I’ve watched hockey and arena football from corporate boxes and felt the same way—very distant from the game like it was almost something going on in the background. If you want to have a party and good conversation, the boxes are great—to watch and get involved in the game, not so much
I guess it all depends on which venue you have the opportunity. We used to have Jaguars season tickets before I began living my dream of being involved in professional motorsports. As my wife was good friends with the owners of a company with Skyboxes at the stadium, we were invited as guests for a few years to their box.
My wife never wanted to go back to the great seats we had because it was impossible to get anyone to deliver the supurb crab cakes to our seats. I found my seat up against the windows which were pulled back for most games so we were right in the action and the noise if we wanted.