Editing Matthews Arena (section)

==History==
=== Early years ===
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.<ref name="Work Begun">{{cite news |title=Work Begun on New Arena |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=October 12, 1909}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Building to be Pushed |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=November 29, 1909}}</ref>  

The arena was scheduled to open on Christmas Day 1909, but construction delays pushed back the opening until April 25, 1910.<ref name="Work Begun" /> 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 arena's first ice hockey game was won by the Harvard Freshmen hockey team, who defeated [[Newton North High School|Newton High School]], 4–0. The Harvard varsity squad played later that evening, losing to [[Brooklyn Crescents|Crescent H. C.]], 1–0.<ref>{{cite news |title=Crowd Out for Ice Carnival |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=April 26, 1910}}</ref> The Arena's original ice surface was larger than the current standard at  {{convert|220|x|90|ft|adj=on}}.{{sfn|Ross|2015|p=113}} 

The first games of professional ice hockey at the Arena took place in March 1911 when a two-game $2,500 competition between two [[National Hockey Association|NHA]] teams, the [[Montreal Wanderers]] and the [[Ottawa Senators (original)|Ottawa Senators]] took place.<ref>{{cite news |work=Montreal Gazette |title=Wanderers lose the $2,500 purse |page=10 |date=March 27, 1911}}</ref> The Arena was the home ice for a number of amateur and college hockey teams, including the [[Boston Athletic Association ice hockey team|Boston Athletic Association]], [[Boston Arenas]], [[Westminster Hockey Club]], [[Boston College Eagles men's ice hockey|Boston College]], [[Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey|Boston University]], [[Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey|Harvard]], and [[MIT Engineers|MIT]].<ref>{{cite web |title=George V. Brown |url=https://www.ushockeyhalloffame.com/page/show/818892-george-v-brown |website=U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=20 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Arena Sale Big Blow to Schools, Colleges |work=The Boston Globe |date=December 21, 1952}}</ref>

===Fire and reconstruction===
[[File:Boston Arena 1920.jpg|thumb|center|400px|Interior of Boston Arena in December 1920.]]
The Arena was destroyed by fire on December 18, 1918.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fire Destroys Boston Arena |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GNhHAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA2&dq |access-date=21 November 2024 |work=The Meriden Daily Journal |date=December 18, 1918}}</ref> It was rebuilt, and the new facility opened January 1, 1921, with an ice show.<ref>{{cite news |work=Boston Post |title=New Arena Ice Palace Opens |page=19 |date=January 2, 1921}}</ref> 

From 1921 to 1932, the [[Boston Athletic Association Indoor Games]] were held at the arena.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Victor |title=B. A. A. Meet Plans Are Announced |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 7, 1933}}</ref>

The [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s first US-based franchise, the [[Boston Bruins]], made the Boston Arena their home from 1924 to 1928. Before the team began play, the Arena reduced its ice surface from 220 x 90 feet down to 200 x <ref>https://nuhuskies.com/sports/2010/1/28/matthewsarena.aspx</ref>80 feet to conform to NHL regulations. This also allowed the Arena to add 1,000 seats.<ref name="Foulds" />

===Competition from the Boston Garden===
In 1927, [[Homer Loring]], chairman of the [[Boston & Maine Railroad]], announced that the construction of a new sports arena at their [[North Station]] facility. The Madison Square Garden Corporation signed a 25-year lease for the arena.<ref>{{cite news|title=Coliseum Will Top New Boston Station|work=The Boston Daily Globe|date=November 16, 1927}}</ref> The [[Boston Garden]] opened in 1928 and replaced the Arena as the city's venue for premier boxing, wrestling, and track events.<ref name="Lapham" /> The Bruins broke their contract with the Arena to move to the Garden, which led to a legal battle between the two sides that ended in 1933, when Bruins owner [[Charles Adams (ice hockey)|Charles F. Adams]] agreed to pay the arena $54,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Owners of Bruins Settle With Arena |work=The Boston Globe |date=February 2, 1933}}</ref> Boston Arena general manager [[George V. Brown]] was able to keep the venue running with college hockey and figure skating.<ref name="Lapham" />

