Photos by Greg Venuto and Paul Baker, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Total Mortgage Arena 600 Main St Bridgeport, CT 06604
Year Opened: 2001
Capacity: 8,412
Hard Times In Bridgeport
The Bridgeport Islanders are in their fourth season since changing their nickname from Sound Tigers to Islanders and the third full season since the arena changed its naming rights to Total Mortgage Arena in March of 2022. The Islanders made another move this year and changed their logo to the Fisherman logo once worn by the parent New York Islanders in the 1990s. The logo was once ridiculed by media types who dubbed it the “Gorton’s Fisherman” and NY Rangers fans followed with the derisive “We want fish sticks” chant.
The arena, which is owned by Harbor Yards Sports and Entertainment, is still a more than respectable facility to watch AHL hockey or any sporting event or show. While the arena is legit, the product on the ice has been substandard.
The arena is not nearly as busy as it used to be. Fairfield University Men’s and Women’s basketball moved their games back to the campus with the opening of a new facility. Sacred Heart was playing its hockey games in Bridgeport but moved back to its new campus arena in January of 2023. The upcoming event calendar shows not much other than Islanders games. The arena does host The Harlem Globetrotters, Disney on Ice, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, and occasional concerts and comedy shows.
The Islanders, who play in the Atlantic Division, have struggled to make the playoffs recently (last appearance 2019) and have not made a run at the Calder Cup since their inaugural season of 2001-2002 when they lost to the Chicago Wolves in five games.
Food & Beverage 4
On opening night, the Islanders, in partnership with Sodexo Live! and Total Mortgage Arena, released eight brand-new food items, including bacon cheddar tater tots, boneless wings, fried Oreos, and Crumbl cookies.
There is plenty of traditional fare to choose from including pizza, chicken fingers, hot dogs, french fries, nachos, and churros. The portable food carts are welcome and keep wait times to a minimum.
Coca-Cola products are the soft drink beverage of choice. The best places to hang out are Fanatics Sportsbook and the Mason’s Bar. Fanatics has a multitude of screens showing games from around the country. The bar is cashless serves a multitude of beers and high-end cocktails and offers betting kiosks. The Sportsbook is open every day from 11:30 AM to 10 PM. Mason's is located on the third floor above section 102 and offers a variety of beers, canned cocktails, wine, and spirits. It also has televisions for watching sports.
Atmosphere 3
The atmosphere was tough to completely evaluate as this visit was on a Wednesday night.
There were fewer attempts to engage the crowd, most likely due to the small crowd, although the fans always get fired up for the T-shirt toss.
The huge HD Scoreboard is crystal clear and the sound system is solid. Storm, the team’s mascot, roams around the arena and will always stop for a selfie. The Islanders enforce a “puck in play policy” that fans cannot enter the seating area while the game is in progress. That rule seems a bit overzealous due to the small crowd size.
The must-see attraction for families is the inflatables and games at the atrium including a chance to shoot at a small goal, a connect four game, and two corn hole setups. The team store is situated adjacent to the game area.
The arena has 33 executive suites, 1,300 club seats, and 3 hospitality suites.
Neighborhood 3
The downtown area can be a bit desolate at night but strides have been made to revitalize the area. The Ballpark at Harbor Yard was situated next to Total Mortgage Arena until 2017 but when its tenant (Bridgeport Bluefish) ceased operations the ballpark was converted to a concert venue known as Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater which opened July 28, 2021.
Downtown Bridgeport proper is located on the other side of Interstate 95. The area is home to many of the city’s arts, entertainment, and cultural offerings including the Bijou Theatre, BPT Creates, Downtown Cabaret, Stress Factory Comedy Club, City Lights Gallery, the Barnum Museum, and the Housatonic Museum of Art.
In addition to the businesses, restaurant options include Ralph N Rich’s (a four-minute walk) offering Italian food, and Brewport, a large brewpub serving brick oven pizza and quality craft beers just an eight-minute walk.
Fans 2
The arena used to draw decent weekend crowds but numbers have fallen a bit in the past few years. On the positive side, the Islanders are averaging 3,577 per game which is seventh lowest in the league but better than the 3,167 mark from last season. Bridgeport regularly ranks near the bottom of the AHL rankings in terms of attendance. The Islanders have been averaging over 4,000 fans for Saturday night games this season.
The team relies heavily on local towns and school outings to bring in bigger crowds. Hopefully, the crowds increase once the holiday season is over. The team might need to increase its ground game and promote better to the local communities. The Islanders, led by Storm, often visit local schools, libraries, and town events to enhance their visibility which leads to more group outings at Total Mortgage Arena.
Access 5
The arena is super accessible situated right off Interstate 95. From the North take exit 27B toward Harbor Yard/L.I. Ferry/Trans Center. From the South take exit 27, come down the ramp, and follow the signs for a block to the arena. Parking is available in a surface lot across the street from the arena or in a parking garage next to the arena. Those looking for free parking can find on-street parking within a short walk of the arena. The area around the arena is well-lit and safe.
The city is located 60 miles northeast of New York City, an hour’s drive south of Hartford, and 20 minutes from New Haven. Amtrak’s northeast corridor trains pass directly behind the arena, with the station only a couple of city blocks from the arena.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for Islanders games start at $21.50 for end zone seats and progress to a high of $76 for first-row seats on the sides. Bar Stool seats behind the goal run from $33-$45. One tip, Sections 114-116 behind the benches have padded seats. With the small crowds present at Total Mortgage Arena, it’s possible to spread out and move around a bit.
Family packs offer an affordable night of entertainment including pre-game festivities, in-game promotions, and hockey. Packages start as low as $99. And includes four seats, four hot dogs, and four fountain drinks.
Parking costs $17 in the garage adjacent to the arena and the two lots a block away. The garage and outdoor lots are cashless, but the transit garage is cash-only. There is free on-street parking available, but fans need to arrive early to get those spots. Concessions are a bit on the high side but in line with other venues in the New York City area.
Extras 2
One point is for the Bar Stool sitting behind the goal that the Islanders defend twice. The elevated view is perfect and offers a private location with only three rows in one section and one row in the other two.
The other point is for $2 Wednesdays. Hot dogs, cans of beer, and popcorn are all $2 each until the start of the second period.
Final Thoughts
A Bridgeport Islanders game is a worthy night of entertainment for everyone. The only issue is getting more people to know about it and into the building.
Comments