The home of the Tampa Bay Lightning is receiving a name change, as the Vinik Sports Group came to terms with Benchmark International on a multi-year naming rights agreement for the prestigious Tampa Bay venue.
Welcome to Benchmark International Arena.
This change came as quite a surprise to fans, as nothing of the sort was foreshadowed or forementioned, but on Wednesday, the news was announced that the Lightning’s home barn would no longer be called Amalie Arena.
The Lightning have played in the same location since 1996, originally called the Ice Palace. The Tampa Bay home became Amalie Arena in 2014, in which it saw the Lightning make the Stanley Cup finals in its first year with the new name.
During the eleven years that followed under the Amalie Arena banner, the Lightning made the playoffs ten times, appeared in the Stanley Cup finals four times, and won two Stanley Cups. Needless to say, with the storied history and timeless memories that Lightning fans have shared under the roof of Amalie Arena, the change to its name hasn’t gone without its share of reservations.
But there are immediate silver linings involved in the merger between the Vinik group and Benchmark International, as part of the agreement will see upwards of $3 million in non-profit contributions to go towards the Tampa Bay community. As for the Arena itself, Benchmark International Arena will receive new signs and digital integration inside and out, along with the rebranding of the arena’s premium club level to the Benchmark International Club Level, and its all-inclusive experience simply branded “The Mark”.
For Lightning fans who are still not sold on this change, a transition of signage and exclusive club names probably does not matter a whole lot, but your experience in the Arena, for Lightning games or other events, is still guaranteed to be brought at the same premium level all fans have come to expect. After all, this change is only to a name. The experiences shared, the history made, all that stays exactly how it was. Plus, getting to refer to the arena as “The Bench” sounds pretty cool…
In any case, the Tampa Bay Lightning are set to make their 2025-26 season debut on October 9th at Benchmark International Arena, and with a brand new season comes new memories to be made in an all too familiar setting. Let’s hope this new chapter for the home of the Lightning comes with the same success as the last one.
