Editing FedExForum

{{Short description|Multi-purpose indoor arena in Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.}}
{{For|the stadium in [[Landover, Maryland]] formerly known as FedExField|Northwest Stadium}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = FedExForum
| nickname = ''The Grindhouse''
| logo_image = FedExForum logo.svg
| image = Image:FedExForum at night.jpg
| caption = FedExForum in 2022
| address = 191 [[Beale Street]]
| location = [[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.
| coordinates = {{Coord|35|8|18|N|90|3|2|W|type:landmark_scale:1000|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = Tennessee#USA
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label = FedexForum
| pushpin_mapsize = 250
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in [[Tennessee]]##Location in the [[United States]]
| broke_ground = June 20, 2002
| opened = September 6, 2004
| owner = [[Memphis, Tennessee|City of Memphis]]
| operator = [[Memphis Grizzlies|Memphis Basketball, LLC]]
| construction_cost = US$250 million<br/>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|250000000|2004}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = [[Ellerbe Becket]]<ref name="ellerbe">{{cite web|title=FedExForum|url=http://www.ellerbebecket.com/expertise/project/221/FedExForum.html|publisher=[[Ellerbe Becket]]|access-date=September 15, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405083533/http://www.ellerbebecket.com/expertise/project/221/FedExForum.html|archive-date=April 5, 2012}}</ref><br/>[[Looney Ricks Kiss]]<ref name="abarc">{{cite web |title=FedExForum|url=http://www.athleticbusiness.com/project-26.html|work=Athletic Business|access-date=February 20, 2015}}</ref><br/>Jackson Person & Associates, Inc.<ref name="abarc"/><br/>Self Tucker Architects Inc.<ref name="abarc"/>
| structural engineer = ABS-EQE Structural Engineers<ref name="ellerbe"/>
| project_manager = PC Sports<ref>{{cite web|title=FedExForum|url=http://pcsports1.com/Portfolio%20-%20FedExForum.html|publisher=PC Sports|access-date=September 22, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225131657/http://pcsports1.com/Portfolio%20-%20FedExForum.html|archive-date=February 25, 2014}}</ref>
| general_contractor = M.A. Mortenson Company<ref name="ellerbe"/>
| seating_capacity = [[Basketball]]: 17,794<br/>[[Ice hockey]]: 16,411<br/>[[Concert]]: 19,000
| tenants = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] ([[National Basketball Association|NBA]]) (2004–present)<br/>[[Memphis Tigers men's basketball|Memphis Tigers]] ([[NCAA]]) (2004–present)<br/>[[Conference USA men's basketball tournament]] (2005&ndash;2009, 2012)<br/>[[American Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament]] (2014, 2019)
| publictransit = {{rint|heritage|tram}} [[Main Street Line (MATA Trolley)|Main Street Line]] at<br/>[[Main Street Line (MATA Trolley)#List of trolley stops|Dr. M.L. King Jr. Avenue]]|
| website = {{URL|fedexforum.com}}
}}

'''FedExForum''' is a multi-purpose indoor [[arena]] located in [[Downtown Memphis, Tennessee|Downtown]] [[Memphis, Tennessee]]. It is the home of the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) and the [[NCAA Division I]] [[Memphis Tigers men's basketball|men's basketball program]] of the [[University of Memphis]], both of whom previously played home games at the [[Memphis Pyramid]]. The venue also has the capability of hosting [[ice hockey]] games, [[concert]]s, and family shows.

The arena officially opened in September 2004 after much debate and also a [[2003 Mid-south derecho|derecho wind storm on July 22, 2003]], that nearly brought down the [[Crane (machine)|cranes]] that were building it near the famed [[Beale Street]]. It was built at a cost of US$250 million and is owned by the City of Memphis; [[naming rights]] were purchased by one of Memphis's best-known businesses, [[FedEx]], for $92 million. FedExForum was financed using $250 million of [[public bond]]s, which were issued by the Memphis Public Building Authority (PBA).

==Design==
[[File:FedExForum 2015.jpg|left|thumb|250x250px|FedExForum during a [[Memphis Grizzlies]] basketball game]]
Before FedExForum was built, Memphis' primary indoor entertainment venue had been [[Memphis Pyramid|The Pyramid]], built in 1991. However, when city officials sought to lure either the [[Vancouver Grizzlies]] or [[Charlotte Hornets]] to Memphis, they discovered that the Pyramid was already obsolete as a potential NBA venue despite being only 10 years old. Retrofitting the Pyramid to NBA standards of the time would have not only been prohibitively expensive, but would have also required shuttering the arena for an entire season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/113592646 |title=Pyramid passe as professional sports venue |date=April 10, 2001 |page=2A |first=Rob |last=Johnson |newspaper=[[The Tennessean]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> When the Grizzlies moved to Memphis for the 2001-02 season, they temporarily shared the Pyramid with the [[Memphis Tigers men's basketball]] team while a new arena was being built.

