Verizon Center From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



For the arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, see Verizon Wireless Arena. Verizon Center The Phone Booth Former names MCI Center (1997–2006) Location 601 F Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20004-1603 Opened December 2, 1997 Owner Washington Sports and Entertainment (land leased from the City of Washington) Operator Washington Sports and Entertainment Capacity 20,173 (basketball) 18,277 (hockey) Tenants Washington Capitals (NHL) (1997–present) Washington Wizards (NBA) (1997–present) Washington Mystics (WNBA) (1998–present) Georgetown Hoyas (NCAA) Washington Power (NLL) (2001-2002) The Verizon Center (formerly MCI Center until March 5, 2006) is a sports and entertainment arena in Washington, D.C., USA, named after telecommunications sponsor Verizon Communications. The arena has been nicknamed the "Phone Booth" because of its association with telecommunications companies. The arena is home to the Washington Capitals of the NHL, Washington Wizards of the NBA, Georgetown University men's basketball, and Washington Mystics of the WNBA. Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 2007 1.2 2008 2 Tenants 3 Notable events 4 Notable games 5 Ownership 6 Fan fixtures 7 "Attendance Champions" banners 8 Ice quality issues 9 Other 10 References 11 External links [edit] History The arena opened as the MCI Center on December 2, 1997 in downtown Washington's Chinatown. When Verizon bought out MCI in 2006, the arena's name was changed accordingly. The building replaced the US Air Arena, which was located on the Capital Beltway in Landover, Maryland. Some complained that the building's construction, by closing off a block of G St, corrupted the historic L'Enfant layout of the Washington city streets. Others were concerned it would lead to the displacement of Chinese businesses in Chinatown. While largely considered a commercial success, the Verizon Center was the catalyst that led to gentrification of Washington's Chinatown, with rent increases after construction of the Arena forcing many small Chinese businesses to close. On the other hand, the Arena is not only a popular venue for sports and concerts, but helped to turned "Gallery Place/Chinatown" neighborhood into one of the prime sites for commercial development in Washington. Virtually all Chinese residents in the D.C. area already live in the suburbs, and displacement that occurred over the years has been mostly commercial rather than residential. [edit] 2007 In 2007, what was claimed as the "first true indoor high-definition LED scoreboard" was installed at the Verizon Center [1]. [edit] 2008 2008 marks the first year that the Wizards and Capitals will both play playoff games in the building in the same calendar year. Furthermore in D.C. sports lore 2008 also marks the first time the Wizards, Caps and Washington Redskins made the playoffs since 1988. [edit] Tenants The Verizon Center is the home arena of the NHL's Washington Capitals, the NBA's Washington Wizards, the NCAA's Georgetown University Hoyas men's basketball team, and the WNBA's Washington Mystics. It was home to the Washington Power of the NLL from 2001–2002. It seats 20,173 for basketball and 18,277 for hockey. [edit] Notable events Verizon Center, then known as MCI Center, on game night (Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Hornets), January 20, 2006. Washington Capitals game on March 8, 2006 featuring the Verizon Center markings on the ice surface.As well as the home games of the Center's four sports tenants, the arena also hosts numerous special events, from concerts to Champions on Ice to the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus. 2008 ACDC's first world tour in 8 years following the release of there Black Ice album [2] 1998 Stanley Cup Finals Van Halen played on November 1, 2007, on their Van Halen 2007–2008 Tour, their first tour with David Lee Roth in 22 years. World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Starrcade, 1997–2000 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, first and second rounds, 1998, 2002 & 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, regionals, 2006 World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Backlash, 2000 NBA All-Star Game, 2001 Janet Jackson All For You Tour three night stand on August 16, 2001, August 17, 2001 & August 18, 2001 Britney Spears Dream Within A Dream Tour December 21, 2001 & July 10, 2002 WNBA All-Star Game 2002 WNBA All-Star Game 2007 2003 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) SummerSlam, 2005 Atlantic





