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    Home games at Ball Arena · 19,520 seats · season runs Oct–Apr

    A former ABA franchise that won its first NBA title in 2023 plays at Ball Arena near downtown Denver. Here is how to pick seats and plan the trip.

    By the Good Seats editorial teamUpdated How we research
    Ball Arena in Denver, CO
    Photo: Troutfarm27, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Upcoming Denver Nuggets dates

    Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.

    The Nuggets, from the ABA to an NBA title

    The Denver Nuggets play home games at Ball Arena, just west of downtown Denver, with a regular season that runs from late October to mid-April. The franchise began in 1967 as the Denver Rockets of the American Basketball Association, took the Nuggets name in 1974 and joined the NBA in 1976. It plays in the Western Conference's Northwest Division.

    For most of its NBA history Denver was a good team without a title. That changed in 2023, when the Nuggets beat the Miami Heat four games to one in their first NBA Finals appearance. They became the second former ABA team to win an NBA championship, after the San Antonio Spurs. Nikola Jokić, a second-round pick at No. 41, has won three MVP awards, the lowest-drafted player ever to win the award.

    The Hall of Fame roll is long: Dan Issel, David Thompson, Alex English, Dikembe Mutombo, Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony all played in Denver. Seven numbers are retired, including the unusual 432, which honors coach Doug Moe's win total.

    Ball Arena for basketball

    Ball Arena opened on October 1, 1999, as the Pepsi Center and took its current name in October 2020. It sits at 1000 Chopper Circle and seats 19,520 for basketball. The Nuggets share it with the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and the Colorado Mammoth lacrosse team, all owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Before 1999 the Nuggets played at McNichols Sports Arena.

    The bowl has three tiers:

    • 100 level: the lower bowl around the court.
    • 200 level: a thin club ring, mostly four rows per section, with access to the club concourse. Club Lexus is the arena's all-inclusive premium club.
    • 300 level: the upper level, where odd-numbered sections sit at the front of the deck and even-numbered sections rise behind them.

    That odd-even pattern is the most useful thing to know when comparing upper-level listings: section 335 and section 336 can look side by side on a map, yet one is near the rail and the other is well up the deck.

    The best seats for a Nuggets game

    Lower-bowl sidelines

    RateYourSeats places the benches in front of sections 102 and 148, which makes the sidelines around them the busiest part of the lower bowl. For watching the game, rows 10 and up along the sideline clear the courtside row and the bench players while keeping you close. Courtside seats are the premium tier; seats right behind the bench can have standing players in your sightline.

    Corners and baselines

    Lower-bowl corners give a full-court view at less than center-court prices. Baseline seats are best for watching one end; the far basket is hard to read and the stanchion can block the lowest rows directly behind the hoop.

    The 200-level club

    Because the club sections are only about four rows deep, every seat is close to the front. They offer a clean sideline view from a modest height without the courtside premium, which makes them a strong choice for a special-occasion game.

    The 300 level

    In the upper level, choose odd-numbered sideline sections for the lowest, closest seats. Even-numbered sections behind the baskets are the farthest from the floor. Denver sits at about 5,280 feet, which visiting fans may notice on the climb to the top rows.

    Season calendar and the games in highest demand

    The NBA preseason runs in early October. The regular season is 82 games, 41 at home, from late October to mid-April, and NBA Cup group games, part of the in-season tournament launched in 2023–24, land mostly on Tuesday and Friday nights in November and count in the standings. The play-in tournament is in mid-April, and the playoffs continue into June.

    At Ball Arena, demand rises for:

    • Western contenders and recent playoff opponents: matchups with teams Denver has met in recent postseasons draw a charged crowd.
    • Marquee visitors: games featuring the league's biggest stars, which tend to bring large numbers of visiting fans.
    • Weekend and holiday dates: Friday and Saturday games and the late-December stretch.
    • Playoff games: home playoff tickets move fast, and resale prices change with each result.

    Weeknight games against Eastern Conference teams from January into early March usually leave the most seats to choose from.

    Light rail, parking and arena rules

    Ball Arena has its own light rail stop. The Ball Arena/Elitch Gardens station is served by RTD's D, E, H and W lines, and an RTD bus stop sits at 9th Street and Auraria Parkway. Parking lots around the arena carry Toyota model names (Camry, Corolla, 4Runner, Tacoma, Tundra, RAV4 and TRD-Pro), and the arena says lots open three hours before events. The rideshare lot is in the 4Runner West lot at 5th and Walnut. Tailgating is permitted in the lots but not encouraged.

    As of the venue's published policies:

    • Bags: general bags are not allowed. Diaper and medical bags up to 14 by 14 by 6 inches are admitted after inspection at designated doors, and paid lockers are in the Grand Atrium.
    • Tickets and parking: all tickets and parking passes are digital.
    • Children: anyone age 3 and up needs a ticket for Nuggets games.
    • Entry: doors generally open one hour before the event, and there is no re-entry.

    Check the Ball Arena bag policy before you go, since rules can change. GoodSeats orders include free shipping and guaranteed entry.

    Milestones in Nuggets history

    The franchise's road to 2023 was long:

    • 1967 to 1976: the ABA years, first as the Rockets and then as the Nuggets, at the Denver Auditorium Arena and, from 1975, McNichols Sports Arena.
    • 1976: entry to the NBA with three other ABA franchises.
    • The 1980s: high-scoring teams led by Alex English, under coach Doug Moe.
    • 1999: the move to the Pepsi Center, now Ball Arena.
    • The 2000s: the Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson era, with regular playoff trips.
    • 2023: the first NBA championship, clinched at home against Miami.

    The 2023 run also brought the NBA Finals to Ball Arena for the first time, and Finals games there sell at a level the regular season never reaches.

    Frequently asked questions

    Where do the Denver Nuggets play?

    The Nuggets play at Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle in Denver. The arena opened in 1999 as the Pepsi Center and was renamed in 2020.

    How many seats does Ball Arena have for Nuggets games?

    Ball Arena seats 19,520 for basketball.

    What does odd and even mean in the Ball Arena 300 level?

    In the upper level, odd-numbered sections sit at the front of the deck and even-numbered sections are higher up behind them, so an odd number usually means a closer seat.

    Can you bring a bag to a Nuggets game?

    As of the arena's published policy, general bags are not allowed; diaper and medical bags up to 14 by 14 by 6 inches are permitted after inspection. Check the current policy before you go.

    How do you get to Ball Arena on light rail?

    Take RTD's D, E, H or W line to the Ball Arena/Elitch Gardens station, which is next to the arena.

    Have the Nuggets won an NBA championship?

    Yes. The Nuggets won their first NBA title in 2023, beating the Miami Heat four games to one.

    Sources