Photos courtesy of Chris Torres, WestConn athletics
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.86
Feldman Arena
43 Lake Ave.
Danbury, CT 06810
Year Opened: 1994
Capacity: 2,800
Home Of College Athletics Done Right
Western Connecticut State University has always done collegiate athletics the right way. Longtime contenders in football, women’s and men’s soccer, WestConn’s Feldman Arena is a facility that many schools at higher levels should envy. With ample parking and adaptability for a variety of functions, the venue serves the university as well as the greater Danbury community. While the building doesn’t always host large crowds, it’s a great place to watch basketball, with excellent views on both sides of the court.
The men’s basketball team, one of the inhabitants of the school’s primary gymnasium, Feldman Arena, has made 13 trips to the NCAA tournament, most recently in 2020. WestConn reached the Elite Eight in 1990. The Western Connecticut women’s basketball team has qualified for 13 NCAA tournaments of their own, most recently in 2011. The women’s team reached the Sweet Sixteen in 1997.
The original Western Connecticut State mascot was an Indian. A committee formed to find a less offensive name in 1974 recommended changing the name to Canners to honor the region's fish canneries. The Candlewood Canning Company of Connecticut sponsored the teams until the sponsorship was deemed illegal by the NCAA. The official mascot then became Chuck the Colonial, a man in a blue Tricorne hat, in 1978. Following the murder of George Floyd and pressure from alumni and students in June 2020, the university decided to no longer use the Colonials name and logo. On April 19, 2022, the university announced that they would be changing their mascot name to the Wolves.
Western Connecticut State University, often stylized as WestConn, was founded in 1903 as a teacher’s college. Located in Danbury, Connecticut, it is part of the Connecticut State University System. With an enrollment of just under 4,500 students, the school may be best known for the Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Studies, which was founded on campus in 1995.
Food & Beverage 1
Feldman Arena has one food stand where students can conveniently use their meal plan money to purchase hot dogs, pretzels and candy.
WestConn serves Pepsi products campus-wide, including Diet Pepsi and Starry. As a refreshing alternative, iced tea and lemonade is also served at games but no alcoholic beverages are available.
Atmosphere 4
The Feldman arena is a decent size, with room for 2800 spectators.
When WCSU changed its sports mascot from the Colonials to the Wolves in 2022, the arena received new hardwood that features the revised logo. There’s also a jumbotron scoreboard above half court and there is seat back chairs on both sides of the court. The gym also has speakers which are loud and allow everyone in the arena to enjoy music and commentary from the public address announcer.
WestConn basketball also hosts the popular “Free Steak for a Year” half-court shot contest in collaboration with Texas Roadhouse. There are also popular “Kid’s Day” and “White Out” games that show school spirit in the community. WestConn’s nickname change coincided with the arrival of a new mascot, Wally the Wolf, who can be seen representing the school spirit throughout the building.
For a big game, such as when the Wolves face their rivals, the Keene State Owls, a seat may be hard to come by. In the student section, opposite the benches, the view of the court is unobstructed. On the opposite side, there are inclined bleachers, but the view of the action can be blocked by the seated players and the scorer’s table.
Neighborhood 4
WCSU is in Danbury Conn., a great sports town on the New York State border.
The university is split between the Midtown Campus in Downtown Danbury and the Westside Campus on the west side of the city, where Feldman Arena is situated. The campuses are three miles apart and are connected by a shuttle service.
Outside the arena, there are several great options for food, including Stanziato’s Wood Fired Pizza, Grounds Donut House, and TK’s American Cafe, a sports bar with 76 flavors of chicken wings, nearby to WCSU’s Midtown Campus. You can also trek over to Danbury Fair Mall for a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment options – including Round 1, a giant bowling alley and arcade inside the massive mall.
The main sports attraction in town is the Danbury Hat Tricks professional hockey team, a member of the independent Federal Prospects Hockey League. The team attracts roughly 2500 fans to their games each week. The Hat Tricks play out of Danbury Arena, which is also home of Spice City FC, an indoor soccer club that launched in 2025.
In June and July, the Danbury Westerners play in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The team plays at Rogers Park, where the scoreboard was recently upgraded.
Fans 3
When fans show up to support the team, Feldman Arena is an electric environment.
WCSU fans sit close to the action for both volleyball and basketball. While not all games are selling out, the community views the Wolves as a vital part of the sports landscape. Youth teams and other community organizations are often invited to games.
Because Feldman Arena is home to the highest level of basketball in the area, the Wolves programs attract passionate fans from the student body as well as from around the city. When there is a lot on the line, WCSU supporters are activated and sometimes storm the court after a victory.
Access 4
Despite being sitting at the top of a Hill, it’s very easy to find Feldman Arena and to roam around once you arrive. General Admission allows fans to pick their own seats and even relocate during the game.
Students residing on WCSU’s Midtown Campus can utilize the school’s shuttle to trek to games. Local public transportation is available through Hart Transit and Danbury Train station. Parking is not a problem at the arena, as two different parking lots make it easy to arrive and depart.
During the game, it’s easy to climb the bleachers for an arial view or sit along the sidelines to get as close to the game as possible. There is also space for fans with special needs and the ability to pull your car directly to the entrance of the arena.
Return on Investment 5
Ticketing is most affordable for WCSU events. Typically, there is a charge of $5 for non-students and other guests. No printed or digital ticket is needed once you’ve entered the arena.
WCSU has always done sports right and the teams that play at Feldman Arena are always competitive. There is no charge for parking at games, which makes it a cheap but entertaining option for fun.
No season tickets are sold for WCSU events and good seating is usually always available.
Extras 3
WCSU’s Athletic Hall of Fame is housed inside Feldman Arena, where great athletes from the school’s past are honored.
The list of events held at Feldman Arena is long, including the 1999, 2000, and 2001 NCAA Division III women's basketball Final Fours. The Harlem Globetrotters have made several visits to the arena, including one time where an alumni member of the hoops team proposed to his future wife during the action. Around 2007, the CT Thunderboltz played in the short-lived National Professional Basketball League, a semi-professional league, out of Feldman Arena.
The list of special events held at the Feldman Arena and O’Neill Center are not limited to sporting events. In December of 1995, legendary singer-songwriter, Bob Dylan, opened his “Paradise Lost Tour” inside the arena. In October 2012, the 14th Dalai Lama held an audience inside the arena.
Final Thoughts
For basketball and volleyball fans, Feldman Arena is a good time that will cost you just a fraction of a big-league ticket price.
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