About the Guide
I love hockey rinks. Actually, I love stadia of all descriptions. I love ballparks for their quirky individualism, and I even love football stadiums, even though I despise football itself. I've often said that I'd love to visit all 30 MLB ballparks, or all 30 NHL arenas, but that is a task for when I'm older and wealthier. For now, though, the farthest OHL drive from London is the Sault, which is only 670 KM. I therefore committed myself in early 2002 to visiting all 20.
Hockey arenas can be as different as night and day. The experience of visiting the old, insane Windsor Arena is entirely different from visiting the mini-NHL arenas in Ottawa or London, which again is different from the middle-aged rinks in Saginaw or Erie. Every one has its own personality, its own style, its own spirit. Travelling to away games is one of the great pleasures of the OHL. In small countries like England, there are thousands of soccer fans who travel to every away game because the distances are short. Away fans actually have their own sections set aside in opposing stadiums. That is relatively impossible in North American professional sport, due to the distances, but in the OHL we can travel, and by and large we do. The game is richer for it.
I became convinced of the need for a guide like this by my posting on the New OHL Open Forum. Every week people start threads asking for directions to rinks or information about arenas. I thought a single source would be helpful for OHL fans.
Plus, it would provide a chronicle of my travels, as I only began going to away games during the 2002-03 season. Youth, lack of a car, and unwilling parents prevented me from going on the road earlier; I finished the league in Ottawa on January 23, 2005. Since then I have been required to visit two new arenas to keep my total at 20, and will continue to do so for as long as needed.
What do I Look For in an Arena?
Simply put, atmosphere. Good facilities are nice, but in order for the arena to attach itself to my heart, it needs to have a little bit of soul. Loud fans, passionate fans, the place had better not be antiseptic. The corporate NHL is slowly killing off the blue-collar support that teams have traditionally had, and this trend is slowly spreading to the OHL. Whether the arena is new or old, it needs to have a heart.
Sections of the Guide:
What's the Arena Like?
This section will provide basic information about the arena itself: the layout, good and bad seats, architecture, etc.
Future Developments:
This section will tell if there are renovations scheduled for the building, or if it's going to be pulled down and replaced entirely.
What's It Like for Away Fans?
Part of the travelling experience is the way different fans in different cities treat foreign interlopers. Why are fans in one city nice while fans in a different city are hostile? It's good to know if you'll be treated well by the opposing fans or if they'll throw things at you. It's also best to know this before you go, and this will help you know. This section only is accurate, though, assuming you're relatively polite and well-behaved; if you're a jerk on the road you deserve everything you get. Also, be aware that the reception you get in an arena may be different than what I got - be aware of who your local rivals are and act accordingly.
One note is that the "away fans" section only counts the adult fans from the opposition. Kids tend to be the same everywhere you go: mouthy and non-intimidating. Don't let them bother you. If the adults are intimidating, that's when the arena will get a high rating.
How to Get There:
Simple: Directions to the arena. Most directions are given from the main highways.
Admission Prices:
How much a ticket will set you back. For the 2006-07 season, the cheapest adult admission price is in Plymouth, while the most expensive is in Windsor, Sudbury and Kitchener.
Franchise History:
This section traces the history of each team, and all the cities through which the team has moved over the years.
Retired Numbers:
The numbers which proudly hang from the rafters of OHL arenas, celebrating the league's rich heritage.
Local Rivals:
If you're interested in going to a game in which your team isn't playing, how do you decide? The best contests are the ones featuring the best rivalries. Watch Gens-Petes instead of Gens-Greyhounds for a sense of the real spirit of the team and their fans.
About the City:
This section is designed to give travelling fans perspective on the communities they're visiting. OHL cities are more than just their arena. Part of the fun of travelling to road games is travelling around the province of Ontario plus two US states, and seeing new places that you might not otherwise have seen. The city guides share information about population, infrastructure, notable sights, and what it's like to live in the city, both good and bad. I tried to provide a "real" perspective that would be different from the standard tourist board "everything is great" view. I am still missing a City Guide from Sudbury; if you live there and are interested in contributing, please email me at 
Special Thanks:
Special thanks to anyone who has contributed to this website. It's the fan contributions that make it great.
Thank you to all of those who've joined me in supporting the Knights on the road, including Biff Malibu, beerbrothers, 6TK, Charlie_Mops, Erskinefan, Knighthawk, Jason, rjohnnyb, Matt93, TheMan22, ReLyT, Otto, crowncarrier, J-Dog, Nash61 and Charlie Rules. This website wouldn't have been possible without you guys.
Thanks to each and every friend I've made on the road through the NOOF and this website. OHL fans are great people.
Gigantic thanks to Paul of Saginaw and his company, The Computer Guy & Associates, Inc., for providing web hosting.
Thanks to Chris Beach for photos, road trips and everything else. Flames suck.
Finally, thanks to Julie for indulging and understanding my weird hobby, and for a lifetime's worth of fun together. We'll hit all 30 ballparks someday.