Arena at Harbor Yard
Encyclopedia
The Webster Bank Arena is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena
at 600 Main Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut
, built alongside The Ballpark at Harbor Yard
. The Arena opened on October 10, 2001 and is managed by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
and Centerplate
. Webster Bank
entered into a 10-year $3.5 million agreement with the City of Bridgeport for naming rights of the Arena on January 6, 2011.
The Arena houses 33 executive suites, 1300 club seats, 3 large hospitality suites, along with a wide concourses with ample guest amenities to bring all guests up close. Coca-Cola
, National Guard
and Sleepy's
are the main partners of the Arena.
The very first event at the Arena was a Bridgeport Sound Tigers
game on October 10, 2001. The first act to come to the Arena was the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
, opening at the venue on October 24, 2001 and the 1,000th event held at the Arena was a Fairfield Stags men's basketball
game on January 30, 2010.
The Arena attracts half a million visitors each year for a wide variety of exciting events, including concerts by world-famous musicians, entertainment spectaculars, professional sports, World Wrestling Entertainment
events, special events, trade shows, conventions and more.
The Arena is home to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
of the American Hockey League
and the Fairfield Stags
men's and women's college basketball
teams of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
.
and women's college basketball teams representing Fairfield University
. Fairfield is a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
(MAAC) where the Stags annually compete against perennial MAAC powers including the Iona Gaels
, the 1995 and 2004 NCAA Tournament Cinderella Manhattan Jaspers, the Niagara Purple Eagles
, and the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Tournament Cinderella Siena Saints
. The Arena was the site of the men's two postseason appearances in the National Invitation Tournament
. During the first round of the 2003 National Invitation Tournament
, the Stags, led by the nation's blocked shots leader Deng Gai
and Nick Delfico played the Boston College Eagles
featuring future NBA players Troy Bell
and Craig Smith
. And during the second round of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament
, the Stags, led by head coach Ed Cooley
and Derek Needham played the Kent State Golden Flashes
. In recent years, Fairfield has brought several perennial national college basketball powers to the Arena including the Georgetown Hoyas, Providence Friars
and St. Joseph's Hawks
.
tripleheader featuring Connecticut six mid-major
teams, on November 13, 2009. The Sacred Heart Pioneers
defeated the Yale Bulldogs
92-86 in the tip-off game of the night. The Fairfield Stags
defeated the Central Connecticut Blue Devils
67-58 in game two, and the night concluded with the Quinnipiac Bobcats
defeating the Hartford Hawks
85-74.
along with the City of Bridgeport and the Fairfield County Sports Commission have hosted the MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships two times. The MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships features all twenty of the league's teams competing for an automatic berth in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
and the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
. In 2007, The Niagara Purple Eagles
defeated the Siena Saints
to win the 2007 MAAC Men's Basketball Championships and the Marist Red Foxes
defeated the Iona Gaels
to win the 2007 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship. And in 2011, the St. Peter's Peacocks defeated the Iona Gaels
to win the 2011 MAAC Men's Basketball Championships and the Marist Red Foxes
defeated the Loyola Greyhounds to win the 2011 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship.
along with the City of Bridgeport and the Fairfield County Sports Commission have brought the First and Second Rounds of NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
to the Arena three times since 2004. The 2004 Tournament
featured the Auburn Tigers, Connecticut Huskies
, Penn Quakers
and North Carolina State Wolfpack. The Connecticut Huskies
defeated the Auburn Tigers to win the 2004 Bridgeport Regional in route to winning the 2004 Tournament
and being crowned National Champions. The 2006 Tournament
featured the Connecticut Huskies
, Duke Blue Devils, Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Connecticut Huskies
to win the 2006 Bridgeport Regional before advancing to the Final Four of the 2006 Tournament
. And the 2008 Tournament
featured the Connecticut Huskies
, Cornell Big Red
, Minnesota Gophers and Texas Longhorns
. The Connecticut Huskies
defeated the Texas Longhorns
to win the 2008 Bridgeport Regional before advancing to the Final Four of the 2008 Tournament
. The Arena will again be the site of the Bridgeport Subregional during the 2012 Tournament
.
