St. Bonaventure University

St. Bonaventure basketball fans will see plenty of changes this season and not just on the court.

When the season opens Oct. 29 with a men’s and women’s exhibition doubleheader, fans will see significant changes to not only the Reilly Center but the game experience, including the introduction of beer, wine and seltzer sales and streamlined concession stands to improve service.

“It was important to enhance the overall experience for all our guests entering the Reilly Center,” said Bob Beretta, vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “For the first time since the RC was built in the mid-1960s, we have made significant changes to the main concourse that have dramatically changed the overall feel of the building to make it more welcoming and enjoyable.”

Some of the changes to the RC that fans will see include:

• New ceiling tiles, lighting, flooring and stairway treads for the arena concourse.
• Self-serve concession areas.
• New branding throughout the main concourse and arena.
• The “31 Club,” a new floor-level hospitality area located at the Hall of Fame end of the arena available to all courtside seat holders.
• Stanchion baskets with new shot clocks and LED displays.
• The new Rugby Hall of Fame at the northwest entrance to the RC by the SBU Bookstore.
• New branding inside the bookstore.
• The addition of a Yella’s franchise inside the RC Café.
  

Beer, wine and seltzer will be available for purchase at the remodeled concession areas at all men’s and women’s home basketball games. Students age 21 and older with a legal ID will be allowed to purchase.

Sales of all concession items, food and alcohol, will end at the completion of the first timeout of the second half, typically around the 16-minute mark.

Fans who wish to be a designated driver for guests they are attending a game with can receive a voucher for a free non-alcoholic beverage. The vouchers can be picked up at the will call window at the Larry Ford Ticket Office.

The university’s Rathskeller will continue to be open two hours before each men’s home game.

About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #8 for value and #19 overall by U.S. News and World Report (2025).