The
Verizon Center (formerly
MCI Center) is a sports and entertainment arena in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
,
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, named after telecommunications sponsor
Verizon CommunicationsVerizon Communications Inc. is an American broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It was formed in 2000 when Bell Atlantic, one of the Regional Bell Operating Companies, merged with GTE. Prior to its transformation into Verizon, Bell Atlantic...
. The arena has been nicknamed the "
Phone Booth" because of its association with telecommunications companies. The arena is home to the
Washington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
,
Washington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
of the
National Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league, composed of thirty teams in North America . It is an active member of USA Basketball , which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body for basketball in the United States...
, Georgetown University men's basketball, and
Washington MysticsThe Washington Mystics is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. They started play in 1998, the second year of the WNBA and are one of the WNBA's first expansion franchises...
of the
Women's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of thirteen teams. The league was founded in 1996 as the women's counterpart to the NBA...
. It is located in the
ChinatownA Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese residents, usually outside of Greater China. Chinatowns are present throughout the world, including those in East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe....
neighborhood of Washington.
History
The arena opened as the MCI Center on December 2, 1997 in downtown Washington's
ChinatownChinatown in Washington, D.C. is a small, historic neighborhood east of downtown, in the present day consisting of about 20 of ethnic Chinese and other Asian restaurants and small businesses along H and I Streets between 5th and 8th Streets, Northwest...
. When Verizon bought out MCI in 2006, the arena's name was changed accordingly. The building replaced the
US Air ArenaThe Capital Centre was an indoor arena located in Mitchellville CDP, unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland; a suburb of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1973, the arena sat 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey...
, which was located on the
Capital BeltwayInterstate 495 is an Interstate Highway that circles Washington, D.C. and its inner suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C. is clear...
in
Landover, MarylandLandover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. Landover is home to the corporate headquarters of the Giant supermarket chain. The community is also known for its heavy use of Go-Go music. The Prince...
. Some complained that the building's construction, by closing off a block of G St, corrupted the historic
L'Enfant layoutThe streets and highways of Washington, D.C. are based on a plan that provides for vehicular transportation in the capital and a distinctive city layout and addressing scheme.-City 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
gentrificationGentrification and urban gentrification denote the socio-economic, commercial, and demographic change in an urban area resulting from wealthier people buying housing property in a poor community...
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.
2007
In 2007, what was claimed as the "first true indoor high-definition
LEDLEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
scoreboardA scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
" was installed at the Verizon Center .
2008
2008 marked the first year that the Wizards and Capitals both played playoff games in the building in the same calendar year. Furthermore, in
D.C. sports loreWashington, D.C.-area athletes and sports teams participate in all levels of sports competition. The region is home to several major sports venues including the Verizon Center, RFK Stadium, FedEx Field and the recently opened Nationals Park...
, 2008 also marked the first time the Wizards, Caps and
Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland. The team's headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia, a community...
each made the playoffs since 1988.
Tenants
The Verizon Center is the home arena of the
NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
's
Washington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league, composed of thirty teams in North America . It is an active member of USA Basketball , which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body for basketball in the United States...
's
Washington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, the
NCAAThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
's
Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Father John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. While the school struggled financially in its early years, Georgetown expanded into a branched university after the...
HoyasThe Georgetown Hoyas are the athletics teams that officially represent Georgetown University in college sports. The school is located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. and was founded in 1789...
men's basketball team, and the
WNBAThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of thirteen teams. The league was founded in 1996 as the women's counterpart to the NBA...
's
Washington MysticsThe Washington Mystics is a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. They started play in 1998, the second year of the WNBA and are one of the WNBA's first expansion franchises...
. It was home to the
Washington PowerThe Washington Power were a member of the National Lacrosse League during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. After the inaugural championship in 1987 in Baltimore through 1999 and an unsuccessful stint in Pittsburgh , the franchise moved to Washington, D.C. in 2001...
of the
NLLThe National Lacrosse League is the league of men's indoor lacrosse in North America. It currently has 11 teams; three in Canada and eight in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter...
from 2001–2002. It seats 20,173 for basketball and 18,277 for hockey.
Notable events
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 IceChampions on Ice was a touring ice show in the United States. The show featured a large cast of both professional and Olympic-eligible figure skaters along with novelty acts such as skating acrobats. The shows were focused primarily on solo performances by the skaters rather than ensemble work or...
to the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus.
