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