The game was fun, and we had noise canceling headphones for our little one (this is a must since every time the Blue Jackets score there is a loud cannon that shoots off). The staff were all kind and helpful, and the game was so engaging for our whole family. I love the lights and music and watching the ice rink get sweeped by the ice skaters. So fun! read more

Columbus Blue Jackets - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Since joining the NHL and beginning play in the 2000-01 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have ranked in the bottom 10 of the league, all time, in terms of point percentage. The Jackets haven't won a single division or conference championship and they've routinely finished between the bottom to middle of the conference standings (Columbus moved from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference beginning with the 2013-14 season). On the bright side, the team has qualified for the playoffs five out of the last seven years. This stretch includes four straight playoff appearances from 2017 to 2020, so I guess you could say things have been looking up. Much of CBJ's recent success can be attributed to current head coach John Tortorella who was hired mid-season in October 2015. Torts has been coaching in the NHL since the 1999-2000 season. He's best known for leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to the 2004 Stanley Cup. Under his leadership, the Lightning won their first Cup and became the southernmost team to do so. Throughout his career, Torts' teams have made the playoffs more often than not and that's certainly been the case so far during his tenure in Columbus (he's currently four for five). Now 62, how much Torts has left in the tank as an NHL coach remains to be seen. Former left winger Rick Nash is probably Columbus' best-known hockey player. So far, he's been the Jackets' only No. 1 overall draft pick (2002) and he's presently the team's career-leader in many statistical offensive categories including points (547), goals (289), and assists (258). No other Jackets player has come close to Nash's records yet. He spent the first nine of his 16 NHL seasons with Columbus (2002-2012). Also, he won Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014 as a member of Team Canada. Among goaltenders in team history, Sergei Bobrovsky dominated in terms of total wins (213) and shutouts (33), goals-against average (2.41), and save percentage (.921). Bob spent seven years as a goalie for CBJ (2012-2019). During that time, he made the NHL All-Star First Team twice (2013 and 2017). Bobrovsky and Nash only played once together in the NHL All-Star Game. Fittingly, that year's All-Star Game (2015) was held in Columbus. Bob made two All-Star Game appearances and Nash six (five as a Jacket). The Jackets play at Nationwide Arena which opened the same time as the team's first season. The arena is located on the north side of downtown Columbus and has a seating capacity of 18,500 for Jackets games. The Jackets' practice rink, the OhioHealth Ice Haus, is attached and open for public skating at certain times. When attending a Blue Jackets game, there are signs that direct you to the arena's adjacent parking garages. read more

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We went to a Columbus Blue Jackets game last week at Nationwide Arena. This was only my second NHL hockey game and it was really fun! The team played well and the game was really fast paced. They ended up winning in overtime which made it even more exciting. They had plenty of off ice entertainment as we so the whole night went by really quickly. The ticket prices were also very reasonable. We sat in one of the upper balconies and had a great view of the ice. read more

Columbus Blue Jackets - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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This is my second season as season ticket holder and although the jackets are third from last, I have to say the the fan base and atmosphere at nationwide arena make going to games a real Joy!! The promotions that they run are fun and entertaining. The concession stands offer upscale snack type food, like burgers, philly steaks and pizzas etc.... They even offer bacon on a stick!! Lol! I have tried all the above and believe me it taste as good as it looks! Far as atmosphere, the organ music, the music between plays and the cannon blast when we score is both a jolt but uplifting at the same time. If you have never been to a Blue Jackets game you should check it out. You will enter as a guest and leave as a fan! read more

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Love it went there so fun got to meet stinger extremely fun and I got a hockey puck on

After a 16-day Olympic break, the NHL returned to Nationwide Arena on Tuesday March 2. There was a nice presentation before the game the honored players on both teams that played in what perhaps was the best Olympic tournament ever. Among the stars present were Blue Jacket Captain Steve Nash (Canada) and Vancouver players Ryan Kesler (USA) and Roberto Luongo (Canada). Past that, the moving parts were a little rusty, starting with those awful looking green practice jerseys. Several Ohio State synchronized skaters performing after the first period stumbled and fell to the ice and the IGS Energy Blimp got loose and gently landed on some spectators after the second period. The actual hockey game was pretty sloppy, as the Blue Jackets ended up squandering a 2 goal lead and losing in OT. I was in Section 117 (Lower Bowl) and thoroughly enjoyed the game nonetheless. Of course, as a follower of the SJ Sharks, very few of the players were familiar to me and apparently the Blue Jacket team roster underwent a significant change a few days later and just before the trade deadline passed. I also thought that the Blue Jackets logos, slogan (Carry the Flag), and Union Army history were kind of cool. And in between whistles or periods were the denied possibility of a free Tim Horton's donut, Zamboni Rides, the hip ice cleaning crew, the Fan Lounge (behind me) featuring the Boom Jacket drummers, Ice Girls, and game commentary, and a rotund fan who performed an absolutely hilarious and well done "Harpoon the Canucks" strip tease number. If I were a regular fan living in the Columbus area, I would share and express great frustration with the state of the team and its management. And back in the Bay Area, we're spoiled when our biggest complaint is how the Sharks can be so good in the regular season and throw it all away in the playoffs. Yet, for this one night in Columbus Ohio, the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nationwide Arena, and the nearby Arena District provided me with one really entertaining and well executed professional entertainment experience. read more

