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Hinkle Fieldhouse
Seating Chart | Gameday Experience Video | Historical Tour | Rental Opportunities
Known as Indiana’s Basketball Cathedral, Hinkle Fieldhouse has reigned as one of the nation’s great sports arenas for more than nine decades. The classic facility was constructed in 1928 and has stood the test of time, maintaining the splendor, character and atmosphere that has made it one of the nation’s most famous basketball arenas for nearly a century. Home to the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball, women’s basketball and volleyball programs, Hinkle’s easy-to-access location on campus makes it a must-see stop for sports fans visiting Indianapolis.
Traditional Design Meets Modern Amenities
While the Fieldhouse’s appearance from the outside looks remarkably similar to when the doors opened in March of 1928, renovations through the years have resulted in modern and productive spaces for student-athletes, and an enhanced game day experience for fans.
Highlights of a major $36 million renovation in 2014 included wider concourses for better accessibility, an elevator for public use and ADA accessibility, added restrooms (including family restrooms that are ADA accessible), improved and expanded concessions, more comfortable chairback seating in the main arena, a new video board and additional displays spotlighting Hinkle Fieldhouse history. A new student-athlete academic center was added, as well as a new sports medicine center with a hydrotherapy unit. The project included an upgraded weight room, expanded administrative and coaches offices, an expansion of the Wildman Room for hospitality, new office/locker room suites for men’s and women’s basketball and new team meeting rooms with video screens. Chairback seating added to the 200 Level to replace bleachers reduced seating capacity from 11,000 to 9,100.
In addition to the interior improvements, the then 84-year-old facility received extensive exterior renovations, including the tuck-pointing of 282,000 bricks, the replacement of more than 9,700 windowpanes with energy-efficient glass, and utility updates.
In 2019, the original auxiliary gym, known as the Efroymson Family Gym (EFG) also received significant upgrades including a new court, sound and video systems, enhanced natural outdoor lighting and a security system allowing student-athletes 24-hour access.
Previously, the Fieldhouse had undergone an update in 1989—the first in more than 60 years. Due to the addition of chairback seating, capacity was reduced from the original 15,000 to 11,000. Other improvements at the time included locker rooms, weight room and offices, as well as training and hospitality areas.
Historic Hinkle
The original construction of then-Butler Fieldhouse was a massive project designed to provide Butler University and Indianapolis with one of the finest athletic plants in the nation. Financed by a corporation of 41 prominent and farsighted Indianapolis businessmen, they recognized the need for a grand sports arena in the state’s capital that would also allow a large space for community events. Completion of the Fieldhouse was guaranteed when Butler signed a lease agreement with the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) allowing the high school state tournament to be played in the massive new facility. State Finals continued to be staged at Hinkle through 1971 except for two years during WWII.
Butler played its first basketball game in the Fieldhouse on March 7, 1928, defeating Notre Dame 21-13, in overtime. Since the Fieldhouse was not entirely completed at that time, the building dedication was celebrated on December 21, 1928—during a game versus Purdue University—who the Bulldogs defeated 28-27 under the guidance of Coach Paul D. “Tony” Hinkle, who was in his seventh season at Butler. In honor of the legendary three-sport coach and athletic director for nearly 50 years, the building’s name was changed to Hinkle Fieldhouse in 1966.
In addition to being the home of Butler basketball since 1928, the Fieldhouse has been host to a Nobel laureate, six U. S. presidents (Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush) and is the site for commencement ceremonies each year.
Other sporting events through its history include early professional basketball for three teams, served as the East regional site for the 1940 NCAA Tournament, the first ABA All-Star Game in 1968, East-West College All Star games, the United State All-Stars vs. Soviet Union National basketball game in 1965. The Fieldhouse also hosted the prominent Butler Relays in track where Jesse Owns tied the world indoor record for the 60-yard dash in 1935. In 1987, it hosted the volleyball competition for the Pan Am Games, where the largest crowd to witness a volleyball match in the United States saw the USA win gold. In 2022, the Indiana Fever played four games at the Fieldhouse while their home arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, was undergoing renovations. Other events such as Six Day Bicycle Races, roller derbies, Sonja Henie Ice Shows, equestrian events, professional tennis matches and even circuses were all held inside Hinkle’s adaptable six-story space.
The Fieldhouse also served the nation for two years during World War II as a barracks and mess hall when hundreds of military personnel were assigned to train on campus under both the US Navy and US Army.
Indiana high school basketball and Hinkle Fieldhouse share a rich history together beginning with the first state title in 1928 when Muncie Central defeated Martinsville. Hinkle served as a sectional, regional, semi-state and championship site through 1971. The final sectional game was played in 1993. The iconic sports film Hoosiers shot its final climatic scenes in Hinkle, reminiscent of Milan High School who won the title there in 1954. The 1986 movie, loosely based on this ultimate David versus Goliath story, continues to inspire visitors to make the pilgrimage to Hinkle and repeat enduring lines from the film such as “I’ll make it”, shout “Hickory!”, or check to see if the basket is still 10 feet high!
During the pandemic in 2021, Hinkle Fieldhouse had the distinction of hosting 16 games during the NCAA Tournament that included first, second and Sweet 16 rounds. The Fieldhouse is also the site of the semifinals and championship games of the 2024 NIT and the inaugural WBIT.
When the Fieldhouse was constructed at a cost of approximately $800,000, it was the largest basketball arena in the United States, and retained that distinction for more than 20 years. The architecturally unique building was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and then declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987—the only one so designated for its importance to basketball. In 2023, Hinkle also received a historical marker from the Indiana Historical Bureau. This designation commemorates the Fieldhouse’s significant contribution as a “symbol of Indiana basketball tradition”.
Hinkle Fieldhouse Seating Capacity Since 1928
1928: 15,000 seats
1989-2007: 11,000 seats
2007-2009: 10,800 seats
2009-2014: 10,000 seats
Current: 9,100 seats
Hinkle Fieldhouse can typically be accessed during the school year from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. The Spirit Shop located inside the Fieldhouse is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM.
