Beasley Coliseum facts for kids
 Beasley Coliseum
Beasley Coliseum
Location in Washington##Location in the United States
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| Full name | Beasley Coliseum |
|---|---|
| Former names | Washington State University Performing Arts Coliseum (1973–1981) |
| Location | Washington State University 225 N. Grand Ave. Pullman, Washington |
| Coordinates | 46°44′6″N 117°9′27″W / 46.73500°N 117.15750°W |
| Owner | Washington State University |
| Operator | Washington State University |
| Capacity | 12,058 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | February 8, 1971 |
| Opened | June 3, 1973 52 years ago |
| Construction cost | $8.5 million ($56 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | John Graham & Company |
| Tenants | |
| Washington State Cougars - NCAA (1973–present) |
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Beasley Coliseum is a large building at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, Washington. It opened in June 1973 and can hold 12,058 people for basketball games. It's the home court for the WSU men's and women's basketball teams, who play in the Pac-12 Conference.
The building was named in 1981 after Wallis Beasley (1915–2008). He was a professor and a high-ranking leader at WSU. Before 1981, it was called the "Washington State University Performing Arts Coliseum." The building uses a special "space frame" design. The court inside is about 2,550 feet (777 meters) above sea level.
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First Events at Beasley Coliseum
The first event held at Beasley Coliseum was WSU's graduation ceremony on June 3, 1973. The first sports event was an NBA exhibition game. This game was between the Seattle SuperSonics and the Portland Trail Blazers on September 25, 1973. The first big concert featured the band Three Dog Night on October 5. Tickets for this concert cost five dollars.
The first college basketball game was on December 1, 1973. The WSU men's team played against LSU. Before Beasley Coliseum, college basketball games were played in Bohler Gymnasium. That gym opened in 1928 and is now used for WSU's volleyball team.
Friel Court: Home of the Cougars
The basketball court inside Beasley Coliseum is called Friel Court. It is named after Jack Friel (1898–1995). He was the head coach for the WSU men's basketball team for 30 years. Coach Friel led the Cougars to 495 wins during his time.
Jack Friel stopped coaching in 1958. Five years later, he became the first leader of the Big Sky Conference. This conference was based in Pullman because Friel lived there. The court was officially named Friel Court in April 1977. A special ceremony took place at halftime of a game on December 3.
For its first ten years, the court had a special tartan (rubber) surface. A traditional hardwood basketball floor was installed in the fall of 1983.
NCAA Basketball Tournaments
Beasley Coliseum has hosted parts of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament three times. These were in 1975, 1982, and 1984.
In the 1975 tournament, two teams advanced from Pullman. These were Montana and UCLA. UCLA, a very strong team, won their game in overtime. Five days later, UCLA beat Montana by just three points. UCLA then went on to win the national championship that year.
By the 1982 tournament, more teams were playing. Six teams played in Pullman. The top two teams from the Northwest, Oregon State and Idaho, both won their games. They moved on to the next round. Oregon State later beat Idaho, but then lost to Georgetown. Georgetown ended up being the runner-up in the tournament.
The 1984 tournament also had six teams playing in Pullman. WSU's rival, Washington, won their games. They even beat a highly ranked team, Duke. The team that eventually won the championship, Georgetown, also played in Pullman. They won a very close game by one point.
Since 1995, the Spokane Arena in Spokane has hosted NCAA tournament games.
Entertainment and Events
Beasley Coliseum is used for many different events, not just basketball. It hosts concerts, famous speakers, dinners, and graduation ceremonies. The building can change its seating arrangement for different events. It can hold 12,000 people for concerts where the stage is in the middle. For other concerts, it can hold 9,000 people with a stage at one end. For theater shows, it can be set up for 2,500 people. This is done using special curtains and a movable stage.
The Coliseum used to have a unique sound system. It could make the building sound like a theater or even a cathedral. This was done with special sound rooms and early digital sound technology. Now, more modern digital sound systems are used.
Many famous entertainers have performed at Beasley Coliseum. These include comedians like Bob Hope, Jay Leno, and Whoopi Goldberg. Musical stars like The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Def Leppard, and Metallica have also performed there. The Harlem Globetrotters basketball team has visited five times.
The Coliseum also hosts the "Great Performances" series. This series is organized by the Festival Dance and Performing Arts Association from nearby Moscow, Idaho. Famous speakers like Noam Chomsky and Jane Goodall have given talks there to large crowds. In 2010, the arena hosted a WWE SmackDown wrestling show.
Temporary Student Housing
In September 1975, there weren't enough places for students to live at WSU. So, for a few weeks, 80 male students lived temporarily in Beasley Coliseum. People jokingly called it the "Cougar Hilton."
Images for kids
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Stadium Way and Beasley Coliseum in 2011
Stadium Way and Beasley Coliseum in 2011