and Yale University
in co-hosting the East Regional of the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
twice and will host again in 2012. The 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament featured the Air Force Falcons
, Michigan Wolverines
, Vermont Catamounts
and Yale Bulldogs. The Vermont Catamounts won a dramatic double overtime game against the Air Force Falcons
to win the East Regional and advance to the 2009 Frozen Four. The 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament featured the Air Force Falcons
, Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, Union Dutchmen and Yale Bulldogs. The eventual 2011 National Champion Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs upset the top seeded Yale Bulldogs to win the East Regional and advance to the 2011 Frozen Four.
.
, a professional ice hockey
team in the American Hockey League
(AHL) and the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). The Sound Tigers joined the AHL and began play at the Arena in 2001. The franchise's lease at the Arena at Harbor Yards runs through the 2021 season. During their inaugural season, the Sound Tigers won a division championship and made the Calder Cup
Finals where they lost to the Chicago Wolves
four games to one. The team has experienced seven winning seasons through the 2009 season.
and the New York Islanders
. The Islanders defeated the Devils by a score of 3-0. And on October 1, 2011, the Arena at Harbor Yard hosted an NHL preseason game between the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins
and the New York Islanders
. The Bruins defeated the Islanders by a score of 3-2.
and the Toronto Raptors
. The Nets defeated the Raptors by a score of 93-77.
Raw
on December 10, 2007. With the closing of the New Haven
Coliseum
in 2002, the Arena at Harbor Yard became somewhat of a home arena
for WWE, as it just 20 miles (32.2 km) away from the company's international headquarters
in Stamford
.
Barack Obama
joined Democratic Party
candidates, including former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy
, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal
and Congressman Jim Himes
at a "Moving America Forward Rally" at the Arena at Harbor Yard. The rally attracted national attention when during the rally, Obama was heckled by a small group of AIDS activists chanting "Stop global AIDS," the latest of several such protests at his campaign events. The crowd of 9,000 drowned them out with chants of "Obama, Obama." Forced off script, an exasperated Obama urged the hecklers to redirect their protests at Republicans who he said had no interest in funding international AIDS programs.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
at 600 Main Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, built alongside The Ballpark at Harbor Yard
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard
The Ballpark at Harbor Yard is a 5,300-seat baseball park in Bridgeport, Connecticut that hosted its first regular season baseball game on May 21, 1998, as the tenants of the facility, the Bridgeport Bluefish, lost to the Aberdeen Arsenal. The stadium is located next to the Arena at Harbor Yard...
. The Arena opened on October 10, 2001 and is managed by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...
and Centerplate
Centerplate
Centerplate, Inc. is a food vending corporation in Spartanburg, SC that operates in North America, primarily at sports arenas.Centerplate was formerly known as Volume Services America, Inc., and was originally a division of The Flagstar Companies. In 1995, Flagstar, which was controlled by private...
. Webster Bank
Webster Bank
Webster Bank is a commercial bank based in Waterbury, Connecticut.- History :Webster was founded in 1935 by Harold Webster Smith. Only 24 years old, Smith borrowed from family and friends to found First Federal Savings of Waterbury, a lending institution providing home loans to Connecticut citizens...
entered into a 10-year $3.5 million agreement with the City of Bridgeport for naming rights of the Arena on January 6, 2011.
The Arena houses 33 executive suites, 1300 club seats, 3 large hospitality suites, along with a wide concourses with ample guest amenities to bring all guests up close. Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, National Guard
National Guard
The term National Guard originally referred to a French citizen militia . The term is now used in many countries. Depending on the country in question, "national guard" may refer to an organized militia, a military force, a paramilitary force, a gendarmerie, or a police force:- Americas :* National...
and Sleepy's
Sleepy's
Sleepy’s LLC is an American retailing company and mattress store chain founded in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York, United States. As of 2009, Sleepy's had over 700 stores and five distribution centers in 11 states in the Northeast and Middle Atlantic, with over 2,900 employees.- Business operations...
are the main partners of the Arena.
