$551.86
Key Finding 01
Smoothie King Center Is the Cheapest NBA Arena for Families
Home of the New Orleans Pelicans, Smoothie King Center has the lowest family-of-four total at $551.86, which is $402.78 below the NBA average.
2026–27 NBA Arena Cost Study
Action Network’s data experts analyzed a sample of 300,346 tickets across all 30 NBA teams to estimate the cost of a family-of-four arena visit in 2026–27. Each team is ranked using the same five cost metrics: tickets, beer, soft drinks, hot dogs and parking.
$954.64Average Family Cost · 2026–27
300,346Tickets in the Sample
+12.80%Average Four-Ticket Price vs. 2025–26
$1,378.69 From Cheapest to Most ExpensivePelicans to Knicks · Family of Four
$551.86Smoothie King CenterNew Orleans Pelicans$954.64NBA Average$1,930.55Madison Square GardenNew York Knicks
Key Findings
The Biggest NBA Arena Cost Takeaways
Six quick takeaways from Action Network's 2026–27 ranking of NBA arena costs for families.
$1,930.55
Key Finding 02
Madison Square Garden Is the Most Expensive
A family-of-four package for the New York Knicks costs $1,930.55, which is $975.91 above the NBA average and $1,378.69 more than the Pelicans.
$954.64
Key Finding 03
The Average NBA Arena Visit Costs $954.64 for a Family of Four
Across all 30 teams, four tickets average $823.92, while food, drinks and parking add $130.72 to the family total.
23.20%
Key Finding 04
Knicks Fans Face the Highest Financial Burden
A family-of-four Knicks outing costs the equivalent of 23.20% of the New York metro’s median monthly household income, the highest share in the ranking. The Wizards have the lowest share at 6.97%.
+105.74%−23.54%
Key Finding 05
76ers Ticket Prices More Than Double as Portland Sees the Biggest Drop
The 76ers’ four-ticket cost rose 105.74%, from $723.61 to $1,488.76, the largest percentage increase from 2025–26 to 2026–27. The Trail Blazers had the biggest decline, falling 23.54% from $651.15 to $497.84.
$86.10
Key Finding 06
Chase Center Has the Highest Food-and-Drink Cost
Two beers, two soft drinks and four hot dogs at the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Center total $86.10. The NBA average for this concession bundle is $66.65.
The Premium Half
Most Expensive NBA Arenas
The Knicks lead at $1,930.55, followed by the Timberwolves at $1,616.56 and the 76ers at $1,598.55. The infographic below shows the 15 costliest NBA teams for families.
Download ImageDownload the most-expensive-family-cost infographic with the complete cost breakdown.
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The Affordable Half
Cheapest NBA Arenas
New Orleans has the lowest family cost at $551.86, followed by Utah at $606.01. The infographic below shows the same family-of-four package for the 15 most affordable NBA teams.
Download ImageDownload the cheapest-family-cost infographic with the complete cost breakdown.
Swipe or use the arrows to see all columns
Year-Over-Year Ticket Prices
The Biggest Ticket Price Surges and Drops
Four-ticket costs rose for 21 NBA teams and fell for nine between 2025–26 and 2026–27. Switch between the biggest increases and decreases, ranked by percentage change. This comparison covers tickets only.
Download the ComparisonGet the year-over-year ticket prices and changes for all 30 teams.
Philadelphia 76ers
The largest percentage increase in the comparison: four tickets went from $723.61 in 2025–26 to $1,488.76 in 2026–27, a increase of $765.15.
+105.74%Biggest Ticket Price Increase
21 Teams With Price Increases Largest percentage increase first
| Team | 2025–26 Four Tickets | 2026–27 Four Tickets | Year-Over-Year Percentage / Dollar Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01Philadelphia 76ers | $723.61 | $1,488.76 | +105.74%+$765.15 |
| 02Minnesota Timberwolves | $996.61 | $1,497.36 | +50.25%+$500.75 |
| 03Houston Rockets | $489.62 | $674.72 | +37.80%+$185.10 |
| 04Phoenix Suns | $580.59 | $780.76 | +34.48%+$200.17 |
| 05Washington Wizards | $493.18 | $655.24 | +32.86%+$162.06 |
| 06Utah Jazz | $385.52 | $508.52 | +31.90%+$123.00 |
| 07New York Knicks | $1,383.76 | $1,760.40 | +27.22%+$376.64 |
| 08Toronto Raptors | $746.74 | $920.60 | +23.28%+$173.86 |
| 09Indiana Pacers | $563.21 | $685.40 | +21.70%+$122.19 |
| 10Cleveland Cavaliers | $621.78 | $719.48 | +15.71%+$97.70 |
| 11Miami Heat | $802.42 | $928.20 | +15.68%+$125.78 |
| 12Oklahoma City Thunder | $750.20 | $851.80 | +13.54%+$101.60 |
| 13Orlando Magic | $761.65 | $844.40 | +10.86%+$82.75 |
| 14San Antonio Spurs | $621.28 | $676.40 | +8.87%+$55.12 |
| 15Charlotte Hornets | $589.33 | $634.44 | +7.65%+$45.11 |
| 16New Orleans Pelicans | $409.59 | $437.60 | +6.84%+$28.01 |
| 17Chicago Bulls | $880.20 | $926.76 | +5.29%+$46.56 |
| 18Brooklyn Nets | $650.88 | $679.20 | +4.35%+$28.32 |
| 19Los Angeles Lakers | $1,154.41 | $1,202.44 | +4.16%+$48.03 |
| 20Dallas Mavericks | $744.73 | $753.32 | +1.15%+$8.59 |
| 21Golden State Warriors | $1,045.44 | $1,048.12 | +0.26%+$2.68 |
Portland Trail Blazers
The largest percentage drop in the comparison: four tickets went from $651.15 in 2025–26 to $497.84 in 2026–27, a drop of $153.31.
