Now in its 20th season of hosting Wildcat basketball, the Fred Bramlage Coliseum (13,340) has carved its own niche in Kansas State’s colorful history of basketball residence.
In keeping with the tradition established by
Nichols Gymnasium (1946-50) and Ahearn Field House
(1950-88), Bramlage Coliseum (1988-present) has
given Kansas State a deafening, winning environment.
In 2006-07, the Wildcats secured their 61st straight
home winning season with their 73-36 win over
Chicago State on Jan. 22. Kansas State is 630-175
(.783) dating back to the start of the streak in
1946-47, which has spanned all three arenas. The
program earned its 200th victory at Bramlage
Coliseum in 2005-06 in a 66-63 win over Iowa State
on Feb. 8, 2006.
Michael Beasley celebrates victory over KU - Peter
G. Aiken/US Presswire
This past season, Kansas State continued to make
Bramlage Coliseum one of the toughest home venues in
the Big 12, as the Wildcats posted a 14-3 mark,
including an impressive 8-1 mark in non-conference
games. The 14 wins tied the 1998-99 squad for the
most wins in Bramlage Coliseum history, while the
total is the second-most at home in school history
behind the 16 achieved by the 1981-82 squad in
venerable Ahearn Field House. The Wildcats have
collected 10 home wins each of the past six seasons,
which represents the longest such streak since the
team did it seven straight seasons from 1971-78. The
63 wins since 2002 are the most in a five-year
period since the team also won 63 from 1977-82. In
addition, the arena played host to postseason action
for the first time since 1999, as the Wildcats went
1-1 in the Mastercard NIT with a 59-57 victory over
Vermont on March 14 and a 70-65 loss to DePaul on
March 19.
Kansas State has posted a 215-83 (.721) all-time
mark in its current home, including an emotional
81-77 victory over Purdue in the facility’s opener
on Nov. 26, 1988. In 19 seasons, 15 ranked teams
have fallen to the Wildcats on the Bramlage
hardwood, including six teams ranked among the
nation’s top 10. Among the top 10 foes to fall to
Wildcats in the facility include No. 7 Missouri in
1989, No. 1 Missouri and No. 3 Oklahoma on ESPN
telecasts during the 1989-90 season, No. 6 Missouri
in 1992, No. 9 Oklahoma State in 2002 and No. 10
Texas before a national television audience on ESPN
in 2004. The program has registered at least one
upset of a Top 25 team in 12 of the 19 seasons that
Bramlage Coliseum has been open.
While carrying on the tradition, Bramlage Coliseum
has also pointed K-State in a new direction. The
Wildcats now play in one of the most beautiful and
modern facilities in the country. In just 19
seasons, it also has played host to some of the
biggest crowds in the history of K-State basketball,
a program that is accustomed to playing in front of
packed houses. In its 18 years of existence,
the coliseum has helped K-State set a new record for
season ticket sales (13,000 in 2006-07) and the new
structure has hosted seven of the 10 largest crowds
in Kansas State’s impressive men's basketball
history, including a Bramlage-record 13,762 for the
Kansas game on Feb. 22, 1992. The seating capacity
was adjusted to 13,340 several years ago due to
seating changes as well as fire code regulations.
In 2006-07, Kansas State posted an average of 12,301
fans per game, which ranks as the second-highest
average attendance in school history and the highest
since the 12,978 fans cheered on the 1988-89
Wildcats in the inaugural year of Bramlage Coliseum.
The average attendance increased nearly 60 percent
from the 2005-06 season, going from an average of
7,664 fans that season to its current level of
12,301. It also marked the fifth straight season
that the average attendance has climbed at the
arena. The squad also recorded a coliseum-record six
sellouts this past season, including those against
William & Mary (Nov. 11), Nebraska (Jan. 27),
Colorado (Feb. 10), Kansas (Feb. 19), Oklahoma
(March 3) and DePaul (March 19). K-State drew 12,500
or more fans to 14 of the 17 home games, including
crowds of 13,000 or more on nine occasions.
In addition, the team drew 200,000 or more fans
(209,123) for the first time in school history,
including more than 130,000 for the 11th time in the
19-year history of Bramlage Coliseum in 2006-07. The
six sellouts were not only a single-season record at
the arena, but also boosted the number of sellouts
to 15 in the Big 12 era. Average attendance at Big
12 games also increased for the fourth straight
season, where Kansas State posted its highest home
average since entering the league in 1996-97. The
Wildcats drew 105,490 fans for their eight league
contests for an average of 13,186 fans, which
shattered the previous high of 10,179 during the
2005-06 season. A $2.5 million renovation greeted
fans to Bramlage Coliseum for the 2000-01 basketball
season.
In cooperation with Action Sports Media of Portland,
Ore., the home of the Kansas State basketball has
had additions both to the seating area and the
concourse, designed to make the building more
fan-friendly. Inside the arena, fans enjoy a new
four-sided scoreboard above the arena, complete with
video panels on all four sides. The renovations
included a new sound system, three-sided shot clocks
and matrix boards added to the top of the Coliseum.
On the concourse, fans are welcomed by four trophy
cases highlighting historical moments in K-State
athletics, as well as 98 plaques depicting
outstanding K-State teams, players and moments from
all sports.
More than just numbers, though, Bramlage Coliseum
has maintained the intangibles that have been a part
of Kansas State basketball for so long. The frenzied
crowds are close to the action as the pit-like
construction seats fans seemingly right on top of
the game. In addition, the 6,000 student seats are
located directly behind both team benches on the
east side of the coliseum.
The coliseum is named for the late 1935 KSU graduate
and Junction City (Kan.) businessman Fred Bramlage,
who made the original and principle contribution.
The building was constructed at a cost of $17.2
million and was built in a 22-month period beginning
in October of 1986. Financial backing, which began
taking shape in 1979, came from a number of
contributions, including $7 million from the student
body and a matching figure from alumni. Unlike its
predecessor, Ahearn Field House (built for $2
million in 1950), state monies were not used for
Bramlage Coliseum.
Mr. Bramlage was on hand Oct. 18, 1986, to break
ground on the new facility. Other dignitaries
included then-Governor John Carlin and K-State
President Jon Wefald.
“What we begin here today will add to the glory and
reputation of KSU,” Bramlage said at the ceremony.
“My hope is that this coliseum will inspire people
to come together around teams in the spirit of
cooperation.” On that same day, Art Loub, Director
of the KSU Foundation, said, “If it were not for
Fred Bramlage, this day would not be a reality. This
is a tribute to the dedication and resourcefulness
of one individual.”
Mild winters helped construction crews finish the
project nearly two months ahead of schedule. Most of
the athletics offices were moved from Ahearn to
Bramlage in September of 1988. Those offices now
housed in the coliseum include the office of the
athletics director and most of the administrative
offices and the men’s basketball offices. Locker
rooms for the men’s and women’s teams are located at
ground level. They include a spacious dressing area,
a player lounge and additional space to view film.
The addition of Bramlage Coliseum to the north side
of campus gives Kansas State one of the finest
all-around athletic venues in the country. KSU
Football Stadium, the Football Indoor Facility,
Frank Myers Baseball Field at Tointon Family
Stadium, R.V. Christian Track, Washburn Tennis
Complex and the Brandeberry Indoor Complex are all
within walking distance.