Griffins, Gold and Rise Mark New Seasons at Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids' three professional teams will install their annual large-scale sticker on the arena exterior Tuesday.
The Grand Rapids Griffins, Grand Rapids Gold and Grand Rapids Rise will install their annual large-scale sticker on the exterior of Van Andel Arena on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as the three professional teams prepare for their upcoming seasons.
The Griffins are coming off a franchise-best 51-16-4-1 record and 107 points in 2025-26. They won the Central Division and Western Conference during the regular season and finished second overall in the American Hockey League. The 51 wins tied for third-most in the franchise's 30-year history, and a 15-game winning streak tied the team record.
Grand Rapids averaged 7,950 fans, fifth among the AHL's 32 clubs, with four sellouts of 10,834. Excluding the attendance-restricted 2020-21 season, the Griffins have averaged at least 7,000 fans for 18 consecutive seasons.
The Gold, the Denver Nuggets' NBA G League affiliate, were named the league's Franchise of the Year for 2025-26 after drawing more than 117,000 fans, ranking second in attendance and setting a franchise record for partnership sales.
The Rise, Michigan's Major League Volleyball team, will enter their fourth season after a 12-win 2026 campaign that matched their inaugural-season total. The club set records with a five-match winning streak and 104 digs in one match. Cathy George was promoted to team president and general manager in June, and Mike Gawlik became head coach for 2027.
