Matthews Arena transitions by Brooks Canaday March 10, 2014 Share Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Immediately following a 1pm basketball game on Saturday, March 1st, Northeastern University athletic facilities staff members prepared Matthews Arena for a 7pm hockey game by removing the court and protective rubber matting that covers the ice surface before installing plexiglass barriers. The arena, constructed in 1910, is the world’s oldest multi-purpose athletic building and houses the world’s oldest artificial ice sheet. Photos by Kristyn Ulanday.