29_bosfleet&umlhockey)).

[^6]: The Huskies are using various arenas as "home" venues for the rest of this season (though oddly, one of the arenas had to back out). BTW, don't ask how things have been going for them since my visit back in November...

[^7]: The lowest price I saw the day before the game was $70!


The Hockey East version of "No Boys Allowed"

Boston University Terriers Women's Hockey (Hockey East) @ Walter Brown Arena (Boston, MA)


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 1](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on January 11, 2026._

_Also, since this is my first trip of the new year, this marks the debut of the "FIRST VISIT" badge - an idea that came from a pin I got at the [Gotham FC](2025-09-08_gothamfc) match I went to last year, though I'm not sure it's my "best" work (visual art isn't exactly my thing)._

If you’re like me, you might be surprised to learn that Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut. Approximately 40 miles from the Bronx (aka the edge of New York City), it was a major manufacturing city back in the day, and while that industry has largely died out, it is still a major part of the New York City metropolitan area.

In 2001, the city of Bridgeport, CT received an American Hockey League team: the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. They were successful right out the gate - making the Calder Cup Finals (the AHL’s championship) in their very first year before coming up short (how Vegas of them). Unlike Vegas, however, the Sound Tigers were never able to come close to replicating that success - the furthest they’ve been since that inaugural season is the second round (proper) of the playoffs, and they’ve only been there once: the year after they lost the final.

In 2021, the team rebranded and became the Bridgeport Islanders (they’ve been the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders for their entire history, and were purchased outright by the NHL team in 2004). Since the rebrand...things have not gone well. They’ve been near the bottom of their division pretty much every year (with a random playoff appearance because...sure), have been bottom 5 in the AHL in attendance each year (though the decline began before the rebrand), and in 2024-25, they had their worst season to date - winning only 15 games overall while setting the mark for fewest home wins in a season for an AHL team. In addition, in the summer of 2025, rumors began circulating about a potential move to Hamilton, Ontario - where a newly renovated arena that ALMOST got an NHL team back in the day seeks a "prime" tenant (because as popular as the Toronto Rock may be, it's hard to consider the NLL a "marquee" draw)[^1].

When I started thinking about making this trip, I wasn’t super sure about it: it’s around an hour and a half from me, and I’ve heard that Bridgeport isn’t exactly the best place around (like a lot of former manufacturing places)[^2]. With the rumors about the move, however, I figured that if I didn’t do it SOON, it may never happen. Thankfully, they had a decent amount of Sunday games available (i.e. the only day of the week teams play in the afternoon), and they all started at 3, so I figured this would be worth a go. Originally, I had planned for this trip to occur back in 2025, but then I decided to push it back to 2026 around the time I started planning for the _26 in 26_ challenge (among other reasons). Strangely enough, this is actually my first ever AHL regular season game; I've been to two other AHL games before, but both were preseason games (one in Providence prior to starting this blog which I didn't write about, and one in the [Lehigh Valley](2025-10-06_lhvphantoms)).

Since attendance has, as mentioned earlier, been on the lighter side, I decided to "try my luck" at the arena box office with pricing (i.e. see if I could avoid Ticketmaster shenanigans), and I got a standing room only ticket for less than I would have buying it online (I'll discuss the SRO section more in a bit). I also had SOME thoughts about trying to find street parking since this game was on a Sunday, but I was SUPER unsure about safety, so I opted to just play it safe and park in the arena lot (though it is quite pricey; I later found another lot in the area but further from the arena that wanted EVEN MORE).

Total Mortgage Arena (what a name) opened with the team’s debut in 2001. Originally just "The Arena at Harbor Yard", the arena is located near an outdoor music amphitheater which used to be a baseball stadium (at Harbor Yard)[^3]. In addition to the AHL franchise, it also hosted a few seasons of [Sacred Heart Pioneers hockey](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens), SOME [New York Sirens](2025-08-27_nysirens) in their first year (i.e. before they moved full time to New Jersey), several basketball teams/programs, a pro wrestling event or two (since WWE's headquarters is 22 miles away in Stamford), a few NHL preseason games, and was also the original home for Connecticut Ice - a college hockey tournament between the state's four college hockey programs (UConn, Yale, Quinnipiac, and the aforementioned Sacred Heart).

