Upcoming Sacramento Kings 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.
Which Kings seat to buy
At Golden 1 Center, the best seat for a Sacramento Kings game is a 100-level sideline seat in the middle rows, and the best value is the lower rows of a 200-level sideline section. That second option works better here than in most NBA buildings: the arena holds 17,608 for basketball, and its design shifted hundreds of seats into the lower bowl, so the upper bowl starts closer to the court.
- Closest: courtside and the front of the 100 level.
- Clearest view: 100-level sideline, middle rows.
- Value: 200-level sideline, lower rows.
- Lowest cost, with a catch: 200-level corners and top rows behind the baskets.
The arena is downtown, and the regular season runs from October into April.
How Golden 1 Center is laid out
Opened September 30, 2016, the arena stands at 500 David J. Stern Walk, part of it on land once occupied by the Downtown Plaza mall, in a district known as Downtown Commons. Fans sit on two public tiers, the lower bowl (100 level) and the upper bowl (200 level). Between them are 34 suites and 48 loft-style boxes, plus premium club spaces. Courtside seats and club seats are sold as their own categories.
Section numbers and the home bench side are not confirmed here. Use the seat map on your listing to see where a section sits relative to center court.
Kings seats, from the floor to the top row
Courtside and the first 100-level rows
The most immersive seats and the most sought after. The cost, beyond price, is perspective: from the floor, plays on the far side flatten out.
100-level sideline
Middle rows give you enough height to read spacing and set plays while keeping you near the noise. For most fans, this is the seat to aim for.
100-level baselines
Usually cheaper than the sideline at the same distance, with an excellent view of the near basket. In the lowest rows directly behind the hoop, the stanchion can sit in your line of sight.
200-level sideline
Because the building is compact, the front of the upper bowl is nearer the floor than upper-deck seats in many larger arenas. It is the strongest full-court view for the money.
200-level corners and upper rows
The least expensive tickets. Good for crowd energy, weaker for detail; if your budget can stretch, move away from the highest rows behind either basket.
In a full house, an aisle seat earns a small premium: you can reach the concourse without waiting for a whistle.
Demand at Golden 1 Center, game by game
Every NBA season looks about the same: a short preseason in early October, an 82-game schedule that runs until mid-April, and a postseason that can last into June. Half of those 82 games, 41, are in Sacramento.
- California rivals. Lakers, Warriors and Clippers dates bring fans up the freeway and usually show the thinnest listings.
- Star power. Opponents built around headline players attract casual buyers.
- Weekends and holidays. Friday, Saturday and holiday-week games fill ahead of early-week dates.
- A playoff chase. Late-season contention lifts the whole schedule, and a home playoff game is the hardest seat of the year to find.
With fewer seats than most NBA arenas, big games tighten fast. Midweek Eastern Conference visitors give the widest choice, and resale prices for those games often soften in the final days.
Light rail, SacPark and the 8-inch bag limit
SacRT light rail has several stops a block or less from the building, 8th and K among them, and Amtrak's Sacramento Valley Station is a short walk away. Drivers have more than 13,500 spaces within half a mile; the arena recommends buying a city garage pass in advance on SacPark. A free bike valet, staffed by the Sacramento Area Bike Association, has operated near the doors for big events. Weekend light rail construction happens, so check SacRT before you leave.
The bag rule is strict. As of fall 2026, the posted FAQ permits small clutches only, sized at roughly 8 by 6 by 1 inches at most, and no backpacks. Payment is card or phone only, Kings doors open an hour and a half ahead of tip-off, and once you exit you cannot come back in. Reserved Seat backs every order with guaranteed entry. Confirm the rules on the Golden 1 Center FAQ before game day.
Light the Beam and the loudest roar
Sacramento is a one-team major-league city, and the Kings carry its sports identity. Guinness recognized Kings fans for the loudest indoor-stadium crowd roar after a game against the Pistons on November 15, 2013, at the team's old arena: 126 decibels.
The newer ritual started in the 2022 to 2023 season. After each home win, the team shines a large purple beam into the sky above the arena, and "Light the Beam" became the fan base's rallying cry. Walk out to the plaza and the sky tells you the result.
Pregame means downtown, not parking lots. Restaurants and bars line the plaza and K Street around the building, and the riverfront Old Sacramento district works for an earlier dinner. On the road, Kings fans most often head to Chase Center in San Francisco or south to Los Angeles.
The NBA's oldest franchise, in five stops
The team traces its start to the Rochester Seagrams of 1923, making it the oldest franchise in the NBA. As the Rochester Royals from 1945 to 1957 it won the 1951 championship. It then became the Cincinnati Royals, then the Kings, first split between Kansas City and Omaha from 1972 and based in Kansas City alone from 1975, before settling in Sacramento in 1985. A 2013 bid to relocate the team to Seattle failed when local investors under Vivek Ranadivé struck a deal to buy the club that May, which kept the Kings home and led to the downtown arena.
- 1999 to 2006: eight straight playoff seasons. The 2001 to 2002 team had the league's best record, 61 and 21, and went 36 and 5 at home.
- 2002: a seven-game Western Conference Finals loss to the Lakers, still argued over for the Game 6 officiating, and the root of the team's deepest rivalry.
- 2022 to 2023: a 176 to 175 double-overtime win over the Clippers, second only to one game for combined points in league history.
- March 29, 2023: a win at Portland ended 16 seasons without a playoff berth, at the time the longest active playoff drought across the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB.
The Kings have retired 11 numbers. In the Hall of Fame, Oscar Robertson stands for the Cincinnati years, while Mitch Richmond, Vlade Divac and Chris Webber stand for Sacramento. The Warriors, just down the road, are the natural regional opponent.
Frequently asked questions
Are upper-level seats worth buying for a Kings game?
Yes, especially the lower rows of the 200-level sideline. Golden 1 Center is compact, so the upper bowl sits closer to the court than in many larger arenas.
Is Golden 1 Center cashless?
Yes. As of fall 2026 the arena is fully cashless, so bring a card or phone wallet.
How early do doors open for Kings games?
An hour and a half ahead of tip-off, per the arena's FAQ. Leaving means you cannot get back in.
Where did the Kings play before Sacramento?
The franchise began in Rochester, then played in Cincinnati and Kansas City, with a stretch as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings, before moving to Sacramento in 1985.
What does the purple beam above the arena mean?
It means the Kings won at home. The team has done this since 2022-23. Fans rally around the phrase Light the Beam.
Can I bring a backpack to Golden 1 Center?
No. The fall 2026 rules ban backpacks and cap bags at small clutches, roughly 8 by 6 by 1 inches. Check the arena FAQ before your game.