Nationwide Arena facts for kids
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Nationwide Arena in 2021
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| Address | 200 West Nationwide Boulevard |
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| Location | Columbus, Ohio, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°58′9.42″N 83°0′22.00″W / 39.9692833°N 83.0061111°W |
| Public transit |  Add→ 3, 6, 8, 9, 72, 74 CoGo |
| Owner | Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority |
| Operator | Columbus Arena Management |
| Capacity | Basketball: 19,500 Concerts: 20,000 Ice hockey: 18,500 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 26, 1998 |
| Opened | September 9, 2000 |
| Construction cost | $175 million ($314 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect |
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| Project manager | Miles-McClellan |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Services engineer | M-E Engineers |
| General contractor | Turner Construction |
| Main contractors | Barton Malow |
| Tenants | |
| Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) (2000–present) Columbus Landsharks (NLL) (2001–2003) Columbus Destroyers (AFL) (2004–2008, 2019) Ohio Junior Blue Jackets (USHL) (2006–2008) Columbus Fury (PVF) (2024–present) |
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Nationwide Arena is a big building in Columbus, Ohio, where many exciting events happen. It's home to the Columbus Blue Jackets, a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). The arena opened in 2000 and is a key part of the city's Arena District.
Besides hockey, Nationwide Arena hosts concerts, basketball games, and other sports events. It's also one of the main places for the annual Arnold Classic, a huge sports and fitness festival.
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A Look Back at Nationwide Arena's History
Nationwide Arena was built in an interesting spot. It's located near where an old prison, the Ohio Penitentiary, used to be. The arena itself sits on what was once the prison's parking lot.
The arena opened its doors in 2000. It quickly became a popular place for sports and entertainment in Columbus.
Important Safety Changes
On March 16, 2002, a sad accident happened during a Blue Jackets game. A 13-year-old fan, Brittanie Cecil, was accidentally hit by a hockey puck that flew into the stands. She passed away two days later.
This tragic event led to a major safety change in hockey. The NHL decided that all its arenas must install safety netting. This netting helps catch pucks that fly over the protective glass, keeping fans safer.
A Dream for Basketball
In May 2012, the mayor of Columbus, Michael B. Coleman, suggested that a professional basketball team could play at Nationwide Arena. He hoped to bring a new National Basketball Association (NBA) team to the city.
Who Owns Nationwide Arena?
The arena gets its name from Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. This company was the original main owner, and its headquarters are right across the street.
In 2012, Nationwide Insurance and another company sold the arena. The new owner became the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA). Nationwide Insurance helped with the sale by lending money. They also agreed to keep the arena's naming rights until 2022.
How Nationwide Arena is Managed
For its first few years, the Blue Jackets hockey team managed the arena. They hired a company called SMG to handle daily tasks and book events. Later, Ohio State University helped manage the arena for a while.
Today, Nationwide Arena is managed by Columbus Arena Management (CAM). This group was formed in 2012. CAM also helps manage Value City Arena, another sports venue at Ohio State University. They work together to book events and manage both arenas.
Arena Design and Seating
Nationwide Arena has a distinctive brick design. It's a central part of the Arena District, an entertainment area north of the Ohio Statehouse.
The arena can hold many people for different events:
- About 18,500 for hockey games.
- Around 19,500 for basketball games.
- Up to 21,000 for concerts.
As mentioned earlier, the arena has special nylon netting. This netting was installed after the sad accident involving Brittanie Cecil. It helps protect fans from flying hockey pucks.
The Arena District: A Fun Place to Visit
The area around Nationwide Arena is called the Arena District. It's a lively neighborhood with lots to do. You can find restaurants, bars, offices, and homes there.
The Columbus Clippers, a professional baseball team, play at Huntington Park. This baseball stadium is also in the Arena District. Other entertainment spots like KEMBA Live! and Lower.com Field are nearby. The arena helps bring people to this exciting part of the city.
Special Facilities at Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena has a cool extra feature: a smaller ice rink called the OhioHealth IceHaus. This rink is where the Blue Jackets practice. It's also used for youth hockey games and is open to the public for skating.
Having an on-site practice rink is special. Nationwide Arena was one of the first NHL arenas to have one. As of 2019, only a few other NHL arenas have this convenient setup.
Exciting Events at Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena has hosted countless memorable events over the years. From thrilling sports matches to amazing concerts, there's always something happening.
Sports Highlights
- First Blue Jackets Game: On October 7, 2000, the Blue Jackets played their very first game here against the Chicago Blackhawks. They got their first home win on October 27, 2000.
- College Basketball Tournaments: The arena has hosted many exciting NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament games. In 2023, a huge upset happened when No. 16 seeded Fairleigh Dickinson defeated No. 1 seeded Purdue. This was only the second time a 16 seed beat a 1 seed!
- NHL All-Star Game: In 2015, the arena was home to the National Hockey League All-Star Game, where the league's best players showed off their skills.
- Hockey Playoff Records: The Blue Jackets have set attendance records for home playoff games here. In 2018, 19,395 fans watched a playoff game. The record was broken again in 2022 with 19,434 fans.
- Other Sports: The arena has also hosted the PBR bull riding tour, the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions, and the NCAA Division I women's basketball and volleyball tournaments. It also hosts high school hockey championships.
- The Basketball Tournament: In July 2020, the arena hosted all games of The Basketball Tournament, a unique competition with a $1 million prize.
- Monster Jam: Monster trucks roared into the arena for a special weekend in July and August 2021.
- Figure Skating: The 2024 U.S. Figure Skating Championships took place here in January 2024.
Mixed Martial Arts Action
Nationwide Arena has been a popular venue for MMA events. It hosted several big UFC events, including UFC 68: The Uprising, UFC 82: Pride of a Champion, and UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine.
UFC 68 was especially notable. It was the first MMA event outside Japan to have over 15,000 people watching!
Professional Wrestling Shows
Many exciting professional wrestling events from WWE have taken place at Nationwide Arena:
- King of the Ring in 2002.
- Bad Blood in 2004.
- Money in the Bank in 2015.
- Fastlane in 2018.
- Extreme Rules in 2021.
Other Fun Events
The arena isn't just for sports! It has also hosted many concerts and other special gatherings:
- Destiny's Child performed here in 2005.
- The National Catholic Youth Conference in 2007.
- The North American Youth Congress in 2011.
- Comedian Jeff Dunham brought his Controlled Chaos Tour in 2011.
- Former President Barack Obama held a campaign rally here in 2012.
- A big international video game tournament, MLG Major Championship: Columbus for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, took place in 2016.
- The cast of Impractical Jokers performed their Santiago Sent Us Tour in 2018.
- Olivia Rodrigo performed for her Guts World Tour in March 2024.
- Melanie Martinez performed for her The Trilogy Tour in June 2024.
- Weezer played their famous Blue Album in September 2024.
- Sabrina Carpenter started her Short 'n Sweet Tour here in September 2024.
- Twenty One Pilots had three sold-out hometown shows for The Clancy Tour in October 2024. These shows were filmed for a future live album.
- Deftones performed in March 2025.
See also
In Spanish: Nationwide Arena para niños
- List of indoor arenas by capacity
