Upcoming Sacramento Kings 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 Rochester to downtown Sacramento
The Sacramento Kings play home games at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento, and the NBA regular season there runs from October into April. The franchise traces its roots to 1923 and the Rochester Seagrams, which makes it the oldest team in the NBA. It has moved several times since: the Rochester Royals (1945–1957) won the 1951 NBA championship, the team then played as the Cincinnati Royals, became the Kansas City–Omaha Kings in 1972 and the Kansas City Kings in 1975, and arrived in Sacramento in 1985.
Sacramento is a one-team major league market, and the Kings carry the city's identity in a way few franchises do. That loyalty was tested in 2013, when a group sought to buy the team and move it to Seattle. A Sacramento-based group led by Vivek Ranadivé reached an agreement to buy the Kings that May, keeping the team in town and leading to construction of the downtown arena.
The Kings compete in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The deepest rivalry is with the Los Angeles Lakers, sharpened by the 2002 Western Conference Finals, and the Golden State Warriors are a natural Northern California opponent.
Choosing seats at Golden 1 Center
Golden 1 Center opened on September 30, 2016, and seats 17,608 for basketball, which is on the small side for an NBA arena. The design moved hundreds of seats into the lower bowl and closer to the court, so the building has two main public levels: the 100 level (the lower bowl) and the 200 level (the upper bowl), with suites and loft-style boxes between them and club areas for premium ticket holders.
- Courtside and the front of the 100 level. The closest view and the strongest demand. Floor seats feel immersive but give a flatter view of plays on the far side.
- 100-level sideline, middle rows. The best balance of view and atmosphere. You see the full floor with enough height to follow spacing and set plays.
- 100-level behind the baskets. Generally less expensive than sideline seats at the same distance. Great for watching the near end; low rows directly behind the hoop can have the basket stanchion in the way.
- 200-level sideline. Because the arena is compact, the lower rows of the upper bowl sit closer to the court than upper-level seats in many larger buildings. This is the value pick for a full-court view.
- 200-level corners and top rows. The least expensive seats. Fine for soaking up the crowd, but the top rows behind the baskets are the ones to skip if your budget allows a step down.
Aisle seats are worth a small premium in a sold-out building, since you can step out for concessions without waiting for a stoppage in play.
When the Kings play and which games sell first
The NBA schedule follows a fixed shape: preseason games in early October, an 82-game regular season from late October to mid-April, and the playoffs from late April into June. Sacramento hosts 41 regular-season home games.
A few patterns drive demand at Golden 1 Center:
- California opponents. The Lakers, Warriors and Clippers bring traveling fans, and those dates tend to have the fewest listings.
- National stars. Visits from teams built around headline players draw casual buyers.
- Weekends and holidays. Friday and Saturday games and holiday-week dates fill faster than early-week games.
- The playoff race. When the team is in contention late in the season, demand rises across the board, and home playoff games are the scarcest tickets of the year.
Because the arena holds fewer seats than most NBA buildings, high-demand games tighten quickly. For the widest selection, look at midweek games against Eastern Conference opponents, where resale prices often ease in the final days before tip-off.
Getting downtown and through the doors
Golden 1 Center sits in the Downtown Commons district, partly on the site of the former Downtown Plaza mall, at 500 David J. Stern Walk. Several SacRT light rail stations are within a block of the arena, including the station at 8th and K streets, and Amtrak trains stop at the Sacramento Valley Station a short walk away. More than 13,500 parking spaces sit within half a mile, and the arena points drivers to prepaid passes for city garages through the City of Sacramento's SacPark site. A free bike valet run by the Sacramento Area Bike Association has operated near the arena on major event nights.
As of fall 2026, the arena's FAQ limits bags to small clutches (it lists a maximum of about 8 by 6 by 1 inches), does not allow backpacks, and is fully cashless. Doors for Kings games open 90 minutes before tip-off, and re-entry is not allowed. Check the Golden 1 Center FAQ for the current policy before you go, and check SacRT for weekend light rail construction schedules.
A loud building and the purple beam
Kings crowds have a reputation for volume. On November 15, 2013, fans at the team's former arena set a Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at an indoor sports stadium, measured at 126 decibels.
The newer tradition is the beam. During the 2022–23 season, the team began lighting a large purple beam into the night sky above the arena after home wins, and fans adopted the phrase Light the Beam as a rallying cry. Even from the plaza outside, the beam tells you how the night went.
Pregame happens downtown rather than in parking lots. The Downtown Commons plaza and the K Street corridor around the arena have restaurants and bars within a few minutes' walk, and Old Sacramento is close enough for dinner before the game. For road games, Kings fans most often travel to the Bay Area for Warriors games at Chase Center or south to Los Angeles.
Notable moments in franchise history
The Sacramento years have produced a handful of defining chapters:
- The early 2000s. The Kings reached the playoffs every season from 1999 through 2006. The 2001–02 team finished with the league's best record at 61–21 and won 36 of 41 home games.
- The 2002 Western Conference Finals. Sacramento lost to the Lakers in seven games, a series still debated for the officiating in Game 6.
- The long drought and its end. After 16 straight seasons without a playoff berth, the longest active drought in the four major North American leagues at the time, the Kings clinched a postseason spot on March 29, 2023, with a win at Portland.
- A record shootout. During the 2022–23 season, the Kings beat the Clippers 176–175 in double overtime, the second-highest scoring game in NBA history.
The franchise has retired 11 numbers. Hall of Famers associated with the team include Oscar Robertson, from the Cincinnati years, and Chris Webber, Vlade Divac and Mitch Richmond from the Sacramento era.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Sacramento Kings play?
The Kings play at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento. The arena opened in 2016 and seats 17,608 for basketball.
Have the Sacramento Kings ever won a championship?
The franchise won the 1951 NBA championship as the Rochester Royals, before it moved to Cincinnati, Kansas City and finally Sacramento in 1985. It has not won a title in Sacramento.
What does Light the Beam mean?
Since the 2022-23 season, the Kings have shone a purple beam into the sky above Golden 1 Center after home wins. Fans adopted Light the Beam as a team rallying cry.
Can I take light rail to a Kings game?
Yes. Several SacRT light rail stations are within a block of Golden 1 Center, including the 8th and K station. Check SacRT for weekend construction schedules before you go.
What is the bag policy at Golden 1 Center?
As of fall 2026, the arena allowed only small bags, listed at about 8 by 6 by 1 inches, and did not allow backpacks. Check the arena FAQ for the current rule before your game.