Amanda Knapp
Jersey Mike's Arena, commonly known as the RAC, is the basketball arena at Rutgers University. The arena, which opened in 1977, has a capacity of 8,000 seats and is located on the Livingston Campus in Piscataway, New Jersey. The building is shaped like a truncated tent with trapezoidal sides, and its unique design allows crowd noise to resonate, creating an intimidating atmosphere for opponents. While the arena has been described as outdated and small for a large university like Rutgers, it is renowned for being one of the loudest arenas in college basketball when at maximum capacity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Jersey Mike's Arena |
| Former Names | Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC), Louis Brown Athletic Center |
| Teams | Men's and Women's Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball teams, Wrestling team, Gymnastics team |
| Location | Livingston Campus, Piscataway, New Jersey |
| Year Opened | 30 November 1977 |
| Seating Capacity | 8,000 |
| Shape | Truncated tent with trapezoidal sides |
| Noise | One of the loudest arenas in college basketball |
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What You'll Learn
Jersey Mike's Arena: The name, the history, and the design
Jersey Mike's Arena, commonly known as the RAC (an initialism for Rutgers Athletic Center, its former official name), is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose basketball arena located on the Livingston Campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey. The arena, which celebrated its 45th birthday in November 2022, is home to the men's and women's Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball teams, as well as the wrestling and gymnastics teams.
The building's unique design is like no other arena, resembling a truncated tent with trapezoidal sides on the north and south ends. The unusual shape of the arena allows crowd noise to resonate, creating a deafening environment and giving the home team a significant advantage. The original architect, Robert Hillier, noted that the design was probably more fitting for a warehouse than a basketball facility, and that financial concerns limited his original design choices.
The history of Jersey Mike's Arena dates back to 1977 when it opened as the Rutgers Athletic Center, replacing the smaller College Avenue Gym. The arena was later renamed in 1986 for Louis Brown, a Rutgers graduate and former member of the varsity golf team who made a significant bequest to the university. Despite the name change, the arena continued to be widely known as "The RAC" by the Rutgers community. In 2019, references to Louis Brown were removed, and the arena resumed using its original name. In 2021, the arena was officially renamed Jersey Mike's Arena after a multi-year agreement with Jersey Mike's Subs for the naming rights.
Over the years, the arena has hosted various sporting events and concerts. It was the home of the NBA's New Jersey Nets from 1977 to 1981 and has hosted multiple basketball tournaments, including the Atlantic 10 Conference men's basketball tournaments in 1985 and 1989. The arena has also been the site of graduation ceremonies and concerts, such as performances by The Roots, Hawthorne Heights, and Everclear for Rutgersfest in 2007. Despite its outdated appearance and small size for a large university, Jersey Mike's Arena remains a beloved and vibrant venue for Rutgers basketball and its fans.
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The RAC: What does it stand for?
The RAC, formerly known as the Rutgers Athletic Center, is the common name for Jersey Mike's Arena, home to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball team. The RAC was the official name of the arena until 1986 when it was renamed for Louis Brown, a Rutgers graduate and former member of the varsity golf team who left a large bequest to the university in his will. Despite the name change, the building continued to be referred to as "The RAC" by students, alumni, fans, and players.
The arena, located on Rutgers University's Livingston Campus in Piscataway, New Jersey, has a unique truncated tent-like shape with trapezoidal sides. It is renowned for being one of the loudest arenas in college basketball when at maximum capacity, as the trapezoidal design allows crowd noise to resonate, creating an intimidating environment for opposing teams.
The RAC opened on November 30, 1977, with a win against rival Seton Hall and has a seating capacity of 8,000. The venue is not only home to the men's and women's basketball teams but also hosts the wrestling and gymnastics teams. Over the years, it has also been the site of various concerts and community events, such as Rutgersfest and SpringBlaze, as well as high school basketball tournaments and a Professional Bowler's Association tournament.
Despite its unique design and vibrant atmosphere, the RAC has faced criticism for its small size, particularly when compared to other arenas in the Big Ten Conference. There have been plans and discussions to expand the arena to accommodate more fans and improve facilities, but the students and fans have expressed a certain love for the outdated venue, showcasing a reluctance to move to a newer, larger venue.
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Seating capacity: How does it compare?
