UConn Huskies' Part-Time Home in Hartford Gets a New Name

UConn basketball’s part-time home in Hartford is getting a new name and a major upgrade to match its championship standard.

Jan 10, 2015; Hartford, CT, USA; Connecticut Huskies fans cheer on their team against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the second half at The XL Center. The Huskies won 62-56. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory J. Fisher-Imagn Images

The UConn Huskies' storied men’s and women’s basketball programs have a newly named venue to call home, at least part-time. The arena formerly known as the XL Center in downtown Hartford is now PeoplesBank Arena, following a new multi-year naming rights agreement.

We are incredibly excited to announce our new name, PeoplesBank Arena!@BankAtPeoples pic.twitter.com/4DBSgq6Wfi

— PeoplesBank Arena (@Peoplesbnkarena) June 2, 2025

“We chose to invest in this arena because we believe in Hartford,” said Thomas Senecal, CEO and chairman of PeoplesBank, based in Holyoke, Massachusetts. “We believe in the revitalization happening here, the momentum building downtown, the renewed energy in the business district, the arts, the restaurants, the culture. And of course, the sports.”

The venue, which hosts half of UConn’s home games, complementing games at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, has long been a key hub for the Huskies’ basketball dominance. The men’s team enters the 2025 season as back-to-back national champions, while the women’s team added to its illustrious legacy with another NCAA title this year.

“This is more than just a naming rights agreement for the City of Hartford and the state of Connecticut," said Senecal. "This is a statement from PeoplesBank about who we are and who we are not, what we believe in, and where we are headed together.”

The newly named arena is currently undergoing a $145 million renovation, including updated seating, new suites, a modern concourse, and upgraded locker rooms. It is scheduled to reopen this fall, just in time for the Huskies’ women's team to defend their latest title.

Managed by Oak View Group, the 16,000-seat venue has long been central to Connecticut sports, also housing the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack and UConn men’s hockey games. The naming rights deal, valued at an estimated $2 million annually, signals a strong commitment from PeoplesBank to deepen its roots in Connecticut and to make UConn's part-time home away from Storrs a world-class venue.