
### _[26 IN 26 STOP 4](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on February 7, 2026._

The Brooklyn Nets.

On the one hand, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Nets despite the whole “moving from New Jersey” thing. Their two NBA Finals runs were when I was just starting to get into sports, and I can remember going to several Nets games - including Shaquille O’Neal’s debut with the Miami Heat (which I am 90% certain was the last NBA game I attended before this one). On the other hand...**THE TRADE**.

I could probably go on and on about just how wild the last decade or so has been for the Nets because inasmuch as I think I like the Nets, I absolutely LOVE just how stupid **THE TRADE** ended up becoming for the franchise. For those who don’t know, let me tell you a little bit about the Nets’ history (this may or may not be short):

Founded in 1967, the Nets were originally a member of the American Basketball Association - a "rival" to the NBA in the 1960s and 70s (like the AFL for the NFL or the WHA for the NHL). In 1976, the ABA merged with the NBA, and the Nets joined the NBA along with three other teams (the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs).

The Nets were somewhat nomadic in their ABA and early NBA days - moving from arena to arena in the New York area before eventually settling into an arena in the Meadowlands Sports Complex (where the Giants and Jets currently play). For the most part, they weren't all that successful in the NBA (though they did win two ABA titles), but there was a brief period in the early 2000s where they made back-to-back NBA Finals (but lost both).

In 2004, a real estate investor bought the team and announced plans to relocate them to Brooklyn, NY; however, funding issues plagued the proposed move (which made children like me hopeful they could stay in Jersey). Unfortunately for New Jersey, said funding issues were resolved when a wealthy Russian businessman bought the team in 2009 and provided funding for the construction of the arena. The Nets played a few final "lame duck" seasons at [the Prudential Center in Newark](2025-08-28_nysirens), then made the move to Brooklyn in 2012 - becoming the first "Major League" team in the borough since the departure of the Dodgers.

In their first year in Brooklyn, the Nets decided to suddenly be aggressive in terms of acquiring star talent from around the NBA (because OF FREAKIN' COURSE THEY DID)[^1]. This push saw them go from one of the worst teams in the NBA to the fourth best team in the Eastern Conference, but the team fell in the first round of the playoffs. In the wake of that playoff exit, management decided to continue to be aggressive in trying to win a title in the short term - thus...

## THE TRADE.

The Nets sent a handful of “lesser” players and several draft picks to the Boston Celtics (i.e. my hometown NBA team) in exchange for the Celtics’ best players - who had won a championship in 2008 and SHOULD’VE won a second two years later (grumble grumble). The belief now was that the Nets had the pieces to deal with the NBA’s “megavillains” at the time: LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

It didn’t work. Despite the Nets making the playoffs the first two years after the trade, they never made it to the Eastern Conference Finals (and actually won FEWER games each passing year). The players they got from the Celtics didn’t last long either; a large part of that being the fact that they were WELL past their primes (i.e. north of 35) while the core pieces of the aforementioned Heat (i.e. LeBron) hadn't reached 30 yet. In addition, the team was unable to add the pieces that were going to be necessary in order to sustain the team for ANY length of time - short or long.

By 2015, many of the players who made those first three years in Brooklyn successful were gone, and the team sank like a rock in the standings. They spent a few years languishing near the bottom of the NBA, but instead of being able to get young players to develop through the draft...the picks they traded to the Celtics were due. Not only had the Nets torched their own chances at a rebuild, they ended up giving the Celtics - who were on the rise at the time - access to the best players coming out of college, who did in fact become stars (something that is definitely deserving of more discussion - maybe if I visit the Sixers one day).

After several years of watching the Celtics rise to the upper echelons of the NBA with players who probably should’ve been Nets, the team chose once again to try and land marquee players - and they did! Heck, they even got a star FROM THE CELTICS who they had acquired using one of the Nets’ picks (IYKYK, but I sure as heck ain't saying who). Those marquee players got the team within literal inches of the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since moving to Brooklyn, but came up just short[^2]. In the wake of that near miss...the team imploded again.

Now, the Nets are basically in full rebuild mode - trying to develop a young team to lead the franchise towards consistency and...losing a lot. They're at or near the bottom of several statistical categories in the league, and are currently the only team in the NBA with more than 10 sub-100 point games in the "anything less than 100 is AWFUL" NBA (which includes them posting the two lowest scores this season). With that territory, however, comes relatively inexpensive tickets[^3]; when I looked at the Nets’ schedule for 2025-26, this was the only afternoon game I could find that seemed doable for me, so I decided to go for it.

Part of the reason _this_ game was so cheap: it's against the Washington Wizards - another one of the East's bottom feeders (case in point: I went to the NBA Store in Midtown Manhattan about a month before this game and couldn't find any Nets OR Wizards jerseys). However, about a month before this game (and after my visit to the NBA Store), the Wizards shocked the NBA by acquiring one of the league's higher profile players, then subsequently added another well known name a few days before this game. However...neither of those guys played.

Anyway, now that I've discussed all of THAT, let's move on and actually start talking about the game/building itself. As mentioned earlier, Barclays Center has been the home of the Nets since they moved to Brooklyn back in 2012; in 2021, the New York Liberty (officially) moved in since the team was sold to Nets ownership a few years prior[^4]. It's also a fairly important building for the NBA as a whole - being the host of the NBA Draft each year since 2013 (except for 2020 when the draft was remote because of COVID). As a side note, I saw some parking options when I got my ticket and they were kinda expensive (partially due to city parking prices); however, the arena is right next to the subway PLUS a commuter rail terminal, so I assume a lot of people (myself included) are more likely to arrive by train rather than car[^5].

