Varsity Arena - Toronto Varsity Blues
- Dave Cottenie
- Apr 2
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 3
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Varsity Arena
299 Bloor St W
Toronto, ON M5S 1W2
Year Opened: 1926
Capacity: 4,100
Blue Longevity
One of the founding members of university hockey in Canada is the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. First icing a team in 1891 for one of Canada’s most prominent post-secondary institutions, Toronto has enjoyed unprecedented success. An unheard of 41 Queen’s Cups as the champion of Ontario University Athletics, and its predecessors, the Ontario conference of USports, have been brought back to Toronto.
This is coupled with ten University Cups as the National Champions in hockey, a trophy only first presented in 1963. Coaching alumni from the Varsity Blues are a who’s who of hockey legends, including Tom Watt, Mike Keenan, Ace Bailey, Conn Smythe and Lester B. Pearson, the 14th Prime Minister of Canada.
Home for the Varsity Blues is the venerable Varsity Arena. Built in 1926, Varsity Arena was one of the first indoor arenas in the world, built without pillars. Along with being the home of the Varsity Blues, it was the home of the Toronto Toros of the short-lived World Hockey Association.
Having undergone some renovations over the years, Varsity Arena is now part of the Varsity Centre athletic complex on the University of Toronto campus, directly linked to Varsity Stadium, home of UofT football. Varsity Arena retains the old-school charm that was found in the 1920s and remains a throwback to a previous era.
Food & Beverage 3
A modest concession stand can be found in the concourses of Varsity Arena. Improvement in concessions have been achieved over time. Hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, cotton candy, grilled cheese, bagels, cookies and slushies are all found here. Country Style coffee is the hot beverage of choice and Pepsi products are the soft drinks of choice. Cash and credit are accepted.
Atmosphere 4
Stepping into Varsity Arena is like going through a time warp. If anything, the exterior of Varsity Arena is hidden. Varsity Centre, which includes Varsity Arena also includes Varsity Stadium. The two are nearly inseparable. Access to Varsity Centre comes from Bloor Street where the ticket office is located. To get to Varsity Arena, fans must travel underneath the grandstand of Varsity Stadium, parallel to the field.
The inconspicuous entry to Varsity Arena will be on the right. The red brick exterior fits the rest of Varsity Centre and it may be possible to miss the entrance if fans are not looking for it. The Blues put a portable tent outside the arena and signage to help fans along the way.
Entry into the Arena brings fans back in time. Varsity Arena smells, sounds and feels like hockey. The concourse of Varsity Arena is fairly narrow and fairly nondescript. There is only one path and it travels around the entire arena, immediately past the Zamboni Bay, dressing rooms and mini workshop where players can work on their sticks. Close inspection will find some old pictures of great Varsity Blues teams of the past. Although they are nice touches, the University of Toronto could do so much more to recognize and celebrate their hockey history.
The seating bowl continues the travel back in time. Immediately fans will notice the seats. The entirety of the seating bowl, save for two rows in one section, are classic wooden two-for-one or love seats. There are a few singles and those two rows of more current, plastic, stadium seats. Two sections of seats across centre ice are tarped off with a large “Home of the Varsity Blues” banner.
Varsity Arena itself is akin to many of the older arenas that are found in the QMJHL with a peaked, triangular roof and arched I-beams. Above centre ice is a simple digital scoreboard. That scoreboard is surrounded by a plethora of championship banners, many of which look like they were raised in the year in which they were won. Toronto does have some consolidated banners which are much newer and really give scope to the sheer volume of success the program has enjoyed. At one point, a banner for the 1928 Olympic Gold Medal hung in Varsity Arena, however at the time of this writing it was nowhere to be found.
There is no mystery where the inspiration of the design of the Varsity Blues uniform comes from. Toronto teams are nearly always blue, and Varsity is no different. The nod to the jerseys of the Toronto Maple Leafs is obvious. The game day production at Varsity is very simple. Typical music selections and promotions do not make the experience stand out and are just sufficient not to be bothersome. The Blues mascot, True Blue, can be seen on some occasions.
