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.
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. 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.
thumb|Aerial view during a game in 2006
thumb|right|An interior view of Rentschler Field
{| class="wikitable"
! style=";" |Year || style=";" |Record
|-
|2003 || 5–1
|-
|2004 || 6–1
|-
|2005 || 4–2
|-
|2006 || 3–4
|-
|2007 || 7–0
|-
|2008 || 4–2
|-
|2009 || 4–2
|-
|2010 || 6–0
|-
|2011 || 4–3
|-
|2012 || 3–3
|-
|2013 || 2–5
|-
|2014 || 2–5
|-
|2015 || 4–2
|-
|2016 || 3–4
|-
|2017 || 2–4
|-
|2018 || 1–5
|-
|2019 || 1–5
|-
|2021 || 1–5
|-
|2022 || 5–1
|-
|2023 || 1–5
|-
|2024 || 6–1
|-
|2025 || 6–0
|}
Sellouts
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style=";" | Date
! style=";" | Opponent
! style=";" | Result
! style=";" | 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 46–45<sup>3OT</sup> || 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 16–13<sup>OT</sup> || 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.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;text-align:;"
|-
! style="background:#009943; color:white; border:2px solid #002974;" | Date
! style="background:#009943; color:white; border:2px solid #002974;" | Opponent
! style="background:#009943; color:white; border:2px solid #002974;" | Score
! style="background:#009943; color:white; border:2px solid #002974;" | 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.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;text-align:;"
|-
! style="background:#A6192E; color:white;" | Date
! style="background:#A6192E; color:white;" | Teams
! style="background:#A6192E; color:white;" | Score
! style="background:#A6192E; color:white;" | Opponent
! style="background:#A6192E; color:white;" | Competition
! style="background:#A6192E; color:white;" | Attendance
|-
| September 23, 2017 || align=right| New York City || || Houston Dynamo || MLS || 10,165
|-
| September 27, 2020 || align=right| Toronto || || Columbus Crew || MLS Trillium Cup || –
|-
| October 3, 2020 || align=right| Toronto || || Philadelphia Union || MLS || –
|-
| October 14, 2020 || align=right| Toronto || || New York Red Bulls || MLS || –
|-
| October 18, 2020 || align=right| Toronto || || Atlanta United || MLS || –
|-
| October 28, 2020 || align=right| Toronto || || New York City || MLS || –
|-
| November 1, 2020 || align=right| Toronto |||| Inter Miami || MLS || 1,394
|-
| November 24, 2020 || align=right| Toronto || || Nashville|| MLS Cup Playoff || –
|}
United States men's national soccer team
thumb|The stadium in 2025 during [[United States men's national soccer team|United States vs. Turkey]]
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.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;text-align: ;"
|-
! style=";" | Date
! style=";" | Opponent
! style=";" | Score
! style=";" | Competition
! style=";" | Attendance
|-
| August 17, 2005|| || || 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification<br>CONCACAF 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.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;text-align:;"
|-
! style=";" | Date
! style=";" | Opponent
! style=";" | Score
! style=";" | Competition
! style=";" | 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 || 14,695
|-
|April 6, 2016 |||| || Friendly || 21,792
|-
| July 29, 2018|| || || 2018 Tournament of Nations || 21,570
|-
|July 1, 2021 || || || Friendly || 21,637
|-
|July 5, 2021 || || || Friendly || 27,758
|-
|October 26, 2025 || || || Friendly || 26,492
|}
Other soccer matches
thumb|170px|Japan v Brazil women's soccer match, 2018
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;text-align:;"
|-
! style=";" | Date
! style=";" | Winner
! style=";" | Score
! style=";" | Opponent
! style=";" | Competition
! style=";" | Attendance
|-
| July 27, 2004 || align=right| Liverpool || || Celtic || Champions World Soccer Series Two 2004 || 24,271
|-
|July 16, 2013|| align=right| || || || 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup || 25,432
|-
|July 29, 2018|| align=right| || || || 2018 Tournament of Nations || 13,027
|-
|March 8, 2022|| align=right| New York City || || Comunicaciones|| 2022 CONCACAF Champions League|| 15,642
|-
|June 18, 2023|| align=right| || || || International Friendly || 8,568
|-
|June 15, 2024|| align=right| || || || International Friendly ||
|-
|June 16, 2024|| align=right| || || || International Friendly || 15,000
|-
|October 26, 2025 || align=right| United States Men's Deaf Team || || Germany Men's Deaf Team || International Friendly || TBD
|-
|June 6, 2026|| align=right| || || || 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.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;text-align: center;"
|-
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#003D7E 5px solid; border-bottom:#A99F63 5px solid;"|Date
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#003D7E 5px solid; border-bottom:#A99F63 5px solid;"|Opponent
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#003D7E 5px solid; border-bottom:#A99F63 5px solid;"|Result
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#003D7E 5px solid; border-bottom:#A99F63 5px solid;"|Score
