[Other Sport] Anyone been to a basketball game in USA

[PFW]

Off to New York next week for a weeks visit, and got tickets for the New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets at Maddison Square Gardens.

Has anyone been to a Basketball game in America What should I expect, any do's or don'ts . any advice would be great

 

[Driver8]

I went to watch it at the same venue a few years ago. Don’t buy any beer, it is hideously expensive!

 

[Jesus Gul]

Done NFL, MLS, MLB, NHL (at the Garden) but never NBA. Enjoy

 

[Live by the sea]

Seen the great Billy Joel at MSG but never basketball.

 

[pure_white]

Off to New York next week for a weeks visit, and got tickets for the New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets at Maddison Square Gardens.

Has anyone been to a Basketball game in America What should I expect, any do's or don'ts . any advice would be great

lucky you if it is anything like the Brighton Bears used to be you should have a great time. I have not had the fortune to see a Basketball game in America so cant comment on culturally what you may expect etc.

 

[driddles]

Just the Raptors in Toronto but I suspect it's similar. Beer prices that will make you give up drinking for the night, forced atmosphere from the venue (lots of music, t-shirt giveaway... etc). Generally enjoyed the evening even though I don't understand basketball and never will.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

Yep saw a team in Houston against another team from somewhere else. Bored shitless.

ice hockey on the other hand…Colorado avalanche vs Toronto MapleLeaves….which of course I was supporting being part of the British empire. there was about 10 canadians in the crowd and we kept standing up and waving at each other….the yanks were getting very irate!

and Toronto scored and overtime “ first goal wins it”

came out to a foot of snow in Denver.

 

[8049]

Went to a Phoenix Suns game a few years ago. Agree with @Driver8 - crazy prices for drinks and food. Be ready for noise, particularly in the breaks. Good fun.

 

[Official Old Man]

Saw the Memphis Grizzlies play NY Knicks (in Memphis) a few years ago. Wonderful evening spoilt by tall guys bouncing a ball around.
I'll explain. Seat was in the third tier but great view looking down.
Pre-match lots of entertainment including the Grizzly throwing T-Shirts to the posh people in the front.
Then a bit of ball bouncing, didn't understand it.
A break and time for more T's. Grizzly comes out with a power gun. Kiss Cam time as well.
More ball bouncing, no idea who's winning. People wander off for more beer and huge containers of popcorn.
Another break. Grizzly comes out on the back of a truck with bigger pump gun. BarclayCard competition. One lucky winner gets to move from the back row to the posh seats.
Ball bouncing, lost interest in the match. More beer and popcorn.
BREAK, Yeh, happy time. Grizzly comes out in a tank and super pump gun. More Kiss Cams and other sponsored entertainment.
Ball bouncing. Time for more popcorn. How Americans can eat and drink so much I don't understand.
Break. I kid you not T's are now being released by parachute from the ceiling, yes honestly.
Final ball bouncing, no idea who won.
As an evening it was one of the best nights out I've ever had. Drinking in seat, huge hot dogs, popcorn buckets the size of a real bucket and so much entertainment.
CLAIM TO FAME
This is pushing it and bear with me, but. Top Gear show had Clarkson et al in a bar on the West Coast of the USA discussing the route into Mexico. They break off to discuss a basketball match showing live on TV. That match was Memphis v NY and I was at that match, in Memphis, being shown live in the bar on the west coast, that they were in at the same time. Do I win a prize?

 

[studio150]

Off to New York next week for a weeks visit, and got tickets for the New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets at Maddison Square Gardens.

Has anyone been to a Basketball game in America What should I expect, any do's or don'ts . any advice would be great

Different rules it's 4 quarters of 12 minutes against 4 quarters of 10 minutes.
The refs very rarely call traveling or carrying violations
Stand by for lots of court side VAR reviews.
Don't expect any defensive play this far from the plays offs

Be prepared for lots of people coming and going, so you have to stand up and sit down.
If you're not eating pizza, nachos, or some other fast food you will look odd.
Any dunk you have to go crazy

You will have fun.

 

[BNthree]

From seeing chat in replies to the footyscran twitter account expect to pay ridiculous prices for food and drink. Like £15 for a hotdog and £12 for a beer.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Off to New York next week for a weeks visit, and got tickets for the New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets at Maddison Square Gardens.

