Springfield Thunderbirds
Rink: MassMutual Center
Capacity: 6,800
Built: 1972
League: AHL
City: Springfield, Massachusetts
Home Of: Springfield Thunderbirds
Games Attended: 1
Only Game: November 15, 2024 vs Lehigh Valley
Unique Arena: #98
AHL Arena: #12
The MassMutual Center isn’t just an arena but also a convention center, and the two are attached to each other. This photo is actually of the convention center side, but the exterior of the rink was under construction when we visited, and it was pretty dark as we got there after sundown so for now this shot will have to do. The rink is in a great location downtown surrounded by bars and restaurants in all directions, and the area had a nice vibe to it.
Once inside the complex and into the arena half, you are somewhat brought back in time. While the MassMutual Center has had its upgrades over the years, this definitely feels like a hockey rink straight out of the 1970s. The concourse gives off some Kitchener Aud vibes as you make your way around and are greeted with lots of hockey history on display for the countless teams that have called Springfield, Mass home over the decades. The bowl itself has an interior walkway about 1/3 the way up the bowl. The bowl itself is extremely steep and offers fantastic views of the ice. Even from the back row you feel on top of the action.
An odd quirk of the building is that in one corner (on the right in this photo) there is an entire section of seats from the interior walkway up that just isn’t there. It’s just one massive entrance to the bowl from the concourse. The place feels like it was built for hockey first and foremost and is a great place to watch a game. The atmosphere was great too, with the 2/3 full crowd very into the game from start to finish. The low roof also gives the rink a very intimate feel, and I was surprised at the size of the video scoreboard of a building this size.
Bonus points to the Thunderbirds for embracing the fact that the city they call home shares a name with the hometown of The Simpsons. The Thunderbirds have had several Simpsons theme nights over the years, and have tons of Thunderbirds/ Simpsons cross over gear. If you’re not a fan of the show you might find this annoying. But I am a massive fan, so I found it awesome. Simpsons or not, I enjoyed the hell out of my visit and wouldn’t mind doing it again someday if I ever find myself in the area for some reason. It’s the absolute heart of the old AHL territory and it’s a rink where it feels like this is how hockey is supposed to be.