- 1998 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1998 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Western Conference champion and defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals. It was the 105th year of the Stanley Cup being contested. The Red Wings won the series...
- Van Halen
Van Halen is a hard rock band formed in , USA in 1974. They enjoyed success from the release of their self titled debut album in 1978. As of 2007, Van Halen has sold more than 200 million albums worldwide and have had the most number one hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
played on November 1 2007, on their Van Halen 2007–2008 TourVan Halen 2007-2008 Tour was a North American concert tour occurring in the fall of 2007 and winter and spring of 2008 for hard rock band Van Halen. It was Van Halen's first tour since 2004 , and the first one with original singer David Lee Roth since he left the band in 1985...
, their first tour with David Lee Roth in 22 years.
- World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and his...
(WCW) StarrcadeStarrcade was an annual professional wrestling event held from 1983 to 2000 by the National Wrestling Alliance and later World Championship Wrestling as their flagship event equal to WWE's WrestleMania, and featured the largest feuds of the promotion...
, 1997–2000
- NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single elimination tournament held each spring featuring 65 college basketball teams. college basketball teams in the United States...
, first and second rounds, 1998, 2002 & 2008
- NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single elimination tournament held each spring featuring 65 college basketball teams. college basketball teams in the United States...
, regionals, 2006
- World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) BacklashBacklash is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced every April by professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Entertainment . The event was created in 1999, with its inaugural event produced as an In Your House event in April of that year. The event in 2000 was rebranded as an...
, 2000
- NBA All-Star Game, 2001
- Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, California, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians...
All for You TourBeginning in July 2001, Janet Jackson's All for You Tour was a concert tour designed to promote the release of her 2001 album All for You...
three consecutive sold out concerts August 16, 2001, August 17, 2001 & August 18, 2001
- Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American singer and entertainer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to...
Dream Within a Dream TourThe Dream Within a Dream Tour is the fourth concert tour by American pop singer, Britney Spears to support her third studio album, Britney. The tour's title is based on Edgar Allan Poe's poem, A Dream Within a Dream. According to Billboard Boxscore the tour went on to gross more than U$43.7 million...
December 21, 2001 & July 10, 2002
- WNBA All-Star Game 2002, 2007
- 2003 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
- World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) SummerSlamSummerSlam was the eighteenth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on August 21, 2005 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C...
, 2005
- Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953, the ACC's twelve member universities compete in twenty sports in the Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
(ACC) men's basketball tournament, 2005
- BB&T Classic Basketball Tournament
The BB&T Classic Basketball Tournament is a Washington, DC-based basketball tournament that has been held annually since 1995, when it was known as the Franklin National Bank Classic. It is staged at the Verizon Center, on or around the first weekend in December...
, annual event involving the University of MarylandThe University of Maryland, College Park is a public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System 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
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion and remains the youngest man ever to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles. He won the WBC title at just 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old, after defeating Trevor Berbick by a TKO in...
vs. Kevin McBrideKevin Martin McBride is an Irish boxer, who competed for his native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.McBride debuted in December 1992, with a victory against Gary Charlton...
, June 11, 2005. Tyson's final fight.
- Madonna
Madonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
"The Re-Invention TourThe Re-Invention World Tour was the sixth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna in support of her ninth studio album American Life, visiting North America and Europe. It included dates in 20 cities, selling out 55 of 56 shows and attracting more than 900,000 fans...
" June 13th and June 14th, 2004
- Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE , is an English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record and film producer, painter, and animal rights and peace activist. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings, McCartney is the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music...
"The 'US' TourThe US Tour was Paul McCartney's third North American concert tour of the 21st century. This was in promotion of 2005's Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard. Paul "Wix" Wickens, Brian Ray, Rusty Anderson, and Abe Laboriel Jr. return as backing band, the first to fully remain intact for more than...
" October 8, 2005
- Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer and philanthropist who emerged as a musical prodigy in the music scene of Latin America in the early 1990s...
"Oral Fixation TourOral Fixation Tour is the concert tour by Colombian singer-songwriter, Shakira, in support of her fourth and fifth studio albums, Fijación Oral Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation Vol. 2...
