This weekend, Madison Square Garden will host its second NBA All-Star Game since it first opened its doors in 1968. The last time the arena played host to the event was 1998, the season before the last New York Knicks’ appearance in the NBA Finals…my oh my, how the times have changed.
Thousands of celebrities, media outlets, and basketball fans will descend upon the venue throughout the weekend for the Sprint Celebrity Game on Friday night and the actual NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night. Saturday night’s State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, which includes the Sprite Slam Dunk and the highly anticipated Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, will be held at the Barclays Center, home to the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn will also host the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge and the NBA D-League All-Star Game.
The Garden stands on top of the busiest train station in the North America, New York’s famed Penn Station. Due to its location in New York City, its longevity, and its proclivity for hosting everything from NCAA Tournament games, to Taylor Swift concerts, to the NBA Draft, it is arguably the most famous sports venue in the world. With this distinction comes a high level of expectations, and with ever-increasing examples of top-notch urban and venue design, technological advances, sustainable practices and fan experiences, an arena built in the 1960’s has a tough time remaining in the top tier.
While imprecise, I am going to give a judgment where Madison Square Garden stands in five categories. These will be sustainability, fan amenities/experience, design and layout, audio/visual components, and Wi-Fi/connectivity. My fellow stadia-phile, Jeff Horwitz, will grade the Barclays Center, so be sure and check that review out as well.
Sustainability:
Not good.
The Madison Square Garden Company has shown up on Bloomberg’s top 100 list of companies who lack transparency when it comes to sustainable practices, so research on the topic is difficult. A lack of sustainably focused design and building materials is to be expected with a building that is almost 50 years-old, but the billion dollar renovation that took place between 2011 and 2013 did not focus on any sustainable practices inside the venue, instead opting to elevate the fan experience over the environment. There are no signs of low flow bathroom facilities, grey water systems, alternative energy sources, or any other traditionally, environmentally-friendly features.
The biggest thing that MSG has going for it over all other NBA stadiums is the location atop Penn Station. While Barclays may have just a short walk from transit to arena, it’s tough to beat MSG, which has a short walk from train to being literally inside the arena. A lack of parking options in addition to access from a number of trains means that carbon emissions from traffic are cut way down, when compared to an arena such as the current home of the Sacramento Kings (though to be fair, they are moving downtown, where accessibility and walkability are emphasized). While the plan is to move Madison Square Garden in the near future, the transit access will remain as the biggest thing going for sustainable practices at MSG currently.
Sustainability Grade: D+
Fan Experience:
The experience begins with the journey to the arena; and the fact that you do not need a car, or to deal with parking, or any other transportation issues that plague other NBA facilities is a huge boon for the fan experience. In other urban planning news, Chase Square (directly inside of the Seventh Street entrance) and both of the Chase Bridges (located on the North and South ends of the arena) are brilliant public spaces, a sight not typically seen in NBA arenas, and one that highly improves the fan experience.
One of the most enjoyable MLB ballparks is Comerica Park in Detroit, because it just oozes Detroit. They are proud of their history and it is the same at Madison Square Garden, with the history of the city and the arena plastered on the walls of the atrium at every level. This sort of amenity is a small touch that makes the venue feel more genuine; and is great for New York when you consider how many true tourists visit the Garden in a given year.
While there is a plethora of great food amenities, including sausage stands, gastropubs, and Carnegie delis, there is a serious dearth of bar options open to the general public (most are accessed from specific clubs or levels).
Fan Experience Grade: B+
Design:
The architecture and design of the exterior reeks of the 1960’s, usually a bad sign when it comes to architectural beauty. Exhibit A. Exhibit B. At night, the arena looks great, but in daylight, the brutalist, concrete-heavy style does not make for a visually appealing venue when compared to modern arenas, such as the Barclays Center right across the pond.
The renovation did help a bit with the exterior, but the advances in technology and design in the last 50 years make it a dinosaur, a brutalist monolith from a bygone era that does not inspire awe in a city that does.
That being said, the inside, with its over-the-action pedestrian walkways and the views of the city do make for an awe-inspiring experience. The extensive retail and food options have a decidedly New York feel to them; and there are few, if any, bad seats in the house. The renovation made all sections of the arena much more accessible, a huge plus for the grade. The only, albeit large, knock on the interior layout is the fact that the court, itself, is five floors above street level, meaning fans for sports and road crews for concerts have to deal with a steep climb to begin their experience.
Design Grade: C+
Audio/Visual:
As much as we have discussed the renovation so far, it is such an important part of what Madison Square Garden is today, especially when it comes to A/V. The renovation happened over three years during the NHL/NBA offseasons (sorry, New York Liberty), finally debuting to the public on October 25, 2013.
Diversified Systems, an A/V integrator, took on the project; and over the three years they redesigned and installed the sound system, broadcast cabling, satellite and RF (radio frequency) distribution, IPTV (internet protocol TV) system, and the TV displays throughout the venue.
The sound system features Bag End Quartz subwoofers, along with Renkus-Heinz TRAP40MH/six full-range downfills to cover the main bowl; all having their drivers changed out in early 2014. There was also an influx of different JBL speakers added to the north and south upper seating areas. A Yamaha M7CL-48 serves as the front-of-house mixer for live sound. All of this audio equipment was installed with two functions, a brilliant move in a world-class venue that is occupied over 300 days a year: sports mode and concert mode, allowing tours to integrate their systems into the delay speakers.
Besides the center hanging LED multimedia screen, there are over 1,000 large LED screens for fan enjoyment. It should also be noted that in addition to having curved LED screens for 360 degree views for the entire arena, the center-hanging multimedia Jumbotron is one of very few in the country that have screens on the bottom of the unit to serve those who are sitting courtside, vastly improving the experience for all fans.
The “house” DJ is DJ Rumor, whose website has an impressive collection of mixes (and celebrity shots), and who performs across the world when not hyping up Knicks fans.
Grade: A-
Wireless/Connectivity:
Inside of the Daktronics LED display hides a Wi-Fi booster; and it is said to be one of the strongest signals in the NBA, boosting Optimum Wi-Fi throughout the entire arena. Although we are still years from having a “perfect” Wi-Fi system in place, the two-tiered, pay-to-play and free Wi-Fi options do split the bandwidth demand a small amount, ostensibly allowing for faster speeds.
In 2013, Duracell installed 559 separate powermats throughout the eigth concourse and suites, creating the “Duracell Powermat Powerzone.” The DPP is approximately a quarter section of the eighth concourse, where you can charge your phone, for free, without bringing your own charger. It’s a wonder why you don’t see this in more stadiums in an ever-connected world.
Grade: A
That’s a high C average for one of the premier venues in the world, which reinforces the need for a completely new building. The needs of people, especially sports fans, have changed drastically in the last 50 years.
While the building and location are historic, it is time for MSG to get a rebirth and reclaim the top spot as the greatest basketball venue in the entire world, because, currently, it may not be the best venue in its own region!
Kyle Terry is a Masters Candidate in the Urban Planning and Policy program at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a concentration in economic development. When not buried under schoolwork or writing about stadiums, he works for a municipal Redevelopment Department in Northwest Indiana. Feel free to email him or bother him on Twitter about urban planning, sports, stadium issues, or anything else you may find interesting.