Denver Nuggets
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
- Capacity
- 19,520
- Roof
- Indoor
- Surface
- Hardwood (Maple)
- Opened
- 1999
- Tickets
- $25+
- Parking
- $35+
- Beer
- $12+
- Food
- $7+
- Est. total
- $79+
Against the other 29 NBA arenas, Ball Arena is the 20th cheapest game day: 20th for tickets, joint 25th for parking and joint 18th for food and drink, compared on market ticket medians and published lot and menu prices in US dollars. See the full ranking.
Prices are estimates. See our methodology.
What to Expect
Ball Arena sits just west of downtown Denver, near the Auraria campus and the Platte River. The arena offers sweeping mountain views from the parking lots on clear days. Denver's Nuggets games have surged in popularity since the 2023 championship, the fanbase is passionate and growing. The pregame scene centers on the LoDo (Lower Downtown) bars and restaurants a short walk or rail ride from the arena. Plan to arrive 60-90 minutes early. Note: altitude matters, hydrate and pace yourself on the beer at 5,280 feet.
View Seating GuideTips & Fan Reports
Park at any RTD lot and ride the train. It adds 20-30 minutes to your trip but you save a ton on parking and avoid the lot traffic after the game. I have met a lot of Nuggets fans on the train too.
The 14X sections are near the most interesting food on the lower level. The rest of the 100s and 300s is mostly just hotdogs and pizza. Some tickets can enter through the Breckenridge Brewery entrance.
Play a round of bocce and get some food at Rhein Haus before the game then walk over to Ball Arena about an hour before tip-off. Plenty of time to get in, hit the restroom, grab a drink and get settled.
Propane only, under 20 lbs. Charcoal grills and log fires are both prohibited, so the usual stadium kit does not transfer.
The adjacent RTD bus stop is at 9th Street and Auraria Parkway.
Advance parking is sold through Ticketmaster once you have bought event tickets.
Courtside at Ball Arena means rows CS to CS3, and it is sold as a membership — UMB Reserve or Club Lexus — not as a seat.
This is one of the few arenas where a tailgate is permitted at all — but it is allowed rather than encouraged, and the lots are monitored throughout.
Parking lots open three hours before the event, and all Toyota lots take credit and debit cards.
The station is named for the building: Ball Arena/Elitch Gardens, on the D, E, H and W lines.
Know Before You Go
Essential details checked against official venue information.
- Bag policy
Only clutches, wristlets, and fanny packs up to 4 x 6 x 1.5 inches are allowed; purses and backpacks are prohibited.
Applies to: Denver Nuggets games
- Medical and diaper bags up to 14 x 14 x 6 inches are allowed after X-ray screening at VIP/ADA Door 1 in the Grand or East Atrium.
- Gate opening
Doors generally open one hour before the game.
Applies to: Denver Nuggets games
- Confirm the game-specific opening time with Guest Relations at 303-405-8548.
- Venue payments
Concessions, suites, and premium locations are primarily cashless and accept debit and credit cards.
Applies to: Denver Nuggets games
- A limited number of locations accept cash; ask Guest Relations for the current list.
- Re-entry
Ball Arena does not permit re-entry after a guest exits.
Applies to: Denver Nuggets games
Guides for Ball Arena
- Game Day Guide
7 steps from arrival to tip-off, and 22 venue rules checked against official sources.
- Parking Guide
3 lots and garages with distances and entry routes, from $35.
- Pregame Guide
Where the tailgate happens, what the lot rules allow, and what to bring.
- Food & Drinks
31 concession stands and 119 items researched from the venue's own menus, cheapest food $7 and drink $5.
- Seating Guide
7 seating areas at Ball Arena, with the level names printed on the ticket.
- Getting There
Driving routes plus every car-free way in — the cheapest is RTD Light Rail (Auraria West / Pepsi Center Station), $2.75.
- Cost Calculator
Build a total for your own party using Ball Arena's stored figures.
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.
- Venue facts
Wikipedia / Official Venue Page
- Parking prices
Ball Arena Parking & Directions: for Nuggets and Avalanche games the 4Runner and Elitch's lots are $35, the Tundra $40 and the RAV4 premier lot $70, all by credit card; cash only at the Tundra with a $5 card discount; lots open 3 hours before. The $25 on the page is the Mammoth lacrosse rate. Off-site lots are unpriced by the venue. RTD 3-hour pass $2.75 from rtd-denver.com/fares-passes/fares.
- Venue policies
Current Ball Arena policy, accessibility, bag, prohibited-items, food-and-beverage, and parking pages reviewed for Denver Nuggets game-day policies.
Not yet checked against a published source
These figures are estimates. Most venues no longer publish the numbers behind them — concession and ticket pricing moved to dynamic marketplaces — so we hold them as estimates rather than dating them as verified.
- Ticket prices — Secondary market averages (SeatGeek/StubHub)
- Food prices — Team Marketing Report Fan Cost Index + venue research
- Drink prices — Team Marketing Report Fan Cost Index + venue research
Denver Nuggets Fan Gear
Jerseys, hats, and licensed Denver Nuggets gear, delivered before game day.
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