BMO Harris Bradley Center Tickets and Events

A fan's take on Bucks, Marquette, Admirals, and Concerts at the BMO Harris Bradley Center

UFC 164 Headline Fights Listed | BMO Harris Bradley Center August 31

Leave a Comment Posted by on June 17, 2013

Erik Koch UFC 164

The UFC has announced the headline fights for its August UFC 164 event at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. More than 15 fighters will enter the octagon on August 31st at the downtown Milwaukee Arena, with Benson Henderson defending his lightweight title against TJ Grant for the premier event. A loss for either means the end of their ongoing independent win-streaks, which stands at 12 combined consecutive victories since late-2011. Grant comes into the fight as the underdog on paper, though he proved skeptics wrong once before in May when he landed a hard knockout on the favored Gray Maynard in the first round.

Erik Koch will represent the home-town crowd. The Iowa native currently fights out of Milwaukee, and has compiled an impressive 13-and-2 record at just twenty-four years old. He takes on Florida-based fighter Dustin Poirier in the featherweight division, who has gone 13-and-3 so far in his career. Both will be hungry for a victory after coming-off of losses in their most recent bouts earlier this year.

Clay Guida and Chad Mendes will also fight in the featherweight division in August. It will be Guida’s second bout in the class since winning his debut performance against Hatsu Hioki in January.

Perhaps the most anticipated fight of the night will be the matching of former heavyweight champions Frank Mir and Josh Barnett. At 34 and 35, respectively, the pair is some of the most experienced and oldest fighters in the league, and neither has lost a step as time has worn on. Barnett has lost just a single bout since beating Hidehiko Yoshida in 2008, improving to 36 wins and 6 losses in a career that has lasted over a decade. Mir is hoping to bounce back from back-to-back losses at-the-hands of Junior Dos Santos and Daniel Cormier in his most recent bouts. His record stands at 16-and-7 since his entry into the league in 2001.

UFC 164 at the Bradley Center is part of Harley-Davidson’s 110th anniversary celebration. The Milwaukee-based motorcycle company is the main sponsor of the event, and will be on hand with tons of interactive fan attractions and prizes. The company partnered with the UFC to put on the Milwaukee bouts, earning inclusion as part of the league’s acclaimed Hometown Throwdown Series, which honors American businesses that have kept headquarters in their original cities.

UFC 164 Harley-Davidson Hometown Throwdown Bouts

-        Benson Henderson vs. TJ Grant – Main Event

-        Frank Mir vs. Josh Barnett

-        Chad Mendes vs. Clay Guida

-        Erik Koch vs. Dustin Poirier

-        Ben Rothwell vs. Brandon Vera

-        Chico Camus vs. Kyung Ho Kang

-        Soa Palelei vs. Nikita Krylov

-        Louis Gaudinot vs. Tim Elliot

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Milwaukee Admirals Off Season Moves For 2013

Leave a Comment Posted by on June 7, 2013

Admirals Hockey ticketsDespite a disappointing loss to Texas in their opening-series of the 2013 playoffs in May, and the suffering of just the second less-than-80-win season in franchise history, the Milwaukee Admirals are beginning the off-season with optimism.

The club’s tradition of developing future Stanley Cup contenders continued, with 17 former players and coaches entering the NHL postseason this year. The trophy already enshrines 12 Admiral names, and 2013′s potential class includes prospects such as Rich Peverley, Dan Hamhuis, and Cody Franson. In addition, two signings in the past three weeks have helped keep stable the farm-team’s often turbulent roster, led by second-year head coach Dean Evanson.

Forward Mike Liambas was the first, agreeing to a standard player contract on May 13th. His first AHL contract, the Canadian native first played in the United States in the ECHL. At 5’9”, Liambas overcomes his stature with a reckless playing style that has turned him into a fan favorite at the Bradley Center. The 24 year-old keeps that behavior in-check, however, after he delivered a hit to an opponent in a Canadian junior league that resulted in brain damage.

Liambas played 27 games for the Admirals during 2013, after joining the team in February. A goal on the seventeenth of that month was his only for the season; though an assist in the playoffs showed promise enough to keep him on the roster.

