What do Lady Gaga, the Wizards, Elton John, and the Washington Capitals all have in common? They’ve all been at home at Capital One Arena. Owned by Monumental Sports, this venue in Washington DC is one of the best there is. Check out all there is to know about the pride of DC.
NHL’s Washington Capitals, NBA’s Washington Wizards: All In One Place
Capital One Arena is home to the NHL’s Washington Capitals, WNBA’s Washington Mystics, and NBA’s Washington Wizards. Located in Washington, DC, this arena has hosted countless National Hockey League games, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Washington International Horse Show, and many other sporting events.
Is Capital One arena in Chinatown?
Yes. Capital One Arena is considered one of the main reasons behind the revitalization of the Chinatown neighborhood. The home of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics is located in downtown Washington, more specifically at 601 F Street NW in Washington, DC.
Is Capital One arena full capacity?
Following the pandemic when Capital One Arena was at 25% capacity, DC authorities allowed this entertainment venue to be back at full capacity for all sporting events, including family shows and concerts.
How many seats are at Capital One Arena?
Capital One Arena can host up to 20,356 people for basketball games or entertainment events, and 18,573 for ice hockey, mostly Washington Capitals games.
Ticket holders must be aware that bags and backpacks are prohibited items in the arena. Also, this is a 100% cashless arena for all sporting and entertainment events, so all concession stands accept cashless methods only.
Who performed at Capital One Arena?
This arena has hosted the men’s basketball tournament, NHL games, and more. Also, it hosted multiple entertainment shows, including Elton John, Lady Gaga, and the Harlem Globetrotters. All major entertainment events held in DC are often held at this venue.
Can you buy tickets directly at Capital One Arena?
Home games are often packed at Capital One Arena. Notably, fans in the DC area can just head to the box office and buy tickets directly there. The box office is open on Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
What was Capital One arena before?
Before it became the home of the NHL and NBA in Washington DC, this site held a mix of small businesses and residences. City officials wanted to revitalize this part of downtown Washington, as it was going through urban decay.
When did Capital One arena open?
The arena opened its doors on December 2, 1997. It cost $260 million and instantly became one of the most iconic places in DC, hosting multiple events, NHL games, and even a couple of Stanley Cup series. The Capitals became NHL champions and won the Stanley Cup there in 2018.
Does Michael Jordan still own the Wizards?
No, Jordan is currently the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets. He was a minority owner briefly in the early 2000s. Now, the team is owned by Monumental Sports, which also owns the Washington Capitals of the NHL and other sports teams.
What was the Verizon Center called before?
Now called Capital One Arena, it was formerly known as Verizon Center. However, it was originally called MCI Center from 1997 to 2006 until Verizon reached an agreement with Monumental Sports for the naming rights.
What did the Washington Wizards use to be called?
They’ve gone through multiple name changes and relocations. They started off in 1961 as the Chicago Packers, Chicago Zephyrs, Baltimore Bullets, Capital Bullets, Washington Bullets, and Wizards since 1997.
Who is the greatest Washington wizard of all time?
Even though there have been multiple events and great players in DC, most people will argue that Wes Unseld is their greatest player ever and perhaps even one of the greatest Washington athletes ever. He was big, physical, and just had ice on his veins. He was a major part of the biggest event in the franchise: their only ring. He’s a DC legend among DC legends.
Washington Wizards: Looking To Be Great Again
Washington has one of the longest histories in the NBA. Sadly, that hasn’t always translated into success, as they only have eight division titles, four conference titles, and a single NBA Championship. In the following paragraphs, we’re going to let you know everything there is about their rich history.
The Beginning: Chicago Packers
The Chicago Packers, founded in 1961, were the first modern expansion team in the National Basketball Association. Led by standout rookie Walt Bellamy, the team didn’t find much success or bring supporters to the arena, mostly due to its name. Despite Chicago being a meatpacking industry hub, the city’s lifelong rivalry with the Green Bay Packers made a recipe for failure.
Chicago Zephyrs And Leaving Town
The Packers changed the name to Chicago Zephyrs after just one season, using the Chicago Coliseum as their home venue. With Terry Dischinger joining the team, the Zephyrs still weren’t exactly a success among ticket-buyers, so they decided to relocate after two years at the Windy City.
The Baltimore Bullets are Born
The franchise moved to Baltimore and brought back the ‘Baltimore Bullets’ name from a defunct BAA team. They added Wes Unseld in perhaps the most legacy-defining event in franchise history. He became the team’s leader for 14 years.
Baltimore No More: Capital Bullets
In 1973, the franchise announced its plans to leave Baltimore and move to Washington, DC. The team was then named Capital Bullets for one season. Still, the Bullets would often leave DC to play their home matchups at Baltimore during the 80s and 90s due to multiple issues.
Moving To DC: Washington Bullets
Established in DC, the Bullets became one of the best teams in the Association, often packing their home venue. They constantly made it to the playoffs with Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld providing big entertainment and helping tickets sale skyrocket.
Winning A Ring
It wasn’t until 1978 that the Wizards were able to achieve the ultimate basketball milestone and win the NBA Finals. They beat the Seattle Supersonics, with Wes Unseld taking home the Finals MVP honors.
Washington Wizards and the never-ending struggles
That event wasn’t a sign of better things to come for the Wizards. They made it to the Finals again next season but couldn’t win. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to host a Finals game ever since and haven’t exactly been a successful basketball team, except for some brief stretches.
The Gun Fiasco: Where’s Gilbert Arenas now?
Gilbert Arenas was supposed to be the one who could lift the Wizards back to the top. But in one of the most bizarre events in sports history, his career took a massive downfall after flashing a couple of guns in the locker room. After leaving Washington, DC, and the league, he became the host of his own podcast.
The John Wall era
The Wizards continued to be bottom-feeders for years until John Wall broke out as one of the best point guards in the league. Wall was the DC arena’s favorite player night in and night out, leading thousands of people to their venue for every game.
Trading Wall
Wall became a perennial All-Star and the team had no choice but to sign him to a massive deal. Washington gave him one of the worst contracts in basketball, eventually being traded after two years of struggles with injuries with little-to-no postseason success.
Bradley Beal: A Loyal Superstar
Now, Bradley Beal is the arena’s main guy at DC. Even though multiple teams wanted to lure him, he agreed to sign a big contract extension with the squad. Unfortunately, and even though having him around is great to sell tickets, the Wizards haven’t been able to win many games with him leading the way. Not even when Westbrook was also on the roster.
What does the future hold for the Wizards?
The Washington Wizards are one of the most popular teams in DC. Ticket holders will always stay loyal to the franchise. Even so, they need to find a way to be competitive and that could mean sending Beal away. They need to gather as many first-round picks as they can to rebuild through the Draft, as not many top-notch free agents have been drawn to DC recently.
The Wizards have had to endure countless tough events through the years and that has given them a big fanbase always packing their venue, so they need to think of them and give their supporters in Washington DC just what they deserve once and for all.
What is the biggest arena in the NBA?
The largest arena in the NBA is the United Center, which is the home of the Chicago Bulls. For the 2022-23 season, it has a seating capacity of 20,917. It’s one of four arenas in the league that can accommodate over 20,000 fans. The other three arenas with 20,000-plus seats are the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Capital One Arena in Washington, and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
