NEW YORK CITY - Madison Square Garden (19,763)

[TalB]

NBA

New York Knicks

2x Champion:
1970, 1973


NHL

New York Rangers

4x Champion:
1928, 1933, 1940, 1994







Known to many as the World's Famous Arena is Madison Square Garden. The place is located between 31st St, 33rd St, 7th Ave, and 8th Ave. This arena can seat 19,763 people in at a maxium. This place has been home to NY Knicks (Knickerbockers), NY Liberty, and NY Rangers. Of course some may never fully accept it due to the fact that it replaced the terminal building for Penn Station back in 1968 when it was razed three years ealier. The nickname MSG comes from the hype that the fans give here when seeing games at the arena hence what this salt tends to give. The founding of this place even gave a the name for a local sports network known as MSG Network, which televises most of the games at MSG as well as the NY Mets and NY/NJ Metrostars. Today's owner of MSG is Mike Dolan, who owns Cablevision. MSG also houses the Paramount Theater, which has been known for giving plays as well as talk shows. On the 7th Ave side is an annexing building known as 2 Penn Plaza, which has offices as well as resturaunts such as The Garden Bar & Grill and Play by Play Resteraunt. Of course, MSG itself has Nick's Steakhouse, which can be seen on the 33rd St side. It can be easily accessed at Penn Station, which is below it by the 1, 2, 3, A, C, E trains of the subway as well from NJ Light Rail, PATH, and Amtrak. MSG is also, only a few blocks in from the Westside Hwy (NY 9A).

Exterior

























Interior

[Kampflamm]

I could have done without those Liberty pics.

[Jaybird]

I was there when I saw Wrestlemania XX, it was an amazing experience. Very nice arena with a lot of history.

[Madman]

They destroyed the old Penn station to build this didnt they? If i am right then i hate this building...

If only we could turn back time sometimes...

[asohn]

^ They sure did...

[XCRunner]

The location of the building can't be beat, but personally I don't care for the looks of it. Also, it seems like most of the hype comes from its name and not much else. Most other arenas in the U.S. have a more modern desigen, greater capacity, and nicer architecture. I give it a 5.0.

[BobDaBuilder]

What does it cost to go and see an NBA or NHL match at this stadium? Is it difficult to get a ticket?

Do they still have boxing there. I have seen old documentaries on boxing and this stadium's name popped up occasionally.

[bubomb]

Quite simply a tragedy that this 'arena' was built. Look at the madness at what was destroyed. Some good came out of the bad though.


"Destruction

After a renovation covered some of the grand columns with plastic and blocked off the spacious central hallway with a new ticket office, Lewis Mumford wrote critically in the New Yorker in 1958 that "nothing further that could be done to the station could damage it". History was to prove him wrong. Under the presidency of Pennsylvania Railroad's Stuart T. Saunders (who later headed ill-fated Penn Central Transportation), the above-ground components of this structure (the platforms are below street level) were demolished in 1964, without disrupting the essential day-to-day operations, to make way for present-day Madison Square Garden, along with two office towers.

Four eagles salvaged from the station currently reside on the Market Street Bridge in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania across from that city's 30th Street Station. Another is located at the Long Island Rail Road station in Hicksville, New York.

The demolition of such a well-known landmark, and its replacement by a mediocre slab of real estate, were widely deplored, and are often cited as catalysts for the architectural preservation movement in the United States, and for laws restricting such demolition. Within the decade, Grand Central Terminal was protected under the city's new landmarks preservation act -- a protection which was upheld by the courts in 1978, after a challenge by Grand Central's owner, Penn Central.

The outcry over the loss of Penn Station prompted activists to question the "development scheme" mentality that was also cultivated by New York's "master builder", Robert Moses (although the cash-strapped railroad, not Moses, was actually responsible for the demolition). Moses' plans for a Lower Manhattan Expressway were scrapped due to public protests and a rejection of the plan by the city government.

In the longer run, the sense that something irreplaceable had been lost contributed to the erosion of confidence in Modernism itself and its sweeping forms of urban renewal, and thus strengthened interest in historic preservation. Comparing the new and the old Penn Station, architectural historian Vincent Scully once wrote, "One entered the city like a god, one scuttles in now like a rat."


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsyl...w_York_City%29

[Iain1974]

I can't explain why, but I'd thought MSQ was significantly older that 1968. Looks decent but nothing special as an arena goes.

I'm much more impressed bt the old station I'm afraid.

[NavyBlue]

The arena itself is awesome...steeped with history and in a great location.

...yet I still can't get over it being built where the beautiful Penn station once stood but you can't blame the arena for the shortsightedness of humans

[BaylorGuy314]

History is the important word here. Knowing how many events have gone on inside MSG's walls is what makes it so great. However, with that being said, the arena is not that great. It's not near as nice aesthetically or functionally as many of the new arenas.

Then again, neither is Wrigley Field, Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, and more.

I guess what I'm saying is that, from a purely historical standpoint, it's a 9 or 10. From aesthetics and functional purposes, it ranks very low.

The fact that it's in the middle of NYC gives it more points though, I suppose.

Eh, 6, maybe 7, overall.

[cphdude]

It would be difficult to say something positive about its looks, or to put it another way; its damn ugly. And when you look at the masterpeace they killed to build this, it enough to make you cry...

Still, the Gerden serves it purpose and had proven to be very popular both with sports and other arengements...For looks, I would give it a 4, but for use, i think an 8....so, i guess thats a 6 i total??

[TalB]

Originally Posted by BobDaBuilder

What does it cost to go and see an NBA or NHL match at this stadium? Is it difficult to get a ticket?

Do they still have boxing there. I have seen old documentaries on boxing and this stadium's name popped up occasionally.

On Monday I went to a Knicks game there, and it cost me $244.50 for sitting in the 100's section, though this is the price for one ticket and without including the service charge. Even though you can get Knicks tickets more easily, they are still pretty expensive. I am not very familiar with the ticket prices for the Rangers. However, you should look at the websites for the seating charts of the Kincks, Liberty, and Rangers. I do believe that the Golden Gloves Match is still being held there, which is boxing. Of course another famous event at the Garden is the National Westminister Dog Show, which is held there annually.

[BobDaBuilder]

^

That is very pricey. The players are on pretty high wages so I suppose it figures.

The Dog Show might be more in my price bracket. You would think that the dogs work for practically free.

[TalB]

The NY Liberty have tickets that would fit your price range.

[Zorba]

lol @ the WNBA


The arena is a horribly ugly building that was built over an amazingly beautiful building. Its really a shame that they demolished the old Penn station to build sucha hideous arena.

[Loranga]

I have only seen some hockey games from it on swedish TV (the LOVE NY Rangers on Canal Plus Sweden), and I am not impressed, especially when you compare it with almost any other NHL arena.

[TalB]

The other reason why ticket prices are so high is also b/c of the fact that MSG sits in Manhattan and the property taxes are pretty high, which is why ticket prices for the Knicks, Rangers, and Liberty are among the highest in their leagues regaurdless to how much the players want.

[bubomb]

I got the train from Toronto to Penn station. When I came out and saw Madison Square Gardens I was shocked by how rubbish it looked. New York is an amazing city, Madison Square Gardens is nothing compared to most New York buildings. It's just a concrete circle. It's not even big. I guess it's the history of sporting events that makes it famous, not the actual building.

Some more Penn station pics (such a waste) -

[Madman]

Pls no more pics of Penn Station. Its upsetting!