Prudential Center

The Rock: Newark's Downtown Arena

Prudential Center is the indoor arena at 25 Lafayette Street in downtown Newark, New Jersey, opened on October 25, 2007. It is home to the New Jersey Devils (NHL), Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball and, since 2024, the New York Sirens of the Professional Women's Hockey League. It seats 16,514 for hockey, 18,711 for basketball and about 17,000 for concerts. The short answer on seats: the center sections of the lower bowl are the best views in the building, and the center sections of the 100 level, which hang at the front of the second tier, are the best value for hockey.

Fans know the building as "The Rock." Its biggest practical advantage is location: Newark Penn Station is two blocks away, so a trip from Manhattan or most of North Jersey does not require a car. The arena is owned by the Newark Housing Authority and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the same group that owns the Devils.

Prudential Center Seating Chart, Level by Level

The numbering trips up first-time buyers because the lower bowl uses single and double digits, not 100s. Seat-view databases and the venue's own A–Z guide agree on this layout:

• Lower bowl, sections 1–22: the main ring closest to the ice or court. Club seats run between sections 8 and 19, the sideline stretch with the best angles.
• Sections 23–30 and the Goal Bar: one end of the lower level is built out with bar and restaurant-style seating, including the Goal Bar, a short three-row section (rows A, B and C) with padded seats and its own bar.
• Suites: two tiers of luxury suites sit between the lower bowl and the second level, so the second level starts higher than it would in an older arena.
• 100 level, sections 101–134: a band of seats at the front of the second tier. These are short sections with a clear view from above the suites.
• 200 level, sections 208–233: the upper bowl, rising behind the 100 level.

Two orientation tips help when reading a listing. First, the Citizens Tower entrance at the northeast corner, the one most Newark Penn walkers use, sits near sections 20–22, 130–133 and 231–233. Second, seating guides report that seat 1 in a row is the seat nearest the next-higher section number, so an aisle seat on the high-number side of a section is seat 1.

Where to Sit for Devils Hockey, Seton Hall and Concerts

Devils hockey

The Devils shoot twice toward the end in front of sections 1 and 2, so fans who want to see the home team attack for two of three periods should look at that end. For watching the whole game, the sideline sections between roughly 8 and 19 are the premium views. The smarter buy is often the center 100 level: you sit above the suites, see plays develop end to end, and pay less than for lower-bowl center ice. In the lower bowl, row 13 and up gives a cleaner view than the first dozen rows, which look through the glass and lose the near corners.

Seton Hall basketball

Basketball adds courtside floor seating and raises capacity to 18,711. Lower-bowl sideline seats are the obvious first choice, and the corners are a good compromise because basketball sightlines are shorter than hockey's. For Big East games with lighter demand, the 100 level center sections are an easy upgrade over the upper 200s.

Concerts

Most tours use an end stage, which removes or screens off the sections behind it. Side sections in the lower bowl closest to the stage are the strongest seats, and the 100 level on the sides works well because the arena is compact. Floor tickets put you closest, but the floor is flat, so the view depends on who stands in front of you. Seating guides note that the Goal Bar sections can face the stage directly for end-stage shows and often cost less for concerts than for Devils games.

Seats to Think Twice About

• Rows 1–12 in the lower bowl for hockey. They feel close, but the glass and the boards interrupt the view, and the near corners of the rink disappear. Pay for row 13 and up if a full view matters more than proximity.
• Behind-the-stage sections at concerts. Buy them only when the listing clearly says side view or rear view and you accept that.
• Floor seats with small children. On a flat floor, a child sees mostly backs, and seating guides report that holding a child up to see is not allowed.
• The highest rows of the 200-level corners. They are the least expensive seats for a reason: the distance from the far goal is long. The center 200s are a better use of an upper-level budget.

Getting There: Newark Penn, Light Rail and Prudential Center Parking

Transit is the easy option. Newark Penn Station is two blocks from the arena and is served by NJ Transit rail, PATH trains from Manhattan and Jersey City, Amtrak and the Newark Light Rail. Newark Broad Street Station is linked to the arena by bus and light rail service. Walkers from Newark Penn usually enter through the Citizens Tower at the northeast corner.

Parking. The arena lists more than 3,500 parking spaces within two blocks. Its own facilities include:

• The Parking Deck presented by Hyundai at 15 Lafayette Street, connected to the arena by a skybridge.
• Green 3 and 4 at 30–42 Lafayette Street.
• Green Street Garage at 47–63 Green Street.
• Green 7 at 299 Mulberry Street.

As of fall 2026, the arena sells prepaid parking for each event through ParkMobile. Prepaying makes sense for Devils–Rangers games, Friday and Saturday concerts and any sellout, when the closest decks fill first. Rates and partner offers change, so check the venue's current parking page before you go.

Rideshare and driving. The arena publishes a dedicated rideshare page with pickup and drop-off guidance. Drivers from New York usually take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 15W and I-280, then Route 21 into downtown. Leaving a full house by car is slow; the train is usually faster.

Prudential Center Bag Policy and Entry Rules (as of 2026)

As of fall 2026, Prudential Center prohibits bags larger than 14 by 12 by 6 inches, backpacks of any kind, large duffel bags, coolers and hard-sided bags. Parenting bags and medically necessary bags may be larger but go through X-ray screening. An oversized-bag locker truck operates outside the arena for items that cannot come in. Policies change, so check the venue's current entry and bag policy before you go.

• Entrances: the main doors are the Citizens Tower (northeast), the M&M's Tower (southeast), the Lafayette Street entrance (south) and the skybridge from the Hyundai parking deck.
• Cashless: concessions, retail and the box office do not accept cash. Reverse ATM kiosks that convert cash to a card, without fees, are near sections 1, 14 and 125 and in the box office lobby.
• Re-entry: not allowed during events except for medical need with a supervisor's approval.
• Smoking: the building is smoke- and tobacco-free, including e-cigarettes, and the rule extends 25 feet from entrances.
• Children: children under 2 may enter without a ticket if they sit on a parent's lap. The arena has seven family restrooms and a nursing pod reached through Guest Services.

Accessible seating is sold through Ticketmaster, and every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee if you buy on the resale market instead.

A Short History of Prudential Center

Ground was broken on October 3, 2005, and the arena opened on October 25, 2007, with a Bon Jovi concert. The Devils played their first game there two days later after 25 seasons at the Meadowlands arena in East Rutherford. Construction cost about 375 million dollars. HOK Sport (now Populous) designed the building with Morris Adjmi Architects on the exterior.

The arena was a temporary home for the New Jersey Nets from 2010 to 2012, before the team moved to Brooklyn, and for the New York Liberty from 2011 to 2013. It hosted the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, when the Devils lost to the Los Angeles Kings, and it remains one of the region's busiest concert and college basketball venues. For current event schedules, see the official Prudential Center site.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Prudential Center
• Prudential Center – A–Z Guide
• Prudential Center – Entry and Bag Policy
• Prudential Center – Parking
• Prudential Center – Directions
• Prudential Center – Seating
• A View From My Seat – Prudential Center sections
• TickPick – New Jersey Devils seating chart
• RateYourSeats – Prudential Center seating
• Wikipedia – New Jersey Devils