John Paul Jones Arena
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John Paul Jones Arena, or JPJ, is a multi-purpose arena owned by the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
in
Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
. Since November 2006, it serves as the home to the Virginia Cavaliers 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 teams, as well as for concerts and other events. With seating for 14,623 fans (nearly twice the capacity of its predecessor, University Hall) John Paul Jones Arena is the largest indoor arena in Virginia and the biggest
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
basketball arena located outside of large
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...
s. ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' named John Paul Jones Arena the best new college basketball arena of the 2000s. Virginia men's basketball is 206–46 () at John Paul Jones Arena as of March 2021. The Cavaliers have fared even better, 167–30 (), at JPJ during the
Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...
era. Virginia fans in the arena are known for cheering loudly for defensive stands and for providing what
Rick Pitino Richard Andrew Pitino (born September 18, 1952) is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach for Iona College. He was also the head coach of Greece's senior national team. He has been the head coach of several teams in NCAA ...
, who went winless in three attempts at JPJ, called "one of the best home court advantages
e's is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and drawn by Satoru Yuiga. It was originally serialized in ''Monthly GFantasy'' from 1997 through 2005, and later published in 16 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Square Enix from March 18, 2003 to Februa ...
ever seen" where Wahoo fans seem like they are "on top of you."Pitino, players talk Virginian loss
accessed February 8, 2015
JPJ opened for basketball on November 12, 2006, as Virginia defeated No. 10 ranked Arizona, 93–90, and handed
Lute Olson Robert Luther "Lute" Olson (September 22, 1934 – August 27, 2020) was an American basketball coach, who was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the head c ...
a season-opening loss in his final season.


History

The design features
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
pergolas A pergola is most commonly an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open Latticework, lattice, often upon which Woody plant, woo ...
on the outside as well as the inside, a modern take on the university's Greek-inspired
Jeffersonian architecture Jeffersonian architecture is an American form of Neo-Classicism and/or Neo-Palladianism embodied in the architectural designs of U.S. President and polymath Thomas Jefferson, after whom it is named. These include his home (Monticello), his retre ...
.
Paul Tudor Jones Paul Tudor Jones II (born September 28, 1954) is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, conservationist and philanthropist. In 1980, he founded his hedge fund, Tudor Investment Corporation, an asset management firm headquartered in Stamfo ...
, who earned a
B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
in Economics from UVA in 1976, donated $35 million of his personal funds for the construction of the arena. Granted naming rights in exchange for the donation, he opted to name the arena in honor of his father, John Paul Jones, a 1948 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law."What's In A Name"
– University of Virginia – John Paul Jones Arena
The arena is sometimes incorrectly assumed to be named for either
John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
, the founder of the United States Navy, or
John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
, the bassist for the English rock band
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
.John Paul Jones: Forgotten Founding Father
accessed January 27, 2017
The arena plays host to not only basketball games, but a wide variety of concerts, performances and other events; for example, its opening season in 2006 included events such as the Charlottesville-originated
Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known by the initials DMB) is an American rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. The band's founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and bac ...
, as well as
Cirque du Soleil Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...
,
Larry the Cable Guy Daniel Lawrence Whitney (born February 17, 1963), known professionally by his persona Larry the Cable Guy, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, country music artist, and former radio personality. He was one of the members of the ...
,
The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. The group are currently composed of Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce and Tsehay Hawkins, as well as supporting members Evie Ferris, John Pearce, Ca ...
, '' Disney on Ice'' &
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
''
Monday Night Raw ''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network in the United States. The show fe ...
''. The arena also houses office space for SMG staff, the UVa athletics media relations department, video services and dining services. It also features coaches' offices, practice facilities and an extensive sports medicine facility for men's and women's basketball teams. The arena's first event was '' Cirque du Soleil's Delirium'' on Tuesday, August 1, 2006, but the official Grand Opening event was a two-night tour-ending stand by Charlottesville natives
Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known by the initials DMB) is an American rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. The band's founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and bac ...
, September 22–23, 2006. An "open house" event for the local community was conducted on July 22, 2006.John Paul Jones Arena Open House Press Release
– Official website, accessed July 22, 2006.
In February 2007, the arena was awarded the title of "Best New Major Concert Venue" at
Pollstar ''Pollstar'' is a trade publication for the concert and live music industry. The publication was purchased by Oak View Group, a venue consultancy founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff, in July 2017. History and profile Founded in 1981 in Fre ...
's 18th Annual Concert Industry Awards.The 18th Annual Concert Industry Awards
– February 8, 2007


