TD Garden

As early as the late 1970s, the Bruins were looking for a new arena. The Boston Garden was approaching 50 years old at the time. The Jacobs family, who had bought the Bruins in 1975, was looking to build a 17,000-seat arena in suburban Boston after negotiations fell through with the city of Boston. The team nearly moved to Salem, New Hampshire around where the Mall at Rockingham Park is today. That fell through and the Bruins continued to play at Boston Garden.[9] The Celtics, also looking for a new arena, considered moving to Revere.[10]

In 1985, Boston Garden owner Delaware North was awarded the rights to construct a new arena by the Boston Redevelopment Authority and Mayor Raymond Flynn. However, poor economic conditions delayed the project.[11][12]

On May 8, 1992, Delaware North announced that it had secured funding for a new arena in the form of $120 million worth of loans evenly split between Bank of Boston, Fleet Bank of Massachusetts and Shawmut National Corporation.[13] That December, a bill approving construction of the new arena was killed in the Massachusetts Senate by Senate President William M. Bulger. Legislative leaders and Delaware North attempted to reach an agreement on plans for the new arena, but in February 1993 Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs announced that he was backing out of the project as a result of the legislature's demand that his company pay $3.5 million in "linkage payments".[14] Massachusetts governor Bill Weld lent strong support to a "Chapter 15" piece of legislation that included a "Section 7" that explicitly required Delaware North to "administer, produce, promote and sponsor no less than three charitable events per year at the New Boston Garden" and pay the proceeds from such events to the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), today known as the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation.[15] Two weeks later, after a new series of negotiations, the two sides finally came to an agreement, and on February 26 the legislature passed a bill that allowed for construction of a new sports arena.[16]

Construction began on April 29, 1993. Though the new arena was intended to be situated slightly north of the old facility, there was only nine inches (23 cm) of space between the two buildings when construction was completed.[17] The site for the new arena occupied 3.2 acres (13,000 m²) and eventually cost $160 million. Construction was completed in 27 months, including seven weeks of delay caused by heavy snowfall.[17]

On the evening of September 29, 1995, a farewell event was held in the old Boston Garden hosted by WBZ-TV news personality Liz Walker and CBS national news anchor Dan Rather. Attendees included Bruins legends such as Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito as well as Celtics greats Larry Bird and Red Auerbach. The ceremony concluded with the release of thousands of balloons into the rafters to the music of the Boston Pops. The Boston Globe stated that "all New England has lost a friend."[18]

The following night, opening ceremonies were held at the FleetCenter, including performances by the Boston Pops, Walt Disney's World on Ice, Olympic figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie, James Taylor, Patti LaBelle and US3.[19]

The Boston Bruins played their first game in the new arena on October 7, a 4-4 tie with the New York Islanders.[20] The Boston Celtics lost their first game at the FleetCenter by a score of 101-100 to the Milwaukee Bucks on November 3.[21]

During the construction phase, the naming rights to the "New Garden" were sold to Boston-based Shawmut Bank, and the arena was originally slated to open as the Shawmut Center. However, just as the arena was being completed, Shawmut merged with Fleet Financial Group, forcing every seat in the arena, which had all been stamped with the Shawmut logo, to be replaced. The interior color scheme also had to be adjusted from Shawmut's darker blue to Fleet's marginally lighter blue.[22]

November 2004 Celtics game vs the Charlotte Bobcats at the then-FleetCenter

The name of the arena was expected to change as a result of the April 1, 2004 merger of FleetBoston Financial with Bank of America. On January 5, 2005, Delaware North announced an agreement under which the bank made a payment to be released from the remaining six years on the naming rights agreement. The agreement left Delaware North free to sell the naming rights to another sponsor. On March 3, 2005, Maine-based TD Banknorth, a U.S. subsidiary of Toronto-Dominion Bank, announced its purchase of the naming rights for $6 million per year.[23] The first major event to be held after the announcement was the 2005 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. On July 1, 2005, the facility was officially renamed the TD Banknorth Garden in honor of the original Boston Garden.

In early 2005, while still searching for a long-term corporate sponsor, the FleetCenter conducted auctions on eBay to sell one-day naming rights.[24] From February 10 to March 13, the FleetCenter sold the naming rights 30 different times. The net proceeds of $150,633.22 generated during the auction were donated to charities in the greater Boston area. The FleetCenter also made private arrangements with a few companies for one-day naming rights, and offered one-day rights in an employee raffle.

