Tsongas Center - UMass Lowell River Hawks
- Paul Baker
- Oct 18
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 20
Photos by Paul Baker, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.00
Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell 300 Martin Luther King Way Lowell, MA 01852
Year Opened: 1998
Capacity: 6,500
Your Tsongas
The University of Massachusetts Lowell got its start in the 1890s as two separate institutions, the Lowell Normal School (later renamed Lowell State College) and the Lowell Textile School (later renamed Lowell Textile Institute). These two schools merged in 1975 to become the University of Lowell. In 1991, UL joined the University of Massachusetts system. Today, UMass Lowell is the second largest campus in Massachusetts, with an enrollment of over 18,000 students in almost 200 Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral programs. Total enrollment has increased 50 percent since 2007.
The Paul E. Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, named for the Lowell native and United States Senator, is located on the southeastern edge of the UMass Lowell campus on the banks of the Merrimack River. Senator Tsongas, who was instrumental in securing funding for the facility, died in 1997 just before the opening of the arena. Originally owned by the city of Lowell, the school purchased the building and assumed oversight of all operations in 2010.
In addition to serving as home to the Riverhawk hockey team (UMass Lowell does not sponsor varsity women’s hockey), the Tsongas Center formerly hosted a pair of American Hockey League teams, the Lock Monsters (1998-2006) and Devils (2006-2010). It also serves as the primary home of the PWHL’s Boston Fleet.
The University of Massachusetts-Lowell has sponsored hockey since 1965. Formerly known as the Terriers and the Chiefs, the team played at several local rinks, including playing outdoors at Cushing Field on campus. The team originally competed in Division II, where they won three national championships between 1979 and 1982. In 1983, UMass Lowell moved up to Division One. They have qualified for nine NCAA tournaments and made it to one Frozen Four in 2013. 24 River Hawk alumni have played in the National Hockey League.
Food & Beverage 5
The concession experience at Tsongas Center continues to evolve and improve year after year, to the point where this is no longer a weak point in the game day experience in Lowell. In fact, the opposite is now true. The majority of food is served from a pair of food courts on either side of the arena. Each stand has a slightly different menu, so you may want to explore a bit before making your final decision.
Along with traditional arena fare, fans can select BBQ items from the stand on the east side of the arena. Brisket and pulled pork can be ordered in sandwiches or placed on your fries or nachos. If you’re feeling particularly frisky, order the Power Play Dog, a foot-long hot dog loaded with brisket and pulled pork, and topped with nacho cheese and jalapeno peppers.
,A stand on the west side of the arena features chicken tenders with assorted dipping sauces. The Sal’s Pizza stand sells oversized cheese, sausage and pepperoni slices. A small stand at the north end of the arena, christened the Penalty Box, features walking tacos. Many items can be paired with chips and a drink to save a few dollars.
Pepsi products are featured at the Tsongas Center. The beer selection is strong, with a wide variety sold at all concession stands. Featured among the many excellent local craft brews is a UMass Lowell-branded beer from nearby Epicenter Brewing, Rowdy’s House Lager.
Atmosphere 5
Here at Stadium Journey, we often say that the student section is the engine that drives the atmosphere at any college sporting event. Hockey is the premier sport at UMass Lowell, and the student section turns out in good numbers to support their team. The school’s excellent pep band performs throughout the game, keeping the energy up and the building full of noise. Also present here are the cheerleaders and Rowdy the River Hawk, who roam the arena, interacting with fans and posing for pictures.
The game day staff at the Tsongas Center put on a good show for visiting fans. There’s a video board at center ice, which is put to good use with crowd shots, replays, and promos. Local youth hockey teams take the ice during intermission, and there are giveaways, 50/50 raffles, and more to keep the casual fan engaged, not that there are many casual fans in this section of the Merrimack Valley.
