SaskTel Centre at a glance, plus the quick seat answer
SaskTel Centre is Saskatoon's main arena, a bowl on the city's north side that opened in February 1988 as Saskatchewan Place. Locals still call it Sask Place. It was later the Credit Union Centre, and SaskTel bought the naming rights in August 2014. During Saskatchewan Rush lacrosse games it is billed as Co-op Field at SaskTel Centre.
The building is home to the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League, the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Saskatoon Mamba of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, and it is the province's largest room for concerts.
The seat answer starts with the map. The lower bowl uses letters (A through Z, skipping I and O) and the upper ring uses numbers (1 through 39). On the venue's hockey map, the center-ice sections are D and E on one side and R and S on the other, with upper sections 1, 2 and 39 above D and E and 19, 20 and 22 above R and S. For hockey and lacrosse, sit in those lower center sections or the ones beside them (C, F, Q, T). For an end-stage concert, the standard map puts the stage at the end in front of sections W through Z, so the lower sections at the opposite end (J through M) face it head-on.
Reading the letters and numbers
The venue publishes three seating maps: a full-bowl plan for hockey and lacrosse, a standard concert plan and a basketball plan. All use the same two-ring scheme.
Lower bowl: sections A–Z
The lower ring wraps the rink with lettered sections. On the sideline nearest the parking-lot entrance, the sections run B, C, D, E, F, G; the opposite sideline runs P, Q, R, S, T, U. One end holds H through N, with K and L behind the goal, and the other holds V through Z and A, with X and Y behind the other goal. Guest Services sits near section C, and first aid is across from section Z.
Upper ring: sections 1–39
The numbered sections climb above the letters. Sections 1, 2, 3, 38 and 39 sit above the B–G sideline; 17 through 23 sit above the P–U sideline; roughly 8 through 13 cover the K–L end and 28 through 32 the X–Y end. Some numbers are not used (for example 11, 21, 24, 36 and 37). The venue added 2,981 seats in a 2008–09 expansion for the 2010 World Junior Championship, which pushed hockey capacity above 15,000.
Floor
For concerts, the floor becomes a block of floor seating or standing room in front of the stage, with the mixing desk toward the back of the floor.
Best seats for Blades hockey, Rush lacrosse and Mamba basketball
Hockey
For a Blades game, lower sections C through F and Q through T put you between the blue lines. A seat several rows up clears the glass and lets you see plays develop; the first rows are best for the noise and speed along the boards. Upstairs, sections 1, 2, 39 and 19 through 22 are the center-ice value picks, giving a full view of the rink for far less. The Blades have drawn crowds as large as 14,768 for games against the Regina Pats in March and April 2023, so big rivalry nights fill the upper ring too.
Lacrosse
Rush games use the same full-bowl layout. Lacrosse moves fast from end to end, so a slightly higher seat along the side is more useful than a front-row seat, and the corners (G, H, N, P and A, B, U, V) give a good diagonal view of both creases. The Rush's record crowd here is 15,192, set in May 2016.
Basketball
For Mamba games, the venue publishes a separate basketball map. Lower sideline sections are the best view; check the event map, since not every section is open.
Seats to think twice about
- The ends of the upper ring (around 9 to 13 and 28 to 32) are the farthest seats from center ice.
- Lower end sections K, L, X and Y in the first rows: the net and glass block much of the far end.
Concerts: the stage end and the seats that face it
On the standard concert map, the stage sits at one end in front of sections W, X, Y and Z, which are not shown as seating sections, and the upper sections behind it (around 28 to 32) face the back of the stage. The floor fills the rink in front of the stage.
- Closest: the floor, ideal for fans who want to be near the band and do not mind standing or a flat sightline.
- Best overall view: lower sections J, K, L and M at the far end face the stage straight on and see the full production over the floor crowd.
- Close but angled: lower sections B, C and T, U sit nearest the stage along the sides.
- Value: upper sections 8 through 14 at the far end face the stage head-on.
- Watch out: sections A, V, 25 and 35 sit right beside the stage. RateYourSeats warns that section 35 may sit behind or to the side of the stage for most concerts, so views can be limited.
