Relocation Idea Circulating Around Bridgeport Islanders After Historically Bad AHL Season

Playing their home games roughly 60 miles away from Long Island, the Bridgeport Islanders have been the New York Islanders AHL affiliate since 2004.

In 2021 the-then Sound Tigers rebranded to the Islanders to align themselves more with their NHL counterpart. Their arena, Total Mortgage Arena, could fool you into thinking it’s UBS Arena as UBS marketing is pasted on nearly every wall and pillar. 

The Islanders have been consistent in mediocrity over the past three seasons, failing to reach the playoffs and finishing a best 7th in the Atlantic division. The Islanders are coming off of a 15-50-4-3 2024/25 campaign, marking the worst season in franchise history. Bridgeport’s 4-28-1-3 home record also marked the fewest home wins by a team in AHL history.

The Islanders, who haven’t made the playoffs since the 2021/22 season, have posted an average combined record of 25-40-6-2 since their last taste of playoff hockey.

Bridgeport averaged around 3,665 fans per-game, which ranked as the seventh-lowest in the AHL in 2024/25, but was up from their 3,167 per-game average the season prior. Nevertheless, the Islanders have been a regular at the bottom of the order when it comes to fan attendance. The B-iles are even being out-attended by the lower-level Worcester Railers, the New York Islanders ECHL affiliate.

Despite being just a ferry ride away from Port Jefferson and one turn off I-95, the Islanders struggle to fill seats for home games. Unlike the top of the line Hartford Wolfpack that are a constant at the top of AHL attendance, it is hard for Bridgeport to stabilize their minor league team.

Connecticut is no stranger to pro hockey, especially going back to the Hartford Whaler days and even the New Haven Nighthawks - But a Bridgeport location is less than ideal for hockey.

So many Islanders fans hear about the prospects coming through Bridgeport on the broadcasts on by their sport news source, but do not have a true connection. This has been a related frustration that New York Jet fans have had since the team moved their practice facility from Hofstra University to Florham Park, New Jersey, which left the majority of their fans with no interaction with the players.

While financial and lease terms are not publicly known between Bridgeport and T.M. Arena, there is very little known regarding the Islanders current commitment to Bridgeport. Many fans have been calling for a relocation ever since the New York Riptides announced their departure from Nassau Coliseum and the United States for 2025

It is clear that fans are not traveling hours to watch the team in Bridgeport and since UBS Arena has its own drawbacks for fan travel, bringing back Islanders hockey in AHL form to Nassau, would see fans embrace the team.

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