" August 29, 2006
- Beyoncé performed to a sold-out crowd during her "The Beyoncé Experience
The Beyoncé Experience is the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles in support to her second solo album B'Day.-About the show:...
" tour August 9, 2007
- Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez , often nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in the U.S...
and Marc AnthonyMarc Anthony is an American & Latin Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter, actor and producer. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Marc Anthony is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The five-time Grammy winner has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...
"En Concierto Tour" October, 2007
- World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) Cyber SundayCyber Sunday was the fourth annual Cyber Sunday professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on October 28, 2007 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C...
, 2007
- Numerous Raw, SmackDown! and ECW Shows
- Dane Cook
Dane Jeffrey Cook is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He has released five comedy albums: Harmful If Swallowed; Retaliation; Vicious Circle; Rough Around The Edges: Live From Madison Square Garden; and Isolated Incident. Retaliation became the highest charting comedy album in 28...
's "Rough Around the Edges", November 16, 2007
- The Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were an English pop girl group formed in 1994. They consist of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They are the most successful girl group of all time....
' Washington DC leg on their The Return of the Spice GirlsThe Return of the Spice Girls was the second North America-Europe concert tour by British girl group The Spice Girls. This reunion tour visited five countries in both North America and Europe. This tour marked the group's first tour since 1999's Christmas in Spiceworld tour of the United Kingdom,...
World Tour, which took place on February 21, 2008
- World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE) Saturday Night's Main Event, 2008
- Coldplay
Coldplay are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1998. The group comprises Chris Martin , Jonny Buckland , Guy Berryman , and Will Champion .Coldplay's early material was compared to acts such as Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, U2, and Travis...
, Viva la Vida TourThe Viva la Vida Tour is the third major concert tour by the British band Coldplay. The tour supported their fourth studio album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. The tour has been a massive commercial and critical success, taking in some of the largest venues in the world, often with...
August 3, 2008, & October 31, 2008.
- Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion , CC, OQ is a Canadian singer, occasional songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Born to a large, impoverished family in Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to...
's Taking Chances World Tour on September 8, 2008.
- Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, California, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians...
's Rock Witchu TourThe Rock Witchu Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter, Janet Jackson, in support of her tenth studio album Discipline. This was Jackson's first tour in nearly seven years. The tour visited North America...
on October 15, 2008.
- The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, bassist John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They became known for energetic live performances including the pioneering spectacle of instrument destruction...
2008 Tour on November 3, 2008.
- AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Although the band are commonly classified as hard rock and are considered pioneers of heavy metal, they have always classified their music as "rock and roll".AC/DC underwent several line-up...
's Black Ice World TourThe Black Ice World Tour is a current concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC. The trek is in support of the group's 15th studio album, Black Ice, which was released in October 2008....
on November 15, 2008
- Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is a British crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She sings in many languages including English, Spanish, French, Latin, German, Italian, Russian, Hindi, and Mandarin....
's SymphonySymphony is an album from the English Soprano singer Sarah Brightman, released in January 2008 . This operatic album is a contrast to her previous collaboration with producer Frank Peterson, 2003's Harem; using more Gothic influences instead of Eastern."Running" was the IAAF's Green Project Charity...
concert on November 19, 2008.
- The Eagles The Long Road out of Eden Tour
The Long Road out of Eden Tour supported the Eagles' 2007 album, Long Road out of Eden. The tour began in London, England at the The O
2 arena on March 20, 2008...
on November 20, 2008
- Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have earned her the title "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
's Tina: Live in Concert TourTina!: 50
th Anniversary Tour was a worldwide tour by American singer Tina Turner, her first concert tour in eight years, since her record-breaking Twenty Four Seven Tour. Turner made the announcement on the Oprah Winfrey Show in late April 2008. She visited many countries throughout...
on November 23, 2008.
- Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1981. Founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a local newspaper, Metallica's line-up has primarily consisted of Ulrich, rhythm guitarist and vocalist James Hetfield, and lead guitarist Kirk...
's World Magnetic TourThe World Magnetic Tour is a current concert tour by heavy metal band Metallica, taking place from 2008 through 2010 in support of their ninth studio album Death Magnetic.Metallica announced the first batch of dates on August 11, 2008...
on January 15, 2009
- NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a voluntary association of about 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States and Canada...
