The Joes Time Is Running Out

Time at the Joe Louis Arena is coming to a close quickly as the Red Wings were officially eliminated from the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoff contention. Now we know that the final NHL game this facility will host will be April 9 verses the New Jersey Devils. While most fans will not miss The Joe all that much, this was one of the last remaining old time buildings in the league, and its quirks were part of its charm. We though it would be fun to look back on some of this buildings quirks, as soon they will be nothing more than dust on the riverfront.


While JLA was not known for hosting basketball events, they did from time to time. Unlike most modern facilities who host hockey and basketball, they did not have raised seating that would extend down to the court from both ends of the floor. They relied on the old fashioned folding chairs lined up on the floor.


There's no waiting area inside the building before the gates open. The concourses are tight, dark, and are the only divider between the bowl and the outdoors. Tickets are taken at the outside doors so if you are waiting, it will be outside.


Watching the big game on TV? No problem, when the Wings are playing at home, you will feel like you are right there with the fans. Its a problem that many arenas have but it is certainly multiplied at The Joe. The cameras sit so low and when the fans in front of them move around or get up and cheer, it will leave you wishing you could stand too.


The Red Wings still use an old White Way scoreboard, the last of its kind in the NHL. They have had the same shell of a board since 1990 though video and scoring elements have been replaced several times over the years.