Neighbourhood 5
The neighbourhood surrounding Varsity Centre is excellent. Varsity is on the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus in the University neighbourhood of Downtown Toronto. Varsity sits in the shadows of Toronto’s iconic CN Tower, which can be seen across the stadium from Bloor Street. There are plenty of spots along Bloor for pre and post game food and libations. The Duke of York, The Fortunate Fox, Hemingway’s, Signatures and Proof are all options within a two minute walk. Favorites like Tim Hortons and Starbucks are also right there among other chains.
Among the other University buildings, the Royal Conservatory of Music is right next door to Varsity Centre and the Royal Ontario Museum is on the same block. Queen’s Park and the Ontario Legislature are not far off and heading toward the lake will bring patrons through Toronto’s theatre district. The iconic Eaton Centre is not far off for shoppers and Harbourfront has a plethora of other entertainment options. Not to be missed would be the Hockey Hall of Fame.
For fans looking for other sporting options, there are a multitude. The Toronto Varsity Blues field a full range of athletic teams and football is found right in Varsity Centre at Varsity Stadium. Across Devonshire Road is the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport which is the home for Varsity Blues basketball. A twenty minute walk will bring fans to the Mattamy Athletic Centre which is the home of the TMU Bold and the former Maple Leaf Gardens. Bold basketball is played inside at Varsity Court while hockey is played above at Mattamy Home Ice.
Toronto’s third university, York University is located at the north end of Toronto. York Lions Stadium is home for York Lions football, the Tait McKenzie Centre is home for basketball and Canlan Ice Sports York is the home for hockey. There are, of course, a multitude of professional sports options in Toronto also. The Scotiabank Arena is home for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors. The Rogers Centre is home to the Toronto Blue Jays. Over at Exhibition Place, BMO Field is shared by the Toronto Argonauts and Toronto FC, while across the parking lot, the Coca-Cola Coliseum is home for the Toronto Marlies.
Fans 3
Varsity Blues fans are typical of USports hockey fans, in that attendance can be inconsistent. The 2024-25 season was a strong one for Toronto and they averaged over 400 fans per game, good for 4th in the OUA, a fairly strong average for the conference. However, a huge rivalry game against Toronto Metropolitan saw more than 2,500 fans at Varsity Arena, which skews the average a bit. Varsity Blues fans are supportive at the right moments. The number of students in attendance fluctuates drastically over the season.
Access 4
The St. George Campus of the University of Toronto is located in the University neighbourhood of Downtown Toronto. It is north of the Gardiner Expressway, west of the Don Valley Parkway and quite significantly south of Highway 401. Getting to this part of Toronto by car can be a little tricky. Traffic is always an issue.
There are a number of surface lots that surround the university and parking can be found at a reasonable rate. Probably the best way to get to this part of Toronto would be the subway. There are two subway stops within a block of Varsity Centre and they are connected to both main subway lines. Buses and streetcars are also not too far away from Varsity Centre. Fans interested in public transit can check out the Toronto Transit Commission website for maps, schedules and fares.
The ticketing window is on Bloor Street, right at the entrance of Varsity Centre. Lineups are not an issue. Due to a low number of fans, getting around Varsity Arena is pretty easy. The age of the building can be noticed in the washrooms, but the small crowds make heading to the washroom not much of a hindrance.
Return on Investment 5
Varsity Blues hockey tickets can be had for $15. Discounts are available for kids, alumni and seniors. The product on the ice is solid and the price is more than affordable. Parking the car will cost a few dollars as will taking transit. Concession prices are good. In the end, there are not too many sporting experiences around that will bring this combination of low price and good return together.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the growing rivalry with the TMU Bold, which has seen some much larger than average crowds for their rivalry games.
An extra mark for the deep history of the university, arena and Toronto Varsity Blues.
An extra mark for the 1928 University of Toronto Grads, the only university team to win an Olympic Gold Medal. Their coach was the legendary Conn Smythe and they did not give up a goal in the tournament.
Final Thoughts
Heading to Varsity Arena is a trip back in time to an old school arena where hockey remains the focus. The Toronto Varsity Blues have a deep history and plenty of success and provide an experience that hockey fans should definitely take in.
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