Ball Arena
Denver, CO · Pro Basketball+Hockey
Founding membership for Nuggets & Avalanche fans. Free, verified, permanent.
- Member cap
- 19,520
- Cost to join
- Free
- Verification
- Email + Phone
- Status
- Open
— verified members.
Venue encyclopedia
Independent, no paid placements
What attending a pro basketball+hockey game at the Denver, CO venue is actually like: seating, arrival, weather, food, and the seats we'd point a friend toward (or away from).
- Opened
- 1999
- Capacity
- 19,520
- Roof
- Indoor / climate-controlled
- Orientation
- Indoor, climate-controlled multipurpose arena. It converts between a basketball court for the Nuggets (NBA) and a full ice sheet for the Avalanche (NHL), so the lower-bowl configuration and the nearest rows change with the sport. A three-tier bowl: lower bowl, a club/suite ring, and the upper bowl, with a center-hung video board over the floor.
Neighborhood
Just west of downtown Denver near the South Platte River, with large surface parking lots surrounding it and the Elitch Gardens amusement park next door. It sits on the edge of downtown rather than deep in a walkable bar district, so the pre-game scene leans on the lots and a short walk or ride into Lower Downtown for food. Formerly named the Pepsi Center, the arena is still widely known by that name.
What it feels like
A big, modern mile-high arena that swaps between two contending pro franchises, so the atmosphere flips between a loud Nuggets basketball crowd and a raucous, banner-proud Avalanche hockey crowd depending on the night. The setting is more surface-lot-and-highway than walkable neighborhood, so the day is built around the lots or a quick trip into LoDo. The bowl is steep and holds noise well, and the altitude is a real Denver signature even indoors.
Seating tiers
Lower bowl (100s)
Rows 1-20Closest to the floor or the ice, wrapping the full bowl. Premium pricing, most expensive at center court and center ice; the closest rows shift between basketball and hockey configurations.
Club / suite level (200s)
Mid-level ring with wider seats, indoor club access, and shorter concession lines.
Upper bowl (300s)
Rows 1-25Steep with clean sightlines to the whole floor or ice. The best value in the building; center sections up here beat the corners.
Sections we'd pick
- Lower bowl along the sideline (basketball) or along the blue lines (hockey) for a close, straight-in view below top-tier pricing
- Upper bowl center, behind a basket or behind the net, for the best price-to-sightline ratio in the arena
- Club level near center for wider seats, indoor access, and a solid mid-height view
Sections we'd skip
- Lower-bowl corners behind the basket or in the end zone, where the angle across the floor or ice flattens
- The last rows of the upper bowl in the corners, the farthest and highest seats in the building
Arrival
- Primary route
- I-25 runs right past the arena with dedicated exits, and Speer Boulevard and Auraria Parkway feed the lots from downtown Denver.
- Rail / transit
- RTD light rail serves the Pepsi Center/Elitch Gardens station steps from the arena, connecting to Union Station and the wider RTD system, including the A Line from Denver International Airport. Transit is a strong option from the airport and the suburbs.
- Rideshare
- Designated drop-off and pickup zones around the arena. After the game, walking toward the lot edges or a block into downtown for a pickup trims the surge and the exit crush.
- Parking
- 15,000 spots across 20 lots , median $20 . Prepay recommended.
- Walk to gates
- ~8 minutes (median)
- Notes
- Big surface lots ring the arena, which makes parking plentiful but the single-area exit slow after games. Pre-pay for the closest lots on marquee dates; the light rail is the easy alternative to the post-game lot backup.
Weather and timing
Roof
Indoor
Indoor and climate-controlled, comfortable regardless of Denver's swings between hot high-altitude afternoons and cold snowy nights. The mile-high altitude is the only outdoor factor visitors notice, mostly on the walk in from distant lots.
Food inside
Colorado and Southwest touches: green-chile-smothered options, bratwurst and sausages, loaded nachos, and a deep roster of Colorado craft beer led by the local breweries. The green-chile stands and the Colorado beer list are the local-flavor picks.
Food and pre-game outside
No dense bar row right at the gates; the closest full dining scene is Lower Downtown (LoDo) and Union Station, a short walk, light-rail hop, or ride northeast. Many fans eat in LoDo before heading to the lots.
Accessibility
ADA seating with companion seats on every level and accessible routes from all gates. Accessible parking in the surface lots near the entrances; the RTD light-rail station and platforms are accessible. Sensory resources are available through guest services.
Worth knowing before you go
- Take RTD light rail from Union Station to skip the slow post-game lot exit.
- The bowl reconfigures between Nuggets basketball and Avalanche hockey, so confirm your section's view for the specific event.
- Bag policy is limited; check the current policy on the team site before you go.
- Cashless throughout the venue.
What Nuggets & Avalanche fans get
- A permanent member number that reflects when you joined. The lower the number, the higher your standing — forever.
- Priority access to seat opportunities at Ball Arena. Seniority determines order. No luck involved.
- First look at every new perk, partner offer, and member event — founding members always hear before anyone else.
- Founding Member status. This tier closes when the roster fills at 19,520. It doesn't reopen.
Nuggets & Avalanche fans: your spot is waiting.
Free founding membership. Verified by email and phone. Your member number is permanent — the earlier you join, the higher your standing. One Pro Basketball+Hockey membership per fan.
Claim my founding spot →Free forever · Verified members only · One per sport