Upcoming Cleveland Cavaliers 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.
Your Cavs seat decision, simplified
For a Cleveland Cavaliers game, the seat that shows basketball best is a 100-level sideline section, about rows 6 to 15. That height lifts you over the courtside row and the benches while keeping you close to the pace of play. For a step down in price with a full-court view, compare a club (C) or mezzanine (M) seat with a lower-bowl corner. On a budget, take the front rows of the 200 level near center court.
- Splurge: courtside and floor seats, priced for the experience.
- Best view: sideline 100s, rows 6–15.
- Comfort and access: C and M sections between the bowls.
- Budget: center-court front rows of the 200s.
Rocket Arena seats 19,432 for basketball, and the Cavs host 41 regular-season games from late October to mid-April.
Reading the Rocket Arena map
Current seating guides show three parts to the bowl.
- The 100 level circles the floor as the lower bowl and is where demand is highest for basketball.
- C and M sections sit between the bowls. The C stands for club, which adds club amenities, and the M stands for mezzanine.
- The 200 level is the upper bowl and holds most of the lower-priced seats.
Bench locations and exact row counts are not published by the arena, so check your listing's map if bench-side seating matters to you.
One feature helps every level: the center-hung scoreboard installed in 2014, nicknamed the "Humongotron," is among the largest in the NBA, so replays stay easy to see even from the top of the 200s. The building also went through a major renovation finished in September 2019 that widened concourses and public areas.
The arena has carried several names since it opened on October 17, 1994: Gund Arena, then Quicken Loans Arena ("the Q") from 2005, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse from 2019 and Rocket Arena from 2025. Old maps and directions may use any of them.
Corners, baselines and upper-bowl trade-offs
Lower-bowl corners
Corner 100s keep much of the lower-level energy at a lower price than center court, with the full court visible on a diagonal. For many fans this is the best balance in the arena.
Behind the baskets
Baseline seats are good for watching action at your end. The far basket is hard to judge, and in the lowest rows the stanchion (the support holding up the hoop) can block part of the view.
C and M versus a lower corner
Before buying a middle-row corner seat in the 100s, price a club or mezzanine seat. At similar cost, the C or M seat often gives the clearer view of plays developing, along with shorter trips to food and restrooms.
Top of the 200s
The highest rows behind the baskets feel distant. For a long playoff night, weigh the climb and the height before saving on these seats.
Cavaliers games that sell first
The season starts with a brief October preseason, then 82 games (41 at home) from late October to mid-April. NBA Cup group games, added with the in-season tournament in 2023–24, fall mostly on Tuesday and Friday nights in November and count toward the standings. The play-in tournament comes in mid-April, and the playoffs run into June.
- Golden State Warriors: the opponent in four straight Finals from 2015 to 2018.
- Boston Celtics: a frequent playoff obstacle and a strong draw.
- Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons: Central Division rivals whose fans make the drive.
- Homecomings and stars: a former Cavalier returning, or any of the league's biggest names.
- Weekends and late December: Friday and Saturday nights and the holiday stretch.
- Playoffs: home dates move quickly, and resale prices react to every result in a series.
For the most choice, look at weeknight games against Western Conference teams from January through early March.
Tower City walkway, garages and doors
Rocket Arena is at 1 Center Court in the Gateway District on the south edge of downtown, beside Progressive Field. The easiest way in is the RTA: the Red, Blue and Green rapid lines all stop at Tower City, and an enclosed glass walkway links Tower City Center to the arena, so you never step outside in January. The arena says the walkway opens four hours before Cavs games and closes about three hours after events.
Drivers can use two attached garages with room for about 3,300 cars, or cheaper lots a few blocks away. Destination Cleveland suggests allowing 45 minutes to an hour to get out after the game.
The arena's A-Z guide, as published in 2026:
- Doors: 75 minutes before tipoff Monday through Thursday, 90 minutes Friday through Sunday; the atrium opens earlier.
- Bags: nothing over 14 by 14 by 6 inches, and the bag must fit under your seat.
- Payment: cashless, with reverse ATMs that load cash onto prepaid cards.
- Re-entry: none, except for medical emergencies.
- Children: age 2 and up need their own ticket.
Check the Rocket Arena website before you go. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Cleveland's comeback franchise
The Cavaliers entered the NBA in 1970 and play in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. Home was the Cleveland Arena for four seasons and then the Richfield Coliseum, out between Cleveland and Akron, from 1974 to 1994.
- Late 1980s: Mark Price and Brad Daugherty led winning teams, but a May 7, 1989, first-round series ended on Michael Jordan's buzzer-beater over Craig Ehlo, still called "The Shot."
- 1994: the move back downtown to the new arena.
- 2005: Dan Gilbert became majority owner.
- 2007: LeBron James, from nearby Akron, led the first Finals trip.
- 2010 and 2014: James left and then came back.
- 2016: down three games to one against Golden State, Cleveland won the Finals, the first team ever to recover from that deficit in the championship round. It gave the city its first major pro title in more than 50 years.
- 2024–25: a 15–0 start, tied for the second-best opening in league history.
Seven retired numbers hang in the rafters, including those of Price, Daugherty and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
Frequently asked questions
What are C and M sections at Rocket Arena?
They are smaller sections between the lower and upper bowls. C means club, with club amenities, and M means mezzanine.
Which rows give the best view at a Cavs game?
In the 100-level sideline sections, about rows 6 to 15. You see over the courtside row and benches while staying close.
Is Rocket Arena the old Quicken Loans Arena?
Yes. The building opened in 1994 as Gund Arena, became Quicken Loans Arena in 2005, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in 2019 and Rocket Arena in 2025.
Can I get from the train to the arena indoors?
Yes. RTA Red, Blue and Green line trains stop at Tower City, which connects to the arena by an enclosed walkway that opens four hours before Cavs games.
Does my toddler need a ticket for a Cavaliers game?
Children 2 and older need their own ticket, according to the arena's 2026 A-Z guide.
What made the Cavaliers' 2016 title unusual?
They trailed Golden State three games to one in the Finals and won, the first team to come back from that deficit in the Finals.