The arena features two concourses that both fully encircle the court. The main entrance (which faces a subway entrance) is at one of the ends of the court, and from what I could tell, a few luxury seats plus an area where the YES Network (which airs Nets games) does their desk segments (i.e. pregame and postgame).

The far end of the lower concourse as well as both ends of the upper concourse feature bar areas where fans can more easily watch the game with a drink in hand. I didn't really check these out too much, as I did something I rarely seem to do on this blog: spend most of the game in my seat. Also, the upper concourse only has concessions/merch on the "sides" of the court and basically nothing outside of bathrooms in the corners - and it also feels a bit narrow/cramped. One thing I must admit, however, is that even though I was in the upper deck, I REALLY liked this view:

![A view of Barclays Center from the upper deck](/images/2026/0207-arena.jpeg)

As for the game itself...

For a team as bad as the Nets, the crowd seemed rather decent. There were quite a lot of fans for this game, and they were cheering the Nets/booing every Wizards free throw throughout the game (and also banging thundersticks which were given out around half time).

I do not want to get into the idea of tanking here - i.e. trying to lose games to improve draft position. Fans don't like the idea of intentionally losing games (a Wizards fan in my row admitted as much), and there's an element of "rigging" involved which should - ESPECIALLY in the era of prop bets (i.e. betting on a player to reach certain statistical thresholds).

HOWEVER...

It's a bit difficult to gauge whether or not "tanking" is involved when the Wizards DELIBERATELY nerfed their own roster to HELL and trailed by 33 at half time, yet the Nets "only" won by 14 points - though that may just be due to these being two of the worst teams in the NBA...

Also, I found out that the NBA's shot clock features a secondary clock for timeouts to inform everyone of how much time is left before play is to resume - something I've never seen before and REALLY like (as I've tried to time breaks in the action for other sports in the past year).

![An image of the shot clock, which features a secondary clock for timeouts](/images/2026/0207-shotclock.jpeg)

### MERCH

I visited the arena's main store [one day last fall](2025-09-01_bkncyclones2); it was during the Liberty's season, so they were the "main team" at the time (but I didn't end up buying anything). I personally found it to be a bit on the small side and kinda hard to navigate, as the racks made the aisles fairly narrow (and the thing with this visit was that I was the only person browsing). One thing I did not remember from that last visit that I wish I did, however, was THIS:

![An image of a support beam blocking an aisle in the Barclays Center team store](/images/2026/0207-support.jpeg)

<figcaption>Not something you want to deal with in a crowded store</figcaption>

At this game, I was a little surprised to find that there were only five other merchandise areas in the arena: one just inside the main entrance, two on the upper concourse, a kids area, and what I can only describe as a "high end street wear" kiosk.

I've mentioned my relative lack of interest in basketball jerseys on this blog in the past, but one thing that irks me more than anything else: heat pressed/glued letters and numbers (which most replica jerseys nowadays feature in the NBA/MLB/NFL/NHL[^6]). I do feel like they LOOK a bit better than the old material (i.e. ironed-on rubber that fades after several turns through the laundry), but I always worry that they're going to fall off after a couple of washes, and once that happens the jersey is basically ruined (especially if you don't wash the jersey "the right way").

NBA "Authentic" jerseys do feature stitching, but I could not find ANY authentics at the team store. Maybe it's due to the Nets being, well, rather obscure, but while I did THINK about getting a jersey, I ended up not due to the heat pressed details plus the base material feeling "not right".

Also, I'm not sure where to mention this, but there was a VERY short lived mac and cheese spot here back when I was in college. I know this because I passed by it a few times when I was trying to see the team store back in the day (it was never open though), as their original location was right by my school[^7].

---

[^1]: Obligatory "\_\_\_\_ John Fisher" goes here - we'll see if he ever gets the A's to Vegas...

[^2]: Okay, so they didn’t actually make it to the Eastern Conference Finals that time, but had they made it there, there was little stopping them from getting to - and then likely winning - the Finals. Also, FWIW, the Nets have a perfect Eastern Conference Finals record - interpret that how you will.

[^3]: So...this isn't entirely true. Some games cost WAY MORE to get into - an issue [I wrote about last year](2025-09-12_onthefuture).

[^4]: The building also hosted the New York Islanders for a few years, but no one wants to relive the Barclays Center Hockey Experience...also, I'd like to see the Islanders someday, but I've heard that getting to their arena is a bit of a pain.

[^5]: NJ Transit decided to NJ Transit REAL hard (read: a downed tree causing 45 minute delays), so I ended up driving all the way to Jersey City and taking the PATH from there.

[^6]: I don't have as much "experience" with NHL replicas since 2017, but a lot of the replicas I've bought from before then do feature glued on logos. Conversely, MLB replicas up until about the mid 2010s were usually stitched, but I THINK they switched BEFORE Nike took over in 2020 - as evidenced by a few MLB replicas I've seen.

[^7]: RIP Elbow Room - you got me through so many days when I had night classes, but once the prices jumped to "probably out of reach for broke college students" a semester after they opened...


The NBA's Bad Boys - as in THESE TEAMS ARE TERRIBLE

Brooklyn Nets (National Basketball Association) @ Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 3](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on January 24, 2026._

The NBA G League: where NBA dreams go to...I’m honestly not sure how to finish this.

Unlike baseball and hockey, the NBA has only one “official” minor league: the G League. It's a rather "recent" development for the NBA: founded in 2001 as the National Basketball Developmental League (NBDL), it was renamed to the NBA Development League (or D-League) in 2005, then became the G League after a sponsorship deal with Gatorade, making it the first league in the United States to bear the name of a sponsor (and one of very few leagues in the United States to be named after a sponsor[^1]). Similar to the AHL, it is RARE for guys to end up becoming NBA mainstays from the G League; in fact, at least two infamous draft busts have ended up in the league - a move that all but killed their NBA careers.

