Honestly, if you’ve ever driven down Pelham Road in Jacksonville, Alabama, you’ve seen it. That massive, somewhat imposing concrete structure sitting right there on the edge of Jacksonville State University’s campus. Locally, everyone just calls it "The Pete." But Pete Mathews Coliseum Jacksonville AL is a lot more than just a place where people squeak their sneakers on a hardwood floor. It’s a survivor.
I’m serious. Most people think of sports arenas as these static, boring buildings that just exist until they’re torn down for something shinier. The Pete has a different vibe. It’s been through a literal tornado, several identity crises, and more "final" renovations than a beach house in a hurricane zone. If you want to understand why this place matters, you have to look at the grime, the history, and the sheer luck that kept it standing.
Why Pete Mathews Coliseum Jacksonville AL Almost Didn't Make It
Let’s talk about March 19, 2018. That’s the date etched into the brain of every Gamecock fan. An EF-3 tornado ripped through Jacksonville, and it didn't just graze the campus—it went for the throat. The Pete took a direct hit. Imagine a 3,500-seat arena having its roof peeled back like a tin can. Water poured in. The court, which had been renovated just a few years prior, was basically a swimming pool.
Most universities would have looked at that wreckage and called the bulldozers.
But they didn't. Instead, JSU spent millions—helped out by insurance and FEMA—to not just fix it, but actually make it better than it was in the '70s. They gutted the interior. They fixed the HVAC. They turned an old Olympic-sized swimming pool inside the building into a state-of-the-art indoor practice facility that opened in 2019. It’s kinda wild to think that while the basketball team is playing on the Bill Jones Court, there’s a whole second replica court just a floor above them where the volleyball team might be practicing.
The Numbers That Actually Matter
People get caught up in seating capacity. Back in the day, they say this place could hold over 5,000 people. It was all wooden bleachers and tight squeezes. After the 2015 renovations and the post-tornado fixes, the official capacity sits around 3,500.
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Is that smaller? Yeah.
Is it better? Absolutely.
They swapped out those old, back-breaking wooden slats for 12 rows of chair-back seats on the sidelines. If you’re sitting in the last row now, you’re still closer to the action than you would be in the "nosebleeds" of some massive SEC arena. It creates this claustrophobic, loud atmosphere that teams hate visiting. Just ask FIU—they were the victims when Jax State notched its 500th home win in the coliseum back in early 2024.
The Secret Life of the Basement and Beyond
If you think this building is just for the Gamecocks, you’ve never been there in January. That’s when the Calhoun County High School Basketball Tournament takes over. It’s basically a holiday in Northeast Alabama. Every high schooler in the county dreams of playing on that floor. The Pete has hosted this thing since the early '90s, and the energy during a rivalry game between, say, Anniston and Oxford is sometimes more intense than the D1 games.
But let’s get into the weird stuff. Did you know the baseball team used to use the area behind the north upper deck as a batting cage during the winter? Or that the coliseum houses the athletic administration offices for almost every sport JSU offers, from rifle to soccer?
It’s basically a hive. On any given Tuesday, you’ve got:
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- Athletic directors arguing over budgets.
- Volleyball players running drills in the upstairs practice gym.
- Students heading to HPER classes in the lower-level classrooms.
- Coaches watching film in the modernized locker rooms.
It’s a multi-purpose beast. While it was originally built in 1974 with a synthetic rubber floor (can you imagine playing D1 hoops on rubber?), the move to wood in the early '80s changed everything. It signaled that Jax State was serious about basketball.
The Legend of Pete Mathews
Who was Pete Mathews anyway? He wasn't a coach. He wasn't a star player. He was a state legislator and a member of the JSU Board of Trustees. He was one of those guys who worked the backrooms of Montgomery to make sure a small school in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains got the funding it needed to grow. Naming the coliseum after him wasn't just a "thank you"—it was a recognition of the political muscle it took to get a facility of this scale built in 1974.
What to Expect if You Visit Today
If you’re heading to a game in 2026, the experience is pretty sleek. You walk into the lobby and you're hit with this massive mural of Gamecock history. They’ve got the 2017 OVC Championship trophy on display, and plenty of nods to their more recent 2022 tournament appearance.
The tech has caught up, too. Two massive videoboards sit in the corners—installed during the post-tornado rebuild—so you aren't squinting at a 1980s scoreboard anymore.
Pro tip for seating: Try to get into those first 12 rows on the sideline. They’re the "plush" seats. If you end up in the end zones, you’re on the bleachers with the students and the band. It’s louder there, which is fun, but your back will definitely feel it by the fourth quarter.
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Is the Pete Actually "Too Old"?
There’s always talk about building a "new" arena. People look at the concrete exterior of Pete Mathews Coliseum Jacksonville AL and think it’s a relic. But here’s the reality: the structure is solid. Because JSU chose to renovate instead of rebuild, they saved about $37 million. A brand-new arena of this quality would cost $40 million plus in today's market. JSU did the whole post-tornado modernization for a fraction of that.
It’s a lesson in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it—but if a tornado breaks it, make it better."
The venue is currently the home for:
- Jax State Men’s Basketball
- Jax State Women’s Basketball
- Gamecock Volleyball
- AHSAA Northeast Regional Tournament (the gateway to the Final Four in Birmingham)
Actionable Insights for Fans and Visitors
If you're planning a trip to the Pete, don't just wing it. Here is how to actually enjoy the experience without the typical headaches:
- Parking is a Trap: There’s a big lot on the north side, but it fills up fast for doubleheaders. If you’re arriving late, look toward the tennis complex or the soccer fields on the west side. It's a short walk, and you'll get out of the parking lot 20 minutes faster after the buzzer.
- The Concourse Walk: Use the concourse. It used to be a jogging track, and it’s still one of the best places to get a 360-degree view of the court while you're grabbing a hot dog.
- Check the Schedule: Remember that this is a Conference USA venue now. The competition is stiffer, the crowds are bigger, and the games often start at different times than the old OVC schedule.
- Visit the "Hidden" Gym: If you can sneak a peek at the second floor, the Indoor Practice Facility is genuinely impressive. It’s an exact replica of the main court. It’s where the real work happens behind the scenes.
Pete Mathews Coliseum isn't the fanciest arena in the South. It doesn't have a glass-bottom floor or a retractable roof. But it has a soul. It’s a building that refused to stay down after a natural disaster, and in a way, that makes it the perfect home for the Gamecocks. It’s tough, it’s resilient, and it’s probably going to be standing long after the "modern" arenas of today have been replaced.
If you want to see a game, check the Jax State Athletics site for the latest ticket prices. Usually, you can snag a seat for around $15, which is honestly one of the best values in college sports. Just make sure you’re ready for the noise. When that band starts up in the end zone, the concrete starts vibrating, and you’ll realize why they call it "The Pete."