Full disclosure: I was born and raised in Jersey and I still live here.

On the heels of me lamenting to Nicole and Liz two weeks ago that the (now) New York Sirens had yet to announce where they’d be playing this fall, the team shared that the Prudential Center will serve as their primary home arena for the 2024-2025 season, which is fantastic news for me, personally!

And even though it's not New York, it's good news for the team, the league and the fans, as well.

The venue announcement praised the “electrifying atmosphere” fans brought to the two games the team played at the downtown Newark, NJ arena last season, one of which drew a season-high home attendance of 5,132. The arena is the home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. 

The team also announced the relocation of their practice facility to Essex County Codey Arena located in West Orange, NJ as part of the South Mountain Recreation Complex. They previously practiced in Stamford, CT, which is about 30 minutes from Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, where the team played four of their 12 home games last season. 

Bringing the team closer to the city for games and practice, as well as putting them in an NHL facility, makes this a massive win. The team split their first season playing home games in three arenas in three different states and they ended the inaugural year with the lowest average attendance - however, their attendance at the two games played at Prudential was nearly double any of their other home games. Giving the Sirens a more permanent home can only help grow their following.

The Prudential Center and the Devils accounts released their coordinated support of the Sirens’ new home. These partnerships are imperative to the Sirens creating a footprint in the greater NYC sports marketplace.

But of course social media was full of people with capital O - Opinions with admonishments that once again, a New York team is playing in New Jersey. There were the suggestions for the Sirens to change their name to "New Jersey," predictable posts dunking on the Devils and some folks acting like this has never before occurred in the history of sports.

If I may, some counterpoints:

  • As far as data-driven decisions, the face that the Sirens hit season-high attendance at Prudential Center last season is a pretty strong, if singular, piece of evidence. It is worth noting, though, that high was reached at one of only two Saturday home games for the team and the other one was played at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY after the team was already eliminated from playoff contention. 
  • Women’s professional hockey has been at (or adjacent to) the venue before. The Metropolitan Riveters–who changed their name from New York to Metropolitan after one season–of the now-dissolved Premier Hockey Federation used the “practice” rink attached to the arena as their home base for three seasons.
  • Partnership opportunities are rich.
  • There are two games unaccounted for with this announcement, as the Sirens will play only 13 of 15 home games at Prudential Center. We don't yet know where those games will be played, but playing a game or two at UBS Arena, might be a great opportunity to appease fans wishing it was the primary venue.
  • We’re only in season two! It’s easy to forget the league and its teams are still trying things out, and they have a pretty good track record of reviewing feedback and taking action.

This is not to say that peeved fans in New York are not valid! Of course, if things were reversed and a New Jersey team decided to play the majority of their games on Long Island, I'd immediately write a column filled with rage. And then I would write another one saying maybe it’s not the end of the world. Maybe.

It would take time for me to reconcile. It will take time for the Sirens to find the right fit. Let’s give them time. 

This announcement has me pumped to see the Sirens this season and I can’t wait to share the evolving in-arena experience!

(Photo: Twitter/New York Sirens)