Although most couples won’t be paying courtside prices, even the cheapest seats have climbed sharply for some teams this season. After the Knicks won the 2025-26 championship, searches for tickets have increased 174%. The increase in demand means the price of Knicks tickets has increased 60% from this time last year.
So, can the average couple still afford a night at the game? Time2Play added up the cost of a pair of tickets, two beers, and two hot dogs at every NBA stadium to find the cheapest. We then compared that to the median household income in the area to see how much of a month’s pay an NBA date night would take up. Here’s what we found:
Key findings
✔️ The Memphis Grizzlies are the cheapest, with a date night setting a couple back just $60.72.
✔️ After local household income is considered, the Washington Wizards become the most affordable, with a date night costing just 0.67% of the average monthly earnings.
✔️ The New York Knicks are the most expensive, with a date night costing a massive $458, around 7.5 times that of Memphis.
✔️ Madison Square Garden remains the least affordable even when local household income is considered, with a single date night taking up 5.38% of the average monthly income.
✔️ Couples could go on date nights at the six cheapest arenas combined for less than one night at the Knicks’ Madison Square Garden.
Find your team
All 30 NBA teams ranked from the cheapest date night to the most expensive. The total cost includes the price of two tickets, two hot dogs and two beers.
| Rank | Team | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis Grizzlies | $60.72 | |
| Indiana Pacers | $60.86 | |
| Phoenix Suns | $61.70 | |
| Charlotte Hornets | $64.96 | |
| New Orleans Pelicans | $68.20 | |
| Denver Nuggets | $72.40 | |
| Washington Wizards | $73.26 | |
| Utah Jazz | $75.00 | |
| Houston Rockets | $85.51 | |
| Los Angeles Clippers | $91.00 | |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | $94.20 | |
| Portland Trail Blazers | $94.50 | |
| Milwaukee Bucks | $94.88 | |
| Atlanta Hawks | $96.36 | |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | $102.59 | |
| Sacramento Kings | $106.06 | |
| Dallas Mavericks | $106.20 | |
| Detroit Pistons | $119.96 | |
| Brooklyn Nets | $122.15 | |
| San Antonio Spurs | $148.06 | |
| Boston Celtics | $156.13 | |
| Orlando Magic | $165.98 | |
| Golden State Warriors | $175.81 | |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | $178.95 | |
| Toronto Raptors | $180.19 | |
| Miami Heat | $190.62 | |
| Chicago Bulls | $193.50 | |
| Los Angeles Lakers | $203.00 | |
| Philadelphia 76ers | $242.17 | |
| New York Knicks | $458.00 |
The cheapest date nights: Memphis, Indiana and Phoenix
For those looking for a less expensive night out at the NBA, Memphis, Indiana and Phoenix are standouts. Take a look at how all the teams rank from least expensive to most.
A night out at the Memphis Grizzlies’ FedExForum is the cheapest in the NBA, costing a couple just $60.72. The three cheapest date nights are a close call, with the Indiana Pacers just cents behind on a total of $60.86, while the Phoenix Suns are in third on $61.70. All are the standout options for the cheapest night for couples attending the NBA.
Overall, couples can find an affordable night out at many NBA arenas, with 14 out of 30 offering a full date night for under $100.
Food and drink costs more than the tickets at five stadiums
The Phoenix Suns’ Mortgage Matchup Center also follows one of the unusual patterns seen at some of the cheapest arenas: the snacks costing more than the game.
For fans of five teams (Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns), they’ll have to pay more for two hot dogs and two beers than the two tickets. For example, in New Orleans, couples pay just $26 to get in, but have to pay $42.20 for food and drink.
The cost of concessions
Concession prices vary widely across the league. Two beers cost an eye-watering $36.55 at Boston Celtics games, while in Oklahoma City it’s a much more reasonable $14.43.
Hot dogs at the Phoenix Suns games are a steal with a price of just $4 for two. Head over to a San Antonio Spurs game, though, and they’ll set you back $25.06.
The Golden State Warriors have the priciest food and drink overall, with couples having to hand over $57.81 for two beers and two hot dogs.
A New York Knicks date night costs $458.00
While fans might be watching the reigning NBA champions at Madison Square Garden, they’ll also be forking out $458 for the pleasure. That’s around 7.5 times as expensive as the cheapest date night watching the Memphis Grizzlies, and nearly double the second-most expensive, Philadelphia 76ers’ Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Knicks might offer top quality, but for couples after quantity, they can have a night out at each of the six cheapest arenas for a combined cost of $388.84. That’s around $69 less than one evening at the Garden.
Food and drink aren’t the problem in New York, with concessions costing a total of $40, which is relatively mid-range for the NBA. The tickets are where fans’ wallets really take the hit, making up more than 90% of the bill.
Philadelphia 76ers, LA Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat round out the top five
Although a date night at the Philadelphia 76ers’ Xfinity Mobile Arena is the 2nd most expensive in the league, it’s a way behind the Knicks’. A night out for two costs $242.17, around $215 cheaper than visiting Madison Square Garden.
The 3rd most expensive are the Los Angeles Lakers, where a date night costs $203, less than half the price of watching the Knicks.
The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat round out the top 5 most expensive NBA date nights, setting couples back $193.50 and $190.62 respectively.
Prices vary between teams in the same city
The 2 cities with 2 NBA teams show how much the choice of team matters. In Los Angeles, a Lakers date night costs $203, more than double the $91 for a Clippers game.
In New York, the gap is even bigger: a night at Barclays Center to see the Brooklyn Nets costs $122.15, less than a third of the price of a Knicks game at $458.
