Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Harold Alfond Arena
Tunk Rd
Orono, ME 04473
Year Opened: 1977
Capacity: 5,641
Black Bear Hockey
From the late 1980s throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, the University of Maine Black Bears were a mainstay in the upper echelon of the college hockey world. Winning eight Hockey East regular season and conference tournament titles, appearing in 17 NCAA tournaments, advancing to the Frozen Four on 11 separate occasions, and claiming national championships in 1993 and 1999, the Black Bears were one of the most decorated programs during this era of NCAA hockey.
At the helm of most of the Black Bears success was Shawn Walsh, who guided the Black Bears from 1984 until he died in 2001. Since the passing of Walsh, the Black Bears have struggled to sustain the consistency that made them such a formidable program. However, that pendulum is lately swinging back to the positive side, which has revitalized Alfond Arena as one of the special college hockey experiences in the country.
Food & Beverage 4
Typical concession stands are found on both sides of the arena, with smaller specialty stands tucked into the arena's internal concourse; these smaller stands serve more snack items such as bottled soft drinks, popcorn, pretzels, and even churros. The main concession stands serve hot dogs, regular burgers, veggie burgers, chicken tenders, and personal-size pizzas – burgers and tenders also come in combo baskets. Pepsi products along with hot beverages, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are also available.
What boosts the concessions here is the inclusion of the Maine whoopie pie, a creamy, sugary filling sandwiched between a pair of pillowy, cake-like chocolate cookies. Overall the concessions here are not overly impressive, but there is a decent variety of options with a touch of local flavor, and a few items not commonly seen that give the menu a bit of character.
Atmosphere 4
From the outside, Alfond Arena’s series of high-sloping roof peaks are reminiscent of the mountains of western Maine. It gives the outside a unique but feels every bit of its late 1970s design. Despite creating an interesting architectural appearance, the sloping roof lines do create obstructed views inside the arena. Seats along the furthest edge of the upper bleachers, closest to the student section, are blocked from seeing the goal by a large secondary scoreboard – make sure to check if seats have obstructed views before purchasing.
Games frequently sell out, and if they do, expect to get comfortable with those seated around you. Seating in the upper-level bleachers is “friendly” to say the least. The fan behind you will probably have their knees in your back, and you will have yours in the back of the person in front of you, and will also probably be shoulder-to-shoulder with those on either side.
For the best all-around value of a good seat at a reasonable price, ice level is probably the way to go. Those seats have the same back support and personal space as similar seats in the upper section but are a bit less expensive. Be aware though that the view from directly behind the benches and penalty boxes will probably be obstructed to a degree.
The game experience is bolstered by the University of Maine pep band that plays throughout the game, which is a fantastic addition to the game in really creating a college sports environment.
Neighborhood 3
Orono is a vibrant, small college town that, despite its somewhat remoteness, gives visitors just enough from the food and beverage standpoint to arrive a few hours before the arena opens a strong consideration.
The UMaine campus is separated from the Orono neighborhood of Marsh Island by the Stillwater River. Marsh Island is just over a mile from the athletics facilities and is home to a handful of bars, restaurants, and breweries; most of the establishments start to get busy about two hours before the puck drops.
One of the more popular pregame establishments is the Orono Brewing Company – while their craft brews are the most popular attraction, there is also a strong food menu. The town of Orono neighbors the better-known and more populous Bangor, Maine, which might be your best option if looking for lodging or more entertainment to fill the time before or after a game.
Fans 5
Mainers are as passionate and loyal a fan base as you are going to find, regardless of the sport. Black Bear fans were spoiled by the success of the men’s hockey team throughout the 90s, and have been chomping at the bit to return to those glory days. Through thick and thin, Mainers will back their programs, and when those programs excel at the national level, that fandom becomes frenzied. With the fortunes of the Black Bears seemingly on the upswing, fans are again starting to take a major interest, and Alfond Arena is starting to sell out again on almost a nightly basis.
The student section does a great job of creating a highly enthusiastic college hockey atmosphere. The students seemingly have an endless portfolio of cheers and good-natured taunts for the opposing team, starting with player introductions and running throughout the game.
