Andrew Pace
Cameron Indoor Stadium, located on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, is the home of Duke's basketball stadium. The stadium, which opened in 1940, has a seating capacity of 9,314 and is known for its intense atmosphere, largely due to the Cameron Crazies, a name given to the wild student fans who are often courtside.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Cameron Indoor Stadium |
| Location | Durham, North Carolina, USA |
| Year Opened | 1940 |
| Capacity | 9,314 seats |
| Standing Room Capacity | 10,000 |
| Student Section Capacity | 1,100 |
| Student Section Record | 1,600 |
| Court Name | Coach K Court |
| Nickname | Cameron Crazies |
| Noise Level | 121.3 dB |
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What You'll Learn
Duke's basketball stadium name and history
Duke University's basketball stadium, Cameron Indoor Stadium, is an indoor arena located on the university's campus in Durham, North Carolina. The stadium, which opened in January 1940, was originally known as Duke Indoor Stadium. In 1972, it was renamed Cameron Indoor Stadium in honour of Eddie Cameron, who served as Duke's men's basketball coach from 1928 to 1942, as football coach from 1942 to 1945, and as athletic director from 1951 to 1972. Cameron also drew up the initial plans for the stadium in 1935.
The stadium has a capacity of 9,314 seats, though there is sufficient standing room to accommodate up to 10,000 people. The facility serves as the home court for Duke's men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the women's volleyball team. It is known for its unique seating arrangement, which places the most enthusiastic fans, known as the "Cameron Crazies", right next to the players on the floor. The stadium has hosted a variety of sporting events, including NCAA and ACC championships in basketball, fencing, gymnastics, and wrestling, as well as several men's basketball tournaments.
The Cameron Indoor Stadium is considered one of the classic venues of college basketball, with Sports Illustrated ranking it fourth on its list of the top 20 sporting venues of the 20th century. The stadium has witnessed several notable moments in Duke's basketball history, including the breaking of the previous non-conference home win streak record, which lasted 95 games from 1983 to 1995. On November 26, 2019, Duke suffered an overtime loss to Stephen F. Austin, ending their own non-conference home winning streak at 150 games, which had been the longest active streak in college basketball at the time.
The stadium has undergone several renovations over the years to enhance its facilities and improve the experience for players and fans. The renovations in 1987–1988 removed the standing room areas, added an electronic scoreboard and display, and introduced various aesthetic features, increasing the seating capacity to 9,314. Prior to the 2002–2003 basketball season, air conditioning units were installed to address health and odour concerns. Additional changes were made before the 2009–2010 season, including the installation of LED ribbon boards and painting the upper seats Duke blue.
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Stadium capacity and design
Cameron Indoor Stadium, located on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, has a capacity of 9,314 seats. The stadium, which opened in 1940, is the primary indoor athletic venue for the Duke Blue Devils and serves as the home court for Duke's men's and women's basketball teams and the women's volleyball team.
The stadium was originally known as Duke Indoor Stadium until 1972 when it was renamed after Eddie Cameron, who served as Duke's men's basketball coach from 1928 to 1942, as football coach from 1942 to 1945, and as athletic director from 1951 to 1972. The plans for the stadium were drawn up in 1935 by Cameron himself, and it was designed by Julian Abele, who studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, France.
The stadium has undergone several renovations over the years to improve its functionality and increase its capacity. Initially, the building included seating for 8,800 people, with standing room allowing for a total capacity of 9,500. Renovations in 1987-1988 removed the standing room areas and added various amenities, bringing the seating capacity to 9,314. However, the stadium can still accommodate up to 10,000 people with standing room.
The design of the stadium is renowned for its intimacy and unique seating arrangement, placing the most enthusiastic fans, known as the "Cameron Crazies," right next to the court. This student section is famous for its loud cheering, with noise levels recorded as high as 121.3 dB. The students' dedication is such that they camp out for weeks in an area outside the stadium known as "Krzyzewskiville" to secure their spots for major games.
The stadium has hosted a variety of sporting events and tournaments over the years, including NCAA and ACC championships in basketball, fencing, gymnastics, and wrestling. It has also been the site of legendary moments in sports history, contributing to its reputation as a "basketball shrine." Sports Illustrated ranked it fourth on its list of the top 20 sporting venues of the 20th century, and USA Today described it as "the toughest road game in the ACC."
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Student fan culture
Cameron Indoor Stadium, the home of Duke University's basketball teams, has a capacity of 9,314. The student section, known as the Cameron Crazies, is a key part of the stadium's culture and has a capacity of around 1,200. The Cameron Crazies are known for their passionate and enthusiastic support of the team, as well as their creative chants and pranks.
