Hsbc Arena: IXS

The HSBC Arena is a sports and entertainment venuegroup, had purchased the naming rights. In 1999, as part
located in downtown Buffalo, New York, USA. Thisof HSBC's worldwide corporate rebranding, the arena's
state-of-the-art venue was designed with livename was changed to The HSBC Arena, when the
entertainment in mind. It is home to the Buffalo SabresUS bank's name became HSBC Bank USA N.A.. This
hockey team and the Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team.name change coincided with the playing of the first
The arena also hosts concerts and is used regularlycollege basketball tournament game in the arena's
for college basketball games, including opening-roundhistory. It has been occasionally referred to by Buffalo
games of the NCAA basketball tournament and Metroresidents as The Marina (a portmanteau of Marine
Atlantic Athletic Conference men's basketballMidland Arena), Fort Knox (a reference to the Sabres
tournaments (1997, 1999, 2001, 2005). It recently hasoriginal owners Seymour and Northrup Knox) or "The
been used for wrestling as well, hosting Fully LoadedBank" (a reference to HSBC Bank). The press box in
1999, WCW Fall Brawl 2000, and the 2005 WWEthe arena is named after former Sabres broadcaster
Great American Bash. It is also the former home ofand Hockey Hall of Fame member Ted Darling.
the Buffalo Destroyers, Buffalo Blizzard and BuffaloThe arena has 18,690 seating arrangements for
Wings. It additionally was the host of the 2003 NCAAsporting events. However, the total number of seats
Frozen Four.and number of Spectators would increase if the arena
The HSBC Arena opened on September 21, 1996,is being used for a concert, basketball game, or similar
replacing the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Its originalevent as standing space on the arena's floor. The
name was the Crossroads Arena; however, this wasSpecial Events station of the Buffalo Metro Rail
changed to Marine Midland Arena before the firstsuccessfully manage both the sporting events and
game had even been played there. The Marineconcerts at the arena.
Midland Bank, which was part of the HSBC banking