Akins Ford Arena Shares Grand Opening Weekend Schedule

Athens, GA – Akins Ford Arena and the Athens Rock Lobsters address their heartfelt gratitude to fans for their unwavering support amid the challenges that led to the postponement of the highly anticipated home opening weekend.

This week, Athens-Clarke County will conduct inspections of Akins Ford Arena. In light of the timing of these inspections, the decision has been made to reschedule the Athens Rock Lobsters game against Monroe, initially slated for Thursday, December 12th.

“Our fans’ safety and the integrity of our venue are our top priorities,” said Paul Cramer, President and CEO of The Classic Center Authority. “We are committed to ensuring that Akins Ford Arena meets the highest standards, and we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we take the necessary steps to achieve this. We can’t wait to welcome our community to this state-of-the-art facility this week.”

Pending the necessary certifications, which are expected Thursday, December 12th, we are thrilled to celebrate an action-packed opening weekend at Akins Ford Arena, featuring exciting events for fans and the community.

Akins Ford Arena Opening Weekend Schedule includes:
• Friday, December 13 - Athens Rock Lobsters v. Mississippi Seawolves
    o 4:45 p.m. - ribbon cutting and plaza kickoff party with live music, a player walkout, and     drinks specials.
    o 7:05 p.m. – Puck drop
• Saturday, December 14, at 8:00 p.m. - The B-52s
    o The first performance in the arena by the legendary B-52s
• Sunday, December 15, at 1:00 p.m. - Community Grand Opening o Featuring family-friendly activities and free public skating sessions.

For fans holding tickets to the December 6th Athens Rock Lobsters hockey game, your original tickets will be automatically transferred to the new date, December 13th—no action is required. Fans unable to attend the rescheduled date may request a refund by emailing Ticketing@AkinsFordArena.com before Thursday, December 12, at 11:59 p.m.

Ticket holders should retain all tickets to the December 7th and 12th games; original purchases will be valid for rescheduled dates. We are actively looking for dates to reschedule these games and will announce those dates as soon as possible. Join us for this historic weekend as we open our doors and celebrate the start of a new era for sports and entertainment in Athens!