The arena's single-concert record is 16,874 for Metallica in September 2018, and Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood played six sold-out shows here in June 2016. Stage setups vary by tour, so check the map for your show.
Parking, event buses and rideshare
The arena sits in a commercial area on the north side of Saskatoon, so most fans drive. As of 2026, the venue lists more than 4,000 spaces across its lots on event days, opening one hour before the event. A paid, reserved Rock Star lot next to the main entrance is sold for select events and entered only from Bill Hunter Avenue. Tailgating is not permitted. Accessible parking is in Lot A1 on the west side and Lot D1 on the east, first come, first served with a permit.
The venue suggests avoiding Highway 16 for city traffic and using Idylwyld Drive, Millar Avenue, Wanuskewin Road or the Chief Mistawasis Bridge to reach Marquis Drive.
Event buses: for select events, Saskatoon Transit runs buses from a special events stop at 23rd Street and 2nd Avenue downtown, returning to the downtown terminal; the arena does not run this service. Rideshare: use Thatcher Avenue behind Costco and the designated drop-off near the entrance closest to section K, and plan to be in place before the event ends because traffic slows afterward. Check the SaskTel Centre parking page before you leave.
Bags, doors and house rules
As of 2026, SaskTel Centre does not allow bags or backpacks except small personal bags under 12 by 9 by 5 inches. Diaper and medical bags are allowed after screening. There is no bag check, so leave anything larger in the car.
- Doors: generally one hour before the scheduled start.
- Re-entry: not allowed except for medical situations and emergencies; guests who step out to smoke cannot come back in.
- Children: ages two and up need a ticket.
- Not allowed: laptops and tablets (with an exception for small children at Blades games), professional cameras, selfie sticks, outside drinks and large signs.
- Alcohol: anyone who appears 35 or younger must show ID to buy.
Rules vary by event, so read the guest services and policies page before you go.
Sask Place history and what comes next
The arena replaced the old downtown Saskatoon Arena, nicknamed the Barn. Promoter Bill Hunter pushed for a big building in the 1980s as part of a bid to bring the NHL's St. Louis Blues to Saskatoon; the NHL said no, but the city built a larger arena anyway, on the north-side site after a 1985 plebiscite. The Blades beat Brandon 4–3 in the first game. The arena has hosted two Memorial Cups (1989, 2013), the 1991 and 2010 World Junior Championships, four Briers, the 2007 Juno Awards and the 2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. The NHL's first neutral-site game was played here in October 1992, and Bret Hart won his first WWF title here that same week. A bronze statue of Saskatoon native Gordie Howe stands outside the main entrance, where Howe and his wife Colleen are buried.
The building may not be Saskatoon's arena forever. The city chose a Midtown site for a new downtown arena in November 2022 and unveiled concept designs in February 2024. As of October 2025 reporting, council had deferred a proposed operating partnership into early 2026, and no opening date had been set. More history is on the SaskTel Centre Wikipedia entry.
Frequently asked questions
Is SaskTel Centre the same as Credit Union Centre or Sask Place?
Yes. The arena opened in 1988 as Saskatchewan Place, was later Credit Union Centre and became SaskTel Centre in August 2014. Many locals still call it Sask Place.
What is the capacity of SaskTel Centre?
Wikipedia puts hockey capacity above 15,000 after a 2009 expansion, while the venue's site describes seating up to 13,000. The record crowd is 16,874 for a 2018 Metallica concert.
How are the sections numbered at SaskTel Centre?
The lower bowl uses letters A through Z, skipping I and O, and the upper ring uses numbers 1 through 39. Center ice is around D and E on one side and R and S on the other.
Is there parking at SaskTel Centre?
Yes. The venue lists more than 4,000 spaces across its lots on event days, opening one hour before the event, plus a paid reserved lot by the main entrance for select events.
What size bag can I bring to SaskTel Centre?
As of 2026, only small personal bags under 12 by 9 by 5 inches are allowed, and there is no bag check. Diaper and medical bags are screened.
Where is the stage for concerts at SaskTel Centre?
The standard concert map places the stage at the end in front of sections W to Z. Lower sections J to M at the opposite end face it directly.