Rose Hill Gymnasium – Fordham Rams
- Greg Venuto
- 4 hours ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 11 hours ago
Photos by Greg Venuto, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Rose Hill Gymnasium 441 E Fordham Road
Bronx, NY 10458
Year Opened: 1925
Capacity: 2,850
Historic Rose Hill Gym
The Rose Hill Gymnasium turned 101 in January and started to come to life late this season after Fordham muddled through early-season play in the 14 team Atlantic 10 Conference. Led by first-year coach Mike Magpayo, the team fed off its young coach from UC-Riverside and his energy to bring Fordham back to the middle of the pack. The Rams won five of their last seven games to finish 8th in the league.
The facility has undergone a complete makeover over the past decade that included a new entrance, lobby, bathrooms and a concession stand. The venerable gymnasium, opened on January 16, 1925, and is often compared to some of the meccas of college basketball including The Palestra in Philadelphia, Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and John J. Lee Amphitheater in New Haven. Rose Hill is now the oldest Division 1 facility in the nation as Matthews Arena in Boston (home of Northeastern University) is being torn down this year to make way for a new facility.
Rose Hill Gym has been used continuously as an athletic facility since 1925, with the exception of the 1943–1944 academic year, when the building was used as a U.S. Army barracks.
Rose Hill, which hosts basketball and volleyball, has undergone a number of facelifts during the past decade. New video boards were installed in 2013, all of the stands were replaced in 2017 and in 2019 the entire floor and subfloor were replaced. The new entrance and lobby created an airy, sun-filled arcade with a sparkling glass entrance. The arcade brings together the new campus center with the Rose Hill Gym and the athletics facilities.
Upon entering under a glass canopy, students and fans can now either proceed left into the addition to the Joseph M. McShane, S.J. campus center and the original student center, right to enter the gym, or straight to head into the Vincent T. Lombardi Memorial Center, which is home to an indoor track, aquatics center, intramural and recreational basketball and volleyball courts. The building only seats 2,850 but can fit 3,200. There are chairbacks on both sidelines and bench seating behind the baskets.
The name Rose Hill dates back to 1787 when Robert Watts, a wealthy New York merchant, acquired the property and named it after his family’s estate in Scotland.
Food & Beverage 3
There is a new concession stand as fans enter the arena with standard but limited stadium fare and is equipped to take both cash and credit cards. Coke products are sold. Food is limited to hot dogs, pretzels and candy. There are new bathrooms situated next to the concession stand. The lines for both food and bathrooms often back up at halftime.
Atmosphere 3
After taking a step back in 2024-2025, Fordham exceeded media and many fans’ expectations this season going 8 -10 in the league which was the biggest increase in conference wins of any team based on the league’s pre-season poll.
The alumni have done an adequate job filling their sections, but the students have not brought the same energy as they did in 2023-2024 when former coach Keith Urgo dubbed the facility “Rose Thrill”.
The game day experience at Rose Hill Gym has been average for many years. The team relies on support from a loyal but small contingent of alums as student support is lacking. It is unfortunate because the building can be a great home court advantage due to the noise generated by a large crowd. Every seat is right on top of the action.
The atmosphere is enhanced by the band, cheerleaders and dance team who perform throughout the game. The mascot, the Fordham Ram, is also present but was not very active on this visit.
The two large digital scoreboards at each end of the court are clear but do not provide replays. A small auxiliary board or ribbon board with in game statistics would be a welcome addition. The sound system is excellent, but probably a touch too loud. The problem is when the crowd is small or not energetic smaller venues tend to pump up the volume to compensate for the lack of crowd noise.
Neighborhood 4
The campus, while set in the Bronx, feels like a suburban setting with plenty of trees and greenery. Visitors often forget they are in the middle of a city until hearing an occasional horn or siren from outside the gate. The University also boasts an impressive church built in 1845. The church contains the old altar from the current St. Patrick's Cathedral as well as stained glass windows given to the university by King Louis Philippe I of France.
The campus borders the New York Botanical Garden, with the Bronx Zoo located just a few blocks from campus. Visitors to the area looking for places to eat during should head over to Arthur Avenue where several fantastic Italian restaurants can be found in addition to some great bakeries and Italian delis. A few of my favorites restaurants include Enzo’s, Roberto’s, Antonio’s, Mario’s and Tra Di Noi.
Fans 3
Fan support fell for the second straight season as Fordham averaged 1,257 down from 1,570 last year and 1,840 the prior season.
All of the seats offer solid views close to the action even in the balcony which contains only two rows. Fordham needs to get more students in the building as tickets are free and the students generate much of the noise.
Hopefully the students can get a frenetic cheering section together next season and the “Let’s Go Fordham” chant will once more reverberate throughout Rose Hill.
Access 3
Fordham University is located right in the middle of the Bronx, only a few miles from Interstates 95 and 87, as well as the Bronx River Parkway.
Public transportation is a good option. The Metro North Railroad out of Grand Central Station or coming down from Westchester and Connecticut has a Fordham stop next to the campus. The Botanical Garden stop is another option and actually a shorter walk to the gym. The D line of the NYC subway system is located about a 12-minute walk from campus. In addition, city buses stop regularly just outside the gate.
If driving, there is a large parking garage ($13) on campus, located a short walk from Rose Hill Gym. Cars lining up to pay for parking can back up especially on well attended games. Sometimes fans can get lucky and find a few free spots on Southern Boulevard.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for Fordham Rams basketball games are affordable, Chairbacks are $42 ($40 for alumni), baseline unreserved seats are $25. With affordable concession prices, catching a Fordham basketball game is a less costly option for New York sports fans.
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Extras 4
One point for the historic significance of the building. From the stone facade seats close enough to the action to hear the players and coaches, Rose Hill is a real treat and a true throwback arena. Rose Hill has hosted many huge concerts including Simon & Garfunkel, The Ramones, The Beach Boys and Billy Idol.
The new entrance which includes a new box office, concession stand, bathrooms add aesthetic and functional improvements to the game day experience.
Hanging from the rafters are the Fordham men’s and women’s conference championships and playoff appearance banners on one side and the flags of the Atlantic 10 and its 13 conference opponents on the other. Five retired numbers hang from the baseline - Charlie Yelverton (34), Ken Charles (44), Bob Mullens (7), Ed Conlin (11) and Anne Gregory (55).
The final point is for the proximity to Little Italy and the great stores, restaurants, delicatessens and pastry shops of Arthur Avenue. Fans should make an effort to get to this Bronx gem either pre or post game.
Final Thoughts
A Stadium Journey to this basketball mecca should be on every sports fans’ bucket list. There is also plenty to do in the area before or after to add to the experience. The Little Italy section of the Bronx is a 10 minute walk offering some excellent Italian restaurants and bakeries. The campus, with its Gothic architecture, ivy-covered buildings and expansive lawns, makes Rose Hill one of New York City’s most attractive college campuses.
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