Scotiabank Arena

When it comes to sports in Canada we instantly think about the teams in Toronto. The Toronto Raptors continue to make strides in the NBA. Then there are the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have so much history when it comes to hockey. Both of these teams will carry a ton of home games each year inside the Scotiabank Arena. It’s up to you to find the best seats. Big-time concert artists have passed through as well. The Jonas Brothers, Twenty One Pilots, Harry Styles, Eric Church, and Lana Del Rey have all made their presence felt in this venue.

Best Places to Sit In the Scotiabank Arena

Finding that one seat to make your experience amazing is what we are all about. We focus on timing your ticket purchase and where to sit for an event. In this case, we will of course be talking about the seating chart of the Scotiabank Arena. We’ll go through some of the areas to consider and some areas to not bother with. At the end of the event, you want to walk out thinking you got what you paid for. Making memories is very important in this day in age.

Lower Level – It’s always best to start with the lower level. These are premier seating in the venue beside some of the suites and VIP locations. These sections consist of 101 through 122. You can find seats behind the Raptor bench in section 118 and the opponent’s bench in front of 120. When it comes to the Maple Leafs bench, look for section 119/120 and the opponent’s bench is in sections 118/119. The penalty box is down below in front of section 108.

Raptors Courtside Seats – These are the best seats for a Raptors game. These Raptors Courtside seats will also cost you the most as well. If you have the means look for the first row of three. Row A is where you want to be, but you can save money if you sit in row C. Artists such as Drake tend to sit in the northern section of the courtside seats.

Platinum Club Seats – These comfortable seats are highly sought after during both a Raptors or Maple Leafs game. You’ll get special amenities like access to certain lounges and smaller lines.

Upper Level – We mention this on all of our venue pages, avoid the upper level unless there is nothing left or money is tight. At least try to get center court upper level if you can in sections 309/321.

Suites – Although there are levels within the Suite level, these seats are a great place for socializing during games. You’ll have access to complimentary food and drinks, TVs everywhere, in-suite attendant, private lounges, private entrances, and much more. There are suites on every level. You will find the Chairman’s Suite, Theatre Suite, and the Party Suite.

Executive Suites – These are all on the 200 level in the arena. There are 64 of these suites available. If you can gain access to one of these suites you’ll be in for a good time.

We talk about the best place to sit a lot and finding something that meets your budget is key. Look for the front row of a section that is expensive. Then go back one section and see what the price difference is. There are a lot of different sections within sections that will allow you to find cheaper seats. You will be surprised by what you find when you dig further into the seating chart.

Some History and Facts

Scotiabank Arena is a big-time Canadian venue hosting all kinds of sporting events, concerts, and other things since it was built in 1999 when it opened. Original construction costs around $400 million.

Playing host to the Toronto Raptors, you can see a capacity crowd of around 20,000 people. Even more, can fit in when you add the standing room areas. The details are similar for hockey, but because you lose a couple of rows the capacity is around 19,000 and can go up further from there when you include standing-room-only seats.

Hard to believe the first concert to be performed here was Tragically Hip. The first Toronto Raptors game was against the Vancouver Grizzlies, currently known as the Memphis Grizzlies.

For the first two decades, this arena was known as the Air Canada Arena. Sponsorship venues tend to come and go so get used to naming rights changing all of the time.

Some of the events that have come through include the NHL All-Star game, NBA All-Star game, UFC Events, and a crazy amount of concerts. Some of the performers that have come through include Justin Timberlake, Rod Stewart, II Divo, John Mayer, Coldplay, Pink, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, and Bruno Mars, just to name a few.

Parking Your Car

Event parking is a real pain. We will share what we know about getting your car parked when heading to the Scotiabank Arena. First of all, if you can take public transportation you’ll be saving some money and headaches. There are plenty of garages in the area around the arena, but the closer you get the more you pay. If you are coming from far away, you may want to park further away and then take public transportation to the event. On average, you are looking at around 25 Canadian dollars. Using the major parking apps could alleviate some of the stress that is involved in parking your car. If you are budgeting for an event please remember to add another $30 for parking.

Arrival Expectations

Most of these things are pretty common among all of the different arenas, but we like to remind you of them before you attend. If you plan to bring a purse or personal bag, make sure it is relatively small. You don’t want to deal with having to remove things.

With mobile tickets, everything is contactless ticketing. You will need a working phone when entering the arena. We suggest having the means to get the backup should something happen to your phone. As for payments on concessions and merchandise, be ready to only use cards or phone payments. It is a cashless facilty.

Covid-19 – Although this can change quite quickly, there are currently no restrictions when you attend. Please don’t come to the event if you are sick, but there are no obstacles based on vaccination or masks.

Restaurants Nearby

If you are in the mood for arena food you’ll have some decent options inside the venue. However, if you want to make bigger plans such as eating before or after the event, then you should think about your options. Some people heading out to a concert may want different food than those heading to a Raptors game. We’ve listed a few options to meet your appetite.

Kellys Landing – Your typical Canadian affair featuring all kinds of cocktails and pizza. You can find sports on the TV as well. The nicest thing is that it is only a 10-minute walk to the arena. Be sure to plan your time wisely if the restaurant gets overcrowded. More details are here.

Amano Italian Kitchen – This is a great restaurant to check out before a concert. Although very casual, you can get some really good Italian food. The pasta is freshly made and the service is great.

Real Sports – If sports is what you are after then this is the place for you. A fairly loud location with over 200 TVs could pave way for some exciting moments whether you are going to the arena or not. You can try one of the many different beers on tap and try some of the top-notched pub-style food.

Check Out the Scotiabank Arena

We’ve gone over quite a bit when it comes to attending Scotiabank Arena. Whether you’ve been there before or this is your first time, you should always strive for the best seat. Even if you have to pay a little more, it will be worth it in the end. If you have any questions about the best seats in Scotiabank Arena please feel free to send us a message. Good luck with your ticket purchase.