Editing Colonial Life Arena (section)

==History and use==
[[Image:Colonial Center interior.jpg|thumb|left|The arena floor of the Colonial Life Arena.]]
The arena first opened on November 22, 2002, with the season opener of the South Carolina women's basketball team. A near sell-out crowd of 17,712 fans saw the 72&ndash;58 [[South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball|Gamecocks]] victory over in-state rival [[Clemson Tigers women's basketball|Clemson]], with a $1 admission charge, at that time commonly used by the women's basketball team to promote major games. The official grand opening took place December 2, 2002. The men's basketball team defeated [[Temple Owls men's basketball|Temple]] 66&ndash;47. On January 26, 2010 South Carolina defeated #1 ranked and undefeated [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] 68–62 in the arena, one of the biggest wins in South Carolina history.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kentucky Schedule (2009-10)|url=http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/statistics/2009-10.html|work=Big Blue History|access-date=November 12, 2013}}</ref>

On January 18, 2021, as part of the university's observance of [[Martin Luther King Jr. Day|Martin Luther King Day]], the university dedicated a statue of Gamecocks great and [[2020 WNBA season|2020]] [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] [[WNBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] [[A'ja Wilson]] near the arena's main entrance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30738990/aja-wilson-says-unveiling-statue-south-carolina-mlk-day-shows-how-just-plant-seeds-change |title=A'ja Wilson says unveiling of statue at South Carolina on MLK Day shows 'how you just plant seeds' for change |first=Mechelle |last=Voepel |website=ESPN.com |date=January 18, 2021 |access-date=January 19, 2021}}</ref>

Aside from Gamecock basketball, the Colonial Life Arena also hosts the South Carolina [[High School]] Basketball Championships each year. The facility is built to also host [[ice hockey]] games, and was intended to be the new home of the [[ECHL]]'s [[Columbia Inferno]].  However, due to legal issues with the funding for the facility, the Inferno never played there.  The franchise suspended operations in 2008, but after plans for a new arena in neighboring [[Lexington County, South Carolina|Lexington County]] fell through, the franchise was finally canceled in 2014.  However, annual games pitting the [[Carolina Hurricanes]] alumni against [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] alumni have been played here.

The Colonial Life Arena was ranked 22nd in the world in ticket sales in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Colonial Center Ranks 22nd Worldwide in Ticket Sales to its Events|url=http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/011604aac.html|publisher=South Carolina Athletics|date=January 16, 2004|access-date=November 12, 2013|archive-date=November 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112215700/http://www.gamecocksonline.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/011604aac.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was also ranked the #1 arena in [[the Carolinas]] and was the #2 rated university arena in the world in 2005, based on ticket sales for touring shows.<ref>http://sdm3.com/viewmsg.cfm?n35069s338c632468t337e1685912{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

It is managed by Spectra (formerly Global Spectrum), the facilities management subsidiary of [[Comcast Spectacor]].  The NBA's [[Philadelphia 76ers]], then owned by Comcast Spectacor, played an exhibition game in the venue in October 2005.

In 2007, it was home to the [[Columbia Stingers]] of the [[National Indoor Football League]]. The arena has hosted the Charlotte Bobcats and New York Knicks in the past.

Originally, the venue, like all Comcast-Spectator managed facilities, had its own ticketing policy, and therefore concerts were not controlled by the major ticketing industry firms.

Ticketing was provided by [[New Era Tickets]], and tickets could be purchased through the Arena's website.

Ticketing for events at the arena is now provided through [[Ticketmaster]].