The legendary home of the New York Islanders, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, officially bid farewell to the NHL world after the Islanders were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2022 postseason. The team pushed deep into the playoffs, reaching the penultimate round before the Stanley Cup Final in what marked the arena’s last hurrah in the league.
Hockey: The Arena’s Original Driving Force
Located in Uniondale, east of New York City, construction on this arena began in 1969 and was completed three years later, opening in 1972. At that time, the WHA (World Hockey Association), a rival league to the NHL for a period, was seeking a home for the New York Raiders. All signs pointed to the Coliseum as the appropriate choice, but Nassau County officials ultimately did not deem the league fully professional and passed on the Raiders. In a strategic move to counter its rival, the NHL decided to expand with a new franchise in the New York area, thus giving birth to the Islanders. In this instance, Nassau public officials raised no objections.
The Coliseum was also home to the ABA/NBA Nets for several years, sharing the space with the Islanders.
Professional basketball also featured prominently in its early years. During the 1970s (1972-1977), the Nets (then known as the New York Nets) of the ABA / NBA played several campaigns as their home team at the Coliseum, winning their only professional titles in the 1974 and 1976 seasons.
Strong Record for the Islanders at the Coliseum
The Islanders spent almost their entire history playing home games at Nassau Coliseum. Only the Barclays Center held that status for a ‘brief’ period (2015-2020) before the Islanders returned full-time to the Coliseum. Specifically, on the Nassau rink, the Uniondale franchise played a total of 1,738 games, securing 877 victories, and scoring an impressive 5,952 goals.
Capacity Modifications Over the Years
Popularly known simply as “The Coliseum,” the venue underwent several renovations (of varying significance) throughout its history, with each modification altering its seating capacity. Before its last major remodel, it was the NHL’s second-smallest arena by capacity (16,170), only larger than Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre (15,321). Following the Islanders’ return to the Uniondale rink, the seating capacity decreased further to 13,917, a figure considered outdated for the league.
- 13,571 (1972–1973)
- 14,665 (1972–1973)
- 14,865 (1973–1976)
- 15,317 (1976–1978)
- 14,995 (1978–1980)
- 15,008 (1980–1981)
- 15,230 (1982–1983)
- 15,850 (1983–1984)
- 16,002 (1984–1986)
- 16,270 (1986–1987)
- 16,297 (1987–2001)
- 16,234 (2001–2009)
- 16,250 (2009–2012)
- 16,170 (2012–2015)
- 13,917 (2017–present)
UBS Arena Takes the Helm
In October 2021, the Islanders inaugurated their new arena, coinciding with the start of the new NHL season. The new venue is located not far from Nassau Coliseum, boasts a capacity for 17,113 spectators, and features all available modern technological advantages.
Swiss bank UBS acquired the naming rights, rebranding the venue from its original “Belmont Arena” to UBS Arena. The agreement spans 20 years and is valued at $350 million.
