Crisler Center

 

Crisler Center
"The House that Cazzie Built"
Former names	Crisler Arena (1967–2011)
Location	333 E Stadium Blvd Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Broke ground	1965
Opened	December 6, 1967
Renovated	1998, 2001, 2011
Owner	University of Michigan
Operator	University of Michigan
Construction cost	$7.2 million
Architect	Dan Dworsky, '50
Capacity	13,684 (1967) 13,609 (1968–1991) 13,562 (1991–2001) 13,751 (2001–2011) 12,721 (2011-present)
Tenants
Michigan Men's Basketball (NCAA) (1967-present) Michigan Women's Basketball (NCAA) (1974-present) Michigan Women's Gymnastics (NCAA) (2004-present) Former tenants Michigan Men's Gymnastics (1978–1989) Michigan Wrestling (1967–1989)

Crisler Center (formerly known as Crisler Arena) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, is the home arena for the University of Michigan's men's and women's basketball teams as well as its women's gymnastics team. Constructed in 1967, the arena seats 12,721 spectators. It is named for Herbert O. "Fritz" Crisler, head football coach at Michigan from 1938 to 1947 and athletic director thereafter until his retirement in 1968. Crisler Center was designed by Dan Dworsky (B'Arch. 1950), a member of the 1948 Rose Bowl team. Among other structures that he has designed is the Federal Reserve Bank of Los Angeles.

The arena is often called "The House that Cazzie Built," a reference to legendary player Cazzie Russell who starred on Michigan teams that won three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles from 1964 to 1966. Russell's popularity caused the team's fanbase to outgrow Yost Fieldhouse (now Yost Ice Arena) and prompted the construction of the current facility.

At Michigan men's basketball games, the recently-added bleacher seats behind the benches are home to the Maize Rage student section.

Tenants

Crisler Center has been the home of Michigan Wolverines men's basketball since its opening in 1967. The women's basketball team has been at Crisler Center since 1974. It has also been the home of Michigan's wrestling and men's gymnastics teams. The gymnastics team hosted events at Crisler Center from 1978-1989. The wrestling team called Crisler Center its home from 1967-1989. The women's gymnastics team has been at Crisler Center since 2004.

Other Events

Despite being on a Big Ten Conference campus, the facility hosted the 1980–1982 Mid-American Conference men's basketball tournament. It has also hosted Big Ten and NCAA gymnastics championships, the 1999 Big Ten wrestling championship, and other events. Prior to the opening of Cliff Keen Arena, the arena was the full-time home to the men's and women's gymnastics teams and the wrestling team. As of 2007, women's gymnastics continues to hold significant meets in the arena.

The arena has also hosted concerts, perhaps most famously, the opening show of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's The River Tour, in which Springsteen began the show by completely forgetting the words to "Born to Run", but was rescued by the Michigan audience.

Championship banners

Crisler Center was also the site of the famous "ten-for-two" John Sinclair Freedom Rally, featuring John Lennon & Yoko Ono in 1971.

Renovation

The arena is now undergoing a massive renovation. In 2011 the seats were replaced and capacity was reduced. A new scoreboard has been added along with the construction of an athletic facility in between the arena and Michigan Stadium. The outside walls have been torn down and the concourse will be expanded by more than 20 feet. A new grand entrance is being constructed along with some new boxes, which are expected to be opened in January of 2013.

Panorama of the interior during a 2008 graduation ceremony, Crisler Arena

External links

• Official University of Michigan Athletics website