Four-year team veteran Mark Van Guilder renewed his contract through 2015 on May 20th. The deal is a two-way contract with the Admirals professional affiliate in the NHL, the Nashville Predators, who are likely to utilize him in 2014 after a dismal season this year. Along with 14 goals and 18 assists during this past season, Van Guilder was also named Admirals Man of the Year in recognition of his service to the Milwaukee community. Often commended for his presence in the city, the wing was honored nationally as a finalist for the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award.

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BMO Harris Bradley Center To Be Torn Down?

Leave a Comment Posted by on May 21, 2013

Bradley Center design  The top-three designs in the American Institute of Architects recent Emerging Architects contest will be on display at Milwaukee City Hall this weekend. The appearance downtown is fitting, as this year’s competition theme was based on a local public-zoning issue that has recently become hot-headline news in the city. Dubbed Kilbourn Town Entertainment Complex, contestants were tasked with designing projects alternative to the complete disuse of the BMO Harris Bradley Center and its surrounding structures, should a new venue be built to replace it.

Home to a number of professional, semi-professional, and division one basketball and hockey teams, as well as multiple events per year, the Bradley Center has been in use for nearly thirty years. It is one of the oldest NBA stadiums still hosting games, and was on a finical down-slope until 2009. $5 million in state-money helped to ease the building’s troubles that year, and a hefty donation from private businesses and the purchasing of naming rights by BMO Harris Bank in 2012 stabilized the funds. The influx forged a new contract between the venue and the Milwaukee Bucks, who agreed to their first multi-year lease since 2007.

The reignited relationship with the Bucks, and a $23 million renovation, keeps the Bradley Center safe until 2017. The Bucks lease will end then, and talks of constructing a replacement downtown sports complex by that time have already taken on a tone of certainty. And, while most minds involved are busy planning for the future of that non-existent structure, University of Milwaukee architecture student Jacob Jordan is worried about the future of what will be left behind.

Jordan took third-place at the 2013 Milwaukee Chapter Emerging Architects contest. His priorities focused on the need to add more attractions for residents, businesses, and tourists near the existing Bradley Center site.

Christopher Ludwig and Ryan O’Connor, first and second place winners, chose to limit their renovations to the west and north of the building. Attempting to take advantage of existing open lots and an aging parking structure that serves the Bradley Center and Milwaukee Area Technical College, the pair proposes constructing two new towers to house hotels, restaurants, entertainment, retail space, and parking.

Jordan, meanwhile, envisions a modern sports-haven fully surrounding the Bradley Center. From sporting-goods stores to major sport-company offices, Jordan hopes to make the area a Mecca for athleticism. Restaurants, parking, and hotels are allotted space as well, though a rooftop soccer field is the highlight of the design.

Bradey Center Events, Bradley Center Floor, Bucks Basketball court, Uncategorized

The Future Of The BMO Harris Bradley Center In Milwaukee

Leave a Comment Posted by on April 9, 2013

Bradley Center Milwaukee
What will be the future of the BMO Harris Bradley Center? One of the oldest NBA stadiums in the country is home to the Bucks, as well as the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Milwaukee Admirals. The downtown arena has been a topic of discussion for politicians and local business owners. On Monday, a group of those with interests in the matter met on the Marquette campus to debate this very issue.
The first point agreed upon nearly unanimously was that any transfer of teams or events to a new building would not happen until at least 2017. The Bucks lease with the Bradley Center does not expire until then, and the conglomeration of private and state money that was recently injected into the arena should fulfill its worth.
That agreement, reached last year, saved the Center from a mounting financial crisis. With decreasing attendance, outdated facilities, and vacant sponsorship potential, the twenty-five year-old stadium was hemorrhaging millions in lost dollars every year. More than eighteen million dollars in relief funding was put up by the partnership between the city and a number of area businesses, managing some breathing room for the Center. Monday’s discussion was about future funding, however, and current opinions are much more split in comparison to last year’s talks.
Speakers at the engagement ranged from experts in the economic impacts of brand new professional sports complexes to the chairmen of the Bradley Center board. Representing the Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Tim Sheehy stressed the need of planning for a new arena so that future Milwaukeegenerations can live in a more relevant city. Sheehy was part of a faction of the panel that insists a failure to give the Bucks a more modern home would certainly see the franchise leave the city. Chairmen of the arena’s board Marc Marotta is also of that mentality, adding a little humor to the discussion by referring to his Chinese business contact’s recognition of the Bucks more than anything else regarding Milwaukee.