TD Banknorth Garden signage at night (2007)

The Boston Bruins' hockey rink prior to a game vs the Montreal Canadiens in 2008 then TD Banknorth Garden

During the name auction, only twice were names reported to have been rejected. Kerry Konrad, a New York City lawyer and Yankees fan, won naming rights for March 1 with a bid of $2,300. He proposed the name "Derek Jeter Center" after the New York Yankees shortstop, a stab at fellow Harvard College alumnus and Boston Red Sox fan Jerry Rappaport Jr., with whom he had a 25-year-old rivalry. With the arena located in the home city of the Red Sox, the name did not sit well with the executives and was rejected. An agreement was reached in which Rappaport added $6,300 for a total bid of $8,600, representing the 86 years of the Curse of the Bambino, and named the arena "New Boston Garden, Home of the Jimmy Fund Champions". Fark.com founder Drew Curtis held a contest on his website to name the arena after he bought single-day rights. A user vote resulted in the name of "Fark.com UFIA Center", but the name was rejected because of its inappropriate meaning. The name eventually selected by Curtis and company was "Boston Garden".

• Including its present name, the TD Garden has had 33 different names.
• Celtics players dubbed it "The Jungle" during the team's 2002 playoff run.

In April 2008, TD Banknorth became TD Bank, after a merger with Commerce Bancorp, a New Jersey–based bank. Owner Delaware North Companies announced on April 15, 2009 that the building would be renamed TD Garden in July 2009.[25][26]

Then-TD Banknorth Garden taken from new Rose Kennedy Greenway, June 2007

Before the 2006–2007 season, the TD Garden underwent a major overhaul, installing a new HD entertainment board. For basketball, video advertising panels (installed by the NCAA for the 2006 Women's Final Four) replaced the traditional scrolling panels, and added a see-through shot clock, joining the FedExForum, Wells Fargo Center, State Farm Arena, Talking Stick Resort Arena, United Center, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and the Spectrum (this was done before the NBA mandate was installed in 2011). In addition, a vintage siren, just as the original Boston Garden had used, was added to replace the end-of-period horn for hockey only, a feature of the Montreal Canadiens, the Bruins' arch-rivals, at the Montreal Forum (now the Pepsi Forum shopping centre) and the current Centre Bell. In 2009, an LED energy efficient lighting system was added to the exterior of the building. The Boston Globe announced a $70 million project upgrade to TD Garden's concourses and Legends Club restaurant, along with technology upgrades and the relocation of a retail shop. Construction occurred in two phases, summer 2014 and then summer 2015.[27]

On January 25, 2013, during a Celtics vs. Knicks game at the Garden, television announcer Marv Albert accused the TD Garden production crew for being one of those arenas that "constantly" use fake sound effects to intensify the crowd reactions on nationally televised games (which is very similar to "sweetening" on television); however, the official Twitter account of the Boston Celtics stated that the Celtics have never used artificial crowd noise.[28] Following their 2011 Stanley Cup Finals win, the Bruins changed their previous Stanley Cup banners to reflect the changes in the team's main jersey logo through time during their past five Cup wins, as the current logo adorns the 2011 Cup win's banner.[29]

Just before the 2018-19 series of pre-season NHL games began for the Bruins at TD Garden, a serious upgrade to the interior overhead lighting of the playing surface had been completed: as with the NHL hockey arenas for the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning, all-new LED-based overhead lighting technology now brilliantly light up Bruins and Celtics home games at TD Garden.[30]

Before the 2021–22 NHL season, TD Garden had under went more renovations, adding a new jumbotron, along with a new audio system. The new jumbrotron, dubbed the "Hub Vision" has capabilities to go over 4K resolution, and it now has the highest resolution of the NHL and NBA. The main replay screen sizes are almost double of the old ones, at 18 feet by 32.5 feet wide. Unlike the old jumbotron, Hub Vision now has 4 underbelly screens which measure at 6.5 feet tall by 23 feet wide to cater to those sitting in the first few rows. Above the main boards, are 2 new ring displays. Each ring is 3.5 feet tall, and has a circumference of 179 feet. Hub Vision only has 2 rings above the main screens, unlike the old jumbotron with 2 at the top, and one at the bottom. TD Garden partnered with Clair Global Integration to add Cohesion Series CO10 loudspeakers to help improve the sound system.

This renovation was an extension of TD Garden’s Legendary Transformation, which was a $100 million dollar investment from the Jeremy Jacobs family.[31]

Celtics in a game vs the Minnesota Timberwolves at the then-TD Banknorth Garden (2009)

The arena is primarily the home venue for the NBA's Boston Celtics and the NHL's Boston Bruins. It has hosted the 1996 NHL All-Star Game, the 2008, 2010, and 2022 NBA Finals, and the 2011, 2013, and 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. While dominant in their previous arena, Boston Garden, the Celtics and Bruins were initially much less successful in their new home as both teams missed the playoffs numerous times and failed to make their league's finals until 2008. That year the Celtics defeated their arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers in six games, clinching the 2008 NBA championship in the Garden. The Celtics then lost the Finals rematch with the Lakers in 2010; despite taking Game 2 in Los Angeles and two of three games at home, the Celtics lost Game 7 on the road. The Bruins overcame the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to capture the 2011 Stanley Cup, winning all games in the Garden with lopsided scores (8-1, 4-0, and 5-2) and then taking the championship on the road at Rogers Arena. In the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins overcame a 4-1 deficit in the deciding Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs to win 5-4 in overtime, en route to making it to the Finals; the Chicago Blackhawks hoisted the Stanley Cup in the Garden after a stunning comeback in the final minute of Game Six. The Bruins failed to win the Cup in 2019, hosting the event but losing a critical Game 7 to the St. Louis Blues, 4-1. The Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship at the Garden in 2022, defeating the Celtics in Game 6 to become only the second NBA team to win the championship in Boston after the 1984–85 Lakers.

