Asylum Arena

Asylum Arena
Former names Viking Hall (1986-1993)
ECW Arena (1993-2001)
XPW Arena (2002-2003)
Alhambra Arena (2004-2009)
The Arena (2009-2010)
Location 7 West Ritner Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19148
Opened May 14, 1993
Owner Stein & Silverman (1986-present)
Capacity 1,400[1]
Tenants
South Philadelphia Viking Club (1986-1993)
Extreme Championship Wrestling (1993-2001)
Xtreme Pro Wrestling (2002-2003)

Asylum Arena, known as the ECW Arena from 1993 to 2001, is a former warehouse and current multi-purpose venue used primarily for professional wrestling, boxing, and mixed martial arts events. It is located in South Philadelphia on the corner of South Swanson Street and West Ritner Street.[2] It is considered a legendary venue by fans of hardcore wrestling.

Joanna Pang, owner of the Trocadero Theatre, plans to lease the facility beginning in February 2012 and convert it to concert venue, potentially shutting out sporting events.[3]

Contents

History

Freight warehouse (1970s-1986)

The facility was originally a warehouse in the 1970s.[4] Rail tracks next to the building allowed trains to drop off freight for storage and then continue on to their destinations. The tracks were eventually paved over to become an extension of West Ritner Street, allowing West Ritner Street to intersect with South Swanson Street.

Viking Hall (1986-1993)

Elias Stein and Leon Silverman of the law firm Stein & Silverman purchased the warehouse in 1986.[5] The facility was given the name Viking Hall when the South Philadelphia Viking Club, a local chapter of mummers, began utilizing it.[6] They used the building for storage and to rehearse for the annual Mummers Parade. Through the mid-1990s, the Viking Club would also stage midnight bingo games at the venue to raise funds for their organization.

ECW Arena (1993-2001)

The building gained worldwide recognition when it served as ECW Arena, home of professional wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) from 1993 until the promotion's demise in 2001.

The weekly ECW television series Hardcore TV prominently showcased both the venue and South Philadelphia fans during the promotion's early years. The venue and its patrons were crucial in elevating ECW from a local promotion to a national promotion.

ECW broadcast Barely Legal, their first live pay-per-view event from the venue in 1997. Immediately following this broadcast, a blown transistor caused the building to lose power.[7] To this day, Barely Legal remains the only wrestling event to be broadcast live on television from the venue.

XPW Arena (2002-2003)

Following the demise of Extreme Championship Wrestling in 2001, many wrestling promotions ran shows at the venue. Controversy arose when Xtreme Pro Wrestling (XPW) signed an exclusive lease with the venue in late 2002, renaming the building XPW Arena and preventing other promotions from utilizing it.[8] XPW went out of business in 2003, and the lease was voided.

Alhambra Arena (2004-2009)

The building's name was officially changed to New Alhambra Sports & Entertainment Center in 2004, and was later shortened to New Alhambra Arena in 2006 and Alhambra Arena in 2008. The name was suggested by J. Russell Peltz, who began co-promoting professional boxing cards at the venue with Joe Hand Promotions in 2004. It paid homage to the original Alhambra Movie Theater in South Philadelphia that hosted boxing in the 1950s and 1960s.[9]

In March 2005 the venue became home to Wrestle Factory, the wrestling school for Chikara.[10]

In June 2005, an unofficial ECW reunion show called Hardcore Homecoming drew a sell-out crowd and set a record gate for the venue with $135,000 in ticket sales.[11]

Footage shot at the venue in February 2006 was used in the film Rocky Balboa.[12]

The ECW brand of World Wrestling Entertainment ran a house show at the venue in June 2006, with tickets for the event selling out in under four minutes.[4]

New Jack was banned from the venue following an incident during a Pro Wrestling Xplosion show in September 2006 .[13] He famously ordered Sprite at the venue's concession stand and was instead given 7 Up, prompting him to verbally harass the stand attendant.[14]

Footage shot at the venue in February 2008 during a Combat Zone Wrestling show was used in the film The Wrestler.[15]

The band New York Dolls played a concert at the venue on Valentine's Day in February 2008.[16]

The Arena (2009-2010)

Joe Hand Promotions announced in January 2009 that after a five year partnership, it would stop promoting boxing cards at the venue.[17] The venue was then renamed to The Arena by general manager Roger Artigiani.[18]

In February 2009, the venue began hosting regular television tapings for the Ring of Honor series Ring of Honor Wrestling.[19]

Dragon Gate USA filmed their first pay-per-view event, Enter The Dragon at the venue in July 2009.[20] Enter The Dragon was later voted Best Major Show of 2009 by the readers of Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

