Sports in Newark, New Jersey facts for kids
Newark, New Jersey, is a big city with a cool sports scene! It's part of the larger New York area, which means it's connected to many professional sports teams and media. Even though Newark hasn't always had its own major league teams like MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL, it has hosted many exciting sports events.
You'll find two main sports places right in Downtown Newark: the Prudential Center and the old Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium (which is now closed). Just across the Passaic River in Harrison is Red Bull Arena. Plus, the Meadowlands Sports Complex is less than 10 miles away. You can get there easily from Newark Penn Station or Broad Street Station using the Meadowlands Rail Line.
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Professional Sports in Newark
Newark has been home to many professional sports teams and events over the years.
Hockey in Newark
The New Jersey Devils, a professional hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL), moved to the Prudential Center in 2007. This arena was built with money from both the team and the city. Some games of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals were played right here in Newark!
From 2017 to 2022, the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) also played at the Devils' practice facility. The 2013 NHL Entry Draft, where new players are chosen for the NHL, also happened at the Prudential Center on June 30, 2013.
Long ago, Newark had a minor professional hockey team called the Newark Bulldogs. They played for one season in 1928-1929.
Soccer in Newark
Newark is a key spot for fans heading to Red Bull Arena. This stadium is home to the Major League Soccer team, the Red Bulls. It's just across the Passaic River in Harrison. Shuttle buses run from Newark's train stations to the arena. You can also take a PATH train from Newark Penn Station directly to the Harrison station.
Newark, especially the Ironbound area, and nearby towns like Harrison and Kearny, have a long history with soccer. Kearny is even known as "Soccer Town USA." This started in the 1870s when many Scottish and Irish immigrants, who loved soccer, settled there.
Some other soccer teams have played in the area. The Jersey Express S.C. played at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The New Jersey Ironmen were an indoor soccer team that played at the Prudential Center from 2007 to 2009.
Baseball in Newark
The Newark Bears were a minor-league professional baseball team. They played in the independent Atlantic League. Their home was Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium, which had seats for 6,200 fans. This stadium also hosted local college baseball teams. The Newark Bears team stopped playing in 2013. In 2019, the stadium was taken down to make room for new buildings.
Baseball has been played in Newark since the 1850s. The Newark Peppers played in 1915. The first Newark Bears were a farm team for the New York Yankees. They played until 1949 at Ruppert Stadium. This stadium was also shared with the Negro league's famous Newark Eagles, who were managed by Effa Manley. The current Riverfront Stadium was named after these two historic teams.
Basketball in Newark
The New Jersey Nets professional basketball team played two seasons (2010–2012) at the Prudential Center. They then moved to Brooklyn, New York. The New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) also played at the Prudential Center for three seasons (2011–2013). This happened while their usual home, Madison Square Garden, was being fixed up.
The Prudential Center also hosted the 2011 NBA draft and 2012 NBA draft, where new players are picked for the NBA. A team called the Newark Express joined the American Basketball Association in 2005. They now play at East Orange Campus High School.
Football in Newark
Newark was a host city for Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2, 2014. The game was played at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and New York Jets. This stadium is at the nearby Meadowlands Sports Complex. Fans could get there easily from Newark using the Meadowlands Rail Line. The Super Bowl Media Day, where players and coaches talk to reporters, started at the Prudential Center on January 28, 2014. The original Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is given to the Super Bowl champions, was made in Newark in 1967 and is now at the Newark Museum.
Newark had a football team called the Newark Bears in 1926. The Tornadoes were another long-running professional football team. They played in different leagues from 1887 to 1971, including the National Football League for a short time.
In more recent times, the Meadowlands was home to the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League from 1983-1985. This league was a challenger to the NFL and had many top players, including Heisman Trophy winners Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie.
Roller Derby in Newark
Garden State Roller Derby is a roller derby league based in Newark. It started in 2006. The league has three home teams and two travel teams that compete against other leagues. Garden State Roller Derby is part of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
Mixed Martial Arts in Newark
The Prudential Center has hosted several big mixed martial arts (MMA) events. EliteXC: Primetime took place there on May 31, 2008. This was the first time an MMA event was shown live on a major American TV network during prime time.
The UFC has also held many events at the Prudential Center. These include UFC 78 in 2007, UFC 111 in 2010, UFC 128 in 2011, and UFC 159 in 2013. UFC 169 also happened there during Super Bowl week.
Boxing and Wrestling in Newark
In the past, the Newark Armory was a major place for boxing matches. The Laurel Garden, in the Central Ward, also hosted many boxing and wrestling events from the 1920s until it closed. Newark was known for producing many great boxers, especially during "The Golden Age of the American Jewish Boxer." A famous movie called Day of the Fight, directed by Stanley Kubrick, shows boxer Walter Cartier on the day of a fight that happened at Laurel Garden in 1950.
Gymnastics in Newark
The AT&T American Cup, a big international gymnastics competition, was held at the Prudential Center in both 2016 and 2017.
College Sports in Newark
Newark is home to several colleges with their own sports teams.
The Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team plays their home games at the Prudential Center. They are a top team in the NCAA Division I and compete in the Big East Conference. In 2011, Seton Hall University hosted the GoNewarkHoopFest for the East Regional playoffs of the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
The Rutgers–Newark Scarlet Raiders have teams in 14 different sports for both men and women. They compete in NCAA Division III. Their main sports building is the Golden Dome Athletic Center, which opened in 1977. Soccer and softball games are played on Alumni Field. The Rutgers–Newark baseball team plays at Riverfront Stadium.
The New Jersey Institute of Technology's sports teams are called the NJIT Highlanders. They compete in NCAA Division I and are part of the ASUN Conference. Their main sports center is the Wellness and Events Center.
Essex County College also has sports teams that compete in the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC).
High-School Sports in Newark
Newark has some very strong high school sports programs.
The Saint Benedict's Preparatory School basketball team is often ranked as one of the best high school teams in the United States. Many of their players have gone on to play in the NBA.
St. Benedict's also had the top-ranked high school soccer team in the nation many times, including in 1990, 1997–98, 2001, 2005–06, and 2011. Many famous soccer players have come from St. Benedict's.
Statues of Athletes
Newark has some cool statues honoring famous athletes.
In 2009, a 22-foot tall stainless steel statue of a hockey player was put up at Championship Plaza at the Prudential Center.
A bronze statue of Althea Gibson, a famous tennis player, was placed in Branch Brook Park in March 2012. She once wrote, "I hope that I have accomplished just one thing, that I have been a credit to tennis, and to my country." The statue's inscription says she definitely achieved that goal.
In June 2012, a life-size bronze statue of Roberto Clemente, a legendary baseball player, was also put in Branch Brook Park.
The Salute, a statue of longtime New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, was placed at the Prudential Center in 2016.
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Althea Gibson
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Roberto Clemente
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Martin Brodeur