The very first event at the Arena was a Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...
game on October 10, 2001. The first act to come to the Arena was the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...
, opening at the venue on October 24, 2001 and the 1,000th event held at the Arena was a Fairfield Stags men's basketball
Fairfield Stags men's basketball
The Fairfield Stags men's basketball team represents Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I. The Stags play their home games in the 9,500 seat, state of the art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut and plays...
game on January 30, 2010.
The Arena attracts half a million visitors each year for a wide variety of exciting events, including concerts by world-famous musicians, entertainment spectaculars, professional sports, World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
events, special events, trade shows, conventions and more.
The Arena is home to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
and the Fairfield Stags
Fairfield Stags
The Fairfield Stags are the athletic programs representing Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Most of the programs are members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and classified as Division I-AAA in the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
men's and women's college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
teams of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
.
Fairfield Stags basketball
The Arena at Harbor Yard is home to the Fairfield Stags men'sFairfield Stags men's basketball
The Fairfield Stags men's basketball team represents Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I. The Stags play their home games in the 9,500 seat, state of the art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut and plays...
and women's college basketball teams representing Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
. Fairfield is a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
(MAAC) where the Stags annually compete against perennial MAAC powers including the Iona Gaels
Iona Gaels
The Iona Gaels are part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and participate in twenty-two NCAA Division I programs. Other members of the MAAC include Canisius College, Fairfield University, Loyola University Maryland, Manhattan College, Marist College, Niagara University, Rider University, St...
, the 1995 and 2004 NCAA Tournament Cinderella Manhattan Jaspers, the Niagara Purple Eagles
Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball
The Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball team is the college basketball team that represent Niagara University in Lewiston, New York, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...
, and the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Tournament Cinderella Siena Saints
Siena Saints men's basketball
The Siena Saints men's basketball team represents Siena College in Loudonville, New York, United States. The Division I program competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Saints are coached by Mitch Buonaguro who just completed his first season as head coach at Siena after serving as...
. The Arena was the site of the men's two postseason appearances in the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. During the first round of the 2003 National Invitation Tournament
2003 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Texas Tech 71, Minnesota 61St. John's later vacated the title due to an ineligible player....
, the Stags, led by the nation's blocked shots leader Deng Gai
Deng Gai
Deng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
and Nick Delfico played the Boston College Eagles
Boston College Eagles men's basketball
The Boston College Eagles are a Division I college basketball program that represents Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. The team has competed in the ACC since 2005, having previously played in the Big East. Home games have been played at the Conte Forum since 1988, having previously been played...
featuring future NBA players Troy Bell
Troy Bell
Troy Delvon Bell is an American professional basketball player formerly of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. He played at Boston College and finished as one of the greatest players in the program's history....
and Craig Smith
Craig Smith
Craig Smith is an American professional basketball player who was most recently member of the Los Angeles Clippers...
. And during the second round of the 2011 National Invitation Tournament
2011 National Invitation Tournament
-Colorado bracket:-Boston College bracket:-Virginia Tech bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:* 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
, the Stags, led by head coach Ed Cooley
Ed Cooley
Ed Cooley is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Providence College Friars men's basketball team. Previously, Cooley had held the same position at Fairfield University from 2006–2011...
and Derek Needham played the Kent State Golden Flashes
Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball
The Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball team represents Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. The Golden Flashes compete in the Mid-American Conference East Division and last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2008...
. In recent years, Fairfield has brought several perennial national college basketball powers to the Arena including the Georgetown Hoyas, Providence Friars
Providence Friars men's basketball
The Providence Friars men's basketball team represents Providence College in NCAA Division I competition, in which they are a founding member of the Big East Conference. They play their home games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island...
and St. Joseph's Hawks
Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball
The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Its home court is the Hagan Arena. The team's only Final Four appearance in 1961 was removed from the NCAA records due to a gambling scandal. Through...
.
