Memorial Coliseum gutted. Take a look inside.

[Blueworld_3.0]

$82 million is a fair amount of money for a women's bball arena renovation, even in 2023. I get that UK wouldn't tear it down because of the bad PR that would generate. Heck, quite a few of the older fans might just stop donating if they tore Memorial down!
But, if the university is going to make that kind of financial commitment to women's bball (and volleyball and gymnastics) then, the athletic dept. needs to make good coaching and staffing hires to justify the expenditure. Especially with women's bball.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

$82 million is a fair amount of money for a women's bball arena renovation, even in 2023. I get that UK wouldn't tear it down because of the bad PR that would generate. Heck, quite a few of the older fans might just stop donating if they tore Memorial down!
But, if the university is going to make that kind of financial commitment to women's bball (and volleyball and gymnastics) then, the athletic dept. needs to make good coaching and staffing hires to justify the expenditure. Especially with women's bball.

My granddaughter plays for Samford and they play UK on New Year’s Eve. Will the game be in Rupp

 

[bbncal02]

Hate they did this. I saw the crowd the ladies drew to Rupp last week, memorial was fine as it was.

It was fine for 1972. The thing didn't even have AC.

 

[WayneDougan]

Pretty cool.

I'll never forget the NIT game against UNLV. My only time seeing the men in Memorial. The looks and conversations from the older folks was awesome. Really unique game.

I was there. It was awesome. I was always an advocate for playing a couple games a year at Memorial.

But...

After going to a game there I realized how much better a game at Rupp was. Lol. It was nice for nostalgia and all, but not nearly as good of a place to watch a game.

 

[PensacolaBlue]

Pickleball. Lots of pickleball.

Now that’s funny 😆

 

[clevenger32]

UK shouldve never have moved from it. Most unique place to play in College basketball. It was like our version of Cameron indoor.

But better.

 

[clevenger32]

I loved Memorial back in the day but it needed an overhaul badly. Seats were tough to sit in, especially on side with terrible bench seating, no A/C, tiles on ceiling were stained and falling apart, terrible sound system. Not sure what you found fine about it other than its history. It needed a lot of work.

Reading this comment makes me very sad. If you had ever attended a game there before we started playing in Rupp arena. It would be hard for you to make that comment because I realize you’re making it based on the dilapidated state that the university allowed it to become.

I urge you to read the book House of Champions by Kevin Cook or at least the section on Memorial Coliseum.

For those of us who were blessed to been able to witness games there, it will just reinforce what a great structure it was, and why there was no better venue to watch basketball than the old yellow brick building. For those of you who never had that opportunity, It will give you an insight on why those of us who were blessed to watch a game there will always tell you Rupp doesn’t even begin to compare.

It was a travesty to allow the building to get in the state of disrepair that it was it could’ve been maintained.

 

[AzubuikeandFitch]

Pretty cool.

A rendering released by UK shows the layout for basketball games in the renovated Memorial Coliseum starting in 2024-25. UK Athletics

The center court looks better than Rupp. Boggles the mind why we continue to play games with a half court logo that looks like motocross does burnouts on it.

 

[BelfryKYCatFanatic]

Sexy haunted houses.

U6 does that...leave that to them

 

[KyCatFan]

I didn’t see it mentioned in the article… what’s the new seating capacity going to be?

It’d be cool if we’d play our 2 exhibitions in memorial each year. And also madness needs to move back there.

If both sides are the same I'd guess maybe 6,000 to 7,000 max from that picture. Looks like about 1,000 seats on the bottom and maybe 2,000 up top. So about 6,000 without counting behind the basket. Not sure what that is. Maybe a standing area or just a poorly rendered seating section. I'd guess maybe another 500 to a 1,000 can go there. That's just a guess. Hard to make out the exact number of rows and the seats in the rows increase as they go up.

 

[Lempface]

Pretty cool.

I'll never forget the NIT game against UNLV. My only time seeing the men in Memorial. The looks and conversations from the older folks was awesome. Really unique game.

Was the most fun sporting event I’ve been to. After a disappointing season the only people there were the die hard fans. Loud and rowdy as hell. And that Perry Stevenson dunk 🤣🤣🤣

 

[March 22]

I loved Memorial back in the day but it needed an overhaul badly. Seats were tough to sit in, especially on side with terrible bench seating, no A/C, tiles on ceiling were stained and falling apart, terrible sound system. Not sure what you found fine about it other than its history. It needed a lot of work.