The Garden ran their shows at a loss in order to keep events away from the Arena.<ref name="Lapham">{{cite news |title=What About It? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-henry-lapham-death-of/75613777/ |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=The Boston Globe |date=December 18, 1939}}</ref> In 1934, the smaller Boston Arena Corporation, led by [[Henry G. Lapham]], purchased a controlling interest in the Boston Garden.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hurwitz|first=Hy|title=Garden-Arena Plan Adopted|work=The Boston Daily Globe|date=September 7, 1934}}</ref> In 1936, the [[Boston Garden-Arena Corporation]] bought out the remaining stock owned by the Madison Square Garden Corporation.<ref>{{cite news|title=Boston Garden Is On Its Own|work=The Boston Daily Globe|date=November 8, 1936}}</ref>

===Metropolitan District Commission ownership=== 
[[File:MatthewsArenaExterior2009.jpg|thumbnail|right|260px|Entrance to the arena, showing the original arch from Boston Arena now enclosed by bricks.]]
In April 16, 1953, the Boston Garden-Arena Corporation sold the Boston Arena to Samuel L. Pinsly for $240,000. He planned on doubling the size of the building and converting it into a garment manufacturing facility, as the purchase agreement included a five-year ban on sports or events at building unless it was acquired by a government entity.<ref>{{cite news |title=New York Group Buys Boston Arena |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d9FKAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA15&dq |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=Lewiston Evening Journal |date=April 17, 1953}}</ref> Three months later, the building was purchased by the [[Department of Conservation and Recreation|Metropolitan District Commission]] for $280,000, which planned on using it for high school sports and other athletic events.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tax Abatement Problem Arises After Arena Sale |work=The Boston Globe |date=July 18, 1953}}</ref> [[Francis Ouimet]] was named chairman of the MDC's Boston Arena Authority and [[Clark Hodder]] was named manager of the Arena.<ref>{{cite news |author=Nason, Jerry |title=Clark Hodder Named Manager of Boston Arena |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=September 26, 1953}}</ref>

In 1975, the MDC offered to sell the Arena to the city of Boston for $450,000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jordan |first1=Robert |title=Boston Arena offered to city for $450,000 |work=The Boston Globe |date=June 24, 1975}}</ref> The city leased the building from the MDC pending completion of the purchase. The sale never took place and in 1977, the MDC leased the Arena at no cost to Northeastern University.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McDonough |first1=Will |title=The Arena: Schools don't need it... Northeastern wants it |work=The Boston Globe |date=January 21, 1977}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=MDC leases Arena to NU |work=The Boston Globe |date=November 10, 1977}}</ref>

=== Northeastern University's Matthews Arena ===
The Arena was purchased by Northeastern University on October 3, 1979.<ref>{{cite news |title=Northeastern buys arena |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8wFdAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA12&dq |access-date=22 November 2024 |work=The Morning Record and Journal |date=October 4, 1979}}</ref> The arena was known as Northeastern Arena until November 14, 1982, when it was renamed Matthews Arena in honor of the university's chairman emeritus George Matthews.<ref name="Foulds">{{cite book |last1=Foulds |first1=Alan |title=Boston's Ballparks & Arenas |date=2005 |publisher=UPNE Inc. |pages=76-85 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Boston_s_Ballparks_Arenas/dQWzRxP-a7sC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq |access-date=22 November 2024}}</ref>

A 1995 renovation expanded the ice surface from {{convert|200|x|80|to|200|x|90|ft|m}}.<ref name="gonu" />

=== Proposed demolition ===
[[File:NortheasternMBBvsHarvard Nov2022.jpg|thumb|Mathews Arena converted for basketball for a Northeastern Huskies men's basketball game.]]
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 demolish and replace Matthews Arena.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Northeastern University - Matthews Arena Project {{!}} Boston Planning & Development Agency |url=https://www.bostonplans.org/projects/development-projects/northeastern-university-matthews-arena-project |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.bostonplans.org |language=en}}</ref>  

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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ballingall |first=Amelia |last2= |first2= |date=2024-05-09 |title=‘Reaching the end of its useful life’: As historic Matthews Arena faces foundational issues, Northeastern weighs new arena |url=https://huntnewsnu.com/78197/sports/reaching-the-end-of-its-useful-life-as-historic-matthews-arena-faces-foundational-issues-northeastern-weighs-new-arena/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=The Huntington News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ballingall |first=Amelia |last2= |first2= |date=2024-05-09 |title=Where it all began: A look back at Matthews Arena as Bruins reach centennial season |url=https://huntnewsnu.com/78209/sports/where-it-all-began-a-look-back-at-matthews-arena-as-bruins-reach-centennial-season/ |access-date= |website=The Huntington News}}</ref>