FedExForum facts for kids
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The Grindhouse
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FedExForum in 2022
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 FedexForum
Location in Tennessee
FedexForum
Location in the United States
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| Address | 191 Beale Street |
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| Location | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 35°8′18″N 90°3′2″W / 35.13833°N 90.05056°W |
| Public transit |  Main Street Line atDr. M.L. King Jr. Avenue |
| Owner | City of Memphis |
| Operator | Memphis Basketball, LLC |
| Capacity | Basketball: 17,794 Ice hockey: 16,411 Concert: 19,000 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | June 20, 2002 |
| Opened | September 6, 2004 |
| Construction cost | US$250 million ($387 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | Ellerbe Becket Looney Ricks Kiss Jackson Person & Associates, Inc. Self Tucker Architects Inc. |
| Project manager | PC Sports |
| Structural engineer | ABS-EQE Structural Engineers |
| General contractor | M.A. Mortenson Company |
| Tenants | |
| Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) (2004–present) Memphis Tigers (NCAA) (2004–present) Conference USA men's basketball tournament (2005–2009, 2012) American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament (2014, 2019) |
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FedExForum is a big indoor sports and entertainment building in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It is the home court for the Memphis Grizzlies, a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It also hosts the men's basketball team from the University of Memphis. Both teams used to play at the Memphis Pyramid before FedExForum opened.
This awesome arena can also hold ice hockey games, big concerts, and fun family shows. It officially opened in September 2004. Building it cost about $250 million. The City of Memphis owns it. A well-known Memphis company, FedEx, bought the right to name the arena for $92 million.
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Cool Design of FedExForum
Before FedExForum, Memphis had an arena called The Pyramid. But when the city wanted to bring an NBA team, The Pyramid was not modern enough. So, a new arena was needed. The Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2001 and played at The Pyramid while FedExForum was being built.
The famous architectural firm Ellerbe Becket designed FedExForum. The building is huge, covering 14 acres. It has a round shape with a dome roof. The basketball court is actually lower than the ground outside.
Seating and Special Features
FedExForum can seat 17,794 people for basketball games. It has many special seats, including courtside suites and club boxes. There is even a full-sized practice basketball court inside. You can see it from the main lobby!
Music and Art Inside
The inside of FedExForum celebrates Memphis's rich music history. You can see paintings and murals of famous artists from the city. These include Justin Timberlake, Elvis Presley, and B.B. King. Many restaurants inside have music-themed names, like Opus Restaurant.
See-Through Shot Clocks
FedExForum was the first arena to use special "see-through" shot clocks. These clocks let fans sitting behind the basket see the game clearly. The clocks do not block their view. This cool idea came from an NBA fan who wanted a better view. The NBA liked the idea and now many other arenas use these transparent shot clocks.
Exciting Events at FedExForum
FedExForum has hosted many exciting events since it opened. It's a busy place for sports and entertainment.
College Basketball Games
The arena is a popular spot for college basketball. It has hosted many big games for the Memphis Tigers. In 2008, it held a game between the No. 1 ranked Memphis Tigers and the No. 2 ranked Tennessee Volunteers.
FedExForum has also hosted parts of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. This is a huge college basketball event. It hosted regional semifinals and finals in 2009, 2014, and 2017. It also hosted first and second-round games in 2024. The American Athletic Conference also held its basketball tournament here in 2014 and 2019.
Hockey Matches
Even though Memphis is not a big hockey city, FedExForum can host ice hockey games. In 2006, the Nashville Predators played an NHL preseason game here. It was the first hockey game ever held at the arena.
Wrestling and Other Sports
FedExForum has been home to several major professional wrestling events. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has brought shows like Unforgiven and Fastlane to Memphis. Famous wrestlers like The Undertaker and Daniel Bryan have performed here.
The arena has also hosted Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events. In 2009, it held a big UFC lightweight title fight. Other events include Professional Bull Riders competitions and Monster Jam monster truck shows.
Community Events
FedExForum is also used for important community gatherings. In 2010, it held a memorial service for Lorenzen Wright. He was a former Memphis Tigers and Memphis Grizzlies player. The Church of God in Christ also held its annual Convocation here for several years.
Keeping FedExForum Modern
To keep the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, the city regularly updates FedExForum. This ensures it stays a top-notch NBA arena. In 2012, the sound system was replaced. The main basketball court for the Grizzlies was also replaced.
Later, the arena updated its backstage areas. This included new offices for coaches and staff. In 2017, a big $1.8 million renovation happened. This brought a huge new HD scoreboard, much larger than the old one. New HD displays and LED lighting were also added. These upgrades made the arena even better for fans.
See also
In Spanish: FedExForum para niños
- List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas
- List of NBA arenas
