My Wishlist for the New Bucks Arena

Apr 23, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Outside view of the Bradley Center prior to game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Now that a new arena seems like an inevitability (knock on wood!), I think it’s high time to kiss the BMO Harris Bradley Center goodbye and set our sights on a shiny new building.

First, let’s take a look at just what we’ll be leaving behind. What makes the Bradley Center (or BC, for when it was constructed. I’m 24, remember) so special.

It’s a marvel of beautiful architecture, surpassed only by the Calatrava in aesthetics amidst the Milwaukee skyline.

As outlined in probably the greatest Reddit post ever (NSFW language), the workmanlike, no-nonsense windowless exterior really sets the tone for the ‘Milwaukee Grinders’ attitude of the team that plays in it. The Bucks are a family entertainment destination, though, so some windows are necessary to invite those members of your family that may value sunshine, beauty, or the city of Milwaukee. To please all, an atrium area made of exclusively windows was added. Truly, a diverse arena for a diverse city.

The spacious interior!

As someone who stands a very slender 6’3″, I can attest to the great and spacious seating the Bradley Center provides. Nothing makes me more comfortable while watching live sports than not being able to move most of my body without kneeing another person in the head. Plus, the callus I’ve developed on my shins due to the top of the seat in front of me has made me a rec league soccer dynamo!

The pride that comes with watching basketball in an arena designed for hockey.

Originally, the Bradley Center was intended to (eventually) house an NHL team. That never came to fruition, but that’s a good thing, as the Bucks have been such a draw over the years that an NHL team wouldn’t have been that valuable anyway. How lucky are we that the designers of the BC had the most popular tenant in mind when they designed the arena, and not a made-up franchise from the future that didn’t then exist? At least the Admirals get to use the ice, even if its presence jeopardizes the anklistic integrity of NBA players. Worth it!

Apr 30, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks fans hold up a sign during the game against the Chicago Bulls in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Chicago won 120-66. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Okay, so I was a little harsh. The people in charge of the BMOBC have done a great job getting the best out of a bad building, really. I’ve noticed the great new areas around the concourse that have sprouted up. Real bars, wooden motif, more carpet. The employees of the Bradley Center far surpass their workplace in quality. The good thing is, those great workers will soon be in a brand-new building! When that happens, here’s what I’d like to see:

Get the seating right.

As I referenced above, the seating in the BC is not exactly accommodating to anyone over a certain height.

The Bucks owners are predominantly New-Yorkers, and Marc Lasry was previously a minority owner of the Brooklyn Nets. What that tells me is that the Bucks may emulate the Nets and their Barclays Center when they design the interior of the new Milwaukee arena. They should start with the seating.

The stadium seating at Barclays was promoted as telegenic and comfortable, and is built to accomodate basketball and not hockey.

Make the outside look nice.

The arena renderings from a few months ago are a good start, but the overall waviness of the design could be tuned down a little, and that big green-lit bar area could go. Overall, if the arena looks close to those renderings I’d call it a win. It couldn’t look much worse than the Bradley Center.

Parking. Lots of Parking (pun intended).

My experiences going to Bucks games usually involves a lot of walking. To avoid hefty parking fees, I usually park several blocks away from the arena and walk, sometimes in the biting cold.

We pay enough for tickets, I think we deserve cheap, available parking. Luckily, if the Park East development plan becomes reality, we should have plenty.

And hey, if we’re building this questionable trolley, we might as well integrate it into the arena plan and make sure we can use it as a cheap, reliable way to get to games.

Additionally, the Sacramento Kings, the most recent team to get a new arena, have an official partnership with ridesharing app Uber to provide rides to Kings games at a steep discount. That would be a masterstroke for a city like Milwaukee, with open suburbs but a tireless latticework of cramped city street parking.

Jul 2, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks co-owners Wesley Edens (left) and Marc Lasry look at the jumbotron as it display graphic to welcome new coach Jason Kidd at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Signature concessions.

When you think of getting a bite to eat at a Bucks game, what pops into your head? If you’re like me, probably just a generic hot dog, burger, or brat. While they’ve made strides in recent years, the Bradley Center doesn’t come close to Miller Park when it comes to unique, identifiable, or noteworthy concessions options.

A (much) wider drink (beer) selection would be a welcome addition, and hey – WE NEED A GIANNIS-BRANDED GYRO STAND!

Kid stuff.

The best way to grow your fanbase is to get people interested while they’re young. Most of us carry sports fandoms that were planted in us when we were quite little. The Bucks do have child-oriented activities at the Bradley Center, with a few play areas and post-game on-court activities. And, of course, Bango.

But the Brewers, for example, have a much larger, more dedicated children’s area. It provides a welcome relief to parents who just want to relax for a bit while their child can play. It helps kids make great memories of the stadium and team. It would help the Bucks cultivate the next generation of fans.

Most importantly, a great team on the floor.

Apr 30, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks cheer prior to game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Chicago won 120-66. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

I could talk about bells and whistles all day, but ultimately I would sit in an arena seat made of burning coals if it meant watching a truly elite, competitive Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. From the looks of it, that’s exactly what we’ll be getting in the near future, so at the end of the day a new arena, no matter what’s in it or around it, will just be the icing on the cake. Hopefully it culminates in the very same trophy you see in the header photo for this piece. That would be the greatest arena amenity of all.

Next: Eastern Conference Playoffs: Where Do The Bucks Fit In?

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