Coast Conference (ACC) men's basketball tournament, 2005 BB&T Classic Basketball Tournament, annual event involving the University of Maryland and The George Washington University, among others. Held as a two-game showcase with the aforementioned schools as hosts. WWE 3-Hour Spectacular Mike Tyson vs. Kevin McBride, June 11, 2005. Tyson's final fight. Madonna "The Re-Invention Tour" June 13th and June 14th, 2004 Shakira "Oral Fixation Tour" August 29, 2006 Beyonce performed to a sold-out crowd during her "Beyonce Experience Tour" August 9, 2007 Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony "En Concierto Tour" October, 2007 World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Cyber Sunday, 2007 Numerous Raw, SmackDown! and ECW Shows[citation needed] Dane Cook's "Rough Around the Edges", November 16, 2007 The Spice Girls' Washington DC leg on their The Return of the Spice Girls World Tour, which took place on February 21, 2008 World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Saturday Night's Main Event, 2008 Coldplay, Viva la Vida Tour August 3, 2008 Celine Dion will perform her Taking Chances World Tour on September 8, 2008. Janet Jackson will bring her highly anticipated Rock Witchu Tour on October 15, 2008. Sarah Brightman will perform her Symphony concert on November 19, 2008. Tina Turner will perform her Tina: Live in Concert Tour on November 23, 2008. NCAA's Men's Frozen Four hockey championship, 2009 [edit] Notable games The Washington Wizards in an NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, December 5, 2007June 16, 1998 - Washington Capitals vs. Detroit Red Wings: The Caps lose 4–1 to the Red Wings to be swept four games to none in the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals. It was the first, and as yet still only, visit to the Stanley Cup Finals for the Caps. February 21, 2003 - Washington Wizards vs. New Jersey Nets: Michael Jordan scores 43 points, becoming the All-Time oldest player, and only player, at age 40 or older to ever score 40 points in an NBA Game. The Wizards win 89–86. April 5, 2003 - Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: Peter Bondra passes Mike Gartner as the Washington Capitals' career scoring leader. A tip-in ties the record early in the 3rd period and an empty net goal with 12 seconds left in the game sealed the record for Bondra. The Caps won 5–3. April 30, 2005 - Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls: The Wizards win their first playoff game in nearly 17 years with a 117–99 win over the Bulls. Oddly enough, it is the first NBA playoff game ever held within the District of Columbia (the team always played at USAir Arena in Landover, Maryland). May 6, 2005 - Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls: Jared Jeffries picked up a loose ball and went in for an uncontested tiebreaking dunk with 32 seconds left, thus giving the Washington Wizards a 94–91 win over the Bulls and taking the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series from them four games to two. The game marks the first playoff series victory for the Wizards in twenty three years. January 21, 2006 - Georgetown Hoyas vs. Duke Blue Devils: The then-unranked Georgetown University Hoyas would defeat the then-undefeated #1 ranked Blue Devils 87–84, marking the first notable game of coach John Thompson III's career, as well as an important boost enroute to the NCAA tournament, where they would reach the Sweet Sixteen. March 26, 2006 - George Mason Patriots vs. Connecticut Huskies: The Patriots, playing in front of a mostly partisan crowd due to George Mason University being just across the Potomac River from the arena, defeat the top seeded UConn Huskies to become only the second double-digit seed to reach the NCAA Final Four. April 5, 2008 - Washington Capitals vs. Florida Panthers: The Capitals defeat the Panthers 3–1 to clinch the Southeast Division title and their first playoff berth in five years. The win marked an unprecedented comeback in NHL history, as the 2007–2008 Caps became the first team in NHL history to make the playoffs after rallying from 14th or 15th place at the season's midpoint [3]. The game was the third home game of the week and all three were sellouts in which the entire Verizon Center crowd was wearing red [4]. [edit] Ownership The Verizon Center is located in the Chinatown neighborhood.The arena is owned by Washington Sports & Entertainment (which owns the Wizards and formerly owned the Capitals and Mystics), but on land leased from the city of Washington. At the end of the 30 year lease, the land is set to revert back to the ownership of the city, with the mayor of Washington to make mandatory biennial reviews of the city's