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#003D7E 5px solid; border-bottom:#A99F63 5px solid;"|Attendance
|-
| 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.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; width:95%;" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style="text-align:center; ;"|Date
!style="text-align:center; ;"|Tournament
!style="text-align:center; ;"|Result
!style="text-align:center; ;"|Spectators
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|April 24, 2010 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|2010 ESPNU Warrior Classic || style="text-align:center;|Denver 9–8 Fairfield || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|6,415
|-
| style="text-align:center;|Georgetown 12–13 UMass
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|May 19, 2019 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|2019 NCAA Division I Men's Quarterfinals || style="text-align:center;|Penn State 21–14 Loyola || rowspan="2"|8,568
|-
| style="text-align:center;|Yale 19–18 (OT) Penn
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|May 29, 2021 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|2021 NCAA Division I Men's Semifinals || style="text-align:center;|North Carolina 11–12 Virginia || rowspan="2"|13,707
|-
| style="text-align:center;|Maryland 14–5 Duke
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|May 30, 2021 || style="text-align:center;|2021 NCAA Division III Men's Finals || style="text-align:center;|RIT 15–14 (2OT) Salisbury || rowspan="2"|5,815
|-
| style="text-align:center;|2021 NCAA Division II Men's Finals || style="text-align:center;|Le Moyne 12–6 Lenoir–Rhyne
|-
| style="text-align:center;|May 31, 2021 || style="text-align:center;|2021 NCAA Division I Men's Finals || style="text-align:center;|Virginia 17–16 Maryland || 14,816
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|May 28, 2022 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|2022 NCAA Division I Men's Semifinals || style="text-align:center;|Cornell 17–10 Rutgers || rowspan="2"|21,688
|-
| Maryland 13–8 Princeton
|-
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;|May 29, 2022 || style="text-align:center;|2022 NCAA Division III Men's Finals || style="text-align:center;|Union 10–12 RIT || rowspan="2"|14,650
|-
| style="text-align:center;|2022 NCAA Division II Men's Finals || style="text-align:center;|Mercy 7–11 Tampa
|-
| style="text-align:center;|May 30, 2022 || style="text-align:center;|2022 NCAA Division I Men's Finals || style="text-align:center;|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.
|-
| 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.
thumb|"Whale Bowl" at Rentschler Field, 19 Feb 2011
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;text-align: center;"
|-
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00205B 5px solid; border-bottom:#046A38 5px solid;"|Date
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00205B 5px solid; border-bottom:#046A38 5px solid;"|League
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00205B 5px solid; border-bottom:#046A38 5px solid;"|Away team
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00205B 5px solid; border-bottom:#046A38 5px solid;"|Home team
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00205B 5px solid; border-bottom:#046A38 5px solid;"|Score
! style="background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00205B 5px solid; border-bottom:#046A38 5px solid;"|Attendance
|-
|! style="background:#00205B; color:#FFFFFF;" rowspan="2"|
|Atlantic Hockey
|Sacred Heart Pioneers (M)
|UConn Huskies (M)
|3–1
|1,911
|-
|Hockey East
|Providence Friars (W)
|UConn Huskies (W)
|4–3
|153
|-
|! style="background:#00205B; color:#FFFFFF;" rowspan="2"|
|NESCAC
|Wesleyan Cardinals (W)
|Trinity Bantams (W)
|5–1
|100
|-
|NESCAC
|Wesleyan Cardinals (M)
|Trinity Bantams (M)
|3–1
|820
|-
|! style="background:#00205B; color:#FFFFFF;" rowspan="3"|
|Atlantic Hockey
|Army Black Knights (M)
|AIC Yellow Jackets (M)
|4–1
|1,142
|-
|NHL Alumni
|Boston Bruins Alumni
|Hartford Whalers Alumni
|4–4
|10,000
|-
|AHL
|Providence Bruins
|Connecticut Whale
|5–4 (SO)
|21,673
|-
|}
Concerts
{| class="wikitable" style=font-size:100% style="text-align:center"
|-
!style=";"| Date
!style=";"| Artist
!style=";"| Opening act(s)
!style=";"| Tour / Concert name
!style=";"| Attendance
!style=";"| Gross
!style=";"| Notes
|-
| September 16, 2003 || rowspan="2"|Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band || || rowspan="2"|The Rising Tour || 51,569 || rowspan="2"|$3,788,325 ||
|-
| September 18, 2003 || || 66,000 ||
|-
| August 26, 2005 || The Rolling Stones || Maroon 5 || A Bigger Bang Tour || || ||
|-
| July 31, 2007 || The Police || Fiction Plane || The Police Reunion Tour || 32,450 || $3,318,015 ||
|-
| September 15, 2018 || A Will Away || || UConn Fan Fest || || ||
|-
| May 28, 2022 || Kenny Mehler || || || || ||
|-
| August 23, 2025 || Chris Brown || Bryson Tiller || Breezy Bowl XX || || ||
|-
| June 22, 2026 || Post Malone<br>Jelly Roll <br> Carter Faith || ||Big Ass Stadium Tour 2 || || ||
|-
|}
Gallery
See also
- List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums
References
External links
- Profile from official UConn athletics site (archived)