Originally, teams in the league were independently owned and “affiliated” with NBA teams similar to how MLB/NHL teams are affiliated with minor league teams. However, as part of an initiative by the NBA to make the league more akin to other sports, NBA teams started setting up their own operations in the D-League, with many teams outright buying their affiliates (and in many cases moving them). Now, all but two NBA teams (the Nuggets and Rockets) own their G League affiliate (many of whom are either named after the parent team or in the same city), and there's also an "extra team" in Mexico City which lacks any NBA affiliation (meaning that the G League has 31 teams versus the NBA's 30)[^2]. With that in mind, let’s focus on the team at hand: the Westchester Knicks.

Established in 2014 when the New York Knicks entered the G League via expansion (i.e. not a relocation of another team), the Westchester Knicks have some kinda random titles that I don’t fully understand because for some reason, the G League has a bunch of tournaments besides the main championship series (though something to keep in mind with “minor league” teams: championships aren’t exactly a “goal to be strived for”). What is easier for me to discuss, however, is their home: the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY.

![An image of the Westchester County Center](/images/2026/20260124-outside.jpeg)

The third oldest arena in the G League, the Westchester County Center was opened in 1930 - sixteen years before the NBA was founded. It’s hosted a LOT of things in the almost 100 years since it opened - I won’t get into all of them, but one that is relevant to the Knicks is that the New York Liberty played their final year as the Knicks’ WNBA sister team here before being sold to Nets ownership (and then played a second year in Westchester before moving to Brooklyn). There are at least eight "meeting rooms" and a smaller theater area within the building, but I didn't even bother trying to access any of them during the game (I think they were used for "behind the scenes things"), so I'll focus purely on the main event space.

The layout here is, to be fully honest, actually kinda interesting: there isn't exactly a "seating bowl" here as the venue is basically an auditorium which is converted for basketball use, and there are VERY FEW lower level seats; only one side of the court has more than one row of seats, and the rest seems to be premium seating - including the stage. Most of the "standard" seats, then, are in the balcony, and as a theater, they're a bit more "luxurious" that what you'd expect from upper deck seating (being quite padded). One MAJOR drawback of sitting up here, however: you don't get to see the full court from pretty much anywhere, but it's more pronounced if you're sitting at the end (which is probably why those are the least expensive tickets).

Thanks to the building's many uses, there's no center hung board here. Instead, there are three massive screens here; two on the stage end show the action/replays, while one above the entrance acts as the main scoreboard. There was also a television in the lobby showing the game, but the feed was INCREDIBLY choppy. Both floor level and balcony level have their own concession stands (pretty much in the same spot), and similar to [Maimonides Park](2025-08-09_bkncyclones), it's "branded" as Nathan's Famous. I ended up getting things from both stands at various points during the game, and the line for the upper stand was notably longer than the lower stand (and from what I heard, it seems like this was the case throughout the night).

![An image of the interior of the Westchester County Center](/images/2026/20260124-inside.jpeg)

<figcaption>It's a little hard to see in this image, but the near baseline is impossible to see from this vantage point - thus, you end up missing a lot of corner threes</figcaption>

One thing to think about if you want to come here: there’s parking lots for the building as it's operated by Westchester County's parks department (and is right next to the Bronx River Parkway), but it costs $15 to park in them for games (which is almost the same as the ticket prices)[^3]. There is street parking available nearby, but I've heard not-so-great things about White Plains, so I wasn't sure about that (plus it's a total crapshoot if you actually manage to get a spot, and you have to cross a busy street to get to the arena).

This trip has been "yanked around" my calendar quite a bit. For starters, it was always more likely that I'd come here rather than trying to get into a New York Knicks game thanks to the NBA Knicks being one of the better teams in the league (plus Madison Square Garden being, well, Madison Square Garden)\*. When I first looked at the Westchester Knicks' schedule near the end of 2025 (i.e. when I first thought about coming here), I saw a game on New Years Day - one I almost went to until ultimately deciding against it (partially due to plans I had the next day plus the fact that [I had been somewhere a few days prior](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens)). I then thought about going on January 9 due to a potential conflict with the [Bridgeport Islanders](2026-01-12_bptislanders) game I had planned to go to that weekend, but then that got resolved and I was able to go to the Islanders game[^4], so I decided not to go then. I did look at other dates, but ultimately ended up landing on this one - partially as my intended game for today got cancelled (in fact, I ended up getting a ticket at the door which saved me a bit of money because Ticketmaster).

To be honest, I realized something: I don't know how I feel about the NBA/the live basketball experience. I realize that might be a bit controversial, but like I said [the first time basketball was on this blog](2025-11-25_rubasketball_womens), it's a little hard to get excited about individual baskets when SO MANY of them happen during a game (unlike other sports). This game...did not do much to help move the needle: I kinda liked the "vibes" of the arena (minus the obstructed views from the balcony), but the Knicks got blown out by their opponents thanks to a combination of the opponent hitting over 50% of their shots plus the Knicks not being able to handle the ball very well (though that may just be a G League thing...); also, both teams got to 100 points because OF COURSE.

One last thing I want to mention: the G League is also where the NBA tests out potential rule changes (Minor League Baseball does this too for baseball, but i'm not sure if the AHL and ECHL do this for hockey). The most notable one (at least in the context of this game) is the "one free throw" rule: in instances where a player would shoot multiple free throws (i.e. getting fouled while shooting), the player instead shoots one free throw that, if made, scores however many points the shot would have made (for example, if someone was fouled while shooting a three, the one free throw they take would count for THREE points). There's a bit more to this rule that's kinda hard to explain, but in short: free throws after made baskets (aka "and ones") are still one point, I'm not sure how this would work for technical fouls as one WAS called during the game but the free throw was missed, and this rule does not apply in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime (which has its own unique rules in the G League, though that didn't come up because 21-point margin)[^5]. I think this helped shorten the game a bit, as it ended sometime around 9:15 PM (I was expecting to be out MUCH later than I was, which helps because we're getting buried in snow right now).

