Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.43
Trojan Arena 5000 Veterans Stadium Dr Troy, AL 36082
Year Opened: 2012 Capacity: 6,000
We Are Trojans One and All
The Troy Trojans basketball program began in 1950 as a member of the NAIA, competing in the Alabama Collegiate Conference. After the 1970-71 season, they would move to NCAA Division II, joining the Gulf States Conference where they would play for nineteen seasons.
The program would find a new gear in 1982 when Don Maestri was named head coach. Maestri would bring a fast paced, high scoring, three-point launching brand of basketball to Troy – the team would take on the moniker “Trey State” for the volume of three-point shots they put up, and made. It would be under Maestri that the Trojans would obliterate the NCAA single game scoring record, along with six other NCAA single game records, in a 258-141, victory over DeVry Institute.
Maestri led the Trojans into Division I in 1994 when they joined the Mid-Continent Conference (MCC), now the Summit League. The Trojans played three seasons in the MCC before moving to the Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun), where they spent eight years before finding their current home in the Sun Belt Conference, where they have been members since 2005.
Originally playing at Wright Hall, the Trojans would move to Sartain Hall in 1963, which they would call home for over 50 years. In 2012, they would move into their new digs, Trojan Arena, which replaced Sartain Hall as the home of Troy basketball.
Food & Beverage 3
There is not much by way of concessions that would be considered eye opening, but the usual suspects are plentiful. Burgers, hot dogs, and nachos are the featured items, complemented by popcorn, chips, and candy.
Soft drinks come by way of the Coca-Cola family of soft drinks, while alcoholic beverages consist of beer from the Budweiser line and the Troy branded Trojan Ale. For wine drinkers, Sutter Home’s Cabernet Sauvignon is also available.
Atmosphere 3
Trojan Arena seamlessly blends in with the buildings surrounding it; its glass rotunda capped with a cupola adds a touch of class and grandeur to the building. The impressiveness carries on inside where the exterior brickwork also finds its way into the concourse as support structures. Large, arched windows along the concourse allow natural light in, leaving a glare on the court.
Rather than an overhead scoreboard, large video boards are located at each end of the court which predominately show a live video feed of the game, but also include player point, rebound, and foul tallies. A ribbon board also runs around the top of the seating area, but other than a small section at center court on each side with game score, time, team fouls, and time-out information, its primarily use is to display ads.
In-game entertainment includes a mixture of scoreboard games, played mostly with students, and cheer squad performances accompanied by Troy’s pep-band, The Sound of the South. The in-house DJ also is a big part of keeping fans entertained during breaks.
With the exception of bench seating adjacent to the band, most seats throughout the arena are cushioned chair backs in Troy’s cardinal-silver-black colors scattered throughout, with the Troy sword logo “T” worked into the center court section of seats.
Neighborhood 3
Trojan Arena is situated in the athletics cluster of Troy’s campus, directly neighbored by Colley Track and Soccer Complex and football’s Veteran’s Memorial Stadium. The Troy city square is roughly a mile and a half from the arena. There is not a lot nearby in terms of entertainment, but Troy and surrounding Pike County have over thirty historical markers that recognize the birthplace of congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, war memorials, and the area’s historical story.
The Troy town center has a small collection of shops and eateries. Even though the downtown area is not all that expansive, it does offer quite the collection of options; B Graves’ southern dishes, Burgers at The Corner, Franchesca’s Italian cuisine, Cajun food at Bayou la Roux, and popular southern college town chain Mama Goldberg’s deli can all be found. In addition, BBQ at Moe’s and casual American dishes at Flo’s Kitchen are all within a block of Troy town square.
Fans 3
Last season saw the Trojans average just over 3,000 fans per game, with that number getting a bit of a bump when the schedule hits the conference games. If looking for an experience with the most fan influence on the game, match ups with in-state rival South Alabama get a significant boost, typically drawing more than 5,000 fans.
During typical games, a small group of students gathers in what seems to be the designated student section. However, many students choose to sit along the sidelines instead, which somewhat diminishes the overall energy of the student body.
Access 3
Troy, Alabama is in a bit of an oasis when it comes to interstate access. US Highway 231 has the most direct access to town from I-85 east of Montgomery, or you can use US-29 if coming from the west on I-65.
Parking at Trojan Arena is somewhat limited, but several nearby lots provide convenient access, with short walks to both the front and back entrances. The concourses inside are generally spacious, though concession lines can become long and may require some maneuvering.
For the most part, the court remains visible from the outer concourse on the far side of the seating area. A wide walkway below the premium seating provides easy access to court-level seats.
Return on Investment 5
General admission tickets start at just $10 before add-on fees, and there does not appear to be parking fees. Given the already low ticket prices, it would be hard to find a more affordable option for attending a game. Concessions are also reasonably priced, making Troy basketball a budget-friendly choice for a group or family outing.
Extras 4
The concourse displays historical synopses of every one of Troy’s athletic programs. Each looks at the founding years of the program, postseason successes, and the program’s standout athletes. It is a bit disappointing, however, that there doesn’t appear to be any recognition of the Trojan’s record-setting 1992 258-point game against DeVry.
Banners hang from the rafters recognize division and conference championships, as well as postseason tournament appearances for not just the men’s program, but also women’s basketball and volleyball, which teams also call Trojan Arena home.
Trojan mascot T-Roy is an active participant in the game experience – the nearly 7-foot plush Trojan soldier makes his way around the crowd, stopping for photos along the way. T-Roy also accompanies the cheer squad throughout the game, and also serves as a co-host of sorts during on-court contests.
In a show of appreciation to the fans, after the game the team makes the rounds in the seating area, thanking fans for coming out to support the program. These are small gestures that go a long way in building the fan base, letting game attendees know the support they bring is not taken for granted.
Final Thoughts
Comfort and elegance certainly was not sacrificed in creating Trojan Arena. While not small by any means, Trojan Arena also does not feel like a cavernous venue where the atmosphere can easily get lost in empty seats. It would be nice to see a more consistent and concentrated draw from students, however, who can really set the tone for a truly special college basketball experience, especially at the mid-major level. Getting to Troy can be a bit of a challenge, but once there, the game and experience surrounding it are well worth the trip.
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