Worthington Arena
Encyclopedia
Worthington Arena inside the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse is a 7,250.-seat multi-purpose arena
in Bozeman, Montana
. It is the home of the Montana State University (MSU) Bobcats men's and women's basketball
teams and the Bobcat's indoor track and field
teams. The building also hosts numerous tournaments, concerts, plays, speaking engagements, and trade shows throughout the year and annually hosts the Montana High School Association
All Class State Volleyball
Tournament and the MSU Spring Rodeo
. The arena hosted the Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Tournament finals in 1988, 1996, and 2002, and the Big Sky Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
in 1993.
, who dreamed of an indoor facility large enough for college football
games. Though there was not enough funding to build it big enough to house a full sized football field, the Fieldhouse was, at the time of construction, the largest clear span wooden structure in the world (it has since been surpassed by other buildings such as the Walkup Skydome
in Flagstaff, Arizona
and the Tacoma Dome
in Tacoma, Washington
).
It opened in 1957 as the MSC Fieldhouse. The building was renamed the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in 1981, in honor of John "Brick" Breeden, and the arena inside was named Worthington Arena in 1985 in honor of Max Worthington. Breeden and Worthington were members of the 1929 "Golden Bobcats" basketball team that was named national champions by the Helms Foundation. Breeden would go on to coach the Bobcats basketball team and serve as athletic director, and Worthington, also a former coach, served as a school administrator and longtime booster.
In 1960, the arena was host to a National Boxing Association middleweight
title bout between Gene Fullmer
and Joey Giardello
. It was the first title bout held in Montana
since the infamous Jack Dempsey vs. Tommy Gibbons
bout that bankrupted the small town of Shelby, Montana
in 1923. With a national television broadcast guarantee of $100,000 and a sold out crowd of 12,122 in attendance, the fight, which was declared a draw, was a tremendous financial success.
was annually held in the Fieldhouse from 1970-1996 with the exeception of 1979 when it was held in Lake Charles, Louisiana
. MSU's annual Spring Rodeo takes place in the arena in April.
In 1998 a $13.2 million renovation was completed that transformed the building into a modern multi-purpose arena. A new main entrance was constructed on the south side that brings spectators into the arena at the mezzanine level. Elevators and other features were added to make the building handicapped accessible. Old bleacher and chairback seats were replaced. The building's mechanical systems were upgraded, and additional fire, life-safety, and seismic features were added to bring the building up to modern codes. The renovation also featured new adminsitrative and coaches offices, locker room improvements, better concession stands, new reception areas, and a new Hall of Fame. The arena can be converted quickly from athletic events to concerts, to theater performances.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
. It is the home of the Montana State University (MSU) Bobcats men's and women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams and the Bobcat's indoor track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
teams. The building also hosts numerous tournaments, concerts, plays, speaking engagements, and trade shows throughout the year and annually hosts the Montana High School Association
Montana High School Association
The Montana High School Association is the governing body of high school athletics in the state of Montana. It was founded in 1921 and today consists of 180+ member schools....
All Class State Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Tournament and the MSU Spring Rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
. The arena hosted the Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Tournament finals in 1988, 1996, and 2002, and the Big Sky Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
Big Sky Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
The Big Sky Conference's Women’s Basketball Tournament has existed since 1983. The winner of the tournament receives The Big Sky's automatic bid into the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship....
in 1993.
History
The building was the inspiration of architect Oswald "Ozzie" Berg Jr. and Montana State College (MSC) President Roland RenneRoland Renne
Roland R. Renne , an Agricultural Economics Professor, served as President of Montana State College from 1943-1964. Dr. Renne was also active in Washington D.C. and United States overseas agricultural economics work...
, who dreamed of an indoor facility large enough for college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
games. Though there was not enough funding to build it big enough to house a full sized football field, the Fieldhouse was, at the time of construction, the largest clear span wooden structure in the world (it has since been surpassed by other buildings such as the Walkup Skydome
Walkup Skydome
The J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome is an indoor multi-purpose stadium in Flagstaff, Arizona, on the campus of Northern Arizona University. Opened in September 1977, it is the home of the NAU Lumberjacks football and basketball teams of the Big Sky Conference. The seating capacity is 16,230, with...
in Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
and the Tacoma Dome
Tacoma Dome
The Tacoma Dome is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.-History:...
in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
).
It opened in 1957 as the MSC Fieldhouse. The building was renamed the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in 1981, in honor of John "Brick" Breeden, and the arena inside was named Worthington Arena in 1985 in honor of Max Worthington. Breeden and Worthington were members of the 1929 "Golden Bobcats" basketball team that was named national champions by the Helms Foundation. Breeden would go on to coach the Bobcats basketball team and serve as athletic director, and Worthington, also a former coach, served as a school administrator and longtime booster.
In 1960, the arena was host to a National Boxing Association middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
title bout between Gene Fullmer
Gene Fullmer
Gene Fullmer is a former American middleweight boxer and world champion.-Professional career:Fullmer began his professional career in 1951 and won his first 29 fights, 19 by knockout...
and Joey Giardello
Joey Giardello
Carmine Orlando Tilelli was an American boxer who was the middleweight champion of the world from 1963 to 1965, and was better known by his professional pseudonym of Joey Giardello.-Early life:...
. It was the first title bout held in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
since the infamous Jack Dempsey vs. Tommy Gibbons
Jack Dempsey vs. Tommy Gibbons
The Jack Dempsey vs. Tommy Gibbons fight was a bout for boxing's world heavyweight title. It was held on July 4, 1923, in the town of Shelby, Montana, USA.-Before the fight:...
bout that bankrupted the small town of Shelby, Montana
Shelby, Montana
Shelby is a city in and the county seat of Toole County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,216 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shelby is located at ....
in 1923. With a national television broadcast guarantee of $100,000 and a sold out crowd of 12,122 in attendance, the fight, which was declared a draw, was a tremendous financial success.
Rodeo
The College National Finals RodeoCollege National Finals Rodeo
The College National Finals Rodeo is held every June. Since 2001 the CNFR has been hosted in Casper, WY at the Casper Events Center.. The CNFR is an event where men and women involved in Rodeo come to compete in order to obtain the honor of national champion in their event...
was annually held in the Fieldhouse from 1970-1996 with the exeception of 1979 when it was held in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
. MSU's annual Spring Rodeo takes place in the arena in April.
Renovations
Originally, the main floor of the arena was dirt. A portable raised basketball court was assembled in the center of the space and wooden boardwalks led spectators from the entrance to the concession stand and bleachers. Basketball players were obliged to wipe their feet after emerging from the dressing rooms and before stepping up to the court. In 1980, the entire arena floor was covered with a hard tartan type surface and new folding bleachers were installed on the main level. Other than the new floor, the facility changed very little in the first 40 years of its existence.In 1998 a $13.2 million renovation was completed that transformed the building into a modern multi-purpose arena. A new main entrance was constructed on the south side that brings spectators into the arena at the mezzanine level. Elevators and other features were added to make the building handicapped accessible. Old bleacher and chairback seats were replaced. The building's mechanical systems were upgraded, and additional fire, life-safety, and seismic features were added to bring the building up to modern codes. The renovation also featured new adminsitrative and coaches offices, locker room improvements, better concession stands, new reception areas, and a new Hall of Fame. The arena can be converted quickly from athletic events to concerts, to theater performances.