Legacy Arena

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Legacy Arena

| former_names = BJCC Coliseum {{small|(1976–99)}}
BJCC Arena {{small|(1999–2014)}}

| nickname =

| logo_image = 150px

| image = Legacy Arena 2022.jpg

| image_caption =

| address = 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd N.

| location = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.

| coordinates = {{Coord|33.523780|-86.812935|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Alabama#USA

| pushpin_relief = 1

| pushpin_label = Legacy Arena

| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Alabama##Location within the United States

| broke_ground =

| built =

| opened = September 28, 1976

| renovated = 2020–21

| closed =

| demolished =

| owner = Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Authority

| operator = Comcast Spectra

| construction_cost =

| architect =

| project_manager =

| structural engineer =

| services engineer =

| general_contractor =

| tenants = Birmingham Bulls {{small|(WHA/CHL) (1976–81)}}
UAB Blazers men's basketball {{small|(NCAA) (1978–88)}}
Birmingham South Stars {{small|(CHL) (1982–83)}}
Birmingham Bulls {{small|(ECHL) (1992–2001)}}
Birmingham/Alabama Steeldogs {{small|(af2) (2000–07)}}
Birmingham Squadron {{small|(NBAGL) (2021–present)}}

| seating_capacity = Concerts: 19,000
Sporting Events: 17,654
Theater seating: 8,000

}}

Legacy Arena (formerly known as the BJCC Coliseum and the BJCC Arena) is an arena located at the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama. The arena seats 17,654 for sporting events, up to 16,250 for concerts and 6,000 in a cut-down theater configuration.

Arena information

The arena stands ten stories tall, but it actually measures only 75 feet (23 m) from floor to ceiling and contains an oval-shaped 24,200-square-foot (2,244.5 m²) (110' by 220' (33.5 x 67 m)) arena floor. The arena contains several luxury suites and a press box. The BJCC Arena Club is also located in the arena. It is a lounge that is limited to 500 guests and available for most arena events.{{cite web|url=https://www.bjcc.org/arena-club.php|title=Arena Club|publisher=bjcc.org|access-date=2019-04-01}} Backstage there are 2 locker rooms and 6 dressing rooms as well as a press room and a VIP Reception area. The arena can accommodate 8 trucks backstage—3 on truck docks and room for 5 more. The arena's four-sided center-hung scoreboard, designed by Daktronics, measures 18' by 18' (5.5 x 5.5 m) on each side. Also on each side is a 7.5'-by-8'8" ProStar 16.5 mm video display.

History

The arena opened in 1976 as part of the Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex.

The arena was home of the Birmingham Bulls of the WHA from 1976 to 1979; when the WHA folded, a minor league team with the same name called the arena home through 2001.{{cite news|url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/06/when_hockey_was_big_in_birming.html|title="When hockey was big in Birmingham, Gordie Howe made it huge"|newspaper=The Birmingham News|date=2016-06-10|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925032313/http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2016/06/when_hockey_was_big_in_birming.html|archive-date=2016-09-25}} It was there in December 1977 that hockey legend Gordie Howe, then playing for the WHA's New England Whalers, scored his 1,000th career goal at the age of 49; his Whalers defeated the Bulls 6–3. The arena was also the home of the UAB men's basketball team before it moved into Bartow Arena in 1988 and was home to the Alabama Steeldogs arena football team of the af2 from 2000 to 2007.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/uabsports/docs/guide2014-15|title=UAB Men's Basketball Media Guide, BJCC Coliseum-Bartow Arena|publisher=issuu.com|page=50|date=2019-04-01}}{{cite web|url=https://www.birminghamprosports.com/birminghamsteeldogshistory.html|title=Team and League History|publisher=birminghamprosports.com|date=2019-04-01}}

On December 17, 2014, the Civic Center board and officials of Legacy Credit Union announced a five-year, $2 million naming rights contract. Beginning January 1, 2015 the arena was officially renamed as Legacy Arena at the BJCC.{{cite web|url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/12/two_million_dollar_deal_will_b.html|title=BJCC Arena sells naming rights in 5-year, $2 million deal with Legacy Community Federal Credit Union|work=AL.com|date=18 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218061118/http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2014/12/two_million_dollar_deal_will_b.html|archive-date=2014-12-18}}

On October 24, 2018, the New Orleans Pelicans and the NBA G League announced that the Pelicans have acquired the right to own and operate an NBA G League team in Birmingham, Alabama.{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/new-orleans-pelicans-purchase-nba-g-league-team-play-renovated-legacy-arena-birmingham-alabama|title=New Orleans Pelicans purchase NBA G League Team to play in renovated Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama|work=nba.com|access-date=2019-04-01}} The team was expected to begin play in Birmingham by the 2022–23 basketball season playing at Legacy Arena following renovations to the arena.{{cite web|url=https://alabamanewscenter.com/2018/11/02/bjcc-shares-details-123m-legacy-arena-expansion-renovation/|title=BJCC shares details of $123M Legacy Arena expansion and renovation|date=2 November 2018|publisher=alabamanewscenter.com|access-date=2019-04-01}}{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/10/24/pelicans-to-operate-g-league-team-in-birmingham-alabama/38265691/|title=Pelicans to operate G League team in Birmingham, Alabama|publisher=usatoday.com|access-date=2019-04-01}} In the interim, the team began play for the 2018–19 season in Erie, Pennsylvania, as the Erie BayHawks, while the arena underwent a $123 million expansion and renovation. The renovations were completed in time for the 2021–22 season and the Pelicans chose to move the franchise, now known as the Birmingham Squadron, at that time.

