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 (UConn). In 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 FBS (formerly Division I-A) team to open in the 21st century. Prior to its opening, Connecticut had played on-campus at Memorial Stadium in Storrs from 1953 to 2002.
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. |Blakeslee Building Solutions
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 (CRDA). Global Spectrum, L.P. has managed the building on behalf of CRDA since 2013. Previously, the Stadium was managed by Bushnell Management Services (2011–2013), Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG)(2007–2011) and Madison Square Garden L.P. (2003–2007).
Prior to the 2013 season, a new 28×73-foot wide and 15HD pixel video display was installed replacing the stadium's original scoreboard.
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.Rent Being Renamed Pratt & Whitney Stadium At 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 80–60 record at Rentschler Field.
Year Record2003 5–12004 6–12005 4–22006 3–42007 7–02008 4–2 2009 4–22010 6–02011 4–32012 3–32013 2–52014 2–52015 4–22016 3–42017 2–42018 1–52019 1–52021 1–52022 5–12023 1–52024 6–12025 6–0
Sellouts
Date Opponent Result Seats September 13, 2003 Boston College L 14–24 40,000 November 8, 2003 Rutgers W 38–31 40,000 September 11, 2004 Duke W 22–20 40,000 September 25, 2004 Army W 40–3 40,000 September 30, 2004 Pittsburgh W 29–17 40,000 October 13, 2004 #17 West Virginia L 19–31 40,000 October 23, 2004 Temple W 45–31 40,000 November 20, 2004 Buffalo W 29–0 40,000 September 1, 2005 Buffalo W 38–0 40,000 September 10, 2005 Liberty W 59–0 40,000 October 7, 2005 Syracuse W 26–7 40,000 October 22, 2005 Rutgers L 24–26 40,000 November 26, 2005 South Florida W 15–10 40,000 December 3, 2005 #16 Louisville L 20–30 40,000 September 16, 2006 Wake Forest L 13–24 40,000 September 30, 2006 Navy L 17–41 40,000 October 20, 2006 #4 West Virginia L 11–37 40,000 November 11, 2006 Pittsburgh W 46–453OT 40,000 October 19, 2007 Louisville W 21–17 40,000 October 27, 2007 #11 South Florida W 22–15 40,000 November 3, 2007 Rutgers W 38–19 40,000 November 17, 2007 Syracuse W 30–7 40,000 September 13, 2008 Virginia W 45–10 40,000 October 25, 2008 Cincinnati W 40–16 40,000 November 1, 2008 West Virginia L 35–13 40,000 October 17, 2009 Louisville W 38–25 40,000 November 28, 2009 Syracuse W 56–31 40,000 October 2, 2010 Vanderbilt W 40–21 40,000 October 29, 2010 West Virginia W 16–13OT 40,000 November 27, 2010 Cincinnati W 38–17 40,000 September 21, 2013 #15 Michigan L 24–21 42,704
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. Date Opponent Score Attendance May 4, 2019 Charlotte Independence 11,346 May 10, 2019 Memphis 901 5,045 May 25, 2019 Ottawa Fury 5,346 June 1, 2019 North Carolina 5,003 June 8, 2019 Saint Louis 5,132 June 16, 2019 Nashville 4,489 June 29, 2019 Bethlehem Steel 5,012
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.
On September 11, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont announced that Toronto FC would finish their season's home matches at Pratt & Whitney Stadium due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date Teams Score Opponent Competition Attendance September 23, 2017 New York City Houston Dynamo MLS 10,165 September 27, 2020 Toronto Columbus Crew MLS Trillium Cup – October 3, 2020 Toronto Philadelphia Union MLS – October 14, 2020 Toronto New York Red Bulls MLS – October 18, 2020 Toronto Atlanta United MLS – October 28, 2020 Toronto New York City MLS – November 1, 2020 Toronto Inter Miami MLS 1,394 November 24, 2020 Toronto Nashville MLS Cup Playoff –
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.
Date Opponent Score Competition Attendance August 17, 2005 2006 FIFA World Cup qualificationCONCACAF fourth round 25,488 May 30, 2006 Friendly 22,455 May 25, 2010 Friendly 36,000 July 16, 2013 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup 25,432 October 10, 2014 Friendly 36,265 July 1, 2017 Friendly 28,754 October 16, 2018 Friendly 24,959 October 14, 2023 Friendly 37,743 June 7, 2025 Friendly 34,023
United States women's national soccer team Rentschler Field has also hosted several United States women's national soccer team's home games.
