Premier America Credit Union Arena

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Premier America Credit Union Arena
Matadome
Matadome.jpg
Premier America Credit Union Arena
Full namePremier America Credit Union Arena
Former namesMatador Gymnasium
Location18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330
Coordinates 34°14′31″N118°31′35″W / 34.241974°N 118.526484°W / 34.241974; -118.526484
Owner California State University, Northridge
Capacity 2,400
Record attendance3,106 on 2 November 1990 for US Men's Volleyball
ScoreboardYes
Construction
Opened30 November 1962
Renovated1998, 2014
Tenants
Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball
Cal State Northridge Matadors women's basketball
Cal State Northridge Matadors men's volleyball
Cal State Northridge Matadors women's volleyball

Premier America Credit Union Arena, formerly Matador Gymnasium, and formerly known by its nickname the Matadome, is a 2,500 seat, indoor multi-purpose stadium on the campus of California State University, Northridge in Northridge, California. The Matadome was renovated in 2014. With the renovation, the arena now has a capacity of 2,500. [1]

Contents

History and renovations

The Matadome, unlike many other traditional stadia, is located within Redwood Hall, which hosts many kinesiology classes for Cal State Northridge. Contrary to the name, Redwood Hall, and by default the Matadome, is not a dome at all – the roof is flat. The Matadome was completed in 1962 and was officially opened on 30 November of the same year. [2] It got its name in the early 1980s, when Lisa Nehus Saxon, a reporter for the Los Angeles Daily News, playfully used the term in a game story.

The capacity of the Matadome has changed throughout the years. Before the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Matadome had a capacity of over 3,000. The record attendance was 3,106 for a United States men's national volleyball team exhibition against Japan men's national volleyball team set on 2 November 1990, which was prior to the earthquake. After the earthquake, the upper section seats were removed to create more classroom space for Redwood Hall, and walls were put up to separate the Matadome from these new classrooms.

Other renovations include the installation of a completely new floor in 1996 (with a redesigning in 2001), a drop-down scoreboard above half court in 1997, and chair-backed bleacher seats in 1998.

In 2014, the Matadome was renovated and seating capacity was increased to 2,400-seats. The seats were previously lost due to the 1994 Northridge earthquake. [1]

Pre-2014 renovation negative views

Despite all of these recent additions and renovations, the Matadome is still seen as a sub-standard arena. Players and coaches alike have spoken out about the gym, citing:

I don’t know how the Matadome got its name, but it sounds like a joke. And (then) someone thought it was serious and even made a little plaque to go with it outside.

— Willie Galick, 2007–2009, men's basketball, Daily Sundial [3]

We’re a division-I program with a junior high or a YMCA gym.

— Neeta Sreekanth, 2008–2009, women's basketball, Daily Sundial [3]

In an editorial for the Los Angeles Daily News, Jill Painter described the Matadome as "...the Kinesiology building with a basketball court inside...". [4] Not surprisingly, the head coach for the men's basketball team believes the Matadome may hinder Northridge's athletic programs.

Don't be fooled by the name, 'The Matadome'. It's really the 'Mata-gym'.

—  Bobby Braswell, 1996–2013, men's basketball head coach, The Press-Enterprise [5]

It's an issue. It’s affected our high school-recruiting and other things.

—  Bobby Braswell, 1996–2013, men's basketball head coach, Daily Sundial [3]

On March 23, 2022, the school announced a new partnership with Premier America Credit Union, with the arena being renamed the Premier America Credit Union Arena. [6]

Tenants

Before the Matadome opened, the Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team played their home games at nearby Granada Hills Charter High School. They've played at the Matadome since its opening in 1962 and has been joined by the women's basketball team, as well as the men's and women's volleyball teams.

In addition to Northridge athletics, the Matadome has also hosted the 2001 Big Sky Conference men's basketball tournament.

For non-athletic events, the Matadome has been used as a setting for The Karate Kid (1984) and National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002).

See also

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The 2012–13 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge during the 2012–13 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by 17th year head coach Bobby Braswell, played their home games at the Matadome and were members of the Big West Conference. They finished the season 14–17, 5–13 in Big West play to finish in ninth place. They failed to qualify for the Big West tournament.

The 2013–14 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by first year head coach Reggie Theus, played their home games at the Matadome as members of the Big West Conference. They finished the season 17–18, 7–9 in Big West play to finish in fifth place. They advanced to the championship game of the Big West Conference tournament where they lost to Cal Poly.

The 2015–16 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by third year head coach Reggie Theus, played their home games at the Matadome as members of the Big West Conference. On January 7, 2016, CSUN announced a self-imposed postseason ban due to academic fraud violations. They postseason ban included the Big West tournament. They finished the season, 10–20, 5–11 in Big West play to finish in a tie for sixth place.

The 2017–18 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by fifth-year head coach Reggie Theus, played their home games at the Matadome as members of the Big West Conference. They finished season 6–24, and 3–13 in Big West play and finished in last place. They failed to qualify for the Big West tournament.

The 2018–19 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge in the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by first-year head coach Mark Gottfried, competed at the Matadome. CSU Northridge was a member of the Big West Conference, and participated in their 18th consecutive season in that league. They finished the season 13–21, 7–9 in Big West play to finish in a tie for sixth place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the Big West tournament to UC Santa Barbara. They were invited to the College Basketball Invitational where they lost in the first round to Utah Valley.

The 2020–21 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by third-year head coach Mark Gottfried, played their home games at the Matadome in Northridge, California as members of the Big West Conference.

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The 2022–23 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by head coach Trent Johnson, in his second season, and first without the interim tag, played their home games at the Premier America Credit Union Arena in Northridge, California as members of the Big West Conference. They finished the season 7–24, 4–16 in Big West play, to finish in 10th place. Due to UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Matadors were the No. 9 seed in the Big West tournament where, for the second consecutive year, they lost to Cal State Bakersfield in the first round.

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The 2023–24 Cal State Northridge Matadors women's basketball team represented California State University, Northridge during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Matadors, led by third-year head coach Carlene Mitchell, played their home games at the Premier America Credit Union Arena in Northridge, California as members of the Big West Conference.

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The 2024–25 Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team will represent California State University, Northridge during the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Matadors, led by second-year head coach Andy Newman, will play their home games at the Premier America Credit Union Arena located in Northridge, California as members of the Big West Conference.

References

  1. 1 2 "A Bigger, Badder Matadome". CSU Magazine. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  2. ↑ "MATADOR GYMNASIUM (CSUN)". lasports.org. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 "Matadome is below Division-I standards; can anything be done?". Daily Sundial. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  4. ↑ "LUSTER ELUDES 'MATADOME' NO UPGRADES FOR CSUN FACILITIES SINCE FOOTBALL WAS CUT". Los Angeles Daily News . 3 November 2002. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  5. ↑ "College coaches talkin' hoops". The Press-Enterprise. 8 October 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  6. ↑ "CSUN, Premier America Announce Partnership, Matadome to be Renamed After Credit Union". CSUN Athletics. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
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