PAWTUCKET – Another variation of football will be coming to the stadium at Tidewater Landing in May.
Women’s Elite Rugby announced Wednesday that as part of the league’s inaugural season – which begins in March – the Boston Banshees will play three matches in early May at the new 10,500-seat venue along the Seekonk River. This is the first non-soccer event scheduled at Tidewater Landing.
Stadium General Manager Paul Byrne told Providence Business News the WER first reached out to venue officials about hosting some of Boston’s matches. The new stadium’s size is “perfect” for what WER is looking for, Byrne said.
“We’re an intimate setting and offer that pro-level experience are going to present to their fans,” Byrne said. “So, hosting Boston for these matches made sense and we’re super excited about.”
[caption id="attachment_488321" align="alignleft" width="260"]
THE BOSTON BANSHEES, part of the new Women's Elite Rugby league, will play some home matches at the stadium at Tidewater Landing in Pawtucket on May 4, May 17 and May 31. / COURTESY WOMEN'S ELITE RUGBY[/caption]
The Banshees, according to WER, will start their season playing home matches at Massachusetts Veteran Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Mass. Then, Boston will shift its home schedule south to Tidewater Landing for its final three season matches two months later.
The rugby team will first play on May 4 at 4 p.m., the day after
Rhode Island FC’s home opener, against the Denver Onyx. With two local teams cutting the ribbon on the new stadium over that weekend, Byrne expects local turnout to be significant.
He says the stadium and the city could potentially welcome between 15,000 to 18,000 people over those two days. Plus, there could be a trickle-down effect beyond the stadium itself.
“It will be quite impactful to our local businesses, who I hope will take advantage of the visitors that come in, as well as the overall community,” Byrne said. “We’re excited to have a one-two punch here and what to expect from the stadium in the future. What a better way to do it than have back-to-back exclusive showcase events.”
The Banshees will then play a pair of 2 p.m. matches at the new stadium on May 17 vs. the Chicago Tempest and on May 31 against the Bay Area Breakers. Byrne said venue and Rhode Island FC officials will work closely with WER to help market the league and the Banshees to grow the fanbase and also welcome fans to matches.
In a statement to PBN on Wednesday, WER Co-Founder and President Jessica Hammond-Graf said playing rugby at Tidewater Landing offers a unique opportunity to connect with a “passionate and vibrant community,” believing it will create “an incredible atmosphere” for the fans.
“Our goal is to build strong local support, engage with Rhode Islanders through community initiatives, and offer them an unforgettable game-day experience,” Hammond-Graf said. “By embracing this new chapter, we’re not just bringing our matches to Rhode Island. We’re welcoming the community into the heart of our team.”
Hammond-Graf also told PBN the Banshees will engage the local community through "a multi-faceted approach" leading up to May to promote the matches. The team, she said, will partner with local businesses, influencers and community organizations to generate buzz, as well as have multiple "fan-friendly events" allowing local fans to meet the Banshees.
Byrne said other public non-soccer events at the new stadium, including concerts, sporting events and festivals, are still being finalized and will be announced at a later date. The door is open for the Banshees to have future matches at Tidewater Landing if scheduling and other factors work out, both Byrne and Hammond-Graf said.
“The experience the Boston Banshees will have here will be second to none,” he said. “We would love to have another team in here call it their home. I hope this stadium is a fortress for them.”
Tickets for the rugby matches can be purchased on
WER's website.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
