Live or Die Magic 383 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 The Fan Voice: "Take Your Seats, Please! - Part 3" By Live or Die Magic | March 10th, 2011 If you missed the first two parts, click here for Part 1 Click here for Part 2. With Marc Acres 3:16 back under control, we sat and prepared for the auction item that we were really there for: upper bowl seats! Each arena section was being auctioned individually. We were quite surprised by this because it meant that there would be people that were interested in purchasing hundreds or even thousands of these seats. I’m still trying to imagine what they could possibly be used for. Marc Acres 3:16 and I were wanting two seats each to install somewhere in our homes and either make use of them as seats, or at the least have them displayed as a symbol of the first 21 seasons of Orlando Magic history and the common fan that cheered those teams on. We were pleased to see that two of the sections were set aside for fans like us. These seat sections would be auctioned off as single seats. The courtside seats were auctioned off first and we were surprised at how high a price per seat they went for. We started to get just a bit nervous that our seats would end up going for a steeper price than we expected. Turns out our auction luck had finally turned and we ended up getting the seats for $12 each! On a whim, Marc Acres 3:16 decided to get four seats instead of two, since the price was so good. Of course, since this is a capitalist and bureaucratic country, there were additional fees. We had to pay $25 per seat to have the seats removed from the arena by a company specializing in seat removal. This same company was offering to sell us the brackets necessary to use these seats in our homes, provided we didn’t mind paying an exorbitant cost for the brackets themselves and the shipping to get the brackets to us. Here’s a thought! Maybe that company could have had some brackets on hand to sell! We were told by a representative of this company that if we provided our contact information, we would be called or emailed when the seats were ready to be picked up. We were told it would be no later than Thursday, February 17th. So, we left the O-Rena empty-handed, but we had accomplished our goal and we knew that soon, we’d have upper bowl seats of our own. Thursday came and went with no word from the seating company. On Friday morning, Marc Acres 3:16 and I called and emailed the company, trying to find out if the seats were available. I knew my weekend was going to be busy, and my best chance was to use my lunch hour on Friday to pick up the seats. By lunchtime, we hadn’t heard back from the company. I decided it was worth my while to drive down to the O-Rena and see what the scoop was. I parked my truck next to the player entrance and proceeded through the security entrance. It felt strange to just walk directly into an area that had been off-limits for so many years. The auction company employees were still set up in the main tunnel, just like they had been the previous weekend. I spoke to the first person I saw, asking him if the seats were ready for pick-up. He informed me that they were! I told him that the seating company had told us we’d be contacted when they were ready. He apologized and said he wasn’t sure why the seating company hadn’t contacted us. I provided my auction item information and was told that my seats would be brought out shortly. I called Marc Acres 3:16 and told him that the seats were ready. I asked him if he wanted me to pick his seats up as well. He said yes, and I confirmed with the auction folks that it was permissible for me to pick up his seats. I managed to get all six seats loaded into the back of my light pick-up truck and boy, was that a sight! I was practically cackling to myself as I got on I-4 from Hughey Avenue and entered the lunch hour traffic. I had to have been quite the spectacle for the other motorists, with those six bright red seats in the back of the truck. I thought it was fitting that I drove past the new Amway Center with my old Amway Arena seats. Marc Acres 3:16 picked up his seats from my garage that weekend. My two seats still sit in my garage. I still must decide whether I want to permanently mount the seats somewhere in my house or whether I want to purchase or build legs for the seats so that they can be used freestanding and also be portable. Believe it or not, Mrs. Live or Die Magic is totally supportive of my seat purchase and is also trying to figure out the best place to put them. The seats are actually in pretty decent shape, considering that each one has been used by hundreds if not thousands of different people. The seats have their share of grime and gum, but to me, that is part of the charm. Think of the amount of beer or soda that has been spilled on those seats; or the amount of nachos, popcorn, and ice cream that has fallen on them. Think of the number of tenders from the O-Rena Chicken Tender Basket that have landed on these seats. Yes, they likely need a decent cleaning, but it all speaks to the great moments that these seats have seen. The wins and losses, the fantastic plays they’ve bore witness to. The emotions they’ve felt from the Magic fan sitting in them. The sudden pop of the seat spring as the fan bolted out of his or her seat to cheer a big Magic bucket or a steal, a block, or a rebound. Someone sat in that