Photos by Eric Moreno, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.14
William H. Bell Center 1 S Campus Drive San Antonio, TX 78212
Year Opened: 1992 Capacity: 1,800
Trinity Tigers – William H. Bell Center
Trinity University was originally founded in 1869 as a private liberal arts school, ultimately merging with the University of San Antonio in the 1940s. The beautiful 125-acre campus was designated a National Historic District, and is one of the crown jewels of the Alamo City.
In 1916 the school began its athletics programs, including their basketball team – the Trinity Tigers men’s hoops team would experience frequent periods of success on the hard court, primarily under legendary Head Coach Bob Polk.
Since 1992, the Tigers have called William H. Bell Center their home; the massive facility is home to the university’s athletics department and numerous sports programs. Having been renovated several times over the years, Bell Center has proven to be a perfect home for Trinity.
Food & Beverage 3
Like many facilities at the lower levels of college athletics, William H. Bell Center boasts limited food and drink offerings for fans. The gym currently has one concession stand, located on the mezzanine level of the facility.
The “Tiger Bites” stand offers up pretty much everything you’d expect to find at a game, including hot dogs (with or without chili and cheese), nachos, Frito pie, soft pretzels, candy, bottled soda, water, and sports drinks. There is no alcohol for sale at Tiger basketball games.
As I have said in many similar reviews in the past, this is all fine – your socks will not metaphorically be blown off, but you won’t go hungry and more than likely will be satisfied, especially with not one concession item here having a price over $6.
Atmosphere 3
The atmosphere at Trinity is greatly improved by the history of success of its programs; the halls of Bell Center are lined with the numerous championship trophies of Tiger teams of the past. Every team, from basketball (men’s and women’s) to golf to bowling to football, has at least one championship, and Bell Center has the trophy to prove it.
As you walk past the Tiger statue guarding the front steps to the facility, you then walk through the doors and are greeted by display cases filled with sports memorabilia of past great Tigers. One hallway has trophy after trophy after trophy; another is home to the school’s athletics Hall of Fame. In addition, inside the arena itself the rafters are lined with championship banners from basketball and volleyball teams in past seasons.
As far as the in-game experience, the gym has a nice mix of bleacher seating and seatback chairs; there isn’t a bad sightline to be found, and the way it is laid out acoustically, games sound much louder in the stands than you would expect from a crowd of a few hundred. This greatly helps the energy and atmosphere.
One pet peeve I have and want to point out again is the lack of any type of merchandise table or stand – I think small schools are missing out by not offering at least a rudimentary sampling of merch for game attendees to purchase.
Neighborhood 5
Trinity University is situated in the historic Monte Vista District of San Antonio, which is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. Though the campus is located directly off US 87/281, it feels a world apart from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the city. Situated right on the edges of Monte Vista, it feels almost like you’re driving the streets of a small college town.
Regardless, the area is a short 5-10 minute drive from the Alamo City’s historic downtown, and an even shorter drive from the world-class San Antonio Zoo and historic Brackenridge Park. Both are excellent options for spending time before or after Tigers games at Bell Center.
In terms of dining, you’re just a short drive from the arena to the Historic Pearl, complete with some of the city’s best-rated restaurants, like Best Quality Daughter, Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, Cured, and La Gloria. While each of these is literally some of the best the Alamo city has to offer, if you’re looking for something a little more Texan I highly recommend Augie’s Barbed Wire Smokehouse, which is right down the street from the Zoo; it is Texas barbecue at its finest.
For dining, lodging is not plentiful near the Trinity campus, per se. However, just a short drive up Highway 37 toward downtown there is an abundance of options for every budget – these include the much-lauded Hotel Emma and O’Casey’s Boutique Inn. Vacation rentals are an also option, and are plentiful in Monte Vista.
Fans 3
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect on my visit to catch my first Tigers basketball game at Trinity. In past visits for other sports, the crowds have been spotty at times; it’s also kind of hard to get a true visiting crowd into town for regular season games as well, due in part to the size of the competing schools.
However, during my most recent visit the crowd was of a pretty good size, at least a couple of hundred – the student section was full and there were a lot of fans sporting the team’s signature maroon and white. As mentioned, the acoustics in Bell Center make even a crowd the size I experienced seem that much larger.
Access 4
As far as locations go, it’s hard to beat where Trinity University is situated. It is basically near the crossroads for four of San Antonio’s major highways, clearly visible from US 87/281 with exits that are clearly marked. The campus is around a 10-minute drive (on a good day) from San Antonio International Airport, which is a major plus.
The one negative I will mention here is that the exit for Trinity off US 87 is near the intersection of both Interstates 10 and 35; this area tends to bottleneck with traffic.
Once on campus there is abundant signage showing the way to the gymnasium, and there is also abundant free parking, also a major plus.
If you choose not to drive the city’s mass transportation option, VIA Metropolitan Transit, has several routes that will drop you off at Trinity University.
Return on Investment 4
It’s hard to beat what Trinity has to offer for fans; as mentioned parking is free, as is admission to games at Bell Center. It’s really hard to beat free, especially when you pair it with a very affordable selection of items at the concession stand.
The building itself is really a good venue, so the only thing keeping this score from reaching any higher is the opponents you’re going to see come through William H. Bell Center. You’re not going to see top-tier Division I or Division II teams on campus for a game, but you’re going to get Division III basketball, which is perfectly fine if you’re a hoops fan.
Extras 2
There is not much in the way of extras for games at Trinity. The Trinity Cheerleaders can be found near the south side of the gym beyond the baseline, who root for the Tigers throughout the game. Also the Trinity dance team, the Prowlers, perform during halftime.
That’s pretty much it. I know the school has a band and a costumed mascot, but they apparently do not come out for basketball games.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed myself during my first visit to Trinity University’s William H. Bell Center. The facilities are top notch, the atmosphere is good, and I hate to keep saying it, but you can’t beat free sports in my opinion.
While I wouldn’t put this on anyone’s but a true die-hard hoops fan’s bucket list, I think anyone who is a fan of the game will enjoy themselves. Also, if nothing else this will give visitors a chance to see what makes Trinity University a special place in San Antonio.
Follow Eric Moreno's Stadium Journey on Twitter at @EricMoreno6477.
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