The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men’s basketball team will now play its home games at the on-campus Klotsche Center, Director of Athletics Andy Geiger announced Tuesday.
In recent years the Panthers played at the U.S. Cellular Arena downtown.
The university said it is launching a strategic plan that will continue the examination of options for building a new convocation center/arena on its East Side campus.
The move leaves the Milwaukee Wave as the only major tenant at the U.S. Cellular Arena and calls into question the long term future of the 62-year-old facility at 400 W. Kilbourn Ave. downtown.
“We’re coming home,” Geiger said. “College games belong on college campuses. We’ll be closer to our student body and be adding to the college experience and the life and culture of our campus. We can engage our students while at the same time creating a great atmosphere for all of our fans.”
Details of the setup of the Klotsche Center are still being finalized. There will be seating for approximately 3,400 people. Since UWM last played regularly on campus in 2003, the university has added approximately 1,400 on-campus parking spaces, including the 618-space Pavilion parking garage adjacent to the Klotsche Center.
