Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, and the NBA league is watched by fans worldwide, not only from the US. Every team in the NBA has its home arena with different sizes and capacities.
Some arenas can accommodate larger crowds, and others smaller ones. So, let’s see the largest NBA Arenas according to their capacities.
The Largest NBA Arenas Ranked by Capacity
United Center
With the Palace of Auburn Hills closing in 2017, Chicago’s United Center became the largest capacity NBA arena. United Center has 20,917 seats and is home to the Chicago Bulls.
The United Center was born from the partnership between the Chicago Blackhawks owner William Wirtz and the majority owner and Team Chairman of the Chicago Bulls, Jerry Reinsdorf.
Moreover, the construction of the United Center began in April 1992 and was officially opened on August 18, 1994.
Additional information
| Location | 1901 West Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60612 |
| Capacity | 20,917 |
| Team | Chicago Bulls |
| Contact Info | +1 312-455-4500 |
| Website | http://www.unitedcenter.com/ |
Wells Fargo Center
Second on our list for capacity is the Wells Fargo Center. This NBA arena seats 20,478. The Wells Fargo Center was initially called Spectrum II as it was built to replace the Spectrum as the home arena for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Wells Fargo Center construction began on September 14, 1994, and was opened to the public on August 13, 1996. Ellerbe Becket designed it, and its construction cost $210 million. Today the Arena regularly hosts matches, concerts, and WWE events.
Additional information
| Location | 3601 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19148 |
| Capacity | 20,478 |
| Team | 76ers |
| Contact Info | +1 215-336-3600 |
| Website | https://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/ |
Capital One Arena
The Capital One Arena is home to the Washington Wizards, with a seating capacity of 20,356. The Arena opened its doors on December 2, 1997, and its redevelopment cost $9,2 billion. On average, Capital One Arena has been hosting 220 events every year since its opening.
The Arena is privately financed and, since 1997, has been the host to 47 million people and over 4,500 events. Many world-famous artists have toured the Arena, including U2, Madonna, Drake, Bon Jovi, Prince, Beyonce, Tina Turner, Elton John, Sting, etc.
Additional information
| Location | 601 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004 |
| Capacity | 20,356 |
| Team | Wizards |
| Contact Info | +1 202-628-3200 |
| Website | http://www.capitalonearena.com/ |
Little Caesars Arena
The Detroit Pistons’ home arena, Little Caesars Arena, has a seating capacity of 20,332 people and is next on our list. The Arena is one of the newer ones and was first opened on September 5, 2017. The construction of Little Caesars Arena cost $862.9 million to replace Joe Louis Arena and The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Inside, the Arena has a unique deconstructed look and is eight-story high. Besides being home to many sports games, the arena hosts concerts, events, and even Disney on Ice.
Additional information
| Location | 2645 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 |
| Capacity | 20,332 |
| Team | Pistons |
| Contact Info | +1 313-471-7000 |
| Website | https://www.313presents.com/venues-events/little-caesars-arena |
Madison Square Garden
The “world’s most famous arena,” Madison Square Garden first opened its doors in 1879 and has since been a cultural staple of New York City.
Madison Square Garden is the home arena of the NBA New York Nicks, with a seating capacity of 19,812. The Arena was named the “Coolest Arena” in the US by Rolling Stone and “Venue of the Decade” by Billboard.
The Arena has hosted some of the biggest musical acts in history, including Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, The Who, Billy Joel, etc.
Additional information
| Location | 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001 |
| Capacity | 19,812 |
| Team | Knicks |
| Contact Info | +1 212-465-6741 |
| Website | https://www.msg.com/madison-square-garden |
Scotiabank Arena
Originally Air Canada Centre, the Arena was first opened on February 20, 1999, and then on July 1, 2018, was renamed Scotiabank Arena. The Arena is the home to the NBA Toronto Raptors. Scotiabank Arena is owned and operated by MLSE, with a capacity of 19,800 seats.
Besides being the home arena for the Raptors, Scotiabank Arena has also been the host of many musical and entertainment acts during its existence, such as Bon Jovi, Madonna, U2, Russel Peters, etc.
Additional information
| Location | 40 Bay St., Toronto, ON M5J 2X2, Canada |
| Capacity | 19,800 |
| Team | Raptors |
| Contact Info | +1 416-815-5500 |
| Website | https://www.scotiabankarena.com/ |
FTX Arena
The FTX Arena, formerly known as American Airlines Arena, is the home arena for the NBA Miami Heat. The Arena was constructed in 1998 to replace the Miami Arena. Arquitectonica and 360 Architecture designed it.
FTX Arena has a seating capacity for basketball for 19,600 people. Also, Florida’s largest theater, the Waterfront Theater, is housed within the Arena. The theater is used for concerts, events, musical theater, and other stage shows.
In March 2021, the FTX cryptocurrency exchange acquired the naming rights to the Arena for $135 million.
Additional information
| Location | 601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132 |
| Capacity | 19,600 |
| Team | Miami Heat |
| Contact Info | +1 786-777-1000 |
| Website | https://www.ftxarena.com/ |
Ball Arena
The Ball Arena, or as it was previously known, the Pepsi Center, is a privately owned and operated home arena to the Denver Nuggets. The construction on the Arena began on November 20, 1997, and it opened its doors with a sold-out Celine Dion concert on October 1, 1999.
The Ball Arena occupies a 4.6-acre footprint in Denver’s Central Platte Valley with a seating capacity of 19,520 for basketball. The Arena is a rare sports venue with a separate practice facility for its team inside the building.
Additional information
| Location | 1000 Chopper Cir, Denver, CO 80204 |
| Capacity | 19,520 |
| Team | Denver Nuggets |
| Contact Info | +1 303-405-1100 |
| Website | https://www.ballarena.com/ |
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
The multi-purpose arena Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is the home to the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers. The Arena opened its doors to the public in October 1994 as part of the Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex.
The Arena’s first name from 1994 to 2005 was Gund Arena, after the Cavaliers’ former owner Gordon Gund. From 2005 to 2019, the Arena was known as Quicken Loans Arena, and in 2019 it was renamed Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Arena has a seating capacity of 19,432
Additional information
| Location | 1 Center Court, Cleveland, OH 44115 |
| Capacity | 19,432 |
| Team | Cavaliers |
| Contact Info | +1 216-420-2000 |
| Website | http://www.rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com/ |
Moda Center
The Moda Center is the last on our list as one of the largest NBA arenas, with a capacity of 19,393. The Moda Center is the home arena of the Portland Trail Blazers. Moda Center is a $267 million multi-purpose arena that was opened in the fall of 1995.
The Arena was first known as Rose Garden and later renamed the Moda Center. Besides basketball matches, the Arena hosts concerts, family shows, and other sporting events.
Additional information
| Location | 1 N Center Ct St, Portland, OR 97227 |
| Capacity | 19,393 |
| Team | Trail Blazers |
| Contact Info | +1 503-235-8771 |
| Website | http://www.rosequarter.com/ |
Conclusion
In conclusion, according to their capacities, these 10 are the largest NBA Arenas. The first four arenas on our list can accommodate crowds of over 20,000, while the rest all have capacities of over 19,000.
James is a big time NBA Golden State follower, who makes sure to catch games when he's in the area. He likes to follow International Soccer, with an interest in small town soccer club, Blackburn Rovers located in the North on the UK.