Bramlage Coliseum

Fred Bramlage Coliseum
The Octagon of Doom
Location	1800 College Avenue; Manhattan, KS 66502
Owner	Kansas State University
Operator	Kansas State University
Capacity	12,528 (2007–present); 13,340 (2001–2007); 13,500 (1988–2001)
Record attendance	13,762; (2/22/1992 vs. Kansas)
Surface	Hardwood
Construction
Broke ground	October 18, 1986
Opened	October 21, 1988
Construction cost	$17.5 million; ($45.1 million in 2024 dollars)
Architect	Gossen Livingston Architects
General contractor	JE Dunn Construction
Tenants
	Kansas State Wildcats (NCAA DI) (1988–present)

Fred Bramlage Coliseum is a 12,528-seat multi-purpose arena in Manhattan, Kansas. The arena's primary function is as home to the men's and women's basketball teams for Kansas State University. The building also holds offices for Kansas State Wildcats baseball, Intercollegiate Athletics, and Sports Information.^[3]^[4]

Construction and usage

The arena is located in the northwest corner of the Kansas State campus, along with the rest of the school's athletic facilities, abutting the south end zone of Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium.

The arena was built to replace Ahearn Field House, K-State's basketball facility from 1950 to 1988. Construction of Bramlage Coliseum began with a groundbreaking on October 18, 1986, and was completed in 1988. The construction was funded entirely by student fees and donations from alumni and friends of the University.

On November 26, 1988, Kansas State University officially opened Bramlage Coliseum with an 81-77 victory over Purdue University. The first basketball game actually played in the arena, however, was an NBA exhibition game between the Dallas Mavericks, led by former K-State standout Rolando Blackman, and the San Antonio Spurs on October 21, 1988.

As of February 16, 2016, the Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball team has posted a 328-105 (.758) record in Bramlage Coliseum. Since the inception of "The Octagon of Doom" title in the 2007-2008 season, the home record is 124-23 (.845).

The facility hosted women's NCAA basketball tournament games in 2002 and 2003. Kansas State played in Bramlage Coliseum in both tournament years.

Bramlage has also been home to the Kansas State High School Activities Association Class 2A boys and girls state championship tournaments since 1990.^[5]

Historical displays

The concourse around the arena is decorated with pictures of Wildcat greats and trophies won by the men's and women's teams over the years. A painted border around the top of the walls inside the Coliseum shows the years the Wildcat basketball programs won conference crowns or participated in the NCAA Tournament or NIT (WNIT). Hanging from the rafters in Bramlage are the retired numbers of former Wildcat greats including: Ernie Barrett, Rolando Blackman, Mitch Richmond, Bob Boozer, Mike Evans, Dick Knostman, Lon Kruger, Jack Parr, Chuckie Williams, Nicole Ohlde, Kendra Wecker and Shalee Lehning.

Traditions

The unofficial nickname for Bramlage Coliseum is "The Octagon of Doom," due to the building's eight sides. The nickname was popularized in the media during the 2009-2010 season, but it was first used in on-line internet forums in early 2007.^[6]^[7] K-State students bring octagonal shaped signs with "Doom" written on them and wear "Doom" T-shirts to games.

Before every game, the crowd sings Wildcat Victory, the Kansas State fight song, and then rocks back and forth to the Wabash Cannonball. As the K-State players make their way from the locker room to the court, the crowd chants, "Bring on the Cats, Bring on the Cats, Bring on the Cats." When the Cats hit the floor the crowd erupts and rises to their feet. While the opposing team's starting lineup is announced, the student section shakes newspapers, and after each name chants, "So What" "Who Cares" "Who's He?" "Big Deal" "Go Home," and then rips the papers and throws them in the air at the beginning of the introduction of the Kansas State starting lineup. Each time an opposing player commits a foul the student section chants the number of fouls that player has, and every time a K-State player sinks a three-point basket, the announcer says the name of the player followed by "for", and then the crowd echoes "three!" Following a K-State victory, the crowd performs a "K-S-U Wildcats" chant. If an opposing team's player fouls out of the game, the crowd chants "left, right, left" for each step. If he stands, they chant "standing, standing" until the player sits down, at which time the crowd yells "Sit down!"