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I enjoy hockey and Columbus Blue jackets is a talented NHL team. Columbus blue jackets are competitive and entertaining to watch. The game itself is lively and theres great music and various activities and free giveaways throughout each period to keep you entertained! My favorite seating is the loge seating, best seats in Nationwide arena. And I love the cannon shot, once the blue jackets score a goal! read more

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I didn't go to the NHL All-Star festivities in town last year so I missed the outside Ice rink they put up. A shame because an outside rink downtown should be a winter fixture. I like to skate for the cardiovascular exercise that I miss from not biking during the winter, and a downtown outside rink would be a better experience than the chiller rinks I go to for open skate. But thankfully the All-Star event proved so popular the Blue Jackets teamed with Worthington Industries and created Winter park, a full size ice rink featuring public skates, drop-in hockey, adult Stick and pucks, and even some CBJ practice. It's in McPherson's Commons (Arch park) and will be opened through February 21. Public Skates are $5 and include a decent ice-skates rental; hockey is $25 and of course must be preregister. The website has an easily viewed schedule of these events including prices and registration. I first visited intending to enjoy the mild weather Saturday afternoon. The set up is nice. They have fire pits, heated tents to lock up your valuables, and riser bleachers for viewing. I didn't skate that day, there were too many people on the ice. It takes me some time to get up to par; I need to get one, two, ten, twenty spills out of the way before I regain the form, and I didn't want to take out 30-40 people in the process. But I really wanted to do it so I revisited Monday afternoon when the crowds were sparser. The ice is high quality and skating in the environs of the Arena District is scenic. For a five spot it is a deal and a must for anyone that like skating. I hope they do this every year; it would be a popular event during this cities dower winters. read more

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I am always so impressed with the CBJ organization and Nationwide arena. The food is so much better than your normal sports arena food! Where else can you get bacon on a stick? They do an outstanding job with making a CBJ game an experience for the entire family! read more

Columbus Blue Jackets - Bacon on a stick - concessions at Nationwide CBJ game. - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

My first hockey game and I had a good time. Wasnt a fan my seats (ive got a coke bottle frame lol so i had to squeeze into my seat) but the hockey game didnt disappoint me at all. read more

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A Blue Jackets game is great fun and has something for everyone. Between the die-hard 5th liners to all of the intermission fun, there is fun to be found. This is a high-energy experience and I love getting wrapped up in the excitement of it all. read more

Nationwide seems like a decent venue. This was my first foray into Blue Jackets hockey. The team is in dead last with only 9 pts and they quickly fell behind 4-0 to the Lightening. They made a game of it, losing 6-4, but they seemed pretty over-matched most of the game. That said, who doesn't love a BJ? read more

I recently went to my 1st Blue Jackets game. Its not that I'm not a fan. I love hockey. But I'm still a bit hurt that they took away my Columbus Chill and replaced it with a team that keeps losing and requires you to pay an arm and a leg if you want decent seats. I'm starting to sound like an old, whinging nag, but it was nice to be able to spend $10 for seats behind the goal, snacks, and parking for the Chill. That's what fostered my love for the game. At 1st it was just something to do with my friends, but then I really got into it. My 1st Blue Jackets game cost me upward of $50 to sit high up with a bottle of water and a 4 block walk from where I was able to find (and afford) parking. It just seems to me that while its nice to have a professional level hockey team in Columbus, they are bound and determined to alienate their fans. Even people I talked to at the Hockey Hall of Fame said that Columbus just doesn't have a team we can truly call our own yet. Right now they just seem like they're visiting... read more

