In the 70's, Veterans Memorial was the place to go in Columbus to watch headliner fights on closed circuit.  Veterans Memorial would play host to sold out crowds of mostly men ramped up for the fight.  Long-time Vets staff members still remember the swarm of crowds drinking beer and cheering for the fights.  After paying ten dollars for an admission ticket - which wasn't cheap for the time - the crowd enjoyed drinking alcohol and munching until the concessions sold out.  To date, the fights have been the only shows that depleted the alcohol stock.

These fights were not available to watch in every home.  In order to view the fight, a special receiver was needed to view on closed circuit.  Closed circuit television was how all the big fights were viewed if you weren't lucky enough to have ring side seats.  Unlike broadcast television, closed circuit was not openly transmitted, thus the name.  It was only transmitted to a specific place on a limited amount of monitors.  Before the fight, a receiver would be shipped to Vets allowing the fight to be viewed.  The receiver was not always reliable and at times only the audio could be heard.  According to staff members, this did not affect the crowd.  As long as they could hear the fight, they were happy.

One of the most recognizable fights viewed on the Vets screen was on March 24, 1975.  This fight was broadcast in the auditorium and it shocked and inspired viewers across the country.  Muhammad Ali vs. Chuck Wepner was not expected to be anything out of the ordinary, but the legend of this fight remains.  Wepner lasted 15 rounds with Ali before being knocked out and losing to Ali.  Wepner was able to knock Ali down once during this fight.  This fight has become legend because a young Sylvester Stallone was inspired to create the character of Rocky Balboa after watching the determined Wepner in the ring.