Basketball Courtside (2024)

Home>Team Sports>Basketball>Basketball Courts

Last updated: Jan 30, 2023

PreviousNext

Basketball Courtside (1)

Courtside in basketball is the area around the actual court.In that area, there are famous courtside seats. Sitting courtside means you're sitting as close as you can to all the action of a basketball game. Courtside refers to sitting just behind or beside the player benches on the sidelines. People sitting courtside have their feet on the court. Those fans also get some perks such as special parking, access to special clubs and suites, and not to mention an unmatched view of the game. However, courtside seats come with a few rules and a hefty price.

Table of Contents

  • How Much Are Courtside Tickets?
  • What Does it Feel Like to Be Courtside?
  • What Kind of People Sit Courtside?
  • Rules of Sitting Courtside
  • FAQ

How Much Are Courtside Tickets?

There are courtside seats at all levels of basketball. However, high-profile college basketball games and NBA playoff games are the most sought after courtside seats. Ticket prices will vary depending on the franchise, what is the matchup, where on the court are the seats, and also if it is a playoff or high profile game, as said before. Nonetheless, courtside tickets are never cheap. It is hard to find a courtside seat selling for anything below $1500,but that price can be much higher.

What Does it Feel Like to Be Courtside?

Sitting courtside is a big deal because it brings the attendee of the game much closer to the action.Fans are able to hear conversations between players, coaches, and referees alike. People in the courtside seats can expect to be on television and the big screen several times, and also go to the game knowing that there is a possibility a player might jump over them to grab a loose ball, spilling their drinks and snacks around the court. However, that is all part of the fun!

What Kind of People Sit Courtside?

People sitting courtside are wealthy, famous, or lucky, and sometimes all three.Teams can invite celebrities to sit courtside on their games for marketing purposes. The opposite is also true: a celebrity might sit courtside at a game to raise attention from the media. The Los Angeles Lakers’ home games always have known celebrities sitting courtside. Owners, their families, and close friends are also some of the people who sit courtside, such as Steve Ballmer, the Clippers’ owner, who attends all home games. In addition, big companies might invite prospective clients and faithful employees to sit in the company-owned courtside seats.

Rules of Sitting Courtside

With all the benefits that come with sitting close to the action, there are also several spoken and unspoken rules. Fans sitting courtside can be asked to leave the arena if violating any rules and fans can also get ejected by the referees. Those very special attendees cannot:

  • Touch the ball
  • Throw objects on the court
  • Get involved in mid-game brawls
  • Push, hit, or physically abuse anyone related to the game
  • Verbally abuse players, coaches, and referees. However, light trash-talk is often allowed, as it contributes to the show

As an example of behavior that can get a courtside fan ejected, during the 2019 NBA Finals, a Golden State Warriors fan sitting courtside pushed Toronto Raptors’ point guard Kyle Lowry while screaming profanities to him, making the All-Star player and soon to be NBA champion very upset. The fan was quickly ejected from the game and banned from attending any games in the following NBA season.

FAQ

What does courtside mean in basketball?

Courtside in basketball refers to the area immediately surrounding the playing surface.There are chairs and benches surrounding the court, which include the team bench areas and courtside seats. Courtside seats are typically the most expensive tickets you can get to a basketball game, as they are the closest to the action.

Are courtside seats worth the money?

Whether or not a courtside seat is worth its high cost is dependent upon what kind of experience you want as a basketball fan.For fans who don’t mind their distance from the game or their ability to hear and see everything up-close, a courtside seat might be too expensive to bother with. However, for fans who want the unique experience of being immersed in the action of a game, from the yelling of the players and coaches to the rowdy atmosphere of the teams’ biggest fans, a courtside seat could very well be worth more than the thousands of dollars one can spend on them.

