So, I figured it was about time I actually went and saw the Pelicans play right here in town. Been meaning to for a while, you know, living in New Orleans and all that jazz. Kept hearing the buzz, especially when the team’s doing well.
Getting Myself Sorted
First thing was figuring out the tickets. Did a quick look online, seems like most folks grab ’em through places like SeatGeek or just their app. Makes sense, easy enough. I also saw you could still go old school and hit up the Smoothie King Center Box Office during the week, think it was like 9 to 4:30 or something. Probably busier on game days, I bet.
Looked at seats, and man, those floor seats right by the court? Yeah, those looked amazing but also seemed like they’d cost a pretty penny. Saw some crazy high numbers floated for the really good ones. Decided maybe something a little further back would do just fine for the first time.
Heading to the Game
Game day rolled around. Planned to get there a bit early. Read somewhere that doors open like an hour before the game for most people, but if you got fancy season tickets or suite access, you could get in even earlier, maybe 90 minutes before tip-off. Seemed like a good idea to avoid the big rush right at the start.
Made my way down to the Smoothie King Center. You can feel the energy pick up as you get closer. Lots of people decked out in Pelicans gear. It’s got that proper game day vibe.
Inside the Arena
Getting in was smooth enough since I wasn’t cutting it close. Found my section, grabbed a drink, and just soaked it in for a bit. It’s a decent setup they’ve got there. You can tell it’s mainly built for basketball.
- Found the seat without much hassle.
- The pre-game stuff was starting up, music playing.
- Lots of folks milling around, finding their spots.
The atmosphere was building up nicely. You could tell people were excited for the game to start. It wasn’t just about watching basketball; it felt like a real local event.
Watching the Pels Play
Once the game tipped off, the place got loud. It’s way different than watching on TV. You really feel the crowd reacting to everything happening on the court. The team plays hard, part of that Southwest Division toughness in the NBA’s Western Conference, I guess. It was just cool being there, part of the whole thing.
Didn’t worry too much about every single play, just enjoyed the flow of the game and the energy in the building. It’s a good night out, plain and simple. Seeing the team play in their home arena, the Smoothie King Center, definitely adds something to it.
Yeah, was worth doing. Just a solid experience seeing the hometown team do their thing. Might have to do it again sometime soon.