In what I think is a first for indoor arenas on this blog, the main concourse is at floor level (i.e. the same level as the ice)[^4]; therefore, there are limited views of the ice from the concourse. In addition, it doesn't wrap fully around the seating area; I THINK the part that's "cut off" is where the teams' dressing rooms and zamboni garage are. The top of the seating bowl does feature a walkway to get around, but awkwardly, the only way to access it (generally) is from the seats (i.e. it's difficult to get to from the concourse - a situation made even more awkward by ushers blocking you from accessing the seats while the puck is in play). In addition, there's only three things going on here: A bar area in one corner, the press box on one side blocking "full 360" access, and a drinks cart in the standing room section I bought my ticket in. While it's called the "party zone", there's really not much of a party going on here...but you do get THIS actually pretty neat view of the ice:

![A view of Total Mortgage Arena](/images/2026/20260111-arenaview.jpeg)

The good news for the Bridgeport Islanders: the night before this game, they recorded their fifth home win of the season - one more than their total (4) from ALL OF LAST SEASON (which, again, was a league record for fewest home wins). The better news: a third period stretch of three goals in just over two minutes helped the team add win six against probably their biggest rivals (who they were tied at the bottom of their division with): the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers - only making things more intense). While it's difficult to gauge how much the crowd was getting into the game (partially because despite the reported attendance being close to 6,000, there were still a lot of empty seats), there was a fight during the game, which is always a crowd pleaser - for better or worse (and also signifies the "rivalry" aspect of this game).

Also, something I find kinda interesting: the Bridgeport Islanders use the same sequence of sounds that the New York Islanders use when they score - almost. For a few years (seemingly ever since they became the Islanders), they were using the same horn as the NHL team (or at least a recording of it), but this year, they're using a recording of their original goal horn (which sounds closer to the Buffalo Sabres IMO).

### MERCH

Before I continue, I should mention that I once bought a Bridgeport Sound Tigers puck in a somewhat unusual place: Worcester, MA! The team there (the Worcester Railers) is currently the ECHL affiliate of the Islanders, and I visited their team store one day and they had Sound Tigers pucks for some reason![^5]

Anyway, merchandise is tucked into one of the corners of the arena (i.e. one of the ends of the "horseshoe" that is the concourse) - though I saw a photo of them putting a merchandise booth on the arena floor for a preseason event for season ticket holders. In honor of the fact that the current Bridgeport Islanders logo is based on the parent team's infamous "fisherman" logo from the 1990s, the store is called the "Bait Shop".

![An image of the team store's name: "Bait Shop"](/images/2026/20260111-teamstore.jpeg)

<figcaption>Do they sell tackle (or grapple)?</figcaption>

While most of the things you find here don't stray too far from what you'd expect at a hockey game (though the Islanders do sell game worn jerseys[^6]), I should mention that the team is celebrating its 25th year in Bridgeport by bringing back the Sound Tigers identity for a few games (read: games where the team wears Sound Tigers jerseys). As such, they had a number of Sound Tigers items - including a "signing board": a piece of (what I think was) plastic in the shape of a jersey with the Sound Tigers logo on it. I bring this up because the team signed autographs after the game (something I later found out only happens three times this season - this being the second time), and I considered getting one of these for the guys to sign...

...but why get the board when YOU CAN JUST GET THE JERSEY AND HAVE THE TEAM SIGN THAT?

![A photo of a Bridgeport Sound Tigers jersey signed by the team](/images/2026/20260111-signedjersey.jpeg)

<figcaption>Don't ask me who's who because I don't remember...</figcaption>

Totally worth the hour I spent standing in line - partially because it influenced my decision to try the nearby pizza place afterwards (since it was almost 7:00 PM by that point).

---

[^1]: It also doesn't help that there's currently no hockey team due to the renovations forcing the team that was playing there to relocate - and then said team liking their new home.

[^2]: Sadly, Bridgeport's decline has apparently "spread" to its suburbs: there's a mall in the area I thought about going to prior to the Sacred Heart game as it's a mile away from the school, but if me (slightly) misjudging traffic hadn't stopped me from visiting, the fact that <a href="https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/article/trumbull-mall-shooting-friday-fight-21263246.php" target="blank">SOMEONE SHOT A GUN THERE A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE GAME</a> did...

[^3]: I won’t get too deep into the tragedy of the Bridgeport Bluefish, but they were a founding member of the Atlantic League who folded after the city declined to renew their lease in 2017. Given that their stadium is no longer usable for sports, a return is not looking likely...

[^4]: The closest comparison to this would be how at [Merrimack](2025-10-10_merrimackhockey_mens), seats are accessed from a walkway around the ice; however, there are far more concession stands here than the singular concession stand in a lobby there.

[^5]: I also went to one of their games back in the day, but didn't write much about it back then (similar to Providence).

[^6]: And in what I can only describe as a "weird situation", they're NOT as heavy/big as the game worn jersey I got from the Providence Bruins - despite that one being NEWER than most of these jerseys.


Sportventures

The Process

Brooklyn Nets (2/7/26)

Westchester Knicks (1/24/26)

BU Women's Hockey (1/17/26)

Bridgeport Islanders (1/11/26)