FedExForum was designed by architectural firm [[Ellerbe Becket]]. Concrete work done with the help of Dowco Construction and Apac. The [[arena]] is 805,850&nbsp;ft<sup>2</sup> (75,000 m<sup>2</sup>) in size, covering 14 [[acre]]s (57,000 m<sup>2</sup>). The Arena is round, with a dome. The playing floor is lower than ground level. It is capable of seating 18,119<ref name="FORBES">{{cite web |title=Memphis Grizzlies|url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/32/biz_06nba_Memphis-Grizzlies_325603.html|work=[[Forbes]]|year=2006|access-date=February 19, 2014}}</ref> for basketball and has 1,000 premiere courtside seats. There are 27 courtside suites, 32 club suites, 4 party suites, and 80 club boxes. It also contains a full-sized practice basketball court, visible from the huge lobby. The plans called for a mass transit bus depot, which brought a federal grant of $6 million, but the depot was changed to a premium parking garage, and Memphis had to return the money.

FedExForum's interior was designed to pay tribute to Memphis' musical heritage, with paintings and murals depicting some of the city's most famous artists including [[Justin Timberlake]], [[Elvis Presley]], and [[B.B. King]]. Most of the Arena's restaurants are named in conjunction with FedExForum's overall theme of music with Opus Restaurant and the Blue Note Lounge. The two other restaurants are sponsor-driven with the Lexus Lounge just off the Arena Floor and Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 in the Grand Lobby of the Arena.

FedExForum was the first arena to utilize new "see-through" [[shot clock]] units which allow spectators seated behind the basket to see the action without having the clocks interfere with their view. The idea came when a fan of the NBA's [[New Jersey Nets]] who sat behind the basket at [[Continental Airlines Arena]] sent an e-mail to [[Commissioner of the NBA|NBA Commissioner]] [[David Stern]], asking for technology to improve his view, and [[Daktronics]] obliged with the innovation at FedExForum in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fans Like NBA's See-Through Shot Clocks|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/10089634/|work=[[NBC Sports]]|date=November 19, 2005|access-date=September 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820044542/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/10089634|archive-date=August 20, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The NBA approved the unit a year later for full use and has seen the new units installed at Philadelphia's [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Spectrum Center (arena)|Spectrum Center]], [[TD Garden]], [[Moda Center]], [[Capital One Arena]], [[State Farm Arena]], and [[Staples Center]] after the approval. As of the [[2011–12 NBA season]] every NBA arena had implemented the transparent shot clocks, with [[Pepsi Center]], [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]], [[Oracle Arena]], [[Target Center]], and  [[ARCO Arena]] being the last NBA arenas to install the clocks.

==Hosted events==

===College basketball===
On February 23, 2008, FedExForum hosted the [[college basketball]] game featuring the No. 1 ranked [[Memphis Tigers men's basketball|Memphis Tigers]] vs. the No. 2 ranked [[Tennessee Volunteers basketball|Tennessee Volunteers]]. The facility also hosted the [[Conference USA]] men's basketball tournament from 2005 to 2009. It was the site of the South regional semifinals and finals in the [[2009 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2009]], [[2014 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2014]], and [[2017 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2017]] editions of the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]], and first- and second-round games of the [[2024 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2024 tournament]]. FedExForum was one of the four regional finals in the [[2010 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament]].

On March 12–15, 2014, the [[American Athletic Conference]] hosted their inaugural tournament at the FedExForum. It hosted the tournament again in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/college/memphis-tigers/basketball/2017/07/10/fedexforum-host-2019-aac-mens-basketball-tournament/464264001/|title=FedExForum will host 2019 AAC men's basketball tournament|work=The Commercial Appeal|access-date=August 2, 2017|language=en}}</ref>

===Hockey===
On September 21, 2006, the [[Nashville Predators]] and the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]] played an [[National Hockey League|NHL]] preseason game at FedExForum, the first [[ice hockey]] game ever held at the arena, won by the Predators 8–1.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/5443103/predators-blast-columbus-out-of-fedexforum-in-nhl-exhibition|title=Predators Blast Columbus Out of FedExForum in NHL Exhibition|access-date=March 17, 2018|language=en}}</ref>

===Boxing, WWE & MMA===
On September 25, 2004, FedExForum hosted the [[Roy Jones Jr. vs. Glen Johnson]] for the [[IBF]] Light heavyweight title. Johnson won the fight with a 9th-round knockout.

