Jersey Mike’s Arena is the home basketball venue for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, New Jersey, on the university’s Livingston Campus. The building opened on November 30, 1977 as the Rutgers Athletic Center, spent over three decades known as the Louis Brown Athletic Center starting in 1986, and reverted briefly to its original name before the sandwich chain Jersey Mike’s Subs acquired naming rights in 2021.
Designed by architect Robert Hillier on an $8 million budget, the arena holds about 8,000 spectators inside a distinctive trapezoidal shape topped by a truncated, tent-like roof with an off-white concrete facade. Beyond Scarlet Knights men’s and women’s basketball, the venue also hosts Rutgers wrestling, volleyball, and gymnastics.
Stats at a Glance
- Teams: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (basketball, wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics)
- Location: Piscataway, New Jersey
- Opened: November 30, 1977
- Capacity: About 8,000
- Architect: Robert Hillier
- Notable Fact: Crowd noise has been measured at 118-125 decibels, among the loudest in college basketball
A Name That Kept Changing
The arena has worn several names since 1977. It opened as the Rutgers Athletic Center, was renamed the Louis Brown Athletic Center in 1986 after a longtime Rutgers administrator, briefly returned to the Rutgers Athletic Center name in 2019, and became Jersey Mike’s Arena in November 2021 under a 20-year, roughly $28 million naming rights agreement with the Jersey Mike’s Subs sandwich chain.
Despite the rebrands, longtime fans still often call it simply ‘The RAC,’ a nickname that has stuck through every official name change.
The Trapezoid of Terror
The arena’s unusual trapezoidal design and tight, steep seating bowl create an intense acoustic environment that has earned it the nickname ‘the Trapezoid of Terror.’ Visiting teams have struggled with the noise, and the building has long been regarded as one of the most difficult road environments in the Big Ten and, before that, the Big East.
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Jersey Mike’s Arena FAQs
What was Jersey Mike’s Arena called before?
It opened in 1977 as the Rutgers Athletic Center, was known as the Louis Brown Athletic Center from 1986 to 2019, then briefly reverted to the Rutgers Athletic Center name before becoming Jersey Mike’s Arena in 2021.
Who plays at Jersey Mike’s Arena?
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s and women’s basketball teams play there, along with Rutgers wrestling, volleyball, and gymnastics.
How many people can Jersey Mike’s Arena hold?
The arena seats about 8,000 fans for basketball.
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Photo: ajay_suresh / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.