New England Sea Wolves

Arena Football League (1999-2000)

Tombstone

Born: October 13, 1998 – The New York Cityhawks relocate to Hartford, CT
Moved: October 17, 2000 (Toronto Phantoms)

First Game: April 23, 1999 (W 45-43 @ Florida Bobcats)
Last Game: July 28, 2000 (L 52-38 vs. Oklahoma Wranglers)

Arena Bowl Championships: None

Arena

Hartford Civic Center (15,150)¹
Opened: 1975

Branding

Team Colors: Purple, Black & Silver²

Ownership

Owner: Madison Square Garden Corp. (David Checketts, CEO)

Background

The New England Sea Wolves were the second attempt to establish the Arena Football League at the Hartford Civic Center. Like their predecessor, the Connecticut Coyotes (1994-1995), the Sea Wolves lasted only two seasons at the Civic Center before getting sold off and relocated.

The Sea Wolves were owned by Madison Square Garden Corp. MSG originally acquired the franchise in 1997 and operated it at the Garden as the New York Cityhawks in 1997 and 1998. After the Cityhawks flopped at the box office in Manhattan, MSG moved the franchise to Hartford where the company operated the Civic Center.

The Sea Wolf nuclear submarine program based out of Groton, Connecticut inspired the team’s name after it moved to Hartford in 1999. The nuclear sub program also informed the branding for MSG’s minor league hockey team, the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Wolf Pack also played at the Civic Center and a number of MSG front office employees pulled double duty between the Sea Wolves and the Wolf Pack.

The team was mediocre on the field, finishing 5-9 in 1999 and 8-6 in 2000 under Head Coach Mike Hohensee.

Move To Toronto

The Sea Wolves misfired at the box office. The team claimed an average of 7,429 fans for a 7-game home slate in 1999 and just 6,128 in 2000. The figures were well below the Arena Football League average in both seasons (10,013 and 9,618 respectively).

Shortly after the 2000 season ended, MSG sold the team to a group in Toronto, Ontario. The Sea Wolves became the Toronto Phantoms – the only Canadian franchise in the Arena Football League’s 30+ year history. The Phantoms played two more seasons north of the border closing down in 2002.