Andrew Zimbalist Against New Arena Building In Milwaukee

Andrew Zimbalist is on the other side of the fence, and indeed thinks it would be a major waste of much needed money to prematurely construct a new arena. The sports writer has spent much of his career analyzing the effects of new stadiums on cities with professional sports teams, and says that there is no evidence that the economic benefits of a new space would out weigh the means to pay for it. Some new arenas are successes, admitted Zimbalist, but they are usually funded by capital from purely private contributions.
That is not a likely option for the Milwaukee project says Greg Marcus of the Marcus Corporation. Public funds would need to be added to private pledges in order to build a new stadium in the city under the most feasible proposals according to most parties involved. But, that scenario met stiff competition from some city tax payers, who argued that more than two-thirds of current season-ticket holders are not from the five-county Milwaukee vicinity. 
BMO Harris Bradley Center, Bucks, Marc Marotta, Marquette Basketball, Milwaukee Admirals

UFC Bradley Center Event Set For August 31

Leave a Comment Posted by on March 26, 2013


Bradley Center UFC Event August 31
It was announced this week that the popular Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts league will return to the BMO Harris Bradley Center. On August 31, UFC 164 will be held at the downtown Milwaukee arena, following up the league’s initial debut in the city back in 2011.
The 2011 event drew nearly 7000 fans to the Bradley Center, earning over half-a-million dollars in ticket revenue. The day featured the final bout of Chris Lytle’s career in the UFC. This time around, both the UFC and Bradley Center expect numbers to exceed those of two years ago. Up to 18000 seats are being made available, and, though no match-ups have been announced yet, promoters say fans will be impressed by the talent.

 It’s Called “Hometown Throwdown”

UFC 164 will be part of the league’s highly acclaimed “Hometown Throwdown” series. Honoring long-time sponsors, the league has chosen cities around the country that have a tradition of supporting the sport. Milwaukee proved to be an obvious choice, playing home to major-sponsor Harley-Davidson and the famous Roufusport Mixed Martial Arts Academy.
In addition to being a part of the Hometown Throwdown, the UFC 16 will also coincide with Harley-Davidson’s 110th anniversarycelebration taking place that weekend.  Fans who want to attend both events can sign up for a chance to win a prize pack that includes VIP tickets to the Throwdown, an appearance in the Octagon at the event, as well as their own custom built 2013 Street Bob motorcycle. To win, entrants must design an original logo celebrating Harley-Davidson’s 100thanniversary. The chosen winner will win the prize package as well as have their logo printed in the Octagon.
Harley Davidson anniversary, Hometown Throwdown, UFC Bradley Center

Concerts After The Admirals Game | Pat McCurdy and Phillip Phillips

Leave a Comment Posted by on March 18, 2013
Pat McCurdy Admirals Hockey

The BMO Bradley Center and the Milwaukee Admirals will host a pair of exciting concerts in the next few weeks. Phillip Phillips and Pat McCurdy will make their way to the downtown Milwaukee venue to play on March twenty-second and April fifth, respectively. The shows will be the finale of the Admirals year-long post-game concert series, which has become a highly popular promotion for the team.

Tickets for concert series games are $1 more than standard pricing. Those tickets provide free viewing of the post-game show from your existing seat, though fans may additionally purchase on-ice passes that allow them to enter the rink following the game to stand directly in front of the performing stage. For fans that miss out on the concert opportunities, the Admirals will play seven more regular-season games at the Bradley Center before their year ends on April nineteenth.

Since winning season eleven of the hit reality singing-contest American Idol, Phillips has soared to national popularity. Earning top placements on iTunes pop charts, including most downloaded debut-single ever, Phillips “Home” propelled the release of his recent full-length debut album “World From The Side Of The Moon”. Currently traveling with Matchbox Twenty on his first national tour, Phillips stop in Milwaukee will be his first since a September 2012 show at the Bradley Center. Phillips will play following the Admiral’s March twenty-second game against Peoria. The concert is being sponsored by Coors, Lee Jeans, and Toyota.