(And if you’re wondering about the Nets’ G League team, they’re at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. That’s a bit too far for me I think...)

### MERCH

I’m not sure if it’s surprising or not that G League teams sell merchandise - after all, it is a way to connect fans to the team (and also something they can get signed after games).

What isn’t super surprising, however, is the fact that said merchandise...is okay at best. At the game, it's sold at a table near the entrance of the auditorium (i.e. NOT in the lobby), and it's mainly a fairly limited selection of hats, shirts, and a few novelties (by which I mean only three: a mini basketball, a teddy bear, and a rally towel). I did see a photo somewhere online of the merch table having jerseys, but none were available at the game I went to.

I personally found that a number of the items felt like they were overpriced, but one thing to note: it seems that unlike other fan amenities here, the merch table is controlled by Madison Square Garden Sports (AKA the controlling company that owns the Knicks). They use MSG bags if you choose to get one (I didn't), and thanks to the company's relationship with Chase Bank, you can get a small discount if you use a Chase debit or credit card when you buy things.

---

\*As a small side note, St. John's men's basketball also plays at MSG (plus one specific women's game); there's a game in a few weeks that I am thinking about going to (either that or the women's game), but tickets are surprisingly pricey because MSG (and also probably Rick Pitino[^6]).

---

[^1]: The only other league I can think of is the Gainbridge Super League - a women's soccer league [I saw once](2025-11-09_bkfc_womens).

[^2]: Fun fact: there’s a “San Diego Clippers” currently in the G League - if you know basketball history, then you’ll know why that is SUPER ironic...

[^3]: I had read online that they were cash only (and I did pay cash), but it seemed like they could have taken card.

[^4]: It's a good thing I went to that game, as a few days before this was posted, the rumored move to Canada was seemingly confirmed.

[^5]: Another rule that came up: both teams get two challenges a game, and to challenge a call requires using a timeout - irregardless of whether or not the challenge is successful (i.e. winning a challenge does not "return" your timeout).

[^6]: Personal story time!<br>When Pitino was coaching Louisville, they had a practice in my high school's gymnasium during my senior year - I distinctly remember seeing him in sweatpants and thinking it was kinda funny. Louisville ended up losing to Seton Hall that evening, and coupled with another team losing at Seton Hall a few days later, I made a comment that more teams should practice at our high school.<br>_Source: trust me bro aka Facebook posts from when I was in high school (aka when I was EXTRA cringe)._


My first "Minor League Basketball" game

Westchester Knicks (NBA G League) @ Westchester County Center (White Plains, NY)


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 2](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on January 17, 2026._

Before I dive into the specifics of BU's women's hockey team, I should probably give a few details about NCAA women's hockey as a whole (something I probably should've read more about before visiting [Princeton](2025-11-16_princetonhockey#womens)...).

For starters, there wasn't an "official" NCAA women's hockey tournament until 2001. Prior to that, there were a number of schools that had women's hockey teams, but there was no "official" championship until 1997 (a tournament that technically wasn't NCAA sanctioned). Despite being around for about 25 years, the NCAA women's hockey tournament has only been won by five schools: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Ohio State, and Clarkson (a school in Upstate New York); all of them have multiple championships.

Hockey East started its women's conference in 2002, but Boston University wasn't one of its original members. While there was an existing club team for women's hockey, it wasn't until 2005 that the program became a D-I program (and thus joined Hockey East). They haven't won a national championship (again, only five schools have, and all of them are in states that touch the Great Lakes), but they have been to the national championship game twice - which is the same amount of finals as the rest of Hockey East combined[^1]. The school also doesn't have a Patty Kazmaier Award winner (the award for the best player in women's college hockey) despite having Marie-Philip Poulin - widely regarded as one of the best players in women's hockey today - as an alum[^2]. What they do have, however, is an arena all to themselves: Walter Brown Arena.

![An image](/images/2026/20260117-wba.jpeg)

Walter Brown Arena opened in 1971, and is named after the original owner of the Boston Celtics (who retired the number 1 in honor of him). When it opened, [Boston University's men's hockey team](2025-10-04_buhockey_mens) moved in from what eventually became [Matthews Arena](2025-11-30_northeasternhockey_mens), and played here until they “outgrew” the just under 4,000 seats of the arena and moved (again) to Agganis Arena (where they play now). Coincidentally, the move occurred right when the women's team became a D-I program, so they basically got an arena all to themselves - something which is quite rare in D-I women’s hockey (case in point: it’s the only “women’s only” arena in Hockey East). Part of the reason the women got Walter Brown: it's part of an athletics complex which includes the school's basketball arena (which is on the top floor of the complex - leading to its nickname of "The Roof"). Also, fun fact: the arena (along with BU's soccer/lacrosse stadium) is on the site of the old Braves Field - where the now-Atlanta Braves played from 1915-1952[^3].

The most notable feature about Walter Brown - especially compared to Agganis - is the lack of end seating: ALL the seats here are along the sides, and the entrances to the arena are on BU's defend twice end. Each section in the arena has a "lower" and "upper" seating area; the "lower" area has individual seats, and the "upper" area is bench seating. The end with the entrance also has a lot of standing room, which in a sense, is fairly similar to the standing area in [Bridgeport](2026-01-12_bptislanders).

