How to Buy Tickets for an NBA Game in San Francisco

Not sure how to get great Warriors tickets? Travelling to the Golden Gate City and want to feel like a local? An NBA game is the perfect way to top off your holiday in California. This article explains in detail everything you need to know before watching the American basketball greats.

The Golden State Warriors franchise - the city's only one - has had a complicated history. Born in Philadelphia, it moved to San Francisco in the 1960s, lurked between Daly City and San Jose, transferred to Oakland and finally returned to "San Fran" in the fall of 2019. Given his countless peregrinations, his name mentions not the city of reference but the California nickname: Golden State.

The court of the Golden State Warriors hosted and continues to host some of the best performers in basketball: Klay Thompson (one of the best shooters of all time), Stephen Curry (the man who revolutionised the team and its main pillar), Kevin Durant or Chris Mullin, a name that is synonymous with Golden State Warriors. Although the latter two are no longer around, the team starts as one of the three favourites every season.

The home of the Californian team is the Chase Center, a sports palace inaugurated in 2019. The premiere took place with a pre-season game with the Los Angeles Lakers. A curiosity, the arena is adorned with contemporary works of art. All this is possible thanks to a partnership with SFMOMA, one of the best museums in San Francisco.

Tickets to see the Warriors can be easily purchased online. To avoid buying fake tickets and to secure your seat at the Chase Center, I recommend you to book them in advance on Hellotickets. The website has an agreement with the team and makes official tickets available to fans.

The ticket office is located at the west entrance of the Chase Center but the opening hours are quite limited. It is only open on game days, one hour before gates open. I don't recommend you to do it, the queues are usually very long.

As a rule of thumb, if you want to sit at the Chase Center I'd say you should spend just under 100 euros. On average, this is the price of a good ticket that guarantees an excellent view of the court. For the more meaningful games (big rivals or playoffs), be prepared to spend a lot more.

As with all other NBA teams, the cheapest Warriors games are those scheduled during the week. Another very important factor is anticipation. Don't wait until the last minute to secure your seat at the Chase Center. Last but not least, keep an eye on your opponent.

If you are an NBA fan you will know that the Warriors' big rival goes by the name of the Cleveland Cavaliers. When the Cavs come to the Golden Gate City, don't expect to find cheap tickets.

The Chase Center is an 18,000-seat multi-purpose arena. It cost $1.4 billion and is one of the most modern in the country. When the Warriors play, these are the best seats:

• Pepsi Club. Stretching from section 125 to 129, these seats are located right behind the basket.
• Courtside Club. Located at ground level. There are two types of prices: the VIP Courtside seats (in rows AA and BB) and the Courtside sections with a number (15, 16, etc.) which are located just behind the VIP seats. To enter you will pass through the tunnel, an unforgettable experience.
• Sideline Club, corresponding to sections 101 to 106 and 113 to 118. This area is separated from the lower level and has a bar.

No, the Chase Center is not just a sports arena but a multifunctional venue where concerts, rallies, events and more are held. There is always something planned and therefore no guided tours are organised. However, there are some attractions/activities worth seeing/doing in this area:

• Mission Rock, a new waterfront neighbourhood. It consists of approximately 1500 rental housing units with 40% of these dedicated to low and middle income families. It is a very interesting project, with small shops and cafes. If you get hungry or crave a cold beer, head to Mission Rock Resort (817 Terry A Francois Boulevard).
• Oracle Park, the Giants' stadium.
• City Kayak. A short distance from the Chase Center you can rent a kayak and tour the waters surrounding the metropolis. By the way, if you like this sport, I recommend you do it in one of the best locations near San Francisco: Sausalito. To this end, I recommend you to read the post about excursions to Sausalito and Muir Woods from San Francisco.

The NBA regular season starts in October and ends in April. After a few days of rest, the most awaited part begins: the playoffs. The best teams from the Western and Eastern Conference face each other in three rounds (quarterfinals, semifinals and finals).

As for the finals, the winner is determined in seven games. This means that, in order to win the title, the opponent has to be beaten four times. Normally, the most anticipated clash takes place at the beginning of June.

Important: this does not mean that NBA games, in this case of the Golden State Warriors, are only played between October and June. The pre-season, which usually opens in September, must also be taken into account.

