You’re leaving soon for a trip to New York but you still don't really know what to do in New York City? Did you know that the city has two teams that play in the National Basketball Association? In addition to the Knicks team, based in Manhattan, another New York team is part of the most prestigious basketball league in the world. It is the Brooklyn Nets, who play their home games at the Barclays Center.
In this short guide, I will tell you everything you need to know about going to see a Brooklyn Nets NBA game 🙂
Where to obtain tickets to a Brooklyn Nets game in New York?
The easiest way to go to a Nets game while travelling in New York is to order your tickets online before you leave. Going to an NBA game is an extremely popular activity for travellers – but it is even more so for New Yorkers, many of whom have season tickets. Therefore, it's always more sensible to buy tickets in advance if you wish to see Brooklyn’s team play at the Barclays Center.
To buy your NBA tickets, I recommend the Hellotickets website. The website allows you to choose your tickets according to the seat you want and the remaining availability. The site is accessible in English (you can change the language though, there are many options) and it is possible to easily visualise the seats you will choose thanks to the interactive map of the stadium.
Don't hesitate to book as soon as possible – or even as soon as the schedule for the new NBA regular season is revealed, if you can. That way you will be sure to find seats 👍
Below is the 2022-2023 NBA game schedule for the Brooklyn Nets:
Beware of fake tickets:
Always buy your tickets from official websites and avoid buying them from unofficial platforms or from an unlicensed street seller! Some unlicensed online sites sometimes offer tickets that are duplicated. Even if these sites generally do give refunds in case of problems, it still means that by using them you can never be sure of being able to attend the game you wanted. Indeed, should your ticket be either false or duplicated, you risk being refused entry to the Barclays Center.
In the area just outside the stadium you will also come across people who claim to be reselling their season tickets. In the vast majority of cases, these are outright scams! 😠
What can you see in an NBA game in New York?
The NBA regular season runs from October to April, and the games then continue until June for the top 8 teams in each conference. If you travel to the Big Apple during this time period, chances are high that you will be able to catch a Brooklyn Nets game or a New York Knicks NBA game.
It is also possible to attend pre-season games in the two weeks before the regular season’s start, and NBA playoff games are also regularly held in New York between mid-April and June.
Ticket prices for an Brooklyn Nets NBA game
Generally, Nets games are a bit less expensive than Knicks games – historically, the Knicks are more popular and have better results. However, this gap has been narrowing in recent years as the Brooklyn Nets' results have been improving (with a playoff appearance in the last 4 seasons), especially with the arrival of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Prices vary greatly depending on demand. They also fluctuate according to the time of the season. Prices are highest in the middle of the season. The Christmas period is generally the NBA season’s most expensive time. The competition is in full swing and there are a lot of tourists, so demand is at its highest. At the end of the season, depending on the ranking of a team and on the stakes of a game, prices can drop quite significantly.
Overall, depending on the importance of the game and the location of your seat, a ticket to a Brooklyn Nets NBA game costs around £135 on average. During the Christmas season in New York City or for a game where the stakes are high, it is not uncommon for the average ticket price to rise to £180. For a game with no big teams or stakes at the end of the season, you can find tickets for around £45.
Regarding the playoffs – which happens after the regular season and decides the best teams and the NBA champion – prices start at around £180 and can reach £885… or even more for the big games and the finals 🤐
How to get your ticket to a Brooklyn Nets game at the best price?
- Buy your ticket as early as possible. Tickets for the entire regular season go on sale in August, and that's when the prices are usually lowest. Booking early is also often the best thing to do for your airfare and hotel room.
- Attend a game that has lower stakes. If there are several Nets games at the Barclays Center during your trip to New York, choosing the game with the least stakes will save you money (sometimes even more than half the price of a ticket!). If you've never been to an NBA game, you'll enjoy the game regardless of who is playing. This is therefore a very good tip for saving money 😉
- Opt for a more affordable seat. If you book early enough, you will have a wide choice of seats in the Barclays Center. The most coveted seats are on the sides, near the centre of the court – they are also the most expensive. Conversely, the seats behind the basketball hoops are the most affordable while the seats in the corners of the court are often the best value for money.
Barclays Center
This stadium in the borough of Brooklyn has been home to the Brooklyn Nets' NBA games since 2012. Previously, the team was called the New Jersey Nets and played at the Meadowlands Arena in the New York City suburbs. Since 2020, the Barclays Center is also the home court of the New York Liberty – a WNBA women's team.
Many other events are organised in this multi-sport venue, such as ice hockey matches, wrestling exhibitions (Summerslam from 2015 to 2018) and numerous concerts. Some of the biggest music stars have performed here (Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Rihanna...).
Even if the Barclays Center is not (yet) as prestigious as Madison Square Garden where the Manhattan Knicks play, its atmosphere is just as great – and the stands being steeper means you’ll be closer to the court, even if you are seated at the back 😃
How to choose your seat at the Barclays Center?
The most popular seats are the ones in the centre and close to the court, in sections 3 to 13 and 20 to 28. These seats are directly in line with the court and give the best view over the game – but they are also by far the most expensive. Many of these seats are already booked by season ticket holders.
If you have a large enough budget, the slightly more distant seats in sections 104 to 114 and 120 to 126 are very well-located and will be perfect for enjoying the atmosphere of the Barclays Center, if you have a comfortable budget.
The seats in sections 203 to 214 and 219 to 229, which are higher up in the stadium, across the width and around the corners, are generally the best value for money. They are more affordable and still offer very good visibility over the whole court.
If you can choose, for the same price you should pick seats that are well positioned across the court and quite far away, rather than seats that are closer but behind the basketball hoops.
How to get to the Barclays Center?
The Barclays Center’s accessibility is also one of its assets. This multi-purpose facility is practically a must-see in Brooklyn. To get there, you can take the underground on lines B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and get off at the Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station, located directly across the street from the stadium. From the heart of Manhattan, the trip will only take about 20 minutes.
When to arrive at the stadium?
Plan to arrive approximately one hour before the start of the game. You don’t have to come too early – seats are numbered and there is plenty of access to the Barclays Center stands, so you will get in quickly. Try not to get there in last few minutes before the start of the game though – not only because it will be crowded, but most importantly because enjoying the pre-match atmosphere is also part of the experience 😁
How long does an NBA game at the Barclays Center last?
NBA games last 4 quarters of 12 minutes each. Unlike football though, these are 12 minutes of actual play, i.e. the clock pauses every time the game is stopped. In addition, each quarter is separated by a break, and the half-time break is longer (15 minutes). In all, an NBA game generally lasts at least 2 hours.
That's it for this article about the Brooklyn Nets NBA games! I hope you enjoyed it and that it helped you find an original activity to do during your next stay in New York 😊
If you are lucky enough to attend a game during the holiday season, don't hesitate to check my article New York in December to find other activities to do. And if you haven't decided yet where you're going to sleep while in the city, you can read my article where to stay in New York – it should prove helpful! 😄
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