Connecticut 6 Classic
The Arena at Harbor Yard hosted the inaugural Connecticut 6 Classic, a men's college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
tripleheader featuring Connecticut six mid-major
Mid-major
Mid-major is a term used in American Division I college sports, to refer to athletic conferences that are not among the major six conferences...
teams, on November 13, 2009. The Sacred Heart Pioneers
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University is a Roman Catholic university located in suburban Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. Sacred Heart was founded in 1963 by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart University was the first Catholic university in...
defeated the Yale Bulldogs
Yale Bulldogs
The Yale Bulldogs are the athletic teams of the Yale University. The school sponsors 35 varsity sports. The school has won two NCAA national championships in women's fencing, four in men's swimming and diving, and twenty one in men's golf.-Men's baseball:...
92-86 in the tip-off game of the night. The Fairfield Stags
Fairfield Stags men's basketball
The Fairfield Stags men's basketball team represents Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I. The Stags play their home games in the 9,500 seat, state of the art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut and plays...
defeated the Central Connecticut Blue Devils
Central Connecticut State University
Central Connecticut State University is a state university in New Britain, Connecticut, United States.The school was moved to its present campus in 1922...
67-58 in game two, and the night concluded with the Quinnipiac Bobcats
Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Hamden, Connecticut, United States at the foot of Sleeping Giant State Park...
defeating the Hartford Hawks
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
85-74.
MAAC basketball tournaments
The Arena and Fairfield UniversityFairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
along with the City of Bridgeport and the Fairfield County Sports Commission have hosted the MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships two times. The MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships features all twenty of the league's teams competing for an automatic berth in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
and the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
. In 2007, The Niagara Purple Eagles
Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball
The Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball team is the college basketball team that represent Niagara University in Lewiston, New York, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...
defeated the Siena Saints
Siena Saints men's basketball
The Siena Saints men's basketball team represents Siena College in Loudonville, New York, United States. The Division I program competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Saints are coached by Mitch Buonaguro who just completed his first season as head coach at Siena after serving as...
to win the 2007 MAAC Men's Basketball Championships and the Marist Red Foxes
Marist Red Foxes
Marist College plays NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the MAAC. Other schools in this conference include Siena College, Iona College, Niagara University, Manhattan College, Fairfield University, Loyola College in Maryland, Canisius College, Rider University, and Saint Peter's...
defeated the Iona Gaels
Iona Gaels
The Iona Gaels are part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and participate in twenty-two NCAA Division I programs. Other members of the MAAC include Canisius College, Fairfield University, Loyola University Maryland, Manhattan College, Marist College, Niagara University, Rider University, St...
to win the 2007 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship. And in 2011, the St. Peter's Peacocks defeated the Iona Gaels
Iona Gaels
The Iona Gaels are part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and participate in twenty-two NCAA Division I programs. Other members of the MAAC include Canisius College, Fairfield University, Loyola University Maryland, Manhattan College, Marist College, Niagara University, Rider University, St...
to win the 2011 MAAC Men's Basketball Championships and the Marist Red Foxes
Marist Red Foxes
Marist College plays NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the MAAC. Other schools in this conference include Siena College, Iona College, Niagara University, Manhattan College, Fairfield University, Loyola College in Maryland, Canisius College, Rider University, and Saint Peter's...
defeated the Loyola Greyhounds to win the 2011 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship.
NCAA basketball tournaments
The Arena and Fairfield UniversityFairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
along with the City of Bridgeport and the Fairfield County Sports Commission have brought the First and Second Rounds of NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
to the Arena three times since 2004. The 2004 Tournament
2004 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 20, 2004 and concluded on April 6, 2004 when Connecticut won a third consecutive national championship, becoming only the second school in history to accomplish such a feat. The Final Four was held at the New Orleans Arena in...
featured the Auburn Tigers, Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut in NCAA women's basketball competition. Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 7 NCAA Division I national championships, advanced to 12 Final Fours, and won over 30 Big...
