The FedEx Forum is an indoor arena located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It is home to the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the University of Memphis men’s basketball team. The FedEx Forum is considered one of the premier entertainment venues in the Mid-South region, hosting major concerts and events in addition to sporting events.
Quick Answer
The FedEx Forum has a maximum seating capacity of 18,119 for basketball games and 18,364 for hockey games and concerts. The arena features 842 club seats and 68 luxury suites as part of its overall capacity.
Basketball Capacity
When configured for a Memphis Grizzlies NBA basketball game, the FedEx Forum has a seating capacity of 18,119. This includes over 16,000 lower bowl and upper bowl seats, as well as additional seating in luxury boxes and club levels.
The lower bowl at FedExForum contains 9,061 seats, while the upper bowl has 7,098 seats. There are 32 rows of seats in the lower bowl and 24 rows in the upper bowl. The seats surround the 94 ft x 50 ft basketball court in a standard bowl-style configuration.
In addition to the main bowl seating, the FedEx Forum contains:
- 68 luxury suites with 16 seats each, totaling 1,088 seats
- 4 party suites with 50 seats each, totaling 200 seats
- 842 club seats
The 68 luxury suites are located on the 200 and 300 levels of the arena. The party suites and club seats flank the lower bowl of the arena on both sides of the basketball court.
When you add up the lower and upper bowl seating, luxury suites, party suites, and club seats, the maximum basketball capacity at FedEx Forum is 18,119.
Hockey and Concert Capacity
When configured for a Memphis Grizzlies NHL hockey game or major concert, the FedEx Forum has a maximum capacity of 18,364. Concerts and hockey games require extra floor seating, which increases overall capacity compared to basketball setups.
The lower and upper bowl seating remains very similar, but an additional floor seating section is added when the basketball court is removed. This extra floor seating accounts for the increase from 18,119 seats for basketball to 18,364 seats for hockey/concerts.
Notable Seating Features
Some other notable seating features at FedEx Forum include:
- 32 Cabana-style seats in the lower bowl behind one of the baskets
- A private owners suite which seats 16
- Over 2,000 club and premium seats located closest to the floor
- Handicap and wheelchair accessible seating
The arena was designed by architects Ellerbe Becket to provide excellent views of the action from every seat in the house. The proximity of seating to the floor and 360-degree open bowl layout provide great sightlines for basketball, hockey, and concert events.
How Seating Capacity Compares to Other NBA Arenas
At full capacity for basketball, the 18,119 seats at FedEx Forum puts it around the middle of the pack in terms of size among current NBA arenas.
FedEx Forum has a bigger maximum capacity than older arenas like Madison Square Garden in New York (19,812 seats) and Oracle Arena in Oakland (19,596 seats). However, it has a lower capacity than many newer NBA-specific arenas.
Some examples of larger NBA arenas by seating capacity include:
- United Center, Chicago – 20,917
- AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami – 19,600
- Toyota Center, Houston – 18,300
- Vivint Smart Home Arena, Utah – 18,306
The largest NBA arena by maximum seating capacity is Chicago’s United Center, which can fit over 20,000 fans for a Bulls home game. The smallest arena is Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, with a capacity of 16,867.
Seating Expansion Potential
While FedEx Forum is currently not one of the top 10 largest NBA arenas, there is potential to expand seating in the future if desired. Arena architects Ellerbe Becket designed the upper bowl with future expansion in mind.
By replacing the upper bowl with a new upper deck and adding more luxury suites and club seating, seating capacity at FedEx Forum could potentially be increased to over 20,000 for basketball games.
However, the Grizzlies organization has not announced any specific plans for a major seating capacity expansion as of 2023.
Conclusion
The maximum seating capacity at FedEx Forum stands at 18,119 for Grizzlies NBA basketball games and 18,364 for hockey/concert configurations. This puts it in the middle tier of seating sizes among current NBA arenas.
While newer arenas have eclipsed FedEx Forum’s capacity, it still provides an excellent fan experience with great sightlines and amenities. If desired, the arena could potentially be renovated and expanded to add several thousand more seats in the future.
FedEx Forum Basketball Seating Capacity
Seating Section | Number of Seats |
---|---|
Lower Bowl | 9,061 |
Upper Bowl | 7,098 |
Luxury Suites | 1,088 |
Party Suites | 200 |
Club Seats | 842 |
Total Basketball Seating Capacity | 18,119 |