−23.54%Biggest Ticket Price Drop
9 Teams With Price Drops Largest percentage drop first
| Team | 2025–26 Four Tickets | 2026–27 Four Tickets | Year-Over-Year Percentage / Dollar Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01Portland Trail Blazers | $651.15 | $497.84 | −23.54%−$153.31 |
| 02Los Angeles Clippers | $735.08 | $605.00 | −17.70%−$130.08 |
| 03Memphis Grizzlies | $544.03 | $480.36 | −11.70%−$63.67 |
| 04Sacramento Kings | $667.71 | $618.32 | −7.40%−$49.39 |
| 05Detroit Pistons | $605.80 | $578.36 | −4.53%−$27.44 |
| 06Atlanta Hawks | $755.75 | $725.04 | −4.06%−$30.71 |
| 07Denver Nuggets | $801.99 | $788.52 | −1.68%−$13.47 |
| 08Boston Celtics | $1,062.34 | $1,056.04 | −0.59%−$6.30 |
| 09Milwaukee Bucks | $694.65 | $694.24 | −0.06%−$0.41 |
Percentage change = (2026–27 four-ticket cost − 2025–26 four-ticket cost) ÷ 2025–26 four-ticket cost × 100. All prices are in USD. Food, drinks and parking are excluded.
The Local Affordability Picture
Which NBA Fanbases Face the Biggest Financial Burden?
Here’s how much of the local median monthly household income a family-of-four NBA outing would require. Compare all 30 teams by the share of income needed to cover four tickets, two beers, two soft drinks, four hot dogs and one parking space.
Download the Affordability RankingFamily costs, metro incomes and income shares for all 30 teams.
New York Knicks
A $1,930.55 family-of-four outing represents 23.20% of the local metro’s median monthly household income of $8,321.00, the highest share in this comparison.
23.20%Biggest Financial Burden
All 30 NBA TeamsHighest Share of Monthly Income First
| Team / Metro Area | Family Cost | Monthly Household IncomeLocal Metro Median | Income Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01New York KnicksNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $1,930.55 | $8,321.00 | 23.20% |
| 02Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $1,598.55 | $7,570.83 | 21.11% |
| 03Minnesota TimberwolvesMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $1,616.56 | $8,160.67 | 19.81% |
| 04Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $1,342.30 | $8,033.75 | 16.71% |
| 05Miami HeatMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $1,101.75 | $6,718.75 | 16.40% |
| 06Oklahoma City ThunderOklahoma City, OK | $923.64 | $6,077.50 | 15.20% |
| 07Toronto Raptors*Toronto CMA | $998.41 | $6,930.58 | 14.41% |
| 08Chicago BullsChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $1,064.84 | $7,564.17 | 14.08% |
| 09Orlando MagicOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $940.45 | $6,753.67 | 13.93% |
| 10Cleveland CavaliersCleveland, OH | $839.15 | $6,044.33 | 13.88% |
| 11Detroit PistonsDetroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $822.45 | $6,366.92 | 12.92% |
| 12Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $789.30 | $6,493.25 | 12.16% |
| 13San Antonio SpursSan Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $789.53 | $6,509.33 | 12.13% |
| 14Boston CelticsBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $1,187.02 | $9,818.75 | 12.09% |
| 15Phoenix SunsPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $902.88 | $7,511.08 | 12.02% |
| 16Atlanta HawksAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $903.32 | $7,695.33 | 11.74% |
| 17Dallas MavericksDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $906.89 | $7,727.75 | 11.74% |
| 18Houston RocketsHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $794.44 | $6,784.75 | 11.71% |
| 19Indiana PacersIndianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $775.55 | $6,686.58 | 11.60% |
| 20Memphis GrizzliesMemphis, TN-MS-AR | $658.37 | $5,677.00 | 11.60% |
| 21Golden State WarriorsSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $1,207.21 | $11,299.17 | 10.68% |
| 22Charlotte HornetsCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $760.53 | $7,161.50 | 10.62% |
| 23New Orleans PelicansNew Orleans-Metairie, LA | $551.86 | $5,197.75 | 10.62% |
| 24Denver NuggetsDenver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $911.78 | $9,003.83 | 10.13% |
| 25Brooklyn NetsNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $821.94 | $8,321.00 | 9.88% |
| 26Los Angeles ClippersLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $765.11 | $8,033.75 | 9.52% |
| 27Sacramento KingsSacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $708.50 | $8,231.25 | 8.61% |
| 28Portland Trail BlazersPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $687.01 | $8,249.50 | 8.33% |
| 29Utah JazzSalt Lake City-Murray, UT | $606.01 | $8,379.00 | 7.23% |
| 30Washington WizardsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $733.20 | $10,520.33 | 6.97% |
Washington Wizards
A $733.20 family-of-four outing represents 6.97% of the local metro’s median monthly household income of $10,520.33, the lowest share in this comparison.
