I'm a big hockey fan and dedicated to all things WHL (Western Hockey League - the Junior A [20 and under] league the Americans belong to). Since the inception in 1988, I've been going to games with varying frequency and found my interest post-college and started going fairly regularly since 2003. Fortunately for me, the Americans, as an organization, have found their stride from that point on. They've introduced exciting hockey for the fans, winning their division and conference several times (but never the championship!) since 2003. They produced a small amount of NHL players and prospects, but most importantly, have done well in increasing the fanbase and interaction in the community. Alas, prices have been rising as they continue to do well - the demand for quality hockey yields steeper ticket prices - but they've managed to maintain a few positive financial aspects: food venders in the Toyota Center have been succeeding and failing, but forever rotating and adjusting to better serve the customer. The fans are cantankerous and are second to only Spokane in ferocity, so their can be times where children will hear new words that don't fit into your desired dictionary. My advice: if you're sensitive to this, sit in section K which is the family friendly section. No booze, and its on the corner so you can get a good view of the action - unobscured by the glass and boards. If you don't give a hoot and want to be in the action, sit center ice behind the benches - they have nicer seats due to the Windermere Theater requests (for musicals, plays, etc). Or try somewhere between section S-Y which is on the "attacking" side of the ice (in hockey, there are 3 periods in regulation - the Americans try to score on the attacking side). Parking is free, but get there about 40 minutes before the game to get reasonable positioning. There is also a large gravel lot for overflow. Spokane is our greatest rival, so try to make those games if possible. Check out the webpage for promotional games, like the Breast Cancer Awareness games, Atomic night, or the Wear Green for MDA night. Sunday games are earlier at 5pm...and typically the kids and adults can skate with the Americans after the game. Good time for the kids to get some autographs. Final advice: be a good fan. Welcome visiting fans, keep obscenities to a minimum, and be patient when the crowds can get thick. And cheer on the boys!! read more

Tri-City Americans - 25 years and counting... - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Kennewick, Washington

Once upon a time, there was a vast expanse of open commercial land surrounding the Benton-Franklin counties justice center. It was like commercial activity died after Columbia Center and didn't pick up again until the Flashcube Building on Clearwater Avenue. In 1988 visionary people set in motion something that changed all that. Someone decided we needed...of all things...Hockey. In the desert. Uh huh. There was a contest to name the team, and of all the entries, the original name that was picked was...The Americans. Uh huh. But the uniforms are going to be yellow and black. Uh huh. After several fits and starts and repeated threats to move the team, two former players made good (Think NHL All Stars) came back and gave them team a firm foundation to build on. Now, the area around Toyota center is a hub of commerce, and the now red white and blue clad Tri City Americans are a powerful force in the WHL. It is a good family time, even I you don't have a clue what hockey is about. And while concessions are ridiculous wherever you go, Toyota Center is better than most. So, go support them Ams! read more

Clink.......Clink....Clink...Clink..Clink, Clink. In another life, I would be clanking my tin cup against the bars of my jail cell. It would be because of the all-out melee I started at a Tri-City Americans hockey game in aught three (that's 2003 for you young folk). I used to like going to Americans hockey games, and went many times. The stadium is nice. The teams were pretty good (with a few players making it to the NHL over the years). I generally had really good times. But then one day, an ex and I took my bro and his lady there. Now my bro and I are half Canadian, so hockey pulses through our veins. So we were excited to be at a game. Our excitement was then taken up a notch when we saw some Native players playing! They were on the visiting team (Lethbridge, I believe), and the players were Colton Yellow Horn & Lenny Thunderchild. Colton is Blackfoot, so we were proud to see him out there. It was super cool. The coolnes only lasted a few minutes. Once the game was well underway (and nearby fans were well into a few beers), we started hearing the racial slurs and profanity. Our seats were right behind the visiting bench, so we were right in the middle of the rowdy rednecks. I know heckling is part of the game, but when people start getting racial and talking about someone's family, that's too much. The junk they were saying was messed up. We sat there and were just dumbfounded at first. I played scenarios in my head: dumping my Coke on the heads of the knuckleheads, and then thumping some skulls. I was ready to throw down. And I know my bro woulda had my back. The drunkards would have been beat down. But cooler heads prevailed. We left during the middle of the game. We contacted the Tri-City Americans organization and expressed our feelings about the situation. (To their credit, they apologized, but really, there's not much they could do. Dumb a$$es will be what they are.) We also submitted a letter to the Tri-City Herald as well. Too bad Yelp wasn't around back then. I've not seen a game since. read more

Western Hockey League (WHL) team that plays in the Toyota Center, Kennewick, WA. Formable opponents: Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Vancouver and numerous Canadian teams. read more

Tri-City Americans - Professional Sports Teams Near Me - Kennewick, Washington

Solid entertainment. From the concessions to the zambonies to winger, this is a great place to meet the fellas or to bring the kids.