The University of Alabama has long held the title of a soccer school, and this reputation is certainly backed by its impressive achievements in sports history.
However, since Nate Oates took the reins of the basketball program, the focus on round ball sports in Tuscaloosa has intensified. It seems like both students and alumni are reviving their excitement for the Tide hoops.
A few years back, there was significant progress toward constructing a new arena to replace the aging Coleman Coliseum, which is considered the oldest in the conference.
But then inflation and rising construction costs paused the project in favor of a new medical facility now being built next to Coleman.
On “Hey Coach” this week, Alabama’s athletic director Greg Byrne emphasized that the arena project is still on the table, reassuring listeners of its status.
Alabama Ads Greg Byrne spoke to “Coach Hay” tonight about the new basketball practice facility and added a new arena. [in February 2022]. We encountered some complications with it. That’s still something we have to deal with. Coleman…
– Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) August 14, 2025
“We’ve proposed the idea for a new arena,” he noted. “We’ve faced some challenges with it. It’s an ongoing concern. Coleman opened back in ’68, and it certainly shows its age.”
Coleman played a pivotal role in revitalizing the program, but if Oates stays around for a while, he and his team certainly deserve a venue that matches their level of quality.
This seems to align with Byrne’s perspective, and it will be interesting to see how the plans for a new arena develop in the coming years.
