[1] At the beginning of the Empire's history in late 2012, the team almost did not come to fruition, as part-owner Cullen Shaw almost took his Ultimate ownership interest to Major League Ultimate because of a pending AUDL lawsuit against the Connecticut Constitution and Rhode Island Rampage.

[3] The MLU did eventually create a New York franchise, the New York Rumble, and the Empire became the first AUDL team to have a player play for an AUDL and MLU team in the same year when Isaac Saul joined the Empire in 2014 after the conclusion of the Rumble season that same year.

These signings, combined with existing talent like Jeff Babbitt and Ben Jagt, created a team that some called the strongest in the league since the 2016 iteration of the Dallas Roughnecks.

Before the 2018 season, the Empire moved to Joseph F. Fosina Field in New Rochelle, citing a lack of locker rooms and concessions at Randall's Island as well as better proximity to major thoroughways.

[8] In the 2024 season, the team will play two home matches at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford, Connecticut.