Selland Arena, the Central Valley’s second-largest indoor venue, is a longstanding pillar of Downtown Fresno’s rich history.
However, on Nov. 30, the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball team will play a one-time, non-conference game at Selland Arena against the California State University, Bakersfield Roadrunners. The “Return to Selland” will honor the prosperous history that Boyd Grant, Jerry Tarkanian and the Bulldogs left behind at Selland Arena.
The arena first opened in October 1966, and was named after former Fresno Mayor Arthur L. Selland in recognition of his public service to the city.
Selland served as a member of the Fresno City Board of Education and as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors before he passed away in a car accident in 1963.
Selland Arena isn’t the only tribute the city of Fresno has made to Selland — Selland Avenue runs north and south between Herndon and Weldon avenues, and the Arthur L. Selland Memorial Scholarship is offered annually at Fresno State.
The arena has profound ties to the university. For nearly four decades, this was the home court for Fresno State basketball. Bulldog fans filled the stands of Selland Arena from the 1966-67 season until the 2002-03 season.
Many fans consider this the most successful period in Fresno State men’s basketball history, under the “Grant” and “Tark” eras.
The Grant era, from 1977-86, was when Selland Arena earned the nickname “Grant’s Tomb” for the Bulldogs’ consistent home court dominance. Grant led the ‘Dogs to a 194-74 record over nine seasons and brought home three regular-season and conference tournament titles, as well as three NCAA tournament appearances.
They also won the National Invitational Tournament championship under Grant in 1983 at Madison Square Garden, marking the first major championship win in Fresno State’s athletic history.
The Tarkanian era, from 1995-2002, brought Bulldog basketball back into the national spotlight. He led the ‘Dogs to a 104-79 record and seven consecutive postseason appearances. Under Tarkanian’s wing, the Bulldogs achieved six straight 20 plus win seasons.
Tarkanian was an alumnus, having played for the Bulldogs in the 1954-55 season. In 2013, Tarkanian was elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2014, Fresno State retired his jersey. He died the following year.
His trademark “Tark Towel,” a wet towel Tarkanian would chew on every time he needed a drink, is something longtime Fresno State fans often recall seeing on the sidelines of Selland.
His legacy lives on inside the arena as well. The decibel meter that measures crowd noise, coined “The Tark Meter,” is still up today.
After the Save Mart Center opened in 2003, the Bulldogs’ home court was relocated. The new arena was much larger, seating approximately 15,596 for basketball, whereas Selland only sits 10,220. The ‘Dogs haven’t played a full season there since then. The game on Nov. 30 will be the first time the team will set their shoes on Selland’s paint and hardwood since 2009.
