By Zach Babajanof-Rustrian | Sports Writer
The Foster Pavilion has officially opened, and the energy from fans in the new arena has been electric. The Baylor Bear Pit, which consists of cheering students, has been at the forefront of it all for both the men’s and women’s basketball programs.
The Foster Pavilion debuted with then-No. 18 Baylor men’s basketball defeating Cornell on Jan. 2, followed by then-No. 6 Baylor women’s basketball taking down No. 23 TCU on Jan. 3.
The opening of the shiny structure has provided the men’s and women’s basketball programs with the exhilarating environment they deserve. Baylor is one of five programs in the country to have won a national championship on both the men’s and women’s side.
The men won most recently in 2020-21, and the women have put up three banners, starting with their first in 2004 and most recent in 2019. Bears fans have proven they’re ready to cheer on their squads and give them the home-field advantage they’ve been seeking.
The Bear Pit in particular has brought the energy for Baylor, with neither the men’s nor women’s side suffering a loss in the Foster Pavilion since it opened. A key part in that is the fact that students are closer to the action than ever before.
Contrary to how the Ferrell Center was set up, the Baylor Bear Pit stretches across the sideline of the court right behind the benches, so students are within feet of the court, giving them the opportunity to be raucous and make a timeout.
The student-only seating also spews into the baseline area on the west side of the arena, where it connects with the Golden Wave Band section. This spot — albeit not courtside — is the best place to be in order to distract opposing free throw shooters in the second half.
When you go to church tomorrow, remember to pray for the young men and women who have to shoot free throws in this. pic.twitter.com/Le36gcjnRB
— Locked On Foster Pavilion (@lockedonbaylor) January 14, 2024
And Baylor Athletics still gives out coupons for a free cupcake from Magnolia Bakery if an opposing player misses two consecutive free throws in the second half.
The new pavilion has a capacity of 7,500 seats, which contains 1,000 seats for students and some spots that are right on top of the action. It’s a smaller venue than the Ferrell Center, but the design is purposeful. Men’s head coach Scott Drew told reporters a few weeks ago that more compact and intimate atmospheres are louder and more imposing than spaced out gyms, according to multiple studies.
It’s a trend that both Texas and Baylor followed.
For me, the energy was felt right away. As someone who was in the thick of the Bear Pit, the energy was palpable from the moment I got to my spot. Everyone was standing and cheering for the Bears from start to finish.
Baylor's student section is right behind the visiting team bench here at Foster Pavilion. pic.twitter.com/gm4CqgdTJE
— Ryan Roberts (@Ryan_Ky0203) January 13, 2024
Not only do the fans appear happy with the new arena, but the players and coaches have been ecstatic too. Drew ended the Baylor-BYU game on Tuesday by thanking those in the arena for the hype.
According to Baylor Proud, all of the men’s games are sold out for the rest of the season, while the women’s games still have tickets available through Baylor Athletics. Fans can still find men’s or women’s basketball tickets on SeatGeek throughout the season.
