View source for UNT Coliseum

{{Short description|Multi-purpose arena in Denton, Texas}}
{{Redirect|Super Pit|the gold mine in Kalgoorlie, Australia|Super Pit gold mine}}
{{Infobox venue 
| stadium_name        = UNT Coliseum
| nickname            = "The Super Pit"
| logo_image          = University of North Texas Coliseum Logo.PNG
| logo_size           = 220px
| image_map           = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=220|zoom=15|type=point}}
| image               = University of North Texas September 2015 44 (UNT Coliseum).jpg
| location            = 801 North Texas Boulevard<br>[[Denton, Texas]] 76201 USA
| coordinates         = {{Coord|33|12|30|N|97|9|14|W|type:landmark|display=it}}
| broke_ground        = March 1971
| built               =
| opened              = March 27, 1973<ref>{{cite news |title=Wives Set For Banquet|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/22695432/|newspaper=[[Denton Record-Chronicle]]|date=March 27, 1973|access-date=December 14, 2013}}</ref>
| closed              =
| demolished          =
| owner               = University of North Texas
| operator            = University of North Texas
| construction_cost   = [[United States dollar|$]]7.5 million<ref name="beam">{{cite news |title=Coliseum Beaming|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc98792/m1/10/zoom/|work=The North Texan|date=June 1972|access-date=December 14, 2013}}</ref><br>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|7500000|1973}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect           = Clutts & Parker, Inc.<ref>{{cite web |title=Architectural Rendering of the Coliseum #2|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc227238/|publisher=University of North Texas|access-date=December 14, 2013|year=1970}}</ref>
| general_contractor  = [[Manhattan Construction Company]]<ref name="beam"/>
| tenants             = [[North Texas Mean Green Men's Basketball|North Texas MBB]] (1973–present)
<br>[[North Texas Mean Green women's basketball|North Texas WBB]] (1976–present)
| seating_capacity    = 9,797
| record_attendance   = 10,600<br/>(1/22/1977 vs. [[SMU Mustangs men's basketball|SMU]])
}}

[[File:University of North Texas September 2015 27 (UNT Coliseum).jpg|thumb|The UNT Coliseum in 2015]]
[[File:UNT_Coliseum,_Interior.JPG|thumb|UNT Coliseum, Interior 2016]]

The '''UNT Coliseum''' is a 9,797-seat multi-purpose [[arena]] located in [[Denton, Texas]], [[United States]], built in 1973. While the arena's formal name is the UNT Coliseum, the building is more commonly referred to as the '''Super Pit''', a nickname derived from its proximity to the former home of the Mean Green basketball teams, the [[Ken Bahnsen Gym]], nicknamed the ''Snake Pit''. Most signage inside the stadium uses the Super Pit name; the most prominent usage of the UNT Coliseum name is above a single new set of ticket windows added during 2017 renovations.

==History==
The arena opened in 1973 and has undergone very few changes since its opening, mainly due to the unusual physical construction of the building in which the lower concourse is supported by beams underneath the walkways that run the length of the building as well as the media section being placed at half court on the West side of the arena.<ref name="The Yucca, 1972, page 207">{{cite web| title=The Yucca}}</ref> Due to the prior home of the Mean Green being famous for noise, the Coliseum was designed specifically to retain noise and as such, the Mean Green have maintained a high winning percentage at the facility. In recent years upgrades, however, have been few and far between with the exception of the seats being repainted green from their original color of bright orange<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://t.e2ma.net/message/fs713f/v0o98kq|title = Email : Webview : ELEVAR Grant, Inclusive Excellence, Big Event}}</ref> and the stadium's sound and video boards undergoing a massive renovation with the introduction of 4 center-hung LED scoreboards.

Despite the building's main usage as the home of the Mean Green, over the years it has hosted many famous concerts, notably [[Pearl Jam]] in 1993<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pearljam.com/setlists/1008/1993/20027/university_of_north_texas_coliseum_super_pit |title=Pearl Jam Setlists |access-date=2015-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402120933/http://pearljam.com/setlists/1008/1993/20027/university_of_north_texas_coliseum_super_pit |archive-date=2015-04-02 }}</ref> and [[J. Cole]] in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentaffairs.unt.edu/blog/upc-spring-concert-featuring-bas-best-coast-j-cole |title=UPC Spring Concert Featuring Bas, Best Coast, & J. Cole • UNT Division of Student Affairs |access-date=2015-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909002619/http://studentaffairs.unt.edu/blog/upc-spring-concert-featuring-bas-best-coast-j-cole |archive-date=2015-09-09 }}</ref> In addition to concerts, the arena routinely holds area graduations, festivals, cheer, dance and gymnastic competitions and has hosted the 1988 Southland Conference Tournament. It was also highly lauded upon completion, holding first and second-round games of the 1976 NCAA basketball tournaments.<ref name="history">{{cite web |title=The Super Pit|url=http://www.meangreenmap.com/superpit.html|publisher=University of North Texas Athletics|access-date=December 14, 2013}}</ref> North Texas has compiled a winning percentage of over .640 at the Pit. During the 1975–1983 era under men's coach [[Bill Blakeley]], North Texas, playing primarily as an independent, recorded three 20-win seasons, its first-ever top-20 ranking, the four biggest crowds in Super Pit history and memorable wins over Texas, Kansas State and a sell-out crowd against SMU, which to this date, is the highest-attended basketball game at the arena.<ref name="history"/>

Due to the facility's age, the current UNT administration is looking into large-scale renovations of the aging facility, citing the notoriously poor lighting and need for improved infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ntdaily.com/university-officials-looking-to-upgrade-super-pit|title=University officials looking to upgrade Super Pit|last=Reporter|date=19 February 2015}}</ref>

==Largest crowds==

{| class="wikitable"
|+Top Ten Super Pit Crowds
!Rank
!Game
!Date
!Attendance
|-
|1
|UNT vs SMU
|January 21, 1977
|10,600
|-
|2
|UNT vs DePaul
|December 16, 1980
|9,100
|-
|3
|UNT vs West Texas State
|March 1, 1976
|8,816
|-
|4
|UNT vs Louisiana Tech
|February 26, 2022
|8,522
|-
|5
|UNT vs Western Kentucky
|February 9, 2019
|8,195
|-
|6
|UNT vs Texas
|January 17, 1980
|8,100
|-
|7
|UNT vs. SMU
|January 25, 2024
|7,239
|-
|8
|UNT vs Texas Tech
|November 16, 2010
|7,105
|-
|9
|UNT vs Texas-Pan American
|March 2, 1977
|7,100
|-
|10
|UNT vs Bradley
|February 28, 1976
|7,087
|-
|}
Source:<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020-21 North Texas Men's Basketball Fact Book (PDF)|url=https://meangreensports.com/documents/2020/11/24//20_21MBBFactbook.pdf?id=4929|access-date=2022-02-26|website=University of North Texas Athletics|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://coliseum.unt.edu/ Official website]

{{North Texas Mean Green men's basketball navbox}}{{North Texas Mean Green women's basketball navbox|state=autocollapse}}
{{University of North Texas|athletics}}
{{American Athletic Conference basketball venue navbox}}

[[Category:North Texas Mean Green basketball]]
[[Category:North Texas Mean Green sports venues]]
[[Category:College basketball venues in Texas]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1973]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in Texas]]