On Jan. 19, 2026, thousands of excited fans, including me, flooded the freshly mopped floors of the Chase Center, eager to see the Golden State Warriors play the Miami Heat. After watching this game, I realized that going to National Basketball Association (NBA) games in person is only worth it if you go once a year.

At the beginning of the game, a tribute to ex-warriors player Andrew Wiggins was played, earning a roaring standing ovation from thousands of appreciative fans. Wiggins stood there, taking it all in with a faint smile on his face and a nod of appreciation. 15 minutes before the game on NBC Sports Bay Area, a Chase Freedom Ad was airing.

This is one out of the countless examples of experiences that you could only witness at the Chase Center. But one question remains: Is it worth the money?

The price of a ticket to a Warriors game in section 225, where I sat, was $400 for three tickets. The price of NBC Sports Bay Area is $17.95 per month. The NBA season typically lasts for eight to nine months, and 82 games are played, not including playoffs. This comes out to $161.55 for one NBA season, almost one-third of the cost of attending one game with a family of three.

Now, people may argue that experiences you find attending games in-person are far superior than what you may find sitting on a couch watching sports on a flat-screen television. This is true. In fact, here is a list of things you will find at the Chase Center that you can’t find at home: Player warmups, Gotts Roadside, player tributes, halftime shows, t-shirt throws and jumbotron appearances. This is why I took the stance of going once a year.

Going to the Chase Center is like a mini-vacation, so going once in a while is definitely worth it. I really found myself enjoying everything at the Chase Center, and going there is always a treat. I plan to go next year in 2027, and I hope that you go as well.