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mullins_center [2020/10/24 16:45]
mikeuma [Chronology] Reworded the first line. Unlikely it was named for Mullins in the early stages, while he was still alive, but not sure.
mullins_center [2024/03/10 16:20] (current)
mikeuma [William D. Mullins Memorial Center] Hadley ticket tax
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 The Mullins Center serves as the primary home arena for the UMass Minutemen men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the men's hockey team.  It is located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.  When configured for basketball, the arena has a seating capacity of 9,493. The Mullins Center serves as the primary home arena for the UMass Minutemen men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the men's hockey team.  It is located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.  When configured for basketball, the arena has a seating capacity of 9,493.
  
-Though the vast majority of the UMass campus is located in the town of Amherst, the bulk of the Mullins Center footprint is situated in the town of Hadley.  Only the southeast corner of the arena lies in the town of Amherst.((http://gis.amherstma.gov/public/Viewer.aspx))+Though the vast majority of the UMass campus is located in the town of Amherst, the bulk of the Mullins Center footprint is situated in the town of Hadley.  Only the southeast corner of the arena lies in the town of Amherst.((http://gis.amherstma.gov/public/Viewer.aspx))  In 1994, [[news19940310_hadley_seeks_ticket_tax|Hadley had sought a ticket tax]] to help pay for town infrastructure improvements.
  
 ===== Fast Facts ===== ===== Fast Facts =====
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 ===== History ===== ===== History =====
-The Mullins Center is named in honor of William D. Mullins, a state representative from nearby Ludlow ((http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/youmass/doku.php?id=m:mullins_center)).  In 1985, Mullins, then the vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, argued that the UMass campus lacked an indoor facility of sufficient size for major sports and other events.  Mullins died of cancer in 1986 at age 54, but several of his colleagues in the legislature, as well as other supporters, carried on his project. As a tribute to Mullins’ dedication to UMass sports, the facility was named in his memory. ((http://www.mullinscenter.com/arena_info_overview.aspx?un=1)) ((http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060404/NEWS/604040594/1009/RSS01&source=rss ''The Worcester Telegram & Gazette'', April 4, 2006.)) ((http://www.umasshoops.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=6171)) ((http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/youmass/doku.php?id=buildings:m:mullinscenter))+The Mullins Center is named in honor of William D. Mullins, a state representative from nearby Ludlow.((http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/youmass/doku.php?id=m:mullins_center))((https://twitter.com/Alcides_Coop/status/1531650909171863553))  In 1985, Mullins, then the vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, argued that the UMass campus lacked an indoor facility of sufficient size for major sports and other events.  Mullins died of cancer in 1986 at age 54, but several of his colleagues in the legislature, as well as other supporters, carried on his project. As a tribute to Mullins’ dedication to UMass sports, the facility was named in his memory. ((http://www.mullinscenter.com/arena_info_overview.aspx?un=1)) ((http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060404/NEWS/604040594/1009/RSS01&source=rss ''The Worcester Telegram & Gazette'', April 4, 2006.)) ((http://www.umasshoops.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=6171)) ((http://www.library.umass.edu/spcoll/youmass/doku.php?id=buildings:m:mullinscenter)) 
 +[{{ :mullins_conceptual_art.jpeg?direct&600 |Conceptual art of Mullins, circa mid-1980s.  Perspective is from the southeast, looking across Commonwealth Avenue at the venue's east side.}}]
  
 The following sub-sections appeared in a fact sheet compiled by the University. The following sub-sections appeared in a fact sheet compiled by the University.
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 |February 4, 1993|First men's basketball game in the building.  [[game19930204_west_virginia|UMass beats West Virginia in overtime.]]| |February 4, 1993|First men's basketball game in the building.  [[game19930204_west_virginia|UMass beats West Virginia in overtime.]]|
 |October 30, 1993|First men's hockey game since 1979.  UMass beats Villanova 9-1.((http://umassathletics.com/documents/2017/8/9/2017_18RecordBook.pdf))| |October 30, 1993|First men's hockey game since 1979.  UMass beats Villanova 9-1.((http://umassathletics.com/documents/2017/8/9/2017_18RecordBook.pdf))|
 +|January 2, 1994|First women's basketball game in the building, versus #8 Vanderbilt.((Page 9 https://umassathletics.com/documents/2023/4/19/Record_Book_2022_23_FINAL.pdf))|
  
 ==== Construction Details ==== ==== Construction Details ====
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 ==== Major Features of the Mullins Center ==== ==== Major Features of the Mullins Center ====
 +[{{ :mullins_center_circa_2013.jpg?direct&400|Mullins Center, showing the south side.  Taken in 2013, the field just to the south is now occupied by the Champions Center building.  [[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/William_D._Mullins_Memorial_Center_from_Kennedy_Tower.JPG|Full size original image.]]}}]
   * 8,389 fixed seat arena, with capacity of over 10,000 seats depending on event.  Approximate seating counts for major events are as follows.   * 8,389 fixed seat arena, with capacity of over 10,000 seats depending on event.  Approximate seating counts for major events are as follows.
  
