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 MVP Arena, then known as Times Union Center, in 2011. | |
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  MVP Arena Location within New York State Show map of New York MVP Arena Location within the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Former names | Knickerbocker Arena (1990–1997) Pepsi Arena (1997–2007) Times Union Center (2007-2021) |
|---|---|
| Address | 51 South Pearl Street |
| Location | Albany, New York, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 42°38′55″N73°45′17″W / 42.64861°N 73.75472°W /42.64861; -73.75472 |
| Owner | Albany County |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | 15,357 (concerts) 15,229 (basketball) 14,236 (hockey/lacrosse) 13,785 (arena football) 17,500 (max) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 5, 1987 |
| Opened | January 30, 1990 |
| Construction cost | $69.4 million, $1.6 million (2010 renovation) |
| Architect | Crozier Associates |
| Structural engineer | Clough Harbour & Associates |
| General contractor | Beltrone/MLB |
| Tenants | |
| Albany Firebirds (AFL) (1990–2000) New York Kick (NPSL) (1990–1991) Albany Choppers (IHL) (1990–1991) Albany Patroons (CBA) (1990–1992) Siena Saints (NCAA) (1990–present) Albany River Rats (AHL) (1993–2010) Albany Attack (NLL) (2000–2003) Albany Conquest/Firebirds (af2) (2002–2009) Albany Devils (AHL) (2010–2017) Albany Empire (AFL) (2018–2019) Albany Hyenas (IBLA) (2020–2021) Albany Empire (NAL) (2021-2023) Albany FireWolves (NLL) (2021-2025) Albany Firebirds (AFL/AF1) (2024–present) | |
| Website | |
| mvparena | |
MVP Arena (originallyKnickerbocker Arena, and then thePepsi Arena andTimes Union Center) is anindoor arena located inAlbany, New York. It is configurable and can accommodate from 6,000 to 17,500 people,[1] with a maximumseating capacity of 15,500 for sporting events.[2]
The building, designed by Crozier Associates and engineered byClough Harbour & Associates, was built by Beltrone/MLB at a cost of $69.4 million.[citation needed]
The arena was opened on January 30, 1990, as the Knickerbocker Arena with a performance byFrank Sinatra.[3]
Thenaming rights of the arena were sold toPepsi in 1997 and it was known as Pepsi Arena from 1997 to 2006.[4] In May 2006, the naming rights were sold to theTimes Union, a regional newspaper, and the name of the arena became the Times Union Center on January 1, 2007. In October 2021, the Times Union relinquished naming rights. On November 15, 2021, it was announced that health care provider MVP Health Services had successfully acquired the naming rights.[5] The Times Union, which is the largest newspaper for the Albany area, had declined to renew its naming rights, leading to MVP Arena's renaming. The new name took effect on January 1, 2022.[6]
The building is managed by ASM Global.[7]
The New York StateDemocratic Convention nominated then-First LadyHillary Clinton as itsU.S. Senate candidate at their statewide convention at Times Union Center on May 16, 2000. Her husband, President of the United StatesBill Clinton, attended the event.[8]
When theNew Jersey Devils' AHLfranchise relocated to this arena in the summer of 2010, the arena received a new scoreboard, LED ribbons above the luxury suites and new outside lighting, as well as an upgraded home team locker room.[9]
The arena is home to theSiena Saints men's basketball of theMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference since the arena opened in 1990, the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League beginning in 2024 and theAlbany FireWolves of theNational Lacrosse League from late 2021 to 2025, when it relocated toOshawa, Ontario.[10]
TheSiena College's men's basketball team has been a major tenant of the arena.[11]
Previous tenants have included theAlbany Firebirds (formerly Albany Conquest) ofaf2, the originalAlbany Firebirds of theAFL, theAlbany Empire of the AFL, theAlbany Patroons of theCBA, theAlbany Choppers of theIHL, theAlbany River Rats of the AHL, theAlbany Attack of theNLL and theNew York Kick of theNPSL II.[citation needed]
MVP Arena also regularly hostsexhibition games of major sports leagues. TheNBA,WNBA andNHL have all played games at the arena.[citation needed]
Andre Agassi playedJohn McEnroe just three days after Agassi won theUS Open in 1994.[12]
The arena also hostsMonster Jam and Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live.
In addition, the arena has hosted theProfessional Bull Riders premier tour in 2008 and again in 2022, with another in 2023 in conjunction with the 2024 PBR season.
MVP Arena was home to theAmerican Hockey League from 1993, when theAlbany River Rats became the building's primary tenant until 2017. The River Rats won theCalder Cup championship in 1994–95.[13]
On April 24, 2008, one of the longest games in the history of the American Hockey League took place at the arena.Ryan Potulny scored the winning goal for thePhiladelphia Phantoms at 2:58 of the fifth overtime period after 142 minutes and 58 seconds of hockey, played over 5 hours and 38 minutes. In the process, River Rats goaltenderMichael Leighton set a modern-day record by making 98 saves.[14]
Following the River Rats' relocation to Charlotte, N.C., in 2010, theAlbany Devils began play in the AHL.[15]
It was announced on January 31, 2017, that the Devils would relocate toBinghamton following the completion of the 2016–17 season[16] ending 24 years of AHL hockey in the arena. At the time of the relocation, the Devils were drawing the lowest average attendance in the league.[17]
MVP Arena has hosted many live events and televised shows for theWWE. Notable events include the1992 Royal Rumble, whereRic Flair won the 30-man over-the-top-rope match to become the newWWF Champion. The2000 No Mercy was also held there and is the third No Mercy professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the WWF. This event was notable for the return ofStone Cold Steve Austin after a neck injury sidelined him for the better part of a year and forKurt Angle winning the WWF championship for the first time in his career. In 2006, atWWE New Year's Revolution,Edge cashed in the first everMoney in the Bank contract to defeatJohn Cena for theWWE Championship after Cena retained his title in anElimination Chamber match. On May 20, 2019, theWWE 24/7 Championship was introduced byMick Foley to theWWE Universe on theMonday Night Raw withTitus O'Neil becoming the Inaugural champion. It was also there on March 22, 1999, that Steve Austin drove to the ring in a beer truck and gave a "beer bath" toVince McMahon,Shane McMahon andThe Rock, a notable moment during theAttitude Era.[18]
MVP Arena hosted theECAC Hockey championships each March from 2003 until 2010, when the league announced the tournament was moved toBoardwalk Hall inAtlantic City, New Jersey; and is often home to the annualMetro Atlantic Athletic Conferencebasketball tournament (1990–96, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008–10, and 2015–19).
