The Early Days
As the Minnesota Golden Gopher Basketball team gears up for the start of the 2023 season let’s dive into their home, Williams Arena. Known around the country as “The Barn”, the university’s basketball team has called it home since 1928.
The building started as the home of both the basketball and hockey arena, as they shared the space. However after years of sharing in 1953, the building was remodeled splitting the building in half. This gave the basketball team one side while leaving the other side for hockey. In 1993, the hockey team moved across the street into Mariucci Arena giving space for the wrestling and gymnastics teams.
The unique design of the raised court has made it a popular destination for basketball players all around the country. It gives the players a feeling of being above both the coaches and crowd in the front rows. However, it has suffered its fair share of player spills off the edges and into the team benches.
The arena has hosted many major events in its past and hopes to host more in the future. Examples include the 1951 and 1964 NCAA basketball tournament, along with the Frozen Four in 1958 and 1966. Finally, in 2017 the Minnesota Lynx used the court for their postseason run, resulting in a championship for the organization.
The Barn Today
Today The Barn has a lot to offer with atmosphere, food, and entertainment. I enjoyed a game last season with a group of friends, and got a full outlook on what makes the home of the Gophers one of the best places in the country to watch a college basketball game.
Starting with the food, the arena offers numerous options including both Papa Johns and Subway. I went with the pizza, which was a small portion but got the job done. The stadium also offers most of the generic stadium foods and drinks like pretzels, popcorn, beer, and soda. Overall I would eat somewhere on campus before the event, but if you are in need of a snack it’s worth the stop.
Next, the atmosphere in William’s Arena was unmatched. With the years of history built within its walls it got loud in a hurry. Starting with the Gophers rouser led by the band the place was popping for tip off. Throughout the game the band was able to continue to keep the crowd involved, leading to a closer contest than most thought would occur.
Although the team wasn’t able to pull out a victory the entertainment was outstanding. At each time out the team put together fan interactions such as a half court shot and even the hula hooping competition. However, my favorite had to be the halftime show which was performed by a great group of acrobats.
The Future of William’s Arena
With the long standing history and continued fan involvement it seems as if The Barn is here to stay. Updates will be needed in the future but being able to keep the history of the arena will be most important of all.
Although the basketball program at the University seems to be at an all time low in terms of talent, that should not affect funding. Other sports like football and hockey may feel they are more deserving, but preserving the program and one of the oldest buildings on campus should be a necessity.
Altogether, William’s Arena is one of the top college basketball venues in the country and will continue to be with the strong student body the University has. With increased concessions and better player recruits The Barn could get back to its heyday very soon!