The most affordable date nights
A $60 night out doesn’t feel the same in every city, so we made sure to take into account the median household income of each team’s metro area to truly find the most affordable. When that’s factored in, the ranking changes considerably.
Here are all 30 teams ranked from the most to least affordable date nights.
| Rank | Team | Total date night cost | Median monthly household income | % of monthly household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Wizards | $73.26 | $10,946 | 0.67% |
| 2 | Denver Nuggets | $72.40 | $8,978 | 0.81% |
| 2 | Phoenix Suns | $61.70 | $7,591 | 0.81% |
| 4 | Charlotte Hornets | $64.96 | $7,422 | 0.88% |
| 5 | Utah Jazz | $75.00 | $8,379 | 0.90% |
| 6 | Indiana Pacers | $60.86 | $6,687 | 0.91% |
| 7 | Memphis Grizzlies | $60.72 | $5,677 | 1.07% |
| 8 | Los Angeles Clippers | $91.00 | $8,345 | 1.09% |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | $94.50 | $8,250 | 1.15% |
| 10 | Houston Rockets | $85.51 | $7,238 | 1.18% |
| 11 | Atlanta Hawks | $96.36 | $7,841 | 1.23% |
| 12 | Sacramento Kings | $106.06 | $8,231 | 1.29% |
| 13 | New Orleans Pelicans | $68.20 | $5,198 | 1.31% |
| 14 | Dallas Mavericks | $106.20 | $7,892 | 1.35% |
| 15 | Brooklyn Nets | $122.15 | $8,512 | 1.44% |
| 16 | Milwaukee Bucks | $94.88 | $6,493 | 1.46% |
| 17 | Golden State Warriors | $175.81 | $11,335 | 1.55% |
| 17 | Oklahoma City Thunder | $94.20 | $6,078 | 1.55% |
| 19 | Boston Celtics | $156.13 | $9,897 | 1.58% |
| 20 | Cleveland Cavaliers | $102.59 | $6,044 | 1.70% |
| 21 | Detroit Pistons | $119.96 | $6,600 | 1.82% |
| 22 | Minnesota Timberwolves | $178.95 | $8,529 | 2.10% |
| 23 | San Antonio Spurs | $148.06 | $6,768 | 2.19% |
| 24 | Orlando Magic | $165.98 | $7,098 | 2.34% |
| 25 | Los Angeles Lakers | $203.00 | $8,345 | 2.43% |
| 26 | Chicago Bulls | $193.50 | $7,832 | 2.47% |
| 27 | Miami Heat | $190.62 | $6,938 | 2.75% |
| 28 | Philadelphia 76ers | $242.17 | $7,974 | 3.04% |
| 29 | Toronto Raptors | $180.19 | $5,721 | 3.15% |
| 30 | New York Knicks | $458.00 | $8,512 | 5.38% |
Washington is the most affordable
Once we factor in local income, the Washington Wizards climb six places to become the most affordable night out in the NBA. A night at Capital One Arena costs couples a total of $73.26, the seventh cheapest in the league.
When we take into account the median household monthly income of $10,946, the second highest of any area, it becomes the most affordable, with a date night taking up just 0.67% of a typical DC household’s monthly income.
Denver and Phoenix are second
Tied for the second most affordable are Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns. Although the Suns only climb one place, Denver moves up from sixth to joint second once we factor in local household income.
A night out for a couple at either the Nuggets’ or the Suns’ arenas costs just 0.81% of the median monthly income in the areas. There are six teams in total where an NBA date night will cost couples less than 1% of their monthly household income, making a night at a basketball game a pretty affordable option.
Memphis and New Orleans become less affordable when considering local income
The first and fifth cheapest teams, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, offer a reasonable night out. But when you take into account their monthly household incomes of $5,677 and $5,198, the two lowest in the league, they slip down the rankings.
Memphis drops six places, from first to seventh. New Orleans falls further than any other team, dropping eight places from fifth to 13th. A $68.20 night out seems affordable on the surface, but it takes up 1.31% of a typical household’s monthly income in New Orleans.
High Bay Area incomes lift the Warriors six places
The Golden State Warriors show how income can soften a high price. A date night to see the Warriors is the eighth most expensive in the league at $175.81. But the Bay Area has the highest monthly household income at $11,335, which lifts the Warriors up six places on the most affordable table. They land in 17th place with a date night costing 1.55% of a couple’s monthly income.
The Knicks remain in a league of their own
Even with New York’s relatively high incomes, the Knicks are completely in their own league when it comes to affordability. A date night at Madison Square Garden takes up 5.38% of a typical New York household’s monthly income, eight times the share couples pay in Washington. That’s before parking, booking fees or a trip to the merchandise stand.
Brooklyn, meanwhile, climbs four places to become the 15th most affordable stadium for date night. Nets fans share the same household income as Knicks fans, but a night at Barclays Center takes up just 1.44% of a monthly budget.
Our methodology
Time2Play collected the price of two seats next to each other for every regular-season home NBA game, excluding the NBA Cup, in November 2026, using SeatGeek in October 2026.
The median price was used as the average for each team to limit the effect of individual high-demand, high-priced games.
Food and drink prices are for two 16-ounce beers and two standard hot dogs using 2025/26 season data. These were added to the cost of two tickets to find the total cost of a date night at each NBA stadium.
Household income figures are the median household income for the metro area each team belongs to. US figures come from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey for 2025 or 2024 for smaller metro areas. Toronto’s figure comes from Statistics Canada’s most recently published census (in 2021) and was converted to US dollars using the November 6, 2026 exchange rate.
The total cost of each date night was divided by one month of median household income to calculate the percentage cost.