Basketball

The University of Virginia opened the John Paul Jones Arena on November 12, 2006, with a pair of victories. The Virginia women's basketball team defeated
Old Dominion University Old Dominion University (Old Dominion or ODU) is a public research university in Norfolk, Virginia. It was established in 1930 as the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary and is now one of the largest universities in Virginia w ...
92–72 in the afternoon. Later that evening in front of a capacity crowd of 15,219, the Virginia men's basketball team defeated No. 10 ranked
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
93–90, rallying from a 19-point first-half deficit. Both games included elaborate pre-game festivities that featured a fireworks display and the Cavalier mascot rappelling from the rafters.
Michael Buffer Michael Buffer (born November 2, 1944) is an American ring announcer (or " MC") for boxing, professional wrestling, and National Football League matches. He is known for his trademarked catchphrase: "Let's get ready to rumble!" Early life Bu ...
was introduced to announce the Virginia starting lineup prior to the men's game. On March 1, 2007, the men's basketball team defeated
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
69–56, clinching a share of first place in the final
ACC ACC most often refers to: * Atlantic Coast Conference, an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference located in the US *American College of Cardiology, A US-based nonprofit medical association that bestows credentials upon cardiovascular spec ...
regular season standings for the 2006–2007 season. The victory marked the school-record 16th home win of the season, and the Cavaliers finished 16–1 for the season in their new arena. Furthermore, Virginia went an undefeated 8–0 in league games at home for the first time since the Hoos went 7–0 at home in 1982. Also at this game, the fans in attendance said goodbye to two fourth-year players, J. R. Reynolds and
Jason Cain Jason Edward Cain (born March 31, 1985) is a professional basketball player who currently plays for Petro de Luanda in the Angolan Basketball League. Standing at , he plays as power forward. Career Formerly, he played in the University of Virgin ...
, both of whom had contributed to the Virginia basketball program. On February 28, 2013, Virginia upset No. 3 Duke which led to thousands of fans rushing the court. The 2012–2013 Cavaliers set a school record with 18 regular season home wins, finishing with a home record of 18–1. On March 1, 2014,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
(then ranked No. 12) beat No. 4 Syracuse at JPJ to win the ACC regular season title outright (i.e., with no ties) for the first time since the 1980–81 season. This win also set two school records: Virginia's first season with 16 conference wins, and 18 consecutive home conference wins (a streak which began in the previous season). The same day, the Virginia
student section A student section or student cheering section is a group of student fans that supports its school's athletic teams at sporting events; they are known for being one of the most visible and vocal sections of a sports crowd as well as for their occa ...
, the " Hoo Crew," won the 2014 Naismith Student Section of the Year award. It was the final home game for future NBA players Joe Harris and
Akil Mitchell Akil Anthony Mitchell (born June 26, 1992) is an American-Panamanian professional basketball player for AEK B.C., AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League and the Basketball Champions League. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers me ...
, as well as former walk-on player Thomas Rogers; Rogers'
three-point field goal A three-point field goal (also 3-pointer, three, or trey) is a field goal in a basketball game made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc surrounding the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two poi ...
at the end of the game, and the subsequent reaction by the crowd and team, were particularly noted by media and the Cavalier fanbase. On December 21, 2014,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
tied an NCAA record in JPJ by only allowing
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
one field goal in the first half of a game; Virginia went on to win 76–27 against the Crimson, a quality team which started the season ranked AP No. 25 and which recovered to win 22 games and be a fellow participant in the 2015 NCAA tournament. JPJ is known as harboring one of the best basketball home-court advantages and crowd noise in the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Associa ...
and nationwide. Hall of Fame coach
Rick Pitino Richard Andrew Pitino (born September 18, 1952) is an American college basketball coach who is the head coach for Iona College. He was also the head coach of Greece's senior national team. He has been the head coach of several teams in NCAA ...
of Louisville (and Kentucky) said on the eve of his first game at JPJ in 2015 that he'd heard Virginia has "one of the best arenas in the ACC" and he was "looking forward to seeing it." After his first visit, a five-point victory for No. 3 Virginia against No. 9 Louisville, Pitino lamented that at JPJ the UVA crowd is "on top of you." Pitino would later add to his praise, " t UVAthey all stand up with 10 seconds to go n_the_shot_clock.html" ;"title="shot_clock.html" ;"title="n the shot clock">n the shot clock">shot_clock.html" ;"title="n the shot clock">n the shot clock cheering their team on ''defensively''. I have not seen that in my 40 years of college basketball."


