The MassMutual Center is a multi-purpose arena and convention complex in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, that has served as the city’s sports and entertainment hub since opening as the Springfield Civic Center on September 5, 1972. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company secured naming rights in 2005, giving the venue its current name after a major renovation added a 100,000-square-foot convention center alongside the existing arena.
Today the arena is best known as home ice for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League, but its history runs deeper: the building hosted World Hockey Association games in the late 1970s and even stood in as a temporary home for the NHL’s Hartford Whalers during the 1979-80 season while their own arena underwent repairs. Owned by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and operated by MGM Springfield, the venue continues to host hockey, concerts, and conventions in the heart of the city.
- Carolina Hurricanes played here 1978–1980. See every Hurricanes arena →
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
- Opened: September 5, 1972 (as Springfield Civic Center)
- Renamed: 2005
- Capacity (Hockey): about 6,793
- Capacity (Basketball): about 7,300
- Capacity (Concerts, center stage): up to 7,743
- Team(s): Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL)
- Notable fact: Hosted Hartford Whalers NHL games in 1979-80
A Downtown Fixture Since the 1970s
When it opened in 1972 as the Springfield Civic Center, the arena quickly became a focal point for the city’s downtown, drawing minor-league hockey, college sports, concerts, and even professional wrestling. Its mid-sized capacity made it a natural fit for WHA hockey in the late 1970s, and for one season it took on an unusual role as a temporary NHL venue when the Hartford Whalers needed a stand-in arena during repairs to their own building.
The 2003-2005 renovation modernized the facility and added a dedicated convention center, transforming it from a standalone arena into a combined sports-and-meetings complex. The following year, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company signed a 15-year naming rights deal, and the Springfield Civic Center became the MassMutual Center.
Home of the Thunderbirds
Since 2016, the MassMutual Center has been home to the Springfield Thunderbirds, the American Hockey League affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, who relocated to the city after the Portland Pirates franchise was sold to a Springfield-based ownership group. The American International Yellow Jackets NCAA hockey program also called the arena home from 2016 through 2025.
Owned by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and managed by MGM Springfield since 2017, the venue continues to balance its dual role as both a sports arena and a convention destination for western Massachusetts.
Explore more: Explore more stadiums and arenas.
Team-color face paint in a twist-up stick — no brushes, no mess in the car.
Sized to the NFL's 12x6x12 clear-bag rule. Fits snacks, a jacket and a rally towel.
A see-through purse that looks like a purse. Works for most stadium, arena and concert bag policies.
MassMutual Center FAQs
What was the MassMutual Center called before 2005?
It was known as the Springfield Civic Center from its opening on September 5, 1972, until Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company secured naming rights in 2005.
What is the seating capacity of the MassMutual Center?
The arena seats about 6,793 for hockey and around 7,300 for basketball, with a maximum center-stage concert configuration of 7,743.
Who plays home games at the MassMutual Center?
The Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League, the top affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, have played their home games there since 2016.
Get More from MassMutual Center
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate MassMutual Center, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Photo: John Phelan / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.