Pat McCurdy Plays The BMO Harris Bradley Center

Milwaukee native Pat McCurdy returns to the Admiral’s post-game concert series for the second time this season in April. Playing in December, the solo-guitarist became a fan favorite with his large collection of original songs and covers. Recording nine albums in over twenty-years of touring the Midwest, McCurdy has become famous for his improvised audience-interaction during shows, and geographically relatable song content. Beer and cheese often appear as topics of choice for McCurdy, though he also delves into politics, religion, and culture in his ever growing catalog. Even the Packers have taken notice of the cabaret singer’s talent, commissioning him to write two songs for the team, “I Love the Green and Gold” and “The Trophy Song.” McCurdy will perform after the Admiral’s take-on Rockford on April fifth.

As a final farewell to the 2012-13 season, the Admirals will host their annual fan appreciation night following their last game of the year at the Bradley Center on April nineteenth. Attendees will be treated to special in-game performances and personalities, as well as receive a free team photo and other goodies.
Admirals Hockey, Bradley Center concerts, Pat McCurdy

Bucks Hardwood Classic | Wild NBA Jersey Designs

Leave a Comment Posted by on February 28, 2013

Bucks Throwback Jerseys
The Bucks are prepared to begin the second month of the NBA’s popular Hardwood Classics. Outfitting themselves for the past month in the same design worn that debuted as an alternate during the 1995-96 season, the Bucks will don the throwbacks for another five games in March.
The Hardwood Classic event is an annual league celebration of the often flamboyant jersey designs of year’s past. A number of teams participate in the initiative every season, oftentimes extending the program as far as lowing select ticket prices to prices equal to those of the times.
Milwaukee spent all of February charging just six dollars for most upper level tickets, though those will come back to current pricing in March. In addition to the game-worn throwback jerseys, the team will also wear era warm up suits and pregame shooting shirts.
Fans can purchase their own throwback jerseys and shooting shirts from the Milwaukee Bucks Pro Shop at the BMO Harris Bradley Center for $110 and $85, respectively.
The Bucks will debut their throwbacks in March during a home game against Toronto on the second. Orlando will then visit on the seventeenth for the second showing of the uniforms before the Bucks take them on the road for a pair of games against Atlanta and Indiana. Oklahoma then visits Milwaukee on the thirtieth for the final day of the Hardwood Classics event
March Bucks Throwback Jersey Dates
-        March 2nd vs. Toronto
-        March 17th vs. Orlando
-        March 20th at Atlanta
-        March 22nd at Indiana
-        March 30th vs. Oklahoma City
BMO Harris Bradley Center, Bucks Hardwood Classic, Bucks Jersey

Bucks General Manager John Hammond Contract Renewal | Fans Wonder Why

Leave a Comment Posted by on February 6, 2013

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John Hammond Bucks GM
The Bucks will continue to be under the direction of general manager John Hammond for another three years, according to details of an agreement reached last week. Hammond, already five years into his tenure with the team, was on the last season of his old contract, and chose to accept a nearly six-million dollar renewal last Thursday.
Hammond has taken the Bucks to the playoffs just once during his time in Milwaukee. Livening a deflated fan-base, and winning Executive of the Year for his efforts, Hammond’s highlight season that year remains his best. Since losing to Atlanta in seven games in 2009, the Bucks have been best labeled as mediocre. Some critics have been perplexed by the organization’s seemingly quick choice to reinstate the general manager because of this fact. A number of sour deals after the Fear The Deer season, and the unexpected departure of head coach Scott Skiles last month also added to speculation that Hammond was not managing the team efficiently.

