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The world's premier basketball league is filled with arenas of different sizes and shapes. A whole lot of arenas have hosted NBA games since the inception of the league in 1946.
While there are 30 teams in the league, the NBA is currently hosted in 29 full-time arenas. The two Los Angeles teams currently share the Crypto.com Arena, but a change will occur soon. The Clippers will move into a new arena in Inglewood in 2024.
In this article, we examine the five oldest arenas that are still actively hosting NBA games.
#1, Madison Square Garden
Often referred to as "MSG" or "The Garden," the famous New York City arena is the oldest currently hosting NBA games. Located in Midtown Manhattan, the arena opened in its current location in February 1968.
It has been the home of the New York Knicks ever since. MSG serves as a multi-purpose arena with the capacity to host many other events. For basketball games, the arena seats 19,812 spectators. The Garden is the only current NBA arena never to be named after a corporate sponsor.
#2, Target Center
The Target Center is located in Minneapolis and is home to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The arena opened in October 1990.
The multipurpose arena has the capacity to hold 18,789 spectators for basketball games. The Minneapolis-based Target Corporation has held the naming rights to the arena since its opening. The Target Center is currently operated by the Anschutz Entertainment Group.
#3, Vivint Arena
Located in Salt Lake City, Vivint Arena is home to the Utah Jazz. The arena has had a couple of names since its opening in October 1991. It has a capacity of 18,306 for basketball games.
A home security system provider based in Provo, Vivint, sealed a 10-year naming rights for the arena in 2015. However, a new deal signed in January 2023 will return naming rights to Delta Airlines. The arena was known as the Delta Center from its opening until 2006. The new deal will be effective from July 1, 2023.
#4, Footprint Center
Nicknamed "The Purple Palace," the Footprint Center is located in the capital city of the state of Arizona: Phoenix. The arena broke ground in August 1990 and was opened in June 1992 with a construction cost of $89 million.
The arena has a capacity of 17,071 for basketball games and is home to the Phoenix Suns. A Gilbert-based material science company, Footprint, secured the arena naming rights in July 2021. The multipurpose arena has gone through renovations twice, first in 2003 and later in 2020.
#5, United Center
The United Center is the largest arena in the United States by size. The arena covers 960,000 square feet on a 46-acre parcel. Located on the Near West Side of Chicago, the arena is home to the Chicago Bulls.
Opened in August 1994, the United Center seats 20,917 spectators for basketball games. The arena stands 140 feet tall with a construction cost of $175 million. United Airlines has held the naming rights to the arena since it opened. The airline's current deal with the arena runs until 2034.
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