Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City is one of the most recognizable arenas in all college sports. It is also one of the 25 largest university-owned structures in the nation.
Carver-Hawkeye Arena opened in January 1983 and is named after Roy Carver, a long-time supporter of the University of Iowa.
Carver was a well-known industrialist and philanthropist, and after his death, he donated 25 percent of his wealth to the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust. It is one of the largest charitable foundations in the state of Iowa.
The Charitable Trust supports multiple programs at the University of Iowa, including the Athletics Department, the University of Iowa healthcare, biomedical and scientific research, scholarships, the Carver College of Medicine, the Carver Pavilion, and the Carver River Research and Education Facility.
The facility completed a massive, multi-million-dollar overhaul in September 2011. At the end of this week, it was announced that Carver-Hawkeye Arena would undergo further changes.
This time, the facility is adding a new seating section to put some fans much closer to the action.
New release from Iowa about tickets on sale for men's and women's hoops and wrestling says a courtside seating section is happening. pic.twitter.com/e9xifB0bsw
— Tom Kakert (@HawkeyeReport) July 3, 2025
Hawkeye Report's Tom Kakert posted the announcement from the University of Iowa, stating that before the 2025-2026 winter sports season, a new courtside riser will be added to the south baseline.
The riser will hold 200 people and will be primarily designated as student seating. The memo states the purpose of the new riser is to "enhance the in-game atmosphere by bringing fans close to the court."
The installation of the riser will affect some Men's Wrestling and Women's Basketball season ticket holders.