Pauley Pavilion
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Pauley Pavilion is a legendary indoor arena located on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. It is home to the UCLA Bruins men's and women's basketball teams. The men's and women's volleyball teams also play here. The building was dedicated in June, 1965, named for University of California Regent Edwin W. Pauley, who had matched the alumni contributions. Pauley donated almost one fifth of the more than $5,000,000 spent in building the arena.
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Features
Pauley Pavilion contains 10,337 permanent theater-style upholstered seats, plus retractable bleachers for 2,482 spectators, making a total basketball capacity of 12,819. This capacity has been exceeded several times for several men's basketball games by adding portable bleacher seating alongside the retractable bleachers. The single-game attendance record of 13,478 was set on February 23, 1997 (UCLA vs. Duke).
When the bleachers are retracted, there is space for three full-sized basketball courts. These courts are used for team practice, intermural games, and pickup basketball games. It can also serve as a convention hall or large dining area when in this configuration.
When used for volleyball, the basketball court is striped with colored tape. The volleyball net is erected at the half court line.
The working press sits courtside on the southern end of the court. Another press table was erected on the north side of the court in front of the student section for the 1987–1988 season to allow more preferred seating behind the press on the north side.
History
Before the construction of the Pavilion, the on-campus home to the UCLA Bruins men's basketball team was the 2,000 seat Men's Gym, nicknamed the "B.O. Barn". Games were also played at the Pan Pacific Auditorium and other larger venues around Los Angeles.
Bruin teams, coached by John Wooden won the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship in 1964 and 1965. Fans and Coach Wooden felt that a suitable arena needed to be constructed. The arena was constructed so that there would be some space between the crowds and the action on the court. Coach Wooden cited the example of the close quarters of Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion) where fans would pull leg hairs from his players' legs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, was recruited to UCLA partly on the promise of playing in the new arena.
The facility opened for the 1965–1966 college basketball season. A freshman team led by Big Lew Alcindor defeated the varsity team, which heralded great things to come.
Bruin men's basketball teams won 8 more NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships from 1967 through 1975 under Coach John Wooden.
The first Pacific Ten Conference men's basketball tournament was played in Pauley Pavilion in the 1987 post-season.
In the 1989–1990 season the building was celebrated in "25 years of Pauley". A book was released commemorating the great teams that played there as well as great moments in the history of the building.
In 1995 the Bruins won their eleventh NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, this time under coach Jim Harrick.
Former UCLA coach John Wooden and his late wife were honored on December 20, 2003 when the basketball floor at Pauley Pavilion was named "John and Nell Wooden Court." Since his retirement, Coach Wooden has been a fixture at UCLA Men's Basketball games.
Championship banners
The only championship banners that are displayed within the building are for national or NCAA Championships. One banner each for men's and women's volleyball lists all the years in which they were NCAA or National champions. There is one banner for the women's basketball AIAW championship in 1978. There are 11 individual banners for the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship teams. There are neither conference championship banners nor other tournament championship banners displayed in the building, despite the fact the UCLA teams have won many tournaments and basketball championships in the Pacific Ten Conference and its predecessor conferences.
In November 1985, a banner was added commemorating the men's basketball National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship that year. There is debate among fans on whether this particular banner should be displayed.
Significant events
Pauley Pavilion has been the venue for many other sports championships, concerts and political events.
In 1984, it was the Los Angeles venue for the 1984 Summer Olympics Women's Artistic Gymnastics events. Mary Lou Retton became the first Olympic gymnast outside of Eastern Europe ever to have won the Olympic all-around title.
Four years later in 1988, it was the site of a presidential election debate between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. Dukakis also held his final election-eve rally here, hosted by the UCLA Bruin Democrats.
External links
- UCLA Bruins Sports (http://www.uclabruins.com)
- Pauley Pavilion - Home to Bruin Basketball (http://uclabruins.collegesports.com/genrel/062200aai.html)