Times have changed in professional sports when it comes to arenas. The fan experience is so different from what it was a couple of decades ago. Arenas are a lot different nowadays with the Jumbotrons that have been placed in the new arenas and get the fans involved.
A lot of the new arenas are built bigger than some of the original ones, and it keeps the fans a little further back from the players on the bench and ice, something that wasn't always the case back in the day. As far as the Boston Bruins were concerned, it was something that made their old arena one of the toughest to play in.
Old Boston Garden offered a unique home-ice advantage for the Boston Bruins
In November of 1928, the Boston Garden was opened, but it wasn't built with an eye toward the NHL or even the NBA, but boxing? That's right, the old "Garden" was designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard with an eye toward the ring, not the rink or the parquet.
However, it became a famous arena for both the Bruins and the Boston Celtics. What made the design unique for both professional sports teams was the way that fans were right on top of the players, whether it was hockey or basketball.
However, before you even got into the bowl part of the arena, there were the unique ramps that you would walk up after giving you a ticket. It was the yellow ramps that caused foot traffic to flow somewhat more easily than the stairs that have taken over arenas. The ramps were not everywhere, but it was one of the features the arena offered.
The press box at the old Garden was positioned such that it felt like you were right over the ice, as compared to it being higher up and further back in the newer arenas. The Bruins had some of the "Big Bad Bruins" teams that played in the arena, and with the fans right on top of the play, it was easy for them to have a home-ice advantage, something that was underrated.
The newer Garden has its features, but it doesn't have the same home-ice feel the old Boston Garden had. It was an arena that, if you were fortunate enough to be in, you had an experience that you would never forget.