Photos by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.00
Premier America Credit Union Arena 18111 Nordhoff St Northridge, CA 91330
Year Opened: 1962
Capacity: 2,000
Home of the Matadors
Still referred to by locals and students as The Matadome, the longtime venue in the Northwest San Fernando Valley recently partnered with Premier America Credit Union on a 10-year agreement, officially renaming the venue as Premier America Credit Union Arena.
With its flat roof and a capacity of over 2,000, The Matadome is one of the smaller college basketball venues for Division I play, guaranteeing that you will never be far from the action. Kinesiology classes are also housed inside The Matadome, which sits inside of Redwood Hall.
A trivia note for you 80s movie buffs: The Matadome was where the all-valley karate tournament scenes from The Karate Kid were filmed, so yeah, feel free to go back in time and envision Daniel San doing his famed crane kick.
Food & Beverage 2
During this visit, aside from a vendor serving adult beverages from the Anheuser Busch selection as well as red and white wine, a food truck was set up outside the main lobby serving up a variety of cheesesteaks, fries, various Coca-Cola products, lemonade and botted water
Atmosphere 3
There is nothing overly outstanding that would make The Matadome stand out compared to other well known college basketball venues. The Matadome is your typical lower division NCAA facility with minimal capacity and not much else.
Having said that, the basic layout of The Matadome ensures an intimate experience where the players can certainly feel every fans presence.
Neighborhood 3
Known mostly as a commuter school, don’t expect a University Village type atmosphere that you would experience around most major universities.
Fast food options nearby include Micky D’s, Subway, Carl’s Jr., Panda Express, Chipotle, Wienerschnitzel, Farmer Boys and Dave’s Hot Chicken.
If you don’t mind driving 5 minutes west of campus, the Northridge Fashion Center is nearby as well and offers these sit down options: Bonefish Grill, Claim Jumper, Yard House, as well as a Buffalo Wild Wings, to name a few.
Fans 4
With a squad posting a successful season, the near capacity Matadome crowd does an outstanding job of displaying their support for their team.
Though the Matadome was nearly packed on the day of this visit, the fans were not overly raucous, as many of the supporters were made up of families and youth groups.
Access 3
Access to CSUN is not far from three of L.A’s major freeways, the 405, 101 and 118. If you are coming from L.A., the drive time, pending traffic, can vary from 30 to 90 minutes. If traveling on a weeknight, it is highly recommended you allow yourself at least 2 hours travel time prior to tip off. Yes folks, L.A. traffic can be brutal.
Return on Investment 3
Single game ticket prices range from $10-$14 general admission bench seating and $24 reserve seating. Because of the intimate size of this venue, regardless where your seat is, you will never be far from the action.
Extras 3
As you enter the main lobby though the venue’s east end you will find some of the Matadors Big West trophies inside a glass case named Comprehensive Excellence. The Matador Hall of Fame is also here. Some of the more notable members of the Matador HOF are Jack Elway, father of NFL Hall of Fame QB John Elway. Jack coached football at CSUN from 1976-78. Another notable CSUN HOFer is former L.A. Angels/Dodgers player Adam Kennedy.
On the opposite side of the venue is the west lobby where Karate Kid cult followers can take a stroll through the hall in the scene where Mr. Miyagi is registering Daniel LaRusso for the All-Valley Karate Tournament.
Final Thoughts
It was a memorable 2024-2025 year for the CSUN Matadors as they would tie a school record of 22 wins, their most regular season victories since 2001. As the success of Matador Basketball grew throughout the season, the fan presence grew as well. In his second season as head coach, Andy Helm would guide the Matadors to an NIT appearance.
As the season grew the support for the Matadors was certainly present and with the team’s postseason appearance Coach Helm is hoping to build upon this season’s success.
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