Also, old photos of the arena featured an old school electronic scoreboard, but in 2024, the building received massive upgrades - one of them replacing the scoreboard with a modern video board; in fact, the women's team spent half of a season at Agganis to accommodate these renovations. However, the strangest thing I found was in the men's bathroom, where there's a certain machine much, MUCH more likely to be found in a women's bathroom (but also urinals, so it's highly unlikely women are in there that often).

In a lot of ways, it's a minor miracle that this trip occurred AND that it's "_26 in 26_ eligible". I had intended to see the women back in December (along with [one final visit to Matthews](2025-12-13_farewallmatthews)), but ended up being unable to due to a schedule mix up and a vintage market (which I only found out about that morning)[^4]. In addition, I had made other plans for this weekend, but something came up which not only made those plans unfeasible, but opened up THIS opportunity. Tickets are rather inexpensive for hockey IMO, but do be forewarned if you want to come to a game: the Ticketmaster shenanigans are a bit INSANE here...

This is not only the first time I've seen a Hockey East women's conference game, but in addition, it features the conference's sole women's only member: the [College of the Holy Cross](2025-10-21_holycrosshockey_mens) (the men are in Atlantic Hockey America)[^5]. Apparently, the two schools have a rivalry trophy known as the "Turnpike Trophy" due to them being in the Patriot League for other sports; the winner is based on whichever school wins more events against the other across all sports (BU has won it every year its been contested, and it typically isn't close).

To my surprise, there was a band at this game (and only about a dozen other students). However, the crowd seemed a lot more behind Holy Cross, and the Crusaders ended up winning 4-2 - their first win in the Turnpike Trophy series this year. Before moving on, however, I should mention that this is the first college hockey game I've been to since I don't know when where they used the red/green lights behind the goals (the red lights signal that a goal has been scored, and the green lights signal the end of a period/intermission), and this arena also has one of the things I really liked from Agganis: Boston University's patented system for determining which end they're defending each period:

![A photo of a banner that says "GOALIE"](/images/2026/20260117-goalie.jpeg)

<figcaption>hung near the entrance for the first and third periods</figcaption>

![A photo of a banner that says "SIEVE"](/images/2026/20260117-sieve.jpeg)

<figcaption>hung near the entrance for the second period. The reason the scoreboard says "1" is because this was during the intermission between periods.</figcaption>

### MERCH

There were only three open concession stands here: the "main stand" with "regular stadium food", a stand selling alcoholic beverages, and a Dippin' Dots stand, where you could get a novelty ice cream helmet! Here's the thing, however...that helmet was the only "merch" available at the game. There were two closed "stands" in the concourses that looked like they my have sold merchandise back in the day, but neither one was open (and there was one concession stand that was closed).

Of course, if you're looking for Boston University stuff, the bookstore isn't too far: it's basically right across Comm Ave (having moved there from Kenmore Square some time ago) and features a TON of hockey merch since it's BU's top sport. I thought about taking a look at it before the game, but opted not to due to cold and snow (though I've been there quite a bit in the past for jerseys and other stuff). I should mention, however, that I recall seeing things at the men's game I went to in 2023 that I never saw in the bookstore (and I'm not just talking about the media guide).

---

A few final notes on this trip:

1. I wanted to see Northeastern's men here since they were going to be playing a "home game"[^6] the day this was published and it was FREE ADMISSION, but then New England Winter decided to winter REALLY hard...

2. I had thoughts about visiting Providence College since they were home as well, but they were taking on Boston College which, for some odd reason, means WILDLY EXPENSIVE ticket prices[^7]...

---

[^1]: Two schools with one appearance each - coincidentally, those schools are Boston College and Northeastern.

[^2]: Boston College has had two, Northeastern three, and somehow, Harvard is tied for the most winners in the country with SIX.

[^3]: Not-so-fun fact for Clevelandtown baseball fans: Braves Field is where the team clinched its last World Series title...

[^4]: Speaking of vintage markets, I would've gone to one today had this trip not happened!

[^5]: Hockey East has two men's only members: the two UMass schools ([Amherst](2025-10-05_umasshockey) and [Lowell](2025-08-29_bosfleet&umlhockey)).

[^6]: The Huskies are using various arenas as "home" venues for the rest of this season (though oddly, one of the arenas had to back out). BTW, don't ask how things have been going for them since my visit back in November...

[^7]: The lowest price I saw the day before the game was $70!


The Hockey East version of "No Boys Allowed"

Boston University Terriers Women's Hockey (Hockey East) @ Walter Brown Arena (Boston, MA)


### _[26 IN 26 STOP 1](26in26list)_

_\*This trip occurred on January 11, 2026._

_Also, since this is my first trip of the new year, this marks the debut of the "FIRST VISIT" badge - an idea that came from a pin I got at the [Gotham FC](2025-09-08_gothamfc) match I went to last year, though I'm not sure it's my "best" work (visual art isn't exactly my thing)._

If you’re like me, you might be surprised to learn that Bridgeport is the largest city in Connecticut. Approximately 40 miles from the Bronx (aka the edge of New York City), it was a major manufacturing city back in the day, and while that industry has largely died out, it is still a major part of the New York City metropolitan area.

In 2001, the city of Bridgeport, CT received an American Hockey League team: the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. They were successful right out the gate - making the Calder Cup Finals (the AHL’s championship) in their very first year before coming up short (how Vegas of them). Unlike Vegas, however, the Sound Tigers were never able to come close to replicating that success - the furthest they’ve been since that inaugural season is the second round (proper) of the playoffs, and they’ve only been there once: the year after they lost the final.

