Bless the Mood
Men’s and Women’s Basketball begin their first season in Moody Center.
11/2/2022
“Are you ready to Bless the Mood? It starts right now. Thank you, Erwin Center. The memories we have there, we’re bringing over here. But it’s time to turn the page. Let’s keep writing the book. Let’s Bless the Mood. Hook ‘em.”
Following those words on April 19 from our Minister of Culture himself, Matthew McConaughey, the ribbon was cut and Moody Center officially opened.
“Moody Center will be the first place any band would want to play and the last place any visiting team would want to play,” McConaughey has consistently emphasized.
For the Texas Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs, the $375 million on-campus arena is a game-changer. Featuring an intimate setup for basketball games, Moody Center should seat just over 10,500 fans per contest. For the men’s games, University of Texas STUDENTS who purchase The Big Ticket get the best seats. The Corral, the new official Men’s Basketball student section, will fill the lower bowl a total of 270 degrees, including the entire length of the court behind the team benches and scorers table and both baselines.
It’s truly an incredible arena and obviously it’s the best on-campus facility in the country. The investment that the Moody’s are making here, it will impact our student-athletes, our community, our campus and our state. Our job now is to bring them a national championship, and we are excited about the opportunity.”Vic Schaefer
Passionate college students. Crowd noise. Home. Court. Advantage.
“It all starts with our students,” Texas Men’s Basketball Head Coach Chris Beard said. “I’m so thankful for the relationship we built with the students the first year. Last season was a huge victory for the students. We had students getting in line and camping out. Not only did they come, I thought they started impacting the games. They were loud, and they were with us.”
“The relationship we have with our student body is a full-time job and a job we enjoy,” Beard continued. “I feel it’s a two-way relationship. We ask a lot from our students, but we really want our Men’s Basketball team to be an active part in not only the campus but also the community here in Austin. When we can help support different organizations and groups, we do so. We’re building a program and building a fan base with a special emphasis on our student body. We have to continue to work at it, and then we benefit from having the best on-campus arena in the world.”
For Texas Women’s Basketball, the move to Moody Center comes on the heels of back-to-back NCAA Elite Eight appearances, the 2022 Big 12 Tournament title and a surge of overall program momentum.
“It’s truly an incredible arena and obviously it’s the best on-campus facility in the country,” Texas Women’s Basketball Head Coach Vic Schaefer said. “It is going to be the palace of the South. It is a beautiful place, and it is going to impact so many people. The investment that the Moody’s are making here, it will impact our student-athletes, our community, our campus and our state. Our job now is to bring them a national championship, and we are excited about the opportunity.”
“The facility will be first rate and it’ll be an awesome environment,” Schaefer continued. “We are excited about the home court advantage Moody Center will give us. I believe our style of play is fun to watch and it is what people enjoy watching. From an entertainment perspective, watching our team play in this arena, it gives us a chance to really have a great fan base. In a city like Austin, it’s a big bang for your buck and a great value. Our fans are going to want to be in this beautiful facility, night in and night out.”
Moody Center is the first of its kind in the industry with an unrivaled partnership between Oak View Group (Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff), Live Nation/C3 Presents (Charles Attal), The University of Texas at Austin and the MOC, Matthew McConaughey. The arena is named in honor of a $130 million grant given to The University of Texas from Moody Foundation. Moody Foundation has supported museums, libraries, universities and hospitals throughout the state of Texas for over 75 years.
Groundbreaking occurred on December 3, 2019. Despite facing a global pandemic, construction crews pushed through to hold a Topping Out ceremony on July 27, 2021. The first public event at Moody Center was a John Mayer concert on April 20, and the grand opening celebration was a two-night set featuring legendary country musician George Strait with special guests Willie Nelson and Family and Randy Rogers Band.
“What an amazing facility and just a spectacular jewel that our campus community, basketball teams, the city of Austin and the music and entertainment industry can proudly call their home,” University of Texas Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte said. “It certainly will be a game changer for our community, a prominent fixture for The University of Texas, a beacon in Central Texas, an unbelievable concert and entertainment venue, and the finest college basketball arena in the country, hands down. Since construction began, we’ve been watching our world-class venue grow out of the canyon dug deep in the heart of our campus, and we’re so darned fired up that it’s open for business.”
The 530,000-square foot arena includes 9,601 square feet of digital signage, covering over 15 million pixels. The facility also features 72,000 square feet of acoustic lapendary panels.
Premium seating options include 44 suites, three premium clubs, 57 loge boxes and one super VIP club. The Germania Insurance Club is the most upscale sideline club within Moody Center, located behind the lower level of the north sideline. Inspired by the great state of Texas, the intimate space is filled with rich oak and mahogany, reminiscent of Texas and serves as the soul of the building. The Dell Technologies Club features top-of-the-line interactive technologies and a Hill Country-inspired aesthetic, using natural materials for the interiors. Inspired by the local music scene, the Indeed Club takes its design cues from East Austin and classic Austin venues like the Continental Club and the Broken Spoke. Moody Center’s most exclusive, speakeasy-inspired space is the Moet & Chandon Imperial Lounge. The club offers an experience like no other, including a secret entry and a dance floor.
With Matthew McConaughey’s design influence, the Porch Suites are located on the baselines and corners of the venue for basketball. Porch Suite seating is pushed out 10 feet into the arena, allowing attendees to feel more connected to the game than ever before. The Sideline Suites offer a private, enclosed area located closest to midcourt for basketball games.
“We are very fortunate and very thankful for the opportunity to play in Moody Center,” Women’s Basketball sophomore Aaliyah Moore said. “To me, this is the best arena in the nation. I want our fans to come out and pack this place, and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
“This is an NBA arena at the college level,” Men’s Basketball graduate forward Brock Cunningham said. “It’s awesome being in here. This will be the best venue in college basketball.”
