FedExForum

FedExForum is a large indoor arena in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It is where the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team and the University of Memphis men's basketball team play their home games. The arena can also host ice hockey games, concerts, and family shows.

The arena opened in September 2004 after some challenges, including a big wind storm in July 2003 that almost knocked down the cranes being used to build it. It cost US$250 million to build and is owned by the City of Memphis. The name "FedExForum" comes from FedEx, a famous Memphis company that bought the naming rights for $92 million. The building was paid for using public bonds issued by the Memphis Public Building Authority.

Design

Before FedExForum was built, Memphis' main indoor entertainment venue was The Pyramid, built in 1991. When city officials wanted to bring an NBA team to Memphis, they found that the Pyramid was too old to meet NBA standards. Fixing it would have been too expensive and would have closed the arena for a whole year. So, when the Vancouver Grizzlies moved to Memphis for the 2001–02 season, they shared the Pyramid with the Memphis Tigers men's basketball team while a new arena was built.

FedExForum was designed by the architectural firm Ellerbe Becket. The arena is very large, covering 14 acres. It has a round shape with a dome, and the playing floor is below ground level. It can seat 18,119 people for basketball games and has special seating areas like courtside suites and club boxes. Inside, the arena shows paintings and murals of famous Memphis musicians like Justin Timberlake, Elvis Presley, and B.B. King. The restaurants inside are named to match this music theme.

FedExForum was the first arena to use special "see-through" shot clock units. These clocks let people sitting behind the basket see the game without the clocks blocking their view. The idea came from a fan of the New Jersey Nets who wrote to the NBA Commissioner David Stern. The technology company Daktronics made these clocks for FedExForum in 2004, and later they were used in many other NBA arenas.

Hosted events

FedExForum has been the venue for many exciting events. In 2008, it hosted a big college basketball game between the top two teams: the Memphis Tigers and the Tennessee Volunteers. The arena has also welcomed ice hockey games, like the first one played there between the Nashville Predators and the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2006.

The venue has seen thrilling boxing matches, major professional wrestling shows, and mixed martial arts fights. It has also hosted special events like bull riding shows, memorial services, and large religious gatherings. In 2019, it even had a Hot Wheels Monster Trucks show!

Renovations

To keep the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team playing in Memphis, the city made updates to FedExForum to meet NBA standards. In 2012, they updated the sound system and replaced the basketball court for $200,000, with another court replaced the next year. In 2015, they improved backstage areas with a new video room and updated offices. In 2017, they added a much larger HD scoreboard, new displays, LED lighting, and other fan features, all ready for the 2017-2018 NBA season.