A Venue Change for a storied rivalry
For more than a decade the Mayor’s Cup has been the centerpiece of winter sports in New York’s Capital Region, bringing together Union College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in a celebrated doubleheader that draws thousands of fans each January. The event has become a ritual for alumni, students and local hockey enthusiasts, with the 13 editions since its inception in 2013 averaging 6,432 spectators per game and a peak attendance of 8,714 in 2015.
The 2027 doubleheader, scheduled for Jan. 23, will now take place at the Harding Mazzotti Arena in Glens Falls. The move follows a clash with Disney on Ice, which has taken over the MVP Arena in Albany for the same weekend. While the new venue is smaller, its capacity of 4,794 seats can be supplemented by standing room on the concourse, a factor that has historically limited attendance below the listed capacity only twice in the tournament’s history.
Fans from the Union campus in Schenectady and the RPI campus in Troy will face longer journeys, with travel times stretching to about 53 minutes from Union and 49 minutes from RPI, compared to the 26‑minute and 13‑minute drives to MVP Arena. Despite the added distance, organizers expect the tradition to endure, noting that the 2028 edition is already slated to return to Albany, ensuring the rivalry continues to thrive in its original home.
The relocation underscores the logistical challenges of maintaining a beloved community event amid competing calendar demands. While the shift to Glens Falls introduces new travel considerations, it also highlights the resilience of the Mayor’s Cup, which has persisted through the COVID‑19 pandemic cancellation in 2021 and the expansion to include women’s programs in 2018. The tournament’s deep roots in the region remain evident, and its future schedule promises a return to familiar grounds.