City: Norfolk, VA

Category: Spectator Sports

Telephone: (757) 640-1212

Address: 215 East Brambleton Ave.

Description: Maybe it’s all the northerners who have transplanted here with the Navy, but this town once went gaga over its minor league hockey. When the team was called the Hampton Roads Admirals and played in the East Coast Hockey League, the equivalent of a AA franchise, under feisty coach John Brodie, you couldn’t get a seat. The infatuation seems less intense these days, but you can see even higher quality hockey now on Scope’s ice. The Norfolk Admirals are the top farm club for the Tampa Bay Lightning. They entered the AHL as an expansion team in 2000–01. Like all minor league teams in any sport, the rosters and professional staffs are constantly changing to reflect needs at the major league level. So it can be hard to develop a real relationship with players. My advice is to go to see and enjoy the sport. You’ll know when a superstar is skating in front of you. At these levels that kind of talent almost seems to glow.