continuing need for the arena. [edit] Fan fixtures Two notable fan fixtures at Washington Capitals games at Verizon Center since the late '90s include Goat and The Horn Guy. "Goat," aka William Stilwell, sits in Section 105 and loudly stomps and starts cheers for the team, with his loud voice that The Washington Post once called "the loudest voice and stompiest stomp on F Street." [5] "The Horn Guy," aka Sam Wolk, blows out three blasts on a horn to which the arena responds "Let's Go Caps!," a chant that can be heard during radio and TV broadcasts, home and away. [6] [edit] "Attendance Champions" banners The "Washington Mystics Attendance Champions" banners that hang at the Verizon Center have been the focal point of much criticism over the years, with many people believing that the rafters should be reserved for achievements by sports teams and not by the fans. Critics think it is insulting to have banners for championships and retired numbers hang next to "attendance champion" banners. Originally there were six banners (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004); today there are only three (for the first two seasons plus 2002, the only season in which the Mystics have won a playoff series to date), with the other three being removed in 2007 to make way for a banner honoring Final Four appearances by the Georgetown Hoyas. The Washington City Paper has called them "embarrassing" [7], a 2005 ESPN.com article by Todd Wright commented, "it's time to lose those Mystics attendance banners hanging from the rafters" [8], the Sports Road Trip website mocked the banners by stating "Oh... Mystics... WNBA





"attendance champions" in '98 and '99. "Wheeeeeeee!" [9]. When Washington Post writer Jon Gallo was asked about the banners, he stated "The attendance banners were largely achieved because the Mystics gave away approximately 30 percent of their tickets before Sheila Johnson took over the team. If the Mystics had made everyone pay for a ticket, then they would not have had the best attendance in the league." [10]. [edit] Ice quality issues In December 2007, Capitals captain Chris Clark gained a bit of press by stating that he believed the Verizon Center had the worst ice in the NHL. "There's a lot of ruts in the ice. It's soft. It's wet half the time. I could see a lot of injuries coming from the ice there. It could cost [players] their jobs...Even guys on other teams say the same thing. When we're facing off, they say, 'How do you guys play on this?'" Caps owner Ted Leonsis addressed this criticism directly [11]. [edit] Other The Verizon Center sits atop the Gallery Place-Chinatown station on the Red, Yellow, and Green lines of the Washington Metro. Chris Rock filmed a brief scene from his 2003 comedy Head of State in the building. The Spice Girls performed at the Verizon Center as part of their The Return of the Spice Girls Tour. It was their first appearance in Washington as a five piece. [edit] References ^ Verizon Center shows off "first true indoor HD LED scoreboard" - Engadget ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/09/11/acdc-announce-north-american-black-ice-tour-dates/ ^ Coming All the Way Back - washingtonpost.com ^ Scarlet Fever Breaks Out Among Playoff-Bound Caps - and Their Fans - washingtonpost.com ^ "I Was Blessed:" The Goat Story - D.C. Sports Bog ^ The Horn Man Blows - D.C. Sports Bog ^ Washington City Paper ^ ESPN - Venue Visitation: 107 and Counting - Espnradio ^ Washington Wizards ^ Washington Mystics - washingtonpost.com ^ Ted's Take - Toughness [edit] External links Verizon Center website Preceded by US Airways Arena Home of the Washington Wizards 1997 – present Succeeded by current Preceded by first arena Home of the Washington Mystics 1998 – present Succeeded by current Preceded by US Airways Arena Home of the Washington Capitals 1997 – present Succeeded by current Preceded by US Airways Arena Home of the Georgetown Hoyas 1997 – present Succeeded by current Preceded by The Arena in Oakland Host of the NBA All-Star Game 2001 Succeeded by First Union Center Coordinates: 38°53′53.07″N 77°1′15.41″W / 38.898075, -77.0209472 [show]v • d • eCurrent arenas in the Women's National Basketball Association Eastern Conference Conseco Fieldhouse · Madison Square Garden · Mohegan Sun Arena · The Palace of Auburn Hills · Philips Arena · UIC Pavilion · Verizon Center Western Conference ARCO Arena · AT&T Center · KeyArena · Reliant Arena · Staples Center · Target Center · US Airways Center [show]v • d • eCurrent arenas in the National Hockey League Eastern Conference Air Canada Centre · BankAtlantic Center · Bell Centre · HSBC Arena · Madison Square Garden · Mellon Arena · Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum · Philips Arena · Prudential Center · RBC Center · St. Pete Times Forum · Scotiabank Place · TD Banknorth Garden · Verizon Center · Wachovia Center Western Conference American Airlines Center · General Motors Place · HP Pavilion · Honda Center · Jobing.com Arena · Joe Louis Arena · Nationwide Arena · Pengrowth Saddledome · Pepsi Center · Rexall Place · Scottrade Center · Sommet Center · Staples Center · United Center · Xcel Energy Center [show]v • d • eCurrent arenas in the National Basketball Association Eastern Conference Air Canada Centre · American Airlines Arena · Amway Arena · Bradley Center · Conseco Fieldhouse · Izod Center · Madison Square Garden · The Palace of Auburn Hills · Philips Arena · Quicken Loans Arena · TD Banknorth Garden · Time Warner Cable Arena · United Center · Verizon Center · Wachovia Center Western Conference American Airlines Center · ARCO Arena · AT&T Center · EnergySolutions Arena · FedExForum · Ford Center · New Orleans Arena · Oracle Arena · Pepsi Center · Rose Garden · Staples Center · Target Center · Toyota Center · US Airways Center [show]v • d • eCurrent Basketball Arenas in the Big East Alumni Hall (Providence women) • Allstate Arena (DePaul men) • Bradley





Center (Marquette men) • Carnesecca Arena (St. John's) • Carrier Dome (Syracuse) • Dunkin' Donuts Center (Providence men) • Fifth Third Arena (Cincinnati) • Freedom Hall (Louisville) • Gampel Pavilion (Connecticut) • Joyce Center (Notre Dame) • Louis Brown Athletic Center (Rutgers) • Madison Square Garden (St. John's men) • McDonough Gymnasium (Georgetown women) • McGuire Center (Marquette women) • The Pavilion (Villanova) • Petersen Events Center (Pittsburgh) • Prudential Center (Seton Hall men) • Sullivan Athletic Center (DePaul women) • USF Sun Dome (South Florida) • Verizon Center (Georgetown men) • Wachovia Center (Villanova) • Walsh Gymnasium (Seton Hall women) • WVU Coliseum (West Virginia) • XL Center (Connecticut) [show]v • d • eAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) men's basketball tournament venues Reynolds Coliseum (1954-66) • Greensboro Coliseum (1967, 1971-75, 1977-80, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1995-98, 2003-04, 2006, 2010-11, 2013-15) • Charlotte Coliseum (Cricket Arena) (1968-70) • Capital Centre (1976, 1981, 1987) • The Omni (1983, 1985, 1989) • Charlotte Coliseum (1990-94, 1999-2000, 2002) • Georgia Dome (2001, 2009, 2012) • MCI Center (2005) • St. Pete Times Forum (2007) • Charlotte Bobcats Arena (2008) [show]v • d • eChicago Packers/Zephyrs-Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets-Washington Wizards Washington, D.C. The Franchise Franchise • Seasons • Current season Arenas International Amphitheatre • Chicago Coliseum • Baltimore Civic Center • Cole Field House • Capital Centre/US Airways Arena • Verizon Center Coaches Pollard • McMahon • Leonard • Jeannette • Seymour • Farmer • Jeannette • Shue • Jones • Motta • Shue • Loughery • Unseld • Lynam • Staak • Bickerstaff • Brovelli • Heard • Walker • Hamilton • Collins • Jordan D-League Affiliate Dakota Wizards Administration Abe Pollin (Owner & Chairman) • Ernie Grunfeld (President & GM of Basketball Ops.) • Eddie Jordan (Head Coach) Notable Figures Gilbert Arenas • Walt Bellamy • Muggsy Bogues • Manute Bol • Kwame Brown • Caron Butler • Steve Buckhantz • Rex Chapman • Calbert Cheaney • Phil Chenier • Bob Dandridge • Terry Dischinger • Pervis Ellison • Bob Ferry • Harvey Grant • Kevin Grevey • Tom Gugliotta • Richard Hamilton • Johnny Holliday • Juwan Howard • Antwan Jamison • Gus Johnson • Michael Jordan • Bernard King • Mitch Kupchak • Jeff Malone • Earl Monroe • Gheorghe Muresan • Charles Oakley • Mel Proctor • Jeff Ruland • Scott Skiles • Charlie Slowes • Rod Strickland • Wes Unseld • Ben Wallace • Rasheed Wallace • Chris Webber Retired Numbers 10 • 11 • 25 • 41 NBA Championships (1) 1978 Rivals Cleveland Cavaliers • New Jersey Nets • New York Knicks • Philadelphia 76ers Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon_Center" Categories: Big East Conference | Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament venues | Indoor arenas in the United States | Culture of Washington, D.C. | College basketball venues | Basketball venues in the United States | Georgetown Hoyas basketball | Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States | Indoor lacrosse venues in the United States | Sports venues in Washington, D.C. | 1997 establishments | Washington Capitals | Verizon | National Hockey League venues | National Basketball Association venues | Washington Mystics | Washington Wizards | College ice hockey venues