Brick Breeden Fieldhouse facts for kids
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Worthington Arena
The Brick |
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Exterior of venue (c.2013)
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| Former names | MSC Fieldhouse (1957–65) MSU Fieldhouse (1965–81) |
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| Address | 1 Bobcat Cir Bozeman, MT 59715 |
| Location | Montana State University |
| Coordinates | 45°39′48″N 111°03′02″W / 45.6633°N 111.0506°W |
| Owner | Montana State University |
| Operator | Montana State Event Services |
| Capacity | 8,455 3,472 (Theatre at The Brick) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | January 11, 1957 |
| Renovated | 1998, 2013 |
| Construction cost | $1.6 million ($17.5 million in 2022 ) |
| Architect | Wilson & Berg |
| Tenants | |
| MSU Bobcats (NCAA) (1957–present) | |
The Brick Breeden Fieldhouse is a large indoor building at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. It is often called "The Brick." This fieldhouse is the home court for the Montana State Bobcats men's and women's basketball teams. It also hosts indoor track and field events.
Many different events happen here all year long. You can see sports tournaments, concerts, plays, and trade shows. Each year, it hosts the state high school volleyball tournament and the MSU Spring Rodeo. The Big Sky Conference men's basketball finals were held here in 1988, 1996, and 2002. The women's finals were held here in 1993.
The building is located on the south side of the university campus. It sits about 4,920 feet (1,500 m) above sea level.
History of the Fieldhouse
The idea for this building came from architect Oswald "Ozzie" Berg Jr. and Montana State College (MSC) president Roland Renne. They dreamed of a huge indoor place for college sports. Even though it wasn't big enough for a full football field, it was once the largest clear-span wooden building in the world! Other buildings like the Walkup Skydome and the Tacoma Dome are now bigger.
The fieldhouse opened in 1957 as the MSC Fieldhouse. In 1981, it was named after John "Brick" Breeden, a famous basketball coach. The main playing area was named Worthington Arena in 1985. This was to honor Max Worthington, a player from the 1928-29 national championship team. Both Breeden and Worthington were part of the 1929 "Golden Bobcats" basketball team. This team was named national champions by the Helms Foundation. Breeden later coached the Bobcats and was the athletic director. Worthington also coached and was a school leader.
From 1959 to 1960, the fieldhouse even hosted indoor Little League games.
In 1960, the arena gained national attention. It hosted a big National Boxing Association middleweight title fight. This was between Gene Fullmer and Joey Giardello on April 20. It was the first title fight in Montana in 37 years. Many people came to watch, and it was shown on national television!
Rodeo Events
The College National Finals Rodeo was held at the fieldhouse every year from 1970 to 1996. The only year it wasn't there was 1979. Montana State University's own annual Spring Rodeo still takes place in the arena every April.
Building Upgrades and Changes
When it first opened, the main floor of the fieldhouse was dirt. This was common for many college sports buildings back then. Since it was used for rodeos, having a dirt surface made sense.
For basketball games, a special raised court was set up in the middle. Wooden walkways helped people get to the food stands and seats. Basketball players had to wipe their feet before stepping onto the court!
In 1980, the entire arena floor was covered with a hard, rubber-like surface. New folding seats were also added. Other than this new floor, the building stayed mostly the same for its first forty years.
In 1998, a big renovation project costing $13.2 million was finished. This made the building a modern sports and event arena. A new main entrance was built on the south side. This entrance lets people come into the arena on a higher level. Elevators and other features were added to make the building easy to use for everyone, including those with disabilities. The old seats were replaced with new ones. The building's heating, cooling, and safety systems were also updated. New offices for coaches, better locker rooms, and improved food stands were added. There's also a new Hall of Fame area. The arena can now quickly change from hosting sports to concerts or theater shows.
