Prudential Center
Home of the New Jersey Devils since 2007.
Prudential Center, a multipurpose indoor arena located in Newark, New Jersey, opened in 2007. It serves as the home venue for the New Jersey Devils (NHL), the New York Sirens (PWHL), and the Seton Hall University men’s basketball team. By 2023, it ranked among the top five concert venues globally in terms of earnings.
The arena is owned by the Newark Housing Authority and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), which also owns the Devils. Fans and sports writers often call it "The Rock," a nod to the Rock of Gibraltar—the corporate logo of Prudential Financial, the naming-rights holder headquartered nearby. In December 2013, it ranked third in the U.S. and ninth worldwide for self-reported annual revenue.
When it opened, Prudential Center was the first major league sports venue built in the New York metropolitan area since Meadowlands Arena (the Devils’ former home) debuted in 1981. Populous and Morris Adjmi Architects designed the arena. Its red and gray exterior draws inspiration from Newark’s bricklaying and railroad history. A 4,800-square-foot LED display, split into thin panels to avoid obstructing interior views, is mounted on the front. Two large cylindrical entrance towers along the Mulberry Street side are the arena’s most prominent exterior feature.
The Devils have played at Prudential Center since 2007, moving from Meadowlands Arena. Their first playoff series-clinching win there came on May 25, 2012, when Adam Henrique scored in overtime to beat the New York Rangers 3–2, sending the team to the Stanley Cup Final. Games one, two, and five of that final were held at the arena. The New York Sirens began using the venue for the 2024–2025 PWHL season.
Seton Hall’s men’s basketball team, which played at the Meadowlands from 1985 to 2007, now calls Prudential Center home. The women’s basketball team and the NJIT Highlanders men’s team also play select games there. The arena was originally intended for the New Jersey Nets, but the team was sold to Bruce Ratner, who planned a Brooklyn arena. The Nets stayed at the Meadowlands while the Barclays Center faced delays from lawsuits and the late-2000s recession. After two successful preseason games at Prudential Center in fall 2009, the Nets finalized a move there. They played their final game at the venue on April 23, 2012, before relocating to Brooklyn for the 2012–13 NBA season.
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- The Rock
- Address
- 25 Lafayette Street
- Location
- Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
- Groundbreaking
- October 3, 2005
- Opened
- October 25, 2007
- Owner
- Newark Housing Authority
- Operator
- Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE)
- Cost
- US$375 million
- Architect
- HOK Sport / Morris Adjmi Architects (Exterior) / El Taller Colaborativo
- Structural Engineer
- Thornton Tomasetti
- Services Engineer
- R.G. Vanderweil Engineers, Inc.
- Project Manager
- ICON Venue Group
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Fans and sports writers have nicknamed the arena 'The Rock' in reference to the Rock of Gibraltar, the corporate logo of Prudential Financial, which owns the naming rights and is headquartered within walking distance. At its opening, it was the first major league sports venue built in the New York metropolitan area since Meadowlands Arena, the Devils' former home, opened in 1981. The arena was designed by Populous and Morris Adjmi Architects. It is owned by the Newark Housing Authority and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), owners of the Devils.
The arena's red and gray exterior is inspired by Newark's bricklaying and railroad heritage. Its externally mounted 4,800 square foot LED display is one of the largest in the world, split into thin panels to avoid obstructing fans' views. Along the east side Mulberry Street entrance are two large cylindrical entrance towers, the arena's most prominent exterior feature. The interior's lower level concourse provides views of downtown Newark through large windows, and features jerseys of most high school hockey teams in New Jersey, as well as murals of players and memorable moments from Devils history.
Reader's Guide
The Prudential Center is significant as the home of the New Jersey Devils, who played their first playoff series-clinching win there on May 25, 2012, defeating the New York Rangers to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, where games one, two, and five were played at the arena. It also served as the home of the New Jersey Nets from 2010 to 2012 before the team relocated to Brooklyn, and hosted the New York Liberty of the WNBA from 2011 to 2013. The arena has held numerous UFC events, beginning with UFC 78 in 2007, and has hosted the annual Final X event for USA Wrestling since 2023. In 2017, Billboard named it 'the East Coast home of K-pop' due to its many K-pop concerts. The arena features a 9,585-square-foot scoreboard installed in 2017, the largest in-arena, center-hung scoreboard in the world, and 76 luxury suites, the largest in North America. It is one of only five NHL arenas with a practice rink attached.
Did You Know?
- The arena is nicknamed 'The Rock' after the Rock of Gibraltar, the corporate logo of Prudential Financial.
- In December 2013, it ranked third nationally and ninth internationally for self-reported annual revenue.
- The arena's 9,585-square-foot scoreboard, installed in 2017, is the largest in-arena, center-hung scoreboard in the world.
- The New York Liberty of the WNBA played home games at Prudential Center during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons.
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