He believes the mystique of Boston Garden evolved from all the thrilling games played there by the likes of Cousy and Havlicek, Russell and Bird. When you were sitting in the seats, you got beer spilled all over you, chewing gum stuck to the bottom of your shoes, stuff like that. From an economic standpoint, teams can't resist the urge to add millions of dollars to their bottom line through a new arena, said Matthew Freedman, editor of the Chicago-based Team Marketing Report. Suites and club seats aren't the only things that generate more money. Many teams get more-favorable leases when they move into a new arena, plus the rights to sell the name.
Advertising revenues are more plentiful, too.
They can get that sponsor to stand apart from the other sponsors somewhat. Still, it's clear that basketball is going through its own version of the cookie-cutter architectural mode that transformed baseball in the 1960s and '70s. Some buildings have attempted to stand out from the crowd. Philips Arena is a radical design that places all of the suites on one side of the building, resembling a glimmering opera house. Clearly, no in Atlanta is lamenting the loss of the Omni, with its cramped walkways and perpetually long lines at the restrooms and concession stands.