TD Garden Will Replace Balcony Seats After Fans' Complaints Of Discomfort
BOSTON (CBS) -- For the 2019-20 season of NHL and NBA action -- plus entertainment, events, and more -- at the TD Garden, the arena rolled out brand new seats in the totally renovated building. Not everybody was happy.
Almost immediately, fans complained via social media that the new seating offered less legroom and more discomfort. Back in October, Garden officials vowed to evaluate what to do about the matter.
Now, there is an answer, as TD Garden president Amy Latimer announced that the seats in the balcony will be replaced in the upcoming offseason.
"We will be replacing balcony seats and armrests," Latimer said. "The new seats, similar in size, will have a custom, narrower armrest and a non-padded seat base and seat back to improve legroom and comfort."
In the letter to fans, Latimer expressed regret for the discomfort provided by the new seats.
"We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you this season," she wrote. "We have appreciated your feedback and look forward to continuing to provide fans the best experience possible."
As for the lower-level seats, Latimer said the problems there have been alleviated with some minor tweaks back in January.
"We were able to make immediate modifications to address some concerns, such as adjusting all loge seat back angles to improve legroom," Latimer said.
"These changes were well received, with guests noting the improved space," the Garden said in January.
In the balcony, though, "we found that the new plush cushioning, armrest design and overall ergonomics were contributing to discomfort." Thus, a full replacement will be taking place in the upcoming offseason.