Pechanga Arena

San Diego's Midway arena, formerly the Sports Arena

Pechanga Arena San Diego is the city-owned arena at 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard in San Diego's Midway District. It is home to the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League and books concerts, combat sports, wrestling, ice shows and monster trucks. It seats 12,920 for hockey. For a Gulls game, the best seats are center ice in the inner ring, sections 1 and 24 on the press side and 13–14 on the bench side; for a full-rink view at lower cost, the same numbers in the middle ring are the pick.

Most San Diegans still call it the Sports Arena. It opened in 1966 as the San Diego International Sports Arena and became the San Diego Sports Arena in 1970. It was the iPayOne Center from March 2005 to May 2007, the Valley View Casino Center from November 13, 2010 to November 30, 2018, and Pechanga Arena from December 5, 2018, when the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, owners of Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, took the naming rights. It is the same building under every name.

How the three rings and section numbers work

The layout below comes from the arena's official hockey and concert maps on its Seat Guide page. Unlike most arenas, Pechanga Arena does not use a 100 and 200 level. Instead, the same numbers 1 through 24 repeat on three concentric rings, so always check the ring as well as the number.

• Inner ring: the rows closest to the rink or floor, sections 1–24 in a continuous loop.
• Middle ring: the next band up, using the same numbers plus lettered subsections such as 4A, 4B, 8A, 8B, 10A, 17A and 21B around the corners.
• Outer ring: the upper band around the whole bowl, again numbered 1–24 with more lettered corner sections (for example 4A–4C, 10A–10C, 16A–16B and 21A–21C).

On the hockey map, sections 1 and 24 sit at center ice on the side with the radio and television position, and 13 and 14 sit at center ice across the rink, behind the home and visitors' benches. Sections 7 and 19 are the two ends. Numbers run from 1 at center ice around the end with section 7 and back along the bench side, so 2–6 and 20–23 are the corners and side sections nearest center on the press side.

Best seats for Gulls hockey and concerts

San Diego Gulls hockey

• Best overall: inner-ring 1, 2, 23 and 24, a few rows off the glass. You see the play develop across both blue lines.
• Behind the benches: inner-ring 12–15. Close to the players, though the bench area interrupts the lowest rows.
• Best value: middle-ring 1, 2, 23, 24 and 12–15. The building is low and compact for an arena, so the middle ring still feels close.
• Budget: the outer ring on the sides beats the inner-ring ends for following the puck.

End-stage concerts

On the arena's main-stage concert map, the stage sits at the section 7 end, and the floor is divided into lettered blocks A through J, with A–C closest to the stage. The best raised seats are inner-ring 2, 3, 11 and 12, which sit along the sides nearest the stage. The far end (17–21 in the inner ring and the middle-ring sections behind them) faces the stage head-on and shows the whole production from a distance.

Seats to avoid

• Stage-end sections 6–8 and their lettered neighbors during concerts, which look at the side or back of the stage.
• The outer ring's far corners for a concert, the longest walk and the longest sightline in the building.
• Lettered corner subsections if you want a straight-on view; they angle toward the rink.

Pechanga Arena capacity by event

Capacity depends on the setup. According to Wikipedia's summary of the arena's figures, it holds:

• 12,920 for ice hockey, indoor soccer and box lacrosse
• 14,500 for basketball and tennis
• 8,900 to 14,800 for arena concerts, depending on stage size
• 5,450 for amphitheater-style concerts and stage shows
• 13,000 for ice shows and the circus
• 16,100 for boxing and mixed martial arts
• 12,000 for indoor football

The amphitheater configuration curtains off part of the bowl, which is why smaller tours that would look empty in a full arena still play here.

Parking at Pechanga Arena and getting there

The arena sits in a large surface lot, so most visitors drive. As of 2026, a parking pass is required in all arena lots; fees are posted on each event page and can be paid in advance online (with a handling fee) or by card at the lot entrance. Preferred Parking, sponsored by the Summit Gas station in the lot, adds closer spaces and lounge access on many nights. Rates and benefits change by event, so check the event page.

• No lot re-entry: once you leave the lot you cannot return.
• Neighbors: do not park at nearby businesses; the arena warns that cars may be towed.
• Tailgating: it ends when the event starts, alcohol is not allowed in the lot, and lots are cleared an hour after the event.
• Driving in: from I-8 West, exit at Sports Arena Boulevard; from I-5 South, take Rosecrans Street and turn right on Sports Arena Boulevard.
• Transit: the arena encourages transit, walking and carpooling and links to the San Diego MTS trip planner.

Pechanga Arena clear-bag policy and entry

As of 2026, Pechanga Arena enforces a clear-bag policy. Allowed: a clear plastic, vinyl or PVC tote up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a one-gallon clear freezer bag, plus a small clutch or wallet up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches. Backpacks, beach bags, laptop bags and other oversized bags are prohibited, and there is no general bag check.

• Screening: metal detectors are used at every entrance, so the arena asks guests to arrive at least an hour before the start.
• Payment: the arena is cash-free inside; bring a card.
• Water: at sporting and family events, one unopened plastic water bottle of a liter or less is allowed.
• Cameras: small point-and-shoot cameras are generally allowed; video cameras, GoPros and flash are not.
• Tickets: mobile tickets through the AXS or Ticketmaster apps, depending on the event.

Policies may change without notice; check the arena's Know Before You Go page before you go.

Rockets, Clippers, Ali and the arena's future

Bob Breitbard, a San Diego sports figure who had played football at San Diego State, built the arena in 1966 for 6.4 million dollars. It opened on November 17, 1966, when more than 11,000 fans watched the original San Diego Gulls beat the Seattle Totems. The NBA's San Diego Rockets played here from 1967 to 1971 and hosted the 1971 NBA All-Star Game, and the San Diego Clippers followed from 1978 to 1984. Ken Norton beat Muhammad Ali here in 1973, and the 1975 Final Four ended with UCLA's title in John Wooden's last game. The current Gulls arrived in 2015, when the Anaheim Ducks moved their AHL affiliate to San Diego. The city has designated the building a historic resource.

The arena's long-term future is tied to Midway Rising, a redevelopment plan that would replace it with a new 16,000-seat arena, housing and parkland. As of late 2026 the plan was still working through legal and legislative steps, and the existing arena continues to book events. Check the arena's site for current schedules.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Pechanga Arena
• Pechanga Arena – Seat Guide
• Pechanga Arena – Know Before You Go
• Pechanga Arena – Parking and Directions
• Pechanga Arena – Rules and policies
• City of San Diego – Midway Rising negotiations
• KPBS – Court ruling and Midway Rising (October 2025)