An arena that I have had the opportunity to watch basketball in more than any other, Philips Arena or “The Highlight Factory” is the home of the Atlanta Hawks. This is one of the busiest arenas in the world as it is used for numerous activities year around.
A place where fun and excitement lives and the lights are definitely bright and futuristic. So for all the visitors heading to Philips Arena, “Welcome To Atlanta.”
Here are my thoughts on Philips Arena.
Pros
The biggest asset for the Atlanta Hawks is the city. There is never a dull moment in the city so that will always attract people to the area. Once inside, you will find the arena to have some of the best open seating as there is not a bad seat in Philips.
The food options at Philips Arena is plentiful but it also extends outside of the arena. The CNN Center is attached to Philips Arena so the food choices extends to this building as well. You have a choice between the general concession food to the likes of Arby’s and Five Guys.
Philips Arena also has some specialty restaurants available that offer some more variety as well. RED is open before, during and after games so it can serve as your after game food and beverage destination.
The tickets are generally reasonable and available on various ticketing platforms. I have found the best tickets on seatgeek.com so this should be a place to check when ticket shopping. The halftime and post game entertainment is something that draws people into the arena. You can see a who’s who in the music industry performing at any given game.
Cons
From what I have witnessed, the crowd is not always the loudest and doesn’t help create a dominant home court advantage. I have been to games where the arena has been 65 percent to capacity. With the ticket prices being quite reasonable, the arena should be sold out all 41 games.
Also, I do not believe that the ownership has invested as much as needed to making the next step in the league. The city is an attraction and they have made the playoffs for 10 straight years and looked poised to maintain that level. They just need ownership to bring in the right pieces to get over the hump.
Overall Game Day Experience
I would give Philips Arena an 8.5 out of 10. An arena built for entertainment and that is truly what you get in The Highlight Factory. The food options are enormous and the prices are fan friendly. You will definitely see some amazing action on the court, during the breaks and during post game. If you are in the Atlanta area during basketball season, this is a visit worth taking.