The Celtics' trademark parquet floor at the TD Garden in 2010.

From March 28 to April 3, 2016, TD Garden hosted the 2016 World Figure Skating Championships.[32]

Eddie Palladino is the current public address announcer for Celtics games, while Steve Forni is the current public address announcer for Bruins games. Jim Martin is the former PA announcer for the Bruins as he formerly served for the them between 1992 to 2020. Ron Poster is the arena organist.

As the former Boston Garden had from 1954 through 1995 - and the still-standing Matthews Arena had for its start in 1952 - the TD Garden is the home of the annual Beanpot college hockey tournament between the Boston University Terriers, Boston College Eagles, Harvard University Crimson and Northeastern University Huskies. The facility has hosted the 2001 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the 1996 and 2000 US Gymnastics Trials, and the 1998, 2004, 2015 and 2022 NCAA Men's Frozen Four.

High school championships and tournaments for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association are annually hosted at the TD Garden. Events include ice hockey and basketball championships. The Super 8 is one of the popular events that fans and students attend.

TD Garden is one of two NBA arenas (along with Amway Center, home of the Orlando Magic) with parquet floors. The Celtics are best known for the tradition of the parquet floor from their Boston Garden years, originally built after World War II because of cost and the scarcity of lumber in that time. The Celtics are also the only NBA team to use an oak floor, whereas the other 29 teams use maple floors. However, a traditional floor was used in the 2006 NCAA Women's Final Four, the 2009 NCAA Men's East Regional and the 2018 NCAA Men's East Regional (NCAA rules require a special NCAA-specification floor be used for all tournament games). When the 2012 NCAA Men's East Regional was held at TD Garden, a maple parquet floor was used with the same NCAA-specific design.

In 2021, TD Garden hosted the 2021 Laver Cup in September. The Laver Cup is a men's tennis tournament between teams from Europe and the rest of the world. It was held from 24 until 26 September with Team Europe winning the tournament for the fourth consecutive year.[33]

Ricky Hatton began his 'American dream' here on May 13, 2006, he stepped up to welterweight to fight WBA world champion Luis Collazo.

On November 13, 2016, the arena hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions.[34]

In August 2010, the TD Garden hosted UFC 118, which was the first time that the UFC held an event in Boston.[35] UFC president Dana White confirmed that the UFC would return to The Garden on August 17, 2013.[36][37] The TD Garden hosted UFC on Fox Sports 1: 1, the launch of the new Fox Sports 1 cable channel, on August 17, 2013. This was the second UFC event to take place at the TD Garden. The UFC returned on January 18, 2015 for UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Siver,[38] and again on January 17, 2016 for UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz.[39] On January 20, 2018, the TD Garden hosted UFC 220.[40] On October 18, 2019, the TD Garden hosted UFC on ESPN: Reyes vs. Weidman.[41]

The TD Garden has been seen/mentioned in movies such as The Town (2010), Knight and Day (2010), Zookeeper (2011), What's Your Number?[42] (2011) and Ted (2012).

The FleetCenter (at the time of the photo) hosting the 2004 Democratic National Convention

Comedians such as Bill Burr, Denis Leary, Chris Rock and Louis C.K., among many others, have all performed at the TD Garden during their nationwide tours. Dane Cook did two sellout shows.

WWE professional wrestling events are held in the Garden, which frequently hosts its RAW and SmackDown shows. In addition, the arena has hosted several pay-per-views including WrestleMania XIV, Royal Rumble in 2003 and 2011, SummerSlam in 2006, Survivor Series in 2008, 2013 and scheduled in 2022, Money in the Bank in 2014, TLC in 2015, Hell in a Cell in 2016 and Clash of Champions in 2017.

From July 26 to 29, 2004, the TD Garden (then the FleetCenter) was the host of the 2004 Democratic National Convention, in which Massachusetts Senator John Kerry was nominated as the Democratic candidate for the 2004 Presidential Election. The convention was also famous for then Senator and future President Barack Obama's keynote speech which began the speculation of his running for President in the 2008 Presidential Election.

In May 2010, a bronze statue of Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr, in a flying pose celebrating "The Goal", was unveiled outside the stadium.[46]

Located in TD Garden is The Sports Museum (also known as "The Sports Museum of New England"). The museum's exhibits focus on the history of various sports in the Boston area, including the Boston Bruins, the Boston Celtics, the New England Patriots, the Boston Red Sox and many more.