Fifth Third Arena Review
By Tyler Smith 12/19/18
Fifth Third Arena
New Scoreboard at Fifth Third Arena
Game Attended: vs. UCLA 12/19/18
Stadium Capacity: 12,012
Date Opened: September 12, 1989
Miles Traveled: 31 miles
Location: Cincinnati, OH
School: University of Cincinnati
Tickets: Bearcats Tickets
Athletics Site: GoBearcats.com
Fifth Third Arena Seating Chart:
Stadium Capacity: 12,012
Date Opened: September 12, 1989
Miles Traveled: 31 miles
Location: Cincinnati, OH
School: University of Cincinnati
Tickets: Bearcats Tickets
Athletics Site: GoBearcats.com
Fifth Third Arena Seating Chart:
Fifth Third Arena Renovated Seating Chart
Fifth Third Arena Features
Fifth Third Arena underwent major renovations in 2018. The 87 million dollar renovations have brought what used to be an outdated building to a fan-friendly, modern venue.
The lower level now creates a lower bowl compared to the many gaps the old structure had. The seating is primarily cushioned chairbacks with cup holders. The exception being the student section which has bleacher seating. The student section is broken up into two different areas of the arena. They are located behind both baselines in sections 109-111 and 121-123.
The arena features several luxury seating options.
Traditional Suites: The arena has 16 suites. Four of the suites are located above the Margaret and Michael Valentine incline.
Loges: The Loges offers four seats, a TV monitor and a mini-fridge. The Loges are separated into two different sections, Sideline and Baseline.
Club Seats: The arena has two club seating options. The Champions Club and Courtside Club. The Champions Club is visible from the court right above the 100 level seating. You have views of the game from here as well as complimentary soda and snacks. The Courtside Club can be found behind the scenes with all-inclusive beverage and food.
The upper level now has chairback seating as well. Though some rows are still standard bleacher seating. Both baselines now have upper level seating.
Fifth Third Arena now has two main concourses. Over half of the lower level concourse is open, which provides plenty of standing room options. The upper level is completely open on both baselines. If you are looking for a beer, plenty of options are available to you with three bars The Armory Bar, Queen City Bar, and Overlook Bar. These bars are open to anyone with a ticket. They also have tied in local restaurants for concessions.
The renovation focused on the fan experience. The addition of a 4.4 million dollar center-hung video board and ribbon boards are what fans are loooking for. The venue has four boards at each corner of the arena that focuses on player stats as well.
They have given the outside of the arena a new look as well which blends with the rest of the Varsity Village. They have an HD video board on the outside too.
The lower level now creates a lower bowl compared to the many gaps the old structure had. The seating is primarily cushioned chairbacks with cup holders. The exception being the student section which has bleacher seating. The student section is broken up into two different areas of the arena. They are located behind both baselines in sections 109-111 and 121-123.
The arena features several luxury seating options.
Traditional Suites: The arena has 16 suites. Four of the suites are located above the Margaret and Michael Valentine incline.
Loges: The Loges offers four seats, a TV monitor and a mini-fridge. The Loges are separated into two different sections, Sideline and Baseline.
Club Seats: The arena has two club seating options. The Champions Club and Courtside Club. The Champions Club is visible from the court right above the 100 level seating. You have views of the game from here as well as complimentary soda and snacks. The Courtside Club can be found behind the scenes with all-inclusive beverage and food.
The upper level now has chairback seating as well. Though some rows are still standard bleacher seating. Both baselines now have upper level seating.
Fifth Third Arena now has two main concourses. Over half of the lower level concourse is open, which provides plenty of standing room options. The upper level is completely open on both baselines. If you are looking for a beer, plenty of options are available to you with three bars The Armory Bar, Queen City Bar, and Overlook Bar. These bars are open to anyone with a ticket. They also have tied in local restaurants for concessions.
The renovation focused on the fan experience. The addition of a 4.4 million dollar center-hung video board and ribbon boards are what fans are loooking for. The venue has four boards at each corner of the arena that focuses on player stats as well.
