Beard–Eaves–Memorial Coliseum is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

on the campus of

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...

Auburn, Alabama Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama, with a 2020 population of 76,143. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. The Auburn-Opelika, AL MSA with a population o ...

. The arena, which opened in 1969, is best known as the former home of the Auburn men's and

women's A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

, women's gymnastics, and

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

teams. The teams finished their stays at the facility at the end of the 2009–10 season, with all of its tenants moving into the new

Auburn Arena Neville Arena, formerly Auburn Arena, is a 9,121-seat multi-purpose arena in Auburn, Alabama, on the campus of Auburn University. Built in 2010 to replace Beard–Eaves–Memorial Coliseum, the $86 million facility is the home of the Auburn Tiger ...

opening in time for the 2010–11 season. In addition to sports, numerous concerts were held in the facility. The coliseum continues to house athletics offices as well as classrooms and office space for Auburn's Department of Geosciences. The building's exterior is primarily nondescript concrete, but its entry plaza was recognizable for the large "

War Eagle War Eagle is a battle cry, yell, or motto of Auburn University and supporters of Auburn University sports teams, especially the Auburn Tigers football team. War Eagle is a greeting or salutation among the Auburn Family (e.g., students, alumni, fa ...

" statue which faced not only the rest of the university, but also nearby

Jordan–Hare Stadium Jordan–Hare Stadium (properly pronounced n central Alabama dialectas ) is an American football stadium in Auburn, Alabama on the campus Auburn University. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Auburn Tigers football team. The stadium i ...

Naming history

The building was approved by the state legislature in 1965 to replace the

Auburn Sports Arena Auburn Sports Arena was a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena in Auburn, Alabama. Nicknamed "The Barn," it opened in 1946. It was home to the Auburn University Tigers basketball team. It was replaced when the Beard–Eaves–Memorial Coliseum Bea ...

, a small on-campus building in use from 1946 until the building of the Coliseum. The state supplied the majority of the funds, with the federal government, the University and an athletics department pledge drive making up the rest of the $6,033,597 needed. It was originally named the Memorial Coliseum, in memory of the Auburn war dead of the 20th century. The coliseum opened January 11, 1969 for a basketball game against

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 nea ...

. Auburn upset the Pistol

Pete Maravich Peter Press Maravich ( ; June 22, 1947 – January 5, 1988), known by his nickname Pistol Pete, was an American professional basketball player. Maravich was born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, and raised in ...

-led LSU team. In 1987, it was renamed for Joel H. Eaves, a former basketball player and coach who guided the Tigers to their first

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities of ...

title in 1960 and is the school's all-time winningest coach. It received its current name six years later, adding the name of

Jeff Beard Garland Washington "Jeff" Beard (August 4, 1910 – November 10, 1995) was the athletic director at Auburn University from 1951 to 1972. He hired Ralph Jordan as the Auburn Tigers football coach and expanded the seating capacity at Cliff Hare St ...

, athletic director from 1951 to 1972 during some of Auburn's best years athletically. Originally, the arena seated 12,500 people. It was downsized to 10,108 in 1994 when offices were created removing several rows at the top of the end seating areas. Since 1998, it has seated 10,500.

Notable events

On March 25–27, 1971, the Memorial Coliseum hosted the 41st Annual NCAA Wrestling Championships. On March 5, 1974,

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

performed a sold-out show at the Memorial Coliseum.

References

* Auburn University Athletic Department (2001)
''Beard–Eaves–Memorial Coliseum''
Retrieved June 6, 2005.

External links

at AuburnTigers.com Auburn Tigers basketball venues Basketball venues in Alabama Defunct college basketball venues in the United States College wrestling venues in the United States Handball venues in the United States Sports venues completed in 1969 1969 establishments in Alabama {{Alabama-stadium-stub

Naming history

Notable events

See also

References

External links