I always get asked about my favorite NBA city to travel to or my favorite arena, favorite restaurant, hotel, etc.
Here are my thoughts on my five favorite arenas to attend, in no order.Â
I just wrapped up my 10th year on the road with the Thunder, so I have plenty of experiences, good and bad, with ALL of them.
Madison Square Garden – New York City
Image Provided By: Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee
-Opened in 1968
-Seats 19,500
If you’re an NBA fan, attending a game at MSG should be on your bucket list. The Garden to me feels like a history museum, while also being home to the Knicks and the NY Rangers. When you walk into the media entrance, you ride up the elevator to reach the floor level and higher, that is unique.
Along the main concourse are pictures of events that have taken place at the World’s Most Famous Arena. The Frazier-Ali fight, home to three Democratic National Conventions and one Republican National Convention, countless concerts from Billy Joel, the list is endless. I remember an usher told me a few years back, they have one to two events at MSG pretty much every day.
Out of all the arenas, MSG is the one I try to stay and look around the longest, soak it all in, although they suggest that you leave the arena about two hours after the game.
Golden 1 Center – Sacramento
Image Provided By: Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee
-Opened in 2016
-Seats 17,608
Well done is the best way to describe the semi-new arena in downtown Sacramento. The arena feels like the pulse of the downtown with shops, restaurants and bars built around it.
Inside, they have neon signs of old businesses that are from the Sacramento area. On the plaza level, the signs are historic artifacts.
The video board is one of the biggest in the NBA and the accessibility as a media member is easy to maneuver around inside the arena. The sound system is one of the best; they love to crank up the bass at times, rattle the seats on occasion.
My favorite part of the arena is the glass wall, with big hangar doors that can be opened while the game is being played. I didn’t know this was even possible until I sat close to them during the pandemic season, when the media were sitting in different locations than usual.
Best cookies in the NBA? That would be the Golden 1 Center.
Kia Center – Orlando
Image Provided By: Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee
-Opened in 2010
-Seats 18,846
Highly doubtful this arena would be in my top five, if not for the shortened COVID-19 season in 2021. During the 2020-21 season, the media were sitting in higher-up spots in the arenas due to the restrictions and precautions.
My media seat for that game against the Thunder in the early 2021 season was in a suite halfway up from the floor. A different entry point gave me a new appreciation of the old Amway Center. I could see why they hosted an All-Star game there, very clean and up to date, it looked brand new.
The Kia Center also sits in the top five in media seats. We sit about four rows back off the baseline; they could easily sell those seats for several hundred a pop if they wanted to, so big-time respect to the Magic for giving the media an up-close look. Will it last? Hope so.
Capital One Arena – Washington, D.C.
Image Provided By: Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee
-Opened in 1997
-Seats 20,356
You may be stunned to see this downtown arena in my top five, but I like the place. The location in D.C. is perfect, with plenty of hotels within walking distance, which is key with my mini-news room I take with me everywhere I go.
The arena is big and spacious and, at least from my perspective, not outdated. Sure, they could use a bigger media room, but no arena is perfect.
The Media seating for the Thunder travel party is right above the Thunder tunnel and bench, which is another reason I give the Arena top-five status.
Little Caesars Arena – Detroit
-Opened in 2017
-Seats 20,062
 
Image Provided By: Thunder Reporter Steve McGehee
I was a fan of the Pistons’ old location at Auburn Hills, but the drive to get there from the airport wasn’t ideal. It made sense to move the team downtown to the Little Caesars Arena, joining up with the Tigers and Lions.
The rebirth of downtown Detroit is cool to watch over the last few years, making this arena one of my top five favorites.
When you walk inside, spacious comes to mind; they have bars/restaurants along the inside walls, which is unique compared to the rest of the arenas.
Best Media food in the NBA, they have a sign outside the media cafeteria that says so, I would say top three for sure.
Other Arenas that just missed the cut:
American Airlines Center – Dallas
Chase Center – San Francisco
Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee