Bartow Arena

Bartow Arena
UAB Blazers Men's Basketball vs. Tulsa
Map
Former namesUAB Arena (1988–1997)
Location617 13th Street South
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Coordinates33°30′7.79″N 86°48′33.28″W / 33.5021639°N 86.8092444°W / 33.5021639; -86.8092444
OwnerUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
OperatorUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
Capacity8,508
Record attendance9,878 (August 16, 2015, BGEA Greater Birmingham Festival of Hope)
Construction
Broke ground1986
OpenedDecember 3, 1988 (1988-12-03)
Construction cost$10.6 million
($27.3 million in 2023 dollars[1])
ArchitectGA Architecture Studio
Services engineerMW/Davis Dumas & Associates, Inc.[2]
General contractorHuber, Hunt & Nichols[3]
Tenants
UAB Blazers Athletics
Website
Bartow Arena at UABSports

Bartow Arena is an 8,508-seat multi-purpose arena in Birmingham, in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is home to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers men's and women's basketball teams as well as the women's volleyball team. The arena is named after Gene Bartow, the coach who built the school's men's basketball program from scratch over the last quarter of the 20th century. UAB initially played their games at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex Arena, now known as Legacy Arena, but moved its games to the on-campus facility beginning with the 1988–89 season.

History

Between 1978 and 1988, the Blazers played their home games at the off-campus Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex Arena, located just north of downtown Birmingham.[4] On December 3, 1988, the men's team defeated Vanderbilt 76–69 in the first game played at the then named UAB Arena.[5] Following the retirement of Gene Bartow in December 1996, the University of Alabama Board of Trustees voted to officially change the name of UAB Arena to Bartow Arena.[6] Its rededication as Bartow Arena occurred on January 25, 1997, with the Blazers defeating rival Memphis 51–48.[7]

Currently playing as a member of the American Athletic Conference, UAB has won more than 80 percent of its games played there.[4] The record attendance for Bartow Arena was set on February 16, 2008, against Memphis with an announced crowd of 9,392.[4][8] At the conclusion of the 2010–11 season, the UAB men's team has an all-time record of 277 victories and 59 losses at Bartow, giving the program an all-time winning percentage of .824.[4]

Attendance records

Top 10 Home Basketball Games at Bartow Arena
Opponent Attendance
1 Memphis (2008) 9,392
2 Louisville (2005) 9,354
3 Cincinnati (2004) 9,312
4 Cincinnati (2000) 9,279
5 Cincinnati (1996) 9,213
6 Memphis (2009) 9,153
7 Memphis (2011) 9,119
8 Alcorn State (1989) 9,010
9 Arkansas (1990) 8,951
10 Cincinnati (1994) 8,907
[4]

Venue Events

Bartow Arena serves as primary home to the UAB men's and women's basketball teams as well as women's volleyball. In addition, Bartow Arena has served as home to UAB graduation ceremonies and a number of other UAB sponsored concerts and activities.

In 1996, Bartow Arena served as host to the CUSA Women's Basketball Tournament. Additionally, the arena has been host to the early rounds of the CUSA Women's Basketball Tournament in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

In 2015, Bartow Arena hosted the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship between Deontay Wilder and Eric Molina.

Bartow Arena
  • Arena scoreboard hanging in an empty venue with banners and seats visible
    Bartow Arena center scoreboard installed in Fall 2009.
  • Brick structure along a street.
    Exterior of Bartow from the southeast.
  • Interior of a basketball arena with the scoreboard and stands visible.
    Interior of Bartow during a timeout against Butler in December 2009.

See also

References

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ "MW/Davis Dumas & Associates - Projects". Archived from the original on 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  3. ^ "College". Hunt Construction Group. Archived from the original on July 13, 2003. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Bartow Arena". 2010–11 UAB Basketball Information Guide (PDF). Birmingham, AL: UAB Athletic Media Relations Office. 2010. pp. 59–62. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  5. ^ Norris, Toraine (January 14, 2004). "UAB top 25 moments". The Birmingham News. p. C1.
  6. ^ Faulk, Kent (December 13, 1996). "Trustees rename arena for Bartow". The Birmingham News. p. A1.
  7. ^ Scarbinsky, Kevin (January 26, 1997). "Bartows still on the go". The Birmingham News. p. B16.
  8. ^ Irvine, Steve (February 17, 2008). "Heartbreaker: Blazers' shot to win comes after the buzzer". The Birmingham News. p. D1.
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