Detroit Red Wings
Rink: Joe Louis Arena
Capacity: 20,027
Built: 1979
Demolished: 2020
League: NHL
City: Detroit, Michigan
Former Home Of: Detroit Red Wings
Games Attended: 2
Only NHL Game: November 12, 2009 vs Vancouver
Only OHL Game: December 4, 2016 Windsor vs Saginaw
Unique Arena: #26
NHL Arena: #3
OHL Arena: #27
The Detroit Red Wings began life in 1926 as the Detroit Cougars and believe it or not their first season they actually played at the then brand new Windsor Arena (then named Border Cities Arena) until the Olympia was ready for them a year later. The Olympia closed its doors in December 1979 and the Red Wings moved into the brand new Joe Louis Arena. They made this arena move long before the other original six teams started construction on new rinks in the 1990s and in the long run the Wings kind of suffered for that. Joe Louis Arena used to sit on the shores of the Detroit River and was a part of the Detroit skyline for decades, sitting next to the newer Cobo Hall and convention center. While it had a facade that loudly announced its presence, it was a very bare bones exterior of grey and red siding with no windows whatsoever. The most recognizable part of the exterior was likely the giant stairs that would take you from street level up to the entrance doors at the concourse level.
Joe Louis Arena was nothing like the entertainment palaces of today. It was built with the Red Wings in mind first and foremost. The building came before the days of luxury suites, so it was mostly just one giant bowl of 20,000 seats separated by a narrow in-bowl concourse halfway up that was eventually filled with more seats. Unlike a lot of older buildings, every seat in the house had a great view and even the last row wasn’t too far from the ice. Crowds in Detroit could be pretty rowdy once they got into it, especially in the glory days of the late 90s and early 00s. Suites were put in at the very top of the building, so it was the rare situation where the suites were the worst seats in the house, though even their views of the ice had to be pretty awesome.
Everything about Joe Louis Arena was no frills. The game was the focus. The concourse also reflects that. It was dark and dank, not very wide and it was used as a means to get you into the building and to your seat. There were a couple odd open areas which by the end of its life the Wings filled with historic memorabilia and even a statue of Mr. Hockey himself.
The Red Wings rarely ever had to share the arena. A handful of other teams could say they called The Joe home, but they were usually very short stints. Even events like concerts became rare once the Palace of Auburn Hills was built in 1988. Honestly the one event that probably got the most time in the Joe other than the Wings was WWE wrestling. The place was truly the home of the Wings first and foremost and despite the no frills of the building, there was red everywhere and the winged wheel was a normal part of the decor.
The problem with Joe Louis Arena being built when it was is that it fell behind the times very quickly. Even by the early 90s just barely over a decade old the place felt antiquated. While many loved the Joe, and the no frills game first mentality was seen as a high selling point, the fact of the matter is it wasn’t going to last. In a way, I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did.
I only managed to get to one Red Wings game at The Joe in 2009. I was able to get back for an OHL game between Windsor and Saginaw during its final season of operation, but I feel like I should’ve gone to at least a couple more Wings games there while I had the chance. Luckily the new rink is amazing and among the class of the modern-day NHL. But the Joe was one of if not the last rink in the NHL where it was about the game and only about the game. It felt older than it was, if you told me it was built in the early 1950s instead of 1979, I would believe it 100%.
It will be missed.
