Upcoming Chicago Bulls dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
The Bulls seat to buy, in one paragraph
For a Chicago Bulls game, the best seat for watching basketball is rows 8 to 15 of a center-sideline 100-level section. You clear the courtside row and the scorer's table and still hear the sneakers. The best value is the front of the center 200-level club, and the best budget seat is one of the first five or six rows of the 300 level at center court. The seats to think twice about are the top 300-level rows behind the baskets, the farthest in the building.
- Courtside: priced as an experience, not a view.
- Center 100s, rows 8–15: the best basketball seat.
- Center club 200s: a full-court view and waiter service.
- Low 300s at center: the most court for the money.
The Bulls play 41 home games at the United Center between late October and mid-April.
Three rings at 1901 W. Madison
The United Center opened in August 1994 on the Near West Side, about two miles west of the Loop. It holds 20,917 for basketball, or roughly 23,100 counting standing room, and the Bulls and the NHL's Blackhawks own and share it.
100 level
The lower bowl. TickPick reports that most sections have about 19 rows, and that the center-sideline sections, 105–107 and 116–118, add lettered rows in front of row 1, so a ticket in row A or B there is closer than row 1 elsewhere.
200 level
The club ring. Sections are short, about eight rows, and come with in-seat wait service. The center club sections are listed as 201, 202, 233, 234 and 216–219.
300 level
The upper deck, roughly 17 rows per section, plus standing-room areas.
Bench side
Both teams sit on one sideline. Seating guides place the Bulls bench in front of section 102 and the opponents in front of section 121. Confirm on your listing's seat map before you pay for bench-side seats.
United Center seats that disappoint up close
- Directly behind a bench: close, yes, but players and staff stand during timeouts and big possessions, and you lose the view when it matters most.
- Low baseline rows behind the hoop: less expensive than the sideline and great for half-court sets at your end, but the far basket is hard to judge, and the stanchion (the hoop's support) can interrupt your sightline.
- Top 300-level rows behind the baskets: the court shrinks fast from up there.
The smart alternatives are close by. Lower-bowl corner sections keep the atmosphere of the 100 level and show the entire floor on a diagonal. Front-row club seats in the 200s often beat a middle-row lower-bowl seat at a similar price, because the modest height lets you see spacing and plays forming. For a long night, the in-seat service is a real plus.
Bulls dates with the hottest demand
The schedule follows a set rhythm: a short preseason in early October, then 82 games (half at home) from late October to mid-April. NBA Cup group games, part of the in-season tournament since 2023–24, land mostly on Tuesday and Friday nights in November and count in the standings. A play-in tournament in mid-April decides the last playoff seeds, and the postseason runs into June.
- Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers: rivals with history, and both fan bases can drive to Chicago.
- New York Knicks and Miami Heat: past playoff opponents that still bring an edge to the building.
- Star-driven visitors: the league's marquee players and the East's best teams outdraw a typical weeknight.
- Weekends and the Christmas and New Year's weeks: faster sellers than Monday through Wednesday.
- A late-season push: if the Bulls are in the play-in or playoff picture in March and April, demand climbs with each game.
For the widest selection, target weeknight games against non-rivals from January to early March. Resale prices can swing either way in the final 48 hours, depending on the matchup.
CTA, parking and Bulls entry rules
On game nights the CTA has historically run the #19 United Center Express bus from Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street, alongside the regular #20 Madison and #50 Damen routes. By train, the Green and Pink lines stop at Ashland/Lake, several blocks north, and the Blue Line stops at Illinois Medical District, several blocks south. Express service changes, so check the CTA before you leave. Lots surround the arena and rideshare is popular, but Madison and Ashland back up after the game.
The Bulls' published rules for the 2025–26 season:
- Tickets: mobile only, in the Bulls app. Printouts and screenshots are refused.
- Bags: a small purse or personal bag up to 10 by 6 by 2 inches. No backpacks, except for medical needs. Paid Binbox lockers in the Uber Zone near Madison and Wood streets hold bigger bags.
- Payment: cashless for food, drinks and merchandise.
Read the team's health and safety page before game day, since rules change each season. Every Reserved Seat order ships free, with no digital transfer fees.
Arrive early to meet friends at the Michael Jordan statue, which stands in the arena's atrium, opened in 2017.
Six banners and the Madhouse on Madison
The Bulls were founded on January 16, 1966, as Chicago's third NBA franchise. They spent the first season at the International Amphitheatre and then moved to Chicago Stadium, a building so loud it earned the nickname "Madhouse on Madison." The nickname crossed the street with the team when the United Center opened in 1994.
- May 7, 1989: Michael Jordan's buzzer-beater over Craig Ehlo, known as "The Shot," won a first-round Game 5 in Cleveland and still fuels the Cavaliers rivalry.
- 1991 to 1993: three straight titles with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
- 1995–96: a 72–10 record, then the best in NBA history and the first 70-win season, followed by a fourth title.
- 1997 and 1998: the second three-peat completed, all three won at the United Center.
Five numbers are retired: 1, 4, 10, 23 and 33. Later fan favorites include Derrick Rose and Luol Deng, and Benny the Bull has been the mascot since 1969, a reliable hit with younger fans.
Frequently asked questions
What rows are best in the United Center lower bowl for basketball?
Rows 8 to 15 of the center-sideline 100s. They sit above the courtside row and scorer's table while staying close to the floor.
Are the United Center club seats worth it for a Bulls game?
Often, yes. The center club sections (201, 202, 233, 234 and 216 to 219) are short, have in-seat service and give a clean full-court view.
Where do the Bulls sit at the United Center?
Both benches share one sideline, with the Bulls in front of section 102 and the visitors in front of section 121, according to seating guides.
Can I print my Bulls ticket?
No. As of the 2025–26 season, entry is by mobile ticket in the Bulls app only, and printouts and screenshots are not accepted.
How do I get to the United Center without a car?
Take the CTA. Bus routes #20 Madison and #50 Damen serve the arena, an express bus has run on game nights, and the Green, Pink and Blue lines stop several blocks away.
What is the United Center's basketball capacity?
20,917 seated, or about 23,100 with standing room.