They have given the outside of the arena a new look as well which blends with the rest of the Varsity Village. They have an HD video board on the outside too.
What To Do On Gamedays
Bearcat Statue at UC
#1 Grab some pizza at Adriatico's.
#2 Take a short stroll to get Insomnia Cookies.
#3 Take a walk inside Nippert Stadium.
#4 Plenty of photo opportunities by the arena with the Bearcat and Oscar Robertson Statue right outside the arena.
#5 Head to Fifth Third Arena!
#2 Take a short stroll to get Insomnia Cookies.
#3 Take a walk inside Nippert Stadium.
#4 Plenty of photo opportunities by the arena with the Bearcat and Oscar Robertson Statue right outside the arena.
#5 Head to Fifth Third Arena!
Fifth Third Arena Photos
Fifth Third Arena Overview
Fifth Third Arena: If you have been to Fifth Third Arena in the past you wouldn't realize you were in the same building if you walked in today. UC did a fantastic job on this renovation. They have eliminated all of the open spaces that were truly an eyesore. They have enclosed the whole lower level. This makes for a much better viewing experience for fans. The majority of the seats throughout the arena are chairbacks outside of the student section and the top 5 rows in the upper level. Another major change that you will notice is the additional seating to the upper baseline. This area was originally just a flat wall with all of the Bearcats accolades. Adding seats here fills out the arena.
The addition of the second concourse makes a huge difference for traffic flow. Also, adds more space for concessions. The bars all look fantastic, really give the fans a good place to get a beer.
The University should be proud of the renovations. They really have transformed Fifth Third Arena into a venue that will be in the upper echelon of College Basketball arenas.
Upgrades: Since the renovation just happened I don’t have many suggestions.
The biggest one I hear from fans is the need for more bathrooms.
One thing that could take the arena to another level is a Hall Of Fame. This is a huge opportunity that would be another draw to the arena. Also, a chance to show off the university’s rich basketball history.
Scoreboard: Everywhere you look you see a screen. In this day in age, that is a must. The center-hung scoreboard is a perfect size for the arena. The video boards at all four corners are essential for fans. The ribbon scoreboards tie everything in.
Fifth Third Arena doesn't miss a beat in this category.
Atmosphere: The new arena has brought old energy back into the building.
The energy that you use to feel back in the '90s and early 2000's.
I would go to games, big games, energy level just wasn't where it once was. Through the success of the team, and a new focus on basketball that some would argue wasn't there for a while, the fans are bringing back the noise!
The UCLA game was a sellout and also featured all 3 final four coaches being celebrated at halftime.
UC Campus: UC has one of the more architecturally sound campuses in the country. With over 40,000 students attending the university they now have a campus to be proud of. The campus was largely a commuter school before the big wave of architectural greatness started around the early '90s as the university felt they needed a change. Some of the best and most nationally recognized buildings on campus are the Campus Recreation Center, Albert H. Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, Steger Student Life Center and Engineering Research Center. These buildings have taken the campus to another level and really give the campus a great vibe. When you take a walk down "Main Street" which is in the middle of the campus with several of the buildings mentioned above are featured and Nippert Stadium's West Pavilion now adding another dynamic it is a must see. Nippert Stadium is located in the middle of campus and serves as a walkway throughout campus not just a big roadblock for students. Some other things to see on campus are the Bearcat Statue on the East Side of Fifth Third Arena. Nearby is the Oscar Robertson Statue as well. The "Belief" is located outside the Vontz center and you can find former president William Howard Taft's statue outside of the College of Law. If you are by Braunstein Hall check out the Echo Corner. Here, while standing in the center of it you can hear it echo back at you. Another part of the campus that I love is the Varsity Village. The University of Cincinnati paved the way for this popular setup of having all their athletic facilities in the same area. The campus has so many things to see make sure you give yourself enough time to walk around!
