For a century, this building has been more than a venue. It has been a gathering place, a proving ground, and a living monument to the game of basketball. 100 is a feature-length documentary designed to honor that legacy by telling the human stories that made the arena sacred.

Since opening on January 1, 1927, when Penn defeated Yale 26–15 in the first game played on its floor, the Palestra has hosted more college basketball games than any arena in the world. What followed were decades of sellouts, rivalries, heartbreaks, miracles, and moments that shaped not only Philadelphia basketball, but the national game itself. Few buildings in American sports history can make that claim.

Often called The Cathedral of College Basketball, the Palestra is revered not for luxury or scale, but for atmosphere, intimacy, and tradition.

100 is not simply a roll call of legends. It is about moments — the birth of the Holy War in 1955, streamers cascading from balconies, sneaking into sold-out Big 5 games, Kobe’s thunderous dunk in 1996, Temple and Penn’s double-overtime classic in 2002, Penn’s stunning upset of Villanova in 2018, and Roman Catholic’s unforgettable buzzer-beater in 2024. These moments are woven into the identity of the basketball community.

Inside the Palestra hangs a sign that captures the soul of the building:

To win the game is great.

To play the game is greater.

But to love the game is the greatest of all.

That belief drives this film. 100 will combine archival footage and intimate interviews with players, coaches, caretakers, and fans to tell a deeply human story about tradition, belonging, and why certain places transcend sport.

This documentary is designed for basketball fans, history lovers, and anyone drawn to stories about community, legacy, and passion passed from one generation to the next. It will serve as both a cultural time capsule and a tribute worthy of the centennial moment of the Palestra, the greatest arena of all.