Neighborhood 3
The University of Massachusetts Lowell is located in the north-central part of the city of Lowell, right near the Dracut city line. The campus straddles the Merrimack River along the rapids, which made this area a magnet for industry back in the day.
Lowell is a working-class city. The Tsongas Center is located on the edge of downtown, with not a lot in the immediate vicinity to attract out-of-town fans. Visitors to the city may be interested in exploring the Lowell National Historic Park, which has preserved several old textile mills to tell the story of the Industrial Revolution. On the grounds of the park is a memorial to native son Jack Kerouac, who was one of the icons of the “Beat Generation.”
Most out-of-towners will likely make their way to nearby Boston, 25 miles to the southeast, but for those looking to stay in town, most lodging options are located out by Interstate 495. There isn’t much in the immediate vicinity of the Tsongas Center, but Cobblestone’s, located a couple of blocks away, is a Lowell institution. Also nearby is the Worthen House Café, which was supposedly frequented by Edgar Allen Poe while he was writing “The Raven.”
Fans 5
UMass Lowell ranks in the top 15 nationwide in terms of attendance every year, which is no small feat when you consider how crowded the Greater Boston hockey market is. The River Hawks draw between 4,500-5,000 fans per game, a figure that remains remarkably consistent every year.
There’s a good turnout by the UMass Lowell student body, who, along with the pep band, fill the arena with noise throughout the game and make the stands a sea of red, white,, and blue. Local fans, families, and youth hockey groups turn out in large numbers, proud to have a team to call their own in an area often overshadowed by the teams from Boston. Fans here know their hockey and make the Tsongas Center a fun place to watch a game.
Access 4
The Tsongas Center is located on the south bank of the Merrimack River a few blocks from the school’s baseball stadium, LeLacheur Park. The school’s other athletic facilities, including the Costello Athletic Center and Cushing Field, are located on the other side of the river. Interstate 495 travels a few miles south of Lowell, meaning that to reach the UMass-Lowell campus, one has to drive through the city. Between the adjacent Ayotte Garage, several surface lots, and some on-street spaces, there is plenty of parking nearby.
Fans will pass through a security checkpoint into a large lobby, which houses ticket booths and the team store. A pair of staircases brings fans up to the concourse, which runs along the top of the seating bowl. It is not possible to completely circle the rink due to the presence of the Align Pavilion, and luxury boxes block views of the ice at some points. All seats at the Tsongas Center consist of plastic folding stadium seats and offer excellent views of the action.
Access around the facility is excellent, with only the typical lines forming during intermission. Restrooms at the Tsongas Center are numerous, clean, and large enough for a typical River Hawk crowd. Handicapped seating areas are plentiful. Fans should be aware that the stairs leading from the concourse to the seating bowl are not of uniform size. If one is not paying attention, there exists the very real possibility of tripping or worse, spilling your beverage.
Return on Investment 3
Tickets to a River Hawk game are reasonably priced, at $25 for sideline seats and $18 for end zone seats. Parking will cost you either $15 or $20 in nearby surface lots or in the George Ayotte Garage next door. Concession prices are a bit on the high side, but are comparable to other venues in the area.
Extras 3
A pair of extra points is awarded for the displays of UMass Lowell athletic history that fill this arena. Fans can check out displays featuring Lowell’s various championship trophies, Lowell players to moved on to the NHL and Olympics, and photos of top moments in UML history, along with the River Hawk Athletic Hall of Fame. Banners along both ends of the arena commemorate the team’s success in both Division I and Division II. Fans can even view a display honoring the accomplishments of Paul Tsongas in the lobby.
If you visit Lowell on a day where the weather cooperates, do yourself a favor and take a walk behind the Tsongas Center and explore the Riverwalk. A stroll along the river to view the rapids and the historic mill buildings is highly recommended.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to be overshadowed in the crowded Boston hockey scene, but the Tsongas Center is still one of the better hockey rinks in the area, even if it’s often overlooked by its more famous brethren in the area.
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