National Basketball Association known as NBA is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams. It is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. NBA games are hosted in a stadium that can fit between 16,000 and 20,000 people. A benefit to attending a NBA game is to connect with people through the power of basketball.

     Aurélie Irène recalls her first experience attending a professional basketball game in 2018 as she attended a Wizards vs Lakers game at the Capital One arena in Washington D.C. sitting middle row. She enjoyed that experience with her older brother and her father. They peaked her initial interest in the sport as she grew up watching basketball with them. During the NBA game she sat in the middle section where she could see a clear view of the players. Recently she went to a Houston Rockets vs Miami Heat game and sat court-side.

      If you are a huge basketball fan she recommends you sit in either row A-Z which would position you in the middle or, court-side. This way you can have the best experience as you’ll be able to see the players clearly and understand what is going on. In comparison to other sporting events she has attended she believes that basketball is really easy to understand and easy to pick up. When attending a baseball or football game you might find yourself being overly social and not really focusing on the game so much. At a basketball game there is not much socializing going on because most people are actually following what is going on in the game.

       During her court-side experience she noticed that people generally did not spent much time in the suites. People wanted to focus on the game so they would rush and grab food and drinks very quickly. She attended this game with her friend Kierra and tickets were about $400 each. When comparing her experience with her friend verses with her family Aurélie stated “going with a friend is a more relaxing environment rather than being super “GO TEAM GO” with family”. You are really just enjoying the sport when you attend with a family member whereas with a friend you are socializing and enjoying the sport. 

       When deciding what to wear keep in mind that the NBA is known for fashion. Especially if you are sitting court-side or a little bit above that section fans are known to be styled. If you are going to wear heels make sure they are comfortable because there are stairs to get to your seats. In sections A-D and along the court-side have people that come around asking for drink orders.

      Aurélie advises people to arrive early so that they can see the NBA players warm up. Also if you are planning to take photos you need to do it when you get there. After the game the stadium is cleared out very quickly so you will not have time for photos. She advises one should look into the bag size policy of the arena ahead of time so that you can be prepared. Upon entry you want to make sure you have your ticket ready to be scanned to make entry run smoothly. If you like socializing she recommends getting seats that come with a suite access because there are not much socializing opportunities otherwise.