In 2021, the team rebranded and became the Bridgeport Islanders (they’ve been the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders for their entire history, and were purchased outright by the NHL team in 2004). Since the rebrand...things have not gone well. They’ve been near the bottom of their division pretty much every year (with a random playoff appearance because...sure), have been bottom 5 in the AHL in attendance each year (though the decline began before the rebrand), and in 2024-25, they had their worst season to date - winning only 15 games overall while setting the mark for fewest home wins in a season for an AHL team. In addition, in the summer of 2025, rumors began circulating about a potential move to Hamilton, Ontario - where a newly renovated arena that ALMOST got an NHL team back in the day seeks a "prime" tenant (because as popular as the Toronto Rock may be, it's hard to consider the NLL a "marquee" draw)[^1].

When I started thinking about making this trip, I wasn’t super sure about it: it’s around an hour and a half from me, and I’ve heard that Bridgeport isn’t exactly the best place around (like a lot of former manufacturing places)[^2]. With the rumors about the move, however, I figured that if I didn’t do it SOON, it may never happen. Thankfully, they had a decent amount of Sunday games available (i.e. the only day of the week teams play in the afternoon), and they all started at 3, so I figured this would be worth a go. Originally, I had planned for this trip to occur back in 2025, but then I decided to push it back to 2026 around the time I started planning for the _26 in 26_ challenge (among other reasons). Strangely enough, this is actually my first ever AHL regular season game; I've been to two other AHL games before, but both were preseason games (one in Providence prior to starting this blog which I didn't write about, and one in the [Lehigh Valley](2025-10-06_lhvphantoms)).

Since attendance has, as mentioned earlier, been on the lighter side, I decided to "try my luck" at the arena box office with pricing (i.e. see if I could avoid Ticketmaster shenanigans), and I got a standing room only ticket for less than I would have buying it online (I'll discuss the SRO section more in a bit). I also had SOME thoughts about trying to find street parking since this game was on a Sunday, but I was SUPER unsure about safety, so I opted to just play it safe and park in the arena lot (though it is quite pricey; I later found another lot in the area but further from the arena that wanted EVEN MORE).

Total Mortgage Arena (what a name) opened with the team’s debut in 2001. Originally just "The Arena at Harbor Yard", the arena is located near an outdoor music amphitheater which used to be a baseball stadium (at Harbor Yard)[^3]. In addition to the AHL franchise, it also hosted a few seasons of [Sacred Heart Pioneers hockey](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens), SOME [New York Sirens](2025-08-27_nysirens) in their first year (i.e. before they moved full time to New Jersey), several basketball teams/programs, a pro wrestling event or two (since WWE's headquarters is 22 miles away in Stamford), a few NHL preseason games, and was also the original home for Connecticut Ice - a college hockey tournament between the state's four college hockey programs (UConn, Yale, Quinnipiac, and the aforementioned Sacred Heart).

In what I think is a first for indoor arenas on this blog, the main concourse is at floor level (i.e. the same level as the ice)[^4]; therefore, there are limited views of the ice from the concourse. In addition, it doesn't wrap fully around the seating area; I THINK the part that's "cut off" is where the teams' dressing rooms and zamboni garage are. The top of the seating bowl does feature a walkway to get around, but awkwardly, the only way to access it (generally) is from the seats (i.e. it's difficult to get to from the concourse - a situation made even more awkward by ushers blocking you from accessing the seats while the puck is in play). In addition, there's only three things going on here: A bar area in one corner, the press box on one side blocking "full 360" access, and a drinks cart in the standing room section I bought my ticket in. While it's called the "party zone", there's really not much of a party going on here...but you do get THIS actually pretty neat view of the ice:

![A view of Total Mortgage Arena](/images/2026/20260111-arenaview.jpeg)

The good news for the Bridgeport Islanders: the night before this game, they recorded their fifth home win of the season - one more than their total (4) from ALL OF LAST SEASON (which, again, was a league record for fewest home wins). The better news: a third period stretch of three goals in just over two minutes helped the team add win six against probably their biggest rivals (who they were tied at the bottom of their division with): the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers - only making things more intense). While it's difficult to gauge how much the crowd was getting into the game (partially because despite the reported attendance being close to 6,000, there were still a lot of empty seats), there was a fight during the game, which is always a crowd pleaser - for better or worse (and also signifies the "rivalry" aspect of this game).

Also, something I find kinda interesting: the Bridgeport Islanders use the same sequence of sounds that the New York Islanders use when they score - almost. For a few years (seemingly ever since they became the Islanders), they were using the same horn as the NHL team (or at least a recording of it), but this year, they're using a recording of their original goal horn (which sounds closer to the Buffalo Sabres IMO).

### MERCH

Before I continue, I should mention that I once bought a Bridgeport Sound Tigers puck in a somewhat unusual place: Worcester, MA! The team there (the Worcester Railers) is currently the ECHL affiliate of the Islanders, and I visited their team store one day and they had Sound Tigers pucks for some reason![^5]

Anyway, merchandise is tucked into one of the corners of the arena (i.e. one of the ends of the "horseshoe" that is the concourse) - though I saw a photo of them putting a merchandise booth on the arena floor for a preseason event for season ticket holders. In honor of the fact that the current Bridgeport Islanders logo is based on the parent team's infamous "fisherman" logo from the 1990s, the store is called the "Bait Shop".

![An image of the team store's name: "Bait Shop"](/images/2026/20260111-teamstore.jpeg)

<figcaption>Do they sell tackle (or grapple)?</figcaption>

While most of the things you find here don't stray too far from what you'd expect at a hockey game (though the Islanders do sell game worn jerseys[^6]), I should mention that the team is celebrating its 25th year in Bridgeport by bringing back the Sound Tigers identity for a few games (read: games where the team wears Sound Tigers jerseys). As such, they had a number of Sound Tigers items - including a "signing board": a piece of (what I think was) plastic in the shape of a jersey with the Sound Tigers logo on it. I bring this up because the team signed autographs after the game (something I later found out only happens three times this season - this being the second time), and I considered getting one of these for the guys to sign...