's Men's Frozen Four hockey championship, 2009
- Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States....
hosted Kids' Inaugural: We are the Future on January 19, 2009
- Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British/American rock band formed in 1967 in London, England.The only member present in the band from the very beginning is its namesake drummer Mick Fleetwood...
on March 10, 2009
- Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American singer and entertainer. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears first appeared on national television in 1992 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The New Mickey Mouse Club from 1993 to...
's The Circus Starring: Britney SpearsThe Circus Starring: Britney Spears, commonly referred to as The Circus Tour, is the sixth concert tour by American pop singer Britney Spears in support of her sixth studio album Circus. The tour will reach North America, Europe and Australia...
Tour on March 24, 2009
- World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and his...
's StarrcadeStarrcade was an annual professional wrestling event held from 1983 to 2000 by the National Wrestling Alliance and later World Championship Wrestling as their flagship event equal to WWE's WrestleMania, and featured the largest feuds of the promotion...
1997 - 2000
- Beyoncé's I Am… Tour
I Am… Tour is the third worldwide concert tour by American singer Beyoncé Knowles in support of her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce...
visited on June 24, 2009; Michelle ObamaMichelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States....
was in attendance.
- Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds, of Cream, and as a solo performer, being the only person ever to be inducted three times...
and Steve WinwoodStephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English singer-songwriter who performs and writes rock, blues-rock, and jazz. He sings with a tenor voice and is a multi-instrumentalist who plays Hammond organ, guitar, bass, and other string instruments. In addition to his solo career, he was a member of...
visited on June 13, 2009 for a dual-bill headliner focused on their music in Blind FaithBlind Faith was an English blues-rock band that consisted of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood and Ric Grech. The band, which was one of the first "super-groups", released their only album, Blind Faith, in August 1969...
.
- Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers are an American pop rock boy band. The band gained its popularity from the Disney Channel children's television network. From Wyckoff, New Jersey, the band consists of three brothers: Paul Kevin Jonas II , Joseph Adam Jonas , and Nicholas Jerry Jonas...
stopped at the venue on their 2009 World Tour on July 13, 2009. Michelle ObamaMichelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States....
and her children were in attendace.
- KISS
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in December 1972. Easily identified by its members' trademark face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid and late-1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
performed at the venue on their Sonic Boom World Tour on October 13, 2009.
Future Events
- AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Although the band are commonly classified as hard rock and are considered pioneers of heavy metal, they have always classified their music as "rock and roll".AC/DC underwent several line-up...
will play at the Verizon Center October 16, 2009 as part of their Black Ice World TourThe Black Ice World Tour is a current concert tour by Australian rock band AC/DC. The trek is in support of the group's 15th studio album, Black Ice, which was released in October 2008....
.
- Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus is an American pop-rock singer and television and film actress. Cyrus is best known for starring as the title character in the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. Following the success of Hannah Montana, in October 2006, a soundtrack CD was released in which she sang eight songs...
will stop at the venue on her Wonder World TourThe Wonder World Tour is the current concert tour by the American recording artist Miley Cyrus, which took place during 2009, in support of the Cyrus's extended play, The Time of Our Lives...
on November 3, 2009.
- The venue will also host the 2009 WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is a publicly-traded, privately-controlled integrated media and sports entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
Survivor SeriesThe Survivor Series is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event held in November by World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment. Some fans of WWF/E call it one of the "Big Four", as along with WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and SummerSlam, it was one of the original four annual WWF/E...
on November 22, 2009.
Notable games
June 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 BondraPeter Bondra is a former Slovak professional ice hockey player, who is currently the general manager of the Slovak national team...
passes
Mike GartnerMichael Alfred Gartner is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Phoenix Coyotes...
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 (as a DC-area team, they previously played at USAir Arena in Landover, Maryland).
May 6, 2005 - Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls: Jared JeffriesJared Scott Carter Jeffries is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the NBA. He was drafted in 2002 by the Washington Wizards as the 11th overall pick...
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 PatriotsThe 2005-2006 George Mason Patriots men's basketball team began their 40th season of collegiate play on November 10 2005 versus UC Irvine at the Coaches vs...
vs. Connecticut Huskies: The Patriots, playing in front of a mostly partisan crowd due to
George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax...
being just across the Potomac River from the arena, defeat the top seeded
UConn HuskiesThe UConn Huskies is the name of the men's basketball team at University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference.-Early History:...