6.97%Smallest Financial Burden
All 30 NBA TeamsLowest Share of Monthly Income First
| Team / Metro Area | Family Cost | Monthly Household IncomeLocal Metro Median | Income Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01Washington WizardsWashington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $733.20 | $10,520.33 | 6.97% |
| 02Utah JazzSalt Lake City-Murray, UT | $606.01 | $8,379.00 | 7.23% |
| 03Portland Trail BlazersPortland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $687.01 | $8,249.50 | 8.33% |
| 04Sacramento KingsSacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $708.50 | $8,231.25 | 8.61% |
| 05Los Angeles ClippersLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $765.11 | $8,033.75 | 9.52% |
| 06Brooklyn NetsNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $821.94 | $8,321.00 | 9.88% |
| 07Denver NuggetsDenver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $911.78 | $9,003.83 | 10.13% |
| 08New Orleans PelicansNew Orleans-Metairie, LA | $551.86 | $5,197.75 | 10.62% |
| 09Charlotte HornetsCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $760.53 | $7,161.50 | 10.62% |
| 10Golden State WarriorsSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $1,207.21 | $11,299.17 | 10.68% |
| 11Memphis GrizzliesMemphis, TN-MS-AR | $658.37 | $5,677.00 | 11.60% |
| 12Indiana PacersIndianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $775.55 | $6,686.58 | 11.60% |
| 13Houston RocketsHouston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $794.44 | $6,784.75 | 11.71% |
| 14Dallas MavericksDallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $906.89 | $7,727.75 | 11.74% |
| 15Atlanta HawksAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $903.32 | $7,695.33 | 11.74% |
| 16Phoenix SunsPhoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $902.88 | $7,511.08 | 12.02% |
| 17Boston CelticsBoston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $1,187.02 | $9,818.75 | 12.09% |
| 18San Antonio SpursSan Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $789.53 | $6,509.33 | 12.13% |
| 19Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $789.30 | $6,493.25 | 12.16% |
| 20Detroit PistonsDetroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $822.45 | $6,366.92 | 12.92% |
| 21Cleveland CavaliersCleveland, OH | $839.15 | $6,044.33 | 13.88% |
| 22Orlando MagicOrlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $940.45 | $6,753.67 | 13.93% |
| 23Chicago BullsChicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $1,064.84 | $7,564.17 | 14.08% |
| 24Toronto Raptors*Toronto CMA | $998.41 | $6,930.58 | 14.41% |
| 25Oklahoma City ThunderOklahoma City, OK | $923.64 | $6,077.50 | 15.20% |
| 26Miami HeatMiami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $1,101.75 | $6,718.75 | 16.40% |
| 27Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $1,342.30 | $8,033.75 | 16.71% |
| 28Minnesota TimberwolvesMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $1,616.56 | $8,160.67 | 19.81% |
| 29Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $1,598.55 | $7,570.83 | 21.11% |
| 30New York KnicksNew York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $1,930.55 | $8,321.00 | 23.20% |
Income share = family cost ÷ (annual median household income ÷ 12) × 100. This uses local metro household incomes, not individual fans’ earnings or disposable income. U.S. figures use 2024 ACS 1-Year data. *Toronto uses an approximate comparable Statistics Canada benchmark converted to 2024 USD.
Where Individual Costs Differ
The NBA's Category Leaders
Compare both ends of each arena-cost category. Switch the measure and choose Most Expensive or Cheapest to see the five highest or five lowest prices across the NBA.
