Upcoming New Orleans Pelicans 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.
From the Hornets to the Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans play their home games at Smoothie King Center, next to the Caesars Superdome in the Central Business District, with a regular season that runs from late October to mid-April. They compete in the Southwest Division of the NBA's Western Conference with the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs.
The franchise arrived in 2002, when owner George Shinn moved the Charlotte Hornets to New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina displaced the team in 2005, and it played most home games for two seasons in Oklahoma City as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets before returning full time for 2007–08. Tom Benson, owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints, bought the club in 2012 and renamed it the Pelicans, after Louisiana's state bird, in 2013. When Charlotte reclaimed the Hornets name in 2014, the league reassigned the earlier Charlotte history, so the Pelicans' official record begins in 2002. Gayle Benson has owned both the Pelicans and the Saints since 2018.
The draft has supplied the franchise's defining players: Chris Paul in 2005, Anthony Davis first overall in 2012 and Zion Williamson first overall in 2019. Check the team's site for the current roster before you buy.
Smoothie King Center: a compact bowl beside the Dome
The arena opened on October 29, 1999, as the New Orleans Arena and took its current name in 2014. It seats 16,867 for Pelicans games, among the smallest capacities in the NBA, and expands to about 18,500 for college basketball and some playoff setups. A 2013 renovation upgraded the suites, club seating, concessions and video boards, and a 2014 project reworked the entrances and exterior. The building has hosted three NBA All-Star Games, in 2008, 2014 and 2017.
The seating has two main levels, with a suite ring rather than a middle seating deck between them:
- The lower level (sections 101 to 124), which wraps the court. The bench sideline runs through sections 111 to 114, and the opposite sideline runs through sections 123, 124, 101 and 102.
- The upper level (sections 301 to 332), above the suites, with the center-court sections at roughly 314 to 318 on one side and 330 to 332 and 301 to 302 on the other.
- Premium seating, sold as Sideline Premier and Club seats, with access to a club lounge and in-seat service.
Seating guides put the Pelicans bench in front of sections 111 and 112 and the visitors' bench in front of sections 113 and 114. Confirm on the seat map for your game.
Choosing seats for a Pelicans game
Lower-level sidelines
Rows 1 through 25 along either sideline are the premium seats in the building. Behind the benches, sections 111 to 114, you watch timeouts and substitutions up close; across the floor, sections 123, 124, 101 and 102 give a clean view of both benches and the full court. Rows 5 to 15 are the practical sweet spot: high enough to clear the scorer's table, low enough to feel the speed of the game.
Corners and baselines
The corner sections of the lower level are a fair compromise on price and angle. The low rows directly behind the baskets are the weakest lower-level seats, because the stanchion and glass sit in your line of sight and the far end flattens out.
The 300 level
Because the arena is small, the upper level sits closer to the floor than the upper decks of larger NBA buildings. The front rows of the center-court 300s, sections 314 to 318 and 330 to 332 or 301 to 302, are the best value in the arena. Skip the top rows of the end sections if you care about reading plays at the far basket.
Schedule shape and the dates that sell
The NBA year runs in a predictable arc. Preseason games are played in early October, the 82-game regular season (41 home games) runs from late October to mid-April, the play-in tournament follows, and the playoffs run into June. NBA Cup group games in November and December count in the standings.
- Star visitors. In a smaller market, the opponent drives demand more than almost anything else. Games against teams with the league's most famous players sell first and carry the highest resale prices.
- Texas rivals. The Rockets, Mavericks and Spurs are division opponents within driving distance, and their fans make the trip.
- City event weeks. New Orleans fills hotels for Mardi Gras, the Sugar Bowl, festival season and conventions. Ticket demand may not spike for those games, but hotel rates and parking near the arena can.
- Weekends and the playoffs. Friday and Saturday nights outsell weeknights, and any postseason game moves quickly.
A weeknight game against an Eastern Conference team in January or February is usually the easiest and least expensive ticket on the schedule. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Parking, streetcar and arena policies
Smoothie King Center shares its parking with the Superdome: seven garages (Garages 1, 1A, 2, 2A, 5 and 6, plus the Champions Garage) and two surface lots, Lots 3 and 4, for about 7,000 vehicles. Garages accept cards only and do not allow re-entry. Event parking can be bought in advance. The rideshare zone is on Poydras Street between Clara Street and Loyola Avenue, and the Loyola Avenue streetcar line stops at Poydras near the Superdome, linking the arena to Union Passenger Terminal and the Canal Street line toward the French Quarter. Many downtown hotels are within walking distance.
When the Saints or a major Superdome event shares the date, garages fill early, so check the Superdome calendar before driving.
As of fall 2026, the venue's posted rules include the following. Check the Smoothie King Center A–Z guide before you go, because these policies change.
- Bags: no larger than 14 by 14 by 6 inches, though limits can vary by event.
- Payments: parking, food and retail are cashless, with cash-to-card machines near sections 108 and 310.
- Re-entry: none; leaving ends your visit.
- Smoking: not allowed anywhere in the building, including e-cigarettes and vaping devices.
Katrina, two playoff breakthroughs and a retired 7
The arena itself became part of the city's recovery: it reopened about a month after Katrina to support relief work, and Hornets games returned in March 2006. The team's best regular season came two years later, when the 2007–08 Hornets went 56–26, won the franchise's only division title and reached the Western Conference semifinals. The second playoff series win in franchise history came in 2018, a four-game sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers before a loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The only number the team has retired is 7, for Pete Maravich, who starred for the New Orleans Jazz from 1974 to 1979 and won the 1976–77 scoring title at 31.1 points per game. Pierre the Pelican, named in a fan vote, has been the mascot since 2013. The Pelicans' official site carries the current schedule and team news.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the New Orleans Pelicans play?
The Pelicans play at Smoothie King Center, next to the Caesars Superdome in downtown New Orleans. The arena opened in 1999 and seats 16,867 for basketball.
Why are they called the Pelicans?
Tom Benson renamed the team in 2013 after the brown pelican, Louisiana's state bird. The franchise had played as the New Orleans Hornets since moving from Charlotte in 2002.
Where is the Pelicans bench at Smoothie King Center?
Seating guides place the home bench in front of sections 111 and 112 and the visitors' bench in front of sections 113 and 114. Check the seat map for your game, since layouts can change.
Where should I park for a Pelicans game?
The Superdome complex has seven garages and two surface lots with about 7,000 spaces, and parking is cashless. Garages fill faster when the Superdome hosts an event the same day.
Are upper-level seats worth it at Smoothie King Center?
Yes, at center court. The arena is small, so the front rows of sections 314 to 318 and 330 to 332 sit relatively close to the floor and are the best value in the building.