Jersey Mike's Arena, commonly known as the RAC, is the basketball arena at Rutgers University. It has a seating capacity of 8,000, which is small compared to other basketball arenas in the Big Ten Conference. For example, Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena has a capacity of 8,117. The small size of Jersey Mike's Arena has been noted by some as surprising for a large university, and it has been called outdated and dilapidated.
The RAC's former glory had become something of a fable in the Rutgers community, with stories of its atmosphere thought to be impossible to return to. However, under coach Steve Pikiell, the team's success has brought the arena back to life. The unique trapezoidal design of the building allows crowd noise to resonate, creating an intimidating environment for opposing teams.
In 2010, plans were announced to expand the arena to accommodate 12,500 fans, including club seating and premium restaurants. However, these plans do not appear to have come to fruition, as more recent sources still cite the capacity as 8,000.
The arena has undergone several name changes over the years. It was originally known as the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) until 1986 when it was renamed for Louis Brown, a Rutgers graduate and former golfer who left a bequest to the university in his will. In 2019, all references to Louis Brown were removed, and the arena's name reverted to the Rutgers Athletic Center. In 2021, it was renamed Jersey Mike's Arena after the university reached a deal with Jersey Mike's Subs for the naming rights.
The RAC has a rich history beyond basketball, having hosted concerts, a Professional Bowler's Association tournament, and high school basketball tournaments.
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Location and parking
Jersey Mike's Arena, commonly known as the RAC (an initialism for Rutgers Athletic Center, its former official name), is located in Piscataway, New Jersey, on Rutgers University's Livingston Campus. The building is shaped like a truncated tent with trapezoidal sides on the north and south ends. It is home to the men's and women's Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball teams, as well as the wrestling and gymnastics teams.
The arena is conveniently located just three blocks away from the Rutgers Zone, which offers various games and activities for fans before and after games.
If you are driving to the arena, parking is available in the Livingston Campus/RAC parking lots, which can be accessed via Suttons Lane or Avenue E. Parking is $20 per vehicle.
The arena has a long and storied history, dating back to its opening in 1977 when it was known as the Rutgers Athletic Center. It has since undergone several name changes, including being renamed for Louis Brown, a Rutgers graduate and former athlete, and more recently, being sold the naming rights to Jersey Mike's.
The RAC is renowned for its loud and intimidating atmosphere during basketball games, with the trapezoidal design of the building allowing crowd noise to resonate and create a unique environment.
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The arena experience: past and present
The current home of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights basketball team is Jersey Mike's Arena, previously known as the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC). The arena, located on the Livingston Campus, is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose venue with a unique truncated tent-like structure and trapezoidal sides. The unusual design, though criticised for its lack of aesthetic appeal, is renowned for creating a deafening atmosphere during games, with the crowd noise resonating across the arena.
The RAC opened its doors on November 30, 1977, replacing the 3,200-seat College Avenue Gym, which had served as the university's basketball arena since 1931. Over the years, the RAC gained a reputation for its vibrant atmosphere, with ESPN's Jay Bilas praising the "intimidating" environment created by the crowd. The arena also hosted the NBA's New Jersey Nets during their early years in the league, from 1977 to 1981, and has been the site of various concerts and community events.
However, by the time Rutgers joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014, the RAC had fallen into disrepair and was the smallest arena in the conference. The lack of seating and outdated facilities became an embarrassment for the university. Former Athletic Director Tim Pernetti had planned to expand the arena to accommodate 12,500 fans and add more practice facilities and concourse space.
Despite the arena's shortcomings, the Rutgers community remained attached to the venue, and the team's success in recent years has brought new life to the RAC. Students have been lining up early outside the stadium, and tickets for marquee matchups now command high prices on the secondary market. The RAC's intimate setting and raucous atmosphere have once again become a source of pride for the university and its fans.
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Frequently asked questions
The Rutgers basketball arena, Jersey Mike's Arena, is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena.
The former name of the arena was the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC), and later, the Louis Brown Athletic Center.
Rutgers and Jersey Mike's Subs reached a multi-year agreement in 2021 to make the sub sandwich restaurant an official naming rights partner of the university.
The building is shaped like a truncated tent with trapezoidal sides on the north and south ends.
The small size of the arena has been noted as surprising for such a large university, and it may be challenging for visiting team fans to attend games due to the limited seating. However, the trapezoidal design creates a loud and intimidating environment for opponents, with the crowd noise resonating and creating a deafening atmosphere.
