State Farm Arena Game Day Guide
Atlanta Hawks · Atlanta, GA
Know Before You Go
Essential details checked against official venue information.
- Bag policy
Bags must be no larger than 14 x 14 x 6 inches and are screened; single-compartment drawstring bags and qualifying purses or fashion backpacks are allowed, while standard backpacks and hard-sided bags are prohibited.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Bag rules can change by game. The general arena policy exempts screened medical and child-care bags from the size limit, but a current Hawks event listing includes oversized diaper bags among prohibited bags, so confirm the listing for your game or call 404-878-3000.
- Bag storage
A fee-based bag valet for noncompliant bags is outside Gate 2 on Centennial Olympic Park Drive, and items must be collected the same day.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- The policy page inconsistently says the valet opens either 90 minutes or two hours before the event; both versions say it remains open until one hour after the event ends.
- Gate opening
Hawks game gates open 60 minutes before tipoff; Hawks Members may enter 75 minutes before tipoff.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Gate 6 is not used for Hawks games. Gate 7 provides a CLEAR lane for guests using the CLEAR app.
- Mobile tickets
Hawks tickets are mobile-only and must be opened in the Hawks + State Farm Arena app, the Ticketmaster app, or a phone's digital wallet.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- The entry barcode cannot be scanned from a mobile browser, although the browser can be used to add a ticket to the digital wallet before arrival.
- Re-entry
State Farm Arena does not permit re-entry after a guest exits.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Prohibited items
Prohibited items include weapons, aerosols, oversized or hard-sided bags, standard backpacks, outside food or drinks, reusable bottles, noisemakers, illegal drugs, lighters, vapes, fireworks, projectiles, lasers, optical-illusion items, detachable-lens cameras, tripods, and selfie sticks.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Tablets are allowed at Hawks games, but laptops require advance approval. Management may reject other items, and event-specific rules can differ.
- First aid
First Aid is inside Gate 1 across from Section 121 and on the 200 Level across from Section 221.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- For medical help, notify the closest staff member or text 404-878-3030 with the request.
- Nursing and lactation
The Mother's Room/Nursing Room is inside Gate 1 next to the main Guest Service Center.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Parents may bring plastic bottles of formula or milk into the arena.
- Family restrooms
Family restrooms are on the 100 and 200 concourses, and each has a baby-changing station.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Baby-changing stations are also available in some other public restrooms.
- Tickets for children
A child younger than 2 may enter without a ticket when seated on a parent or guardian's lap; every guest age 2 or older needs a ticket.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Guest services
Guest Services is inside Gate 1, inside Gate 5, and across from Section 211 on the 200 Level.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- The centers provide accessibility escorts and devices, directions, lost-and-found help, and a meeting point for separated guests. Call 404-878-3000 before the event.
- Service animals
Leashed service animals are welcome at State Farm Arena.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Call Guest Services at 404-878-3000 before the game if assistance is needed; the public page does not list a relief area.
- Smoking and vaping
Smoking, vaping, e-cigarettes, and vaporizers are prohibited everywhere on State Farm Arena property, with no designated smoking area.
Applies to: Atlanta Hawks games
- Guests who leave to smoke cannot re-enter.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at State Farm Arena, hour by hour.
Arrive in downtown Atlanta
Park at the Red or Blue decks, or take MARTA to the arena station. Explore Centennial Olympic Park and the surrounding restaurants.
Pregame dining
Grab dinner at CNN Center food court, Stats Brewpub, or one of the Marietta Street restaurants. Southern comfort food is the move.
Doors open
Enter the arena and explore the renovated concourse. Check out the Hawks team store and the Topgolf Lounge on the upper level.
Find your seat
The intimate 16,600-seat layout means every seat feels close. Settle in for player introductions and the Hawks hype video.
Game time
Hawks games have a nightclub atmosphere, DJ-driven energy, LED light shows, and one of the loudest arenas in the Southeast. Total game time is about 2-2.5 hours.
Halftime break
Hit the concourse for smoked wings or BBQ nachos. The arena's food variety is among the best in the NBA after the renovation.
Post-game scene
Walk to Marietta Street or Luckie Street for bars and late-night dining. Atlanta's nightlife keeps going well past midnight.
Tips & Fan Reports
The Topgolf Lounge on the upper level is a unique Hawks-only experience, worth checking out even if you have lower-level seats.
The arena completed a $200M renovation in 2020 with a new 'Sky Bridge' social deck with views of downtown.
CNN Center food court (attached to the arena) has affordable pregame options and ample seating.
State Farm Arena sits next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Falcons) - same parking lots, same MARTA station.
Halftime food lines are long. Buy during the first or third quarter at the less crowded stands.
MARTA's Dome/GWCC station is literally next to the arena. It's the easiest commute in the NBA.
Weather
State Farm Arena is indoor, so these are the conditions for the parking lot and the walk in, not the seats.
Across the NBA season the warmest month is October, with an average high of 75°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 34°F. March is the wettest month at 4.5 inches and October the driest at 3.6 inches.
That January low ranks 18th coldest of the 30 NBA venues, and March here ranks 8th wettest.
October
3.6 inchesDecember
4.2 inchesJanuary
4.3 inchesMarch
4.5 inchesApril
3.6 inchesAtlanta Hawks Clear Bag Policy
Most venues require a clear bag. Get an approved one before you travel.
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How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Game day timeline
Gate opening time checked against the venue's own gate-opening policy: Hawks game gates open 60 minutes before tipoff; Hawks Members may enter 75 minutes before tipoff.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
Current State Farm Arena policies, accessibility, transportation, and prohibited-items pages plus official Atlanta Hawks mobile-ticket guidance and a current Hawks event listing reviewed for game-day policies.