In September 2009, independent wrestler Matthew Lowry died following a Combat Zone Wrestling training session at the venue where he collapsed from a brain hemmorage.[21]

Matrix Fights drew a sell-out crowd with the venue's first major mixed martial arts card in February 2010, featuring Cole Konrad in the main event.[22]

Asylum Arena (2010-present)

Roger Artigiani announced in October 2010 that mixed martial arts group Asylum Fight League had purchased the naming rights to the venue and renamed it Asylum Arena.[23]

Musician Stan Bush played a concert at the venue in April 2011 as part of Chikara's annual King of Trios weekend.[24]

In May 2011, New Japan Pro Wrestling concluded their first ever tour of the United States with an event at the venue.[25]

Chikara broadcast High Noon, their first live internet pay-per-view event from the venue in November 2011.[26]

In December of 2011, it was announced that a new lessor had taken control of the building with plans to renovate the interior and rebrand the building as a concert venue and restaurant. The January 14th 2012 CZW/EVOLVE double shot is expected to be the last pro wrestling event held in the building.

Promotional history

Boxing

These boxing promotions have held shows at Asylum Arena.[27][28]

Promotion First show Last show Total shows Status
Dee Lee Promotions 02007-08-24 August 24, 2007 02007-08-24 August 24, 2007 1 Active
Don Chargin Productions 02007-07-20 July 20, 2007 02008-03-07 March 7, 2008 2 Active
Golden Boy Promotions 02006-03-03 March 3, 2006 02010-05-07 May 7, 2010 3 Active
Joe Hand Promotions 02007-07-20 July 20, 2007 02010-05-07 May 7, 2010 3 Active
KEA Boxing 02010-02-26 February 26, 2010 02010-04-30 April 30, 2010 2 Active
Peltz Boxing Promotions 02004-05-14 May 14, 2004 02008-11-14 November 14, 2008 21 Active
Power Productions 02005-09-23 September 23, 2005 02010-04-09 April 9, 2010 5 Active
Prime Time Entertainment 02007-08-24 August 24, 2007 02007-08-24 August 24, 2007 1 Defunct
Shalyte Entertainment 02009-07-10 July 10, 2009 02009-07-10 July 10, 2009 1 Active
Top Rank 02007-01-11 January 11, 2007 02008-11-14 November 14, 2008 2 Active
Xtreme Productions Inc. 02009-01-16 January 16, 2009 02009-03-13 March 13, 2009 2 Active

Wrestling

These professional wrestling promotions have held shows at Asylum Arena.

Promotion First show Last show Total shows Status
Break The Barrier 01999-05-15 May 15, 1999 01999-05-15 May 15, 1999 1[29] Defunct
Chikara 02005-08-13 August 13, 2005 02011-12-02 December 2, 2011 42[30] Active
Combat Zone Wrestling 02001-12-15 December 15, 2001 02012-01-14 January 14, 2012 120[31] Active
Dragon Gate USA 02009-07-25 July 25, 2009 02010-07-24 July 24, 2010 3 Active
Extreme Championship Wrestling 01993-05-14 May 14, 1993 02000-12-23 December 23, 2000 105[32] Defunct
Hardcore Homecoming 02005-06-10 June 10, 2005 02005-11-05 November 5, 2005 2[33] Defunct
Heritage Wrestling Alliance 02003-03-29 March 29, 2003 02003-03-29 March 29, 2003 1 Defunct
Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South 02005-06-11 June 11, 2005 02007-06-30 June 30, 2007 2[34] Defunct
International Wrestling Syndicate 02005-07-09 July 9, 2005 02005-07-09 July 9, 2005 1[35] Defunct
Jersey All Pro Wrestling 02000-11-18 November 18, 2000 02010-12-11 December 11, 2010 13[36] Active
Legends of the Arena 02009-06-27 June 27, 2009 02009-06-27 June 27, 2009 1 Defunct
Main Event Championship Wrestling 02001-08-11 August 11, 2001 02001-08-11 August 11, 2001 1[37] Defunct
Major League Wrestling 02002-06-16 June 16, 2002 02002-06-16 June 16, 2002 1[38] Defunct
New Japan Pro Wrestling 02011-05-15 May 15, 2011 02011-05-15 May 15, 2011 1 Active
Pro Wrestling Unplugged 02006-03-18 March 18, 2006 02008-04-19 April 19, 2008 28[39] Defunct
Pro Wrestling WORLD-1 02004-02-07 February 7, 2004 02004-02-07 February 7, 2004 1[40] Defunct
Pro Wrestling Xplosion 02006-09-13 September 13, 2006 02006-09-13 September 13, 2006 1 Defunct
Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling 02002-02-15 February 15, 2002 02005-06-18 June 18, 2005 25[41] Defunct
Ring of Honor 02006-03-11 March 11, 2006 02010-08-21 August 21, 2010 27 Active
Soul City Wrestling 01998 1998 01998 1998 1 Defunct
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling 02010-09-24 September 24, 2010 02010-09-24 September 24, 2010 1[42] Active
UWF-TNA Live 02006-06-09 June 9, 2006 02007-06-08 June 8, 2007 3[43] Defunct
Velocity Pro Wrestling 02008-07-20 July 20, 2008 02009-02-20 February 20, 2009 5 Defunct
westside Xtreme wrestling 02010-03-13 March 13, 2010 02010-03-13 March 13, 2010 1[44] Active
Wicked Hanuman 02007-03-24 March 24, 2007 02007-03-24 March 24, 2007 1 Defunct
Women's Extreme Wrestling 02002-02-22 February 22, 2002 02009-07-14 July 14, 2009 12 Active
World Wrestling Entertainment 02006-06-24 June 24, 2006 02006-06-24 June 24, 2006 1[45] Active
Xtreme Pro Wrestling 02002-08-31 August 31, 2002 02003-02-14 February 14, 2003 7[46] Defunct