76–27

On two occasions at JPJ, Virginia teams under
Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...
and Joanne Boyle defeated strong competition by the exact score of 76–27, a margin of 49 points and nearly a tripling of the opponent's scoring. On December 20, 2014, No. 6 ranked UVA defeated an NCAA Tournament bound Harvard team 76–27. Harvard, coached by
Tommy Amaker Harold Tommy Amaker Jr. (; born June 6, 1965) is an American college basketball coach and the head coach of the Harvard University men's basketball team. He has also coached for the University of Michigan and Seton Hall University. He played po ...
, had been ranked in the AP Top 25 just one month prior. Barely two years later on January 26, 2017, the unranked UVA women's team would upset No. 19 Virginia Tech, coached by Kenny Brooks, by an identical score of 76–27. In both cases, the Cavaliers' defensive style forced their highly rated opponents to take many outside shots... of which they made very few. Harvard (7–1) shot 16% — 8 for 50 – on field goals and 18% on three-point field goals. The No. 19 Hokies (16–3) made 18% of field goals and shot 7% — 2 for 29 – on three-point field goal attempts.


Other events

On August 14, 2006,
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
presented
Monday Night Raw ''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network in the United States. The show fe ...
at the arena. This was the first time WWE had presented in Charlottesville, Virginia. Before John Paul Jones Arena was built, Charlottesville was not equipped to handle the masses of WWE fans. On October 25, 2008,
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
played a concert at the arena, making him the first hip-hop act to play there. On October 17, 2009,
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
played their "World Magnetic" tour at the arena, supported by
Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
and Gojira. The arena became the site of the disappearance of 20-year-old
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
student
Morgan Dana Harrington Morgan Dana Harrington (July 24, 1989 – October 17, 2009) was a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who disappeared from the John Paul Jones Arena while attending a Metallica concert at the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville, Virg ...
from the concert. She mysteriously left the arena in search of a restroom, despite 18 female restrooms being provided inside the secured arena. A "no return on exit" policy was enforced. Harrington's skeletonized body was found at Anchorage Farm, Albemarle County on January 26, 2010. Jesse Matthew was later charged with Harrington's (and Hannah Graham's) abduction and murder, and he pled guilty to the crimes in exchange for life in prison in March 2016. On December 5, 2009,
Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon ...
played the final show of their 2009 Fall Tour at the arena. At the beginning of a first set "Ya Mar", an erratic fan ran on stage fully naked. He hugged guitarist
Trey Anastasio Ernest Joseph "Trey" Anastasio III (born September 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Phish, which he co-founded in 1983. He is credited by name as composer of 152 Phish o ...
and kissed him on the cheek. He made three laps around the stage before finally being run down by security. Anastasio proceeded by saying, "Let's hear it for the naked guy, pick him up, that took a lot of balls." Later on, the lyrics of "Ya Mar" stated "he was a naked pa", and "Run like an Antelope" was changed to "Run like a Naked Guy, out of control". In September 2010, the
Professional Bull Riders The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is an international professional bull riding organization based in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. In the U.S., PBR events have been televised on CBS and CBS Sports Network since 2012. In 2013, the ...
(PBR) brought their
Built Ford Tough Series The Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) was the elite series tour name of the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) competitions from 2003 to 2017. The BFTS kicked off its tour on November 16, 2002 with the Mohegan Sun Invitational in Uncasville, Connecticu ...
tour to JPJ Arena; prior to this, the arena had hosted an event on the PBR's Enterprise Tour (which was one of the PBR's minor league tours that was eventually combined with the other minor league tours to create the Touring Pro Division in 2010). On June 23, 2015,
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
played a sold-out show at John Paul Jones Arena as part of his 2015 Out There tour. Two days later, the arena hosted a rally to welcome home the 2015 Virginia Cavaliers baseball team following their College World Series championship. On April 13, 2019, John Paul Jones Arena hosted Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live. On September 13, 2019, the Virginia Men's Basketball team got their 2019 NCAA tournament championship rings at John Paul Jones Arena. Fans got to see the stars of the team and also got to see the raising of the 2019 NCAA Tournament National Champions banner. John Paul Jones Arena is the unofficial home venue for the
Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known by the initials DMB) is an American rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. The band's founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and bac ...
, which was founded in Charlottesville in 1991. The band has played the arena eleven times, including the arena's grand opening and the band's 25th anniversary show. The venue has been site of many memorable moments for the band, such as a fan in a trench coat mysteriously walking the stage in 2006, and the final show before the band's first ever break from touring in 2010.http://dmbalmanac.com/VenueStats.aspx?vid=1589


See also

*
List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to: People * List (surname) Organizations * List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America * SC Germania List, German rugby uni ...


References


Notes


External links


John Paul Jones Arena Official WebsiteSMG – Private management firm that runs the arena and books eventsPhoto Tour of John Paul Jones Arena
{{Coord, 38, 02, 45.45, N, 78, 30, 24.93, W, source:placeopedia, display=title Buildings of the University of Virginia College basketball venues in the United States Basketball venues in Virginia Virginia Cavaliers basketball venues Sports venues completed in 2006 Tourist attractions in Charlottesville, Virginia 2006 establishments in Virginia