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Health & Fitness

What is the Best Southern California Winter Sporting Event

With a few options to choose from, which winter sporting event is the best to attend?

Football has been out of our lives for a month now. Some people choose to go into a deep depression and avoid sports television all together because of the fear that watching ESPN will trigger the withdrawal symptoms of the football offseason.

I am not exempt from this football offseason depression. Mine lasts about a week where I try to focus on my studies watch Comedy Central and try to find something funny to watch to turn my frown upside down. In 2013, Workaholics and The Colbert Report did a satisfactory job of cheering me up but I needed something more.

I decided to invest my time and money into paying closer attention to the two popular winter sports: hockey and basketball. I had watched these two sports casually in the past but decided to immerse myself in them this year.

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Prior to 2012 I had never attended a professional basketball game. I am a Laker fan and in high school I would have had to sell my 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis to be able to afford decent tickets. Since December of 2012 I have attended three NBA games and two NHL games. All of them were enjoyable for me but some more than others.

Maybe you and your family are avid football and baseball fans and do not appreciate hockey and basketball. Maybe you don’t follow sports closely but occasionally visit StubHub and get cheap Angel tickets. Maybe you are looking to take your significant other or children to a game and want to know the best experience. Look no further because I have attended these winter sporting events and will give you a brief overview of what to expect.

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Disclaimer: I have not been to a Lakers game because I am 21 years old and have a hard time building up the courage to spend 50 dollars on a pair of Converse.

Los Angeles Clippers

Venue: Staples Center

Parking Prices: 15-30 dollars

Star Athletes: Blake Griffin and Chris Paul

Overall Grade: B

Clippers games are a great option if you enjoy basketball but mainly for the slam dunks and flashiness of the players. They are a good team and there tickets are cheaper than their rival Lakers. You can usually find upper deck seats on StubHub for around 20 dollars which is a bargain compared to other top teams in the NBA. I have attended two Clippers games recently. Once you get past the dreadful DJ who plays bad rap and constantly tells you to “get hyped” even though the game is not for another 30 minutes, it is a good experience.

The earlier you get there the cheaper and easier parking is. If you get there 20 minutes before the game starts be ready to drive around and pay 30 dollars to park. If you get there an hour or two before the game you will likely find cheaper parking options.

The game itself is entertaining. The Clippers are a fast-paced and high-scoring team that is fun to watch. Their players are charismatic and flashy. They are a veteran team so even the casual fan has likely heard of most of their players. They usually win their home games which is good because the crowd gets into it.

The crowd is pretty family friendly. A lot of kids go to the game and the fans are pretty respectful around the kids. You will occasionally see a celebrity like Billy Crystal or Penny Marshall sitting in the front row. This is a solid option for basketball fans that do not want to spend hundreds on tickets to see a game live.

Anaheim Ducks

Venue: Honda Center

Parking Prices: 10-20 dollars

Star Athletes: Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Teemu Selanne

Overall Grade: C-

Those who know me know that I am often critical of Orange County sports fans. Sometimes it is justified criticism and other times it is just me being jealous that my teams are not local. My criticism of Ducks fans is justified.

The Ducks have the second best record in hockey. They score a lot, win the vast majority of their home games, and have reasonable ticket prices. These games should fill up the small Honda Center easily. Maybe I caught the Ducks experience on a bad night but I was very surprised at how empty the arena was. This affected the crowd noise, which I am a major fan of.

Parking is very easy at the Honda Center. They have people directing traffic which makes things way easier. Also a lot of Ducks fans show up to the game late, which makes parking awesome for people who arrive early or on time.

This is the most family friendly crowd in sports. Because of the cheap prices a lot of parents bring their kids there. Rowdiness here is rare which is great for families with young children. This is insanely boring for young people who enjoy rowdy fans.

Overall Ducks games are a boring decent alternative to the pricier Kings games. It is great for families and date nights. If you are a fan of loud crowds then spend the extra money to go to a Kings game.

Los Angeles Kings

Venue: Staples Center

Parking Prices: 15-30 dollars

Star Athletes: Jonathan Quick, Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty

Overall Grade: A

This was the most fun sporting event experience I have had so far this year. It has everything a sports fan wants in an event. It has loud crowds, good action, celebrities, and it is in a nice arena.

The downside to Kings game is the price. The prices have gone up a little because they won the Stanley Cup in 2012. You can still get tickets in the upper deck for 20 dollars which is not bad, but more than Ducks games. Another downside is parking. Parking in downtown LA is miserable but if you get there early it makes the headache go away.

Crowd can be family friendly depending on the night. Some of the fans where I was sitting were a little intoxicated and hurled a few f-bombs. If you do not mind the rowdy fans than spend the money to go to the game.

The reason Kings games have an edge over Ducks games is because of the arena. Staples Center is just plain better than the Honda Center. The bigger the crowd the greater the noise. I am a huge fan of exciting crowds and friendly rowdiness.

Kings games are great dates for couples and great for all hockey fans. If you are not the biggest hockey fan but curious about the sport, the atmosphere here will convert you into a fan.

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