Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Silvio O. Conte Forum
2601 Beacon St.
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Year Opened: 1984
Capacity: 7,884
A Perch at the Top of the Rankings
Boston College is a private Jesuit university founded in 1863. The campus is one of the earliest examples of collegiate gothic architecture in the United States. With an enrollment of over 15,000 students, Boston College offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in its eight colleges and schools.
The Silvio O. Conte Forum is the on-campus home of the Boston College men’s and women’s hockey and basketball teams. The facility was named for Boston College alumnus and United States congressmen Silvio O. Conte. Built perpendicular to Alumni Stadium, Conte Forum is located on the former site of McHugh Forum, the former home of the Eagles hockey team.
Boston College first fielded a hockey team in 1917. Boston College hockey history has been dominated by three head coaches (John “Snooks” Kelley, Len Ceglarski and Jerry York). All three have won at least 500 games, with York the all-time leader in career wins, with over 1000. The rink at Conte Forum is named for Mr. Kelley, who was the first NCAA coach to reach the 500 win milestone.
The Eagles have been a mainstay at the top of the national rankings throughout their history. The Eagles have qualified for the NCAA tournament 36 times, reaching the Frozen Four 25 times (only Michigan has reached more, with 26). Boston College has won the national championship five times in their history, most recently in 2012.
Three Hobey Baker Award winners played at BC (David Emma, Mike Motteau and Johnny Gaudreau). 89 Boston College alumni have played in the National Hockey League. Three former Eagles (Brian Leetch, Joe Mullen and Jerry York) are enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Food & Beverage 3
Concessions have never been at the forefront of the Boston College athletics experience, but the school has taken steps to improve the overall experience in recent years. Several stands line the inner edge of the concourse at Conte Forum, with each stand offering a different signature item.
Stands feature hot dogs, Sal’s pizza and BBQ sandwiches. All stands also sell a variety of sides and snacks to round out your selection. If the main stands don’t have what you’re looking for, portable stands offer chicken tenders and fries, popcorn, ice cream treats or meatballs.
Coca-Cola products are featured at Conte Forum. Eagle fans looking for an adult beverage will find a selection of beer and wine sold at concession stands as well as a portable stand. Craft beers from local favorites Fiddlehead, Whirlpool and Lord Hobo Brewing and Stormolong Cider are featured.
Food quality is decent, and prices are in line with other college facilities in the Boston area. Combo Meals are sold at all stands for fans looking to save a few dollars.
Atmosphere 4
For the most part, the game day experience at Conte Forum is an old-school one. There’s not a lot in the way of flashy lights, loud music or pyrotechnics going on at an Eagles hockey game. What you will notice is the fan support. Particularly over the past few seasons, Conte Forum has been the place to be when the Eagles take the ice. Packed student sections can be found behind both nets, as well as much of the upper deck along the east side of the arena.
Building on the noise created by the students is the pep band. The band enters the building en masse decked out in BC hockey jerseys. They perform the Boston College fight song as they circle the entire concourse before settling into their seats. The pep band plays throughout the game during most stoppages, alternating with the arena’s organist. That’s what I call a win-win situation.
There are video boards on either end of the rink which are put to good use with hype videos, replays and graphics. There are on-ice contests between periods, and plenty to look at all around Conte Forum. It almost seems like every available inch of space here is filled with some type of memento of Boston College’s sporting history.
Conte Forum’s steeply pitched seating bowl places fans are right on top of the action, no matter where they are sitting. There are excellent sight lines throughout the facility. When the building is full, it can get pretty loud here.
Neighborhood 4
Boston College’s sporting rivals (we’re looking at you, other Beanpot schools), will point out that Boston College is located not within the city limits of Boston, but in the village of Chestnut Hill, part of the town of Newton. Newton is a very well-to-do suburb which is frequently found on many “best places to live in the USA” lists.
Visiting fans looking to grab a bite to eat nearby right before or after an Eagles game can walk from Conte over to Cleveland Circle, where a cluster of shops and restaurants are located. Among these shops is Eagles Deli, which has been featured on Man vs. Food and other shows because of their massive hamburger challenges. Their large portions and cheap prices make them a favorite of BC students. Newton Centre is located a few miles in the other direction and is a good place to stop if you happen to be driving to the game. There’s no shortage of options to be found here.
