Oracle Arena

Oracle Arena

Roaracle
Former names	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena (1966–1996) The Arena in Oakland (1997–2005) Oakland Arena (2005–2006)
Address	7000 Coliseum Way
Location	Oakland, California
Coordinates	37°45′1″N 122°12′11″W / 37.75028°N 122.20306°W / 37.75028; -122.20306Coordinates: 37°45′1″N 122°12′11″W / 37.75028°N 122.20306°W / 37.75028; -122.20306
Public transit	Oakland Coliseum Station
Owner	Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Authority
Operator	AEG
Capacity	Basketball: 19,596 Concert: 20,000 Ice hockey: 13,601 (1966–1997), 17,200 (1997–present)
Construction
Broke ground	April 15, 1964
Opened	November 9, 1966[1]
Renovated	1996–1997
Construction cost	$25 million (original)[2] $121 million (1996–97 renovation)
Architect	Skidmore, Owings and Merrill[2] HNTB (renovation)
General contractor	Guy F. Atkinson Company[2]
Tenants
Golden State Warriors (NBA) (1966–1967, 1971–present) California Seals (WHL) (1966–1967) Oakland Oaks (ABA) (1967–1969) California Golden Seals (NHL) (1967–1976) San Francisco Golden Gaters (WTT) (1974–1978) Golden Bay Earthquakes (NASL/MISL) (1982–1984) Oakland Skates (RHI) (1993–1995) California Golden Bears (NCAA) (part-time 1966–1996, full-time 1997–1999)

Oracle Arena is an indoor arena located in Oakland, California, United States, that is the home of the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The arena opened in 1966 and is the oldest arena in the NBA. From its opening until 1996 it was known as the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena. After a major renovation completed in 1997, the arena was renamed The Arena in Oakland until 2005 and Oakland Arena from 2005 to 2006. It is often referred to as the Oakland Coliseum Arena as it is located adjacent to the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum. Oracle Arena seats 19,596 fans for basketball and 17,200 for ice hockey.

History

Home franchises

The arena has been the home to the Golden State Warriors^[3] since 1971, except the one-year hiatus while the arena was undergoing renovations. It had been used by the Warriors intermittently as early as 1966. The California Golden Bears of the Pac-10 played the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons at the arena while their primary home, Harmon Gym, was being renovated into Haas Pavilion. For some years before then, the Bears played occasional games against popular non-conference opponents at the arena.

The arena's first tenants were the California Seals of the Western Hockey League, who moved across the bay from the Cow Palace in 1966. The owners of the San Francisco Seals had been awarded an expansion franchise in the National Hockey League on the condition they move out the Cow Palace and into the then-new Oakland Coliseum Arena. The team changed its operating name from San Francisco Seals to California Seals in order to draw fans from both San Francisco and Oakland. The Seals franchise continued to play at the arena after having transferred to the NHL, until the team moved to Cleveland after the 1975–76 NHL season.^[4]

The Coliseum also hosted the American Basketball Association's Oakland Oaks (1967–1969), a charter member of the new ABA in 1967. The Oaks signed San Francisco Warriors star Rick Barry away from the rival National Basketball Association in 1968. The team was owned by entertainer Pat Boone and also had stars Larry Brown and Doug Moe on its roster. Brown and Barry are in the Basketball Hall of Fame. After a 22–56 record in their first season, the Oaks went 60–18 during the regular season in 1968–69. The Oaks then defeated the Denver Rockets, New Orleans Buccaneers and finally the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs to capture the ABA Championship. However, the team was plagued by poor attendance and Boone sold the team following their ABA Championship. They were relocated to Washington and became the Washington Caps.^[5]

The Bay Bombers (Roller Derby, 1966–1973) as well as the Golden Bay Earthquakes of the original MISL during the 1982–83 season and the Oakland Skates, a professional roller hockey team, all played there from 1993 to 1995.

