The arena currently hosts the Northeast Regional basketball tournament (boys and girls) for the AHSAA playoffs in each classification.

The arena is named for the late former Alabama state legislator Pete Mathews who also sat on the university's board of trustees.

The university's baseball team formerly used the area behind the north side upper deck as a batting cage during winter workouts.

Among some of the performers who have held concerts in the facility include the group Alabama, Billy Joel, and Jimmy Buffett.

On March 19, 2018, Pete Mathews Coliseum suffered extensive roof damage after a tornado went through the Jacksonville State campus.