Upcoming Detroit Lions 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 Lions seat that makes sense for most fans
For a Detroit Lions game at Ford Field, the smartest buy for most fans is a north-side 300-level seat inside the 20s. It looks straight across at the Lions bench, shows the whole field from a good football height, and usually costs less than a low end zone seat with a worse view. If you want to sit behind the home team, buy on the south sideline, in the lower level.
Ford Field is a fixed dome that seats about 65,000, so weather never enters the decision. There is no sun side, no cold side and no rain risk. That leaves three things to think about: which sideline, how high, and how much you value premium comfort.
How the warehouse shapes the seating map
One whole side of the stadium, the south, is an old warehouse once used by the Hudson's department store chain, built in the 1920s. That brick building now holds the majority of the suites as well as the lounges serving the south club seats. The result is a lopsided bowl:
- South side: the Lions bench sits here. Lower-level seats put you right behind the team, with club seats and suites stacked above. There are few general seats in the upper half.
- North side: a full run of lower-level sideline sections, a 200-level club tier and, above it, a 300 level that blends club and standard seats. This is where most of the regular grandstand seating is.
- End zones: the rest of the general seating, plus open gaps where the upper deck stops short at the two south corners.
One more quirk: the playing surface is sunk roughly 45 feet beneath the street, which means you often walk in at mid-bowl height rather than climbing up from the bottom. Daylight pours in through skylights and big windows, and the boards and speakers date from a 2017 upgrade.
Section-by-section trade-offs
Lower bowl
The front rows are close enough that players and staff on the sideline cut off part of the view. Move halfway up the section or higher and the full play opens up.
End zones
Great for touchdowns at your end, weak for anything at the far end. Choose them for the price or the atmosphere, not the view.
North 300 level
The value seats. With suites taking over the upper south side, this tier holds most of the reasonably priced sideline inventory, and it faces the home bench.
Premium
For the roomiest seat in the house, look at the loge boxes, which sit above sections 213–214 and above the south-side club seats and come with extra-large chairs and generous legroom. A step below, club tickets bring indoor lounge access and quicker food lines.
Noise
Sound has nowhere to escape under a permanent roof. A sold-out crowd makes every seat loud, and young kids will appreciate earmuffs or earplugs.
When Lions tickets get scarce
Each Lions season brings August preseason games, eight or nine regular-season home games from September into early January, and any home playoff games. A few dates go first.
- Thanksgiving: the tradition started in 1934, when owner George A. Richards scheduled a holiday game in the team's first Detroit season. It is a national television event on a travel weekend, and for many visitors it is the Lions game.
- Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota: division games add rivalry and standings weight, and Packers and Bears fans drive in.
- Night games: Sunday, Monday and Thursday night kickoffs draw fans who want the prime-time atmosphere.
- Preseason: the cheapest way to see the stadium.
More than most teams, Lions demand rises and falls with results. After a playoff victory in the 1991 season, the next one did not come until January 2024. Back at the Silverdome, unsold home games were routinely kept off local TV. Winning stretches tighten inventory; lean years loosen it. Weather never scares buyers off here, so December games hold their demand better than outdoor games in cold cities.
Downtown gameday logistics
Ford Field sits at 2000 Brush Street, across the street from the Tigers' Comerica Park; it was built as part of a push to revive downtown.
- People Mover: the automated rail loop that circles downtown has two stations within a few minutes' walk, Grand Circus Park and Broadway.
- QLine: get off the Woodward Avenue streetcar at Montcalm Street for a quick walk.
- Buses: DDOT and SMART routes run downtown.
- Driving: the team advises reserving parking ahead and arriving early, since downtown freeway exits back up before kickoff.
As of the 2026 season, the building is cashless. The clear-bag rule applies (one transparent bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a gallon freezer bag, and a clutch), and the stadium turns away strollers, car seats and diaper bags. Smokers get two outdoor spots on Lions game days, by Gate D (sections 128–129) and Gate E (section 225). Lines usually run longest at Gate A, so enter at whichever gate is closest to your seat. Rules change; confirm them on the Ford Field guest help page.
Before kickoff, the team hosts a free tailgate called Pride Plaza along Brush Street, and inside the stadium a Power Hour knocks down concession prices early. Plan ahead if you want a pregame table nearby, since the area around the ballpark and Grand Circus Park gets crowded early. Orders through Reserved Seat ship free with no digital transfer fees.
From Portsmouth to Ford Field
The franchise started as the Portsmouth Spartans in Portsmouth, Ohio, and entered the NFL on July 12, 1930. Depression-era money problems sent it to Detroit in 1934, where it became the Lions, a nod to the baseball Tigers. Detroit won NFL titles in 1935, 1952, 1953 and 1957, with the 1950s teams among the league's best in the Bobby Layne era. The Ford family has owned the team since 1964, with Sheila Ford Hamp in charge since 2020, and the colors are Honolulu blue and silver.
- Stadiums: Tiger Stadium from 1938 to 1974 (with short stints elsewhere), the 80,000-seat Pontiac Silverdome from 1975 to 2001, and Ford Field since it opened on August 24, 2002.
- Stars: Barry Sanders at running back and Calvin Johnson at receiver headline the later eras.
- Low point: a winless 2008 season, followed by 2–14 in 2009.
- Big events: Ford Field hosted Super Bowl XL in February 2006 and the 2009 Final Four, and WrestleMania 23 set its attendance record of 80,103. The Final Four is scheduled to return in April 2027.
The Lions run the building, which belongs to the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. The NFC North pits Detroit against the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears; the Bears series goes back to 1930, the Portsmouth years. For road trips, all three are drivable. Soldier Field and Lambeau Field are open-air, so pack for real cold in December, while the Vikings play under a roof.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best value seat at Ford Field?
Look at the north side's 300 level, inside the 20s. It sees the whole field and usually costs less than a low end zone seat.
Where should I sit to be behind the Lions bench?
Buy lower-level seats on the south sideline, the side built into the old Hudson's warehouse.
Why are there fewer upper seats on the south side of Ford Field?
The south side is a 1920s warehouse that holds most of the suites and club lounges, so there is little general seating in its upper half.
Is Ford Field loud?
Yes. The fixed dome traps crowd noise, so a full stadium is loud in every section. Ear protection is a good idea for young children.
Can I bring a diaper bag or stroller to a Lions game?
No. As of the 2026 season, diaper bags, strollers and car seats are not allowed, and bags must meet the clear-bag rules. Check the current policy before you go.