University of Dayton Arena is a 13,435-seat multi-purpose arena in Dayton, Ohio. The arena opened in 1969. It is home to the University of Dayton Flyers basketball teams. From 2001 to 2010, the facility hosted the annual "play-in" game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament (officially the "opening round" game) which featured the teams rated 64th and 65th in the tournament field. In 2011, when the tournament expanded to four opening round games, the arena continued to host all "first four" games. Overall, the arena has hosted more men's NCAA Division I basketball tournament games than any other venue.
The playing court is known as Blackburn Court, named after historic UD coach Tom Blackburn. The Donoher Center expansion on the southwest corner of the Arena was completed in 1998. Named for former Flyers basketball coach Don Donoher, the Center provides an NBA-caliber facility for conditioning and game preparation. The arena was extensively renovated during the summer of 2002. The additions include new and expanded concession areas, luxury boxes, disabled access improvements, and a restaurant/bar named the Time-Warner Flight Deck. Because of this, the venue was awarded the 2003 and 2004 Atlantic Ten Conference men's basketball tournaments. In 2010, four new videoscreens by Daktronics were installed, one in each of the arena's four corners.
The Arena has been hailed by sportscasters and opponent coaches alike as one of the greatest venues in college basketball. Since its opening in 1969, over 14 million visitors have witnessed events at the Arena. In 2002, the Arena was the site of the first ever high-definition television (HDTV) broadcast for ESPN.
Read more about University Of Dayton Arena: Arena Attendance, NCAA Basketball Tournament Hosting, Other Events
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