Some Advice For New Fans

As a seasoned Thrashers fan with lots of games under my belt, I figure it's only fair to give back to the fan community and share a few tips. I'm not going to give away all my secrets, but I will try and help people avoid frustration, confusion, and disappointment as best I can.

1) PARKING. First of all, be aware that paying for a spot in the Phillips parking deck will usually set you back $20. If you drive past the Arena, there is a parking deck on your right that usually charges $10, which I would recommend for any women driving alone (this is what I do when I have to meet someone). Otherwise there are various lots for $5 or $10 within easy walking distance of the Arena. Now, once upon a time, in a land far far away, you could often sniff out some of the metered parking on adjacent streets such as Cone and Forsythe. They have since built more cool restaurants and clubs in this area, so the metered spots are basically impossible to grab. I would also mention that if there are big shows at the Tabernacle, people will arrive early and compete for the same spots you want, so check the day before in case you need to head out early. Or save yourself some trouble and just ride MARTA.

2) TICKETS. First of all, do not expect to walk up to Phillips Arena at 6:45 for a 7 pm game and be able to get a ticket from the box office. First-time fans don't always know how popular the Thrashers are and that YES, they sell out frequently. In this case there are several scalpers who will suit your needs or you're SOL. If I don't already have a ticket, I always plan to arrive at least an hour early. You can buy them on ticketmaster ahead of time, and for sold out games I try stub hub. Additionally, the season ticket holders have a forum where they sell tickets they aren't going to use, so if its a good price I would try to buy from them so that there are less empty seats in the house and less people get turned away when tickets sell out. You can find their forum linked to the Thrashers ticketmaster page. If you are a student, you get a discount at the box office (I want to say it's half-off, but that sounds too generous), and 99x freeloaders get a special deal as well ( or at least they have for the past few seasons). Also, I know it's cheaper, but DO NOT buy tickets in the 400s. You will most likely be seated near other newbies, and therefore will not get the true fan atmosphere. Additionally, a lot of groups buy tickets up there, which means a lot of talking and shouting across rows. I was seated up there once behind "Sigma Kappa Date Night!" and let me tell you, they were giggling and yelling back and forth the whole time. The worst of it was that they were constantly getting up and moving around. For more on that, see #6.

3) THE CNN CENTER. Eating at the CNN Center before games is a tradition for a lot of fans, and you will start getting pumped when you see the sea of blue jerseys. There are a lot of fast food restaurants (Wendy's, Chick-fil-a, Moe's, etc), as well as a few dine-in restaurants (Jocks & Jill's, McCormack & Schmick's, a Mexican restaurant). There are tons of choices, however there aren't tons of tables and chairs to provide for everyone, so if you get stressed by things like that get there early. If you get fast food, be prepared to stalk tables until you can jump on a free one. If musical tables isn't your style, then you can eat at a dine-in restaurant, but you need to get there at least a couple of hours before game time if you want to be finished before the first whistle. And on that note...

4) GET THERE BEFORE THE FIRST WHISTLE. This is the time when the excitement of the fans truly starts to build. It begins in the CNN Center, and then coalesces within the actual arena. One reason to there early is that if there are any giveaways, they will be long-gone by game time. More importantly, if you get there half an hour before game time you get to see the warm-ups. The cool part about warm-ups is that you don't have to watch them from your seat, you can watch them from anywhere in the arena (minus the boxes). Want to see what it's like to watch hockey from the glass? You can if there's room. You don't truly understand how scary a 6-6 defenseman is, or how fast a Kovy slapshot is, until you see them up close. Trust me, this is fun.

5) NATIONAL ANTHEM. First-timers are often confused when fans suddenly shout something out during the National Anthem. During the verse "gave proof through the night" fans yell "KNIGHTS!" to remember our dearly departed Atlanta Knights, our city's team before the Thrashers but after the Flames. If you don't remember the Knights, you probably shouldn't yell, but at least you'll know what everyone is shouting.

6) PUCK IN PLAY RULE. This rule prevents anyone who has left their seat from returning to it while play is going on. The ushers will hold you at the portals until they hear a whistle, then you may return to your seat with your salty snack and tasty beverage. The unofficial corollary to this rule is that you do not get up out of your seat until play has stopped. This means you, Mr. Six-foot-two. Wait until you hear a whistle, THEN snake your way toward the aisle. You must understand that every time you stand up it obstructs someone's view. With that in mind, only obstruct their view of the refs moving the puck to the blue line, not the game-winning goal.

7) GOOD CONCESSIONS. If you are remotely health conscious or a vegetarian, your options are limited. First, vegetarians: I get pizza, which isn't that bad. They also have popcorn, pretzels, and french fries, which are oh so figure friendly. If you want something lighter and healthier: the downstairs food alley has a few places with specialty foods, so try down there. I know they have a very good pasta place, and you can get pestos and marinaras which aren't as bad for you. It does take a while to get your food though, as its made to order. I'm fairly certain you can also get salads at one of the places in that area. On another note, this section is also where you get the good beer. Go to the Guinness pub, they at least have Bass. It's crowded in this area, but you can only eat at the salt buffet so many times.

For a few more tips you can visit the Thrasher's A to Z Fan Guide, which I don't find all that helpful. They do have some interesting things, such as where the ATMS are, but any usher can tell you that. Does it tell you, for instance, that the rowdy fans (The Nasty Nest) have seats in and around section 319? No it does not. It does, however, give you the practice schedules, etc.

That's all for today, friends. If you have any suggestions of your own, feel free to comment.