Seating capacity

Seating capacity in Bramlage was originally 13,500. Adjustments for fire codes lowered this number to 13,340 in the 2000s, and construction prior to the 2007-2008 season eliminated another approximately 800 seats to add luxury boxes and bring handicap seating up to compliance.^[8] The current capacity is 12,528.

Largest crowds

13,762 - Kansas Jayhawks - February 22, 1992
13,685 - Kansas Jayhawks - January 27, 1990
13,597 - Missouri Tigers - March 1, 1989
13,586 - Kansas Jayhawks - January 14, 1989
13,584 - Kansas Jayhawks - January 18, 1993
13,580 - Oklahoma Sooners - February 19, 1994
13,573 - Missouri Tigers - February 8, 1990
13,553 - Kansas Jayhawks - February 12, 1994
13,536 - Oklahoma State Cowboys - February 25, 1989
13,520 - Nebraska Cornhuskers - March 3, 1990

Non-sporting events

In addition to Kansas State basketball, Bramlage Coliseum also hosts musical and comical performances, speeches, trade shows, and undergraduate commencement ceremonies. The arena has seated up to 14,000 for concerts. It has featured performances by the following groups and individuals:

Def Leppard - October 20, 1988
Mötley Crüe - March 2, 1990
AC/DC - December 9, 1990
Van Halen - April 6, 1992
Weezer - November 7, 1994
The Dixie Chicks - November 16, 2000
Bob Dylan - October 26, 2004
Ben Folds - April 8, 2009
Will Ferell - 2008
Dierks Bentley - 2006
Jason Derulo - April 11, 2011
Kevin Hart - October 5, 2015^[9]

The arena has also hosted speaking events as part of the Landon Lecture Series by the following personalities:

References

^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
^ Green, Brenda (July 20, 1987). "Bramlage Coliseum Construction on Target". The Junction City Daily Union. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
^ Bramlage Coliseum - Kansas State University Wildcats Official Athletics Site Archived November 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
^ Fred Bramlage Bio Archived June 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
^ "High school state Basketball sites". Newsgroup: State High School Activities Association Kansas State High School Activities Association. January 31, 2010. Archived from the original on 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2010-02-09. {{cite newsgroup}}: Check |newsgroup= value (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "Kansas State Fans Delight in Their 'Octagon of Doom'". Kansas City Star. January 28, 2010. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-04. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "The History of "The Octagon of Doom"". Newsgroup: goemaw.com. January 31, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
^ "K-State Has Grand Plans". The Topeka Capital-Journal. June 26, 2007.
^ "Union Program Council presents Kevin Hart's 'What Now Tour'". www.k-state.edu. KSU. Retrieved 28 December 2015.

External links

Official website

Preceded by Ahearn Fieldhouse	Home of the Kansas State Wildcats basketball 1988 – present	Succeeded by Current

39°12′01.3″N 96°35′37.8″W / 39.200361°N 96.593833°W / 39.200361; -96.593833

[inflation-US-1] 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.

[2] Green, Brenda (July 20, 1987). "Bramlage Coliseum Construction on Target". The Junction City Daily Union. Retrieved January 22, 2012.

[3] Bramlage Coliseum - Kansas State University Wildcats Official Athletics Site Archived November 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

[4] Fred Bramlage Bio Archived June 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

[5] "High school state Basketball sites". Newsgroup: State High School Activities Association Kansas State High School Activities Association. January 31, 2010. Archived from the original on 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2010-02-09. {{cite newsgroup}}: Check |newsgroup= value (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[6] "Kansas State Fans Delight in Their 'Octagon of Doom'". Kansas City Star. January 28, 2010. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-04. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[7] "The History of "The Octagon of Doom"". Newsgroup: goemaw.com. January 31, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-04.

[8] "K-State Has Grand Plans". The Topeka Capital-Journal. June 26, 2007.

[9] "Union Program Council presents Kevin Hart's 'What Now Tour'". www.k-state.edu. KSU. Retrieved 28 December 2015.

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v t e Kansas State Wildcats men's basketball
Venues	Manhattan YMCA (1902–1911) Nichols Hall (1911–1950) Ahearn Field House (1950–1988) Bramlage Coliseum (1988–present)
Rivalries	Kansas
Culture & lore	Willie the Wildcat "Kansas Wildcats" "Wabash Cannonball" Wildcat Victory The Pride of Wildcat Land
People	Head coaches NBA players Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
NCAA Final Four appearances in italics