Scotiabank Saddledome Seating Guide: Final Season

By the Reserved Seat editorial teamUpdated October 29, 2026How we research

The Saddledome's last season, and the seat answer

The Scotiabank Saddledome is the home of the Calgary Flames, the WHL's Calgary Hitmen and the NLL's Calgary Roughnecks, a city-owned arena in Stampede Park on the southeast edge of downtown Calgary. It seats 19,289 for hockey and lacrosse. For a Flames game, the best seats are the lower sections closest to center ice, 108–110 and 119–121; the TELUS Club sections 115–122 add premium service on the same side as the penalty box. The seats to treat with caution are on the stairs-only Press Level at the very top.

Time matters with this building. As of October 2026, the City of Calgary describes the Saddledome as entering its final season. The Flames' last scheduled regular-season game here is April 10, 2027, against Vancouver, and the team moves across the street to Scotia Place, slated to open for the 2027–28 season. Fans who want one more night under the saddle roof have one season left.

It has carried four names: Olympic Saddledome from 1983, Canadian Airlines Saddledome from 1995, Pengrowth Saddledome from 2000 and Scotiabank Saddledome since October 2010. Do not confuse it with Scotia Place, the new arena, which has a similar sponsor name.

Main Concourse, TELUS Club and Press Level

The arena's own seating map divides the building into three areas. Section numbers here come from that map, with row counts from TickPick.

Main Concourse: sections 101–114 and the 200s

Lower sections 101–114 fill most of the ring around the ice, typically with about 15 rows each. Above them, the 200-level sections run 208–216 on the east side and 201–203 and 221–228 on the west side, with about 25 rows. The Ultra Club is in section 212.

TELUS Club Level: sections 115–122

The club sections complete the lower ring on one side and come with access to the TELUS Club Lounge. Forty suites, numbered 4101–4140, sit on this level. The 1994–95 renovation added both the suites, at the top of the lower bowl, and a club section of about 1,170 seats.

Press Level: PL 1–19

The highest seats in the building are on the Press Level. PL 1–9 are on the west side, reached by stairs through section 201 or 223; PL 10–19 are on the east side, by stairs through 209 or 215. Pick the right staircase, because the two sides do not connect up top. Rows run from 1 to about 21.

Best seats for a Flames game

According to TickPick, the Flames bench sits in front of sections 108 and 109, with the visitors beside them at 109 and 110. The penalty boxes face them across the ice in front of section 120, inside the club.

Best overall: 108–110 for the bench side, or 119–121 for the club side with lounge access. Middle rows give a clear view over the glass.
Best value: the 200-level sections near center ice on each side. The saddle roof means no pillars, so every seat has a clear line to the ice.
The goal-judge seats behind each net: RateYourSeats lists them as a premium option for fans who want to be right on the end boards.

Seats to think twice about

Press Level: stairs only, few restrooms and concessions, and a view that one long-running fan guide compares to looking through a porthole. The press gondola hangs in front of these seats and blocks much of the main video board, though screens on the gondola help.
Press Level row 5: it sits behind the walkway, where fans tend to stand during play.
Low rows behind the benches: players and glass cut into the view, as in any NHL arena.

Concerts, Hitmen and Roughnecks

The Saddledome's unusual roof has a downside for music: Wikipedia notes that it cannot support the heaviest light, speaker and effects rigs, so some large tours have bypassed Calgary. Shows that do play here usually use an end stage, with floor seating that TickPick says can run to about 40 rows. The lower sideline sections closest to the stage give the best balance of height and distance; seats behind or right beside the stage should be checked carefully on the event map on Ticketmaster, which the arena uses for concert configurations.

For the Hitmen, who hold WHL attendance records here, and for Roughnecks lacrosse, the same center-ice logic applies, and the lower bowl is usually easy to get. Doors for Roughnecks games open 90 minutes early, as they do for the Flames.

CTrain, parking and getting to Stampede Park

The Victoria Park/Stampede CTrain station, alongside Macleod Trail, serves the arena. One catch: the downtown free-fare zone ends before this station, so a valid fare is required. Drivers reach the grounds from the north via 5th Street SE or Olympic Way. A parkade stands next to the arena, with surface lots across Stampede Park; as of fall 2026, one fan guide puts event parking at about 15 Canadian dollars and up.

With Scotia Place under construction across the street, check the arena's website and Calgary Transit for current routes and lot access before you go. After the game, 17th Avenue SW and the Beltline are a short trip away for food and drink.

Bag rules, door colors and entry

As of the 2026–27 season, small bags must fit within 14 by 14 by 6 inches. Oversized bags, backpacks and luggage are X-rayed and, if there is no other option, stored at Guest Services during the event. Entry is organized by door color:

Green doors: no-bag express entry, for guests carrying only what fits in their pockets.
Yellow doors: small bags and purses.

In the West Lobby, the south doors are mainly green and the north doors mainly yellow; on the east side, the middle doors are green. Assignments can change by event. Doors open 90 minutes before Flames and Roughnecks games and typically 60 minutes before Hitmen, Wranglers and concert dates. Policies change; read the arena's entry page before you go.

From Olympic Saddledome to Scotia Place

Built to replace the Stampede Corral and to host the 1988 Winter Olympics, the arena opened on October 15, 1983, with a Flames game against Edmonton that the Oilers won 4–3. Its roof is a concrete hyperbolic paraboloid, a saddle shape that lets every seat look at the ice without a supporting pillar. The name came from a public contest; more than half the entries included the word saddle.

For the 1988 Games, organizers added over 2,600 upper seats, and the arena hosted Olympic hockey and figure skating. Three Stanley Cup Finals were played here, in 1986, 1989 and 2004. In June 2013, floodwater reached the eighth row of seats; crews compressed a six-month repair into about two months to reopen for the season. A new center-hung scoreboard went up in 2024 for the building's final seasons.

Scotia Place broke ground on July 22, 2024, and in October 2026 the city reported that its main arena had topped off, with the roof deck in place. More history is on the Saddledome's Wikipedia page.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the Scotiabank Saddledome's last season?

Yes. The City of Calgary described 2026–27 as the Saddledome's final season, and the Flames' last scheduled regular-season game there is April 10, 2027. Scotia Place is slated for 2027–28.

What is the capacity of the Scotiabank Saddledome?

The Saddledome seats 19,289 for hockey and lacrosse. Capacity peaked at 20,240 between 1988 and 1995, before the renovation that added suites and a club section.

Is the Saddledome the same as the Pengrowth Saddledome?

Yes. It opened as the Olympic Saddledome in 1983, became the Canadian Airlines Saddledome in 1995 and the Pengrowth Saddledome in 2000, and took the Scotiabank name in October 2010.

What is the Press Level at the Saddledome?

The Press Level, sections PL 1–19, is the top tier, reached only by stairs through specific 200-level sections. Views are distant and the press gondola blocks part of the video board.

What size bag can I bring to the Saddledome?

As of 2026–27, small bags must fit within 14 by 14 by 6 inches. Larger bags are X-rayed and may have to be stored at Guest Services.

Where is the Flames bench at the Saddledome?

According to TickPick, the Flames bench is in front of sections 108 and 109, and the penalty boxes are across the ice in front of section 120.