...but why get the board when YOU CAN JUST GET THE JERSEY AND HAVE THE TEAM SIGN THAT?

![A photo of a Bridgeport Sound Tigers jersey signed by the team](/images/2026/20260111-signedjersey.jpeg)

<figcaption>Don't ask me who's who because I don't remember...</figcaption>

Totally worth the hour I spent standing in line - partially because it influenced my decision to try the nearby pizza place afterwards (since it was almost 7:00 PM by that point).

---

[^1]: It also doesn't help that there's currently no hockey team due to the renovations forcing the team that was playing there to relocate - and then said team liking their new home.

[^2]: Sadly, Bridgeport's decline has apparently "spread" to its suburbs: there's a mall in the area I thought about going to prior to the Sacred Heart game as it's a mile away from the school, but if me (slightly) misjudging traffic hadn't stopped me from visiting, the fact that <a href="https://www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/article/trumbull-mall-shooting-friday-fight-21263246.php" target="blank">SOMEONE SHOT A GUN THERE A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE GAME</a> did...

[^3]: I won’t get too deep into the tragedy of the Bridgeport Bluefish, but they were a founding member of the Atlantic League who folded after the city declined to renew their lease in 2017. Given that their stadium is no longer usable for sports, a return is not looking likely...

[^4]: The closest comparison to this would be how at [Merrimack](2025-10-10_merrimackhockey_mens), seats are accessed from a walkway around the ice; however, there are far more concession stands here than the singular concession stand in a lobby there.

[^5]: I also went to one of their games back in the day, but didn't write much about it back then (similar to Providence).

[^6]: And in what I can only describe as a "weird situation", they're NOT as heavy/big as the game worn jersey I got from the Providence Bruins - despite that one being NEWER than most of these jerseys.


I visit the Bridgeport Islanders for the first (and very possibly only) time

Bridgeport Islanders (American Hockey League) @ Total Mortgage Arena (Bridgeport, CT)


With 2025 now over and 2026 underway, I figured I'd take one look back at it from the lens of what could have been: these are places/events I would have very much liked to go in 2025, but couldn’t fit in. I've been to all of these before, so they're not going to be part of my _26 in 26_ plan I discussed [yesterday](2026-01-01_26in26), but I may still visit them this year (and do plan on going into more detail if I do).

There are other events I thought about going to last year that didn't happen, but they're potential _26 in 26_ trips, so I'll hold off on discussing them until they either happen or we get to the end of this year without them happening.

### WHITEHOUSE FIELD (HARWICH, MA) - HARWICH MARINERS

I can’t pin down exactly when the Mariners were founded, but they entered the 2025 Cape League season as defending champions (though they lost in the semis).

Whitehouse Field is in the woods next to a high school AND a community center (which means that it’s probably one of the easier parking situations). This is one of the few fields where merchandise is not sold from the press box (concessions are), as it has its merchandise in a stand on the first base side. The Mariners also have an online store, but I haven’t seen any game hats there recently...

I TRIED to come here after the [Chatham game](2025-08-17_chaanglers) to scope their merchandise, but rain/thunderstorms ended the game before I could get here (it’s unlikely they would have been very accommodating of me when they’re trying to pack up).

### NEW BRITAIN STADIUM (NEW BRITAIN, CT) - NEW BRITAIN BEES<br>MUZZY FIELD (BRISTOL, CT) - BRISTOL BLUES

This one’s a bit of a two-fer: while the two stadiums were opened MANY decades apart (Muzzy Field in 1914, New Britain Stadium in 1996), they share one thing in common: they both used to host the team that is now the Hartford Yard Goats.

Both teams were founded in 2015, with Bristol joining the summer collegiate Futures League and New Britain joining the independent Atlantic League (as a replacement for the Rock Cats who had just moved). In 2020, New Britain joined the Futures League, but before fans could experience the excitement that would have been the Bristol-New Britain rivalry, the Blues moved to the New England Collegiate Baseball League (the same year).

I wanted to do a double dip and visit both on the same Sunday, as the two stadiums are fairly close to each other (both being west of Hartford), the game times are decently separated (1:30 and 5:00), and I REALLY liked Muzzy Field when I visited a few years ago. However, it was always going to be complicated logistically, and the only day I could do it was the day after the MLW event, so it ended up having to be cut.

_NOTE: While I could put other summer collegiate teams in here, these three were the only teams I had solid, concrete plans to visit (save for Harwich in some respects)._

### CLOVER STADIUM (POMONA, NY) - NEW YORK BOULDERS (FRONTIER LEAGUE)

I’m not sure what to say about the Boulders: they’ve been around since 2011, won a championship in 2014, and used to be on a super random television channel back in the day. Their stadium is probably one of my favorite independent league stadiums - mainly in that it’s far and away the newest one among the independent league stadiums I’ve been to (having been built in 2011). It’s got a fully walkable concourse, some fun things in the outfield, and even distance markers to get a sense of your walking/running speed!

The thing is, however, that I’ve been here a bunch of times before so when things started to get a little frantic for me, I didn’t feel quite as bad when I ended up having to cut this from my schedule (especially when you consider that there’s a parking fee).

### SKYLANDS STADIUM (AUGUSTA, NJ) - SUSSEX COUNTY MINERS (FRONTIER LEAGUE)

Skylands Stadium has been around since the 90s; it originally hosted a New York-Penn League team, then an independent league team that folded before the current independent league team (i.e. the Miners) were established in 2015.

