Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field


Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field is a stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut. It is primarily used for football and soccer, and is the home field of the University of Connecticut Huskies. It may also host the Connecticut Underground of the Freedom Football League; in the fall of 2010, it was home to the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League. The stadium, which opened in 2003, was the first stadium used primarily by an NCAA Division I-A team to open in the 21st century. The permanent stadium capacity is 40,000, consisting of 38,066 permanent seats with a standing-room area in the scoreboard plaza that can accommodate up to 1,934 people. It also has a game day capability to add approximately 2,000 temporary seats as it did for UConn
football vs. Michigan in 2013. Connecticut played on campus at Memorial Stadium in Storrs, before 2003.
Rentschler Field was originally the name of the company airfield for Pratt & Whitney that formerly occupied the site. The airfield, which began operations in 1931, was named after Frederick Rentschler, who founded Pratt & Whitney in 1925 and also founded its parent company, United Technologies. It was originally used for test flights and maintenance operations, and later for corporate aviation. The site was decommissioned as an airport in the 1990s, and donated to the state of Connecticut by United Technologies in 1999. A subsequent 65-acre donation by United Technologies in 2009 allowed for the construction of additional grass parking lots adjacent to the Stadium.
Pursuant to a lease agreement with the State, UConn plays all its home football games at Rentschler Field.

History

The New England Patriots considered moving to Connecticut and sharing a stadium with the UConn football team in the mid-1990s. The new stadium was supposed to be built on the Connecticut Convention Center site in downtown Hartford. However, when the Patriots completed the deal for Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, the Hartford stadium plan was scaled down and the location was moved to East Hartford. The current capacity of 40,000 can expand to 50,000 with limited rehabilitation and has the layout and design for expansion of up to 60,000 seats in the future.
The stadium is owned by the State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management, while operations are overseen by the quasi-public Capital Region Development Authority. Global Spectrum, L.P. has managed the building on behalf of CRDA since 2013. Previously, the Stadium was managed by Bushnell Management Services, Anschutz Entertainment Group and Madison Square Garden L.P..
On July 16, 2015, it was announced that the stadium had been named Pratt & Whitney Stadium in a deal between Pratt & Whitney and UConn. The playing surface is still named Rentschler Field. In return, Pratt and Whitney donated additional land that will be used for game day parking.

Connecticut Huskies

The UConn Huskies football team has an all time 61–48 record at Rentschler Field.
YearRecord
20035-1
20046-1
20054-2
20063-4
20077-0
20084-2
20094-2
20106-0
20114-3
20123-3
20132-5
20142-5
20154-2
20163-4
20172-4
20181-5
20191-5

Sellouts

DateOpponentResultSeats
September 13, 2003Boston CollegeL 14-2440,000
November 8, 2003RutgersW 38-3140,000
September 11, 2004DukeW 22-2040,000
September 25, 2004ArmyW 40-340,000
September 30, 2004PittsburghW 29-1740,000
October 13, 2004#17 West VirginiaL 19-3140,000
October 23, 2004TempleW 45-3140,000
November 20, 2004BuffaloW 29-040,000
September 1, 2005BuffaloW 38-040,000
September 10, 2005LibertyW 59-040,000
October 7, 2005SyracuseW 26-740,000
October 22, 2005RutgersL 24-2640,000
November 26, 2005South FloridaW 15-1040,000
December 3, 2005#16 LouisvilleL 20-3040,000
September 16, 2006Wake ForestL 13-2440,000
September 30, 2006NavyL 17-4140,000
October 20, 2006#4 West VirginiaL 11-3740,000
November 11, 2006PittsburghW 46-453OT40,000
October 19, 2007LouisvilleW 21-1740,000
October 27, 2007#11 South FloridaW 22-1540,000
November 3, 2007RutgersW 38-1940,000
November 17, 2007SyracuseW 30-740,000
September 13, 2008VirginiaW 45-1040,000
October 25, 2008CincinnatiW 40-1640,000
November 1, 2008West VirginiaL 35-1340,000
October 17, 2009LouisvilleW 38-2540,000
November 28, 2009SyracuseW 56-3140,000
October 2, 2010VanderbiltW 40-2140,000
October 29, 2010West VirginiaW 16-13OT40,000
November 27, 2010CincinnatiW 38-1740,000
September 21, 2013#15 MichiganL 24-2142,704

Soccer

Hartford Athletic

On March 11, 2019, it was announced that the renovations at Dillon Stadium would not be completed on time for Hartford Athletic's home opener on May 4 against Charlotte Independence. Hartford Athletic played seven games at Pratt & Whitney Stadium.
DateTeamsAttendance
May 4, 2019Hartford Athletic 1–1 Charlotte Independence11,346
May 10, 2019Hartford Athletic 1–2 Memphis 901 FC5,045
May 25, 2019Hartford Athletic 1–1 Ottawa Fury FC5,346
June 1, 2019Hartford Athletic 1-1 North Carolina FC5,003
June 8, 2019Hartford Athletic 2-1 Saint Louis FC5,132
June 16, 2019Hartford Athletic 2-3 Nashville SC4,489
June 29, 2019Hartford Athletic 0-3 Bethlehem Steel FC5,012