Rivals

If you're looking for a tightly contested game, you should travel to San Francisco when the Warriors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Between 2015 and 2018, the Californians faced LeBron James and the other Athletics in four straight Finals. Golden State won three of those four meetings and the sporting feud has lasted ever since.

However, there are other rivals who rock the Chase Center like never before. They are from the same state and wear a cliquey, purple jersey. Clearly I'm talking about the Los Angeles Lakers. It's a typical regional feud and also includes the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers.

In American basketball there are four halves of play, each lasting 12 minutes. Between the second and third quarter there is a 15-minute interval. The playing time is real and "dead" minutes are not counted. As a result, the total duration can easily reach 2 hours.

Depends on age. Children under 2 years old can enter the Chase Center free of charge. However, they must be accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket and must share a seat. Important: all children must be identified by a wristband. This gadget can be purchased free of charge at gates 13 or 52.

At the end of the game (or even before), at the same gates they give a certificate for having attended their first game. A nice touch, isn't it? If you are travelling with your kids and you want to have more ideas, I recommend you to read the post about 10 things to do in San Francisco with kids.

Like other championships, for example the English Premier League, the NBA also plays at Christmas. In the case of the world's best basketball league, the Americans don't wait until 26 December, on the contrary, they plan several games for the 25th. It's a tradition that has been going on since 1947.

Have you booked your flight for the end of December? Then I recommend you to read the article on 10 things to do in San Francisco at Christmas. You will discover other interesting plans for all tastes.

Now you know (almost) everything, only some important information is missing, such as the nearby restaurants or the connection inside the stadium. Read on and find out everything you need to know.

Where to eat

There is no shortage of dining options at the Chase Center. The arena is home to several fast food restaurants (Bakesale Betty, Hot Dog Bills, La Corneta, etc.) and a few health food establishments (most notably The Green House and Kaiser Permanente Healthy Picks).

In case you don't want to go in early and prefer to enjoy the sea breeze, I recommend the following options:

• Spark, a food truck with outdoor tables. Occasionally, there is live music (601 Mission Bay Boulevard North).
• The Sea Star. Sure, there's food, but the real stars are beers and cocktails. Personally, I recommend Buena Vida (mezcal, gin, dry vermouth, pineapple, lime and chili) and Czechs & Balances with bourbon, jelinek, pepper and honey (2289 3rd Street).
• Piccino, an Italian with a Californian twist. If you're in the mood for a good pasta dish or a well-baked pizza. Desserts are usually homemade (1001 Minnesota Street).
• The Ramp, a restaurant in the DogPatch neighbourhood. It has a large indoor patio that also hosts parties and concerts. Menu includes eggs Benedict, salads, soups, sandwiches and more (855 Terry Francois Boulevard).
• Ungrafted, one of San Francisco's best wine bars (2419 3rd Street).

Where to park

The Chase Center is located in the Mission Bay neighbourhood on the corner of 3rd and 16th streets. Public transport is the best way to get there, but if you can't rely on it, you can leave your car in these parking garages:

• UCSF Third Street Garage (1650 3rd Street)
• Mercedes-Benz Garage (99 Warriors Way)
• Warriors Way Garage (150 Warriors Way)
• Owens Garage (1800 Owens Street)

Please note that overall, the space available is quite limited. As for the price, you will have to pay around $50 to leave your car while the event is taking place.

When to go to the stadium?

On game days, it is advisable to get to the Chase Center well in advance. The Golden State Warriors have a large number of fans and many come to San Francisco from nearby towns such as Oakland or Fremont. To travel at a leisurely pace, it's a good idea to travel well in advance.

Wi-Fi connection

The Chase Center has a free Wi-Fi network. Simply select the "#XfinityWiFi@ChaseCenter" network and log in on the homepage. Alternatively, if you need to access your email to retrieve your e-ticket, you can use the networks available in the establishments surrounding the sports centre. Don't worry, there is no shortage of alternatives.

Public transport provides connections between the Golden State Warriors stadium and the rest of the city. To get to your destination you can use the following options:

• Bus, lines 55, 78x and 79x pass close to the sports arena.
• Underground. In this case, just take the T Third Street and get off at Ucsf/Chase Center (16th Street).
• Light rail, the S Shuttle will take you two steps away from the arena. The stop is the same as above

For more information, I recommend you take a look at the San Francisco public transport website.