Notable events

=Sports=

==Basketball==

File:NCAA Tournament 2023 Birmingham.jpg

Legacy Arena has many regular season men's and women's college basketball games as well as 11 NBA pre-season games. It has hosted the men's conference tournaments for the Southeastern Conference, Sun Belt Conference, and Conference USA as well as the women's tournament for Conference USA.{{cite web |url=http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/061215aac.html |title=C-USA Basketball Championships to Return to Birmingham |access-date=2019-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210206/http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/061215aac.html |archive-date=2015-09-23 }} It will host the American Athletic Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments in 2026.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-02 |title=Birmingham, Tampa Selected As Host Cities For 2026-28 Basketball Championships |url=https://theamerican.org/news/2025/5/30/mens-basketball-birmingham-tampa-selected-as-host-cities-for-2026-28-basketball-championships.aspx |access-date=2025-06-05 |website=theamerican.org |language=en}} It has also hosted the NCAA men's college basketball tournament serving as first and second round host in 1984, 1987, 2000, 2003, 2008, and 2023 and as a regional site in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1995 and 1997. It was selected as a first and second round site for the 2028 men's tournament.{{Cite web |title=SEC to host 2028 NCAA Men's Basketball opening rounds |url=https://www.secsports.com/news/2024/10/sec-to-host-2028-ncaa-mens-basketball-first-second-rounds-in-birmingham |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Southeastern Conference |language=en}} Legacy Arena hosted the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight for the 2025 NCAA women's college basketball tournament. It also serves as the host for the Alabama High School Athletic Association basketball state finals each year.

===Men's College Basketball conference tournaments at Legacy Arena===

class="wikitable sortable"
width= px \| Year ! width= px \| Conference ! width= px \| Champion ! width= px \| Score ! width= px \| Runner-up ! width= px \| MVP
align="center" \| 1979 \|rowspan=3\| SEC \| Tennessee \| {{nowrap\|75–69^OT}} \| Kentucky \| Kyle Macy, Kentucky
align="center" \| 1980 \| {{cbb link\|1979\|sex=men\|team=LSU Tigers\|title=LSU}} \| 80–78 \| Kentucky \| DeWayne Scales, LSU
align="center" \| 1981 \| Ole Miss \| 66–62 \| {{cbb link\|1980\|sex=none\|team=Georgia Bulldogs\|title=Georgia}} \| Dominique Wilkins, Georgia
align="center" \| 1982 \|rowspan=2\| Sun Belt \| UAB \| 94–83 \| VCU \| Oliver Robinson, UAB
align="center" \|rowspan=2\| 1983 \| UAB \| 64–47 \| {{cbb link\|1982\|team=South Florida Bulls\|title=South Florida}} \| Cliff Pruitt, UAB
align="center" \| SEC \| Georgia \| 86–71 \| Alabama \| Vern Fleming, Georgia
align="center" \| 1984 \| Sun Belt \| UAB \| 62–60 \| {{cbb link\|1983\|team=Old Dominion Monarchs\|title=Old Dominion}} \| McKinley Singleton, UAB
align="center" \| 1985 \| SEC \| Auburn \| {{nowrap\|53–49^OT}} \| Alabama \| Chuck Person, Auburn
align="center" \| 1986 \|rowspan=2\| Sun Belt \| Jacksonville \| 70–69 \| UAB \| Otis Smith, Jacksonville
align="center" \| 1990 \| South Florida \| 81–74 \| {{cbb link\|1989\|team=UNC Charlotte 49ers\|title=UNC Charlotte}} \| Radenko Dobraš, South Florida
align="center" \| 1992 \| SEC \| Kentucky \| 80–54 \| Alabama \| Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky
align="center" \| 1999 \|rowspan=4\| C-USA \| UNC Charlotte \| 68–59 \| Louisville \| Galen Young, UNC Charlotte
align="center" \| 2015 \| UAB \| 73–60 \| Middle Tennessee \| Robert Brown, UAB
align="center" \| 2016 \| Middle Tennessee \| 55–53 \| Old Dominion \| Reggie Upshaw, Middle Tennessee
align="center" \| 2017 \| Middle Tennessee \| 83–72 \| Marshall \| Giddy Potts, Middle Tennessee
align="center" \| 2026 \| American \| – \| – \| – \| –

