- Lloyd Brown
Auburn Arena – Auburn Tigers
Photos by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Auburn Arena 250 Beard-Eaves Ct Auburn, AL 36830
Year Opened: 2010
Capacity: 9,121
Basketball’s Home In Tiger Town
The Auburn Tigers play in one of the newest basketball facilities in the Southeastern Conference. Auburn Arena opened in 2010 and has a seating capacity of 9,121 in its basketball configuration. The building is also home to the Auburn Athletics team store and the Lovelace Museum and Hall of Honor.
Food & Beverage 3
Auburn Arena has 6 general concession stands offering the following items: hot dogs ($3), nachos ($4), pizza ($8), burger w/chips ($8), turkey sandwich ($8), popcorn ($4), and jumbo pretzels ($5). Drinks include Coca-Cola products ($6), water ($2), and frozen lemonade ($7). There are also stands that serve more specialized items. These include Dreamland BBQ, Aubie Chow, Half Court, Eagles Nest, Chick-fil-A, and the All American. The stands are at the concourse level which offers both an open view of the court and is equipped with TV monitors.
Atmosphere 4
The well–designed Auburn Arena adds to a great game day atmosphere that starts even before you enter the building. There is a large fan plaza outside the main entrance that allows for pregame socializing and entertainment by the Auburn cheerleaders. The newest addition to the fan plaza is a statue of Auburn basketball icon Charles Barkley. In addition to leading the Tigers to their greatest seasons on the basketball court, Barkley has greatly enhanced the Auburn image through his Hall of Fame career in the NBA and his work in the broadcasting field.
Immediately upon entering the arena you will see the Auburn team store on your left. It is well worth a visit, as it carries spirit merchandise for all the different athletic teams. As you continue towards the seating bowl you will next come to the Lovelace Museum and Hall of Honor. This area provides you with a virtual history lesson about Auburn athletics. Several murals illustrate the various uniforms the Tigers have worn over the years, the evolution of the athletic facilities, and the many unique Auburn traditions. Star athletes from every men's and women's sports are recognized for their accomplishments
As you enter the concourse surrounding the seating bowl you will immediately notice how intimate the seating is to the floor. No seat in the arena is more than 43 feet from the court. There is no upper deck, as all seats are located below the concourse. In addition, if you need to leave your seat for a few minutes you will not miss any of the action, as the concourse and the concession stands are open to the court.
The center-hung scoreboard and videoboard feature the latest in HD technology. It provides instant replay of great shots or blocks, while also giving you constantly updated statistics from the game.
Neighborhood 5
The neighborhood surrounding Auburn Arena is your typical “town and gown” layout, with the campus on one side of the street and the businesses and residential areas on the other. The quaint college town of Auburn has long been known by its moniker of the “Loveliest Village on the Plain. Even as the University has grown, the town has retained its small-town charm. All that separates the town from the campus is the aptly named College Street. Visitors will find it to be very walkable, with hotels, restaurants, and gift shops just across the street from the campus.
Some of the more popular restaurants in Auburn are BurgerFi and Momma Goldberg’s Deli. A visit to Toomer’s Drugs is a mandatory requirement for one of their delicious ice cream cones or their brand of lemonade. Hotels within walking distance of Auburn Arena include the Hotel at Auburn University, and the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites. For your best choice in Tiger, spirit goods check out Anders Bookstore or J&M Bookstore on College Street.
Fans 3
Whereas Auburn football fans have extremely high expectations on an annual basis, the same can’t be said for basketball fans. Auburn has only won two SEC Championships in its history and has never advanced beyond the Elite Eight in its eight NCAA Tournament appearances. In addition, they annually compete against perennial powers such as Kentucky, Florida, and South Carolina.
The strongest segment of the Auburn fanbase is easily the student section, known as “The Jungle”. They are easily identifiable by their orange T-Shirts, their creative cheers, and the fact that they stand all game. The Jungle works in close cooperation with the Auburn pep band, Aubie the Tiger, and the cheerleading squad to get the maximum impact The Jungle inhabitants are rewarded by the school for their passion with a prime seating location, a separate entrance into the area, and their own concessions area.
Auburn fans are still proud and loud, but they would probably win the SEC Championship on an annual basis for being the friendliest and politest fans. They are more than happy to suggest a local place to eat, give you directions to a building on campus or engage you and friendly conversation during the game. After a winning game, they will not gloat (unless it is the Alabama game) and after a loss, they will congratulate visitors on a well-played game.
Access 4
Auburn University is easily reached via I-85. It is located 60 miles east of Montgomery and 100 miles southwest of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. The most direct exit is via exit 51, then head 7 miles north. You will enter downtown Auburn on College Avenue, passing the campus on your left. Turn left at West Magnolia Avenue and then take a left at Donohue. This will deliver you to the basketball parking area
Once you have located parking the walk to Auburn Arena is very short. The fan plaza is a great place to meet up with friends and the arena offers plenty of entry points. As always, the less you carry into the building, the less time you will have to spend in the security lines. The concourses are very wide and easy to navigate. Auburn Arena concession stands are plentiful and well distributed, so you should not encounter a delay in this area.
Return on Investment 4
The return on investment for Auburn home games is excellent, considering the quality of basketball played in the SEC. Ticket prices range from $16- $45.00 depending on location. The Alabama, UAB, and Kentucky games are always sellouts, so tickets would need to be purchased on the secondary market. Parking is free. The University provides shuttles to outlying lots before and after the games.
Extras 3
Make sure you do a selfie in front of the Charles Barkley statue on the fan plaza. It was unveiled just before the 2017 basketball season. A visit to Auburn would not be complete without a stop at Toomer's Drugs. It is a step back in time when the ice cream and the lemonade are homemade.
The Lovelace Hall of Honor in the Auburn Arena is a must-see. This serves as Auburn’s Hall of Fame and it salutes the top Tigers from all of the university’s sports. Among the memorabilia on display in the Hall are the 2010 National Football Championship Trophy and Bo Jackson’s Heisman Trophy.
Final Thoughts
Auburn is one of the great college towns in the country, and it is well worth a visit. Tiger basketball is on the rise and Auburn Arena is a great venue in which to catch a game.