Photos by David Hegler, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Leavey Center 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053
Year Opened: 1975
Capacity: 4,500
Bronco Basketball
Standing a short walk east of the historic Santa Clara Mission is Santa Clara University’s Leavey Event Center. Surrounded by pillars and glass on the outside, it encompasses all that major college basketball stands for inside. Once you step inside, you are instantly met with the rich history of the school’s basketball program, with banners hanging high in the rafter depicting their few legendary players, none bigger than the immortal Steve Nash.
The Santa Clara Broncos basketball team have been members of the West Coast Conference since 1952. The team has appeared in 11 NCAA Tournaments and six National Invitational Tournaments.
The team has had a long, winding history in finding a permanent home. After beginning play at the local San Jose YMCA (on the Alameda), they spent time at San Francisco’s Kezar Pavilion and the San Jose Civic Auditorium before finally coming home to Santa Clara in the mid-1970’s.
The Leavey Event Center first opened in 1975 as the Harold J. Toso Pavilion. Sporting the vinyl fabric roof that was all the rage back in the day, it resembled Detroit’s Pontiac Silverdome. While it isn’t well known, Santa Clara can develop some fairly high winds, with gusts reaching as high as 18 mph during the Fall, thus creating problems for the Toso Pavilion’s roof. After dealing with tears over the years, the school decided to deflate the roof and construct a new, more modern one in April 2000.
After a soft opening in December 2000, the revamped arena was officially opened in late 2001. It was named after 1922 alumnus and Farmers Insurance founder Thomas E. Leavey.
Food & Beverage 2
There are currently two concession stands at the Leavey Event Center, a large one just behind the upper deck bleachers facing the press box and a much smaller one right behind the band that just offers candy and bottled drinks. They have very few condiments. The food at the Leavey Event Center is as follows: hot dogs ($7.50), hot dog combos ($11.50), hot link ($8), churros, nachos, pretzels, candy, fountain drinks and bottled water.
What it lacks in quantity it makes up for in scrumptiousness. The hot dogs are piping hot and their accompanying buns are perfectly toasted. It’s this writer’s personal opinion that Santa Clara’s Leavey Event Center serves the very best hot dog buns in all of Division I basketball.
Atmosphere 3
When you first walk into the Leavey Center, a slew of unique sights greet you. There is a large window which has a nice view of the sunny California sky right behind one of the baskets. While you are looking at that unique sight, music will be blaring, either from the small school band in the corner or the arena’s DJ.
All around above you hang banners commemorating the school’s many legendary moments and players, including Steve Nash. With the ventilation and temperature just right, and a size-able yet small-for-Division I crowd gathers to watch a basketball game between two century-old rivals, the Leavey Event Center offers a perfect atmosphere for big time college basketball without all the pressure.

Although the University of the Pacific is a rival that dates over 100 years (they used to be neighbors), the crowd is minimal but electric. There is a small band in the corner that plays current tunes such as “Old Town Road” and “Swag Surfin'”. They even have a tiny merchandise stand that sells t-shirts and bags.
The seats surround the court, with a single section behind each basket and double decks on either side of the sidelines. Whether you are seated in a lower section with a seat back or a higher section with just a long bench, there are big signs at the foot of each seat reminding the audience to stomp loudly.
Neighborhood 5
Santa Clara University rests between two vastly different neighborhoods, neither of which has much crime. On one side is the busiest part of the city, the Alameda, a historic street that lies right next to the university that is often very busy at all hours of the day and stretches all the way to San Diego.
On the other side of campus is a safe place for a nice stroll before or after the game. Franklin Mall is right next to the university on Homestead Road and Monroe Street and offers a wide assortment of options before and after the game. Places such as Taplands, Jiaren Cafe: Coffee, Boba & Events, Thirsty’s, Rantei Japanese Cuisine and Mio Vicino are some of the neighborhood’s top choices that are mere feet from the university.
Just a mile south of the university as Lafayette turns into Washington Street and Washington Street turns into N Bascom Avenue is a slew of other restaurants to consider such as Deedee’s, Crepes Bistro, Normandy House and Frost Cupcake Factory.
If you are in town for a visit, the Sonesta Simply Suites Silicon Valley and Kasa University - Airport Santa Clara are within walking distance to your left on the Alameda. If those hotels don’t suit you then the Sterling Inn and Valley Inn are to your right on the Alameda.
Fans 2
Much like their food, what Santa Clara lacks in the number of fans makes up for in exuberance and enthusiasm.
When you sit down and look at your feet, you will see a big sticker encouraging you to stomp your feet and make noise. It took a few minutes, but eventually a Pacific player went to the free throw line and sure enough, the bleachers started to rattle and the crowd came alive. The fans even loudly counted down the shot clock as the opponent raced to get up a shot.

Access 3
There is a parking lot at the foot of the arena that is very affordable, going for $4 for four hours and $6 for all day. The Alameda is loaded with bus stops and taking an Uber or Lyft shouldn’t be too much of a problem if the traffic is just right. If you are willing to walk a bit, the neighborhood abutting Washington Street is safe and the nearby Franklin Mall usually has a few spots open for free.
There is a small staircase as you enter into the arena with ramps to the side for the less-than-mobile. There is no bag check or security at the entrances and there is but a single security guard roaming the concourse.
Their bathrooms are small and cramped yet modern and clean. Still, not all of their faucets worked.
Return on Investment 3
With this being a smaller Division I program, the tickets are cheaper than other establishments. That being said, the $20-$40 spent on tickets is well spent. The school takes a lot of pride in its basketball program and you can easily tell that they are always open to revamping the arena, whether it’s a new video board or a court that uniquely captures the school’s rich history.
Extras 4
Arguably the neatest extra of the Leavey Event Center is the silhouette of the nearby Santa Clara Mission that covers the court. Their video board is state of the art and it often shows quick videos of straggling children way up in the upper deck as they skip and dance around from one section to the next, burning off the energy that is the staple of childhood.
If you don’t like variety then their halftime show is outstanding. The Broncos have three separate dance teams, one from the university and two from youth groups. Each is excellent. Of course, the hallmark of the arena is the huge window at one end of the court that offers a nice view of the sky.
Final Thoughts
Whether you're just visiting the area or are bored and looking for something to do, the Leavey Center offers a nice experience. Although it’s within the heart of a big city, it never has a big crowd, but the people who attend are often quite friendly. It doesn’t offer any of the hype of big time basketball such as Duke or Kentucky, but it has all of the drama of any relevant basketball program in America.
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