I went for the Men's Big 10 basketball tourney. The location of the UC is in an odd location. This is obviously a subjective opinion from a non Chicagoian. The lack of immediate food or beverage establishments is another immediate observation that might only be an observation because during the Big 10 tourney they clear the venue between sessions. There was a tent behind the UC but no where large enough to hold the crowds leaving or arriving the next session. It was cold & raining and we walked to the nearest bar several blocks away. It was jammed shoulder to shoulder due to the reasons above. The UC itself is laid out nice with wide hallways, plenty of concessions & areas to sit/stand to chill. I have been to several large venues & the UC also exceeds in the restroom category. They have more restrooms than I have seen at any venue. And, bonus points for cleanliness. The Staff I encountered from start to finish were top notch both professional but yet friendly & personable, smiling, laughing & having a good time. My seat was in the upper bowl & I found it tight in the sense that I'm only 5'10" & there was no room for my feet. My legs cramped up & knees started hurting during the first game. I don't have knee or cramping issues. On a side note, I am in no way a Chicago Bulls or Blackhawks fan being from Michigan but liked seeing the Championship banners hanging. Overall, I have mixed feelings because the location & Big 10 clearing the venue between sessions. I will definitely go back and take in a single event.

My youngest son & I attended the McDonald's All American game last night and was pleasantly surprised by the ease of getting in and out of the venue. This was most important to me after a weekend of teen drama on the Mag. Mile. safety was foremost on my mind especially since this was a high school event. I am pleased to report the event was drama free. The attendance was 15,818 and the stats say for basketball, the arena can hold high 21k-23k so that might be a contributing factor. For this to have been the home of Michael Jordan in his prime it