Has anyone been to a Basketball game in America What should I expect, any do's or don'ts . any advice would be great

Hi Jesse

 

[peterward]

Off to New York next week for a weeks visit, and got tickets for the New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets at Maddison Square Gardens.

Has anyone been to a Basketball game in America What should I expect, any do's or don'ts . any advice would be great

Yeah went to Boston Celtics match in 2008 v Phoenix Sun's with Shaqiel O'Neil in the twighlight of his career with Phoenix. Great fun. Tix about 4x face value off a tout but that was about £40 for a £10 seat.

Prepare for the t-shirt cannon!

 

[raymondo]

Went in NY in about 1991...great fun . Tip...get into a corporate box and have free drinks and nibbles

 

[US Seagull]

Never been to an NBA game, but have seen a college game or two. Expect to be annoyed by how much their shoes squeak all the damn time.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Have been to a few games in different venues. NY, Toronto, Chicago, SF, Seattle. What you will get out of it depends on a lot of things really.

How much you understand the game
What type of seats you have
Are you going for the sport or the event
Who you are going with

Madison Square Gardens is an iconic stadium and good for celeb spotting. (We had Taylor Swift miming for half time entertainment and a couple of movie stars courtside (I should be able to name these but not that interested and will likely get it wrong), but probably not the most passionate support. Try and stay until the end, the fourth quarter is nearly always where the decisive action is.

 

[MJsGhost]

I had the pleasure of watching the Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitski in Dallas a few years back. Our seats were up with the gods and, knowing in advance that beer & food was going to be expensive, we had a good few beers elsewhere first (and then obviously still spent a fortune at the game).

I'm no great fan of basketball and (like most things in the US), it was all a bit fake and overblown with the music and annoying bloke on the PA system hyping up the crowd... I've got to say that I enjoyed the experience though.

So in respect of actual tips?
Go with an open mind and enjoy the experience, but (IMO) it's definitely packaged up sports entertainment rather than a raw sporting event, if you see what I mean.
Don't turn up hungry and thirsty and expect to leave with anything in your wallet.

Also, unrelated to NBA, but if you get a chance, go to a restaurant called Wayla (if you like Thai), which is not far from the Tenement Museum. A cracking breakfast or brunch can be had at the Clinton St Bakery Co on the corner of East Houston & Clinton St. You're welcome.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Just the Raptors in Toronto but I suspect it's similar. Beer prices that will make you give up drinking for the night, forced atmosphere from the venue (lots of music, t-shirt giveaway... etc). Generally enjoyed the evening even though I don't understand basketball and never will.

I have also seen the Raptors albeit about 20 plus years ago. I had no idea what was going on but it was entertaining. I remember people ate and drank a lot.

You say a forced atmosphere.... I'd say it's a 'US' atmoshphere; it's how they do things.

 

[Blue&WhiteSea]

Went to watch Miami Heat a few years back and can pretty much echo everything above, definitely a bucket list activity to do at least once, preferred the ice hockey as a sporting event though.

 

[Peppermint Tea]

Hi PFW

Short answer - yes and as recently as Christmas Day (took the family - we all wanted an antidote to the traditional, aka dull, Christmases of recent years).
We all loved it…it’s so different to the visceral tribality of football, everything is very positive and the skill levels are pretty bloody amazing - 7feet giants dropping three-pointers like it was as easy as falling off a log. It is, of course, very American - lots of electronic organ music etc. There’s not much crowd participation, other than some half-hearted chanting of “de-fence” when they are, erm, in defence. Then there’s the celebrity row element where they focus on the front row celebs during a break in play…Pete Davidson was there for our game which impressed my 18 year old son.

Views are pretty good from every seat and the seats are super comfortable (important for me these days!). You get every type of New Yorker going, so it’s good for people watching. But, as someone earlier posted, the drinks are f***ing extortionate! $20 a beer.

If you’re seeing Knicks v Nets, at least it could be slightly spicy because of their rivalry, so that might be good.

Above all you get to go to The Garden which has sporting history seeping from every part of it. Have a great time!