seat and watched Nick steal the ball. Someone sat there and saw Shaq rattle the rims. Someone sat there and watched Magic Johnson have his big All-Star game moment. Someone sat there and watched Penny Hardaway get traded to the Magic. Someone sat there and watched T-Mac score 62. Someone sat there and watched Howard dunk over Duncan. Someone sat there and watched the Magic close out Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals. Someone sat there and witnessed Finals games in 1995 and 2009. These seats are a small part of Orlando Magic history and I cannot think of a finer final resting place than in the homes of Orlando Magic fans. After all, where else can they continue to be used by fans watching Magic games? This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drain-O 369 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 The O-rena will always hold a lot of memories for most of us. My two favorite games I attended were Game 3 in our first round series against Detroit that we would cough up and being in attendance for the only Finals victory in team history. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bhnole 153 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 My favorite moment in those seats were closing out Cleveland in the ECF and watching Lebron run off the court without shaking hands. His painful exit was icing on a tremendous victory cake. Also the Gnome looks very comfy in that seat. I suddenly have a visual of you and the gnome sitting side by side enjoying a homebrew and watching a game after the kids and Mrs. LOD have gone to sleep. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ned Ryerson 94 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 You need to set them up at your computer so you can sit in it while writing The Fan Voice. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Live or Die Magic 383 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 You need to set them up at your computer so you can sit in it while writing The Fan Voice. That is a fantastic idea. I really could use some ideas for where to put them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marc Acres 3:16 418 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 You know it's funny but Mrs. Acres asked me before I went to the auction "Where are we going to put these seats?" After I slapped her across the head I told her that I had no idea but it didn't matter, they were going somewhere. From the time the team started talking about needing a new arena I was trying to come up with a way to get seats. I think I actually mentioned it to Rock way back when I first became a mod and at the town hall meetings for the new arena. I haven't decided whether they will be free standing, bolted to the wall in my home, connected in a row, who knows but I do know that I will be able to watch games in seats that I grew up with. They are funky, I can see many Mr. Clean Magic Eraser's in their future but it's a piece of my childhood. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Live or Die Magic 383 Report post Posted March 10, 2011 You know it's funny but Mrs. Acres asked me before I went to the auction "Where are we going to put these seats?" After I slapped her across the head I told her that I had no idea but it didn't matter, they were going somewhere. From the time the team started talking about needing a new arena I was trying to come up with a way to get seats. I think I actually mentioned it to Rock way back when I first became a mod and at the town hall meetings for the new arena. I haven't decided whether they will be free standing, bolted to the wall in my home, connected in a row, who knows but I do know that I will be able to watch games in seats that I grew up with. They are funky, I can see many Mr. Clean Magic Eraser's in their future but it's a piece of my childhood. Totally agree...I'm so glad we got them. Just need to figure out the best possible way to enjoy them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emory889 353 Report post Posted March 11, 2011 That is a fantastic idea. I really could use some ideas for where to put them. Your house is huge but I think you have a sports room, right? I can't remember how big it was. Your biggest problem is that they are really, really red which is going to limit the places the little missus is going to allow you to put them. I just want a brick when the arena is torn down. A piece of the floor would be my ultimate wet dream. Just something small from the arena that I can put on a bookshelf. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Live or Die Magic 383 Report post Posted March 11, 2011 Your house is huge but I think you have a sports room, right? I can't remember how big it was. Your biggest problem is that they are really, really red which is going to limit the places the little missus is going to allow you to put them. I just want a brick when the arena is torn down. A piece of the floor would be my ultimate wet dream. Just something small from the arena that I can put on a bookshelf. The first problem to solve is whether to mount them on bracket legs or to permanently affix them someplace. Mounting on brackets would mean they could pretty much go anywhere. But that is a more expensive option. I'm hoping Marc Acres figures it out first then I can just copy him! :creaturedance: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