, Penn Quakers
Penn Quakers
The Penn Quakers are the athletic teams of the University of Pennsylvania. The school sponsors 27 varsity sports. The school has won three NCAA national championships in men's fencing and one in women's fencing.-Men's crew:-Football:...
and North Carolina State Wolfpack. The Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut in NCAA women's basketball competition. Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 7 NCAA Division I national championships, advanced to 12 Final Fours, and won over 30 Big...
defeated the Auburn Tigers to win the 2004 Bridgeport Regional in route to winning the 2004 Tournament
2004 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 20, 2004 and concluded on April 6, 2004 when Connecticut won a third consecutive national championship, becoming only the second school in history to accomplish such a feat. The Final Four was held at the New Orleans Arena in...
and being crowned National Champions. The 2006 Tournament
2006 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-Albuquerque:-Bridgeport:-San Antonio:-Cleveland Regional:-Albuquerque Regional:-Bridgeport Regional:-San Antonio Regional:-Final Four – TD Banknorth Garden :...
featured the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut in NCAA women's basketball competition. Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 7 NCAA Division I national championships, advanced to 12 Final Fours, and won over 30 Big...
, Duke Blue Devils, Georgia Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut in NCAA women's basketball competition. Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 7 NCAA Division I national championships, advanced to 12 Final Fours, and won over 30 Big...
to win the 2006 Bridgeport Regional before advancing to the Final Four of the 2006 Tournament
2006 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-Albuquerque:-Bridgeport:-San Antonio:-Cleveland Regional:-Albuquerque Regional:-Bridgeport Regional:-San Antonio Regional:-Final Four – TD Banknorth Garden :...
. And the 2008 Tournament
2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the 2007–08 national champion of women's NCAA Division I college basketball. It commenced on March 22, 2008, and concluded when the University of Tennessee Lady...
featured the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut in NCAA women's basketball competition. Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 7 NCAA Division I national championships, advanced to 12 Final Fours, and won over 30 Big...
, Cornell Big Red
Cornell Big Red
The Cornell Big Red is the informal name of the sports teams, and other competitive teams, at Cornell University. The university sponsors 36 varsity sports, as well as numerous intramural and club teams. Cornell participates in NCAA Division I as part of the Ivy League.The men's and women's hockey...
, Minnesota Gophers and Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns women's basketball
The Texas Longhorns women's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin and competes in the Big 12 Conference.The team has long been a national power in women's basketball. Under head coach Jody Conradt, the second NCAA Division I basketball coach to win 900 career games , the...
. The Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies women's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies women's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut in NCAA women's basketball competition. Under head coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies have won 7 NCAA Division I national championships, advanced to 12 Final Fours, and won over 30 Big...
defeated the Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns women's basketball
The Texas Longhorns women's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin and competes in the Big 12 Conference.The team has long been a national power in women's basketball. Under head coach Jody Conradt, the second NCAA Division I basketball coach to win 900 career games , the...
to win the 2008 Bridgeport Regional before advancing to the Final Four of the 2008 Tournament
2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the 2007–08 national champion of women's NCAA Division I college basketball. It commenced on March 22, 2008, and concluded when the University of Tennessee Lady...
. The Arena will again be the site of the Bridgeport Subregional during the 2012 Tournament
2012 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following 16 sites will be used for first and second round games:*Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa*Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
.
NCAA hockey tournaments
The Arena has joined Fairfield UniversityFairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in co-hosting the East Regional of the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament determines the top men's ice hockey team in NCAA Division I and Division III. The semi-finals and finals of the Division I Championship are branded as the Frozen Four, a passing nod to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known...
twice and will host again in 2012. The 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament featured the Air Force Falcons
Air Force Falcons men's ice hockey
The Air Force Falcons men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents the United States Air Force Academy. The Falcons are a member of Atlantic Hockey. They play at the Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado.-...
, Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey
The Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team that represents the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Earning varsity status in 1922, the program is competing in its 90th season...