Columbus Blue Jackets - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Finally, a real professional sports team in the 15th largest city in America. It's about time! (No offense Columbus Crew, but the MLS isn't one of the top 4) I know, I know - it's been 8 years since the genesis of our very own NHL franchise, but Yelp wasn't around then, so I didn't have a sounding board to scream from the tree tops... WHEN ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A WINNING SEASON!!! IT'S SO FRUSTRATING!!! First of all, what's with the team name??? Who thought of this one? C'mon, be real! They should have confided in me. I had the perfect name for this new expansion hockey team - the PUCKEYES! Now that's a name! Pefect, right? I grew up outside of Philadelphia when the Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups, so, needless to say, I love hockey. I like the Blue Jackets, but it's difficult to love them after 8 losing seasons in a row. This has to stop sometime! I typically go to a few games a year. I'll never waste my money on season tickets, even if they win the Cup, but it's a wonderful sport to watch, especially live. It's amazing to witness the skill and agility and power of these Canadian-bred brawlers. You have to see it to believe it. I'll upgrade my review once the Jackets can accomplish a winning season. Until then, I'll be hoping for the best...GO JACKETS! read more

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I am a Washington Capitals fan who was just in town and figured I'd see a game. They played Nashville so I didn't have skin in the game with either team. Despite being the fan of a rival, I was really impressed by the atmosphere and the fan experience! The fanbase is rockin', the service is great, the goal cannon is always a sight to behold, and I really enjoyed myself. I think the Jackets are now my second or third favorite team! read more

I'm from Nashville. I'm a Predators fan...as a division rival, I have hated the Columbus Blue Jackets since they came into the league shortly after my team did. With this in mind, I loaded up a bus full of people and took them to opening night in Columbus...and my opinion on the entire organization changed. The ticket rep - Jeremy Parchensky - was quick to answer e-mails and phone calls, he always checked in to offer help and he was simply everything you could ask for in a ticket rep. Everyone in Columbus, including the fans, were very warm and welcoming. The arena is beautiful, as is the area around it. I can seriously not say enough nice things about my experience with the Columbus Blue Jackets organization and their fans. My only issue with anything would be that the cannon scared the crap out of me the first time it went off, despite the fact that I knew it would be coming. The people in the seats below me nearly got a Tim Horton's shower... We will most definitely be repeat visits. read more

Although I grew up in a hockey-lovin town, it was the Columbus Blue Jackets who taught me to enjoy hockey. Quiet down, haters! I know they don't win/have only once been in the playoffs/etc. The winning isn't what brings me to the game, it's the energy of the players....and, let's be real here, the very affordable tickets. $25 tickets to see some of the best players in the world? yes, please! Also, the cool part of me doesn't want to tell you this, but I like some of the cheesy prizes they give you at the gate. Jackets Mug? drink from it every day! Jackets Calendar? mark off the days on it. Creepy Bobblehead of Rick Nash? Ok, that went straight out the door. The Blue Jackets will probably, maybe, who knows, stranger things have happened, be a super winning team. But part of me hopes they don't get So Big that I can't afford tickets, while another part hopes they do start winning more so that they stay. And, in the mean time, I will be going to watch the games. yay! read more

I'm so glad Columbus has a vibrant arts scene, but you can't deny that this city is full of sports nuts! I read a poll recently from the Other Paper that asked central Ohioans, "Which scenario would you prefer?" A) "The Blue Jackets win a Stanley Cup in Columbus, and then move" OR B) "The Blue Jackets remain in Columbus, but never make the playoffs" 63 percent voted for the latter. That's how much Columbus craves a piece of the professional sports pie. They'd rather be losers, than be out of the game completely. Even if you are not a sports fanatic, you've got to see what the buzz is about and attend a game at Nationwide Arena. You'll at least crack a smile at the "Junior Jackets" (youth hockey). It's an adorable game within the game. Women, you'll be delighted when nature calls that for once, there isn't a line. read more

Bad team with poor management from the top - seriously, Klesla as your first pick and then taking a chance on countless (bad) Russian prospects? Good job - the ONLY thing this team has going for them is Nash - they are LUCKY he signed. The trade of LeClaire to keep Mason - I think this season is making a nice point about Hitchcock's ability to coach in the new NHL (IE, no Hatcher to clutch and hold your top players like he did in Dallas.) The fans here - uneducated and poorly behaved. Ever been sworn at or had a wet paper towel thrown at your in the restroom for cheering for the opponent? Ever had someone intentionally try to trip you on the stairs? I have. I've been to 14 arenas and the fans here are the worst - I'm ashamed this is my "home town crowd" even if I don't cheer for the team. "Why are they blowing the whistle?" "Icing" "What's that?" read more

