Loyola Field House

Loyola Field House

Location	New Orleans, Louisiana
Coordinates	29°56′15.2″N 90°7′11.8″W
Owner	Loyola University New Orleans
Operator	Loyola University New Orleans
Capacity	6,500
Construction
Opened	1954[1]
Demolished	1986
Tenants
Loyola Wolfpack (NCAA) (1954–1972) New Orleans Buccaneers (ABA) (1967–1969) New Orleans Jazz (NBA) (1974–1975)

Loyola Field House was an indoor arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It hosted the ABA's New Orleans Buccaneers for two seasons (1967–68 and 1968–69), and the NBA's New Orleans Jazz (1974–1975). It was also the home venue for Loyola Wolf Pack basketball. The arena held 6,500 people.^[1]

History

The Field House was built on the campus of Loyola University in New Orleans in 1954 as a home for the university's basketball team.^[1]

When the ABA awarded New Orleans a franchise in 1967, the Bucs made an agreement to play their home games at the Field House. They advanced to the ABA Finals in 1967–68, losing to the Pittsburgh Pipers in seven games. The team was led by Doug Moe and Larry Brown, ABA stars and future successful coaches. For the 1969–1970 season, their third, the team moved to Tulane Gymnasium and the Municipal Auditorium. After the season, the team relocated to Memphis as the Memphis Pros.^[2]

The New Orleans Jazz played some of their home games at the Field House for their inaugural 1974–75 season.^[3]

When Loyola dropped varsity sports after the 1971–72 school year, the building became the Recreation Center, with most of the seating torn out. The building was demolished in 1986 to make way for a new Recreational Sports Complex and parking garage.

References

1. Bradley, Bill (2009). ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. Random House. p. 179. ISBN 978-0-345-51392-2. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
2. "Remember the ABA: New Orleans Buccaneers". Archived from the original on 2015-07-17. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
3. Finney, Peter (October 30, 2002), "Former Jazzman James remembers 1970s NBA hoopla", The Times-Picayune, p. C1