Pauley Pavilion
Pauley Pavilion is a basketball arena in Los Angeles, California, home of the UCLA Bruins (Big Ten, NCAA Division I). It opened in 1965, making it 61 years old in 2026 and seats 13,800 for basketball. It ranks 12th of 18 in the Big Ten by capacity.
Its record crowd is 13,727 vs. Arizona (2013).
Arena facts
- Location
- Los Angeles, California
- Home of
- UCLA Bruins
- School
- University of California, Los Angeles
- Conference
- Big Ten
- Opened
- 1965
- Capacity
- 13,800
- Record crowd
- 13,727 vs. Arizona (2013)
- Also home to
- UCLA women's basketball
UCLA men's and women's volleyball
UCLA women's gymnastics - Size rank in D-I
- 39th of 360
Famous games at Pauley Pavilion
- Nov. 27, 1965: In the first game in the building, Lew Alcindor scored 31 points as UCLA's freshmen beat the two-time defending champion varsity 75-60.
- March 1, 1975: John Wooden coached his final home game, a 93-59 win over Stanford, weeks before announcing his retirement and winning a 10th national title.
- Feb. 21, 1976: Oregon beat UCLA 65-45, ending the Bruins' 98-game home winning streak at Pauley.
- 1984: Pauley hosted the NCAA women's championship game, where USC beat Tennessee 72-61 to win its second straight title.
- Nov. 9, 2012: The renovated Pauley reopened against Indiana State in front of a then-record crowd of 13,513.
- Feb. 21, 2026: UCLA erased a 23-point first-half deficit to beat No. 10 Illinois 95-94 in overtime.
Game night
Tradition. The student section, known as the Den, occupies the lower-level south sideline and west corner.
Seating & views at Pauley Pavilion
Pauley seats 13,800 for basketball after a $136 million renovation that reopened the building in November 2012. The bowl has 11,307 permanent upholstered theater-style seats plus 2,492 retractable seats close to the floor, some backless ones used by the band and students. The student section, the Den, fills the 100-level south sideline and the west corner, with overflow in the 200 level. The building is compact, so most seats feel close to the court.
Parking & tailgating at Pauley Pavilion
UCLA lists Lots 4, 7 and 8 for Pauley events: Lots 4 and 7 on the north side off Sunset Boulevard and Westwood Plaza, Lot 8 on the south side off Westwood Boulevard. You can buy event parking ahead of time through the Bruin ePermit portal, or pay on game day with the ParkMobile app to skip the pay-station lines. For men's games all five entrances (NW, NE, Main, SE, SW) open, generally 60 minutes before tipoff.
Plan your trip to Pauley Pavilion
Arenas near Pauley Pavilion10
- 1NBACrypto.com Arena — Los Angeles Lakers same city
- 2D-IGalen Center — USC Trojans same city
- 3D-IGersten Pavilion — Loyola Marymount Lions same city
- 4NBAIntuit Dome — Los Angeles Clippers 8 mi
- 5D-ILBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid — Long Beach State Beach 18 mi
- 6D-IPremier America Credit Union Arena — CSUN Matadors 20 mi
- 7D-ITitan Gym — Cal State Fullerton Titans 23 mi
- 8D-IFirestone Fieldhouse — Pepperdine Waves 29 mi
- 9D-IBren Events Center — UC Irvine Anteaters 37 mi
- 10D-IFowler Events Center — California Baptist Lancers 51 mi
Questions about Pauley Pavilion
Where do the UCLA Bruins play home games?
The UCLA Bruins play at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California.
How many people does Pauley Pavilion hold?
Pauley Pavilion seats 13,800 for basketball.
When did Pauley Pavilion open?
Pauley Pavilion opened in 1965.
What is the attendance record at Pauley Pavilion?
The record crowd at Pauley Pavilion is 13,727 vs. Arizona (2013).
What other arenas are near Pauley Pavilion?
Crypto.com Arena is also in Los Angeles. See the full list of nearby arenas on this page.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your arena? Get the “Listed on Hoops Arenas” badge for your website.