Square State Colorado

Going to Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado: What to Expect

One of my absolute favorite venues to go to in Denver is Ball Arena. It’s the home of three of our professional sports teams, has a number of other fun events and just is a great space to attend fun entertainment focused experiences here in town. If you’re planning on attending a concert, sporting event or something else that will be hosted at Ball Arena, I thought it would be helpful to share what to expect and to plan for prior to arrival.

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Visit Rocky Mountain National Park

(Book a Tour)

If you’re visiting Denver to attend a concert, basketball/hockey/lacrosse or any other experience at Denver’s Ball Arena, make sure to book a tour experience while you’re visiting. No trip to Denver would be complete without a trip to the mountains. Book a small guided tour to Rocky Mountain National Park and let someone else deal with the planning and mountain driving. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of my favorite places to visit in Colorado but it’s almost 2 hours away from Denver on a bad traffic day. That’s why I recommend booking a tour. Enjoy Colorado without the added stress. I’ve also written a post about what to expect when you visit Rocky Mountain National Park.

Ball Arena

One of the great things about Denver is that almost all of the major entertainment venues are located within fairly close proximity to downtown Denver or with easy access to public transit (with the exception of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park) Ball Arena is within walking distance of downtown Denver, or you could hop onto the light rail, take a rickshaw, ride share or bus to the venue. What I love about this proximity to the city and transit is that it makes attending events a lot more accessible to more people.

Ball Arena DOES NOT Have a Box Office

Seriously. There is NO BOX OFFICE. If you’re showing up planning to purchase tickets onsite, you will be directed to do that via two different approved methods.

• Ticketmaster which is the ticketing company for events being held at Ball Arena

• Ball Arena’s website which basically is linked to Ticketmaster by event.

If you experience difficulties accessing your tickets, there is an onsite team that is there to assist you with any ticketing questions or issues that you may be having. Attendees are very used to this and as far as I can tell there are very few issues that have come up as a result of not having a box office. It is almost 2030 so we shouldn’t be surprised that some things are now done digitally.

Ball Arena is a Secured Building

I always feel pretty safe attending events at Ball Arena because it is a secured building. Guests have to go through a security screening as they enter the building. Here are some really important things to be aware of.

• Always check the following pieces of information:
  • The Plan Your Visit Page on Ball Arena’s website
  • More Info Button-You’ll find this on the Ball Arena website on the specific event’s information page.
  • Bag Policy

• Your Purse is Probably Too Big
  • The smaller the purse the better. Check the website for details about purse size. I’ve included some links below to give you an idea of what to consider.
    • Chain Belt Bag
    • Mini Clutch with Leaf Clasp
    • Clear Bag SMALL or MINI (do not get the larger size)
    • Fringe Crossbody Bag
    • Mini Clear Crossbody Bag

• No weapons, drugs or other very obviously prohibited items.

If you’re bringing a diaper or medical bag, those bags will be screened.

Additional Ball Arena Tips

Here are a few more tips to help you better plan your experience at Ball Arena.

• Denver is incredibly dry, you may want to bring a water bottle. Double-check the guidance on that before you arrive.

• If you’re making a sign for your favorite player-those signs have to be SMALL. Like basically the size of a piece of paper or slightly bigger. If your sign is too big it will be confiscated at the door. You can speak with Guest Services at the Main Entrance about getting some crayons, etc. to color a sign upon arrival.

• You can book a tour of Ball Arena

• There are Sensory Kits AND Sensory Lounges for those of us who can get a little overwhelmed by all of the noise and action at a concert of sporting event.

• If you accidentally bring a bag that’s too big there are lockers that you can pay for next to the giant ribbon statue west of the Main Entrance.

What Events Are in Ball Arena

It’s amazing to see how many events are happening almost on a daily basis at Ball Arena. They are booked and busy and I love it! Here’s a shortlist of what you’ll likely be able to experience at the venue.

Denver Nuggets Basketball (NBA)

If you love the NBA, Ball Arena is a wonderful place to enjoy a game. The crowd is loud, we have some great rivalries and weirdly, there are a lot of fans of opposing teams that live in the Denver Metro Area. There’s a lot of energy at those games. Also, it’s a lot of fun watching our team play. Nicola Jokic is a genius level once in a lifetime player.

Colorado Mammoth Lacrosse (NLL)

I consider the Colorado Mammoth to be the most underrated team in Denver with the best attendee experience. I absolutely love these games and am already looking forward to attending in 2027. Also, I love professional lacrosse so much now that I could be a season ticket holder. And the team has won the NLL championship more than once.

Colorado Avalanche Hockey (NHL)

I’ve never seen the Avs warm up like the guys do in Heated Rivalry, despite that-I really enjoy attending Colorado Avalanche games. One thing that a newbie NHL attendee might be surprised by is that there’s no walking to your seats while the “Puck is in Play”

Professional Women’s Hockey League TakeOvers (PWHL)

I had the good fortune to attend both of the PWHL Takeovers in 2026. They were like a party. The vibes are different from an NHL game and I loved it! Also, the players are absolutely fierce when playing. Denver definitely has the fandom to have a team and the “We Want a Team” chant went crazy during each game.

WNBA or Unrivaled Takeovers (Crossing My Fingers)

This hasn’t happened yet but I’m really hoping that during the 2026/2027 season we get a couple of WNBA OR Unrivaled games in Denver. I think there’s a huge opportunity to tap into the existing basketball fan base that already exists in town as well as fans who live in other states that would like to visit to attend a game.

Concerts

Ball Arena is where Cardi B recently performed where the crowd yelled their butts off while she was performing. There’s a wide range of artists who choose to perform at Ball Arena. In 2026 here’s a shortlist of performers who plan on using Ball Arena as their stage.

• Peso Pluma

• Olivia Dean (Sold Out)

• Meghan Trainor (Fantastic ticket prices)

• J Cole

• Chicago and Styx

• Tame Impala (Sold Out)

• Doja Cat

• Gorillaz

As we get further into the year, more concerts will likely be added to the calendar. Keep an eye on it to stay in the loop.

After the Event

If you plan on taking public transportation after the concert, I strongly recommend checking the schedule for your preferred mode of transportation.

• Lightrail-Check a couple of different times based on when the concert is likely to end. Then sdd an extra 1/2 hour to 1 hour to your schedule so that you have an idea of the different times the train will arrive at the Ball Arena ligh rail station.

• Lyft or Uber-Rideshare services pick up patrons at the parking lot that is located the furthest west from Ball Arena. Exit the Main Entrance and walk towards Empower Field (the current football stadium)

• Rickshaws-Depending on the weather, you’ll typically see these as you depart the building. They’re pretty easy to spot.

• Street Vendors-If you’re hungry after the event street vendors are often positioned in close proximity to the venue. The current item that you’ll often find are Sonoran Hot Dogs (delicious) be prepared to pay via Venmo/Cash or Cash App typically around $10 dollars or more.

Where to Stay While You’re In Denver

(Close to Ball Arena)

The following hotels listed below are within walking distance to Ball Arena or one lightrail stop to Ball Arena.

• Springhill Suites By Marriott Downtown Denver

• Hilton Garden Inn Denver Union Station

• Limelight Hotel

• Hotel Indigo

• The Crawford Hotel