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 The game did not disappoint, as the Minutemen and Mountaineers went into overtime, with UMass prevailing 64-59. The game did not disappoint, as the Minutemen and Mountaineers went into overtime, with UMass prevailing 64-59.
 +|[{{ :19930204_game_program_cover.jpg?direct&200|Game program cover}}]|[{{::19930204_calzone_t-shirts.jpg?direct&370|Commerative t-shirts for the first game in Mullins}}]|
 ===== Court floor dedication ===== ===== Court floor dedication =====
-The playing floor is dedicated to [[leaman_jack|Jack Leaman]], in recognition of his decades of service and success with the UMass Athletics Department.  The floor was dedicated in a ceremony on [[game20060225_dayton|February 25, 2006]].((http://www.umassathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/121205aad.html))+The playing floor is dedicated to [[leaman_jack|Jack Leaman]], in recognition of his decades of service and success with the UMass Athletics Department.  The floor was dedicated in a ceremony on [[game20060225_dayton|February 25, 2006]].((https://umassathletics.com/news/2005/12/12/UMass_Basketball_Court_Named_For_Jack_Leaman_On_Feb_25.aspx))
  
 ===== Court design ===== ===== Court design =====
-The basketball court floor at Mullins has evolved many times since the building's opening in 1993, with more graphical elements and updated looks.+The basketball court floor at Mullins has evolved many times since the building's opening in 1993, with more graphical elements and updated looks.  In October 2019, UMass unveiled a new design that shows a shadow of the Massachusetts geographical boundaries.((https://twitter.com/UMassAthletics/status/1181237749447352320))((https://www.masslive.com/umassbasketball/2019/10/umass-athletics-unveils-new-basketball-court-on-brand-with-flagship-campaign.html)) 
 +{{ :mullins_court_2019.jpg?direct&600 |Jack Leaman Court, Fall 2019 redesign.}} 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Scoreboards and displays ===== 
 +Upon opening, and for two decades after, the Mullins Center never had a center-hung scoreboard or video display.  Scoreboards were mounted on the walls on the baseline ends, and were upgraded on occasion with better display technology. 
 +[{{ :20131228_mullins_vs_providence.jpeg?nolink |This image, from the 12/28/2013 game against Providence College, shows the baseline display, mini-scoreboard on the side, and center-hung banners.  [[https://umassathletics.com/images/2018/9/5/Mullins_Center_0_1_.jpeg|Larger image.]]}}]
  
-In October 2019UMass unveiled a new design that shows a shadow of the Massachusetts geographical boundaries.((https://twitter.com/UMassAthletics/status/1181237749447352320))((https://www.masslive.com/umassbasketball/2019/10/umass-athletics-unveils-new-basketball-court-on-brand-with-flagship-campaign.html))+In Fall 2017large LED displays were center-hung, and the baseline displays were also upgraded to LEDs.((https://umassathletics.com/news/2017/10/3/athletics-department-umass-enhances-mullins-center-with-new-daktronics-displays)) 
 +[{{ :mullins_led_displays_2017.jpg?nolink&600 |2017's new LED displays.  
 + [[https://umassathletics.com/images/2017/10/3/mullins_boards_71.png?width=1440&quality=80&format=jpg|Larger image.]]}}]
  
 ===== External Links ===== ===== External Links =====
   * [[http://www.mullinscenter.com|Official site]]   * [[http://www.mullinscenter.com|Official site]]
 +  * [[https://umassathletics.com/facilities/mullins-center/3|Facilities page from UMass Athletics]]
   * [[wp>Mullins_Center|Mullins Center on Wikipedia]]   * [[wp>Mullins_Center|Mullins Center on Wikipedia]]
-  * [[http://www.umassathletics.com/school-bio/facilities.html#mullins|UMass Athletics Facilities page]] 
  
 {{tag>"Venues"}} {{tag>"Venues"}}
mullins_center.1603572347.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/10/24 16:45 by mikeuma