Renovation

Over the years, the arena became increasingly outdated, lacking the luxuries of newer ones. With just over 15,000 seats, it was one of the smallest arenas in the league. Rather than building a new arena in Oakland – or, for that matter, in San Francisco or San Jose, as some wanted – the decision was made to proceed with a $121 million renovation that involved tearing down much of the old arena's interior and building a new seating bowl within the existing structure. The original arena's external walls, roof and foundation remained intact, similar to what was done to the KeyArena in Seattle. The renovation began in mid-1996 and was completed in time for the Warriors to return in the fall of 1997 (they played the intervening season at the San Jose Arena, home of the NHL's Sharks). Included in the renovation was a new LED centerhung scoreboard and 360-degree fascia display. The new configuration seats 19,596 for basketball and 17,200 for ice hockey.

The Oracle

On October 20, 2006, the Golden State Warriors and the Oracle Corporation announced a 10-year agreement in which the Oakland Arena would be known as The Oracle. "The O", as it is often referred to, will continue to be managed by Oakland–Alameda County Authority (JPA) and SMG. The JPA approved the deal at its November 10 meeting. A formal press conference of the agreement was held on October 30.^[6] That formal announcement refers to Oracle Arena.^[7]

With the Warriors' resurgence since 2012, Oracle Arena has become one of the loudest arenas in the NBA. It is often called "Roaracle" because of the often painfully high decibel levels generated at Warriors games.^[8][9]

Attendance records

A record-breaking crowd watching the Warriors in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

On May 13, 2007, 20,679 fans watched the Warriors lose to the Utah Jazz 115–101 in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. This was the largest crowd to watch a game in the Warriors' 61-year history, and also the largest crowd to ever watch a basketball game in the state of California.

That record lasted until December 14, 2007, when the Warriors hosted the Los Angeles Lakers and packed in 20,705 at the Arena to set a new franchise and California attendance record.

The record was again broken on February 20, 2008, when the arena hosted 20,711 for the Warriors-Celtics game.^[10]

This record was yet again broken on April 10, 2008, when Oracle Arena hosted 20,737 fans in a Warriors loss to the Denver Nuggets.^[11]

The Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead played more concerts (66) at this venue than at any other.^[12][13]

Future

Early in 2013, the Warriors announced their intention to build a new arena in the San Francisco area and move back to the city.^[14] It was originally suggested that the new arena would be built on the decaying sites of Piers 30–32 near the foot of the Bay Bridge,^[14] but the plan was met with opposition due to concerns about traffic, environmental impacts and obstruction of views,^[15] and in April 2014, the Warriors purchased a 12-acre site in Mission Bay as the site for a new 18,000-seat arena that they plan to have ready for the 2018–19 NBA season.^[16] The new location eliminates the need for any voter approval, which would have been required with the original site, even though it had been unanimously approved by the San Francisco Supervisors in November 2012.^[17] However, due to litigation filed by arena opponents, the new arena is now planned to open at the start of the 2019–2020 NBA season.^[18] The new arena will be named the Chase Center.^[19]

Seating capacity

An interior view of Oracle Arena.

The seating capacity for basketball has been as follows:^[20]

• 13,502 (1966–1972)
• 12,905 (1972–1973)
• 13,123 (1973–1974)
• 12,787 (1974–1976)
• 13,155 (1976–1977)
• 13,237 (1977–1980)
• 13,239 (1980–1982)
• 13,335 (1982–1984)
• 13,295 (1984–1985)
• 15,011 (1985–1986)
• 15,025 (1986–1997)
• 19,989 (1997–present)

See also

• Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum (previously known as Network Associates Coliseum, McAfee Coliseum, Overstock.com Coliseum and O.co Coliseum), the outdoor stadium immediately east of Oracle Arena and home of the Oakland Athletics and Oakland Raiders.

References

External links

• ORACLE Arena & O.co Coliseum Official Website

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