The "U.C." had its work cut out for itself. The old stadium had wonderful beer-soaked stairways, tiny wooden seats and acoustics that made crowds roar so loud visitors couldn't hear their own voices.
Well, there's no way that the United Center will ever beat its replacement as far as atmosphere, but amenities, size and convenience make it one of the best stadiums in sports.
ATMOSPHERE
On the outside, the stadium is across the street from its predecessor, meaning it remains in a rather rough part of town. On game day or concert nights, however, there are always police officers every 10 feet, so worry can flee. Inside, the stadium still feels brand new, clean, easy to navigate, and beautiful.
CROWD
In the beginning, the U.C. had carryover magic from the old stadium, as the Bulls won three of their NBA titles in their new home. So the fur coats and cell phones were out in force. Hockey's Blackhawks were bad before and after, so the crowd was as die-hard as ever. And like sports, concert crowds come based on the product, in music's case, the band playing that night. So, at a Paul McCartney concert, expect some gray-haired boomers, and at an Avril Lavigne show, some parents dropping their kids off at the door.
ENTERTAIMENT / EVENTS
The United Center hosts more than 200 events a year. Bulls games account for 41 of those, and the Blackhawks 41 more. The DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball team plays about a dozen games there, as well. Concerts have included the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, U2, The Who, and many more. Other events have included the1996 Democratic National Convention, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice, the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and more.
SPIRITS / GRUB
The stadium has some fantastic food. There's a ton of variety from concession stand to concession stand, and various alcoholic beverages during most events.
PRICES
As usual with sports, concerts and other entertainment, tickets, food, drink and souvenirs will cost a family of four a paycheck or two. But after years of regular Joes complaining about skyrocketing sports and concert ticket prices, nothing has happened. A night at the U.C. will be expensive. Deal with it!
WHY IT'S UNIQUE
The United Center is unique because bigger is better. Nowhere else can you see its events. It has exclusive reign in Chicago. Sure, some of its concerts can be caught in Chicago's northwest suburbs at Allstate Arena, but the extremely big shows come here for multiple nights. Plus, as sad as they are, this is the only place you can catch the Bulls and Blackhawks.
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