PreviousNext

Pages Related to Basketball Courtside

  • Basketball Backcourt
  • Basketball 3-Point Line And Arc
  • Basketball Foul Lane
  • Basketball End Line
  • Basketball Baseline
  • Basketball Elbow

PreviousNext

Basketball Courtside (2024)

FAQs

Do celebrities pay to sit courtside? ›

Some pay; some don't. The NBA gets a couple of seats for its own use, according to Favorito, but the Garden coordinates it all. In general, the bigger the celeb, the better their view, and the less likely they are to pay for the tickets.

What's the best place to sit at a basketball game? ›

If you're a true baller in every sense of the word then you're going to want to be courtside at center court. There's a reason these are the best seats at an NBA game and it's because you're so close to the hardwood. Be prepared to pay top dollar for them though!

What do you get with courtside seats? ›

Premium Courtside Seating
  • Leather chair back seating with armchair cup holders.
  • In-seat beverage service.
  • Private floor level restroom access.
  • Halftime statistics delivered to your seat.
  • Priority parking.
  • Hospitality room access (based on annual gift)

What does "sitting courtside" mean? ›

With complimentary parking adjacent to Golden 1 Center and seats just inches away from the game, you're always close to the action. Courtside seats aren't just about proximity to the court, they're about proximity to all the action that turns a basketball game into an entertainment event.

Do NBA players get free courtside tickets? ›

Players are prohibited from selling the tickets, and if caught, they won't receive any more. The players are taxed on the ticket they receive as a fringe benefit. They also cannot give them to players on other teams, nor can teams provide free tickets to players on other teams.

Do courtside seats get free drinks? ›

Courtside Seats

Enjoy access to the exclusive Fields Ultimate Lounge and all-inclusive food and beverage.

How much are laker courtside tickets? ›

Los Angeles Lakers courtside tickets have been known to command significant prices. In the past, these coveted seats have seen season passes costing well over $200,000, and individual courtside tickets easily costing $3,000 or more.

Can a regular person buy NBA courtside tickets? ›

If you are wondering how to get courtside NBA tickets, there are two approaches: primary and secondary. Single-game tickets may be available through the team's ticket office, which would be the primary option. The ticket office should be able to discuss availability and run through the full calendar with you.

Why are courtside tickets so expensive? ›

Courtside seats come with variety of perks that could justify the cost of a ticket to some. Think VIP treatment. "Most times courtside seating does come with food and alcohol," Goodman said.

Is it worth sitting courtside? ›

If you want to get up close and personal with your favorite NBA players, there's nothing quite like sitting courtside to get into the action.

How much are NBA Finals courtside tickets? ›

A seat in the corner has an asking price of $39,000. A couple of first-row seats closer to center court were priced at about $29,000. But there were some courtside seats that cost as low as $10,000. Upstairs seats in the 300 level of the arena for Game 1 start above $500 and climb to above $1,000.

Why do basketball announcers sit courtside? ›

To broadcast a basketball game, sportscasters sit courtside in a special media section so that they can see the action up close.

Do celebrities pay for their houses in full? ›

How do celebrities pay for their homes? Just like normal customers, many celebrities take out mortgages on their homes. It all depends on their own financial situation, says Kaminsky, a top-rated Manhattan Beach agent. “It's whatever their financial advisor advises them at the time,” Kaminsky explains.

Are courtside seats all inclusive? ›

Courtside tickets includes:

All-inclusive food (entrée/appetizer combo, Chicago-style hot dog bar, nacho bar, popcorn, and dessert) All-inclusive beverages (select beer/wine, soda, and bottled water).

How much does it cost to meet a celebrity? ›

From helping paying clients get into the most exclusive nightspots to assisting with backstage meetups with musicians, it does it all. Meet-and-greets with celebrities and personal celebrity appearances can set clients back between $20,000 and $150,000, Bloomberg Business notes.

How much are courtside knicks tickets? ›

The cost of courtside tickets for the New York Knicks ranges from $2,650 to $5,600 on average, depending on the proximity of the seats to the court.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 6182

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.