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 baseball, Intercollegiate Athletics, and Sports Information. [1]

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History

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. The name of the arena honors Fred Bramlage, a local philanthropist instrumental in raising funds for the facility.

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

The concourse surrounding the arena, is highly decorated with pictures of Wildcat Greats, and trophies won by both the mens and the womens teams over the years. The border around the top of the walls inside the Coliseum shows the years the Wildcat basketball programs won conference crowns, or traveled to either the NCAA Tournament or NIT (WNIT). Hanging from the rafters in Bramlage are the retired numbers of former Wildcat Greats including, Ernie Barret, Rolando Blackmon, Bob Boozer, Mike Evans, Dick Knostman, Lon Kruger, Jack Parr, Chuckie Williams, Nicole Ohlde, and Kendra Wecker.

Entering the 2007-2008 season, Kansas State's men's basketball team had posted a 215-83 (.721) record in Bramlage Coliseum.

The facility hosted women's NCAA basketball tournament games in 2002 and 2003.

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

Seating capacity

Seating capacity in Bramlage was originally 13,500. Adjustments for fire codes lowered this number to 13,340 in the 1990s, and construction prior to the 2007-2008 season eliminated another approximately 800 seats to add luxury boxes and bring handicap seating up to compliance. ^[2] The largest basketball crowd in the arena's history was 13,762 for a game against the University of Kansas on February 22, 1992 – a record that will remain unbroken barring future expansion of the facility.

"The Octagon of Doom"

The 6,000+ student section rises to their feet early in the pre-game and is loud and jumping through the final buzzer. Kansas Coach Bill Self said, "We will not play in a tougher environment all year." Bill Walker added, "My ears were ringing when I finally got back to the locker room." The building is referred to as the Octagon of Doom due to its eight sides.

Traditions

Before every home game, the crowd sings the Kansas State fight song, and then bob back and forward 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 teams starting five is announced, the student section shakes newspapers and after each name chant, "So What" "Who Cares" "Who's He?" "Big Deal" "Go Home" and then rip the papers and throw them in the air creating a huge cloud of confetti at the beginning of the introduction of the Kansas State starting line-up. Each time an opposing player commits a foul the student section chants the number of fouls that player has and everytime a K-State player sinks a three, the announcer says the name of the player followed by "for", and then the crowd echoes "THREE!" Following a K-State victory, the crowd does the, "K ---- S ----U Wildcats" chant.

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:

• Garth Brooks
• The Judds
• Poison
• AC/DC
• Bill Cosby
• Big Head Todd and the Monsters
• Queensrÿche
• Dave Matthews Band
• Def Leppard
• BB King
• Kenny Chesney and Lila McCann
• Bob Dylan
• Destiny's Child
• Dierks Bentley
• Van Halen
• Sara Evans
• Will Ferrell

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

• President Jimmy Carter
• Ross Perot
• Henry Kissinger
• Janet Reno
• Jesse Jackson
• Paul Harvey
• President George W. Bush
• Donald Rumsfeld
• President Bill Clinton

References

1. Bramlage Coliseum - Kansas State University Wildcats Official Athletics Site
2. K-State Has Grand Plans