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Into the Future: Matthew Knight Arena's Futuristic Presence

Official Review by Chris Anderson, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

It is not often that a person will see a stadium and instantaneously think, "Wow, this is the future of stadiums." However, when you first gaze upon Matthew Knight Arena, you get that exact feeling; the feeling that every new basketball arena built from now on will have its roots in Matthew Knight Arena.

Home of not only the Oregon Duck Men's and Women's Basketball teams, Matthew Knight Arena plays host to the Oregon Duck Women's Volleyball team as well as various community and sponsored events (such as Cirque du Soleil, the Harlem Globetrotters, etc.). Sticking out like a sore thumb just off of the University of Oregon main campus, Matthew Knight imposes itself as one of the most interestingly designed buildings in the nation, resembling a somewhat downsized version of the Staples Center. Designed and sponsored by Nike's co-founder and University of Oregon alum Phil Knight, this arena is a magnificent experience to boast about in any sort of manner.

Officially opening for Pac-10 Basketball play on January 14, 2011, Matthew Knight offers a unique environment that rivals the best college arenas throughout the nation. Building off of its MacArthur Court roots, Matthew Knight has a very intimate feel to it while also giving fans an optimal stadium experience. Boasting a capacity crowd of 12,500, Matthew Knight erects an ear-splitting chorus of rabid Duck fans that makes it one of the toughest places to play in the country.

Food & Beverage    4

While the stadium offers just about the same amenities inside the stadium, as do other arenas, it is the restaurants outside the stadium that give this food and beverage experience quite the rating.

Located on one of the main streets in Eugene and in a hotbed for local dining, one can always find exactly what they are looking for, especially if they are in the mood for good pizza. Tracktown Pizza is probably the most popular pizza company in Eugene and has been serving the Duck faithful and Eugene residents for many years. You can either call in an order for fast service around the arena or hop in before or after the game to catch a quick bite.

Another popular place that Eugenians (I believe that is the correct term) like to brag about is Prince Puckler's ice cream. A company founded and located in Eugene, Prince Puckler's offers some of the smoothest and tastiest ice cream in the country. Made from Willamette Valley cows situated just outside of Eugene, ice cream is produced daily and attracts many customers after the game. Adding to the already hyped-up presence of this eatery, it was visited by President Barack Obama in 2008 during his campaign trail.

Atmosphere    5

One of the biggest worries of moving into the new Matthew Knight Arena for many Duck fans was that the audience would lose the close connection to the team that was felt during every game, as well as the noise that led MacArthur Court to be one of the loudest in the nation. Well, after experiencing a game there, I can tell you that this place rocks.

Not only are the fans still on top of the action, they are louder than ever. Matthew Knight Arena was built so that the fans could be as close to the action as possible, literally. Before each game, the lights dim down as the Ducks are introduced, and the stadium subsequently erupts.

The new videoboard as well as the very unique floor offer a very intimate and inviting experience that I had not experienced at any other arena before. When you sat in your seat in Matthew Knight Arena, you knew that you were there to watch an Oregon Duck sporting event because of the way the entire court was personalized.

Neighborhood    4

Located about a block off of the University of Oregon campus, Matthew Knight Arena offers the entire college sporting experience. Students flock to the stadium from their dorm rooms and can be heard partying after a wild Duck basketball game. Aside from the college kids located all around Eugene, the University of Oregon offers a relatively small yet beautiful campus that one should definitely take time in exploring during the day.

With many sprawling grass lawns riddled with northwestern trees, the University of Oregon and area surrounding Matthew Knight Arena is a great place to relax during the day before a big event.

Fans    5

As mentioned above, the Oregon Duck fans make coming to Matthew Knight arena all that more special. Though the Duck basketball teams have not had the recent success many would have enjoyed, the fans still flock to the stadium to see their beloved teams play. And they not only come to the stadium, they make it loud. While MacArthur Court was intimidating to play at, the higher attendance capacity along with the intimate feel of the arena have amplified the crowd's noise even further.

In fact, against Creighton in the CBI Championship game with 20 seconds left, crowd noise (along with a nearly invisible half-court line) caused a Creighton player to commit a backcourt violation, giving the Ducks the ball back and the means to win the game, largely because the player could not hear his coaches or teammates screaming at him.

Yet another unique aspect about the fan base at Matthew Knight arena is the student section. Perhaps one of the most unique student sections, The Pit Crew, stretched across the length of the court on the opposite side of the team's benches, heckles opposing players all game and is entertaining to watch and listen to as they interact with the flow of the game. They consistently come up with clever and creative cheers in order to distract opposing players and give their Ducks all that more of an advantage.

Fans old and young stand up and cheer for their Ducks as they take the court and continue to cheer throughout as they hope to assist their Ducks to another win.

Access    2

The biggest disadvantage about Matthew Knight Arena is that it is extremely difficult to find a place to park unless you are willing to take somewhat of a walk to the stadium. Though there are parking garages under the stadium and a few lots directly near it, for the most part, designated parking areas are a few blocks away and are sometimes hard to come across

Located on a main street in Eugene, there are limited parking spots around the arena, thus causing a majority of fans to either find a shuttle that will take them to the stadium from a hotel or prepare for mild exercise before the game.

Return on Investment    4

Being a new arena that offers a wide-variety of amenities for a relatively cheap price, Matthew Knight Arena is worth every dollar that you end up spending. Though you may experience quite the basketball game, just taking in the sights and sounds of the new arena is worth it enough.

From the tree covered floor to the DuckVision scoreboard mounted with Oregon "O's", Matthew Knight Arena is a work of art in itself.

Extras    5

One of the funniest moments for me when I attend Duck games is to watch the mascots interactions with other players and fans. Though on the outside it looks like a fun-loving and friendly duck, the Oregon Duck mascot is ferocious in its taunts and always seems to be up to some sort of trouble.

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