In all, the fans here create a distinctive home-ice advantage at Alfond Arena. The student section deserves a lot of the credit, but the fanbase is also backed by alumni and the local community, who fill the seats and are very supportive of their Black Bears.
Access 3
For many visitors to the University of Maine, Orono might seem like a world away – two hours from Maine’s largest city of Portland, and the state’s primary airport. Orono does neighbor Bangor, which is the third largest city and has the second most used airport in Maine. Most visitors will probably be driving from southern Maine via I-95 which runs just west of campus. The athletics facilities are just a few turns off the interstate, but traffic leading to campus before the drop of the puck can get a tad congested.
There is plenty of parking in the lots around the athletic facilities, which are fairly easy to find upon arrival.
For general ticket holders arriving before the doors open, entry is typically quick and easy. Be aware that of the two entry points, the longest lines are for students heading toward the general admission seating, with lines sometimes snaking around the back of Alfond Sports Stadium, home of Black Bear football, and almost to the baseball stadium, Mahaney Diamond.
Once inside the arena, the entry concourse is rather narrow, in part due to the promotional tables that are set up, but also due to the apparel shop, “Bear Necessities,” which has several racks of t-shirts, jerseys, and sweatshirts in the walkways, making that area much more challenging to navigate. The concourses around the arena can get a bit tight in places, especially at the ends of the rink where it feels more like hallways due to the upper-level seating overhead.
As with many smaller arenas that are often packed with fans, Alfond does have some issues with navigating its concourses freely. However, it is something a bit of patience can turn into just a minor inconvenience since some congestion should be expected to a degree.
Return on Investment 4
Most seats in the arena go for $20, which is nice given this price point includes bleacher seating in the upper reaches of the side stands, as well as some of the chairback seats at ice level behind each of the end lines. Seating along the glass is available starting at $35, which is nice for being so close to the action.
Other seats at ice level go for $30 – the prime seats in the house are the $40 single seats in the second tier of seating on each side. These seats give fans the comfort of their seat with back support and also provide unobstructed views. When accounting for the free parking and concessions prices that are easy on the wallet, the overall price to attend UMaine hockey is pretty affordable.
Extras 4
The front concourse is a walk through the University of Maine hockey timeline from its beginning in earnest in the early 1920s, its permanent establishment as a varsity sport in the 1970s, and its successes of the early 2000s. The walls are also plastered with photos of players who have represented their countries in international competition, All-Americans, and the University of Maine Hockey Hall of Fame. Also on display are the two Hobey Baker Awards, given to college hockey’s top player, won by Black Bear players; the first was awarded to Scott Pellerin in 1992 and the other was won by Paul Kayria in 1993.
The arena itself is amid upgrades – University of Maine athletics recently received a gift of $110 million to be used toward upgrades and the construction of facilities. In the initial phase, Alfond Arena saw a new LED video scoreboard hung over center ice, with ribbon boards affixed to the façade of the balcony of the student section, along with another scoreboard above that section. Upgrades have also been made to the arena’s sound system.
Banners above the student section recognize the two national championships won by the Black Bears, as well as their numerous Frozen Four appearances and conference championships.
Banana T. Bear, the UMaine mascot, makes his presence known before, during, and throughout the evening, from greeting students and other fans waiting to get in the arena to on-ice features during intermissions. Banana T. Bear also makes his way around the arena during each period, stopping to interact with fans and take photos; Banana T. Bear is a beloved mascot at UMaine.
Final Thoughts
Hockey at Alfond Sports Arena had become a bit of an afterthought for the state since its glory days when UMaine hockey legends Coach Shawn Walsh patrolled the bench, and stars Jim Montgomery, Scott Pellerin, and Hockey Hall of Famer Paul Kayria graced the ice in Orono. While the fervor and passion from the students have been relatively consistent, interest from the community has ebbed and flowed with the ups and downs on the ice.
The pendulum is now seemingly swinging back to the positive, however, which has revitalized Alfond Arena into one of the more special college hockey experiences in the country.
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