Dillon Stadium Comeback Delayed

The revival of Hartford’s historic Dillon Stadium has been delayed by at least a month.

The Hartford Athletic pro soccer club on Monday afternoon announced it will play its first-ever home game on Saturday, May 4, at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, instead of Dillon Stadium, which is currently undergoing a $10 million overhaul.

The Athletic, the newest members of the expanded division II United Soccer League (USL), will begin play at Dillon in mid-June, according to officials, who said the renovation project at Dillon is taking longer than expected.

If the Athletic debut at Dillon for its scheduled match on June 16, the team would have played its first five games at Rentschler Field. The team will play 34 regular season games between March and October.

Bruce Mandell, the team’s CEO and chairman, previously told Hartford Business Journal the team planned to play home games at Rentschler Field, UConn football’s home venue, if Dillon Stadium renovations were further delayed.

In September, construction crews found several infrastructure issues at the 84-year-old stadium, including an antiquated concrete bleacher foundation and an uneven playing surface. When completed, Dillon is expected to house about 5,500 seats.

Also Monday, the Athletic announced a new TV broadcasting partnership with WTNH News 8, which will air 17 live games this year on its sister station, WCTX MyTV9. The team’s inaugural home game at Rentschler Field will be played against the Charlotte Independence beginning at 7 p.m.

All USL matches air on the over-the-top subscription service ESPN+ and online streaming service ESPN3.

Trinity Health of New England recently signed on as the club’s title partner to serve as its healthcare provider and jersey sponsor.

The Athletic lost its season opener on Saturday by a score of 2-0 in Georgia vs. Atlanta United 2.