Fans looking for lodging options won’t find much right by campus, but Downtown Boston is just six miles away. There are more than enough dining, lodging and entertainment options there to keep any visitor happy.
Fans 5
Boston College has averaged at or above 7,000 fans per game over the past two seasons, which ranks them in the top five of all Division One schools nationwide and first by a wide margin in hockey-mad New England, where there are 21 D-1 teams.
As mentioned before, the catalyst behind the increase in attendance has been the student body, who fill the student sections at both ends of the rink night after night. The pep band and organ also call these sections home. The rest of the fans consist of a combination of alumni, local hockey fans and families out to enjoy an affordable evening of sports entertainment. In Greater Boston, there are no shortage of knowledgeable, enthusiastic fans to draw from.
With Boston College’s membership in Hockey East, there is no shortage of games against local rivals, and it’s not unusual to see a good number of visiting fans at Conte Forum. You might even see an entire visiting student section show up, which only adds to the energy in the building.
Access 3
Despite Boston College’s location in the suburbs, it shares the same access issues as downtown Boston. Anyone who has tried to navigate the crowded, crooked streets of Greater Boston by car can tell you how difficult driving in this area can be. If you are visiting from out of town, your best bet is to find a copilot who knows their way around town.
Stadium Journey recommends leaving your car at home and using public transportation to arrive at Conte Forum. Boston’s subway system, known as the “T”, has several stops that access the Boston College campus. The green line’s B train terminus is located on Commonwealth Ave., right across the street from campus. From here, it is a short five-minute walk to Conte Forum. In addition, Boston College operates free shuttle buses that stop at several points around town. The complete route schedule can be viewed here.
If driving to Boston College, it’s easier to avoid the city and come in from the western suburbs. Interstate 90, Route 9 and local roads will all lead you to the Boston College campus with varying degrees of success. The area around Boston College is quite scenic, with a nice suburban feel, but traffic can be very heavy at times. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive on campus. Complete driving directions can be found here.
Parking is available for BC hockey games in the Commonwealth Avenue Garage, which is just a short walk from the arena. The Beacon Street Garage on the opposite side of the arena is reserved for permit holders. A single concourse circles the rink, with the ice visible at both ends. Lower-level seats are plastic maroon stadium seats, and upper-level seats are molded bleachers without backs. Rest rooms are plenty large enough for a typical Eagles crowd, but you’ll still want to time your trips to concessions wisely.
Return on Investment 4
Boston College utilizes variable pricing for their games. For most games, ticket prices begin at $15 and max out at $30. For premium games, prices start at $25 and climb to $50. Parking is free in the Commonwealth Garage for Eagles hockey games.
Concessions are priced similarly to other venues in the area. To save a few dollars, visiting fans can purchase combo meals.
Extras 5
Boston College displays its hockey (and hoops) history proudly throughout Conte Forum. Banners dominate the view throughout the interior space of the facility. Banners commemorating tournament appearances, conference titles, retired numbers and more hang from virtually every available rafter inside Conte Forum. Don’t forget those five National Championship banners.
When visiting Boston College, make sure to give yourself enough time to explore the concourse here at Conte Forum. On one end of the facility is the Varsity Club, where over 400 notable athletes from Boston College’s long and illustrious sporting history are honored. You’ll find dozens of Olympians, Hall of Famers, NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB players. It’s quite an impressive display.
At the other end of the arena are trophy cases containing hardware earned by Eagles teams over the years displayed in a visually pleasing way. A tribute to the Gaudreau brothers, two BC hockey alumni who were killed by a drunk driver this past summer, is located here as well.
Displays honoring every BC alum to play in the NHL, NBA, and WNBA are located on the concourse.
Final Thoughts
The game day atmosphere at Conte Forum for Boston College basketball rates as just a “meh,” but it’s a different story entirely for BC hockey. The Eagles have been perched at or near the top of the national rankings for a couple of seasons now, and the Conte Forum is packed whenever the Eagles take the ice.
Kommentare