From the name to the sitting arrangement that go to watch basketball in the Rupp Arena, there are many fascinating facts about this place. It is home to the University of Kentucky basketball team, and it is also home to the Wildcats Mens Basketball Team. Opened in 1976, this arena has seen many games between many different teams. However, most remarkable is that the Wildcats have recorded many wins here.
Here are some of the facts about this arena:
The name
This arena was named after one of the winningest coaches in basketball history. His name was Adolph Rupp and he coached the University of Kentucky basketball team for more than 40 years. He was credited with the wild and offensive tactic that has seen the home team win many games in this arena. In his 41 years of coaching, Rupp won 876 games. In overall ranking, he is number 5 for most wins in NCAA. You can buy Rupp Arena tickets online.
Amazing attendance
The Rupp Arena records the highest attendace each season, either coming in at number two or number one whenever the University of Kentucky is playing. Remember, this is since the Rupp Arena was opened in 1976.
Within the entire nation, the Rupp Arena has won 20 in 23 times for the biggest home attendance in the past 23 seasons.
In the 2017 to 2018 season, the Wildcats were leading in the nation, with an average home attendance of 21, 874 spectators.
In seven out of nine of John Calipari’s games, the University of Kentucky has had an average of 23,000 fans for every game.
Seating
The entire arena is divided into two seating zones. The first one is the lower zone, which has cushioned seats, 10,000 in number. The second zone is the upper part that has 13000 seats made of metal belachers coated with epoxy.
The total sitting capacity for basketball is 23,500, 21,300 for hockey and Arena Football and 24,500 for concerts.
Games
In the first game that the Wildcats played since the opening of the stadium in the same year 1976, they won against Wisconsin beating them 72-64. At this game, the attendance was 23,266. It seems that the attendance has never dwindled since then.
Soon after that game which was played on November 27, on December 11 1976, the stadium was dedicated with University of Kentucky beating Kansas 90-63 and Adolph Rupp’s blue recliner was placed in midcourts.
When this arena was opened in the year 1976, it was the then largest indoor basketball arena made specifically for basketball.
In March of 1985, the final four NCAA basketball games were played in the Rupp Arena, drawing massive crowds as usual.
Music
Basketball arenas see a lot of music and the Rupp has seen its fair share. The first ever music concert to be held here was by Lawrence Welk’s Champagne Music Makers that took place on 17 October 1976 when the arena did not even have handrails. In the same year, The Doobie Brother would stage the very first pop & rock concert.
Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty held the first country concert in the Rupp.