Awards

These accolades have been bestowed upon Asylum Arena.

Hardcore Hall of Fame

See also: CZW Hall of Fame

Banners commemorating the careers of professional wrestlers and wrestling personalities who made their names at Asylum Arena are permanently on display at the venue.

Inductees

Year Ring name
(Birth name)		 Inducted by Notes
2002 Rocco Rock
(Theodore James Petty)		 Gordon, TodTod Gordon Posthumous inductee. Four-time ECW World Tag Team Champion. His former tag-team partner Johnny Grunge was present for the ceremony.[50]
2005 Terry Funk
(Terrence Funk)		 Gordon, TodTod Gordon Two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion.[51]
2007 Johnny Grunge
(Michael Durham)		 Wolfe, GaryGary Wolfe Posthumous inductee. Four-time ECW World Tag Team Champion.[52]
2007 The Sandman
(Jim Fullington)		 Gordon, TodTod Gordon Five-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion.[52]
2008 John Zandig
(John Corson)		 Artigiani, RogerRoger Artigiani Founder of Combat Zone Wrestling. Six-time CZW World Heavyweight Champion.[53]
2009 Eddie Gilbert
(Thomas Edward Gilbert, Jr.)		 The Sandman Posthumous inductee. First booker of Extreme Championship Wrestling. One-time ECW World Tag Team Champion.[54]
2009 Chris Candido
(Christopher Candito)		 The Sandman Posthumous inductee. Three-time ECW World Tag Team Champion.[55]
2009 Tod Gordon The Sandman Founder of Extreme Championship Wrestling.[56]
2009 Sabu
(Terry Brunk)		 The Sandman Two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion.[57]
2010 Trent Acid
(Michael Verdi)		 DJ Hyde Posthumous inductee. Four-time CZW World Tag Team Champion and Three-time CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion.[58]
2010 Jerry Lynn
(Jeremy Lynn)		 Jim Cornette One-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
2010 Tommy Dreamer
(Thomas James Laughlin)		 Eddie Kingston Two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion and only wrestler to win the belt in both the original promotion and the WWE Relaunch.[59]

Ceremony dates

Date Location Venue Promotion Event Inductee(s)
02002-10-19 October 19, 2002 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ECW Arena Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling A Night for the Flyboy[50] Rocco Rock
02005-11-05 November 5, 2005 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Alhambra Arena Hardcore Homecoming November Reign[51] Terry Funk
02007-06-16 June 16, 2007 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Alhambra Arena Pro Wrestling Unplugged The Crazy 8[52] Johnny Grunge, The Sandman
02008-12-13 December 13, 2008 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Alhambra Arena Combat Zone Wrestling Cage of Death X[53] John Zandig
02009-06-27 June 27, 2009 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Arena Legends of the Arena Legends of the Arena[60] Eddie Gilbert, Chris Candido, Tod Gordon, Sabu
02010-07-10 July 10, 2010 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Asylum Arena Combat Zone Wrestling Acid-Fest[58] Trent Acid
02010-07-17 July 17, 2010 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Asylum Arena Ring of Honor Ring of Honor Wrestling Jerry Lynn
02010-07-25 July 25, 2010 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Asylum Arena Chikara Chikarasaurus Rex: King of Show[59] Tommy Dreamer

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External links