MVP Arena

The MVP Arena is a large multi-purpose arena in Albany, New York. The arena opened in 1990 as Knickerbocker Arena. It has a capacity of overall capacity of 17,500 and 14,236 for ice hockey.
The arena was opened on January 30, 1990, as the Knickerbocker Arena with a performance by Frank Sinatra.
The naming rights of the arena were sold to Pepsi in 1997 and it was known as Pepsi Arena from 1997 to 2006. In May 2006, the naming rights were sold to the Times Union, a regional newspaper, and the name of the arena became the Times Union Center on January 1, 2007. In October 2021, the Times Union relinquished naming rights. On November 15, 2021, it was announced that health care provider MVP Health Services had successfully acquired the naming rights. The Times Union, which is the largest newspaper for the Albany area, had declined to renew its naming rights, leading to the MVP Arena's renaming. The new name took effect on January 1, 2022.
In 1992, Knickerbocker Arena hosted the Frozen Four for the first time. In 1994 and 1996, the arena was the site of the East Regional. The naming rights were sold to Pepsi in 1997 and the building was renamed Pepsi Arena. As Pepsi Arena, the building hosted the 1998, 2000, 2004, and 2006 East Regionals, and the 2001 Frozen Four.
The naming rights were sold again, this time to the Albany Times Union newspaper, and the arena became the Times Union Center in 2007. It is slated to host the 2008 and 2010 East Regionals. Each of these NCAA events have been hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The Capital Skates Classic, a short-lived rivalry series between Rensselaer and Union was played at Pepsi Arena in 1996 and 1997. The series was then moved to Glens Falls, New York before being discontinued three years later.
In 1999, the ECAC/Crowne Plaza Faceoff Classic was played at Pepsi Arena. The participants were Rensselaer, Boston University, Quinnipiac, and Niagara. The four games were pre-determined and served as a college hockey showcase event for the Capital District.
In 2003, Pepsi Arena became the annual venue for the ECAC Hockey League's Final Four tournament, replacing 1980 Olympic Arena in Lake Placid.
==Professional Hockey==
The arena was home to the American Hockey League from 1993, when the Albany River Rats became the building's primary tenant until 2017. The River Rats won the Calder Cup championship in 1994–95.
On April 24, 2008, one of the longest games in the history of the American Hockey League took place at the arena. Ryan Potulny scored the winning goal for the Philadelphia Phantoms at 2:58 of the fifth overtime period after 142 minutes and 58 seconds of hockey, played over 5 hours and 38 minutes. In the process, River Rats goaltender Michael Leighton set a modern-day record by making 98 saves.
Following the River Rats' relocation to Charlotte, N.C., in 2010, the Albany Devils began play in the AHL.
It was announced on January 31, 2017, that the Devils would relocate to Binghamton following the completion of the 2016–17 season ending 24 years of AHL hockey in the arena. At the time of the relocation, the Devils were drawing the lowest average attendance in the league.
Category:Neutral Site Rinks
Category:Frozen Four Venues
Category:Indoor ice hockey venues in New York