In 2003, MVP Arena hosted theNCAA basketball East Regional, which was won bySyracuse University on their way to their first national championship. The arena also hosted the first and second rounds of the1995 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament as the Knickerbocker Arena.[19]
In 2008, MVP Arena hosted the NCAAice hockey East Regional tournament. The arena hosted ice-hockey regionals in even-numbered years from 2004 through 2010, which was the eighth time the East Regional has been held at the site.[20]
In 2000, MVP Arena hosted a regional quarterfinal betweenSt. Lawrence University andBoston University, which went into quadruple overtime. The game was the longest in the history of the tournament[21] and, at the time, the second longest game in Division I men's college hockey history.[citation needed]
MVP Arena also hosted the men's Frozen Four on two occasions, in 1992 (as Knickerbocker Arena) whenLake Superior State University defeatedWisconsin for the national championship, and again in 2001 as the Pepsi Arena whenBoston College defeatedNorth Dakota.[citation needed]
The venue hosted the NCAA women's basketball tournament from March 28 to 31, 2015, and six games of the NCAA Women's Albany 1 and Albany 2 Regionals (Sweet 16 and Elite 8) from March 29 to April 1, 2024. The NCAA hockey East Regional for the ninth time was hosted from March 25 to 27, 2016.[22] MVP Arena once again hosted the 1st and 2nd Rounds Of the 2023 Men's Basketball Tournament on March 17 and March 19, 2023.
MVP Arena has been a regular host of theNYSPHSAA Wrestling Championships since 2005 and has won a bid to host the annual event each year through 2018.[23][better source needed] According to the Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the wrestling state tournament annually contributes more than $1.5 million into the Capital Region economy, and in 2011 it was the second-largest sporting event in Albany County.[24]
Albany has had a long history of Arena Football. TheAlbany Firebirds were the first Arena Football team in Albany in 1990. They were successful, as they wonArenaBowl XIII in 1999. Then, after the team moved in 2000 they got anAF2 team called theAlbany Conquest in 2002. They were not as successful as their predecessors, making the playoffs three of the seven years they existed. In 2009, they rebranded back to the Albany Firebirds and made the playoffs, but lost in the first round. After 8 years, it was announced that theAlbany Empire would be entering the Arena Football League in 2018 and they made the #1 seed in the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. In 2019, MVP Arena hostedArenaBowl XXXII which Albany beat thePhiladelphia Soul 45-27 and it was the final game ever played in theArena Football League's second iteration. In 2020, it was announced that theNational Arena League would be bringing a new team to Albany, and it brought back theAlbany Empire name. The new Empire would win back-to-back NAL championships in 2021 and 2022. The arena also hosted AFL/AF1'sAlbany Firebirds and also hosted the 2025 Arena Crown where the Firebirds defeated the Nashville Kats 60-57 to finish with a perfect record that season.
The first-ever event at the arena was aFrank Sinatra concert on January 30, 1990.[25]
In 1990, theGrateful Dead recorded their 1996 release,Dozin' at the Knick, at the arena.[26]
Whitesnake played at the arena during theirSlip of the Tongue world tour in 1990. The concert took place February 15, and there were many empty seats due to ablizzard keeping many fans from getting to the arena.[citation needed]
Gloria Estefan played at the arena on August 30, 1991, during her 1991-1992 “Into The Light World Tour.”
Metallica played at MVP Arena, then known as the Knickerbocker Arena, on February 28, 1992, during theirWherever We May Roam Tour. Their second show at the arena was on April 6, 1997 for their Poor Touring Me Tour, the opening act was Corrosion of Conformity. The band again played at the Arena, then known as the Pepsi Arena, on October 9, 2004, during theirMadly in Anger with the World tour. Metallica played at the arena on November 12, 2009, during theirWorld Magnetic Tour.[27]
U2 played at the arena in 1992[28] and again in 2001.[29]
Phish has played the arena 16 times, most recently a series of benefit concerts for Anastasio's Divided Sky Foundation, in October 2024.[30][31]
Demi Lovato played at the arena on September 7, 2014, as part of theirDemi World Tour.[32]
On March 18, 2019,Ariana Grande opened herSweetener World Tour at the arena.[32]
Céline Dion returned to the arena after 21 years on December 7, 2019, as part of herCourage World Tour. Dion's first performance at the arena took place on December 1, 1998, as part of herLet's Talk About Love World Tour.[33]
| Events and tenants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by first arena | Home of the Albany Firebirds 1990–2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Home of the Albany River Rats 1993–2010 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Host of the men'sFrozen Four 1992 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Host of the men'sFrozen Four 2001 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Home of the Albany Devils 2010–2017 | Succeeded by |
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