Brendan Byrne Arena, 390 Murray Hill Parkway, East Rutherford, NJ

Izod Center (originally Brendan Byrne Arena, formerly Continental Airlines Arena and commonly Meadowlands Arena) is a multi-purpose arena, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It opened in 1981 and currently has a maximum seating capacity of 20,000. Because of the history of name changes, it is referred to as Meadowlands Arena. It is primarily used for sports, concerts and other various shows and events.
The arena was designed by Grad Partnership and Dilullo, Clauss, Ostroki & Partners and was constructed at a cost of $85 million.

Originally named Brendan Byrne Arena (after Brendan Byrne, the sitting governor of the state, who was also a member of the ownership group seeking to bring an NHL team to the State), the arena opened July 2, 1981, with the first of six concerts by New Jersey rock musician Bruce Springsteen. This was followed by an ice show later that month. While the official name of the arena was "Brendan Byrne Arena," on television it was usually referred to as "The Meadowlands."

Izod Center frequently is cited near the bottom of arena polls. It is commonly referred to as "cold and dull" in appearance, as well as being "cavernous".[2]

Mr. Brenden Byrne served as the 47th Governor of New Jersey, from 1974 to 1982. Although named after Byrne, many people and some tickets and press releases simply referred (and still refer) to it as Meadowlands Arena. Named after the 47th Governor of New Jersey.



Based on backstage passes, posters and ticket stubs:

When Jerry performed here it was called Meadowlands Arena both times:
9/7/89 JGB
10/31/93 JGB

...and with The Grateful Dead it was called Brendan Byrne Arena:
4/16/83
4/17/83
10/17/84
10/18/84
Then it changed to Meadowlands Arena
11/10/85
11/11/85
Then it changed to Byrne Meadowlands Arena
4/6/87
4/7/87
Then it went back to being called Meadowlands Arena
3/30/88
3/31/88
4/1/88
10/11/89
10/12/89
10/14/89
10/15/89
10/16/89

Regardless of ticket stubs, the venue officially became Brendan Byrne Arena
in 1981 and remained as such until 1996. (When it then officially became
Continental Airlines Arena".) 

The sign plastered to the sides of the arena said "Brendan Byrne Arena"
until it was covered up by a banner in January 1996. 

1.)^ajh on deadlists.com 

2.)^Boeck, Greg (September 12, 2005). "Nets look for gains when it comes to ticketholders". USA Today.