Moody Center

Start here: the seat that fits your event

At the Moody Center, a 100 Level seat on the side of the stage is the best concert ticket for most fans: raised above the floor crowd, close to the performer and clear of the production. For Longhorns basketball, choose a 100 Level sideline seat a few rows up. If you want value, the 200 Level works better here than in larger arenas, because the building is mid-size and the upper bowl never gets very far from the action.

The arena seats 16,223 in total and 10,763 for basketball. Owned by UT Austin and built on its campus, it is where the Longhorns' men's and women's teams play, yet it books far more concerts than games; the venue bills itself as a concert arena of 15,000-plus seats.

• Basketball: both Longhorns teams play from November into March.
• Concerts: most of the calendar, year-round.
• Also on the schedule: PBR bull riding with the Austin Gamblers, plus the odd NBA date.

Floor, 100 Level, suites, 200 Level

The arena's published maps show three tiers, plus a floor that changes with every event.

• Floor: for concerts, either standing-room general admission or reserved seating, set show by show.
• 100 Level: the lower bowl around the court or floor, where basketball's courtside and low sideline seats are found.
• Suite ring: the H-E-B Suite Level, with private suites and loge boxes (small, semi-private seating groups) in a ring between the bowls.
• 200 Level: the upper bowl, above the suites.

Because the building tops out around 16,000 seats, its upper bowl is noticeably nearer the action than the top deck of a typical 20,000-seat NBA building. Stage position moves from show to show, so check your listing's seat map to see which side and end your section faces.

Longhorns basketball: where to sit

• Best: the lower-bowl sideline, a few rows up so the team benches and scoring table drop out of your sightline.
• Smart value: the upper-bowl sideline. The full court and every set play stay in view, which many fans find better than sitting low behind a basket for comparable money.
• Think twice: low seats behind the baskets. The stanchion and players at the near end cut off part of the court, and the far end is hard to judge.

NBA basketball has visited too: in April 2023 the San Antonio Spurs brought the league's first regular-season games to Austin, played in this building.

Concert seating, stage by stage

End-stage shows

• General admission floor: show up early if you want a spot near the rail.
• Reserved floor: superb in the opening rows; toward the back, a flat floor leaves you looking at shoulders, and a raised bowl seat often sees more.
• Lower bowl, stage-side: the pick for most people, combining a raised angle, good sound and a real seat.
• Lower bowl, opposite the stage: a dead-center view at a longer distance.
• Upper bowl: lower cost and the whole light show in frame.

Center-stage and in-the-round shows

Every side faces the performer, so the front rows of the 100 Level turn into the prime seats.

Seats to approach with caution

When the stage sits at one end, sections right beside or behind it may carry a partial-view or rear-view label. Check the notes on the listing and weigh it against a side section closer to the front.

The opening run set the tone: John Mayer christened the arena over two nights in April 2022, followed by George Strait with Willie Nelson, then Dave Matthews Band, and later that fall Harry Styles played six shows.

Garages, the Lyft lot and drop-off

You will find the arena on Robert Dedman Drive (number 2001), immediately south of Mike A. Myers Stadium, a short drive from downtown Austin. University and state garages ring the site, and the venue lets you reserve a space online before the show.

• Closest garage: Manor Garage, two or three minutes on foot, which also holds the nearest accessible spaces. Since 2026 it sells only in advance, so do not expect to pay at the entrance on show day.
• A short walk: Trinity Garage, on the street of the same name, about seven or eight minutes away.
• Below 17th Street: Garage B and State Garage G, both in the block bounded by San Jacinto Boulevard and Trinity Street.
• Below 18th Street: State Garage R, between Brazos and San Jacinto.
• Rideshare: Lyft riders meet their cars in Lot 37, the parking area for the LBJ Library, a block north near the corner of Red River and Clyde Littlefield.
• Drop-off for guests with disabilities: on Robert Dedman Drive at the arena's northwest corner.

Buy parking ahead for any sellout, since the nearest garage turns away drive-ups. The arena's parking page lists what is open for your date.

What to carry and how to get in

Three kinds of bag get through security as of 2026:

• Clear: transparent, with a 14-by-14-by-6-inch maximum.
• Freezer-style: a clear resealable plastic bag of one gallon.
• Small and opaque: a clutch no bigger than 5 by 9 by 1.5 inches.

Staff turn away camera cases, diaper bags, mesh bags and grocery totes. That clear-bag cap is slightly more generous than the football-stadium norm, yet a backpack or a regular purse is still too big.

• Tickets: phone only. SafeTix barcodes refresh constantly inside the Ticketmaster app, the Moody Center app or your phone's wallet, which is why a screenshot or printout fails at the scanner.
• Payment: no cash; tap a card or use Apple Pay or Google Pay. A kiosk by the box office loads cash onto a prepaid card if you need one.
• Leaving: once out, you stay out.
• Smoking and vaping: prohibited throughout.
• Accessibility: enter at West Gate A; elevators and wheelchair help are available.

Confirm the rules in the venue's A-Z guide before your date. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee.

From the Erwin Center to the Moody Center

Construction began with a groundbreaking on December 3, 2019. Gensler drew the plans, and the bill came to about 375 million dollars. The building took over from the Frank Erwin Center as UT's main arena, and its name honors the Moody Foundation, which put a 130-million-dollar grant behind the project. UT holds the title; operations sit with Oak View Group in partnership with C3 Presents and Live Nation, which is why music dominates the calendar. Attendance peaked at 16,389.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Moody Center
• Moody Center – Venue site
• Moody Center – A-Z Guide
• Moody Center – Parking
• Moody Center – Arena Maps