The New York Islanders know their audience.
The team's lease with Empire State Development prohibits tailgating at UBS Arena, the team's new home next to Belmont Park. Those gatherings were part of the culture at Nassau Coliseum. To compensate -- and to maximize revenue potential -- UBS Arena has more than two dozen adult beverage points of sale around the building, including 17 bars for the general public and premium ticket holders.
On Saturday night, the arena finally opened its doors to Islanders fans, as New York hosted the Calgary Flames. To fully understand the UBS Arena fan experience, we initiated a sociological investigation: watching the game from all 17 of the arena's official indoor and outdoor bars.