This is the most oddly configured arena.

It was designed in an era when wooden backboards were still around, and spectators didn’t want their view of the game obstructed. Seating in the end zones of the court was unpopular. So the architect designed it with a focus almost entirely on viewing from the sides of the court.

The effect is almost a high school arena on a grand scale, which I don’t mean as an insult. Considering the state it makes sense.

Yeah I mean Indiana has ten high school gymnasiums larger than Duke’s or Auburn’s. It’s wild. A smaller stadium makes for an intense intimate gameday environment but a huge stadium with high-angled seating like this is imposing in its own way. SSAH is strange but beautiful.

@LonelyTalegater They have some big ones but none of them seat more than Auburn or Duke

@wingsbeersport @LonelyTalegater New Castle shrank their seating. And the Anderson Wigwam was torn down several years back. So you’re right, Indiana no longer has any HS gyms larger than Auburn or Duke. But they did at one time.

@wingsbeersport @LonelyTalegater Yeah lol that whole area of the state really fell apart in the last 40-50 years. Anderson and Muncie used to be nice small towns, now they’re kinda dumpy.

Your video looks just like the one Siena tweeted out. Pretty cool that you were there at the exact same time and standing in the exact same place!

Can't see it without thinking of

Ah, Assembly Hall of IU. Nothing quite like it.

It’s literally the Mecca of college basketball. Unless you’ve been in there in a big game, you have no idea how loud that place gets.

Shit. Hole.

Imagine being in there for this

And it used to be absolutely rocking in the 80s and 90s!!!

Vanderbilt’s gym says to hold its beer….

When it comes to basketball, Indiana is built different.

Purdue engineers built it as a joke.

IU alum here. Have been going to games for decades. The building SUCKS, every additional dollar dropped into the venue is wasted. 18,000 seats yet 40% of them are obstructed or upper deck seats that are a mile away from the court. The absolute worst.

That is Assembly Hall in Bloomington Indiana. Its design makes it one of the most legendary and intimidating atmospheres in college basketball.

Built it like a football stadium. But I’d love to see a game there.

Stick to football. You are in a basketball shrine. Not an IU fan…

Absolute dump

I was there for a Gopher game. Sat in the middle of IU fans. One told me I was a brave man! I replied, "Or a stupid one!" Had zero problems all game, fans were friendly and knowledgeable. Yes, it felt like a huge HS gym. One of my students, Luke Jimenez, played at IU.

Great video though. Useful explainer to children for what it’s like entering heaven’s pearly gates

X needs the ability to report stolen content that isn't credited to the original poster. The obvious thing to do is to quote retweet, that keeps integrity intact unlike this. Downloading and reposting is just stealing.

“Tht’s a foul, ref !”

As a life long IU fan who has watched many games in Assembly Hall, yes, it is odd and honestly not the best place to watch a game unless you can afford the seats down low which has never been the case for me...still though, Go Hoosiers!

College basketball was much more interesting back when all the buildings were weird.

Assembly Hall is beautiful!!!..I hate that we're losing all the older unique arenas across the country..Penn St and Ohio St are two great examples of teams moving into nba style arenas and completely losing a great home court advantage

It’s acoustically PERFECT, though. When I worked summer basketball camps, Coach Knight would lead tours of the arena for the kids and he’d bring us all to the very top row. Somebody standing in the jump ball circle would whisper and we easily heard it!

a good time was had

Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. Remember when they built it and watched many concerts there. No hoops games though since I grew up close to IU and went there 77-79; couldn't stand Bobby Knight. Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler is a much better place to watch a game.

It’s known as ASS-Hall.

Place is a dump

Better known as ASS HALL. Worse place to watch a game.

Stanford right

It's not the mausoleum at Vandy tho.

Wait till you see their football field. Goose shit

I’ve heard it described as “two theaters facing a common stage.”

You should hear it when it’s live. You can’t replicate the acoustics.

The upper deck seats are just horrible for watching a game.