I’ve been to Ball Arena before, so I didn’t expect it to feel that different. But this was my first time being there for a hockey game, and it honestly changed everything.
I’ve been to a lot of different sporting events, so I expected a crowd, obviously, but this felt unique right away. The game was completely sold out. It was as full as a baseball stadium during a World Series game. The energy didn’t really drop at any point.
The Colorado Avalanche fans were loud the entire time, just excited to be there, and there were also way more fans from the opposing team than I expected. But it didn’t make things awkward or split — it just made everything louder and more intense in the best way.
I was invited to come experience the game and had someone from the team walking me around while I asked questions, which made me notice things I probably wouldn’t have picked up on otherwise. One of the biggest things they told me is that the Avalanche wouldn’t be anything without their fans, and honestly, you can tell. Everything about the night is built around them.
During breaks, there’s always something happening. While I was there, they played videos on the big screen of elementary school kids being interviewed by the rink — just talking, telling jokes, answering random questions. It was simple, but the entire arena was paying attention and laughing. It didn’t feel like filler, it felt like they were bringing the community into the game.
Then you have high school dance teams performing an Irish dance, getting the whole arena involved, and just really random but fun things like giving an award to the person with the dirtiest car in the parking lot. I’ve been to a lot of sporting events, and I’ve never seen that level of effort put into making the fans feel included like that.
Another thing I noticed was the mix of people there. I was told that a lot of fans at the games are there for their first time, which makes sense. But at the same time, you can very clearly spot the returning fans. A lot of them were wearing jerseys from past themed games — like different Colorado hockey nights, Saint Patrick’s Day, even Fourth Wing night. It sounds small, but it made it feel like there’s this ongoing story to being a fan, like people keep coming back and collecting these moments.
The biggest thing for me, though, was the loyalty. The Avalanche ended up losing the game I went to, and usually that’s when people start leaving early. But here, most people stayed until the very end, still watching and cheering.
It didn’t feel like people were only there for a win. It felt like they were there because they genuinely care about the team, no matter what happens.
And I get why people keep coming back. You don’t even need to fully understand hockey to enjoy it. The environment alone is enough. It’s loud, it’s exciting, but it’s also really welcoming.
Going into it, I honestly didn’t know what I would come out thinking. Hockey wasn’t something I had a strong connection to before. But after being there, it’s different. It’s not just the game, it’s everything around it.
By the time I left Ball Arena, it made sense why people describe it the way they do. Being a “Colorado Avalanche” isn’t just about being on the team; it’s about being part of the fan base. And the fan base really does feel like a family.
I didn’t expect to walk out caring as much as I did, but I did. And it’s safe to say the Avalanche gained a new fan that night.