Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:50 Route 120
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Our Sports Superfan Says:
Sitting in the shadow of New York City, the Izod Center is a premium metropolitan New York arena that in many ways outshines Madison Square Garden, its downtown New York counterpart. While the Izod Center's main tenant, the National Basketball Association's New Jersey Nets, do not have the long history of the New York Knicks, the Nets have had a better run of success in recent years. Factoring in the Izod Center's big-time college basketball games and NCAA Tournament action, as well as its comparable concerts and other events, the arena's action is as exciting as that of any other such venue. The arena is located in the Meadowlands sports complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, home of Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Until the 2007-08 season, the Izod Center (formerly named Brendan Byrne Arena and Continental Airlines Arena) was also home to the New Jersey Devils, who won three Stanley Cups while playing here. It also served as home court for many of Seton Hall University men's basketball team's games, as well as a number of NCAA Tournament games. This includes hosting the 1996 Final Four, the last final four to date to be held at a professional basketball arena.
In addition to basketball, the Izod Center hosts professional wrestling events, the circus, and several big-time concerts. In fact, the Izod Center is less expensive, and more acoustically friendly, than Madison Square Garden, and many performers claim to really enjoy playing there.
Athletically, however, the arena itself is not particularly modern looking or fan-friendly, and is not popular with athletes either. But this may not be a problem for much longer. With the Devils and Seton Hall gone, and the Nets set to move to Brooklyn, along with the construction of a new sports and retail complex at the Meadowlands called Xanadu, the Izod Center may not be long for this world.
Two-hour long tours of the Meadowlands and the Izod Center are available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Saturday. They are available only by appointment, and require a 20-person group minimum.
The best way to get to the Izod Center is by car, however New Jersey Transit does offer a bus service from the Port Authority Terminal in Manhattan for every event held at the Meadowlands.