BackNine wrote: Greetings Gopher fans. Pack fan here. I'm watching your game vs Michigan and listening to the info on Williams arena. I'm a fan of older sports venues that have endured through the years and continue to be used. As such, I've always liked Williams Arena (The Barn). I appreciate the fact that you guys have remained committed to this structure, built in 1928...WOW! Its seen a lot of history and has a soul that is intricately linked to your program. I respect that.
I read that it originally seated 18,000 and now has a capactiy of over 14,000. Why did they have to reduce that many seats? The raised floor is an interesting design feature, although I'm always worried the kids are going to crash off the side.
The Pack moved to the plush PNC Arena in 1999. Its nice and all, but most of our fanbase really misses Reynolds Coliseum, which was our "Barn". We played there for 50 years before moving. So I appreciate places like Williams Arena, Cameron Indoor, Hinkle Fieldhouse and Vandy's building too.
The Gophers are having a great season! Good luck this year. The BIG is a hellish conference this year. And have fun with your new interloper, the Maryland Terrapins. We had bad blood with them, so not upset about their departure. Carry on....
A lot of the information on Williams Arena I have heard from some of the old timer alumni that I know so I may be a little off but a majority of it I know as fact. Originally, Williams Arena was used for basketball and indoor track. I know that at one time I believe back in the 30's they played a football game in it as well. There were a fair number of seats that were obstructed. In the 50's they renovated the west end of the arena to be used for hockey which was then renamed Mariucci Arena in the 80's, but it was all housed in the same complex. In the Mid 90's we the hockey team moved across the street to their new complex (Mariucci Arena), they renovated the old hockey facility to become the Sports Pavilion for wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics and originally women's basketball before they moved all of their games to Williams Arena. When they renovated Williams the east end got slightly smaller. In the early 90's they renovated again because there were so many obstructed view seats.
As for the floor, great question. I have never gotten a straight answer on that one. Television does not do the arena justice. The arena looks so much bigger on tv than what it really is. You really feel like the crowd is on top of you during a game by the way the arena is set up. When inside you kind of feel closterphobic because everything is so tight from the corridors to the bathrooms which are extremely small. When I was in college, we used to play a basketball league at Williams and the sidelines really mess with your head.
I have been to a game at Reynolds when Valvano coached and I loved that place. I am with you in that I love the old style basketball facilities. I have been to a few like Hinkle, Carnisecca (St. John's), Pauley, Reynolds, Fieldhouse in Wisconsin, St. John's at Ohio State, and Allen Fieldhouse and they are great.