, Vermont Catamounts
Vermont Catamounts men's ice hockey
The Vermont Catamounts men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of Vermont. The Catamounts are a member of Hockey East. They play at the Gutterson Fieldhouse in Burlington, Vermont...
and Yale Bulldogs. The Vermont Catamounts won a dramatic double overtime game against the Air Force Falcons
Air Force Falcons
The Air Force Falcons are the collegiate athletic teams that represent the United States Air Force Academy, near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The intercollegiate program has 17 men's and 10 women's NCAA-sanctioned teams...
to win the East Regional and advance to the 2009 Frozen Four. The 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament featured the Air Force Falcons
Air Force Falcons men's ice hockey
The Air Force Falcons men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents the United States Air Force Academy. The Falcons are a member of Atlantic Hockey. They play at the Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado.-...
, Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, Union Dutchmen and Yale Bulldogs. The eventual 2011 National Champion Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs upset the top seeded Yale Bulldogs to win the East Regional and advance to the 2011 Frozen Four.
Park City SportsFest
In conjunction with Arena at Harbor Yard hosting the MAAC and NCAA basketball and hockey tournaments, the Park City SportsFest has become an annual tradition in Downtown Bridgeport. SportsFest is a free, multi-venue fan festival designed for family fun. SportsFest offers interactive and educational sports and fitness related activities for kids of all ages. At the same time, fans are invited to attend open practice sessions at the Arena, featuring each of the teams competing in the NCAA tournament events. During the SportsFest, the City of Bridgeport closes off a portion of Main Street from its intersection with State Street to the Arena in order to house the events. The SportsFest is organized by the Fairfield County Sports Commission and presented by People's United BankPeople's United Bank
People's United Bank, a diversified financial services company with over $22 billion in assets, provides consumer and commercial banking services through a network of subsidiary banks with approximately 300 branches in Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and New York...
.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Arena at Harbor Yard is home to the Bridgeport Sound TigersBridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...
, a professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) and the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). The Sound Tigers joined the AHL and began play at the Arena in 2001. The franchise's lease at the Arena at Harbor Yards runs through the 2021 season. During their inaugural season, the Sound Tigers won a division championship and made the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
Finals where they lost to the Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
four games to one. The team has experienced seven winning seasons through the 2009 season.
NHL preseason hockey
On September 30, 2006, the Arena at Harbor Yard hosted an NHL preseason game between the New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The Islanders defeated the Devils by a score of 3-0. And on October 1, 2011, the Arena at Harbor Yard hosted an NHL preseason game between the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The Bruins defeated the Islanders by a score of 3-2.
NBA preseason basketball
On October 18, 2003, the Arena at Harbor Yard hosted an NBA preseason game between the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
. The Nets defeated the Raptors by a score of 93-77.
World Wrestling Entertainment
In addition to several events prior, the Arena hosted the 15th anniversary edition of WWEWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
on December 10, 2007. With the closing of the New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
Coliseum
New Haven Coliseum
The New Haven Coliseum was a sports-entertainment arena located in downtown New Haven, Connecticut. Construction began in 1968 and was completed in 1972...
in 2002, the Arena at Harbor Yard became somewhat of a home arena
Home (sports)
In sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
for WWE, as it just 20 miles (32.2 km) away from the company's international headquarters
Headquarters
Headquarters denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top of a corporation taking full responsibility managing all business activities...
in Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
.
President Obama rally
On October 30, 2010, the President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
joined Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidates, including former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy
Dan Malloy
Dannel Patrick "Dan" Malloy is the 88th and current Governor of Connecticut. He was the Mayor of Stamford, Connecticut from December 1995 until December 2009. Malloy had been endorsed by the Connecticut Democratic Party on May 22, 2010 over 2006 Democratic U.S...
, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he served as Attorney General of Connecticut....
and Congressman Jim Himes
Jim Himes
James A. "Jim" Himes is an American businessman and U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
at a "Moving America Forward Rally" at the Arena at Harbor Yard. The rally attracted national attention when during the rally, Obama was heckled by a small group of AIDS activists chanting "Stop global AIDS," the latest of several such protests at his campaign events. The crowd of 9,000 drowned them out with chants of "Obama, Obama." Forced off script, an exasperated Obama urged the hecklers to redirect their protests at Republicans who he said had no interest in funding international AIDS programs.