Cincinnati: Located on the Ohio River, Cincinnati is home to the first professional baseball team the Cincinnati Reds, one of the largest OktoberFest in the world, and lots of local beer. There are plenty of things to do in Cincinnati from great food to the new casino.
If you're looking for food start with local favorites like Skyline Chili, LaRosa's Pizza, Montgomery Inn and Graeter's Ice Cream. I'm a huge fan of Cincinnati Chili. A few other places to grab the local chili are Gold Star, Chili Time and Camp Washington. The chili is famous for its use of chocolate and cinnamon. Grab a coney or a three-way (chili, cheese and spaghetti) and you will have a true Cincinnati experience. If you don't have time to go to Montgomery Inn at least grab some BBQ sauce at a grocery store. It is one of my favorite BBQ sauces that I have ever had. Top things off with ice cream from Graeter's. With over 145 years of experience you know they have to have great ice cream.
As for things to do in the city. Fountain Square has several hotels, restaurants and shops around it. Also, grab a picture in front of the Tyler Davidson Fountain. One of the newest additions to the city, the Horseshoe Casino, will keep you entertained with an array of gambling options inside.
A cool section of the city is the OTR Brewery district. The district boasts plenty of beer from local breweries. One of my favorites to visit is Rhinegeist. They have a very large taproom that features cornhole and ping pong. The district also has the oldest farmers markets in the state called Findlay Market. Over the Rhine has really become one of the go to spots in downtown Cincinnati. Once a place where no one wanted to go now features some of the most popular restaurants and bars in the city. One of my favorite in OTR is the Eagle. If you love southern comfort food and beer this is your spot. I had the sloppy Joe on my visit and man, was it good! Over The Rhine also features several shops including one of my favorites Homage. If you haven't been to Homage check it out, they have a ton of cool, comfortable clothing.
Close to the University of Cincinnati you will find plenty of shops, bars and restaurants around Calhoun and McMillian Street. A lot of Bearcat fans suggested Adriatico's. If you are into New York Pizza this should be your stop for a meal. They have plenty of TV's as well to see all the games. On Vine Street near campus you can check out Island Friday's where they serve up Caribbean cuisine. The owner of the restaurant is former Bearcat Leo Morgan.
Across the river is Newport, Kentucky. This is a hot spot for many tourists. The two most popular spots are the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee. The aquarium cost 23 dollars for anyone 13 and older, 15 dollars for ages 2-12 and under 2 is free. One cool animal you can see at the aquarium is the shark ray, they have four of them. Right next to the aquarium is Newport on the Levee. The levee is packed with plenty of entertainment.
The addition of the second concourse makes a huge difference for traffic flow. Also, adds more space for concessions. The bars all look fantastic, really give the fans a good place to get a beer.
The University should be proud of the renovations. They really have transformed Fifth Third Arena into a venue that will be in the upper echelon of College Basketball arenas.
Upgrades: Since the renovation just happened I don’t have many suggestions.
The biggest one I hear from fans is the need for more bathrooms.
One thing that could take the arena to another level is a Hall Of Fame. This is a huge opportunity that would be another draw to the arena. Also, a chance to show off the university’s rich basketball history.
Scoreboard: Everywhere you look you see a screen. In this day in age, that is a must. The center-hung scoreboard is a perfect size for the arena. The video boards at all four corners are essential for fans. The ribbon scoreboards tie everything in.
Fifth Third Arena doesn't miss a beat in this category.
Atmosphere: The new arena has brought old energy back into the building.
The energy that you use to feel back in the '90s and early 2000's.
I would go to games, big games, energy level just wasn't where it once was. Through the success of the team, and a new focus on basketball that some would argue wasn't there for a while, the fans are bringing back the noise!
The UCLA game was a sellout and also featured all 3 final four coaches being celebrated at halftime.
