Matthews Arena

Matthews Arena

Interior of arena in 2009
Former names	Boston Arena (1909–1982)
Location	238 St. Botolph Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°20′28″N 71°5′4″W
Public transit	Orange Line  at Massachusetts Avenue  Green Line  at Symphony
Owner	Northeastern University
Operator	Northeastern University
Designation	National Register and Boston Landmark eliglible
Capacity	Ice hockey: 4,666 Basketball: 5,066
Surface	200 ft × 90 ft (61 m × 27 m) (hockey)
Construction
Broke ground	October 11, 1909
Opened	April 25, 1910
Tenants
Northeastern Huskies (Hockey East, CAA) (1930–1943, 1946–present) WIT Leopards (ECAC) (1992–present) Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey (independent/IHL/TL/QL/PL) (1911–1917, 1921–1943, 1945–1956) Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey (independent) (1917–1929, 1932–1943, 1945–1958) Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey (independent/ECAC) (1918–1943, 1945–1971) Boston Bruins (NHL) (1924–1928) Boston Tigers/Cubs (CAHL) (1926–1936) Boston Olympics (EAHL/QSHL) (1940–1952) Boston Celtics (NBA) (1946–1955) New England Whalers (WHA) (1972–1973)

Matthews Arena (formerly Boston Arena) is a historic multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts currently owned by Northeastern University. At over 120 years old, is the world's oldest multi-purpose athletic building still in use, as well as the oldest arena in use for ice hockey. There are current plans to demolish the historic arena and replace it with a new facility.

It is the original home of the National Hockey League (NHL) Boston Bruins—the only team of the NHL's Original Six whose original home arena still exists for the sport of ice hockey; the WHA New England Whalers (now the NHL Carolina Hurricanes); and the NBA's Boston Celtics.

Today is used by the Northeastern Huskies men's and women's ice hockey teams, and men's basketball team as well as various high school ice hockey programs in the city of Boston. The venue also hosts Northeastern's graduation ceremonies, its annual Springfest concert, and other events.

Building History

Entrance to the arena, showing the original arch from Boston Arena now enclosed by bricks.

Boston Arena

Originally named the Boston Arena, groundbreaking took place on October 11, 1909. The 1896 United States skating champion Herbert S. Evans dug the first portion of earth. The arena was to have a capacity of 5,000 and was to be used for ice skating, curling, horse shows, and a variety of sporting events. The arena had its own power plant, which powered the two 100-ton ice machines and all of the arena's lighting. Charles C. Abbey was the first president and treasurer of the Boston Arena Company and William T. Richardson was the building's first general manager.

The arena was scheduled to open on Christmas Day 1909, but construction delays pushed back the opening until April 25, 1910. The arena's inaugural event was an ice carnival to benefit the Sharon Sanatorium. Skating events were held throughout the day, including a performance by Irving Brokaw.

The area's first ice hockey game was won by the Harvard Freshmen hockey team, who defeated Newton High School, 4–0. The Harvard varsity squad played later that evening, losing to Crescent H. C., 1–0. The Arena's original ice surface was larger than the current standard at 220-by-90-foot (67 m × 27 m).

The Arena was partially destroyed by fire on December 18, 1918. It was rebuilt, and the new facility opened January 1, 1921, with an ice show. Harvard played the first hockey game after being reopened, January 8, 1921, against Kings College.

Interior of Boston Arena in December 1920.

Northeastern University's Matthews Arena

The Arena was purchased in 1979 by Northeastern University. The Arena was renamed in 1982 when Northeastern alumnus George J. Matthews helped fund its refurbishment. The arena was briefly known as Northeastern Arena as well.

A 1995 renovation expanded the ice surface from 200 by 80 to 200 by 90 feet (61 m × 24 m to 61 m × 27 m). The ice surface had been reduced when the Bruins moved in as tenant, so as to accommodate more seats, so the enlargement actually returned the size of the ice surface closer to its original size. Another round of renovations took place in the summer of 2009. The centerpiece of the renovations were all-new seating and a brand new center ice jumbotron.

