The past and present of 'The Phog'

Constructing Jayhawk history and tradition since 1955.

Thor Nystrom

Friday, February 15th, 2008

If you are looking for modern amenities and comforts, keep searching. What Allen Fieldhouse lacks in flair and theatrics is replaced with bleachers, banners and old-fashioned student rituals. A rabid fan base would have it no other way — they have sold out this palace to tradition 101 straight games and counting.

Named after legendary coach Forrest “Phog” Allen and located on Naismith Drive, which is named after basketball’s inventor, the gym was built in 1955. The Fieldhouse was also originally used to train the ROTC and featured a dirt track around the court.

Since then, minor alterations have been made. The school increased seating slightly in both 1986 and 1994 and modernized concessions and restrooms in 1999.

In 2005, the gym received a facelift when the lighting was improved, a new hardwood court with a bigger mid-court Jayhawk was installed and a multi-million dollar video board and soundboard replaced antiquated accessories. In homage to the past, however, the video board operators continued to show an old concession advertisement featuring dancing nachos that was a popular staple of the old non-replay-enabled scoreboard.

The year 2005 also brought a revamped foyer with the creation of the Booth Hall of Athletics, located on the east side of the arena. The 26,000-square foot museum is divided into six exhibit areas and celebrates the traditions of Kansas Athletics.

The Jayhawks, a traditional men’s basketball powerhouse, have been especially dominant on their home court. The team won 62 consecutive games at the Fieldhouse between Jan. 30, 1994, and Nov. 21, 1998, setting a Big 12 record and surpassing the Big 8 record it previously held. Between 1984 and 1988, Kansas won 55 straight home games.

The Fieldhouse is often lauded as one of the nation’s premier collegiate athletic experiences. After Kansas’ 2007 home loss against Texas A&M, the first Jayhawk loss in the Fieldhouse against a Big 12 South opponent since the advent of the league, ESPN college basketball reporter Andy Katz said: “Saturday night was another reminder that Phog Allen, not Cameron, is the best, loudest and most intimidating basketball arena in the country. The alma mater sound, the Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant, the swaying of the crowd and the deafening noise at times, make The Phog a true treasure in the sport.”

Jay Bilas, an ESPN announcer and Duke graduate, said in 2005: “I thought the atmosphere was unbelievable. I’ve been here before, but it’s just such an unbelievable place. It has such character. I can’t say I’ve ever been in a better arena.”

ESPN.com columnist J.A. Adande wrote in 2002: “Allen Fieldhouse, with its windows up on the walls and cozy size, is my favorite venue in college basketball. It has all the great atmosphere of Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, with none of the pretentiousness.”

Cameron is often a point of reference when discussing the Fieldhouse, as the two arenas are often pointed to as the sport’s premier venues in terms of atmosphere and experience. One ESPN.com poll, which had more than 100,000 votes, voted the Fieldhouse as the “toughest venue for visitors in college basketball,” and the place where “you most want to watch a game.” It edged Cameron and Kentucky’s Rupp Arena in both polls.

The 16,300 capacity Fieldhouse still does not have luxury suites. Only a small fraction of the arena’s seating has back rests. More than 4,000 of those seats are reserved for students. The Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy, in a recent column about the arena, said this of one of the student’s most famous traditions, the “Rock Chalk” chant: “Their chant is a far cry from some of the look-at-me cleverness that’s epidemic elsewhere. KU fans are trying to be part of the result, which is an altogether different thing.”

Season tickets to the Fieldhouse are annually sold out. The seating of the building is determined by a point system—mostly through donations. Associate Athletics Director Jim Marchiony recently said that a one-time donation of $100,000 would not be enough to ensure a season ticket holder a front row seat. Such is life for one of the country’s hottest tickets.

On top of sitting on old-school bleachers, spectators get a feel for the tradition of the Fieldhouse by looking skyward. The “Pay heed all who enter: Beware of The Phog!” sign is famous, as are the banners commemorating past Jayhawk greats such as Wilt Chamberlain, Danny Manning, Paul Pierce, Lynette Woodard and Drew Gooden.

All of which serve to make the arena among the most respected and revered in the country—if only the customer is willing to substitute comfort and amenities for tradition.