Elmira Renegades, First Arena, prepared for Saturday's home opener
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) - The Elmira Renegades play their home opener on Saturday evening, January 7, at First Arena against the Syracuse Spark.
The Renegades faced the Spark in a scrimmage at First Arena on December 17, 2022, with Elmira winning 12-9. The scrimmage was played on borrowed turf. After a five-month process, the Renegades' turf was laid at First Arena on Wednesday.
The Renegades share First Arena with the Federal Prospects Hockey League team, the Elmira Mammoth. Professional Box Lacrosse Association Commissioner and Elmira Mammoth President Steve Donner explained how the crew at First Arena will carry out the changeover between the ice and the turf.
"So, we have a sub-floor, a homasote floor, laid down almost like a big jigsaw puzzle," Donner said. "We cover the whole floor with all the ice first, and then the turf goes over the top of that homasote floor and is velcroed together to get this beautiful surface that we'll be playing on Saturday night. Friday we will have hockey as usual. Right after the game Friday, the crew will come back around 11:00-11:30 at night and work until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning to get the turf back down."
Renegades Head Coach Brian Hobart said the team is excited to have a place to call home.
"It's nice to have your own piece of turf to claim and say, this is our barn!" Hobart said. "We want to firmly establish ourselves in the Elmira community and become part of the fabric of First Arena and build that fanbase so it just continues to grow. When people see that Renegades logo, they know that it is and they want to be a part of it."
The Renegades lost their season opener 15-14 against the Binghamton Bombers on December 30, 2022. Including Saturday's home opener, the Renegades play seven of their 14 games this season at First Arena.