In 2018, a new jumbotron was installed, currently one of the largest videoboards in the Northeastern US. The lobby was also reworked, with additional concessions and an elevator for ADA compliance. A new weight room and expanded locker rooms were provided for the athletes. The total cost of the renovations was estimated at $12 million. It still shares a feature with both the 1998-demolished Boston Garden pro sports facility and Harvard's existing Bright-Landry Hockey Center where ice hockey is concerned; with non-standard team bench locations, one on either side of the rink, much as the departed Garden possessed. This feature was for years not uncommon on rinks throughout the East, as the Montreal Forum and Le Colisée de Québec both had split benches for much of their histories. The reason behind this arrangement was so teams could have their benches adjacent to their dressing rooms, which were across the ice from each other for security reasons. Most modern facilities solved this dilemma not by placing dressing rooms on opposite sides of the ice, as those arenas did, but rather on opposite ends on the same side of the rink. However this arrangement still exists in American collegiate hockey, as even some newer venues such as Conte Forum at Boston College or Compton Family Ice Arena at Notre Dame have split benches.

Threat of Demolition

In May 2024, Northeastern University filed a letter of intent to the Boston Planning & Development Agency to construct a new multi-purpose athletics facility designed that would tear down and replace the historic Matthews Arena instead of making the efforts to restore it.

This came as concerns surrounding the structural integrity of Matthews Arena increased: scaffolding was erected to support the east end of the arena in 2024, part of the student section as well as the Varsity Club (home to the arena's only licensed bar) were closed, and the foundation, built on reclaimed land once part of a wharf, was found to be sinking.

If the plans are approved by the Boston Planning & Development Agency, it will result in the loss of the oldest hockey arena in the United States, that was the first home of the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Carolina Hurricanes (then the New England Whalers) and numerous college hockey teams.

Historical Significance

The Matthew Arena has historic significance in both its role hosting the start of numerous professional sports teams, along with being the oldest arena in use for ice hockey, that also uses the world's oldest artificial ice sheet. The significance of the arena makes it eligible to be listed under multiple criteria on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the potential to be designated a Boston Landmark.

Firsts in American Sports History

The first games of professional ice hockey at the Arena took place in March 1911 when a two-game $2,500 competition between two NHA teams, the Montreal Wanderers and the Ottawa Senators took place.The Carolina Hurricanes played their first seasons in Boston Arena as the New England Whalers.

Matthews has hosted all or part of the America East Conference men's basketball tournament a total of seven times and hosted the 1960 Frozen Four. The arena also served as the first home to the annual Beanpot tournament between Boston's four major college hockey programs.

Matthews is where the hockey programs of Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, MIT, Northeastern University, Tufts University, Boston State College (later merged into the University of Massachusetts Boston) and Wentworth Institute of Technology all began.

Boston Bruins

The NHL's first US-based franchise, the Boston Bruins, played their first-ever NHL regular season game at the Arena on Monday, December 1, 1924. with the Bruins' most historic rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens being initiated only one week later. The Bruins left the Arena in 1928 when Tex Rickard's new indoor sports facility in Boston, the Boston Garden, was completed. The WHA's New England Whalers played some of their first-season home games at the Arena in 1972–73.

Boston Celtics

In basketball, the Boston Celtics played their first game at the Arena in 1946, and played at the Arena until 1955.

Notable Figures and Events

Matthews Arena has played host to many notable figures and events during its lifetime. Babe Ruth would play hockey scrimmages while off-season in the season. Matthews hosted every president from Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 to John F. Kennedy in 1946. Other dignitaries to hold events at the arena include Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Boxing was once a mainstay at the arena and hosted bouts with Jack Sharkey, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis and Marvin Hagler. Muhammad Ali trained at what was called Santos Gym, where the Varsity Club now sits, for his second bout with Sonny Liston. Professional wrestling events were also staged there. In the 1950s the arena also hosted the Rodeo led by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

Notable Concerts and Musicians

Matthews Arena also proved famous as a concert venue during much of its lifetime. On Saturday evening May 3, 1958 the 'Big Beat' Rock n Roll show hosted by Alan Freed was cut short due to riots inside the Arena and a non-fatal serious stabbing outside. Headlining the bill were Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly & The Crickets. Alan Freed was arrested after police repeatedly had the house-lights turned on to stop teens jiving in the aisles, and Freed issued the now infamous line, "I guess the police don't want you to have fun." Other famous acts to grace the arena were The Doors in a 1970 concert that was later released to the public. Another famous concert was the Phish New Year's Eve concert on December 31, 1992. The show was the highest attended Phish concert to date and was played on WBCN the next day

Mathews Arena converted for basketball for a Northeastern Huskies men's basketball game.

See also

• Huntington Avenue Grounds, site of the nearby first home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team (playing there 1901–1911), existed on current Northeastern University property
• List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas

References

Bibliography

• Ross, J. Andrew (2015). Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815633839.

External links

• Official website