class="wikitable sortable"

width= px | Year

! width= px | Conference

! width= px | Champion

! width= px | Score

! width= px | Runner-up

! width= px | MVP

align="center"

| 1979

|rowspan=3| SEC

| Tennessee

| {{nowrap|75–69^OT}}

| Kentucky

| Kyle Macy, Kentucky

align="center"

| 1980

| {{cbb link|1979|sex=men|team=LSU Tigers|title=LSU}}

| 80–78

| Kentucky

| DeWayne Scales, LSU

align="center"

| 1981

| Ole Miss

| 66–62

| {{cbb link|1980|sex=none|team=Georgia Bulldogs|title=Georgia}}

| Dominique Wilkins, Georgia

align="center"

| 1982

|rowspan=2| Sun Belt

| UAB

| 94–83

| VCU

| Oliver Robinson, UAB

align="center"

|rowspan=2| 1983

| UAB

| 64–47

| {{cbb link|1982|team=South Florida Bulls|title=South Florida}}

| Cliff Pruitt, UAB

align="center"

| SEC

| Georgia

| 86–71

| Alabama

| Vern Fleming, Georgia

align="center"

| 1984

| Sun Belt

| UAB

| 62–60

| {{cbb link|1983|team=Old Dominion Monarchs|title=Old Dominion}}

| McKinley Singleton, UAB

align="center"

| 1985

| SEC

| Auburn

| {{nowrap|53–49^OT}}

| Alabama

| Chuck Person, Auburn

align="center"

| 1986

|rowspan=2| Sun Belt

| Jacksonville

| 70–69

| UAB

| Otis Smith, Jacksonville

align="center"

| 1990

| South Florida

| 81–74

| {{cbb link|1989|team=UNC Charlotte 49ers|title=UNC Charlotte}}

| Radenko Dobraš, South Florida

align="center"

| 1992

| SEC

| Kentucky

| 80–54

| Alabama

| Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky

align="center"

| 1999

|rowspan=4| C-USA

| UNC Charlotte

| 68–59

| Louisville

| Galen Young, UNC Charlotte

align="center"

| 2015

| UAB

| 73–60

| Middle Tennessee

| Robert Brown, UAB

align="center"

| 2016

| Middle Tennessee

| 55–53

| Old Dominion

| Reggie Upshaw, Middle Tennessee

align="center"

| 2017

| Middle Tennessee

| 83–72

| Marshall

| Giddy Potts, Middle Tennessee

align="center"

| 2026

| American

| –

===Women's College Basketball conference tournaments at Legacy Arena===

class="wikitable sortable"
width= px \| Year ! width= px \| Conference ! width= px \| Champion ! width= px \| Score ! width= px \| Runner-up ! width= px \| MVP
align="center" \| 2015 \|rowspan=3\| C-USA \| Western Kentucky \| 60–57 \| Southern Miss \| Alexis Govan, Western Kentucky
align="center" \| 2016 \| Middle Tennessee \| 70–54 \| Old Dominion \| Ty Petty, Middle Tennessee
align="center" \| 2017 \| Western Kentucky \| 67–56 \| Southern Miss \| Kendall Noble, Western Kentucky
align="center" \| 2026 \| American \| – \| – \| – \| –

class="wikitable sortable"

width= px | Year

! width= px | Conference

! width= px | Champion

! width= px | Score

! width= px | Runner-up

! width= px | MVP

align="center"

| 2015

|rowspan=3| C-USA

| Western Kentucky

| 60–57

| Southern Miss

| Alexis Govan, Western Kentucky

align="center"

| 2016

| Middle Tennessee

| 70–54

| Old Dominion

| Ty Petty, Middle Tennessee

align="center"

| 2017

| Western Kentucky

| 67–56

| Southern Miss

| Kendall Noble, Western Kentucky

align="center"

| 2026

| American

| –

==Tennis==

File:Birmingham–Jefferson Convention Complex, Legacy Arena tennis.jpg

In 2009, the arena hosted the first round tie of the 2009 Davis Cup between the United States and Switzerland.{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/sports/2016/11/davis_cup_tennis_event_announc.html|title=Davis Cup tennis event announced for Birmingham in February|date=18 November 2016|publisher=al.com|access-date=2019-04-01}} Several tennis stars participated including Andy Roddick, James Blake, Bob and Mike Bryan and Stanislas Wawrinka. The arena also hosted the 2017 Davis Cup on February 3–5, 2017.

==The World Games==

Birmingham was the host city for the World Games 2022, with many events taking place in venues around the city. Legacy Arena hosted the Latin, standard, and rock'n'roll dancesport competitions as well as the aerobatic, acrobatic, rhythmic, trampoline and tumbling gymnastics competitions.{{Cite web |title=Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex |url=https://twg2022.com/venues/bjcc/ |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=The World Games 2022 {{!}} Birmingham, USA |language=en-US}}