UC Campus: UC has one of the more architecturally sound campuses in the country. With over 40,000 students attending the university they now have a campus to be proud of. The campus was largely a commuter school before the big wave of architectural greatness started around the early '90s as the university felt they needed a change. Some of the best and most nationally recognized buildings on campus are the Campus Recreation Center, Albert H. Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, Steger Student Life Center and Engineering Research Center. These buildings have taken the campus to another level and really give the campus a great vibe. When you take a walk down "Main Street" which is in the middle of the campus with several of the buildings mentioned above are featured and Nippert Stadium's West Pavilion now adding another dynamic it is a must see. Nippert Stadium is located in the middle of campus and serves as a walkway throughout campus not just a big roadblock for students. Some other things to see on campus are the Bearcat Statue on the East Side of Fifth Third Arena. Nearby is the Oscar Robertson Statue as well. The "Belief" is located outside the Vontz center and you can find former president William Howard Taft's statue outside of the College of Law. If you are by Braunstein Hall check out the Echo Corner. Here, while standing in the center of it you can hear it echo back at you. Another part of the campus that I love is the Varsity Village. The University of Cincinnati paved the way for this popular setup of having all their athletic facilities in the same area. The campus has so many things to see make sure you give yourself enough time to walk around!
Cincinnati: Located on the Ohio River, Cincinnati is home to the first professional baseball team the Cincinnati Reds, one of the largest OktoberFest in the world, and lots of local beer. There are plenty of things to do in Cincinnati from great food to the new casino.
If you're looking for food start with local favorites like Skyline Chili, LaRosa's Pizza, Montgomery Inn and Graeter's Ice Cream. I'm a huge fan of Cincinnati Chili. A few other places to grab the local chili are Gold Star, Chili Time and Camp Washington. The chili is famous for its use of chocolate and cinnamon. Grab a coney or a three-way (chili, cheese and spaghetti) and you will have a true Cincinnati experience. If you don't have time to go to Montgomery Inn at least grab some BBQ sauce at a grocery store. It is one of my favorite BBQ sauces that I have ever had. Top things off with ice cream from Graeter's. With over 145 years of experience you know they have to have great ice cream.
As for things to do in the city. Fountain Square has several hotels, restaurants and shops around it. Also, grab a picture in front of the Tyler Davidson Fountain. One of the newest additions to the city, the Horseshoe Casino, will keep you entertained with an array of gambling options inside.
A cool section of the city is the OTR Brewery district. The district boasts plenty of beer from local breweries. One of my favorites to visit is Rhinegeist. They have a very large taproom that features cornhole and ping pong. The district also has the oldest farmers markets in the state called Findlay Market. Over the Rhine has really become one of the go to spots in downtown Cincinnati. Once a place where no one wanted to go now features some of the most popular restaurants and bars in the city. One of my favorite in OTR is the Eagle. If you love southern comfort food and beer this is your spot. I had the sloppy Joe on my visit and man, was it good! Over The Rhine also features several shops including one of my favorites Homage. If you haven't been to Homage check it out, they have a ton of cool, comfortable clothing.
Close to the University of Cincinnati you will find plenty of shops, bars and restaurants around Calhoun and McMillian Street. A lot of Bearcat fans suggested Adriatico's. If you are into New York Pizza this should be your stop for a meal. They have plenty of TV's as well to see all the games. On Vine Street near campus you can check out Island Friday's where they serve up Caribbean cuisine. The owner of the restaurant is former Bearcat Leo Morgan.
Across the river is Newport, Kentucky. This is a hot spot for many tourists. The two most popular spots are the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee. The aquarium cost 23 dollars for anyone 13 and older, 15 dollars for ages 2-12 and under 2 is free. One cool animal you can see at the aquarium is the shark ray, they have four of them. Right next to the aquarium is Newport on the Levee. The levee is packed with plenty of entertainment.
Ratings For Fifth Third Arena
Outside of Fifth Third Arena
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Arena 8.5 /10
Scoreboard 8.75/10 Atmosphere 8/10 Cincinnati (Campus) 7.25/10 X-Factor (Premium Seating plus bars) +2 Total 34.5/40 Cincinnati, Ohio 7.75/10 |
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