Nationwide Arena

Nationwide Arena is a sports and entertainment arena in Columbus, Ohio. It opened in 2000 and is the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, a franchise in the National Hockey League, who were joined for the 2004 season by the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League. The venue is named for the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, whose home office is located nearby, under a naming rights arrangement. The arena is of an attractive brick design and serves as the center of an entertainment district located about one half mile north of the Ohio State Capitol. Seating capacity varies by the event but is approximately 17,000 for hockey and arena football. The death of a thirteen-year-old girl from injuries sustained from a puck flying into the stands at a Blue Jackets game in 2002 led to new safety precautions at all NHL arenas.