I kinda think that this is a cool stadium. Yes, it’s a hike to get to and it’s in the middle of basically nothing, but I like the aesthetic of the place plus parking is free. However, for the longest time, the highway leading to here had massive traffic issues due to a sinkhole. That situation has been resolved, and I did plan a somewhat last minute trip here, but it ended up getting shelved.

### USTA BILLIE JEAN KING NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER (NEW YORK, NY) - US OPEN (FAN WEEK)

The US Open is one of the biggest tournaments of the tennis calendar. Every year in late August/early September, the tennis world descends on Queens, NY for the final Grand Slam event of the year.

I went to a day of the tournament back in 2014 with my family, but a lot has changed in the decade since then - namely, ticket prices being prohibitively expensive. However, there are events the week before the tournament starts, and they're open and free to the public.

I was strongly considering coming here for that (plus the fact it's next to Citi Field to check out the New York Mets team store), but had several things going on that week, so I ended up having to miss out.


A look back at some "missed connections" in 2025

Oh, the places you'll want to go to but can't fit


Happy New Year!

When I looked back at what I did in 2025, I realized that I saw these venues for the first time:

1. [(then) Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, PA](2025-08-27_phiwings)
2. [SHI Stadium - Piscataway, NJ](2025-08-26_rulacrosse_mens)
3. [Owen T. Carroll Field - South Orange, NJ](2025-08-25_setonhallbaseball)
4. [ShoreTown Ballpark - Lakewood, NJ](2025-08-08_jsblueclaws)
5. [Maimonides Park - Brooklyn, NY](2025-08-09_bkncyclones)
6. [Heritage Financial Park - Wappingers Falls, NY](2025-08-10_hvrenegades)
7. [Coca-Cola Park - Allentown, PA](2025-08-11_lhvironpigs)
8. [Hinchliffe Stadium - Paterson, NJ](2025-08-12_njjackals)
9. [Yankee Stadium - (The) Bronx, NY](2025-08-13_nycfc)
10. [SIUH Community Park - Staten Island, NY](2025-08-14_siferryhawks)
11. [Trenton Thunder Ballpark - Trenton, NJ](2025-08-15_trethunder)
12. [FirstEnergy Stadium - Reading, PA](2025-08-24_rdgfightinphils)
13. [PNC Field - Moosic, PA](2025-08-18_swbrailriders)
14. [Sports Illustrated Stadium - Harrison, NJ](2025-09-08_gothamfc)
15. [Middletown Sports Complex - Middletown, NJ](2025-09-14_njtitans)
16. [MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field - Montclair, NJ](2025-09-22_rbnyii)
17. [PPL Center - Allentown, PA](2025-10-06_lhvphantoms)
18. [Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium - Princeton, NJ](2025-10-19_princetonsoccer_mens)
19. [Powers Field at Princeton Stadium - Princeton, NJ](2025-11-15_princetonfootball)
20. [Hobey Baker Rink - Princeton, NJ](2025-11-16_princetonhockey)
21. [Jersey Mike's Arena - Piscataway, NJ](2025-11-25_rubasketball_womens)
22. [Jadwin Gymnasium - Princeton, NJ](2025-12-11_princetonbasketball)
23. [Martire Family Arena - Fairfield, CT](2025-12-31_sacredhearthockey_mens)

In addition, I saw these teams/events for the first time (at places I'd been to before):

- [New York Sirens](2025-08-28_nysirens)
- [Boston Fleet](2025-08-29_bosfleet&umlhockey)
- [MLW Wiffle Ball](2025-08-16_mlwwiffleball)
- [Banana Ball](2025-08-23_bananaball1)
- [Brooklyn FC](2025-11-09_bkfc_womens)

That is a surprising amount of new experiences looking back...but today, I want to look forward.

I've decided that my goal for this year is to see action at at least 26 new venues. I do not know what that will look like, but I'd like to try and do it.

I've had this idea for several months now, and it's evolved over time. For example, I was originally going to have it be "teams and/or venues", but in planning some of the games I want to go to in the coming months, I felt that it would be best to limit this to venues as on some level, a new team in an old venue didn't feel "right" to me (case in point: my plans include a few new teams in stadiums I've been to before, so I won't really have much to discuss regarding the venues themselves).

The biggest challenge in trying to do this: I'm running out of places to go. I've seen most of the "major" venues that are close to me already, and the few that I haven't don't quite come close to 26.

That's why I'm thinking a bit BIG for this.

Inasmuch as my big Australia/Japan trip to (finally) watch the AFL and NPB would help this IMMENSELY, I'm not ready for that yet. Of course, whether or not some the "big" plans I have will happen are yet to be seen, but hopefully things do happen (though one trip that will require a flight is already on my docket, and I have STRONG thoughts about a second one).

A list of all the new visits will be available on the main page of this blog soon, and this list will be updated throughout the year to reflect the places I visit (because you already know I'm going to be writing about them). There is a chance I could overshoot this (based on the trips and dates in my calendar/drafts so far), but we'll get more into that if the possibility arises...

P.S.: For any stat nerds out there, I crunched the numbers, and the teams I visited last year finished with a 20-18-1 record. This does not include:

- Any time a team that was featured on this blog appeared as a visiting team (which happened a few times)
- the MLW series or Banana Ball, since I consider those events to be more about the sport/league rather than the teams
- The result of MLS Next Pro's draw/shootout rules with [Red Bull New York II](2025-09-22_rbnyii) - a situation which also happens in college hockey, but one I managed to avoid this year.


Sportventures

Westchester Knicks (1/24/26)

BU Women's Hockey (1/17/26)

Bridgeport Islanders (1/11/26)

Places Unvisited

26 in 26: An Intro