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Historic Matthews Arena, the world’s oldest hockey arena and multi-purpose sports venue, has been a Boston landmark since it opened in 1910. Serving as the one-time home of the Bruins and Celtics, and utilized by the Northeastern Huskies for the last few decades, the venue has been a revolving door of sports history. Sadly, Matthews Arena’s sinking foundation will ultimately spell its demise, with the building slated to be demolished following the 2024-25 winter sports campaign.

From the posh, theater-like main entry to the old metal radiators and quirky stair configurations, step into Matthews Arena and it truly feels like you’ve stepped back in time. The venue is characterized by its beautiful gold trim and ornate archways, remnants of an architectural style from a bygone era. One can’t help but daydream about the fans and players who filled this building a century ago…

Humble Beginnings

Built for the city as a multi-use sports and entertainment venue and known as Boston Arena for over 70 years, the legendary barn on St. Botolph Street has hosted – at one point in time – most of the region’s professional and collegiate sports teams. It was first the home of Harvard hockey, with the Boston College and Boston University teams later taking up residence as well. Several amateur and minor league hockey teams also played at the arena during the mid-20th century, but the most notable tenants were certainly the Boston Bruins and Celtics.

The Pro Sports Era

The very first National Hockey League franchise in the nation, the Bruins ushered in a new era of professional sports when they participated in the first NHL game in the United States at Boston Arena on December 1, 1924, defeating the Montreal Maroons by a 2-1 score. For the next four seasons, the Bruins would continue to play at the arena until moving to the beloved Boston Garden in 1928.

The Celtics, meanwhile, would also play games at Boston Arena for close to a decade in the ’40s and ’50s, splitting time between the historic venue and the Garden. Originally part of the Basketball Association of America, the Celtics would become part of the NBA in 1949. A couple other professional basketball teams also had playing time at the arena, including the ABL’s Boston Whirlwinds and Boston Trojans.

Even the franchise that would become the Carolina Hurricanes played their first-ever games at Boston Arena, competing as the New England Whalers of the WHA. The Whalers would split their inaugural season between the arena and the Boston Garden, playing the next year solely at the Garden before moving to Hartford in 1974. Ultimately, of course, the Whalers would relocate to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1997.

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The Huskies Take Over

Northeastern University purchased Boston Arena in 1979, briefly calling it Northeastern Arena before it was renamed Matthews Arena in 1982 in honor of former Board of Trustees chairman George Matthews. The Huskies basketball and hockey programs – both men’s and women’s – have continuously played here ever since.

Huskies men’s hockey dates back to 1929, and the team has played solely at Matthews for most of its history. The school competed in the ECAC for many years and was a founding member of Hockey East, formed during the team’s glory years in the 1980s, with their pinnacle of success coming in the form of an appearance in the Frozen Four in 1982. Locally, the team has won the Beanpot – an annual tournament between Boston-area universities – a total of nine times, including 5 out of the last 7 years. The men’s basketball squad, meanwhile, was very successful at the Division II level but also made a few runs into the DI tournament in the ’80s, capping a very successful decade for the university.

For hockey, Matthews Arena seats close to 5,000 fans, with the upper deck in the north end often packed to the brim with raucous students who comprise “The Dog House.” A loud and energetic section, it’s clear that the Northeastern students are passionate about their Huskies. If a game goes into overtime, for example, the guys rip off their shirts to shock the opposing team, a unique tradition called “No-Tee OT.”

An Arena in Shambles

Despite surviving two fires and rapid urban development on all sides, Matthews Arena is slowly dying. The ground upon which the arena sits is reclaimed land – like much of downtown Boston is – and the southwest end of the arena is sinking into the soil. In order to help extend the arena’s lifespan, buttresses have been erected to prop up the failing part of the structure and the upper level seats on that side of the building have also been tarped off. Other pieces of the venue are somewhat decrepit, evidence that the historic building is gradually crumbling. Unfortunately, all of these problems are too overwhelming for the university to address, and stopping the arena from sinking is an impossible feat. The only solution is for Matthews Arena to be demolished, which it likely will be in the summer of 2025.

Three age records – all currently held by Matthews Arena – will be split amongst the next venues on each list. The building’s demolition will leave the Portland Exposition Building, home of the G-League’s Maine Celtics, as the world’s oldest arena in continuous use. Hobey Baker Rink at Princeton will become the oldest NCAA hockey venue and Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym will be the oldest NCAA Division I basketball arena.

As of now, the goal is for Matthews to be replaced by a brand-new state-of-the-art arena built on the same site. Plans call for a glass and steel-clad structure that will noticeably stand out in this historic neighborhood. It will truly mark the end of an era not just in the city of Boston, but in all of American sports. As it enters its final weeks, tremendous sadness now surrounds Matthews Arena. Bostonians and sports fans all around the world will be heartbroken to see the demolition of this beloved building, and once it’s gone, there’ll be nothing left but the memories.