Date Opponent Score Competition Attendance August 1, 2004 Friendly 15,093 July 14, 2007 Friendly 9,957 July 17, 2010 Friendly 5,570 October 23, 2012 Friendly 18,870 June 19, 2014 Friendly 14,695April 6, 2016 Friendly 21,792 July 29, 2018 2018 Tournament of Nations 21,570July 1, 2021 Friendly 21,637July 5, 2021 Friendly 27,758October 26, 2025 Friendly 26,492
Other soccer matches
Date Winner Score Opponent Competition Attendance July 27, 2004 Liverpool Celtic Champions World Soccer Series Two 2004 24,271July 16, 2013 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup 25,432July 29, 2018 2018 Tournament of Nations 13,027March 8, 2022 New York City Comunicaciones 2022 CONCACAF Champions League 15,642June 18, 2023 International Friendly 8,568June 15, 2024 International Friendly June 16, 2024 International Friendly 15,000October 26, 2025 United States Men's Deaf Team Germany Men's Deaf Team International Friendly TBDJune 6, 2026 International Friendly
Hartford Colonials The Hartford Colonials were a United Football League team that played their home games at Rentschler Field. During their (2010 UFL season), 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 (Bill Mayer) was named as the new owner of the Virginia Destroyers.
DateOpponentResultScoreAttendance Thursday, November 12, 2009 Florida Tuskers L 6–24 5,201 Saturday, September 18, 2010 Sacramento Mountain Lions W 27–10 14,384 Saturday, October 9, 2010 Florida Tuskers L 20–33 14,468 Saturday, October 16, 2010 Omaha Nighthawks L 14–19 14,056 Saturday, November 20, 2010 Las Vegas Locomotives W 27–14 14,554
Lacrosse On May 19, 2019, Rentschler Field hosted the Quarterfinals for the 2019 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship. In 2021 and 2022, Rentschler Field hosted the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship for Divisions I, II, and III.
DateTournamentResultSpectatorsApril 24, 2010 2010 ESPNU Warrior Classic Denver 9–8 Fairfield 6,415Georgetown 12–13 UMassMay 19, 2019 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Quarterfinals Penn State 21–14 Loyola 8,568Yale 19–18 (OT) PennMay 29, 2021 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Semifinals North Carolina 11–12 Virginia 13,707Maryland 14–5 DukeMay 30, 2021 2021 NCAA Division III Men's Finals RIT 15–14 (2OT) Salisbury 5,8152021 NCAA Division II Men's Finals Le Moyne 12–6 Lenoir–RhyneMay 31, 2021 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Finals Virginia 17–16 Maryland 14,816May 28, 2022 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Semifinals Cornell 17–10 Rutgers 21,688 Maryland 13–8 PrincetonMay 29, 2022 2022 NCAA Division III Men's Finals Union 10–12 RIT 14,6502022 NCAA Division II Men's Finals Mercy 7–11 TampaMay 30, 2022 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Finals Maryland 9–7 Cornell 22,184
Rugby union 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 23–19. In 2008 Rentschler Field hosted a match between Irish provincial side Munster and the USA Eagles, with Munster winning 46–22.
Date Winner Score Opponent League Competition Attendance June 4, 2005 77–3 IRB 2005 Wales rugby union tour of North America 8,027 NYAC 23–19 Belmont Shore USRSL Championship August 31, 2008 Munster 46–22 IRB 2008 Setanta Challenge Cup 8,350
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 teamScoreAttendanceAtlantic HockeySacred Heart Pioneers (M)UConn Huskies (M)3–11,911Hockey EastProvidence Friars (W)UConn Huskies (W)4–3153NESCACWesleyan Cardinals (W)Trinity Bantams (W)5–1100NESCACWesleyan Cardinals (M)Trinity Bantams (M)3–1820Atlantic HockeyArmy Black Knights (M)AIC Yellow Jackets (M)4–11,142NHL AlumniBoston Bruins AlumniHartford Whalers Alumni4–410,000AHLProvidence BruinsConnecticut Whale5–4 (SO)21,673
Concerts