Herb Kohl Likes Hammond’s Efforts

Team owner Herb Kohl thought Hammond’s pros outweighed the cons, however. Speaking to reporters, the Senator outlined Hammond’s ability to recover from the loss of Skiles, pointing out that his team stands at a strong seventh in the East, and has won six of its last eight games under the direction of new head coach Jim Boylan.
Kohl also muted arguments attacking Hammond’s past dud-deals. Luke Ridnour and John Salmons are the most memorable signings that did not pan out for the general manager, though the recent additions of Drew Gooden, Beno Udrih, Monta Ellis, and Epke Udoh have revived some confidence in his buying instincts.
Hammond first began acting as general manager for the Bucks in 2008. He was previously an assistant manager in Detroit, as well as an assistant coach there. He has also worked with the Clippers, and spent time as an assistant at the University of Nebraska, Missouri State University, and Houston Baptist University.
Beno Udrih, Bucks 2008 team, Epke Udoh, Herb Kohl, John Hammond, Milwaukee Bucks general Manager

BMO Harris Bradley Center Events January 2013

Leave a Comment Posted by on January 11, 2013
Brantley Gilbert BMO Harris Bradley Center

A pair of highly anticipated events will be taking place among the BMO Harris Bradley Center’s usual basketball and hockey lineup this month.

First, Advanced Auto Part’s Monster Jam will return to the city for the first time this year. Fun for the entire family, Monster Jam celebrates the tenth birthday of one of its most famous participates, Maximum Destruction. Special entertainment will be included to honor the legendary monster truck, adding to the already excitement fueled antics of fellow racers Grave Digger, Superman, Higher Education, Samson, and Shock Therapy.

Make sure to bring those ear plugs, though. Monster trucks are designed to produce nearly 2,000 horsepower in mere seconds, allowing for speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The specially created dirt track features jumps, obstacles, and pits for the drivers to maneuver, with the largest jumps putting the five ton trucks up to 130 feet in the air.

Monster Jams at the BMO Harris Bradley Center

  • January 18th, 2013 – 7PM
  • January 19th, 2013 – 2PM & 7PM

Following the Monster Jam weekend, country music legendBrantley Gilbert will perform a post-game concert following the January twenty-fifth Milwaukee Admirals game. The concert is free for regular game ticket holders, and is part of the Admirals annual partnership with Coors Light and FM106 to host Country Music Night.
Gilbert is coming off of a pair successful debut albums over the past three years, including the certified gold Halfway to Heaven. Just twenty-seven years old, the Georgia native has toured with the likes of Toby Kieth, Uncle Kracker, and Greg Bates. He was nominated for a New Artist of the Year Award at the 2012 Country Music Awards, and was most recently invited to perform at London’s Country to Country Festival.

Brantley Gilbert Post-Game Show at the BMO Harris Bradley Center

  • January 25th, 2013 – Milwaukee Admirals vs Oklahoma City Barons – 7PM
BMO Harris Events 2013, Brantley Gilbert, Monster Jam

Larry Sanders The Movie Star and Bucks Center

Leave a Comment Posted by on December 5, 2012

Bucks Larry Sanders Movie
What do Halle Berry, Gerard Butler, Johnny Knoxville, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Richard Gere, and Larry Sanders have in common? These “A-list” Hollywood movie stars and an emerging third-year talent on the Milwaukee Bucks are all part of the silver screen. The twenty-four year old forward will soon be able to add acting with the mentioned names to his resume, as well as a number of other big-time stars.
Sanders joined fellow forwards Corey Brewer and Jared Dudley in Los Angelesin 2010 for the filming of the soon to be released movie, “Movie 43”.  According to the trailer, the trios play professional basketball stars circa 1970, coached by film legend Terrence Howard. Their roles beyond that are not known, as the film is coming to theaters on January twenty-fifth. If the movie’s official website is accurate in defining the title as shocking and dangerous, and a comedy not appropriate for the easily offended, Bucks fans could be in-store for some whacky departures from the usual Sanders they see at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Will Fans Spot Sanders?

Fans will have to squint a bit to recognize the home-town star when they see the picture. Void of his easily recognizable tattoos, because of period-accuracies, Sanders will also be sporting an afro in the flick, as well as the classic high-waisted short-shorts of basketball’s yesteryear.
While Sanders isn’t planning on leaving his obligations in Wisconsin for the west coast anytime soon, he says he is open to the possibility of acting during retirement. At a recent press conference, Sanders told media that he has always been interested in acting, and that he is well aware of the trend of former athletes popping up in cameos every so often, but that basketball was his career choice as of now. Though don’t dismiss any hopes movie fans, Sanders was spotted taking acting classes over the summer last year.
Bucks Larry Sanders Movie, Corey Brewer, Jared Dudley, Milwaukee Bucks, Naomi Watts, Richard Gere

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