Watching sporting events at home can be a fun experience, but nothing’s quite like seeing them in person. Going to a stadium is a big event, especially for die-hard fans who love being a part of the atmosphere. That’s why arenas are so important.
A well-made or unique stadium can make a good experience truly great. There are plenty of modern upgrades that enhance a game, ranging from luxury amenities, food options, and seating. A passionate crowd and long history can make the experience special too.
1. Madison Square Garden (New York Knicks)
Few sporting arenas are more iconic than Madison Square Garden. The venue isn’t just home to one of the popular teams in the NBA, it’s also one of the most historic buildings in the league. It’s seen many important games, and is critical to basketball’s past.
Part of that is the result of it sitting in central Manhattan, and part of it is the fact that it’s in the public zeitgeist. It’s a multi-purpose building used for many events beyond basketball. Few arenas have that type of reach.
2. United Center (Chicago Bulls)
The United Center is one of the best NBA arenas simply due to its historical significance and extremely passionate fanbase. Not only did the building host almost all of Michael Jordan’s finals’ runs, but in doing so it set the stage for the modern NBA.
The “Madhouse on Madison” is a loud, exciting venue known for its atmosphere. It is the largest NBA stadium by capacity, and its fans don’t mind filling up those seats each and every night.
3. American Airlines Center (Dallas Mavericks)
Located in downtown Dallas, the American Airlines Center is heavily lauded as a result of its easy access, prime location, and modern amenities. It’s a new-age stadium with delicious food, comfortable seats, and some of the best visibility in the league.
It also gets points for hosting one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA. The Luka Doncic-led Mavericks are only getting better and better, which makes investing into the stadium an easy choice.
4. Amway Center (Orlando Magic)
Another modern stadium that gets high marks for its design, the Amway Center is a large building filled with modern facilities. It has a food court, numerous restaurants, and comes with a great children’s play area that creates a family-friendly atmosphere.
The bowl-like seating provides a great view from both the bottom and top levels, while the gigantic screens allow everyone to see every play in great detail. It has a sleek design too.
New and Modern Arenas
Chase Center (Golden State Warriors)
Few stadiums across any sport encapsulate the modern age like the Chase Center. The venue is a multi-purpose building absolutely packed with cutting-edge technology. It has a sleek exterior, and incredibly modern interior filled with big screens, crisp noise, and bright lights.
There are many high end amenities, ranging from fresh food options to an incredibly large 9,699 square foot scoreboard. The seats are comfortable, the visibility is unmatched, and there are suites on every single level of the arena. It’s hard to get more luxury than that.
Intuit Dome (Los Angeles Clippers)
While they have long shared a space with the Lakers, the Clippers are now in the works of getting their own premium stadium with a much more modern feel. Known as the Inuit Dome, the facility hopes to reinvent the franchise and bring their fans an experience unlike any other.
The arena has a cool look paired with easy parking and a prime location. It also plans to offer a massive plaza, wide walkways, incredible visibility, and some of the best dining options in pro sports. It’s set to be completely carbon-free as well.
Fan Favorites
Everyone likes stadiums for different reasons, but Paycom Center earned its popularity due to a high fan experience and some of the most interesting food options in the NBA. There are many local choices, which makes the menu interesting and innovative compared to other arenas.
On top of that, the stadium has a sleek, modern design that makes it fun to navigate. It also has a unique shape that provides great views of the game no matter where someone sits, making all fans at every level feel like they got their money’s worth.
FedEx Forum (Memphis Grizzlies)
Another extremely popular stadium due to its local feel, FedEx Forum exudes Memphis. There are a range of exciting food options, a fun, relaxed feel, as well as one of the best atmospheres in the NBA. Every game is exciting thanks to the loud acoustics and raucous fans.
It also has a premium parking garage that makes getting in and out a breeze. It looks great, and is incredibly easy to navigate. There are a range of huge screens and a top-of-the-line sound system, both of which makes games that much more exciting for the home crowd.
Historic and Classic Venues
Perhaps the most famous NBA stadium, Crypto.com Arena (formally known as Staples Center) has hosted some of the most famous games and largest players in NBA history. That includes Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.
The long-time home of both the Lakers and Clippers, it’s iconic to two different fan bases. It also sits in downtown Los Angeles, placing it at the heart of one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the U.S. That’s another reason so many sports fans know its name.
TD Garden (Boston Celtics)
The Celtics are perhaps the only other NBA team that has as much basketball history as the Lakers. Their stadium reflects that. Sitting in the heart of Boston and equipped with plenty of modern improvements, the TD Garden has hosted more finals than any other arena.
In addition, the Celtics have been around since the NBA’s inception. That means decades upon decades of exciting playoff games and memorable contests. It also hosts one of the most iconic teams with one of the loudest fanbases in sports.
Factors Influencing Arena Rankings
There are many reasons fans prefer one stadium over another, but some factors are much more important and have a direct impact on public perception.
Fan Experience
Perhaps the most critical aspect of the top NBA arenas, as well as a key factor in ranking the best basketball venues, is how much fans enjoy them. People won’t show up if they don’t like the amenities. Comfortable seating, good visibility at different levels, and easy accessibility are all incredibly important for that reason.
A clean space with good food matters too. Nobody wants to sit in a dirty arena. They also want to have a delicious meal when watching the game. That can be standard fare like burgers and hot dogs, but local cuisine or interesting options go a long way too.
Atmosphere
Certain stadiums also get a good reputation if they have a strong atmosphere. Rocking arenas and extremely loud venues are desirable for many fans, as the noise adds to the experience and creates a much more memorable time at the game.
There are quite a few arenas that support such an electric atmosphere. The Chase Center helps the Warriors for their home games, as does Golden One in Sacramento. Classic venues like Madison Square Garden and Staples Center are known for their passion as well.
Location and Accessibility
Of course, a stadium only matters if fans are able to get to the game. The more accessible an arena is, the more popular it tends to be. That means ones built in downtown areas or places with a lot of traffic rather than on the outskirts of town.
The easier it is to get to a stadium, the more people will like it. Even if it is in a public place, it also helps if there is transportation in place like buses and shuttles to smooth transport. Easy parking, for both entering and exiting, works too.
Conclusion
There are many great NBA arenas, but the ones above stand out due to a mix of ease, visibility, good food, and strong amenities. When fans show up, they aren’t just going to see a game or cheer for their team, they’re going to be a part of an experience.
The new NBA stadiums are far beyond where they were in the past, but they still go through improvements each year. As technology advances, so will arenas. The fan experience of watching a game will always remain the same, but everything around it only gets better.
