On November 29 and December 14, I attended a hockey game at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The first game was the New York Sirens (2-3-0) vs the Vancouver Goldeneyes (2-3-0) of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). The second game was an NHL game, the New Jersey Devils (18-14-1) vs the Vancouver Canucks (12-17-3). While the venue and opposing city were the same, the fan experience was entirely different, due to current perceptions of the teams and the fan culture of the leagues.
The PWHL is still in its infancy, only on its third season, while the NHL is an established major four sports league that was established over a century ago. The Sirens game had a very welcoming energy, specifically incorporating family-friendly and child-friendly activities for attendees prior to the start of the game. The early crowd lingered outside The Rock until we were let in promptly at 11:30 AM. Fans were a sea of teal, with many sporting either official or homemade merchandise beyond their jerseys, whether it be hard hats with sirens on top, teal-dyed hair, or jewelry in their colors.
Upon entry, there was a sign-making station where guests, mainly children, could make signs to support their team and favorite players. Furthermore, there was a friendship bracelet-making station, where fans could make bracelets to either swap with one another or trade with the players. Once the game had begun, the fans seemed alive, cheering and chanting for the Sirens throughout the entire game. Witnessing the Sirens win their home opener 5-1 with such energy and enthusiasm was an extremely pleasant experience as both a hockey fan and a fan of their team. Upon leaving, the foot traffic was manageable, with people navigating to their cars or to Newark Penn Station quickly after exiting.
Unfortunately, the Devils fan experience was more difficult, with fans producing more vitriol, and the behind-the-scenes operations and news of the team creating an off game. Walking into the Prudential Center on this day, rather than being met with swarms of high-energy children playing and making signs together, the floor was full of sponsored booths. During play, the tension of the massive Canucks trade that had occurred two days prior, several injured or missing players on the Devils roster, a mini losing streak, and fans who have become more upset by Devils management contributed to the odd vibe. By the end of the game, the energy in the crowd had been depleted, as the Devils lost 2-1 to the current worst team in the NHL, who had just had their best player and captain traded. Fans commuting by train or bus are also forced to leave semi-early in the third period, either to catch the infrequent NJ Transit or to attempt to leave the arena before the swarm of thousands all try to force their way out at once.
While the outcomes of the matches and overall energy differed, the demographics of the games were mostly the same from my perception regarding race and gender. However, there were significantly more families and young children at the Sirens game, despite both games being on a weekend during midday.
There is one key difference between not only the two teams but the two leagues, and that is the price of tickets. While the Devils certainly do not have the most expensive tickets by NHL standards, upper-level seating can cost around $85-$100, with lower-level seating costing about $100-$400 per ticket. The Sirens, who also exclusively sell tickets in the lower level, have tickets as low as $26 in what would be $300+ seats for the Devils. It is significantly more affordable, incentivizing families to attend and for people to become season ticket holders.
As a long-time Devils fan who has been to their games previously, the environment of this one game does not represent the general experience as a whole. The price, lack of activities, and lack of fan interaction compared to the PWHL remains consistent, but seeing fans in the Prudential Center roar after a goal is always a powerful experience.
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