American Dream to host 2024 ArenaBowl
One of the country’s largest malls will host a major sporting event later this summer.
The Arena Football League’s (AFL) 33rd ArenaBowl Championship will take place at The Rink at the American Dream shopping mall in East Rutherford, N.J. on July 19. The championship game will be the highlight of a three-day series of events that will include various activations, player meet-and-greets and several celebrity appearances.
The six-team playoffs will kick off on July 5, and culminate at the shopping center two weeks later. The Nashville Kats, the Orlando Predators, the SW Kansas Storm, the Salina Liberty, the Albany Firebirds, and the Billings Outlaws will compete to earn the AFL Championship.
“We are ecstatic that the AFL has selected American Dream as their host for their championship weekend,” said Bryan Gaus, senior VP and general manager of American Dream. “We anticipate the hard-hitting action that will be felt throughout the center, as a new AFL champion is crowned, and American Dream turns more dreams into reality. This event further demonstrates that American Dream is a sought-after venue for major sporting events, complementing its retail, dining and attractions.”
The ArenaBowl joins a growing list of recent and upcoming sporting events and activations at the 3 million-sq.-ft. mall. The Harlem Globetrotters will host 16 games over 10 days during their residency from Aug. 16-25, where the team will take on their legendary rivals, the Washington Generals. Skills clinics, meet and greets, and exclusive merchandise are also part of the residency.
Earlier this year, the USA Curling National Championships were held from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, and the National Basketball Players Association and GLSE Sports produced The Throne – High School Basketball National Championships in March.
Other significant sports events and activations included: Pinstripe Pride – an autograph event in February featuring 60 former and current New York Yankees; NHL Stadium Series – where 19 NHL trophies (all but the Stanley Cup) were on display in the center and were complimented by NHL Esports and street hockey events; and COPA America activations.