Sullivan Athletic Complex | Men's Basketball Arena Photos | Women's Basketball Arena Photos | Volleyball Locker Room Photos | Suites and Grogan Room Virtual Tour
John F. Savage Arena, the home of Rocket men's and women's basketball, as well as women's volleyball, is one of the finest athletic facilities of its kind in the country. A $30 million renovation and expansion of Savage Arena, along with the adjoining Charles A. Sullivan Athletic Complex, debuted in November of 2008.
Originally known as Centennial Hall when it was built in 1976, the arena was renamed "Savage Hall" in 1988 and then became "Savage Arena" in 2008 as part of the renovation project. A national audience was able to see first hand how impressive Savage Arena is when Toledo hosted the first and second rounds of the 2014 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Designed by architectural firms of SSOE, Inc. and Ellerbe Becket, the renovated Savage Arena includes a "bowl-style" seating configuration that brings fans close to the action. Seating capacity for basketball is 7,014.
Among the other improvements to the arena in 2008 were the addition of a brand-new basketball court; suites, loges and club seats along the west side of the arena; a new jumbo video scoreboard and sound system; new lighting; new rest rooms and concession stands; a remodeled Joe Grogan Room, a glass-enclosed lounge with seating for up to 200 inner guests; new locker rooms and team rooms; and a new athletic training room, complete with two whirlpools and the latest in treatment and rehabilitation equipment.
Adjoining Savage Arena is the Sullivan Complex, a 36,000 square-foot building that is a perfect complement to the arena. Highlighting the Sullivan Complex is a beautiful glass atrium lobby that serves as the primary entrance into Savage Arena. Other features include a ticket office; Rocky's Locker for the sale of Toledo merchandise on game day and during normal business hours; a display for the Varsity 'T' Hall of Fame; the Downtown Coaches "Wall of Champions"; a 5,600 square-foot strength and training center for Toledo student-athletes; and offices for coaches and staff.Â
In the fall of 2024, a new videoboard was installed in Savage Arena by UberDisplays to enhance game-day experiences for all home basketball and volleyball events. The new board is nearly 8.5 times the size of the previous videoboard and is the largest in the conference, maintaining Savage Arena's position as the premiere arena in the MAC. The operating system for the new technology is used by students in UToledo's College of Arts & Letters, further enhancing campus collaboration and experiential learning opportunities. In 2025, UToledo and Venture Visionary Partners announced the Venture Courtside Club in Savage Arena. The new, exculsive space offers an unmatched blend of proximity, luxury and access.Â
MEN'S BASKETBALL
The basketball court in Savage bears the name of the greatest coach in Toledo men's history-the late Bob Nichols. Nichols coached the Rockets from 1965-87 and is still the winningest coach in Mid-American Conference history, compiling a 376-212 record and five conference titles in 22 seasons.
During their time in Savage Arena, the Toledo men's basketball team has consistently ranked among the MAC leaders in attendance, more often than not ranking first in the league. Toledo has ranked among the leaders in attendance over the last decade. Since Savage Arena opened in 1976, more than three million fans have watched the Rockets play.
With big crowds have come big wins. The first game played in Savage Arena is perhaps the biggest win of them all - the 59-57 victory over defending NCAA champion Indiana University in 1976. With that win, the Rockets snapped Bobby Knight and the Hoosiers' 33-game winning streak and started a supreme basketball tradition in Savage Arena. The Rockets have continued the tradition with home victories over Ohio State, Xavier, Cincinnati, Houston and Pittsburgh as well as a 57-56 triumph over UMass in the first game of the 'New' Savage Arena on Dec. 3, 2008.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The Toledo women's basketball team has posted up just as impressive numbers, if not more so. The Rockets have led the Mid-American Conference in attendance an astounding 30 consecutive seasons and have ranked Top 30 nationally in eight of the last nine years. During its historic run through the 2011 postseason, Toledo hosted a school-record and MAC-best 7,301 fans vs. USC in the Postseason WNIT Championship Game.
The women have dominated play on the Savage Arena floor as well, winning over 75 percent of their home games since beginning play there in 1982-83.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
The Toledo women's volleyball team had a historic 2025 season as the Rockets won their first-ever MAC Tournament Championship and competed in the program's first NCAA Tournament. UT posted an impressive 9-3 record on their home court during the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the best mark at Savage Arena since 2013 (10-2). Throughout the 2025 season, Toledo also led the MAC in attendance for the first time ever during the 2025 season, averaging 1,357 fans per game and setting a single-season program record. The highest-ever attended volleyball match at Savage Arena happened on Oct. 7, 2025 when 2,251 fans attended the Battle of I-75 and saw Toledo pick up a 3-1 win over its archrival.Â
VENTURE COURTSIDE CLUB
The University of Toledo Athletic Department partnered wtih Venture Visionary Partners and launched the Venture Courtside Club ahead of the 2025-26 basketball season. The Venture Courtside Club is located adjacent to the brand-new team tunnel entrance, allowing members to have exclusive access to the team's pregame energy up close as well as direct interaction with players and coaches as they take the court. Courtside seat holders enjoy all-inclusive food, beer, wine and seltzer, access to the team tunnel and entrance experiences, high-energy atmosphere steps from the court and a curated social space for leaders, innovators and Rocket loyalists. The launch of the Venture Courtside Club reflects more than just a new way to experience Toledo basketball, it also highlights a shared commitment to student-athlete development. Venture Visionary Partners will support financial literacy initiatives for Rocket men's basketball student-athletes, helping them gain the tools they need to build a strong financial future.Â
Those interested in obtaining Venture Courtside seats can call 419-530-GOLD (5134), visit the Rocket Ticket Office at the Sullivan Athletic Complex or by visit UTRockets.com/VolleyballCourtside.