FedExForum has hosted three major [[professional wrestling]] events. In 2007, [[World Wrestling Entertainment]]'s [[Unforgiven (2007)|Unforgiven]] took place on September 16, headlined by [[The Undertaker]] and [[Mark Henry]], and the [[PMG Clash of Legends]] independent show on April 27, featuring [[Hulk Hogan]] versus [[Paul Wight]]. In 2015, it hosted [[Fastlane (2015)|Fastlane]] on February 22. The first of five WWE [[house show]]s took place on September 19, 2004, shortly after the venue opened. It has hosted seven episodes of ''[[WWE Raw]]'' and four of ''[[WWE SmackDown]]''. One notable instance of WWE at the arena was when [[Bryan Danielson|Daniel Bryan]] "occupied" Raw with hundreds of his fans inside the ring and surrounding the ringside area on March 10, 2014.<ref>[http://wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&sort=ort&land=3&region=6&stadt=1120&ansicht=&arena=1986 Wrestling events at the FedExForum, from WrestlingData.com]</ref>

On December 12, 2009, FedExForum hosted an [[Ultimate Fighting Championship]] lightweight title fight, [[UFC 107|UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez]]

===Other events===
In August 2010, the [[Professional Bull Riders]]' [[Built Ford Tough Series]] tour made their first appearance at FedExForum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pbrnow.com/competition/bfts/eventload.cfm?id=3259|title=Memphis Invitational Presented by Cooper Tires|publisher=[[Professional Bull Riders]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205181557/http://www.pbrnow.com/competition/bfts/eventload.cfm?id=3259|archive-date=December 5, 2010|access-date=September 15, 2011}}</ref>

On August 4, 2010, FedExForum held the memorial service to Memphis native [[Lorenzen Wright]], a Memphis Tigers alum and former Memphis Grizzlies player.

The [[Church of God in Christ]], Inc. (COGIC), a Holiness-Pentecostal denomination based in Memphis, held their annual Convocation at the FedExForum from 2004 to 2007.

The arena hosted [[Monster Jam]] for a few years, then in 2019 hosted Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live.

== Renovations ==
[[File:Fedexforum with New Scoreboard.jpg|thumb|248x248px|Digital upgrades, which included a new scoreboard, were installed in time for the 2017-18 NBA season.]]
In order to keep the Grizzlies in Memphis, the City of Memphis has completed normal renovations to FedExForum to keep it up to NBA standards. In 2012, the arena's sound system was replaced<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://audiocominc.com/2012/soundsystem-installation|title=Latest Project:FedEx Forum, Home of the Memphis Grizzlies, Upgrades Its Audio System With HARMAN BSS Audio Soundweb London Processing|work=Audio Communications Consultants Inc.|access-date=August 17, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818091029/http://audiocominc.com/2012/soundsystem-installation|archive-date=August 18, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the main basketball court was replaced for the Grizzlies for $200,000,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2012/09/06/memphis-grizzlies-installing-new.html|title=Grizzlies install new main court in FedexForum}}</ref> with the Tigers' court being replaced the following year. Three years later, FedExForum completed a renovation for the backstage areas, including a new video room, a renovation of the coaches' offices, and office space for FedExForum employees.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/basketball-facility-enhancements-150625|title=Grizzlies set to begin construction at FedExForum to enhance Basketball Facilities {{!}} Memphis Grizzlies|work=Memphis Grizzlies|access-date=August 17, 2017}}</ref> In 2017, the Grizzlies announced a $1.8 million renovation to the arena,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2017/may/10/grizzlies-file-18m-permit-for-fedexforum-renovations/|title=Memphis Daily News}}</ref> which includes an HD scoreboard four times the size of the former, new HD displays, new LED lighting, and other additional fan amenities, which were completed in time for the beginning of the 2017-2018 NBA Season.

==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I basketball arenas]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association arenas|List of NBA arenas]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

*[http://www.fedexforum.com Official FedExForum website]

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br/>[[Memphis Grizzlies]]
 | years = 2004 &ndash; present
 | before = [[Pyramid Arena]]
 | after = current
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br/>[[Memphis Tigers]]
 | years = 2004 &ndash; present
 | before = [[Pyramid Arena]]
 | after = current
}}
{{end}}

{{Memphis, Tennessee sports venues}}
{{NBA Arenas}}
{{Memphis Grizzlies}}
{{Memphis Tigers men's basketball}}
{{American Athletic Conference basketball venue navbox}}
{{Tennessee NCAA Division I college basketball venue navbox}}
{{Music venues of Tennessee}}
{{FedEx}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:NBA venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 2004]]
[[Category:Memphis Tigers basketball venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Memphis, Tennessee]]
[[Category:FedEx]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Music venues in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Indoor arenas in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Memphis Grizzlies]]