I will second this. I don't have the inner-workings knowledge, but I spent some time at Memorial last year. While it had been maintained fairly well cosmetically, you could see obvious signs it was showing its 73 year age. There were signs of leaks, moldy mildew smells, stains, cracks in concrete, missing tiles. Just sad. As with us, there comes a time when age drastically changes a structure and decisions have to be made. Maintaining the outer structure for its historical significance is commendable, as with the renovation of Alumni Gym (the OG).

 

[Catfanlou]

Dude that’s perfect for BBM and exhibition games. Maybe even a couple of those craptastic non-con games in Nov and Dec. would be electric.

LasT nights crowd would have fit in the old Memorial.

 

[ORCAT]

Reading this comment makes me very sad. If you had ever attended a game there before we started playing in Rupp arena. It would be hard for you to make that comment because I realize you’re making it based on the dilapidated state that the university allowed it to become.

I urge you to read the book House of Champions by Kevin Cook or at least the section on Memorial Coliseum.

For those of us who were blessed to been able to witness games there, it will just reinforce what a great structure it was, and why there was no better venue to watch basketball than the old yellow brick building. For those of you who never had that opportunity, It will give you an insight on why those of us who were blessed to watch a game there will always tell you Rupp doesn’t even begin to compare.

It was a travesty to allow the building to get in the state of disrepair that it was it could’ve been maintained.

I, like you, did attend games there before Rupp was built. It was a great venue and very loud for games. Extremely difficult for an opponent to win in there. It was very sad to see how they had let it go over the years. Still a great place but in dire need of renovation. I'm happy to see it getting the attention it needs and anxious to see it when they reopen it for games.

 

[clevenger32]

I, like you, did attend games there before Rupp was built. It was a great venue and very loud for games. Extremely difficult for an opponent to win in there. It was very sad to see how they had let it go over the years. Still a great place but in dire need of renovation. I'm happy to see it getting the attention it needs and anxious to see it when they reopen it for games.

Should’ve never let it get to the deplorable shape. I don’t ever want to go inside again. No matter what they do if it is not restored to its original splendor, it is unworthy. Read House of Champions. It will make you appreciate the Coliseum even more.

 

[Dirt Court King]

Hate they did this. I saw the crowd the ladies drew to Rupp last week, memorial was fine as it was.

Great memories there always trying to UPDATE something!!

 

[ORCAT]

Should’ve never let it get to the deplorable shape. I don’t ever want to go inside again. No matter what they do if it is not restored to its original splendor, it is unworthy. Read House of Champions. It will make you appreciate the Coliseum even more.

I'll still check it out as I enjoy UK volleyball, having been a high school coach. It won't ever house the men's team any longer so can't just live in the past though I know what you are saying.

 

[Samurai Cat]

This makes me sad as well. Went to the last regular season game against Mississippi State where James Lee ran Gary Hooker down the court. Awesome place to watch a college basketball game!

Remember listening to that on the radio as a kid....the crowd was LOUD! You couldn't hear Cawood and Ralph most of the time .. especially when UK was down late. They willed Kentucky to come back and win in OT.

 

[BelfryKYCatFanatic]

While it had been maintained fairly well cosmetically, you could see obvious signs it was showing its 73 year age. There were signs of leaks, moldy mildew smells, stains, cracks in concrete, missing tiles. Just sad. As with us, there comes a time when age drastically changes a structure and decisions have to be made. Maintaining the outer structure for its historical significance is commendable, as with the renovation of Alumni Gym (the OG).

This is spot on. They did what they could with paint, etc. but they could only do so much.

I am glad to see it being restored instead of being torn down for a newer building. Once completed, it will be one of the nicer facilities in the SEC for womens sports.

 

[March 22]

Hopefully, they will also re-dedicate the building and update all the memorials for the Kentucky men and women that died on the battlefield for our freedom. That is what Memorial Coliseum was named for in 1950, and another significant part of its history and meaning.