Major League Soccer

On September 23, 2017, New York City FC played a home match at Pratt & Whitney Stadium, against the Houston Dynamo, in the stadium's first Major League Soccer game. The game was relocated from Yankee Stadium in New York City due to a schedule conflict with the New York Yankees.
DateTeamsCompetitionAttendance
September 23, 2017New York City FC 1-1 Houston DynamoMLS10,165

United States men's national soccer team

Rentschler Field has hosted several United States men's national soccer team's home games, including Landon Donovan's last game for the National Team on October 10, 2014.
DateTeamsCompetitionAttendance
August 17, 2005' 1–0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification - CONCACAF Fourth Round25,488
May 30, 2006' 1–0 Friendly22,455
May 25, 2010 2–4 'Friendly36,000
July 16, 2013' 1–0 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup25,432
October 10, 2014 1–1 Friendly36,265
July 1, 2017 2–1 Friendly28,754
October 16, 2018 1–1 Friendly24,959

United States women's national soccer team

Rentschler Field has also hosted several United States women's national soccer team's home games.
DateTeamsCompetitionAttendance
Aug. 1, 2004' 3–1 Friendly15,093
July 14, 2007' 1–0 Friendly9,957
July 17, 2010' 3–0 Friendly5,570
October 23, 2012 2–2 Friendly18,870
June 19, 2014 2–2 Friendly14,695
April 6, 2016' 7–0 Friendly21,792
July 29, 2018 1–1 2018 Tournament of Nations21,570

Other Matches Hosted

Hartford Colonials

The Hartford Colonials were a United Football League team that played their home games at Rentschler Field. During their, the Colonials played all four home games at Rentschler, after having played one there the previous season while they were known as the New York Sentinels. Attendance at Colonials games averaged a consistent 15,000 people, third place in the five-team league behind Omaha and Sacramento. The UFL suspended the Colonials franchise in 2011 and the franchise was officially terminated when the team's former owner was named as the new owner of the Virginia Destroyers.
DateOpponentResultScoreAttendance
Saturday, September 18, 2010Sacramento Mountain LionsW27–1014,384
Saturday, October 9, 2010Florida TuskersL20–3314,468
Saturday, October 16, 2010Omaha NighthawksL14–1914,056
Saturday, November 20, 2010Las Vegas LocomotivesW27–1414,554

Lacrosse

On May 19, 2019, Rentschler Field hosted the Quarterfinals for the 2019 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship.
In 2021 and 2022, Rentschler Field will host the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship for Divisions I, II, and III.
DateTournamentResultSpectators
May 19, 20192019 NCAA Division I Men's QuarterfinalsPenn State 21-14 Loyola8,568
May 19, 20192019 NCAA Division I Men's QuarterfinalsYale 19-18 Penn8,568

Rugby union

Rentschler Field hosted its first rugby union match on July 3, 2004, when the USA Rugby union hosted France in front of 6,000 people. France would win 39-31.
On June 4, 2005, Rentschler Field hosted two rugby union matches; Wales vs USA Rugby and the 2005 U.S. Rugby Super League Championship game, between New York Athletic Club Rugby Football Club and Belmont Shore RFC in front of 8,027. Wales would defeat the US 77-3 and NYAC would defeat Belmont Shore 23 to 19.
DateWinnerScoreOpponentLeagueCompetitionAttendance
July 3, 2004'39-31IRBFriendly6,000
June 4, 2005'77-3IRBFriendly8,027
June 4, 2005NYAC 23-19 Belmont ShoreUSRSLChampionship8,027

Whalers Hockey Fest

On August 24, 2010, a fan event, called Whalers Fan Fest, occurred, featuring many of the former players, draws were close to 5,000 people on a Saturday afternoon.
From February 11 to the 20th, 2011, the stadium hosted the Whalers Hockey Fest 2011. A hockey rink was constructed on the field much like is done for the annual NHL Winter Classic. Events included a Hartford Whalers Alumni vs. Boston Bruins Alumni game, with an appearance from the Hanson Brothers, from the film Slap Shot, a double-header featuring both UConn men's and women's hockey teams, a Hockey Legends team faced off against the Mystery, Alaska Hollywood team, along with the Hanson Brothers from the movie Slap Shot, and the second edition of the American Hockey League Outdoor Classic between the host Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins. Over 15,000 fans came out to watch the so-called "Whale Bowl", while over 1,700 attended the UConn men's game.
DateLeagueAway TeamHome TeamScoreAttendance
Atlantic HockeySacred Heart Pioneers UConn Huskies 3-11,911
Hockey EastProvidence Friars UConn Huskies 4-3153
NESCACWesleyan Cardinals Trinity Bantams 5-1100
NESCACWesleyan Cardinals Trinity Bantams 3-1820
Atlantic HockeyArmy Black Knights AIC Yellow Jackets 4–11,142
NHL AlumniBoston Bruins AlumniHartford Whalers Alumni4–410,000
AHLProvidence BruinsConnecticut Whale5–4 21,673