Tombstone
Born: June 25, 2001 – AF2 Expansion Franchise
Folded: Postseason 2002
First Game: April 6, 2002 (L 61-34 @ Rochester Brigade)
Last Game: July 27, 2002 (W 54-50 vs. Rochester Brigade)
Arena Cup Championships: None
Arena
New Haven Coliseum (8,725)
Marketing
Team Colors: Red, Orange & Black
Ownership
Owners: Charles Wang & Sanjay Kumar
Background
The New Haven Ninjas were a One-Year Wonder that were part of Arena Football 2, the small-market spinoff of the original Arena Football League (1987-2008). The Ninjas went 6-10 in their only season of operation before arena problems left the team homeless. The Ninjas played eight home games in New Haven before an announced average of 3,728 fans per contest.
The club formed as an AF2 expansion franchise in June 2001. Team owners Charles Wang and Sanjay Kumar were co-owners of the NHL’s New York Islanders. Wang had number of indoor football investments also. He controlled the New York Dragons of the top-tier Arena Football League and also co-owned another 2002 AF2 expansion club, the Hawaiian Islanders, with his daughter.
The franchise unveiled its identity in October 2001 following a Name The Team contest in the New Haven Register. “Ninjas” beat out four other finalists: Cyclones, Gladiators, Hawkeyes & ShoreDawgs.
The End
The Ninjas’ fate was sealed in July 2002 when New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. announced the closure of the New Haven Coliseum effective on September 1st, 2002. The 30-year old monument to the Brutalist architecture movement had fallen into advanced decrepitude. The Ninjas’ season-ending victory over the Rochester Brigade on July 27th, 2002 before an announced crowd of 4,588 was the final professional team sporting event in the building.
New Haven Ninjas Video
Demolition of the New Haven Coliseum on January 20th, 2007. Jump to the 3:45 mark for detonation.
In Memoriam
Ninjas owner Charles Wang died of lung cancer at the age of 74 on October 21, 2018. New York Times obituary.
Links
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