 

[Padsfs07]

Reading this comment makes me very sad. If you had ever attended a game there before we started playing in Rupp arena. It would be hard for you to make that comment because I realize you’re making it based on the dilapidated state that the university allowed it to become.

I urge you to read the book House of Champions by Kevin Cook or at least the section on Memorial Coliseum.

For those of us who were blessed to been able to witness games there, it will just reinforce what a great structure it was, and why there was no better venue to watch basketball than the old yellow brick building. For those of you who never had that opportunity, It will give you an insight on why those of us who were blessed to watch a game there will always tell you Rupp doesn’t even begin to compare.

It was a travesty to allow the building to get in the state of disrepair that it was it could’ve been maintained.

I'm not sure why you are blaming the university for a 70 year old building aging. It's not disrepair, it's getting restored. There isn't much else you can do. Just like Wrigley or the Palestra, or Fenway Park, things age and renovations have to happen to get them back up to standards.

 

[*CatinIL*]

I'm glad they're sprucing the Old Girl up.

 

[trueblujr2]

Pretty cool.

I'll never forget the NIT game against UNLV. My only time seeing the men in Memorial. The looks and conversations from the older folks was awesome. Really unique game.

My main takeaway from that game was Perry Stevenson's monster dunk.

 

[Zissou87]

Great memories there always trying to UPDATE something!!

Nostalgia is great, but not always practical.

 

[clevenger32]

I'm not sure why you are blaming the university for a 70 year old building aging. It's not disrepair, it's getting restored. There isn't much else you can do. Just like Wrigley or the Palestra, or Fenway Park, things age and renovations have to happen to get them back up to standards.

Because it should’ve never gotten into disrepair to begin with.

 

[77blueuk]

In the 1960s, my Dad would take me to games at Memorial, but not like most people went. We stood in line (even in the dead of winter; outside) for a "standing room only" ticket; cost was $2. We sat in the aisles at the end of the rows of seats. Eventually; the fire Marshall put an end to that. But; watching Cotton Nash; Rupp's Runts; Casey, Issel, Pratt; those were some special times that formed a love for UK Basketball that is still going strong.

 

[Smashcat]

Memorial Coliseum seats for sale. A tad pricey but the brass plate is a nice touch.

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[Smashcat]

I'm glad they're sprucing the Old Girl up.

A big improvement is installing central A/C. I don't know how many times I've seen complaints about the lack of air conditioning there. Like this.

 

[westerncat]

I've always thought the same. I get that a marquee game like Gonzaga or Kansas or a top 10 SEC matchup fills up Rupp, but imagine if a game like that was in Memorial packed to the brim with students and actual fans instead of the boring blue hairs that yell at you for standing?

This will never happen because of the money that get for filling up Rupp with big games like the ones you listed.

 

[Blueworld_3.0]

Nostalgia is a powerful thing. It can cause you to remember things in a way that is removed from reality or with a fondness that in many cases is overly dramatic.
Memorial Coliseum was a very nice venue IN IT'S DAY. But, the notion it was a better home for UK basketball than Rupp Arena is simply not based in reality. It served its purpose for 26 years but, times change and more importantly, so do people. I get the historical side of the old building and I still think UK should play ONE game in there every year as a connection with its past.
But, modern fans want more than the current Memorial Coliseum can ever offer. Heck, there are many who think Rupp is now outdated and that it's time to start talking about replacing it. I don't know if we're quite there yet but, it's coming.
With the cost of tickets these days, I personally don't want to see a bunch of games in a building that isn't climate controlled with modern restrooms, concessions, a good sound system and scoreboard, at the very least.

On a side note...
I am also not the least impressed by that crackerjack box called Cameron Indoor Stadium. If I were a big time donor to the Dook program and they asked me to come to a game there, I'd laugh at the administration. And for those who think the atmosphere in Cameron is so great and the whole gym (it isn't an arena) is going crazy...you're being duped. Students only occupy one side of the bleachers and endzones. One whole side...the side rarely shown on camera...is filled with parents, school faculty and administrators who don't jump up and down endlessly like kangaroos. Cameron is closer to a large high school gym (think Mason County) than it is to a elite D1 school's facility.

 

[Kybluedude]

Wonder if they could restore the UK Basketball Museum there?

 

[Drohleder]

Didn't even have AC did it?

I don't remember being hot in mem. except during registration.