The Cameron Crazies are famous for their dedication to the team, often camping out in Krzyzewskiville, a makeshift city outside the stadium, for months in advance of big games to secure their seats. They are also known for their loud cheering, which has been recorded as high as 121.3 dB. The Crazies are organised and prepare for games by researching opposing players and creating cheers and chants.
The student section has a unique culture and set of traditions that have evolved over the years. One of their most famous traditions is the "'air ball' cheer, which was started by the Crazies in 1975 and is now common across the nation. Other chants include "Not Our Rivals", directed at Maryland, and "That's alright, that's okay! You will work for us one day!" when losing to NC State. The Crazies also have a tradition of harassing opposing players, including tossing objects at them and holding up placards with embarrassing information or insults.
Over time, there have been some efforts to curb the more extreme behaviours of the Cameron Crazies. In recent years, Duke's student government has encouraged fans to refrain from using slurs and to heckle opposing players responsibly. The group has also had to adapt due to restrictions on their behaviour, such as no longer being able to throw objects onto the court. Despite these changes, the Cameron Crazies remain one of the most passionate and dedicated student fan sections in college basketball.
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Stadium atmosphere and reputation
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke University's basketball stadium, has a capacity of 9,314. The stadium, which opened in 1940, is known for its intimate atmosphere, with a unique seating arrangement that places fans right next to the players on the court.
The stadium is named after Eddie Cameron, who was Duke's men's basketball coach from 1928 to 1942, football coach from 1942 to 1945, and athletic director from 1951 to 1972. The arena is the primary indoor athletic venue for Duke's basketball and volleyball teams.
The fans and students are known as the "Cameron Crazies" for their passionate support of the team and loud cheering. The noise levels have been recorded at 121.3 dB, which is louder than a power saw! The "Cameron Crazies" are a key part of the stadium's atmosphere, with their courtside presence adding to the intensity of the games.
The stadium's design further contributes to the atmosphere, with its intimacy and unique seating arrangement enhancing the experience for fans and players alike. The bleacher-style seating, reserved for students, is located alongside the court, ensuring a lively and engaged crowd.
The reputation of Cameron Indoor Stadium is that of a historic basketball shrine. It has hosted a variety of sporting events for over seven decades, including NCAA and ACC championships in basketball, fencing, gymnastics, and wrestling. Sports Illustrated ranked it fourth on its list of the top 20 sporting venues of the 20th century, and USA Today described it as "the toughest road game in the ACC." The stadium's long-standing tradition of sell-out crowds further adds to its reputation, with every Duke home game since 1990 selling out, resulting in a streak of 524 consecutive sold-out games by the end of the 2023-24 season—the longest stretch in college basketball or the NBA.
The stadium has also played a part in legendary careers, with its court dedicated and renamed "Coach K Court" in November 2000 in honour of Coach K, whose record at the stadium is 396-37 (.915) since 1997-98, and 572-76 (.883) overall.
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Sporting events hosted
Cameron Indoor Stadium, located on the campus of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, has been the home court for Duke's basketball and volleyball teams since it opened in 1940. The stadium, which was renamed in 1972 to honour Duke's men's basketball coach Eddie Cameron, has a seating capacity of 9,314.
The stadium has hosted a variety of sporting events, including NCAA and ACC championships in basketball, fencing, gymnastics, and wrestling. It has also been the venue for the Southern Conference men's basketball tournament from 1947 to 1950 and the MEAC men's basketball tournament in 1972 and 1973.
The Cameron Crazies, as the students and fans are known, are renowned for their passionate support of the Duke teams and their loud cheering, which has been recorded at over 120 dB. Their enthusiasm, combined with the stadium's intimate setting and unique seating arrangement, creates an intense atmosphere that has earned Cameron Indoor Stadium the reputation of being "the toughest road game in the ACC".
The stadium's history and the feeling of witnessing a legendary moment in the making contribute to the allure of this classic college basketball venue. Its design, with bleacher-style seating alongside the court, ensures that the wildest fans are right next to the players, enhancing the electric atmosphere.
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Frequently asked questions
Duke's basketball stadium, Cameron Indoor Stadium, has a capacity of 9,314 seats.
No, when the stadium opened in 1940, it had seating for 8,800 people, with standing room allowing for a total capacity of 9,500. Renovations in 1987-1988 removed the standing room areas, bringing the capacity to 9,314.
The stadium is known for its intense atmosphere, largely due to the "Cameron Crazies", the name given to the wild fans who are often allowed to sit courtside. The fans have been known to cheer so loudly that it reaches 121.3 dB, which is louder than a power saw at 3 feet or a jackhammer.
