Kezar Pavilion
Encyclopedia
Kezar Pavilion, located adjacent to Kezar Stadium
, is an indoor arena
in the southeast corner of Golden Gate Park
, San Francisco, California
. The Pavilion, built in 1924, seats 4,000. Currently, The San Francisco Rumble
of the American Basketball Association and the Academy of Art University
Urban Knights of NCAA Division II call the venue home.
The University of San Francisco
basketball team used Kezar Pavilion, which is owned and operated by the City of San Francisco, before War Memorial Gymnasium
was constructed. The most regular tenants of Kezar Pavilion were the Bay Bombers of the original Roller Derby
. The Bombers skated home games there from 1961 through the end of the Roller Derby in 1973. Games played by the Bombers were videotaped and shown to a TV network of more than 100 stations, making Kezar one of the most well-known sports venues in all the world. Kezar now plays host to San Francisco city high school basketball games. The arena has welcomed events ranging from middle school volleyball
to professional boxing
. The arena is versatile enough to host a professional basketball game during the day and be converted to host recreational Indoor Soccer
that evening. Kezar was discussed as a possible Badminton or Table Tennis training or qualifying venue for San Francisco's 2012 Summer Olympic Bid.
Entertainment is also a staple of Kezar Pavilion. Concerts ranging from Throbbing Gristle
to The String Cheese Incident to The Clash
to Smashing Pumpkins have been held at Kezar Pavilion, mainly because of the intimate "high-school gymnasium like" feel and Haight-Ashbury neighborhood location.
In 2006, Kezar Pavilion became the home of ChickFight
female professional wrestling tournaments.
In 2007 the San Francisco Bay Bombers and Roller Derby returned to the pavilion. The Bombers not only skated their home season games there but also held their tryouts in the building.
In 2008 it was announced that due to increased demand, San Francisco Pro Wrestling company Fog City Wrestling would be making the Kezar pavilion their new home.
In 2011 the Bay Bombers, a co-ed Roller derby team, played at the Kezar pavilion, and the Bay Area Derby Girls hosted their first double-header at the pavilion.
Kezar Stadium
Kezar Stadium is a stadium located adjacent to Kezar Pavilion in the southeastern corner of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California. It is the former home of the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, and of the San Francisco Dragons of MLL. It also served as the home of the...
, is an indoor arena
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in the southeast corner of Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park consisting of of public grounds. Configured as a rectangle, it is similar in shape but 20% larger than Central Park in New York, to which it is often compared. It is over three miles long east to west, and about half a...
, San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. The Pavilion, built in 1924, seats 4,000. Currently, The San Francisco Rumble
San Francisco Rumble
The San Francisco Rumble is a team of the American Basketball Association that began play in 2007. The Rumble play their home games at the historic Kezar Pavilion, former home to the city's previous ABA team, the San Francisco Pilots....
of the American Basketball Association and the Academy of Art University
Academy of Art University
The Academy of Art University , a for-profit university owned by the Stephens Institute, was founded in San Francisco, California in 1929 by Richard S. Stephens...
Urban Knights of NCAA Division II call the venue home.
The University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
basketball team used Kezar Pavilion, which is owned and operated by the City of San Francisco, before War Memorial Gymnasium
War Memorial Gymnasium
The War Memorial Gymnasium in San Francisco, California is an athletic venue on the University of San Francisco campus. It currently serves as home for the USF men's and women's basketball teams as well as the women's volleyball team. It also houses athletic department offices and training...
was constructed. The most regular tenants of Kezar Pavilion were the Bay Bombers of the original Roller Derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
. The Bombers skated home games there from 1961 through the end of the Roller Derby in 1973. Games played by the Bombers were videotaped and shown to a TV network of more than 100 stations, making Kezar one of the most well-known sports venues in all the world. Kezar now plays host to San Francisco city high school basketball games. The arena has welcomed events ranging from middle school volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
to professional boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. The arena is versatile enough to host a professional basketball game during the day and be converted to host recreational Indoor Soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
that evening. Kezar was discussed as a possible Badminton or Table Tennis training or qualifying venue for San Francisco's 2012 Summer Olympic Bid.
Entertainment is also a staple of Kezar Pavilion. Concerts ranging from Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle were an English industrial, avant-garde music and visual arts group that evolved from the performance art group COUM Transmissions...
to The String Cheese Incident to The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
to Smashing Pumpkins have been held at Kezar Pavilion, mainly because of the intimate "high-school gymnasium like" feel and Haight-Ashbury neighborhood location.
In 2006, Kezar Pavilion became the home of ChickFight
ChickFight
ChickFight is an all-female professional wrestling promotion based in San Francisco, California. It is cited as the home promotion of female professional wrestler, Cheerleader Melissa.-History:...
female professional wrestling tournaments.
In 2007 the San Francisco Bay Bombers and Roller Derby returned to the pavilion. The Bombers not only skated their home season games there but also held their tryouts in the building.
In 2008 it was announced that due to increased demand, San Francisco Pro Wrestling company Fog City Wrestling would be making the Kezar pavilion their new home.
In 2011 the Bay Bombers, a co-ed Roller derby team, played at the Kezar pavilion, and the Bay Area Derby Girls hosted their first double-header at the pavilion.