FedExForum facts for kids
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The Grindhouse
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Entrance to the FedExForum, 2005
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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 |
| 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: 18,119 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 large building in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It's a multi-purpose arena, meaning it can host many different kinds of events. It's best known as the home court for the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team in the NBA. It's also where the University of Memphis Tigers men's basketball team plays their games. Both teams used to play at the Pyramid Arena before FedExForum opened.
This arena can also host 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 the arena. A well-known Memphis company, FedEx, bought the right to name the building for $92 million.
Contents
Arena Design and Features
The FedExForum was designed by a company called Ellerbe Becket. The building is huge, covering 14 acres of land. It's shaped like a big circle with a dome on top. The main playing floor is actually lower than the ground outside.
The arena can hold 18,119 people for basketball games. It also has special seating areas like courtside suites and club boxes. There's even a full-sized practice basketball court inside. You can see it from the main lobby!
Music and Art Inside
The inside of FedExForum was designed to celebrate Memphis's rich music history. You'll find paintings and murals showing famous artists from the city. These include Justin Timberlake, Elvis Presley, and B.B. King. Many of the restaurants inside the arena have names related to music, like Opus Restaurant.
Special Shot Clocks
FedExForum was the first arena to use special "see-through" shot clocks. These clocks let fans sitting behind the basketball hoop see the game clearly. The clocks don't block their view. This idea came from an NBA fan who wanted a better view. Daktronics created this new technology for FedExForum in 2004. The NBA liked it so much that all NBA arenas now use these transparent shot clocks.
Exciting Events Hosted
FedExForum has been the site of many exciting events over the years.
College Basketball Games
This arena often hosts big college basketball games. In 2008, it held a game between the top-ranked Memphis Tigers and the No. 2 ranked Tennessee Volunteers. It has also hosted the Conference USA men's basketball tournament several times. The arena has been a key location for the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament regional semifinals and finals.
Hockey Matches
Even though it's mainly for basketball, FedExForum can host ice hockey games. In 2006, the Nashville Predators and the Columbus Blue Jackets played a NHL preseason game here. It was the first hockey game ever held at the arena.
Boxing, Wrestling, and MMA
FedExForum has seen some big fights and shows. In 2004, it hosted a major boxing match for the IBF Light heavyweight title.
It's also a popular spot for professional wrestling events. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has held several big shows here, including Unforgiven in 2007 and WWE Fastlane in 2015. Many WWE WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown TV shows have also been filmed at the arena.
In 2009, FedExForum hosted an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title fight.
Other Special Events
The arena has hosted a variety of other events too. In 2010, the Professional Bull Riders tour came to FedExForum. It also held a memorial service for former Memphis Tigers and Grizzlies player Lorenzen Wright. The Church of God in Christ held its annual Convocation at the arena for several years. And for fans of big trucks, the arena has hosted both Monster Jam and Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live.
Arena Upgrades and Changes
To keep the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, the city regularly updates FedExForum. This ensures the arena stays modern and meets NBA standards.
In 2012, the arena got a new sound system. The main basketball court for the Grizzlies was also replaced. The Tigers' court was updated the next year. A few years later, the backstage areas were renovated. This included a new video room and updated offices.
In 2017, the Grizzlies announced a big $1.8 million renovation. This brought a brand new, much larger HD scoreboard. New HD displays and LED lighting were also installed. These improvements were ready for the start of the 2017-2018 NBA Season.
See also
In Spanish: FedExForum para niños
