J.C. Littlejohn Coliseum, usually known as Littlejohn Coliseum, is a 10,325-seat multi-purpose arena in Clemson, South Carolina, United States. It is home to the Clemson University Tigers men's and women's basketball teams. It is also the site of Clemson graduations and the Clemson Career Fair. It is owned and operated by Clemson University and hosts more than 150 events per year including concerts, trade shows, galas, and sporting events.
It is named for James Corcoran Littlejohn, class of 1908, the school's first business manager, who was instrumental in many of the school's early building projects, including the building it replaced, Clemson Field House, and Memorial Stadium. He was an avid supporter of Clemson athletics.
Historically, the Tigers have been very tough at home, and have been known to give the ACC's traditional powers, such as Duke and North Carolina, very close games at Littlejohn. The record for attendance was 13,863 when Clemson knocked off #1 Duke in overtime on January 9, 1980. It has been cited as one of the toughest places to play in the nation by EA Sports and ESPN.
Littlejohn Coliseum has been the scene of 43 Clemson wins over ranked teams, including a victory over #1 Duke in 1980, a 75-65 victory over #1 North Carolina in 2001, and a 74-47 victory over #3 Duke in 2009.
Both the men's and women's basketball teams have won roughly 75% of their games played in Littlejohn. In January 2010, it hosted ESPN's College Gameday for a game against Duke.
Littlejohn Coliseum was renovated and reopened on January 5, 2003. The overall building square footage was increased from 95,000 to 167,500. The square footage for both the training room and weight room was increased eightfold, while the media facility was increased by 3.5 times. Over 2 million square inches of curtain wall as well as a new 700-ton roof were added. Fan amenities were also renovated, as restrooms were tripled and concessions areas were doubled. The renovations included all new purple cushion seats with orange tiger paws and a new playing floor. The cost of the renovation - $31 million - was approximately ten times that of the original building cost.
Littlejohn has annually hosted FM 93.3 The Planet's "Birthday Bash." Until the 1998 completion of the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, South Carolina, it was the largest arena in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson market.
On January 14, 2011, Clemson announced a new $50 million athletic building plan. As a part of this plan, Littlejohn Coliseum will receive renovations yet again. An additional practice facility will be built at the southwest corner of Littlejohn Coliseum. It will include a new practice floor and a multi-purpose room. On the southeast corner of Littlejohn, an open-air pavilion will be built that can be used for events such as concerts and private parties. Total cost for the project is estimated at $5.1 million.