This review is just about the group & season ticket sales. I'm a fan of the San Jose Sharks, and have been going to Columbus for Blue Jackets - Sharks games since the inception of the team. I live in the Indianapolis area, so I can catch games within 5 hour drives in Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, and Detroit. I've been to each of these arenas, plus several other NHL arenas, so I have something to compare to. I'm not likely to buy season tickets for any team, because of my distance. But, when Columbus offered their 6-game packages, I decided to give a sales rep a call, to see if they would do a 4-game package for me. I have a friend who is a Nashville Predators fan, and we would go to the two games the Jackets hosted for each, plus wives or buddies. Can you believe they wouldn't do it? Now, maybe they had big hopes at the start of the season, being that the team made the playoffs for the first time in its' history, expecting greater sales on the strength of that. Alas. I did go to one Sharks - Jackets game, and there were about 4-5,000 empty seats. Nashville and St. Louis were willing to work with me. Guess where we got 4-game season ticket packages? That's right, Nashville & St. Louis. Same story on the group front. Columbus wasn't willing to work with me on a group package where I had fewer than their minimum number. This was for guys from Indianapolis, keep in mind. St. Louis was willing to work with us, giving us the group rate for 25, despite us having just 12. Guess where we went for a group outing? Don't know why they have this mentality. They aren't selling the place out. I would have thought having up front money and filled seats would have been better than not. Alas. read more

Make the playoffs! That is all I have wanted of the Blue Jackets since they first came into my life that first year of their expansion. Columbus may be a college football town, but all that means is that this town has never really experienced a long playoff push. The excitement and suspense that comes with a good team in the playoffs is unparalleled. So, will they or won't they? Either way, the Columbus Blue Jackets are always a fun team to watch. They aren't the best team in the league, conference, or even their division. But they have recently managed to pull off some big wins against tough opponents. Rick Nash taking over as captain at such a young age may not seem like a great idea to those unfamiliar with hockey, but the sport has a long tradition of young captains who go on to lead their team for a decade or more (Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings comes to mind). Rick Nash does not only have the potential to be a great captain for the Blue Jackets, he has a great chance of one day being the captain of Team Canada in the Olympics or World Hockey Championships. Nash is one of the all-around best players in the game and he has done a great job of setting the tempo. His size, speed, and skill combine to make him one of the scariest things an opposing goalie/defender can see. He really has become the heart beat of the team. As goes Nash, so goes the Columbus Blue Jackets. That is until 2008-2009. Enter Steve Mason. The rookie goalie who has already won a player of the month award and has a number of shutouts. He is exactly what this team needed. Now the team seems to go as Mason goes. But the confidence that starts from the back with the goalie has infected each and every player and the team sits in a position where it can possibly make the playoffs this season. As impressive as the players have been there has been a change in attitude before Mason came, and that started with coach Ken Hitchcock. A familiar face to Hockey fans it is awesome to have such a huge name behind the bench calling out line changes. He knows his hockey and is also a huge Civil War buff, so he has really brought that energy to the team. The new motto carry the flag is straight from Ken Hitchcock. Where one man fails another one can carry on the team, because it is not about individuals, it is about getting the team to the goal. If the team does make the playoffs this year, watch out! Columbus will be a mad house. I think that this town won't know what to do with itself. Every game is so important and they are every other day. As far as turnout goes, I'm surprised at how crowded the games can be. If you want good seats you'll have to pay a little extra and get tickets early. But if you don't really care about where you sit, a game can be a cheap way to spend an afternoon or evening. The games are always fun, and I'm not even that big of a hockey fan. I've taken my boyfriend to a few games, though, because he loves hockey a lot, and I always have a blast! read more

After what your GM pulled off with Toronto this year at the trade deadline, I almost gave a 5 star, but to protect my integrity here....lol Nathan Horton probably wouldn't have played for at least another year or so, so getting Clarkson who can still plug in 12 minutes a game easily, with his experience, it will help the team. The team has some key pieces in each category of forwards, but not enough of a supporting cast. But Johansen's the real deal, yay, he's from Vancouver too. Unfortunate contract situation at training camp, glad the team stuck to its guns. read more

Bought a family value pack for New Year's eve. Ticketmaster made me take mobile tickets. The ticket pack was to include a Hot dog, popcorn and a drink for each ticket. The mobile ticket worked fine when getting in the gate. No vendor could scan my mobile tickets to provide us with the food and DID NOT CARE since we had no way to prove it other than the scan on our phones. We went ahead and bought food. My wife was OK with the whole thing. I was done when I attempted to let someone in our row and tripped over the isle step spilling part of my food and drink and smacking my nose. No one I let in even bothered to say I'm sorry. Hey Blue Jackets (TECH is not always better) No totally thrilled. We deserved better a little better, when you pay over $100.00 for a seat. read more

Their are few things in life that are more exciting than a Columbus Blue jackets game! The new organization is making moves to turn the franchises around and the the teams ticket reps and PR are among the best in the NHL. Columbus is fortunate to have such a great pro sports franchise that positively impacts the local economy and that is also very involved in the community. read more