Head-to-Head
Compare NBA Arena Costs
Choose any two team-linked NBA arena entries to compare the same family-of-four package side by side. By default, the tool opens with the cheapest and most expensive arena entries in the 2026–27 ranking.
Download Comparison ImageDownload the currently selected arena comparison as a clean, shareable PNG.
Every Team Ranked
Full Ranking
Switch the order to see all 30 teams with the most expensive half first or the cheapest half first. The first 15 rows appear in the lead color, with the remaining 15 continuing beneath in the opposite half.
Download ImageDownload the complete 1–30 NBA arena ranking as a single high-resolution PNG.
Family-of-Four Arena Costs
NBA Average Arena Cost$954.64
Four Tickets
Two Beers
Soft Drinks
Four Hot Dogs
Parking
Swipe or use the arrows to see the full ranking
How the Ranking Works
Methodology and Sources
Total Cost for a Family of Four
The ranking estimates what a family of four would pay for a regular-season NBA game in 2026–27. Each total includes four tickets, two beers, two soft drinks, four hot dogs and one parking space. Child admission is shown separately as supporting data.
4General Admission Tickets
2Beers
2Soft Drinks
4Hot Dogs
1Parking Spot
Supporting DataChild AdmissionNot included in ranking
Ticket Pricing
Ticket Sample300,346 TicketsCombined ticket count across all 30 teams in the final dataset.
Main SourceTicketmasterPrices include additional fees.
Knicks ExceptionVivid Seats + SeatGeekThe mean of the two marketplaces’ average prices.
For each team, the research sampled the four lowest available ticket prices for each month of the season. These four-ticket totals were averaged across the sampled months. The Knicks’ reported figure is the mean of the averages from Vivid Seats and SeatGeek.
Food and Drink
The supplied methodology uses prior-season concession prices from Bookies.com and applies a 2.5% annual inflation adjustment to estimate current-season costs. The package includes two beers, two soft drinks and four hot dogs.
Concession SourceBookies.comThe updated source sheet links to its 2025–26 NBA game-cost study.
Stated Adjustment+2.5%Previous price × 1.025. The supplied dataset’s final prices are used as provided.
Parking
The methodology identifies the lowest-priced parking ticket for the nearest garage to each arena using Vivid Seats. The supplied parking figures are added once per family package.
Child Admission and Supporting Data
Child admission policies were collected from official arena websites and are shown alongside the costs. They do not reduce the four-ticket package. For New Orleans, the supplied policy leaves children’s entry to the event client’s discretion, so no universal free-entry age is assumed. Hat prices were collected from official team stores but are not included in the total.
Year-Over-Year Ticket Price Changes
The ticket price comparison pairs each team’s supplied 2025–26 four-ticket cost with its final 2026–27 four-ticket cost. Dollar change is the current-season cost minus the previous-season cost; percentage change divides that difference by the previous-season cost. The surge view includes positive changes, highest percentage first. The drop view includes negative changes, largest percentage decline first. These are comparisons of the supplied season estimates, not a matched-seat or matched-game price index. Family-package totals are not used in this comparison. Across all 30 teams, the unweighted average four-ticket price rose from $730.44 to $823.92, an increase of 12.80%. This is the percentage change in the league-wide average, not the average of the individual teams’ percentage changes.
Local Household Affordability
The financial burden ranking divides each team’s 2026–27 family-of-four cost by one-twelfth of its local metro’s annual median household income, then multiplies by 100. Higher shares indicate a greater cost relative to local household income. U.S. teams use 2024 American Community Survey 1-Year metro median household income. Toronto uses an approximate comparable Statistics Canada benchmark converted to 2024 USD, so its cross-border comparison is indicative. Monthly income is an annual benchmark divided by 12, not a measure of disposable income or the actual earnings of a team’s fans. Rankings follow the supplied affordability table; displayed percentages are rounded to two decimal places.
Ranking Notes
All 30 teams are ranked by total family cost, from lowest to highest, with the 15 cheapest and 15 most expensive shown separately. The NBA average is the unweighted mean of all 30 totals. Ticket sample sizes vary by team and are shown in each team’s expandable cost breakdown; they are not used to weight the league average. Arena names, policies and prices are reproduced from the supplied 2026–27 dataset. Prices are estimates and can vary by game and availability; admission policies should be checked with the arena before booking.
Total = four tickets + two beers + two soft drinks + four hot dogs + one parking space. Accommodation, travel and merchandise are excluded. Dollar amounts follow the supplied dataset; a separate currency-conversion basis was not provided.
Download the complete data used for this page: NBA Arena Costs for Families 2026–27 (CSV).
Sources: Action Network data analysis; Ticketmaster; Vivid Seats; SeatGeek; Bookies.com 2025–26; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; NBA official team stores; official arena policy pages.