The open concourse design will allow fans to keep the court in their view no matter where they goBUCKS
The Bucks want fans to feel as if they are "entering the future" at the new Fiserv Forum, and they are "convinced that if they can get you to the front door ... you'll want to stick around," according to Dan Devine of YAHOO SPORTS. Among the features at the new arena is an "'open concourse' design that keeps the court in fans' sights no matter where they go." That represents a "drastic shift from the 'fortress-like, granite buildings' of years gone by, including the BMO Harris Bradley Center." Bucks President Peter Feigin said, "From the main concourse, from the upper concourse, if you go out and get some food and (drinks), if you want to stand on a drink rail, if you want to go navigate the bathrooms, you're still in the game. Portions of arenas and stadiums have this, but really, this physically is where the entire arena is an open concourse." Feigin said that the Bucks "knew that going too futuristic wouldn't work, though; a 'glass spaceship' wouldn't quite connote the 'authenticity' or 'localism' they were going for." So they "pushed arena designer Populous to come up with a homespun finishing touch ... and they came back with the 'beer barrel' exterior." Devine noted another component of the new arena is the Panorama Club, a 500-person standing room space "built 'literally in the rafters' of Fiserv Forum" that, similar to the sky bridges at MSG, "gives fans a bird's-eye view of the game." Feigin "expects that to 'become the coolest, most dynamic space in the whole arena, by leaps and bounds'" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/21).
CHANGING THE GAME: In Milwaukee, James Nelson wrote fans at Fiserv Forum can "summon a beer" to their seat "using the 'Coors Light Beer Button' that will appear" in the Bucks app when fans are inside the arena during Bucks events. Bucks VP/Hospitality Justin Green said, "You can be anywhere in the arena and you can have it delivered to you." Nelson noted beers will be "delivered within five minutes and automatically billed to a stored credit card." Meanwhile, there are also "more than 200 Wi-Fi access points" in the arena, "including some built into handrails." That is going to make in-game tweeting and photo sharing a "far better experience than fans usually find at sports arenas and stadiums" (JSONLINE.com, 8/22).
NO EXPENSES SPARED: Nelson also noted that Bucks players and NBA brass will "help celebrate the grand opening of Fiserv Forum" on Sunday. The free public event starts with an 11:00am CT "block party on the plaza at the east side" of the arena. Speeches and the ribbon-cutting ceremony "take place at noon." The Bucks will then "roll out what they're calling the 'world's largest welcome mat.'" Bucks players "scheduled to attend" include F Giannis Antetokounmpo, G Eric Bledsoe, G Donte DiVincenzo, F Thon Maker and F Khris Middleton. Basketball HOFer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and former NBAers Vin Baker and Michael Redd are also "expected to attend." The event also will include Bucks co-Owners Wes Edens, Marc Lasry, Jamie Dinan and Mike Fascitelli, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. Former Bucks Owner Herb Kohl is "expected and will be honored with the dedication of Herb Kohl Way" (JSONLINE.com, 8/22).