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 . 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 .
April 11, 2009 - Boston University Terriers vs. Miami University RedHawks: In the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey National Championship Game, the Boston University Terriers erased a two goal deficit in the final minute of the game, forcing sudden-death overtime. The Terriers would go on to defeat the RedHawks in overtime on a goal by Colby Cohen to cap what is considered to be one of the best championship games of all time.
Ownership
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 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.
Fan fixtures
Two notable fan fixtures at
Washington CapitalsThe Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
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 PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
once called "the loudest voice and stompiest stomp on F Street." "The Horn Guy," aka Sam Wolk, sits in section 415 and 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.
"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 PaperThe Washington City Paper is a U.S. alternative weekly newspaper serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Founded in 1981, and published for its first year under the masthead 1981, taking the City Paper name in volume 2, by Russ Smith, it shared ownership with the Chicago Reader from 1982...
has called them "embarrassing" , a 2005 ESPN.com article by
Todd WrightTodd Wright is an American sports radio personality. He is currently the host of Todd Wright Tonight on Sporting News Radio, which debuted on Monday, June 12, 2006 and airs Monday to Friday from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. ....
commented, "it's time to lose those Mystics attendance banners hanging from the rafters" , the Sports Road Trip website mocked the banners by stating "Oh... Mystics... WNBA "attendance champions" in '98 and '99. "Wheeeeeeee!" .
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 JohnsonSheila Crump Johnson is the team president, managing partner, and governor of the WNBA's Washington Mystics, a position she gained before the 2005 season. On May 24, 2005, Washington Sports and Entertainment Chairman, Abe Pollin, sold the Mystics to Lincoln Holdings LLC, where Johnson served as...
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." .
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 LeonsisTheodore "Ted" J. Leonsis is a long-time AOL executive and owner of the NHL's Washington Capitals....
addressed this criticism directly . The ice quality issue has been persistent both since the opening of Verizon Center, but with the Capitals franchise in general .
Other
- The Verizon Center sits atop the Gallery Place-Chinatown
Gallery Place–Chinatown is a Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C., on the Green, Red and Yellow Lines. It is a transfer station between the Red Line on the upper level and the other two lines on the lower level....
station on the RedThe Red Line of the Washington Metro is a rail rapid transit service operating between 27 stations in Montgomery County, Maryland and the District of Columbia. It is a primary line through downtown Washington, and the oldest and busiest line in the system...
, YellowThe Yellow Line of the Washington Metro consists of 17 rapid transit stations from Huntington to Fort Totten. The line terminates at the Mount Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center station during peak hours. Service is extended to the following stations during off-peak hours: Shaw-Howard...
, and GreenThe Green Line of the Washington Metro consists of 21 rapid transit stations from Branch Avenue to Greenbelt. It starts in Prince George's County, Maryland, runs through all four quadrants of the District of Columbia, and exits back out into Prince George's County...
lines of the Washington MetroMetrorail, commonly called Metro, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C. and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
.
- Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted by Comedy Central as the fifth greatest stand-up comedian of all time....
filmed a brief scene from his 2003 comedy Head of StateHead of State is a 2003 comedy movie directed, written by, and starring Chris Rock and also co-starring Bernie Mac.-Plot:Mays Gilliam is an alderman of the 9th Ward in the Washington D.C. area...
in the building.
- The Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were an English pop girl group formed in 1994. They consist of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They are the most successful girl group of all time....
performed at the Verizon Center as part of their The Return of the Spice GirlsThe Return of the Spice Girls was the second North America-Europe concert tour by British girl group The Spice Girls. This reunion tour visited five countries in both North America and Europe. This tour marked the group's first tour since 1999's Christmas in Spiceworld tour of the United Kingdom,...
Tour. It was their first appearance in Washington as a five piece.
- The Archdiocese of Washington also borrows the stadium every January 22 to memoralize the United States Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , a landmark case decided by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion, is one of the most controversial and politically significant cases in U.S. Supreme Court history.In Roe v...
with a pro-lifeThe pro-life movement is a political and social movement focused chiefly around opposition to abortion, and especially support for the criminalization of abortion. Those involved in the movement generally maintain that human fetuses and embryos are persons, and that therefore they have a right to...
Mass.
External links