Gophers basketball in The Barn is always one of the hottest tickets in town in Minnesota.
Minnesota coach Richard Pitino is just days away from completing the non-conference portion of his first season at Minnesota and entering the gauntlet that is the Big Ten. With the increased competition, the new coaching staff will finally get to see how rocking The Barn can get. So far, only the Florida State game in early December provided Pitino a chance to coach in front of a full house, but with Michigan and Purdue on the schedule to kick off conference play, the cold Minnesota winter will heat up in The Barn like it always does.
Big Ten season is also a great time for fans to pick up tickets to check the up-tempo style of play that Gophers fans have welcomed with open arms this season. Minnesota-based Ticket King is the place to get the best seats in The Barn. Gopher basketball tickets are usually some of the most difficult to get with a passionate season ticket base already in place.
Gopher season ticket holders experienced a “re-seating” heading into last year, and this made premium seats even more in-demand as the best tickets now require an additional “donation” to the U. This is where local ticket provide Ticket King comes into play, as it allows fans to sit close to the action in both big and small ticket group sizes.
For those fans who haven’t been to a game at Williams Arena this year, or ever, here is a guide as to what you can expect from one of the nation’s most historic venues.
Construction on what is now known as Williams Arena was started in 1927 and completed in 1928, when it was dedicated as the University of Minnesota Field House. It cost $650,000 and initially had a seating capacity of 14,100 with bleacher and standing room expansion to 16,000. The original building housed basketball and winter football practice facilities. When the basketball season was completed, the portable floor was taken out and replaced by a pair of tennis courts and an indoor track.
The building was remodeled in 1950. Renamed in honor of Dr. Henry L. Williams, U of M football coach from 1900 to 1921, it was divided into a hockey arena on one end and a basketball arena with a seating capacity of 18,025 on the other. From 1950 until 1971, it had the largest capacity of any collegiate basketball arena in the country. The capacity has been reduced to 14,625 in recent years due to renovation, fire-code restrictions and handicapped-seating construction. Following the 1991-92 season, the renovation of Williams Arena began as part of a $41 million project for on-campus sports facilities. The first phase was completed in time for the 1992-93 season opener. The men’s locker room, training room, weight facilities, spacious offices and team meeting rooms were updated. The locker room was named in honor of former Golden Gopher coach Ozzie Cowles through the more than $100,000 in gifts from many of his former players.
The east end addition is highlighted by the Williams Arena Club on the third floor. The Club overlooks the floor and can hold parties of up to 200 fans, adding another touch of class to an already classy arena. The second phase of the renovation project was completed during the summer of 1993. It included the installation of theater-style seats, the widening of concourse areas and the addition of both concession areas and women’s restrooms.
A large portion of the renovation was financed by private gifts, including those to the successful $5.5 million sports-facilities campaign, and by the generous participation of fans through the assured-seating program.
In the summer of 1997, 21 barn lofts above the second deck were built. The lofts offer a spectacular birds-eye view of the court with luxury amenities. The $2.3 million project added 304 seats to the capacity, raising it to 14,625.
Most recently, with the emergence of Golden Gopher women’s basketball, the program moved from the Sports Pavilion into Williams Arena to better support its increased fan base. Minnesota ranked fifth nationally in attendance during the 2004-05 season. Recent renovations for the women’s basketball program include a new locker room for the team and coaching staff, as well as a new athletic training facility and team room.
During the summer of 2009, the original floor of the arena was replaced at a cost of approximately $600,000. The floor was extended as well and new baskets were purchased.